“Relax Elle…it’s not bad.” He smirked we stayed quiet for a few minutes as we had reached the diner. He walked me in letting go of my side and gestured to a booth “Sit down.” He smiled and took a seat across from me.  I sat down and looked down at my hands that contrasted against the dull beige of the scratched and worn out table. The seats were no better a dark red that had tears here and there.

I looked up at him “Why Elle? My name is Elise.” I say a bit harsher than I mean to but I don’t apologise.  “Because Elle it’s my nickname for you.” I smile at what he says “Your different to everyone else I know…you don’t seem to care about any of the rules.” “Yeah well I learnt a long time ok you can’t always follow the rules if you really want to live life.” His face had changed from happy to serious and thoughtful like he was remembering past memories.

I envied his logic, his way of life he was free to do as he pleased where as I was stuck in luxurious, wealthy prison. Where my life was ruled by other people and I had no say in what I did. I saw my life as a movie I had already seen a million times an endless cycle of parties, horse races, launches and cotillions all with the same boring people whose only interest was whether the stock market had gone up or down or the latest gossip.

“What can I get you two today?” the waitress asked as she arrived at our table we both snapped out of our train of thought. “I’ll just have a chocolate shake thankyou.”  “And I’ll have some fries and a coke.” James smiles at her. “Alright no problem.” She closes her notepad and walks away.

“What do you love to do?” I ask him and he looks up at me smirking his adorable smirk. Ride motorcycles. They can take you anywhere.” I smile at his answer “That sounds wonderful.”

“What are your thoughts on the war?” he asks me suddenly that I am startled by his question for a moment. “The war?” I repeat “yeah the war…do you agree with it?” his tone was mild and calm but serious. “I-I don’t know…I guess I never really thought about it.” He shrugged his shoulders and chuckled lowly. “I wouldn’t expect you too.”  I scrunch my eyebrows up in confusion and stare at him “What do you mean by that?” “It doesn’t affect you rich people, you’re not the ones getting drafted us poor people are. So why should you have an opinion when your just some rich socialite.” His tone was cold and his words full of irritation what he said angered me but I knew his was right. He was dead right it didn’t affect us so we didn’t care…it wasn’t right.

It was quiet for a few minutes neither one of us willing to speak first. “No.” I finally said “no?” “No I do not agree with war I don’t think it is our place to fight in it.” He smiled at me “So you do have an opinion after all.” I giggled at his statement “Yeah I suppose I do.”

The waitress bought over our orders and placed them in front of us “Thankyou.” I smiled and she smiled back the turned and walked away. I took a sip of my shake “mmm this is really good.” I exclaim and lick my lips.

“There’s a festival on soon called Woodstock we can go together.” He suggests and smiles a grin spreads across my face and I nod my head. “I’d like that.” I say quietly and I get excited by the thought of us being together.

I don’t know why but this boy had a hold on me in the very short time that I knew him.

“Elise?” I look up to my right and see Charles standing there “Charles?” I stand up, I am shocked by him standing there. He looks at James unapprovingly and then at me with the same look “Who’s this?” he asks gesturing to James before I can answer James stands up and offers his hand for Charles to shake it. “My name’s James Dean.” Charles stares at Jame’s hand then turns to me “come on Elise” I should get you home.

James withdraws his hand and then turns to face me I give him an apologetic look and mouth the word sorry then follow Charles out of the diner.

“Why were you with him?” Charles asks me his voice cold and refined. “He’s just a friend that’s all and he offered me to go to lunch with him.” I reply just as he had.

He opens the car door for me and I slide in and he slams the door shut startling me, he hops in the other side and starts the car. We drive for a while in silence “You are not to see him again Elise do you understand?” I turn and face him my expression changing into an expression of pure shock. “What?” I ask him quietly “you heard me.” “you do not get to rule my life Charles!” I almost yell at him. He pulls the car over and faces me his face hard and eyes full of fury. “You listen here missy! I am your fiancé and you will do as I say when I say it! I have a reputation to uphold and you will not embarrass me or undermine me by ruining yours as well by hanging out with the hood trash!” he wasn’t yelling but his voice was harsh and terrifying. I didn’t say anything for the rest of the ride but when he pulled up out the front of my house I ran out of the car and into my room before he could say anything more.