A Time To Be Alive

Chapter 22 -"Whole Lot of Shakin Goin On"

November 2 1961 (Thursday) 

Johnny and i spent our night together on the beach. We drank and talked for hours. It was almost a surprise that we fell asleep on the sand. I wake up in Johnny's arms. It was freezing.  The sun light was bothering my eyes.  I burry my head in his shoulder. I have no idea what time it was but im definitely late to school. I try to get up but hes hold on me is strong. "Where do you think you're goin" "Home. I need to drop off Lucy's car and go to school." "School? No. We'll take back the car and then you and i are spending the day together. " "I cant ditch class!" "Of course you can!" "Ugh fine!" I threw on my sunglasses, "lets roll!"

     I drove home with Johnny tailing me. When we arrived home, Lucy was waiting inside for me. I walked in with my head down. "Marina Hernandez where have you been?" "Im so sorry Lucy! I was at the beach and Johnny was there and we talked all night and lost track of time and I-" she cuts me off. "Woah woah, Johnny? What about James?" "Its a long story, point is him and I are history! " "Why what happened?" I removed my sunglasses that revealed a slight bruise uner my eye. "Rina! What happened?" "James struck me last night after our dinner. He's not at all the man i thought he was." She pulls me into a hug.  "Im so sorry."

     There was then a knock at the door. Lucy pulls away to open the door. It was Johnny.  "Hello Mrs. Davis. Rina are you ready?" She turns to me. "Ready for what?" "Um Johnny and i are spending the day together. Im not going to school today." I braced myself for her to yell at me. "Alright, stay safe and please be careful. If you dont come home please call, i get worrisome. " "You arent mad?" "Of course not! You've gone through a lot. Plus, your'e ahead in your work. Youll be fine missing a day or so." "Thank you!" "Ill see you later?" "Yes ma'am!" Lucy smiles and walks out the door to start her day.

     "So what do you want to do today?"  "Well, i want to get to know you, the real you." "Alright then. Can i shower and change first?" Johnny laughs, "Of  course, you mind if i wait in your room?" "Not at all."

     We go upstairs into my room. I go into my closet and pick out what im going to wear. Its kind of chilly out so i wore an orange dress with a brown coat over. I also wore a brown beret to match. I lightly curled my hair. After my shower and me getting ready, i go back into my room. I packed an overnight bag and added a swimsuit, my camera, and a blanket. I turned to see Johnny on my bed. "Gee, looking great. Although it is missing something. " "what?" He gets up and walks towards me. He grabs my hand slowly and tender. Hes putting the bracelet i gave back to him back on. "What's this for?" "For you, I got it for you so i want you to have it, whether we're together or not." i gave him a hug. "Thank you." "You ready to go?" i nod. i grab my purse and he grabs my hand and leads me downstairs out to his car.  

     "So where are we going?" "Well first to grab some breakfast, maybe go to the mountains somewhere nice and quiet. somewhere where their isn't any other person." "James has a cabin in the mountains!" Johnny looks at me in disgust, "So? Wait how do you know about that?" "We can go there, and well he took me there." i look down. "Oh! ok yeah we can go there. How do we get in though?" "I know where he keeps the key. " "Did he take you up there to, yknow?" i sighed. I felt embarrassed telling Johnny that I had sex with James. Its humiliating. "Yeah.  We first did the night of the Halloween party, i was kind of drunk but sober enough to know what was going on. I thought he was a great guy but i guess not. After that we went up to his cabin and played house for the weekend." "So when i went to go see you, you guys were already together?" "yeah. I know looking back it now it was stupid and reckless. I dont usually do that. I'm not like that!" "Its fine, really. In your time, were you popular with the guys?" i laugh, "No not at all. i was bullied for the way i dressed because this isn't really the style anymore. i kept my distance." "How do people dress ?" "Hm, for the guys its kind of the same, jeans and a T shirt. Some times they dress up or dress down, wearing pajama attire or sporty attire." "What about the chicks? What do they wear?" "Well it varies. Sometimes they wear trousers and t shirts. Sometimes they wear dresses but not the same as how they do now. Sometimes they bare all and wear barely nothing. Its a more accepting time, its normal then." "Really? Say maybe you should show me to see for myself!" i push him." Shut up and drive!"