It only get's better from here right?

John told her that he had a few gigs that he had to do the next few nights and practice that again would take up most of his time and hoped that would be ok with her. He had invited her to the practices if she wanted to go but she told him that she would have to think about that. He told her that would be ok seeing that they practiced in Kenny’s parent’s basement when they were at work and it didn’t bother anyone then. Plus being in such close quarters it may be too loud for her.  She told him that would definitely factor in and didn’t want to take him away if she did need to leave. She told him how about giving her sometime to get acquainted with everything first and maybe next time she’ll feel more comfortable about going with him. He smiled and said that would be fine with him. Michael finally poked his head out and told her that dinner was ready and she told him that she would be there in a few minutes.

“Ok so I’ll call you tomorrow and give you the details before I go the rehearsals?” he asked her all pumped up.

“Sure that would be great.” She replied with butterflies in her stomach.

“Great then I’ll talk to you tomorrow then.” He said as he bent towards her and gave her a small kiss on her lips. She did kiss him back as he smiled when they separated. He got up and winked at her which would soon become his signature wink.  

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The next afternoon John had called her like he had promised and asked what she was doing on Friday night. She said as far as she knew nothing and he told her good because that he was going to take her out that night. Dinner and a movie and that he would pick her up at six. She had to ask him didn’t he usually play on Friday and Saturday nights? He told her yes but that he got beat out this Friday so instead of crying about it he would just turn it into something more fun. She was smiling from ear to ear and was happy that he couldn’t see her.

They both couldn’t wait for this Friday to come. It was on the second day of rehearsals and John was still a little off seeing that yesterday didn’t go as good as the guys had wanted. A few didn’t show up from the horn section because they were away with their parents on vacation and John was trying to find replacements for them and two new guys showed up today that Kenny knew. They were hoping that they could pick up the music fast seeing that they were playing on Monday night at the Fast Lane. On the weekends were usually for bigger names which was fine but if John was there sometimes Southside Johnny or this other known guy from Jersey Bruce Springsteen would call him up to perform with them if he was there. These guys really like John a lot and knew this kid had talent and wanted to help this kid along. John’s ultimate goal was to play at the Stone Pony. But he really didn’t see this band going that much further as his friend Dave Rashbaum had just gave them the news that he was accepted into Julliard. So there goes his keyboardist.

“Dave that’s great really.” John told his friend trying to hide his disappointment.

“Thanks John but I know you’re not too happy that I have to leave the band.” Dave told him feeling a little guilty.

“No really you have to do what you have to do man really.” John said shaking his hand.

“Well knowing you you’ll get a new band going before you know.” He told him smiling.

“Yeah probably or my parents will be sending me off into the marines like they did.” He said shaking all over.

“No way they know you have talent and drive if anyone is going to make it it’s you.” Dave told him.

“Well I guess, when do you have to leave?” John asked him.

“Not til the third week of August so we can finish out the summer.” David told him.

“Well that’s something I guess. Look we still have a gig on Monday so we need to rehearse so let’s get this underway guys ok.” John was telling everyone. They went on to rehearse for the rest of the day and into the night. Finally when everyone had had about enough they took off for something to eat so they headed to the local pizzeria and piled in to their table’s where they pushed them together. They had order their food and drinks and were enjoying everything when some of the guy’s girlfriends join them half way thru their meal. What John didn’t except was Dorothea showing up with her girlfriends.

Dave leaned over to John and said to him, “Hey John you’ll never guess you just walked in?”

John looked at him with a questionable face. He turned around and what he thought was a great night now was turning into a crappy one. “Shit why did she have to show up.”

“Didn’t you see who was behind the counter? Janice she’s one of Dot’s accomplice’s.” Dave told him.

“Since when?” John asked him.

Laughing, “Where have you been? Since you two broke up. Kelly told me.” John just shook his head he thought you needed a playbook to keep up with everything.

“You think she call her?” John asked Dave.

“What do you think? She saw us walk in and got right on the phone and told Dot that you were here.” Dave said rolling his eyes like he couldn’t believe John didn’t know.

Walking over to all the guys Dorothea thought she would say hi them. “So what’s up guys, hey Kenny?” she said winking at Kenny and trying to get on John’s nerves.

Kenny looking at Dorothea and just brushing her off only because he knew that she was John’s ex and knew that you didn’t you that to a friend. John just snickered at her because he couldn’t contain himself.

“Laugh it up Bongiovi where’s your little friend?” she asked as she looked around, “Heard some things about her poor little girl now I know why you were out with her. You’re Mommy ask you to take her out now didn’t she?” Dorothea said snotty.

John shot around and shot her a dirty look. “Who the hell told you that Dotty?” he barked at her.

“Oh I have my ways of finding things out. It’s a small town remember? A lot of things get out. I also heard she’s a sick little thing too. Trying to come to her recuse Johnny boy? From what I saw you have a lot of work ahead of you.” Dorothea egged on.

