Prudence spent her Sunday with John in her backyard. They lied down upon the soft green grass, and just looking at the bright blue cloudless sky above them with a small radio beside them playing a few slow songs.
"It's one bright May afternoon, don't you think so, love?" he asked her, still looking at the blue sky.
"Yes, it is, John," she agreed with him with a nod.
He looked at her, and planted a kiss on her cheek before he stood up from the ground to change the radio station. She remained lying on the ground with her eyes looking at the sky in awe.
"Let's see if we have something fast," he said as he searched through the radio station.
A radio station was beginning to play I Wanna Be Your Man. He smiled with satisfaction, and then walked back to Prudence.
"Hey, Prudence, stand up," he said with a wide smile on his face.
She looked at him. "Why?" she asked.
"Just stand up, will ya?"
She stood up from the ground, and then he immediately wrapped his arm around her waist, and her hand was resting on his shoulder. Their other hands clasped onto each other, and he pulled her closer until their bodies touched. They looked at each other, and then she shyly smiled at him.
"What are we going to do, John?" she asked him sheepishly.
"Dance. What else?"
They began to move to the fast beat of the song while laughing and giggling. He twirled her around, and then did the hand jive with her. There were wide grins on their faces.
"I've never danced like this before!" she said cheerfully.
"Well, it's because you're dancing with me," he said cheekily, and then wiggled his eyebrows.
He held her again on his arms, and then they continued dancing together while holding each other tightly. He sang along to the song so they could be more into the song.
They did a few other trending dance moves, and she caught up with him easily. She was a good dancer, John thought. He wanted to dance with her like that all day.
"Oh! that was fun, John!" she said when the song ended.
"I couldn't agree more," he said with a wide smile on his face. "We should do that again on Friday or Saturday!"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and had to tiptoe so she could be the same level as him. She beautifully smiled at him, and looked at him in his warm eyes.
"That would be fab, John," she beamed.
His smile slowly faded, and then he pressed his lips gently on hers. She gently pushed him away from her, and smiled at him kindly.
"My mother would see us," she said with a nervous chuckle.
"Let's kiss in your room, then," he said flirtatiously, and wiggled his eyebrows. "And then you can show me your moves in bed."
She gently hit him on his arm. "John, that's quite impolite," she said shyly, her cheeks showed a bright shade of red. "If we kiss in my room, my mother would know what we're doing in there. Mothers know everything."
"You're very lucky to still have your mother, you know?" he said with a kind smile.
"I know." She said with a sigh. "So, let us not kiss, then."
He whined. "Oh, come on! What about on the cheek, please?"
"Only on the cheek, promise?" she said.
"I promise."
She leaned forward to plant a kiss on his cheek, but he turned his face, and so her lips landed on his. She quickly parted her lips away from his, and laughed along with him.
"Oh, John," she sighed, "you're so tricky."
He smiled proudly. "Why, yes. Yes, I am."
(~o~)
Prudence went to school the next day, and as soon as she was there, she walked over to the school notice board to see the test results. She searched for her surname—Lester—on the paper. She found it, and looked at the grades next to her first name. She got straight A's for all of the tests—including Chemistry! She was very surprised, glad, and relieved. She was, finally, going to graduate from high school!
She walked to her English class with a wide happy smile on her face. Words couldn't explain and describe how she felt at the moment. She couldn't wait to come home and tell her family and John the wonderful news!
"Congratulations to Ms. Prudence Lester for getting a perfect score for her English test. Not just English test, but for all of her tests," announced Ms. Brown when she entered the classroom. "Give her a big hand, girls."
All of her classmates clapped their hands for her. It was such a wonderful feeling to be applauded and cheered. Now she knew how John and his bandmates feel whenever fans cheer them during their concerts. She was smiling widely, and blushing on her chair.
"Thank you, everyone," she said softly, grinning.
"Not bad for a famous director's daughter!" remarked one of her classmates.
Ms. Brown discussed about going to university, and what would happen to them during and after college, because it was the last week of the school term.
"I know that you, girls, are going to have bright futures ahead of you, because you're all very smart and independent girls. But, remember, girls…don't you always depend things on your husbands. A woman must be independent, and must know how to make money by herself, instead of just being in the kitchen like other housewives." Said Ms. Brown.
