( EDITED at the end. I've decided to get back into this; my writing style hasn't been adored by myself so hopefully in the upcoming chapters you'll all see some changes. Thanks to Claire, my constant reviewer :) )
Time
September 1950
"I can't see it [rock and roll] ever becoming a real craze." Ted Heath, bandleader.
'I don't think it's fair.' Allie informed her mother, taking a large bite from her ruby red apple. 'We shouldn't go parties when Jimmy aint here.'
Jane didn't turn away from the bowl of potatoes she was peeling, but her shoulders slumped. She had had this conversation before. 'If you didn't want to go,' she started with as breathless sigh. 'Why did you make me buy that dress?' at her mother's words, Allie looked down at her knees, hands fiddling with the hem of her baby blue dress. 'You knew Jim was going war, and you knew there was a party-'
'I was just saying,' Allie cut across, frowning. It wasn't right, what did they have to celebrate about? Taking a last bite from the apple, she aimed it at the bin where it landed neatly. Jane went rigid, turning her head a fraction to gaze at the fruit.
'Rationing.' she breathed under her breath. Reaching out, taking the apple, turning the tap on, Jane washed it and took five hungry bites out of it before tossing it back where she'd found it. 'Rationing, Alexandra.' emphasis on her daughters full name. Turning her head back to the cream bowl, she picked up a potato and hacked at it, peel littering the worktop.
Allie shrugged her shoulders, hands falling away from the hem of the dress and instead now smoothing out the nipped in waist. 'I'll get some more from work,' This was the wrong thing to say. Again, Jane rounded on her daughter, almond eyes wide.
'Steal?' a disbelieving hiss. Allie didn't know who looked more shocked; she or her mother. 'I won't have any children of mine steal!'
'I have money, Momma! I could buy them!' she retorted angrily. When her mother didn't reply, she went on. 'I don't always gets what I want, but I'd never steal to get it. How you can goes and think that of me-'
'You inconsiderate little girl.' Jane snapped, dropping the potato peeler and leaning against the worktop, knuckles white. 'Your brother would never say any such thing.'
She wondered when he was going to come up. 'And he might never be able to, either!' Allie was now standing, hands curled into fists at her sides. Waiting for the spat that was sure to happen between them. Her mother had been rigid for a few moments, but when she finally moved to face her daughter, her jaw was hard.
'What is that supposed to mean?' she asked, no demanded.
Allie shrugged again, a bitter laugh escaping. 'You made him go to war!' she yelled, throwing her arms up in the air. 'He didn't wanna go, he was going to run off with Jenny-Anne and get married. But you couldn't have that, you made him go, you made him go to show off to the other ladies down this street, because their sons had gone too. You did it because you felt ashamed that your son, my brother, didn't want to go fight. And you wanna know why, Momma?' she drew breath, only quickly so her mother couldn't intervene. 'Jenny's gone and got pregnant, and he's the daddy, and he loves her!' Jane's face contorted with confusion, then fury, then disbelief. 'If he goes and dies, Jenny'll have to raise the baby alone, and her shame will be your fault. And Jimmy's death will be your fault too!'
Jane rose a hand and struck out hard, the sound reverberating around the walls as her hand connected with her daughters face. She drew in heavy breaths instantly feeling guilty but damned if she'd show it. Her daughters face was now streaked red and luminous against her already pale skin, her blue eyes watering and a sob catching in her throat. Not hesitating, Allie turned, grabbed her cardigan off the back of the chair and swept from the kitchen, leaving her mother, mouth agape, staring at the floor.
Percy looked at himself in the dirty mirror, a hand running over his slick, black hair, flattening down any odd bits. His knee was jiggling about as he tapped his right foot nervously, the other hand dropping down to adjust his white shirt. If he went, she might make a fool of him, and Percy wouldn't like that. If he went, Percy might have to watch Allie dance with David. If he went, Percy might not be able to find Allie and feel like an idiot. If he went… hadn't he wanted a date? He had gotten a date, right? Straightening his shoulders, sucking in his chest and shaking his arms, he gave himself a reassuring nod, pulled up his braces, turned and left for the party. Percy Wetmore didn't get nervous, not now, not ever.
