"Hi Avalon." Roger smiled as Ava came out of her house.
"Please don't call me that. I hate that name." she said propping her book bag onto her shoulder.
"Why? That's a really cool name. It's not an old man name like mine." he smiled looking down at her.
"Because it was my grandmothers name and they were from Ireland. I hate it. I just wish I had a normal name like Jennifer or something." she said looking up at him.
"OK, I'm sorry. I won't call you that anymore. I was thinking we could hang out after school today." he said looking down at her.
"I thought June had his guitar lesson today?" she asked looking up at him.
"He does, but I was thinking we could work on the most perfect song for you and me to sing together." he smiled looking down at her as they walked back towards Roger's house to meet up with June and Jimmy.
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light." she smiled looking up at him.
"Yeah. How did you know?" he asked looking at her.
"Because I've been thinking about that song too. It would be awesome." she laughed looking up at him.
"OK, so we can work on it after school." he smiled as Ava stopped him at the corner.
"Roger, I'm sorry about yesterday. You know, about not telling my mom that we're in a band. You see, my dad's a musician and my mom wouldn't be crazy about me being in a band and hanging out with you guys if she knew." she said looking up at him.
"It's OK Ava. I knew it was something like that. Don't worry about it." he smiled looking down at her.
"Thanks Roger. You're really cool. I'm really glad we're friends." she smiled looking up at him before starting to walk again.
"Me too." he said quietly before following her. He wanted to be more with her though. That's why he asked her to the school dance, but he chickened out and made up a stupid excuse about wanting her to go because the rest of the band was going.
"Hey Ava. I didn't know you were walking with us." Jimmy said coming out of his house as they walked down the block.
"Yeah, Roger asked me." she smiled looking up at him as Jimmy smiled at Roger.
"Oh he did, did he now?" he teased looking over at him.
"Well we all live right here. Why should she have to walk to school alone?" Roger told him defensively.
"Good point Rog." he said sensing that there was more to it, but not wanting to push him.
"Where the hell is June? He's always late." Roger asked looking up at June's bedroom window. "June, let go man." Roger yelled looking up.
"I'm coming Rog. Geez, you are the most impatient person on the planet." he yelled as he finished getting ready.
"Oh come on June, you don't know everyone on the planet." Roger yelled as Ava and Jimmy laughed.
"Roger Aaron, must you yell at 7:30 in the morning." Mrs. Stevens yelled out the screen door.
"Sorry Mrs. Stevens." he said laughing as June came rushing past his mother out the door.
"Bye mom." he said as he joined Roger, Ava and Jimmy on the sidewalk. "Hey Ava. I didn't know you were walking with us." He said looking over at Roger.
"Well she is." Roger snapped looking at him.
"Cool." he smiled seeing Roger wanted the subject to drop.
"So what are you doing Friday night Ava?" Jimmy asked looking over at her as she walked next to Roger and June.
"Roger asked me to hang out with you guys at the dance." she said looking over at him as June looked over at Roger in disbelief.
"Well, I can't go. We're having dinner at my gramma's house for her birthday." June said looking up at Roger who looked relieved.
"Yeah, me neither. I have a huge English report due on Monday and I really gotta get some work done on it if I'm gonna be able to go to rehearsal on Saturday." Jimmy said looking down at Ava.
"That's too bad. I guess it's just me, Roger and Will then." she said looking up at Roger.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Will has to go someplace with is parents. I just found out last night." Roger said thinking fast.
"So I guess it's just you and me, huh?" she smiled looking up at him.
"I guess. Unless you doing wanna go now." he said looking down at her as June and Jimmy looked at one another.
"No, I wanna go. It sounds like fun." she smiled looking up at him as they approached the school.
"Well, if it isn't Transparent. In the flesh." Will called out funning up to them.
"Hi Will. Roger just told me about you not being able to go to the dance with us Friday night. That sucks." Ava said as Roger looked at him, his eyes wide.
"Um, yeah. Parents." he complained playing along with Roger.
"That's OK. Oh, I gotta go. I'm gonna be late for homeroom. See you guys later." she smiled before leaving to go inside.
"Bye Ava." Roger smiled looking down at Will hit him. "Ow, what the hell?" he asked looking over at him.
"Why does Ava think I can't go to the school dance?" Will asked looking at him.
"Because I kind of asked her to go with me and I told her we were all going, but I really want to go alone with her." he said looking over at him
"So why didn't you ask her to go with you as a date?" Will asked looking up at him.
"I was gonna but I punked out. I like her." he said looking up at him.
"So now, what are we supposed to do Friday night? Our parents think we're going to the school dance and now to cover your ass with Ava, we can't go." Jimmy asked looking over at him.
"I don't know, but I really want to be alone with her. So I would really appreciate it you guys didn't come." he said looking over at them.
"OK Rog. I think we can do that." Will smiled at him before they all went into the school.
"Thanks man." Roger smiled looking up at them.
"Are you dating Roger Davis?" Sophia asked as Ava entered her homeroom.
"No, we're just friends and I'm in his band. Why?" Ava asked looking over at her.
"Well it looks like he wants to date you." she smiled looking over at her.
"How do you know?" she asked looking up at her.
"Let's see, he walked to school with you and usually he doesn't pay attention to anyone but those dorks he hangs out with, but he couldn't stop looking at you." she smiled as they sat at their desks.
"You think so?" she asked smiling at her.
"I know so. Roger's really cute, and he likes you. You are so in." Sophia smiled looking over at her as the teacher entered the room and Ava just smiled.
"Hey Ava. I didn't know you had lunch this period." Roger said seeing Ava enter the lunch room.
"Roger, you have lunch this period too?" she smiled looking up at him.
"Yeah. I'm the only one who does. The other guys have lunch next period." he said smiling at her.
"Do you wanna eat together?" she asked looking up at him.
"I would love that." she smiled as they went into the lunch room.
"Ava, I was thinking. Instead of going to the dance Friday as friends, would you want to go with me as a date, or something?" he asked looking down at her.
"Roger, you wanna go on a date with me?" she asked looking up at him.
"Yeah, I do." he smiled looking down at her.
"Then, OK. I'll go to the dance with you." she smiled looking up at him as he looked down surprised.
"Really?" he asked as his voice cracked.
"Yeah Roger. Really." she laughed looking up at him.
"Awesome. Um… do you wanna get out of here? Maybe go eat at McDonald's or something?" he asked smiling down at her.
"Sure, I'd like that." she smiled as Roger took her hand and they left the cafeteria.