After that eventful dinner with his brothers, Soda and I came home and I immediately turned the television on to try to find something for us to watch to distract him from all the unnecessary drama with his family. I did tell Soda about how his brothers had apologized to each other before I went off to look for him, and that seemed to ease his tension over the situation a little. I'm not sure if it'll be good long term, but it'll do for now. 

Before I had the opportunity to crack down on trying to figure out what we could watch together,  I went into our bedroom and changed into my pajamas since it was getting late. We were more than likely not going to leave the apartment again for the rest of the night.

I threw on The Beatles shirt that Two gave me just before he left with a pair of long but incredibly soft and lightweight black modal pajama pants. I washed my face so I could strip the long day off my skin, and I immediately had to put on a thick layer of moisturizer because my skin gets dried out so fast, especially after washing it. I do not miss the moisturizer I was forced to use back in the 60s, it never worked for my skin. 

I headed back out to the living room when my skin was finally looking like a glazed donut. Soda had taken off his shoes at the door and was sitting up on the couch, anxiously looking down at his lap and fiddling with his thumbs.

"I don't really wanna watch the boobtube," he said. His voice was a little shaky, but I thought it was because he was still shaken up over his brothers fighting in front of him again.

"Oh." I remembered that my mom likes to call the television the boobtube too. I turned off the TV which still had Netflix trying to load and I sat beside him on the sofa. "Then what would you rather do?"

"I would give anything to be in a rumble right now." Soda leaned back and punched the air as if he was practicing to fight. "Or go to a dance."

I guess the closest thing to that would be a club, but we would need to be three years older. And Soda would be so displeased with the way they dance in clubs now than the way they did back in his time. I don't think he would consider grinding to be dancing. Soda loves to swing dance. He is really good at it. We went swing dancing together a few times in the 60's. He always invited me, because Sandy never wanted to go with him. He loves the high energy, throwing me around, and the fast rockabilly music. 

"I have an idea."

I wanted to bring the dancing to Soda, if I can't bring Soda to the dancing. I jumped off the sofa and ran into our room. I rummaged through my things until I found a little speaker I got for Christmas a couple of years ago. As I connected it to my phone, I scrolled through my music playlists until I found one I thought Soda would love.

I headed to the front door and opened it. It was raining a little bit outside, but I didn't let it stop me. I turned around to look at Soda. He looked back at me confused and I asked teasingly, "are you coming?"

Soda immediately jumped to his feet and he ran to the door after me. I giggled as I trotted down the slick wooden stairs and met him in the damp lawn in front of our apartment building. In this moment, I realized I forgot to put on shoes. 

I could hear little crickets chirping around us. It was dark so no one was around except for a few of the windows were still illuminated with light. The beauty of the moon painted in the night sky filled me with so much serenity. It peaked out from behind the rain clouds that were trying to blow away. I pressed shuffle on my phone and turned the music up loud. I placed the speaker and my phone on the soft grass and Soda was still walking over to me while the music began to play.

The first song that played is one that Soda absolutely adores to dance to. He recognized the tune immediately as Rip It Up by Bill Haley. He let out a little smile and his laugh made his head fall back, knowing exactly what I was trying to do. Drops of rain fell down our faces and soaked into our clothes. I could see his breath in the crisp cool air, which explains why he kept his jean jacket on. It has a fur trim collar, my favorite jacket of his to steal.

Well, it's Saturday night and I just got paid,
Fool about my money, don't try to save,
My heart says go go, have a time,
'Cause it's Saturday night and I'm feelin' fine.

I'm gonna rock it up, I'm gonna rip it up,
I'm gonna shake it up, gonna ball it up,
I'm gonna rock it up, and ball tonight.

This rockabilly dance is fast paced, full of energy, and full of a rock-and-roll attitude. The moment Soda heard this music, his eyes lit up and the music moved through his body like a vibrating spring. The beat gives it a freight train-like rhythm, so Soda always leads. He grabbed my hands and we got our feet moving with lots of jumping and twisting our bodies. He was moving his pelvis like Elvis, making him shake like a leaf. He'd lift my arm up and make me twirl around quickly before sending me into a dip. He handsomely smiled at me and pulled me back up to continue with our dance. The music is all we need to feel alive. He loves to dance in the rain.

When we danced together, I imagined us back at the dance hall in '65. There would be all sorts of other teenagers there, mostly greasers who were all feeling the same music we did. My curly hair would be bouncing down my back and my skirt would be twirling around my legs as I spun around Soda and twirled under his arm. He taught me how to do the jive kicks at the dance hall. Sometimes he would throw me into a roll over his back, and we would get back to dancing. 

When Soda dances, he dances fast. Real fast. Since I never really know what I'm doing and it's an improvised routine, I just let him throw me around in any way he wants. All I can do is laugh and have fun. One time when we were dancing in a dance hall, he did a back flip around my arm.

Soda put his arm around my back and we spun around in circles int he grass. He jumped up high in the air, trying to get us to spin all the way around before landing back on the ground. It made me laugh, my knees almost buckled from under me but Soda kept dancing through his infectious laughter. I loved his exaggerated dance moves and his off-key singing. We jumped back up and kept moving our feet to keep up with the fast-paced song as he pulled me in close to him.

'Long about ten I'll be flying high,
Walk on out unto the sky,
But I don't care if I spend my dough,
'Cause tonight I'm gonna be one happy soul,

I'm gonna rock it up, I'm gonna rip it up,
I'm gonna shake it up, gonna ball it up,
I'm gonna rock it up, and ball tonight.

