FicWad

"January 1967 was a year of drama for me. My home life hadn't changed at all. School wasn't any better. Kids still picked on me due to my physical appearance. We celebrated Danny's thirteenth birthday on the thirty-first. He was still as nonchalant like he always been. We had written new material around that time. In February I started to realize I liked Danny. I know it sounds crazy for the nerdy girl to like the greaser or bad boy but I did. He was just so alluring and his personality was the exact opposite of mine. I was one of those girls that was very timid and didn't express myself. I didn't know if Danny was into those kind of girls. At the end of February things started changing. Danny started developing feelings for Kimberly. From my perspective I don't think she liked him but it was apparent that it was other way around. In March we were given a group project for the first time in four years. We teamed up to do the project. We met up at Danny's house to work on it. As we worked I noticed that Danny would touch Kimberly's hand. In turn he would politely remove it."

"Girls have different a way of doing things when it comes to advances than boys. So when I saw her remove his hand from hers it alerted me that she didn't like him that way. . The following Friday we presented our project in front of the class. We got a ninety-four and I was satisfied. That Monday we returned to school and the captain of the cheerleading squad Lucille Mortenson asked Danny out and he said whatever and took him by the hand and walked off. I was enraged. I couldn't believe she took our best friend away from and so blatantly at that. What happened next I didn't expect. I was coming out of social studies and Kimberly and Danny were kissing each other. They separated and Kimberly punched him in his face. She walked over to me and apologized for what happened. I then whispered in her ear that I liked Danny. This surprised her because she didn't think I would. We then parted ways and I walked to math class."

"I spent my spring break with Kimberly. We polished up our counterbalancing harmonies. In April Lucille was as shady as I ever knew her to be. She would kiss Danny in school and say sweet nothings. I never knew why he dated her. I can't even recall the last time I ever saw them kiss. Maybe they kissed in privacy. Either way it wasn't any of my business. In my spare time I would go to the library and read books. Reading books kept my mind off what was going on around me. I hated ignoring things but I preferred when things came to a head on their own. One day while I was reading my book I heard giggling. It sounded all too familiar. I didn't leave my seat. I looked over and saw Lucille coming out from behind a bookcase. What made it interesting was she was with a different man."

"She was a blatant floosy behind closed doors and yet she had the audacity to call herself faithful. I laughed because I knew how played she was going to feel when everything came crashing down. She saw me and smirked. I smirked back knowing what would happen. I stayed at the library for another hour. I was engrossed into a great nursing book. I took notes as well. I had seven pages of notes. I planned on holding onto them until I reached college. I was at the age where adulthood was creeping and before I knew I'd have to face the real world. I returned my book, grabbed my notebook and left the library. I walked home and cooked dinner. My parents had come home and looked at me in the kitchen."

"I looked at them hoping they would say something but nothing came out as usual. The phone kitchen rang and I answered it. It was my aunt Victoria. She said she would be in town for a week. I was so excited. I loved my aunt Victoria. She was the only person besides Carol and Mama Valery that treated me like a daughter. My mother asked me who I was speaking to and I told her it was her sister Victoria. She looked pissed but I didn't care, she was coming and there was nothing she could do about it.I finished cooking dinner and fixed myself a plate. After a while I stopped fixing my parents plates because they never ate my cooking. I made a portion that would last me for a week. I washed my dishes following dinner and went upstairs to my room. I showered and got into bed. The weekend flew by and aunt Victoria arrived on Monday."

"We talked about school and my music. She was shocked when she found out I liked Danny. During dinner she asked about my parents and I told her it was the same routine. She sighed and shook her head and said they won't be satisfied until I cut my ties with them. I told her I didn't care if I talked to them or not because I was tired of trying to gain their attention, approval and most importantly their love. You may think I'm lying but I'm not. Try spending your entire childhood and adolescence trying to appeal to your parents. My aunt Victoria told me my mother was promiscuous as a teenager and had several pregnancy scares and when she had me she was mortified. She told me I had lived with her for a year before my mother came and got me."

