The Room, the Sun and the Sky

Friday came around in no time and I was more excited than I ever was before. August was such a sweetie and I liked him a lot. So when eight o' clock rolled around, I was ecstatic.

He came exactly at eight, knocking lightly at the door. My father answered and the door and he grinned at August, who looked rather nervous to him.

"Hello there August"

"Good evening Mister Gracie"

"Petra will be out in just a second, would you care to have a seat?"

Despite me being ready for our date, my mother was fussing over me and my outfit, insisting upon me wearing the tight pencil skirt that made me look like a sailor. Though cute, it was for the talent show and not for our date. She just wasn't happy with my sea green polka dotted cardigan. I wore a white poodle skirt to match the white polka dots on my cardigan as well as a white button up shirt under the cardigan.

"Your father's gotta question him first. You know that"

I sighed. I could only her a little bit of what they were talking about. August seemed as cool and smooth as ever, thought I could hear the nervousness in his voice.

After a little while, my mother sighed.

"Go in there and save him"

I smiled and walked down the stairs.

"Hi August, sorry it took me so long. My mother was fussing over me"

He smiled widely.

"It's no problem. I had a great talk with your dad"

"He's a good kid Petra," My dad claimed, patting my head and sending me off.

August followed me out of the house, running to get the door for me. I smiled and looked up to my house, to see my parents leaning on the doorway, smiling. I smiled back and August revved up his car. We drove down the street and down to where the drive-ins were.

"So I remembered you sayin' that you liked Audrey Hepburn," August mentioned as he bought the tickets and refreshments.

"Oh I love her!" I exclaimed.

"Well good, 'cause we're watchin' Roman Holiday"

I grinned widely, leaning back into his car seat and smiling.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"I'm a little chilled," I answered, pulling my coat tighter against me.

He leaned back and grabbed a blanket from the back seat of the car.

"I only had one lying around the house, so you'll have to share"

I smiled, sliding over my lay my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I pulled the blanket up. We watched in silence and ate our snacks, his hand involuntarily moving up and down my arm slowly. I found this comforting and scooched over a little more, trying to find a more comfortable position, we seemed to just fit together. My head fit in all the right places where I was most comfortable. Like our bodies were made to match.

"Comfortable?" he asked, a joking air to his question.

"Very"

After the movie, he drove us to the cliffs and we watched the stars. The comforting sound of the waves hitting the cliff, the stars and the warmth of August beside me was perfect. Everything was perfect. After a bit of silence after our laughing spree, I sighed contently. Then my stomach rumbled and ruined the perfect moment.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, chuckling lightly.

"That was so embarrassing," I said, nuzzling my head further into his shoulder.

He laughed and turned the key in the ignition. We drove down to Pop's and found it completely deserted. Pop greeted us both and brought out our favorites. We wound up chatting right up until August had to take me home. We bid Pop a good night and drove off towards my house.

"Thanks August. Tonight was just, perfect," I commented as he walked me up to my door.

"I had a great time too. Thanks for coming with me"

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world"

I held his hands and started into his gorgeous eyes. I leaned in and kissed his cheek. He blushed almost as red as my lipstick.

"Is it too soon to ask you for a second date?" he whispered, not wanting to ruin the silence of the night.

"I don't think so"

"Alright then, how's about we do this again real soon?"

"How soon?"

"Next Friday? Eight?"

"Perfect"

I opened the door and walked in backwards, my eyes not leaving August's eyes. As soon as the door closed, I sighed contently and replayed our date back in my head, walking up to my room. My parents sat in front of the television, watching me sigh dreamily and smiling.

Every week I was always looking forward to Friday nights, knowing that I'd have some alone time with August and soon, we were going steady. It was every girl's dream to meet somebody so perfect as August. He was so sweet, caring, he remembered what I liked and disliked, we had so much in common. And I knew, I was in love with August Martin Perry.

I was so involved with August, since we had gone steady, that I had completely forgotten about the talent show. Donna and the girls were a little mad at me, but I apologized and it all worked out in the end. On show day, we got dressed in the back room, Jimmy and his boys kept popping in on the other girls as they dressed, ensue a lot of shrieking, but I had gone behind the screen and was done in no time. We all put on our glittering make-up and sailor outfits and were ready just a few minutes until it was our turn. We had time to watch Jimmy play Rock Around the Clock with his "greaser" band and we were on soon after.

When we went on, the parents looked angry and the kids all riled up. I expect that the older generation didn't appreciate Jimmy's rock song and they were a tough act to follow by. But as soon as the music cued up, we worked the stage and the crowd like they were putty. Our four part harmonies were almost angelic and we looked so cute under all those lights. In the end, we came in second place by the judges, we lost to Annie Wright who played the piano and sang. I thought we did better, but the judges were all her friends.

"That show was rigged" Lizzie claimed in her whiny voice.

"Yeah! It's so unfair! We shouldda won!" Lola exclaimed, fuming.

"You won in our eyes," Jimmy said, coming into our dressing room and sweeping Donna off her feet.

She giggled and the rest of his crew did the same to Lola and Lizzie.

"I'm gonna go girls. I'll meet you up at Pop's if I can okay?"

They didn't answer and I ignored Freddie, slipped past him quietly. As I walked down the busy hallway, trying to get out, somebody grabbed my hand and spun me around to face him. August stood there, a bouquet of my favorite flowers in hand. As he held my waist close to him, he kissed me swiftly and I smiled.

"You did great out there. You were just an angel"

"You're so sweet August"

He handed me the bouquet of flowers and I wiped the red tint off his lips. He led me out of the backstage crowd and we quickly found my family. They handed me more flowers and left August and me. August excused himself for a minute and I stood, leaning against the wall waiting for him.

"Hey! Hey you Petra!"

I turned my head to the sound of Donna's voice.

"What's your story morning glory?"

"Me and the girls are gonna go to Pop's wanna come? Freddie's gonna be there"

"Huh? Who's Freddie?"

"You know, Jimmy's friend. He's got a major crush on you! You'd like him. He's a real sweetheart"

"Uh, I wish I could, but I've gotta-"

"Aw what's more important than friends?"

I didn't want to tell her that I'd gone steady with August. She hadn't noticed that I've been ridin' cloud nine for at least a month already and I didn't feel like she needed to know. She wasn't that great a friend anyway.

"Family," I lied.

I walked off down the hallway, leaving just as the girls and Jimmy's crew came out of the theater. I ran into August on the way to where ever Donna and Jimmy weren't and he smiled.

"Ready to jet?"

"I'm more than ready"