"I don't think she's gonna show, not after what happened yesterday," Mike said.
"She has to show. I was going to teach her how to walk with a book on her head and everything," Peter said disappointed.
"I'll go see what's going on," Micky said. He went next door and knocked a few times. Finally, a man in his forties answers the door.
"May I help you young man?" The older man asked.
"Yes, I'm looking for Julie," Micky said. The man raised a questioning eyebrow at Micky. It wasn't like his daughter not to tell him about a new friend.
"She knows my friend Peter. We were supposed to have plans today," Micky tried to explain.
"Julie, you've got company," her dad called out to her.
"Daddy, who is it?" Julie asked from her bedroom.
"Some boy that claims to know you," her father said. Julie came out of her room and saw that it was Micky.
"Did you make plans with this boy and break them?" Her father asked.
"Yes daddy, but you don't understand," Julie started.
"Julie, you know how I feel about a person going back on their word," her father said disappointed.
"Yes daddy," Julie said as she looked at the ground.
"What are your plans anyway?" Mr. Morris asked Micky.
"Ah you know, we're just going to hang out, maybe watch a little TV," Micky replied.
"I'll leave you two alone to talk," Mr. Morris said. As he left the room, Julie turned to Micky to find out what was going on.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"I've come to take you to your etiquette lessons, or did you forget?" Micky said sarcastically.
"Forget it, I'm hopeless," Julie said.
"You're not hopeless unless you give up now. Don't you be a quitter," Micky told her.
"Why do you even care?" She asked.
"I don't but Peter does. He wants to help you so you can find a date for your prom," Micky said.
"What, are you serious?" Julie asked, now feeling guilty that she bailed out.
"Yes, Peter has a good heart that way. He tries to help people whenever he can," Micky stated.
Julie felt touched that Peter was doing this all for her. She liked Peter and wasn't about to hurt his feelings.
"Alright I'll go. Let me go tell my father that I'm leaving for awhile," Julie said.
"Great, you won't regret this," Micky assured her.
"Hey daddy," Julie said as she knocked on hid bedroom door.
"Yes honey," Mr. Morris replied.
"I'm going to go hang out with Micky and Peter," she said.
"Just be home by seven," he replied.
Back at the pad, Peter sat sulking. He was sure Julie would never come over again. Suddenly, Peter heard the door knob turn as someone started to come in. A huge smile spread across Peter's face when Micky and Julie walked in.
"Julie, I'm so glad you came," Peter said.
"I can't miss my lesson now can I," Julie said.
"Well, the first thing we are going to do is teach you how to walk," Micky said.
"I already know how to walk," Julie replied.
"I mean we are going to teach you how to walk gracefully so you won't trip," Micky explained.
"Oh," Julie said, now understanding.
"Ok, when a lady walks, she shouldn't slouch or shuffle. By trying to balance a book on her head, she eliminates both," Peter explained.
He placed a book on his head and carefully walked around the room with his back straight and gently placing one foot in front of the other. While demonstrating his gracefulness, Peter forgot all about the chaise lounge that sat in the middle of the living room. Suddenly, before anyone could warn him, he tripped over it and flipped over onto his back.
"Oh Peter!" Julie shouted as she rushed to his side. She leaned down and took his hand into hers.
"Are you alright?" She asked with her eyes full of concern.
"I'm fine," Peter said as he smiled up at Julie, "However, watching where you are going is another important rule of graceful walking."
Julie laughed at his little comment. Peter chuckled too. When he realized he was holding Julie's hand, his heart skipped a beat.
"Ok, that's enough walking for one day. Peter doesn't handle it too well," Mike said, "Next Micky will show you how to act at a dance."
"Ok, when you go to a dance with a boy you walk in holding his arm," Micky explained.
Peter offered Julie his arm and she gladly accepted it. They walked slowly and steadily, practically graceful. Micky was impressed. Once they reached the middle of the floor, Micky had other instructions for them.
"Ok, suppose you're thirsty. What do you say to your date?" Micky asked.
"Can I have a soda please?" Julie remarked.
"The please was good, but try saying "Peter, would you mind bringing me a soda please?" Micky corrected her.
Now it was Julie's turn. She turned to face Peter then spoke.
"Peter, would you mind bringing me a soda please?" Julie said very politely.
Peter went and got a soda for Julie. When he came back, he handed it to Julie. After she thanked him she tried to twist the cap off, but it wouldn't budge. Julie then stuck the bottle in her mouth attempting to pull the cap off with her teeth.
"Whoa! You're going to ruin your teeth like that," Micky scolded "If you have trouble opening something, ask your date to get it for you."
"Could you open my drink please?" Julie asked as she handed her drink to Peter.
"Very nice," Micky complimented.
Peter twisted and tugged on the bottle, but had just as much trouble trying to open it as Julie had.
"It won't open," Peter grunted as he twisted on the cap. He pulled just a little too hard and elbowed Julie in the shoulder.
"Oh Julie, I'm sorry. I hope you're ok," Peter apologized.
"I'm fine," Julie said as she rubbed her shoulder.
"Just forget about the soda. Dances usually have punch anyway," Micky said as he tossed the bottle over his shoulder.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" Mike hollered as the bottle shattered all over the floor.
"Hey look, the bottle's open," Peter commented.
"Duh," Davy said as he rolled his eyes.
"Now suppose you want to dance with your date. How do you react?" Micky asked. Julie grabbed Peter by the hand and started to pull him toward the middle of the room.
"First you need to ask him if he wants to dance, then he'll lead you out to the dance floor," Davy instructed.
"Yeah what Davy said," Micky added.
"Peter, would you like to dance with me?" Julie asked as she looked straight into his eyes.
"Yes I would," Peter replied as he smiled at her. Peter then offered Julie his hand and he slowly led her out to the middle of the room.
"Good job students. Julie, you are a very fast learner," Micky complimented.
"I have a good study partner," Julie said as she looked up at Peter.
"Do you have any questions?" Mike asked.
"What about the dancing? I still can't dance," Julie reminded them.
"We'll do that tomorrow. Davy will show you what to do," Mike said.
"Should I pay for my own dinner?" Julie asked.
"No, but take some money just in case you're dating a moocher," Micky said.
"What about kissing? Do you kiss a date good night?" Julie asked.
"Well that depends on how well you know and like your date. However, if you don't want to kiss, don't do it to be polite. You have to stand your ground on stuff like that," Mike said.
"Do you have any other questions?" Peter asked.
"Just one, could you walk me home Peter?" Julie asked.
"Sure, I'd love to," Peter said.
"See you tomorrow. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes," Davy said.
"Ok, see you then," Julie said. Peter then escorted Julie out the door. As they walked, Peter reached over and took Julie's hand into his. To his surprise, Julie wrapped her fingers around his. As they reached Julie's front door, she turned to face Peter.
"Peter, I just want to thank you for everything that you and your friends are doing for me," Julie said.
"It's no problem. If I needed help I would want someone to help me too," Peter said.
"Well, I think it is really sweet. It's too bad that I'm still ugly though," Julie said sadly.
"Stop it," Peter said as he cupped her chin. "You are not ugly. No person with so much inner beauty could be ugly."
"Oh Peter," Julie whispered. Their faces inched closer together, but their kiss never happened because suddenly the porch light flipped on.
"Well, good night," Julie said as she entered her front door.
"Good night," Peter said as he walked home in a daze.