"I thought it was dumb that she got got pissed off that another woman was doing her job better mothering than her. Aunt Victoria said that she always thought of her sister as a mean bitch. That wasn't the first time I heard that word because my mother called me that as a child and other inappropriate terms. She said that my grandmother kicked her out when she was sixteen due to her promiscuity and disrespectful attitude. She wasn't the oldest but she tried to act like it. Aunt Victoria was the oldest and then it was my mother and their two brothers Tim and Ashton. I discovered that my mother told my aunt and uncles I was the worst thing that ever happened to her."

"I couldn't even look my own mother in the face anymore. I was so disgusted. I asked her if my father felt the same way. She said he was very apprehensive and left me at the firehouse and that's where she found me. I was cared for by my Aunt Victoria for that entire year. She would've adopted me but my mother wouldn't allow it. I thought it was so backwards and hypocritical it wasn't even funny. My parents hadn't gotten home from work yet and I told my aunt I'd be right back. I went upstairs and packed my suitcases. I came downstairs with them in hand. Aunt Victoria smiled grabbed her keys. I took my key because I would come back for my bed later that weekend. I learned during the ride that my aunt had bought a house in California when I was younger. It was close to the school which meant I wouldn't be leaving my best friends."

"When we got there I saw it was a two story. I grabbed my suitcase out the trunk and walked up to the front door. Aunt Victoria unlocked the door and we walked inside. I was so amazed. It had marble floors red velvet carpet and upstairs when you first enter the house. She told me I could pick any room upstairs. I headed upstairs and turned to my left and walked down the hallway. I came to the first door on the left. It already had a bed and dresser. So I was going to return to my house tomorrow and return my key. I laid down on my bed in earnest. I was ecstatic that I left home and was in a place where I was appreciated and loved. I saw pictures of my grandparents on both sides of the wall. I didn't want to take them down for sentimental reasons."

"They were dead now so I guess aunt Victoria wanted to be reminded of the impact they had on her. I sat up and started unpacking my suitcases. Final exams were next month and I had already being studying for them. I went to the bathroom down the hall and took a shower. I cried and felt really bad for how I was treating Kimberly. May came and felt rejuvenated. I approached Kimberly's table. I apologized for calling her a liar and not listening to what she had to say. She said it was groovy and that we shouldn't let a boy come in between us. Kimberly told me after she left the bathroom she punched Danny in his face for kissing her. I was shocked that she did that but it showed she had respect for herself. Alvin came and sat down and was happy that we were finally talking to each other again."

"As we were talking we saw Lucille looking in our direction. Danny just had his eyes closed and arms folded. He looked like he didn't give a damn about her. Like I said everything would come to the light. The end of the school year dance was next week and so was final exams. We then noticed Alvin was sad. We asked him what was wrong and he said his mother was in a rehabilitation center. I offered him to come stay with me if he wanted and he accepted. Kimberly then asked if he was going to the dance and he said he was but he would feel guilty because his mom was in the rehab center. He continued on and said he would go because his mother would want him to have a good time."

"Kimberly agreed and Danny came to the table. He asked why Danny was looking sad and I told him and he said he needed to suck i t up. Kimberly reprimanded him and said he needed to be sensitive to those around him especially his friends. The bell then rang and we headed to class. On our way there Lucille came in front of us and hugged Danny. She told us it was their time to be alone. Kimberly told her to fuck off and go get educated. She laughed and walked off with Danny. We walked to class and did reviews in each one. When school dismissed we were walking in the hallway when Lucille and her two friends approached us. She said she wanted to fight Kimberly and Kimberly agreed. She told Lucille to meet her in the parking lot across the street in ten minutes."

"Lucille agreed and we left the school and walked to the convenience store. I wasn't going to try and talk her out of it because I believed Lucille deserved a beat down. As time winded down students started flooding the parking lot. Lucille and her friends were at her side smiling. I saw Alvin and Danny walking in the crowd to. Kimberly pulled her hair into a bun and walked over to Lucille. Kimberly said if she wins she wins and if she loses she loses. Lucille said if she wins Kimberly had to pay her twenty dollars. Kimberly agreed and they began brawling. Kimberly got a multiple licks in. But do to her weight she tired out quickly and Lucille gained the advantage. Lucille tackled her to the ground and straddled her. She started punching Kimberly in her face. After six blows Kimberly was out cold. Lucille got off her and told us that Kimberly owed her twenty dollars and claimed victory."