Well that did it for John. He jumped up from his chair and what he wanted to do and what he did were two different things but Dave jumped up also just in case so his buddy wouldn’t get into trouble. “That did it Dotty! Don't talk about her like that! You don’t know anything about her or what’s wrong. So back the HELL OFF!” he said very strongly to her as Dave was right by his side showing his support.

Dorothea looked at Dave then back at John and basically snorted at them. “What you have your little bodyguard with you Johnny? Look I’m not telling you anything you don’t know all ready am I? Really Johnny she can’t do anything for you that I haven’t already done and she’s not going to make you happy either you know being sick all the time. ‘whispering now’ plus her being a virgin and all.”  She told him grinning from ear to ear. Well that’s all John needed to hear and he grabbed Dorothea by the arm, gave Dave the evil eye not to follow them and dragged her out the door of the pizzeria. The guys just looked at each other and couldn’t believe she pulled something on John so when her girls went to follow them then stood in their way so they couldn’t follow either.

Outside John pulled her over by the right side of the building as steam was coming out of his ears. “Ok Dot I’m only going to ask you this once who the hell told you this and where did they get this information!” he demanded.

But she thought she would try something and she went in for a kiss and latched on to him. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and tried real hard to get her tongue into his mouth like they used to do but when she did that he was not only shocked but was appalled that she would even try something like this. So he grabbed her arms and threw them off of him. “WHAT THE FUCK DOTTY! Are you kidding me! Do I really look that desperate to you?” he yelled at her.

As tears where forming in her eyes, “John what we had was good wasn’t it? I made a mistake and I wasn’t the only one so did you! I wasn’t the only one fucking around! And you’re going to tell me if you start dating little Miss Sunshine that you’re not going to cheat on her?” she asked him trying not to shed any more tears than she already has.

“What Ellie and I do is none of your damn business. But what happened between you and I, I’m sorry we both screwed up but we can’t take that back Dot can you just understand that? So please tell me where you heard that crap about her.” He demanded again. She had explained to him that her Mother’s sister friend worked at the center that she goes to she’s one of the tech’s there and she had overheard one of the nurse’s talking to another nurse about this young lady that had just started there. Well she remembered that her Aunt’s friend had heard me talking about you and Ellie and she put two and two together so she got some information together for me just in case I needed it. She also told John that the information had said that Ellie was still a virgin only because when they take x-rays they need to know this info because if she was they couldn’t because it would hurt the baby. Besides it’s a standard question they ask every woman who is over the start of their menstrual cycle. Plus I guess she’s had quite the problem down there since the beginning or the start of it as it said. John just stared at her but Dot couldn’t elaborate on that.

“I’m just saying John it sounds like she’s really fucked up. If I was you I’d run like hell.” Dot said chuckling.

John just stared at her and if she could have been set of fire she would have been. “I’m not like you Dot I just don’t give up on my friends. She’s a really nice person, down to earth and we have a lot in common. Plus she has a good heart so you could learn a lot from her. So stay the fuck away from her DO YOU HEAR ME!” he said as calmly as he could.

“I’ll tell you this I’ll be around if this doesn’t work out but and I do mean but I might not be here too long. I’m not going to wait forever John.” She told him as she made a kissing motion to him as he let her go back inside to meet her girls.

 He still was so angry that he wanted to punch the brick wall but he knew if he did he’d probably break his hand. He went back inside and told the guys that he was headed home and that he had enough of her bullshit for the night especially if she was going to stay. Dave told him that he would give him a ride home and that he was done for the night too. He explained to Dave what had happened and couldn’t believe that Dorothea was being that much of a bitch. It was really late when he had gotten home and he didn’t want to wake Ellie with a phone call even thou he could see a couple of lights on in the Levine’s home, but that didn’t mean she was up. That was ok he was exhausted and the faster he’d fall asleep the faster he would dream about her.

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Thursday came around and Ellie was playing with the kids as Marsha was getting dinner ready when the phone rang. Marsha was talking for a few minutes when finally she went and got Ellie. “Ellie Hon telephone.” She told her. Ellie looked up as she was playing ball with the kids.

“For me? Really?” then for a second she thought maybe it was John. “Oh ok.” She threw the ball to Tommy and went inside.

“It’s your Mom Honey.” Marsha said and gave her the phone.

Ellie’s eyes went wide and grabbed the phone. “Mommy! Hi I miss you, how are you?” she said to her as she babbled until her Mom could get a few words in. Marsha watched her as she talked to her Mom and just hoped someday that her kids would be just as happy to talk to her as she was to talk to her Mom. They talked for a while and finally they said goodbye. After dinner Ellie was helping with the dishes and Marsha asked her a question that kind of threw her.

“Ellie don’t get mad at me but did you tell Aunt Cecilia that you well liked the boy next door?” she asked hoping she didn’t over step her bounds.