'Let's find a seat.' Dave announced, taking Allie's hand and leading her over towards a row of padded, wooden chairs. He had cornered her while she'd parked her bike around the back of the hall. If she thought about it, she was sure he had been waiting, lurking… He was wearing black trousers, a white shirt and a brown jacket, his brown hair flopping lazily over his left eye. The hall was packed with women in an array of bright dresses and hair pulled up high. The men in fancy suits, some blue, brown, black, one even pink. Balloons were pinned to the ceiling and confetti danced around peoples feet.
Allie didn't want to sit down, she wanted to find Percy and dance with him, like she had said she would. But David had already seated himself and brought Allie down towards him. She easily shifted, sliding onto the next seat, but like she'd sat on hot coals, she rose, having sat on his hand, and was forced down onto David's knee.
'I want to sit down,' she frowned, wriggling off of him and back onto her own chair. He only gave a grin and tugged her back over.
'It's okay - I want you to sit on my knee,' he urged her, ignoring her wriggling.
'No-'
'Allie.' David complained, finally sitting her down, hands clamping onto her thigh's. 'It's alright.'
They sat like that for a few minutes, the chairs around them filling up, while early couples took to swaying around to the music. And she didn't know if it was her imagination or not, but something was sliding up the front of Allie's leg, warm but rough. If she ignored it, it would go away. But it didn't and it climbed higher and higher, until-
'I need to go to the - David - I.. David, I need the - I - Let go!' jumping up, Allie gave a squeal as David's hand went too far. He looked rather calm about the situation, grinning at her as she tried to yank her arm back, his fingers around her wrist.
'If you're up, let's dance.' he decided, ignoring her words of complaint. She shook her head, hair falling into her eyes from its bun.
'I need the bathroom.' she repeated firmly.
'After a dance-'
'I'm going to the bathroom, David.' an impatient bite to her voice, Allie didn't fail to notice the couple besides them looking. David released her and she quickly left.
The bathroom was small, cramped with two cubicles and an aged mirror before a sink. Lifting a hand, Allie pulled at a strand of her hair that had fallen down and with an exasperated sigh she took her hair down and let it roll over her shoulders. Red hair falling like waves of fire. The right side of her lip lifted into a smile but dropped again, the cubicle behind her giving a bang as a woman left it, adjusting her dress around the bottom.
'Hello, Mrs Francis.' Allie called, craning her neck to watch the woman go after washing her hands. She couldn't hide in here all day, although why not, she wasn't sure. If she just went into one of the cubicles, put her feet up, took her shoes off and waited, it'd be over before she knew it. A calming breath and a few agitated sighs later, Allie left the toilets and came back out into the crowd of people. The song had changed, more jazzy, energetic. Dresses flew around as women danced and black shoes gleamed from every corner.
Then she saw him.
Percy was lent against the wall, hands behind his back, dark eyes scanning the room like a hungry animal. He hadn't seen her yet, but he was looking for her. Opening her mouth, preparing to say her greetings, Allie gave a little gasp as her hand was snagged and David pulled her into him, again.
'Dance.' he told her, spinning her around, leading her to the centre of the dance floor.
It was supposed to be one dance, one small dance, but three later, after an attempted, and failed, lift, Allie was wobbling away from David, feeling rather light headed. Fresh air, she needed fresh air. Changing her course, she dodged a rather energetic couple and trotted down the steps of the village hall. Percy was on the bottom step and she was on the middle. She stopped, waited for him to reach the pavement and then spoke.
'Wanna dance?' she called.
