Don't You Remember (7 page)

“Johnny. We said we would wait at least a week before we went public, right?”

“Right,” he acknowledged nodding. Like a gentleman, he got out of the car and came around to my door and opened it for me.

“Thank you.”

It felt strange walking side by side not touching each other. Inside the school corridors we walked together side by side until I reached my locker. I stopped and said my farewell, finding it difficult not to kiss him. The bell would go soon so I gathered the books I needed when Joanne Green, the school gossip, come up to me and asked, “Is there something going on with you and Johnny?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you were holding hands in the car park yesterday morning.”

“Listen, Joanne, I’ve known Johnny most of my life, we often hold hands and it doesn’t necessarily have to mean anything,” I said, neither confirming nor denying anything as I walked away from her. Boy, that was close, I thought.

I went through my first four lessons barely concentrating on anything but Johnny. Lucky for me I had already read my English novel, so I was able to answer any question when asked. The lunch bell rang and I realized I would have to go to the cafeteria and buy something as I had forgotten to pack anything. I had a couple of dollars on me, so I picked up some soup and a bread roll and found myself a table and seat on my own. I saw Johnny sitting at a table with some of the other seniors but I didn’t bother to acknowledge him because he hadn’t seen me.

I sat quietly on my own and got my book out to read. “Hi, gorgeous,” Johnny slipped into the spare seat next to me.

“Hello,” I said, smirking at him before darting my eyes around the cafeteria to do a quick reconnaissance of the room to make sure there were no prying eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to see my girl,” he whispered. “Seeing as you won’t come and sit with me, I’ve come to sit with you.”

“Next week we can do that. I think it’s only fair on Samantha,” I whispered.

“I know you do. Samantha will probably be going out with someone else next week. I bet I was just flavor of the month.”

“Maybe.” I shrugged.

“I’ll see you later then?” he said, standing. He bent forward and whispered, “This is hard, being away from you.”

“It is hard for me, too”.

At two-thirty I looked at my watch and noted I only had one more period to get through before I would see Johnny. I went to the bathroom and had to go back to my locker to get my science textbook. The bell rang and I knew I was going to be late. I hurriedly walked down the empty corridor and saw Johnny walking the other way. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“Free period.”

“I’m going to be late for class.”

“Come with me,” he said grabbing my arm and jogging down the corridor until we reached a storeroom. The sign read: Storeroom Staff Only. He opened the door and pulled me inside. I dropped my books and bag throwing myself at him, kissing him ardently. Between breaths, Johnny said, “Jen, this has been the most difficult day. I just want to rip your clothes off.”

“Ditto,” I laughed. I pulled his t-shirt up and over his head and touched his perfect chest everywhere with my hands. “I’m going to be in so much trouble skipping class”.

Johnny put his t-shirt back on and then opened the door and looked out to the right and then the left to make sure we were clear, and then walked out holding my hand. “The coast is clear, on you go. I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me.”

“But I like it when I’m in trouble with you,” I said mischievously.

“I’ll see you in just over half an hour now, so go to class,” he said guiding me towards my destination. “Just tell your teacher you were in the bathroom, they won’t pry further.”

“OK,” I said, jogging down the corridor towards class. I looked back and smiled besotted with the most wonderful person I have ever known.

After school I rushed to the Trans-Am and saw Johnny waiting for me. “Johnny, can you teach me how to drive?” I asked as I climbed in.

“I can. Can you see the pedals down here, the three of them?”

“Yes.”

“This one is for acceleration, this is your brake and this one is your clutch. You have to put your foot on the clutch every time you want to change gear. These are the gears. This is first, second, third and fourth,” he said, demonstrating before turning the engine on. “I’m going to put the car into reverse, this is reverse.” He started up the car. “But see I’m not in gear when I start the car,” he said, moving the gear stick around easily.

“Got it.”

“OK, so now I’m putting the car in reverse, so I’ve got my foot on the clutch, but when I want to move backwards, I take my foot off the clutch a little, it’s a balance, you need to get the balance right.” He reversed out of the car park and then stopped. “Right now I want to go forward, so I’ve got my foot on the brake and on the clutch because I need to put the car into first gear.”

“All right, that seems easy enough.”

“It is once you do it several times. In the beginning you need to focus on getting the balance, it takes time and patience.” He turned right out of the school and came to an intersection. “Right, now I am breaking and going into first gear.” He turned into mild traffic when it was clear to do so and revved the beastly V8 engine musically in anticipation. “Now I’m putting my foot on the clutch and going into second gear because we want to go faster. Then I’ll change into third and fourth gear as we get faster and faster.”

Johnny dropped me off at Branner’s giving me a small kiss on the lips and reminded me to come and see him at The Boxer as soon as I had finished. I got out of the car and waved as I watched him drive off.

I did a normal day’s work, helping Mr Branner with some accounts, changing the display window to create renewed interest and served a few regular customers. When my shift was finished I totalled up the earnings, paid myself and had a half hour singing lesson with Mr Branner.

I walked down Russell Street until I reached The Boxer. I could see Johnny helping someone train by holding a boxing bag tight and encouraging the client to hit harder. I waited by the counter until he noticed me.