Prudence listened to every single word that came out of Ms. Brown's mouth. She enjoyed listening to Ms. Brown's lectures about the future. She wasn't sure about studying archeology for college. She decided to take English literature as her college major, because of her wonderful English teacher—Ms. Brown.
(~o~)
"Mother, I have splendid news to tell you!" said Prudence gleefully when she was home from school. She walked to the kitchen, where her mother was, leaving Peyton near the dining room.
"What is it, dear?" asked Mrs. Lester kindly as she wiped her hands on her apron.
"I passed the exam! I'm graduating from high school, mother!" she said with a grin, and sparkles on her eyes.
Mrs. Lester hugged her daughter tightly. "Oh! I'm so glad, my dear!" she said. "I'm going to throw a graduating party for you tomorrow!"
"Oh, you don't have to do that," she said.
"Well, at least just dinner at seven-thirty," said Mrs. Lester, letting go off her. "We'll invite John and his Aunt Mimi."
"That would be nice." Prudence grinned. The doorbell rang, and she knew that it was John. "That must be John!"
She ran to the front door, and opened the door widely. Instead of the beautiful sight of her John, she saw Christian standing before her with a smile on his face.
"Oh, hi, Christian," she said with a normal tone, not wanting to offend him.
"Hi, Prudence," he said. "I heard you passed the exam."
"I sure did," she said proudly.
"Congratulations, Prudence," he said, and let out a hand for her to shake. "After all those nights of staying up late to study."
She kindly smiled at him, and shook his hand in a friendly way. "Thank you, Christian," she thanked him kindly. "Did you pass the exam?"
"Yes, I did," he said with a nervous chuckle.
"That's great, Christian!" she said cheerfully.
"So, um…a few of my friends are throwing a party tomorrow night," he said. "Would you like to come?"
Her smile slowly faded. "Oh, I'm sorry, Christian, but I can't," she said honestly. "I'm going to have dinner with my mother, Peyton, John, and his Aunt Mimi."
She saw the disappointed look on his face. "Oh…well, then, um…that's a drag," he said.
"I sure want to come if there's no dinner with the Lennon's tomorrow night," she said to make him and herself feel better. "Have fun there, okay?"
"I will, Prudence," he said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow at the bus stop."
"Of course," she smiled. "Bye, Christian."
"Bye, Prudence."
She closed the door gently. That conversation with Christian was rather awkward, but it felt rather good to speak to him again after lots and lots of cold shoulders.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again, and this time she knew that it was John. She ran to the front door, again, with a smile on her face, and widely opened the door. She saw her John standing before her with a smile on his face.
"So, how did it go?" he asked.
She hugged him tightly, and planted quick kisses all over his face. She looked at him tenderly with a grin on her face.
"I'm graduating from high school, John!" she said excitedly. "Finally, I am graduating from high school!"
He hugged her tightly, and carried her as he slowly twirled around. "That's great, Prudence!" he said excitedly and happily.
He set her down on her feet, and kissed her lips passionately. She ran her fingers through his hair, and smiled on their kiss. He parted his lips, and looked at her.
"I told you, you would pass the test," he said with a cheeky smile.
"Yes, you did, John," she said, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Oh, my mother is inviting you and your Aunt Mimi for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate."
"When and where?"
"Here at seven-thirty."
"We'll be there."
She hugged him. "Thank you, John," she thanked him, and then let go off him. "Now, I need to write an application letter to Oxford."
"But you've never been to the university."
Her smile faded. "Right." She sighed. "Maybe I'll go there next week."
He suddenly had an idea. He grinned at her, and said, "Why don't you stay in my flat in London during your vacation? It's only an hour and twenty minutes ride using the train from London to Oxford."
"How about from Liverpool to Oxford?" she asked.
"About three hours. And you don't wait to wait that long to go there, now, don't you?"
She looked at him, and shook her head. "No, I don't."
"Well, then, stay with me in my flat!" he said. "Just during your vacation, if you want to."
She hesitated. "I…I don't know, John," she said.
He put on a lame puppy face, but it worked for her. She sighed helplessly, and planted a kiss on his nose.
"I'll have to ask my mother first," she said.
"Yay!" he said happily.
She smiled at him kindly. "Well, I need to rest, John," she said. "I'll see you again tomorrow."
"Sure," he said with a wink. "What time will the dinner be, again? I forgot."
"Seven-thirty."
"Seven-thirty. Right. Goodbye, love."
"Goodbye, John!"