She was here. Percy froze, stiffened for a moment and spun around to look at her. He didn't smile, but she did enough for the both of them, one of her hands outstretched towards him. 'Come on. It's cold.' her lips tugged into a smirk, and soon they were both on the dance floor. Allie's hands went to his neck, without thinking. Percy just stood, unsure what to do. 'Waist.' she told him, looking into his eyes briefly, and then away. His eye wasn't black anymore, but around the edges it looked red and she bet it still hurt. Who had done that to him?
His hands slid to her waist, Allie could feel her heart in her throat, threatening to explode if anything more happened. Why didn't she get like this with David? This was a pity date for Percy, because he was so persistent. That was all it was, right? He was the rude mannered boy that she worked with, that got into fights and that she didn't like. And she was a young, sensible girl. 'My Momma slapped me.' it had slipped out before she could help herself. They started to move, feet in time. Percy turned her, mouth slightly open.
'Did you deserve it?' he asked, spinning her because that was what everyone else was doing. Percy wasn't a dancer.
'Does anyone deserve to be hit?' she spun again, three times, four. This was how it was to feel alive. Suddenly she had a sense of falling. Percy dipped her backwards, hands keeping a firm grip on her, their bodies lent close together. Inches separated them, mere inches. But it was all over when a voice broke through them, her voice.
'What are you doing?' Jane demanded, snagging her daughters arm and pulling her away from Percy. His eyes searched her for some recognition, but he had never met her. 'Go with David.' she demanded, trying to tug her daughter through the crowd. Percy felt himself glaring. So she was here with him.
'I wanna dance with Percy!' Allie snatched her hand back before her mother could even blink. There was a slight pause, enough space for a heartbeat, before Jane reached out again, trying to claim her daughter. She didn't know why she did it, why she was afraid, but Allie flinched, stumbling back. She didn't want her to touch her again. She didn't want to be hit.
'Allie-' Jane started, watching her daughters retreating back. She couldn't have her daughter hate her, she'd have no one.
Allie didn't know where she was going, but she knew the village hall well enough to find a safe room. At the back of the hall, she pushed her way through a wooden door that led up to some stairs, above that a room that was held for conferences.
Percy followed after her, not thinking, just walking, elbowing people out of the way, pushing David over into a crowd of women. For some reason, some strange reason, he wanted to make sure Allie was okay. She was sitting at the top of the stairs, knees knocked together, head bowed, heels off and by her side. He took two steps at a time before arriving at her side, shifting uneasily. He wasn't good at this. What this was, he didn't know, but it felt hard. Felt awkward. Percy Wetmore didn't console or care, not for anyone but himself.
'Nice dress.' he managed after a while. And Allie lifted her head, a few tears dotting her cheeks, pushed her hair back and lent forwards, pressing a sweet kiss to Percy's lips. He was stunned, purely stunned, and that still showed when she pulled away, licking her lips nervously.
Percy didn't hesitate then, he filled the gap between them, lifted a hand, cupped her cheek and kissed her back twice as hard, knocking Allie onto her back. A squeal of surprise escaped her lips and then a giggle as their lips met, heatedly, angrily, forcefully. It felt different to when David kissed her, it felt rebellious, it felt… good.
'Percy, I'm a virgin.' Allie whispered, looking up at the man before her, dark eyes roaming over her body hungrily. They were laying on the sofa in the conference room, cushions scattering the floor along with items of clothing, shoes, underwear. She was supposed to have saved it for marriage. If she ever got married. She hadn't wanted David to have it, though, had said no, told him to wait. But with Percy…
He kissed her again, the corner of her lip, dangerously slow. Waiting, she didn't say anything else, and as she closed her eyes and bit her lip, shifted beneath him and took a slow breath, he kissed her, two times, three times, four, and thrust deep inside her. The power he enforced through her small body was tremendous, an involuntary gasp escaping her parting lips, thighs instantly tightening around his body as the pain quickly ebbed into nothingness. Downstairs, Jane continued to hunt around for her daughter, unaware that upstairs, behind a door with a chair trapped under the handle, under the body of Percy Wetmore, lay her innocent daughter. Gasping heavily, kissing any part of Percy's body she could reach, crying out, enjoying it.