"The three of us ran over to Kimberly and helped her up. She awoke an hour later. I had bought an ice pack to bring down the swelling. At that time she and Danny reconciled and things were back to the way they used to be. That next week I talked to Kimberly on the phone about the dance and what I was going to wear. Kimberly thought my outfit sounded pretty enough despite it not revealing anything. I revealed to Kimberly that I would confess my feelings to Danny when the time was right. She was happy because I was taking the first step to admitting my love for someone. The night of the dance Carol drove us to the school. I was wearing a teal and purple skin tight yet formal dress. Kimberly wore a peach dress. I thought she looked spectacular."

"Alvin wore a gray suit. Danny rounded the group off with a suit jacket, a button down shirt, faded jeans and tennis shoes. He wasn't one to go all the way when it came to formal events. Anyway when we got inside the school and were walking down the hallway Lucille approached us. She looked like a five dollar hooker. Her hair was voluminous hair and teased. She had on a short and tight black dress that exposed her developing cleavage. She mean mugged us and smiled at Danny and took his hand. They walked down the auditorium together. I wanted to walk up to her and knock her into next week but I couldn't because she hadn't laid her hands on me. I felt Kimberly and Alvin took both of my hands and we walked to the auditorium together. Upon entering we saw Lucille kissing on Danny. He looked out of it. The only reason he was there was because we convinced him to come with us. Alvin asked me if I wanted to dance."

"I looked at him and told him I didn't dance in front of people. He said it was fine and took my hand. We walked to the dance floor feeling groovy. When the music slowed down I placed my hand around Alvin's neck and his around my waist. Now people looking around us would've thought we were dating the way our eyes were connected and our synchronized body movement. Alvin told me he though I looked breathtaking. I blushed and told him thank you. I was smart enough to know he wasn't flirting because he never saw me that way, no one ever did. I was always friend zoned and I settled with that. As we continued to dance we looked over and saw Kimberly dancing with the star quarterback Gary Rathbone. We were both shocked to see that."

"None of us knew Kimberly would dance with a athlete let alone Gary Rathbone. He looked very handsome that night. I usually saw him in his lettermen jacket and jeans. So this was a side the students rarely got to behold. I looked out of the corner of my eye and I saw Lucille staring them down. She looked angry but what was she angry about she had Danny. After dancing for an hour Alvin and I walked over to the tables and sat down. They chicken, turkey, ham, dressing and other fine foods for a formal event. We talked about how everyone had looked that night. Most of the females looked gorgeous except for Lucille. I don't what she was thinking of when she was in her closet. She just looked unpresentable and detestable. It looked like Kimberly and Gary were hitting things off."

"They had been talking the entire time while Alvin and I danced. She really must've saw something in him we didn't because most girls were typical when it came to guys like him. He was attractive, an athlete and they thought he could buy them the world. They needed to get a grip on life, that boy couldn't do anything financial for them even if he wanted to. He was fifteen and living at home with his parents just like they were. He was upper middle class but that was his parents money not his. He once told me he was going to work and pay for his way through college without the financial assistance of his parents. I admired him unconditionally for that because most wealthy kids would've jumped at the opportunity to not have to do anything for the rest of their lives. The dance played early forties and fifties ballads. People of the forties were Corona DuBois, Carla Lexington, Cass Mareen, Ginger Paxton, Sylvia Plankton, Jamie Taylor and Rocky Leone."