Soda had a firm grip on my hand and he practically tossed me across the lawn but didn't let go of my hand. I bounced on the ground on my feet, then Soda pulled me in and threw me over his head. I let out a happy scream, and I landed on my feet but I fell to my butt in a heap of laughter. He grabbed my hands and I jumped back up and we kept dancing while feeling weak from laughter. Dancing with him like this gave me this feeling of nostalgia that I couldn't shake. I felt so alive. I was so happy.

The music was loud, but our laughter was louder. I wondered if anyone could hear us, or if anyone was watching. Our neighbors were kind of nosey, so I wouldn't be surprised. Soda grabbed a hold of my waist and lifted me up into the air, smiling and laughing with me as he twirled me around in the grass. I am going to remember this forever. A precious moment when we were so young and carefree. Where time stood still, and love was all we knew.

When the song ended, I was completely out of breath and my heart was racing. I could feel myself sweating, but Soda and I looked at each other and we both let out a breathless laugh. I could dance barefoot in the grass with him under the pale moonlight every night for the rest of my life. I just want to dance through life with him, forever.

"I almost forgot how fun those are," I stated breathlessly.

Soda kissed me slowly and affectionately then asked, "how could you forget?"

I wish that every kiss with him was never ending. He owns my whole heart. We may still be kids ourselves, but we are so in love despite the immeasurable odds. How did I get so incredibly lucky? 

"I'll have to look and see if we have something like this here that we can go to," I said. Dancing with him is fun, but it's more fun when we are surrounded by the collective effervescence of excitement of other people dancing around us.

If I went back to the 60's right now, I think going to a rockabilly dance hall would be the first thing I would do. We've danced to Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode, and I don't think I've ever felt more free. Maybe I was destined to be a teenager in love in the 60s. 

"I could do this with you every night for the rest of my life," he replied with a handsome smile.

Another rockabilly song played, fast paced and I was ready to dance again but Soda stayed still besides an off-beat bounce of his leg. I waited for him to start leading us on another dance, but he never did.

I chuckled as I bounced up to him and I linked my hands around his neck. "You love this song, do you want to dance?"

He let out a nervous chuckle and said softly, "there's something I wanna ask you."

My eyebrows scrunched together a bit but I slipped away from him to turn down the music to hear him speak. Whatever he wants to tell me cannot be that bad, but I could not avoid the tightening of my stomach or the fast beats of my heart. Soda extended his hands out to me, which I took and he couldn't look me in the eye. He was making me nervous.

Still holding my hands, he got down on one knee. My heart practically leapt into my throat. My hands tightened around his, and I felt my eyes just about pop out of my head.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a tight voice. My breath quickened and I felt my hands shake.

"I ain't too good at things like this, and you know that." He rubbed his thumbs in circles on the back of my hands. He sighed nervously then continued, "I cannot lose you again. When you left back in '66, I lost my best friend. My smile, my laugh, and my everything. It... it wasn't until I met you the world had color again. I truly heard music again. If not for you, I wouldn't be able to hear the birds singing. I just wouldn't have a clue."

My jaw was clenched and I could feel my hands shaking gently. My chest heaved as I breathed through my nose, just trying to wrap my head around what he was doing. What is he doing? We hadn't really talked about this, so I felt really caught off guard. I truly love Soda and how spontaneous he is, but this might be too much for me. 

When we locked eyes, I saw his beautiful dark brown eyes glisten with love for only me. He was breaking my heart. "I gave up everything just to be near you, and I see my future with only you and you alone. I've been waiting for you my whole life. We are written in the stars, I know it. I'll forever love you, for the rest of my days. That's a promise. And all that I long for, is to live my life with you."

I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was full of butterflies that were getting caught in my throat. I couldn't speak even if I wanted to. My throat had gone tight and dry.

Soda released my hands and took a tiny velvet blue box out of his jean jacket pocket. He opened it to reveal a sparkling vintage ring, with a stunning gold band and set with a single diamond. "This is my mama's ring. I know she woulda loved you as much as I do. She had always told me to follow my heart, and I know she would be mighty proud. Brianna Eloise Jones, will you marry me?" 

I was frozen, it felt like time had stood still. The moonlight was gleaming off the precious stone that was shaking in Soda's hands. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. My hands made their way up to cover my mouth, and tears welled in my eyes but refused to drip down my flushed cheeks.

His beautiful soulful eyes were sparkling with hope, and a loving smile on his precious face. "Will you be my wife?"

I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. I am only eighteen, I am too young to be engaged. However, this might be normal for Soda since so many teenagers in town in the 60s wee getting engaged and married right out of high school. I am deeply in love with Soda and I do want to forever be a part of his life. We have created our own little world together that we both belong in. But why does forever have to start right now?

I know Soda better than he knows himself. He falls in love, and he falls hard. He is stubborn in that way. It would be nice if we were older, that way we wouldn't have to wait so long. I had so many questions running through my head. How long had he been planning this? Do my parents know? Do his brothers know? When did he decide that I was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with?

Soda may want to give me his name, his mother's beautiful ring, and everything he will ever possess for the rest of his life, but I don't want him to leave his heart in 1966. I cannot let him tie himself to me if he is going to be remorseful down the road. I need to know that this is exactly what his heart truly wants, and this is where he is meant to be.