American Dream

two.

               The morning was postcard perfect, even the buses were running on time. Downtown the skyscrapers shone silver in the morning sun and the sky was an unbroken backdrop of blue. Outside had the sweet fragrance of freshly cut grass and the birds chattered in the trees. The sun was already a friendly ball of yellow above, promising more heat as the day progressed. All in all Donna couldn't have asked for better weather.

               On cue, her mother called her downstairs for breakfast while Evangeline sat at the table drowning her strawberry pancakes in syrup. Donna replied with a simple "coming!" while applying her Ruby Woo lipstick on her lips in her bathroom mirror.

               She hummed along to one of her favorite songs playing in her head, Be My Baby by The Ronettes, careful not to smudge her lipstick or stain her teeth. Once finished, she fluffed her signature curly style before spraying 'Pink Lady' hairspray to keep her curls from dropping.

               Her outfit for the day consisted of a baby pink skirt that stopped right above her knees, white blouse with a heart-shaped collar, and white Keds. She grabbed her baby pink shoulder bag and finally headed downstairs.

Maybelle met her at the bottom of the staircase, wearing a blue satin housecoat. Her blonde hair was twisted into a honeycomb as a few coils dangled in front of her face. She examined her daughter's attire, making sure she met Beecher High School's dress code. "You gon' eat today?"

"I'm gonna take a banana with me. I don't want to ruin my shirt and I don't want to be late." Donna smiled before planting a kiss on her mother's cheek. She couldn't tell Maybelle that she hated strawberry pancakes. Sure, she loved them as a kid but now the sight of them made her want to puke.

"Okay. Have a good day at school." Maybelle followed them outside and waved until they were down the street. Evangeline loved their bond and wished she had that relationship with her mother. "So, have you made a decision about Homecoming?" Donna asked Evangeline.

Evangeline rolled her eyes. "I told you Donna, I'm not going. I don't even have a dress! Or a date!"

"Well Josie said going alone is the new thing-"

"Oh Donna. You're so sweet and innocent. That's one of the reasons we're best friends. We're total opposites! Josie is only pullin' your chain! It's Homecoming. You absolutely need a date and a beautiful dress!"

"Well, do you have someone in mind?"

"Danny! Danny Waterman!" Evangeline blushed while thinking about the quarterback of her high school's football team. "I really want him to ask me Donna. I'd probably faint!"

Donna laughed. "Whatever Evie! What about Tommy Henderson? I see the way he stares at you in first period."

"Ew! Never in a million years! Tommy doesn't have that style I'm looking for. He doesn't even own a leather jacket! He's a square Donna! A freakin' square!"

While they talked about their last homecoming together, Trey stood in front of the school practicing with Ishmael for their meeting tonight with Shelly. She agreed to hear his business idea along with his parents but she had one condition: he had to perform at least one song in front of them.

"Do I really have to wear this? I look stupid!" Seaweed complained while adjusting his red letterman jacket for the umpteenth time. He hated the color red. It didn't fit his style.

"Relax Seaweed! We look good." Ishmael admired himself in his oval-shaped car mirror. He pushed his comb through the side of his wavy short pompadour and adjusted his letterman jacket. "Damn good!"

"Come on! We gotta get this sound together before class! Now snap ya' fingers like me." Trey said before snapping his fingers, creating a beat. "Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone. Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own. Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for. You heard me saying a prayer for, someone I really would care for.." People were starting to form around the trio. They sounded amazing.

"You're minee. And we belong...together. Yes we belong...together. Forrr eternity. Eternity! You're mineee. Your lips belong, to meee. Yes they belong to only me. For eternity. Etern-Eternity!" Trey continued before Ishmael stepped forward.

"You're my, my-my baby. And you'll always be. Always be. I love you, so much. My love to you. I'll give you everything. Everything, Everything I own. You'll always, always be mineee."

"What's going on over there?" Evangeline questioned once they noticed the large crowd form in front of the school. Donna zoomed in on the trio singing and snapping their fingers. She locked eyes with Trey which made her smile. The two shared first period together and she always caught him writing songs in his notebook. Never listening to what the teacher talked about.

Trey smacked Seaweed and Ishmael on their shoulders and followed behind Donna and Evangeline who weren't interested in staying outside to listen to them sing. "Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone. Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own. Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for. You heard me saying a prayer for, someone I really would care for.."

"And then it suddenly appeared before me. The only one, my arms could ever hold. I heard somebody whisper please...adore me. And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold..oh!"

"Blue Moon, now I'm no longer alone. Without a dream in my heart. Without a love of my own. Blue Moon..." Ishmael finished before sending Evangeline a wink. Donna clapped while Trey caught his breath. "Y'all sounded amazing."

"Thanks. Donna Taylor right?" Trey asked while extending his arm out for her to shake. "Trey Gordon. We're in-"

"First period together. I know." She smiled and shook his hand. "I'm surprised you know my name. Your head is always buried in your notebook."

"Well I could never forget a name or a face as pretty as yours." The morning bell rang and Ishmael and Seaweed hurriedly walked down the hall towards their first class. Evangeline waved goodbye and headed towards her class as well, leaving Trey and Donna standing in the hallway.

"Are y'all getting ready for an audition? I heard Jackie Wilson's managers are in town lookin' for the next big thing!"

Trey laughed. "Naw. I stay behind the scenes. I'm a songwriter."

"Okay so that's why your head is always in your notebook. I'm sure you got some nice songs in there. That song you just sang, you wrote that?"

"Yeah. It's not finished. I'll probably scrap it. I'm not really feeling it. I just made it for my parents."

"I think you should keep it. I mean, that song really caught everyone's attention. But who am I to tell you what to do?" Donna laughed. He laughed as well while occasionally glancing over at her until they made it to their first period. Once they made themselves comfortable, they continued talking about music and he even shared his songbook with her. She loved every song.

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