The Light of Dawn

I felt Claire reach under the table and hold my hand as Sara giggled and said, "I really like your car."

Thank you," I smiled, shaking her hand, "It's nice to meet you, too."

Our food came within minutes of Becky's and Sara's, and as we ate, we talked about the up coming play. "You guys should've heard Scott sing," Claire swooned, "He has the most beautiful voice I've ever heard."

"Yeah, and we heard that Cindy, the bitch, Donaldson got cast as The Wicked Witch of the West, too," giggled Becky.

"It's fitting," laughed Sara, "And I can't think of anyone to play that part any better than her either."

"Why is she like that?" I asked, "I mean, why is she so hateful to everyone?"

Taking my arm and cuddling into me in front of her two friends, Claire flashed that brilliant, knee-shaking smile of hers and said, "Ever since she won the award for best actress at the all-state competition last year, she thinks her shit doesn't stink."

I began to laugh, making Becky grin and ask, "What's so funny?"

"You three," I chuckled, "And all this time I never thought that girls could talk as much shit as us guys do."

"Ooo, a smart ass, too," giggled Sara, "We like him, Claire. Way to go, girl!"

~~~~~~

Chapter Three

After the last bell rang at 3:30 that afternoon, I found myself back in the theater, and of course Claire sat right next to me, her arm wrapped around mine and her hand resting on my forearm. Cindy Donaldson wasted no time when she saw us together. As she slithered past us, she looked at Claire and hissed, "Dating an underclassman is something I would expect from you Rogers, you slut."

Claire moved at the speed of light, as she jumped up from her seat and directly into Cindy's face; and not caring who heard, she laughed and replied, "I've never had sex, because I respect myself more than that, unlike you, you nasty bitch."

"Who're you calling a nasty bitch, "Cindy growled, barely able to contain herself, "And what do you mean, unlike me?"

Claire was like a bull dog, unrelenting in her retaliation on Cindy, when she loudly said, "Everyone in this school knows exactly how big of a whore you are, Cindy Donaldson. Hell, if you had as many cocks sticking out of you to match number of how many cocks have been stuck in you, you'd like a porcupine."

Needless to say, this made everyone who'd heard the conversation howl with laughter, making Cindy glare and yell "FUCK YOU ALL!!!"

"Does that include me, Miss Donaldson?" said Mrs. Fox, making everyone turn and look at her as she walked into the theater, having been just in time to hear Cindy curse at all of us. Then she put her hands on her hips, and with a subtle glare, said, "I don't know what your problem is, but ever since you won the best actress award at State last year; you've been a condescending snob to everyone. However; let me be the one to remind you that this is a new year, not last year. Do you get my drift?"

Cindy meekly nodded as Mrs. Fox continued, "I want all of the main characters, Claire Rogers, Scott Powers, Mike Warney, and Vaughn Richardson to come up on the stage first, you too, Cindy."

As we took the stage, I had the opportunity to meet Mike and Vaughn, both seniors, who were also super-nice guys. They both congratulated me and made sure that if I had any questions, or needed any help that I should feel free to call on either one of them.

For our first rehearsal, Mrs. Fox had the entire cast on the stage, sitting in the round, to simply read through the entire script. Of course, the actual performance of the play would take approximately two and a half, to three hours. However, it only took a little over an hour to read through the script.

After rehearsals were done, and Mrs. Fox made sure that we each had a copy of the rehearsal schedule, the theater cleared out.

~~~~~~

We were three weeks into rehearsal, and up until this point; Claire and I had not yet been on a date, because of our studies, as well as having rehearsals three nights a week. And while back stage in the dark during and after rehearsals, there had been a lot of hugging and kissing between us, but nothing more than that had occurred.

It was on a Friday morning while we were all finishing breakfast when Aunt Lauren asked, "Do you have any plans for this evening, Scotty?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I proudly replied, "I've got a date with Claire."

Oh, that's nice, Honey," Aunt Claire knowingly smiled, "That works out perfectly then."

"Uh oh," chuckled Uncle Mike, "Look out Scotty."

Even if Uncle Mike hadn't warned me, I'd always been able to tell when Aunt Lauren was up to something so, with that in mind, I smiled and said, "Okay, Aunt Lauren, I can always tell when something's going on with you. What is it, and what does it have to do with my date with Claire."

"You know me well, don't you, sweetie?" she grinned, "Okay, here it is. I'd like you to bring Claire over for dinner tonight so that Uncle Mike and I can meet her. I'll even make your favorite dessert."