"Although we were in the late sixties the kids at our school embraced music from earlier generations. I ate a few things here and there. When the dance concluded Alvin, Danny and I left the gymnasium. As we were standing there we saw Kimberly and Gary walking out holding hands. They kissed each other and parted ways. Alvin asked when did they start talking and she said during the dance. Lucille then came out and told Kimberly that Gary only wanted her because she seemed easy. Kimberly just smiled and said that she was jealous and turned her back. Danny didn't say anything. Lucille walked off and we headed outside to wait for Carol. Twenty minutes later she arrived and drove us home. School had let out the following Friday and gee willikers were we happy."

"No school for two months. We did what we did every summer which was sing on street corners. The second week of June we traveled to Ella Mona, Maryland to visit Kimberly's grandmother Valery. Her dementia had advanced greatly to the point where she didn't know who any of us were. Kimberly's aunt La'Donna and uncle Albert were there when we arrived. Her doctor was also leaving when we pulled up. Grandmother Valery looked horrible. She had lost sight in her right eye and deaf in her left. But nonetheless when she saw she smiled. We sang Flying Nightingale for her. We then took to the streets. Nothing new occurred but we still kept at it. I was giving it my all while we sang. I wasn't swaying in the breeze like Kimberly and Alvin were but I was having fun. That Saturday ten minutes after seven Valery took her last breath. Her last words were 'Sing me something pretty'. We knew what she meant. Danny seemed heartbroken and despondent and in denial. But I don't think he was hurting half as bad as Kimberly was."

"Valery was the second most important woman in her life after her mother. They had spent every summer together since she was a young girl. I could only imagine how she felt. A week later at her funeral in Grey Forest, California we sang Forever Our Mother. Everyone wanted me to sing lead because they believed I had the most emotive voice in the group. When the funeral was over we drove to the cemetery. It was quick but you could feel the immense sorrow seeping through the atmosphere. I saw Carol, Kimberly and her uncle and aunt consoling one another. We were on the outside looking in despite having known Valery for three years. We would always be on the outside looking in because we were just friends with the mourning person."

"When the burial ended we drove back to Kingsley. We were all depressed for a week. During this time we would sing but it didn't have that same charismatic and happy sound it always gave off. We were still hurting. Danny and Kimberly looked dead. Kimberly's golden eyes that were always vibrant were devoid of any emotion. In July we overcame our depression and got our signature sound back. We sang some new material and Danny took more a vital role in singing. He felt his talents were more for producing and arranging than singing. We couldn't help but agree but since we didn't have a producer all he could do was sing and play his guitar. In August we returned to school for a new school year. Lucille was still up to her scandalous tricks. Kimberly knew she was up to no good and Alvin stayed out of it because it wasn't any of his business."
"The first day was pretty normal, we introduced ourselves and wrote autobiographies. I didn't tell anything too personal, I just kept it simple and interesting. As I was writing my report I saw there was a boy named Connor Phillips staring at me. I didn't know what his reason was but I wanted to find out. So after I finished my paper I turned it in and walked over to the boys desk. I formally introduced myself and vice versa. I asked him if there was anything he wanted and he said that he thought I was pretty. I was stunned and it was also a huge boost to my self esteem and worth. My parents never once told me I was beautiful, so it was foreign to me. I told him thank you and he smiled. The registrar came onto the intercom and we recited the pledge of allegiance and our student creed".

"Afterward she informed everyone of the back to school dance that take place in September. We hadn't been in school for a month yet and they were already talking about a dance. I didn't mind going to dances as long as my friends were with me. On the bright side I had a whole month to get an outfit prepared. I knew Kimberly was taking Gary Rathbone, Danny was going with Lucille and Alvin and I would be alone. We always had fun with each other if we were dateless. Connor unexpectedly asked me if I wanted to go to the dance with him. I told him yes and that it would be a lot of fun. He smiled and I walked back to my seat feeling internally toasty. People around me looked shocked or disgust. They never wanted to see a tall girl taking a shorter guy to a school event or anywhere else really."