Ellie looked at her cousin and just looked at the plate she was drying and didn’t know what to say to her. So she just told her the truth. “Look Marsha if I told my Mom then she would of told my Dad right?” Marsha shooked her head yes. “Ok then seeing that there was probably a red blooded American boy next door that I liked and he liked me would be bad enough but me staying with my cousins and having him live next door well no freaking way in hell my Dad would let him live. You understand that? Oh it’s ok for my brother Joey to go the Prom and I won’t tell you what happened afterwards, I didn’t want to know what happened afterwards but he woke me up anyway because well they tell me everything and I mean EVERYTHING! And this girl well she was just something. Let’s just say she scared the crap out of him. And he saw God that night Literally. Why the hell he didn’t wake Chick up he’s a guy! I didn’t want to know. Anyway that’s ok he’s the boy but if that was me the boy would be dead! Girls can go down into Joe’s basement bedroom but if I did that Oh No that wouldn’t be right. I have to go in a group.” As she was babbling Marsha just standing there staring at her with her mouth slightly ajar. “Marsha you ok?” she asked her.

“Oh I’m fine but now my two are certainly not growing up. Now I know why Mike’s so over protective of you.” She told Ellie.

“Yeah because he was one of them. He remembers because it wasn’t that long ago. So if Daddy find’s out I’m screwed. You know the only thing that’s been worth coming here has been you guys and John. And I guess I have to tell him when we go out on Friday that I’m going home the last two weeks of July Mom just confirmed it. Which is great I can’t wait, but a part of me doesn’t want to go home now does that sound weird?” she asked Marsha.

“No Honey it doesn’t sound weird. You’ve been here a month and a half already boy time does fly by doesn’t it? You’ve already become a part of our family and we don’t want you to leave either but it’s only two weeks. But we’ll get thru it. You on the other hand have a severe crush and so does John so I don’t know how you two will weather it.” She told her laughing.

“Oh well that helps Thanks.” She told her discouragingly.

“I’m sorry Honey but I don’t know what else to tell you other than you’re going to have to eventually tell your folks that you like this boy before they find out from someone else. I’m not saying it will be from us but even thou they live in another state it doesn’t mean they won’t find out somehow. And even thou you’re going to be seventeen and can date whomever you want they’re still going to be hurt if you don’t tell them.” Marsha explained to her.

She listened to what she was saying and told her she would think about it. But was she dating John? No she was only going on one date with him. That wasn’t dating him. They were just friends and that was stretching it as she was just finally on good terms with him. Just because now she was having those kinds of feeling for him Oh my God did I just admit that?! URGH! But he does have those gorgeous blue eyes. Oh I’m in trouble.   

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Friday night came around too fast as Ellie was concerned because she was feeling nausea again about going out with John. Marsha told her she would probably get over that feeling pretty soon and the excitement about seeing John will come soon enough. She told her that she wasn’t not excited about seeing John but she never really was out alone with a boy whom she liked like that and that kind of scared her. Marsha told her to just act naturally because that’s what John liked about her in the first place and everything else will fall into place. An hour later John came to pick her up.

As they got out to his car she asked him, “So can I ask you where we’re going?”

Smiling, “Sure I figured you’d probably be sick of pizza so I know this great hamburger place if that’s ok?” he asked her.

“That would be great.” She told him fidgeting. He saw that she was and thought that was cute. It didn’t take them long to get to Henry’s Hamburger Heaven.

“They do make the best hamburgers you ever eaten.” He bragged.

“Sure they do. The only thing I’m worried about is once we get settled are we going to be interrupted again by your so called ex?” she asked him.

“I sure hope not. I have plans for us.” He told her with a wry smile.

After being seated and served John finally got up the courage to ask her a question that had been bothering him since he had it out with Dorothea a few days ago. “Um I should tell you that a few nights ago when the guys and I went for pizza after rehearsal I kind of ran into Dorothea.” He uncomfortable told her.

“Oh ok…so I take it you didn’t plan to meet up with her then.” She said to him uncomfortably.

“No, no she just showed up. She had a friend that worked there I guess and called her to let her when I showed up.” He explained to her.

“She still likes you doesn’t she? Do you still have any feelings for her?” she wanted to know now because if he had just the slightest then she was just going to tell him goodbye because been there done that.

He could see that she was afraid that he might still have feelings for her and he knew that he had to calm her feelings over this. “Ellie I don’t like Dotty that way anymore please believe me. But I want to be the first one to tell you that she kissed me before I threw her off of me.” As he was telling her this Ellie’s heart was in her stomach. He still could see that maybe she was having second thoughts about this whole thing and that was the last thing he wanted but he needed to ask her this certain question before he made any mistakes with her. “Ellie are you ok?” he asked hoping that she was and still wanted to see him.

“Yeah I’m fine it’s just I didn’t like the part where she kissed you that’s all. But as long as you’re being honest with me and you didn’t fall for it then I think I can handle it.” She told him reaching for his hand. He smiled as he took her hand in his. That was a good sign he thought.

“Good because I have another question and it’s kind of personal.” He told her. She told him it was ok to ask him because he was probably going to find out everything someday anyway so why not start now. So he took a deep breath and asked, “Dotty said something to me and it’s been kind of well not bothering me but I just don’t want to make a mistake and do something you know stupid ok so I’m just going to come out and ask are you a virgin?” he asked her still holding her hand and making an inquisitive face. Ellie just sat there in shock and didn’t know how to answer at that particular moment.