"Oh man," I grinned, "You're gonna make a double-layer chocolate cake? Yeah, we'll be here, what time?"

"How does seven o'clock sound?" she asked.

"That will be just fine," I smiled, "I'm going to stop and wash my car on my way home from school so it'll be clean tonight when I pick up Claire."

"Okay, sweetie," Aunt Lauren giggled

~~~~~~

"We're having dinner at your house tonight?" Claire excitedly asked, when I told her of Aunt Lauren's invitation during lunch.

"Yeah," I said, "I hope that's okay."

"Oh Scott," purred Claire, kissing my lips, "It's perfect."

"Good," I smiled, "I'll pick you up at six-thirty then."

"I'll be ready, handsome."

~~~~~~

That evening, per Claire's directions, I drove into the older section of my hometown where all the very old and very big houses were. It was then that I knew that Claire was out of my league. However, she corrected my train of thought a couple of years later when....Uh oh, I'm getting ahead of myself.

After I pulled up in front of the house with the address Claire had given me, I got out of my car, and then walked up to the front door and rang the bell. When the door opened, an older and very beautiful version of Claire answered the door smiling, and said, "Hi, I'm Marsha Rogers, and you must be Scott."

Yes, ma'am," I courteously replied, "I'm here to pick up Claire."

"Please, come on in," she graciously said, "Claire's not quite ready yet."

After she closed the door behind me, I looked around at splendor of their home. A very elegant, ornate and beautifully crafted stair way stood before me, catching my eye and making me turn back to Mrs. Rogers and ask, "Was this house built during Victorian era?"

"You have a good eye, young man," a male voice responded from behind me.

I turned and saw a man of about fifty, I'd say, smiling and walking toward me. "Hello," he said, extending his hand, "I'm John Rogers, and I'll bet that you're Scott."

"Yes, sir," I smiled, shaking his hand.

"We've been hearing your name around here a lot recently," he laughed, "Oh, and by the way, my daughter tells me that you're going to be The Scarecrow in 'The Wizard of Oz'."

"Yes, sir," I proudly replied, "We're really looking forward to putting on a great show."

"I sure hope so," smiled, Mrs. Rogers, "We're both going to be there opening night you know."

I hope you like it Mrs. Rogers," I politely replied.

"Aw, honey boy," she smiled, "My name is Marsha, and his name is John so, I want you to call us that, okay sweetie."

"Yes ma'am," I smiled, nodding my head.

"Claire told me that you drive a Corvette, Scott," grinned John, "May I see it?"

"Sure," I grinned, motioning my head toward the front door, "She's parked right outside."

~~~~~~

"Wow," breathed John, "She sure is a beauty, Scott."

"Thank you, sir," I replied, "My Uncle Mike helped me pick it out on my birthday."

"Uncle Mike?"

"Yes sir," I said, "I live with him and my Aunt Lauren. Both of my parents died when I was a baby, and Uncle Mike and Aunt Lauren, who is my Mom's sister, took me in. My maternal grandmother had set up a trust fund for me on the day I was born, and it matured upon my parent's death. But Uncle Mike put it back in trust to mature when I turned sixteen so; I bought a new car with some of it."

"I don't mean to get personal," he said, "But what are you going to do with all that money?"

"It's for college," I said, "I don't want to burden my family with the responsibility of having to pay my tuition."

Although John never said anything, I saw the same look in his eyes that I'd seen in Uncle Mike's eyes when he would tell me that he was proud of me. John suddenly chuckled and said, "You want to see something, Scott?"

"Sure."

"Follow me then," John grinned.

~~~~~~

He led me around the house to the small garage behind it, right next to one of the nicest swimming pools I'd ever seen. And once we were inside, and the lights had been turned on, what I saw almost took my breath away. Sitting side-by-side were two older Corvettes, one a 1953 model and the other, a1954 model. Both were red with the white side piping, and were almost identical.

"Holy cow," I excitedly grinned, "A fifty-three and a fifty-four. These are very nice."

"That's right," said John, pointing to the 54, "I bought this one brand new after I got out of the Navy, and I didn't get the fifty-three till years later. It was the third one to roll off the production line the first year that the Corvette was made."

"Wow," I breathed, "They sure are a couple of beauties."

"Yeah," John laughed, "But these two still have the original "Blue Flame" in-line six cylinder engines in them. Yours has that bad ass four-twenty-seven under the hood. I'll bet she runs fast, huh?"