“Jen, I’ll be another fifteen,” he said.

“That’s fine, I’ll just wait here,” I said, pointing at the chairs in the reception area.

“Why don’t you come to mine, Jen? I’ll make you something this time,” Johnny said as we drove home twenty minutes later.

“All right”.

“Let me drop off at the store then and I’ll pick up something to cook.”

We parked at the supermarket and Johnny got out and returned before I could think about what I felt like eating. “What are you making me?”

“Garlic prawns, rice and salad.”

“Well, that sounds perfect.” And certainly not something I would normally make for myself. 

After dinner we found ourselves alone in Johnny’s house. I didn’t even go home, my parents always thought I was either at home or at Johnny’s and given I always make my own food for dinner, they didn’t have to feel an ounce of responsibility for me. We hung out in Johnny’s room, putting the radio on and cuddling up on his double bed. We stayed fully clothed talking about the future and we made a pact that we would always be together, no matter what. Even with Johnny leaving this summer, we would call each other, write and he would visit when he could. I couldn’t go with him, with two more years of important education, and with my grades I might be in with a chance for a scholarship. We both had paths that we needed to follow, but we would make it so that we would be together, no matter what. We knew we were meant for each other.

CHAPTER NINE

The time went quickly and we spent every free moment together. Johnny taught me to drive his Trans-Am, giving me lessons a couple of times a week. We both continued to work and go to school – the rest of the time we were together. It was never a concern for either of our parents because Johnny and I had always spent so much time together. For the first time ever I was truly happy and I relished every moment with Johnny, realizing the days and months were going by faster than ever. Johnny was due to leave next month – I tried not to think about it.

There were mornings when we woke early and lay closely entwined in each other’s arms. Johnny would often scratch my back softly making patterns on my back. We would often look into space and ask what the other was thinking. Sometimes we talked about when I finished school and when we could truly be together, trying not to discuss the two years of hardship in between. Two years without Johnny was unimaginable and thinking about it only made me feel depressed. We were two kids who lived for today – tomorrow could wait.

Most nights were spent at Johnny’s simply because he had the bigger bed and I would sleep comfortable and secure in his arms. Some might say my parents were irresponsible for allowing a girl of sixteen to sleep with her boyfriend, but the truth is, they didn’t even know where I was half the time, let alone care. All they knew was that I was happy and safe and I gave them no reason to be concerned. As always I stayed out of their way and they stayed out of mine. In the mornings I would leave and go to my house, shower and get dressed for school. On the weekend we would lie in bed together until just before midday. Often we made love morning, afternoon and evening. I felt like a woman now and I had a new understanding of my body, and Johnny’s for that matter. We were so in tune with each other, it was as if we were two parts of a puzzle, made to fit perfectly into each other.

At school we were together whenever we could be. I had started to sit with the seniors at lunchtime and all of them had become friends. One day Johnny and I were sitting in the cafeteria when the whole table filled up with our friends. The topic of discussion was the prom; who was going with whom, what everyone was going to wear and, of course, the after-party. Johnny had never officially asked me to go to the prom, but it was a given. “I’ll get you something really nice,” Johnny told me, gently bumping my shoulder with his.

“Oh, will you? And what are you going to get me then?”

“Something smart, classic, gorgeous. Something to show off your heavenly body. I won’t get you anything prissy or puffy. It will be sexy, just like you, I promise.”

I never wore dresses. I don’t even think I own one, it’s not like there have been many occasions where I needed one.

“Good, because I don’t do prissy and puffy.”

“So, you’ll wear the dress I choose for you?”

“Sure, why not? As long as it’s tasteful.”

The bell went and, as I got up to leave, Johnny pulled me back down grabbing my hand gently and kissed me quickly on the lips. As if time paused for a moment, he looked straight into my eyes as I did his. With no words he was telling me he loved me. He released my hand and patted me once on the bum and let me go. I giggled and mouthed the words ‘stop it,’ but I didn’t really want him to. He always let me know he only had eyes for me, telling me daily, “Jen, you’re the one. I’ve loved you all along.” He never ran out of sweet things to say and left me in no doubt as to how he felt.

I continued to work saving a little each week, reasoning that I would then have enough money to meet up with Johnny when I finished school. The idea of Johnny not being around was something I could not comprehend but, no matter what, we would make sure our long distance relationship worked. There was no use Johnny staying in Rushton, not even for me. It would be a waste of two years and, as much as I wanted to leave with him, I knew it would be the wrong thing to do, especially if I had the opportunity to go to university. I hoped I would get a place at a college close to Johnny; that was why it was important for him to be set up. We had made the plan together so that we could both pursue our own goals.

Johnny began to work at The Boxer most afternoons until early evening as he was saving for his departure. This gave me time to do all my homework and study for the end of year exams. I would go home, make sure the place was clean and tidy, speak to my parents briefly if they were in, make something easy to eat and study for hours. When Johnny got home I knew, I could hear the engine of his car and see the light go on in his room. I would give him at least half an hour before going over, so that he could eat and shower. I’d throw on some short summer shorts and a tank and leave my house, locking up on my way out. Johnny had given me a spare key to his house, so I could come and go as I please.