The Room, the Sun and the Sky

Donna kept trying to set me up with one of Jimmy’s friends. I didn’t know which one it was, cause I had finally broke down and told her about Freddie and she wouldn't keep trying to set us up, but I didn’t like any of them anyway, so I kept turning him down. Donna got mad at me and stopped talking to me for a little while, but tried making friends again, now that our Senior Prom was coming up in two weeks.

She told me she had bought a magnificent dress and Jimmy’s tux matched hers perfectly. Then she tried to trick me into telling her the color of my dress, most likely so that Jimmy’s friend could match accordingly and show up.

“Aw come on Petra! I thought we were best friends! Nobody asked you yet and it would just be darling if you went with Jimmy’s best friend. You know, best friends with best friends! Then when we get married, we’ll always be together!” Donna exclaimed one day.

I had just had enough of her.

“Look Donna! I’ve been steady with August now for six months! I’m going with August and that’s that!” I cried, turning away from her and walking briskly back to my home.

When I arrived back home, August sat on the porch swing, a glass of lemonade in hand, swinging gently.

“August! What are you doing here?!” I cried, taking his shoulders into my arms and kissing his lips.

“Well, your mother invited me over; she wanted my tuxedo vest to match your dress, so she wanted my measurements to start making it.

"She told me how you aren’t very good at sewing men’s clothing, so she wanted to do it,” August said, smiling.

“You’re steady with him?! That low life soda jerk from Pop’s?!” Donna cried, furious.

I hadn’t realized she had followed me home. But I don’t doubt that she had seen everything.

I rolled my eyes at her.

“Yes Donna! I’m steady with August! What’s the big deal?! Buzz off already, sugar!” I yelled.

Donna stormed off and I rolled my eyes again.

“Are you okay, angel?” August asked, planting a kiss on my porcelain cheek.

“I’m fine. Let’s just get inside and finish our prom outfits,” I said, my mood sour.

Prom came around quicker than I had expected it to. August was sitting in my living room downstairs, my father giving him the guidelines again, since we had plans to drive up to Pop’s lake side cottage and spend the weekend. August and my father had already put my bags into the back of August’s car and they were just waiting for me to finish up. My mother had the family camera ready, as I stepped down from the stair well, feeling nothing short of a princess.

August’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened, showing off the green eyes that I loved so much.

My dress was long and flowing, the pale green color made the color of our eyes pop and the dress fit every one of my curves.

“You look more beautiful than I ever thought possible. Goddess-like even,” August commented, gawking.

My parents smiled at him, glad that I had found a boy so nice and appreciative.

“Pictures!” My mother cried, shoving us together in a series of poses.

I smiled at her and the camera and eventually, we had made it out to the car. He opened the door for me and circled around the front as I buckled in. He came into the car and I turned to look at him, he immediately pressed his lips to mine.

I giggled when we pulled apart and pulled the handkerchief out of my purse to wipe away the light lipstick I had worn that day. I reapplied in my compact mirror and he took off, headed towards the school.

We chatted excitedly and soon came to a stop in the parking lot where August had taken the closest available spot. We talked as we cranked the knobs to pull the windows up when suddenly, an alarming boom and a shaking of the car, informed us that we were in some trouble. I rolled my window up faster, as well as August.

He grabbed my hand as we listened to heavy boots making their way slowly from the trunk of the car, where he had jumped on, over the roof and down the windshield to look at us from the hood of the car.

August turned the key in the ignition and revved his car up, to shake him off.

“You were supposed to go with me!” the boy yelled.

He held a brown bag and slurred his words. He eyes drooped and he burped and hiccuped between words.

“You’re going with the soda jerk? I could screw you better than he ever could!” the boy yelled.

“Who are you?!” I cried, scared, tears streaming down my face.

“S’me! Freddie! Don’t you remember me? Course not! You left at the diner and turned me down!”

“It's gonna be alright, angel” August said, calming me.

“You shut the fuck up! The fact that I’m not getting that sweet ass is your damned fault!” Freddie yelled.

I could see that we were parked in between all my old friends. They all turned away from me, not helping.

It happened so fast, yet to me, it was in slow motion. Freddie, lifted his shirt and pulled a gun from his belt. He aimed and fired, not once flinching. It came through the windshield and shattered, a searing pain forcing it's way through my chest. It burned everywhere after that first shot. The loud bangs of the gun and the shattering of the windshield didn't even matter, all that I could remember was the pain and the hope that August was alright.

“Petra?! Petra?!” August cried, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me into his lap.

He kissed my lips as tears ran down his cheeks.

"If I can't have you! Nobody can!" Freddie cried, more shots and August was down.

August's blood spilled over me, I knew he was dead by the way his body went limp on top of me. I lifted his head and saw that his emerald eyes stood wide, dilated. I kissed his lips and cried as tears ran down my cheeks from the pain of sorrow and the physical pain. I muttered his name over and over.

This was when Donna jumped into action.

“Petra! August! I never meant for this to-”

Another bang interrupted Donna’s shrill screams and sudden blackness.

I could hear myself breathing heavily and my heart pumped at an enormous rate, my head wanting to implode.

When I woke up again, I was in a room full of shadows. A light shone on me and I got up. I felt a familiar hand reach in to grasp mine and I looked up. August smiled and kissed me.

Silently, with fingers laced, we walked.