"I don't know," I said uneasily, "The speedometer says that she'll do a hundred and forty, but I don't like going real fast. It's too dangerous."

John reached over and patted my shoulder, and smiling widely, said, "You're a good kid, Scott. Come on, let's get back to the house and see what's holding Claire up, okay?"

~~~~~~

"I really like your parents, Claire," I said, as we drove to my house.

"I can tell that my Dad likes you," she purred, "And Mom thinks that you're the most handsome thing she's ever seen."

"You and your Mom look so much alike," I said, "You two could pass for sisters."

"That's what everybody says," she giggled.

~~~~~~

"Oh my goodness," smiled Aunt Lauren, as Claire and I walked into the house, "She is such a pretty thing, Scotty."

"Thank you, ma'am" Claire bashfully replied.

"Ma'am?" "Do I look that old to you, baby girl?" Aunt Lauren giggled, putting her arm around Claire's shoulder, "My name is Lauren and my husbands name is Michael, or just plain old Mike. I want you to feel free to call us by our names, sweetie."

"Okay," Claire playfully giggled.

About that time Uncle Mike came from the back of the house, and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Claire. "Holy shit, Scott she's beautiful," he gasped, "What's she doing with you?"

"Michael," scolded Aunt Lauren, making Claire giggle, "Watch your mouth."

Uncle Mike simply winked at me, and on his way into the kitchen, pinched Aunt Lauren on the butt, making her squeal.

Her face turned ashen, and then she turned to Claire and said, "You'll have to forgive him, Claire. Sometimes he likes to act like he's eight, as opposed to thirty-eight."

"That's okay," she giggled, "My Dad is the same way sometimes."

"Scott," said Aunt Lauren, "I need you to do me a favor, sweetheart."

"Name it Aunt Lauren," I smiled.

"I need you go to the store and get me some sugar if you want the icing on your cake to taste right," Aunt Lauren replied.

I looked at Claire and asked, "You want to ride with me?"

"No, she doesn't," smiled Aunt Lauren, "We're gonna sit here and have some girl talk while your gone. Now get outta here go to the store, mister."

"Yes ma'am," I sulked, much to the giggles emanating from Claire and Aunt Lauren.

~~~~~~

Chapter Four

When I got back from the store, the sound of loud female laughter hit my ears as soon as I opened the front door. I walked into the house, going straight back to the den to find Claire and Aunt Lauren sitting side-by-side looking at a photo album, and Claire smiling brightly.

"What's up?" I uncomfortably asked.

"Lauren was just showing me some of your baby pictures," cooed Claire," "You were such a precious little boy, Scott,"

"Aw man," I groaned, "Did you have to show her those pictures, Aunt Lauren?"

"You leave her alone," Claire giggled, "Besides, I saw you naked, and you've got the cutest little butt."

"I just wanted her to see what you looked like when you were little, Scotty," laughed Aunt Lauren.

"Aw man," I smiled, "This sucks."

~~~~~~

Dinner with Uncle Mike and Aunt Lauren was wonderful, but Claire had a midnight curfew and it was nearing 9:00pm so, we left to have a couple of hours to ourselves before I had to take her home.

"Where would you like to go?" I asked Claire, as we got into my car

"Can we go somewhere and just talk, Scott?" she shyly asked, "There's something I need to tell you."

"Of course," I replied, "We can go anywhere you want to."