"I didn't care because although I liked Danny, Connor looked passed my physical appearance and saw a kind person. That afternoon I spoke with my aunt Victoria about the dance and my date. She thought it was wonderful and asked when the enchanted event would take place. I told her it was next month on the sixteenth. She asked me if I had a dress I wanted to wear, I told her I wanted to wear a silky beige one. She clasped her hands together and told me she knew of a good clothing store downtown. I told her I was so happy that someone looked passed my physical appearance and saw me for who I was. Aunt Victoria said there were still some good boys out there in the pool of stereotypical-ness. I sighed and went upstairs and did my homework. At five I washed up for dinner and went downstairs. Aunt Victoria had prepared spaghetti and meatballs with salad and garlic bread for dinner. It looked delicious. We blessed our food and began eating. Aunt Victoria asked me how things were going with my friends. I told her we were all writing some new material."

"She said that was good and asked if Danny had started allowing me to sing lead. I fell silent and my smile slightly faded. She took that as a no and asked why. I told her he just feels that Kimberly and Alvin had more power and emotion behind their voice and that I sounded too safe and low. Aunt Victoria looked almost outraged and said that Danny needed to realize not everyone was born to be mezzo soprano's and tenors. I told her I knew but in Danny's mind I was just there. Aunt Victoria said that I could always quit the group and sing solo. I told her I was way too shy to even stand in front of four people let alone a thousand. She laughed and said that singing solo was way better than being subject to Danny's musical prejudice."

"I told her I wanted to stay in the group and that there have been times where my voice had risen and met with Kimberly's and Alvin's. She looked surprised and asked if that's the case then why was so Danny so intent on having Kimberly and Alvin singing lead. I didn't have an answer for her at the moment and I thought about it. I then told her that maybe he has something special in store for a voice like mine. Aunt Victoria said she hoped so because she said I had one hell of a toasty and warm voice. After dinner we washed dishes and we headed to our rooms. I called Kimberly. After two rings Carol answered. She said hello and asked who was calling. I told her it was me and asked her how she was doing. She said she was fine and asked me if I was doing okay. I told her I was fine. She then gave Kimberly the phone."

"Kimberly sounded like her usual upbeat hippie self. I asked her how she was doing. She said she was fine. I told her that was good and asked why Danny never let me sing lead like her and Alvin. The phone was silent for a moment and Kimberly said she believed Danny had a certain song in store for me. I gasped and told her my aunt thought the same thing. Kimberly said that sometimes in a group the most overlooked member turns out to be the most successful. I told her I guess so and asked her her opinion about my voice. She said she thought my voice sounded like a roaring fire with a tinge of honey. She said although I wasn't meant to hit high notes I could still be powerful with the proper arrangement. None of us knew anyone who owned a recording studio so we couldn't bring our voices together for a professional opinion."

"I told Kimberly that I honestly liked our live harmonies on acoustic. Kimberly agreed and told me I needed to start standing up to Danny artistically because if I didn't I would always stay in the background. She said although Danny was tough he was open to change and adjustment. I thought about that and said I would start standing up for myself. We then started talking about the back to school dance. She asked if I found anyone to take and I told her I was taking Connor Phillips. Kimberly squealed and said she was so happy for me. I told her I was happy to and that he was the first boy to ever look past my physical appearance and see me for who I was. Kimberly said that Connor was a sweetie pie and he was victimized by the other boys in the school. But behind closed doors they were asking for academic help and he would tell them no."

"I thought that Connor was very brave, something I wasn't. That's why I admired Kimberly so much because she stood up for what she believed in as well as her friends and victims. I told Kimberly I wish I was more like her. She told me I was a motherly type of girl, who needed to grab the reins and take charge. Since I was the victim of my parents harsh treatment I never learned to stand up for myself. But I somehow have a motherly personality and was willing to those in need. We talked on the phone until eight and hung up. I took a shower and headed to bed. Thoughts of next months dance were on my mind. I was still high on the fact that someone found me interesting. That was something to write home to your mother about. In December my aunt Victoria died of a brain tumor. She was the only family I had besides my friends. After the memorial service Danny spent the remainder of the day comforting me. Kimberly and Alvin were busy so it was just Danny and I. This was an empowering moment for me but more so for Danny. I didn't think he cared about I had gone through. Thank God I had him there to look after me."