"Good," she smiled, leaning over and kissing my cheek, "Let's go back to my house then."

~~~~~~

Twenty minutes later, we were back at Claire's sitting together in an out-door loveseat that was situated at the end of the pool nearest to the house. She took my hand and interlaced her fingers with mine. Then after leaning over and gently kissing my lips; she smiled and sweetly said, "I'm really glad we met, Scott."

"Me too," I said, "And I also want to thank you, Claire."

"Thank me, what for?"

"When I walked into the theater for the first time that day, I was really nervous" I admitted, "But when Cindy Donaldson started her shit, you took up for me and you didn't even know me. I never really said 'Thank you' so, thank you."

"Any time, handsome," she cooed, snuggling closely to me.

Then I remembered her saying earlier that she had something she'd wanted to tell me. So, after raising her hand that I'd been holding, up to my lips, I gently kissed her delicate knuckle and said, "I believe you said that you have something you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh yeah," she grinned, batting her beautiful blue eyes. Then sitting up straight and gently releasing her hand from mine, Claire softly placed her palm against the side of my face, and said, "We've known each other for almost a month now, Scott, and I wanted to tell you that I'm really beginning to like you a lot, a whole lot."

Since I first met her, and as I began to get to know her, I was becoming more comfortable around Claire, able to be myself. Still though, the kisses she'd given me were enchanting and I soon found myself under her spell. This was when I decided to tell her the truth, somehow knowing that I wouldn't be rejected or laughed at.

I leaned into her, and as gently as I could, I lightly touched my lips to hers, lingering only for a moment, then slowly backed away and tenderly replied, "I really like you, too; and I have for a while now, Claire."

She timidly smiled, her beautiful blue eyes looking right through me and peering into my soul, as she tenderly kissed my lips and then bashfully replied, "I've never had a boyfriend, Scott. What about you?"

"Nope," I grinned, "I've never had a boyfriend either."

"Oh, you're such a smart ass," she giggled, playfully slapping me on the shoulder, "You know what I'm talking about, silly. Tell me, Scott...please?"

"No, I've never had a girlfriend," I happily smiled, "But I met this really amazing girl almost a month ago...and uh....I uh...I'm still trying to figure out a way to ask her if she would like to be my girlfriend."

I'd never in my life seen love in its purest form until I saw the look on Claire's face that night. Her smile grew more brilliant than ever; and with happy tears pouring slowly down her smooth, beautiful face, she giggled, and then teasingly asked, "What if she says no?"

"I don't know what I'll do," I smiled, looking into her eyes, "But I know she'll say yes."

Claire put both her arms around me, gently pulling me toward her. Then moving her face within mere inches of mine, she softly-but-quickly kissed my lips and breathed, "Tell me, Scott, tell me how you know she'll say yes."

"She needs to say yes, because I think she's the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen," I said, now openly confessing my feelings to her, "And I need to tell her that I would always be the best boyfriend I could, even though I come un-glued just being near her."

By this time we were holding one another so closely that Claire was almost in my lap, and running her fingers through my hair; she smiled and cooed, "What will you do if she does say yes?"

I leaned my face now only millimeters away from hers, and softly replied, "I'd let her know that, not only was she going to be my first girlfriend, she would also be my last, and, I would never let her go."

"Oh Scotty," she cried, kissing me, "I love you. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you."

"I'm glad," I replied, kissing her lips, "Because I fell in love with you the very first time I ever laid eyes on you, too."

The wheels were now set in motion, and much to the chagrin of most of the young males in my high school, Claire became my girlfriend. I was proud, as always, to be seen with her everywhere we went. And because our pictures had been in the school, the college, (affectionately called "The U" by the kids here) and local newspapers; everywhere we went people would stop and wish us well, or the little kids would want pictures, autographs, etc. All of the attentions made us feel good, yet we still remained grounded.

Claire and I studied together, as well as rehearsed our scenes together away from school, either at her house or mine, and fell deeper in love with one another as the days passed. Although she was only four months older than me, the way our birthdays fell dictated which school year we would be in. Still though, I loved Claire deeply and that was all that mattered.

~~~~~~

Our rehearsal schedule began to tighten as we grew nearer to show time. And it was on a Thursday night, three days away from opening night that the tension between me and Cindy Donaldson finally came to a head. For almost six weeks, she had been taunting me during rehearsals with her little verbal jibes about my being inexperienced, or, being green, as she called it, and it was always when Mrs. Fox either wasn't there, or couldn't hear her.

We were doing our final "run-throughs" and I accidentally tripped over an extension cord that had been carelessly left on the stage by a member of the crew. I barely managed to keep from falling off of the stage and into the audience, but in doing so; I knocked over one of the evil trees from one of Cindy's scenes, breaking it, but not irreparably. "Watch out," she sneered, "You stupid fucking rookie."

"That's it," I said to myself. After I regained my balance, I turned to Cindy, and as loud I possibly could, I shouted, "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, CINDY DONALDSON? I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO YOU. YOU GIVE ME GRIEF AT EVERY GIVEN OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M SICK OF IT. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" The theater went deathly silent as I found myself suddenly upon her, standing over her while she cowered, trembling as if she were about to become my prey.

I was so angry that I was red-faced and my body was shaking, until I felt something soft touching my hand and the gentle sound of Claire's voice say, "Easy Scott, come with me, baby," calming the anger that Cindy's remark had elicited from me.

And then as we turned and walked away, Claire looked at Mrs. Fox, and asked, "Can we take a short break, please?"