The Times Are A-Changin

                                    

                                          
Charlotte looked around the room and she noticed that Josie and Bobby were not there. She asked her mother if she knew where they were and she just smiled. About ten minutes later Norton arrived. He had not been back to school since he had been shot.  Norton was wearing a red and green striped sweater with a green turtleneck underneath.  Charlotte had decided to wear a raspberry red long sleeve dress with tulle underneath. Her mother decided to let her wear the pearl necklace that she wore when she got married.  James had brought some  records with him.  He put one of the records on and while they were talking "Come See About Me" came on.
                          
  It keeps me crying, baby for you
Keeps me sighin', baby for you
So won't you hurry ?

                          
Come on boy, see about me  
                          
James kissed Charlotte on the cheek as she walked by. Charlotte looked around the room again and saw that Delores and her twin sister Mary had arrived. A few minutes later Charlotte heard a knock on the door and she went to open it. It was her sister Josie and Bobby was with her! She noticed that there was a diamond ring on her finger. Before she could say anything Josie told her not to say anything about it yet. Delores and her boyfriend Anthony Washington were the only ones who had not shown up yet. About four p.m Delores and Anthony showed up.  Delores looked very happy. Nadine did not end up coming to the party because she was sick. Around six o'clock Charlotte's mother, Alice gathered everyone into the dining room so that Josie and Bobby could make an announcement.  Bobby looked at Josie and smiled.  "About an hour ago I asked this young woman next to me to become my wife." Almost everyone at the party stopped what they were doing and stared at the couple. Charlotte was very happy for her sister and she was glad her sister's baby was going to have a father. Before Charlotte knew it 1964 was almost over. James decided to spend half of Christmas Day with Charlotte's family. And Charlotte decided to do the same thing. Charlotte decided before her senior year of high school that she wanted to go to the University of Kentucky. The university of Kentucky had been integrated for almost fifteen years. Mrs. Alice Atkins did not want her daughter to go to the University of Kentucky because she was afraid that something would happen to her daughter. Charlotte decided to put in an application for the University of Kentucky and so did James.  After the New Year things were different at Lafayette High School. People started talking about the war in Vietnam and how the United States would eventually be involved. Jack Holmes had changed a lot after the New Year.  Charlotte was walking to her science class when she accidentally ran into Sasha Adams. Charlotte had not seen Sasha in several months. When she looked at Sasha she noticed that Sasha had a bloody lip and a black eye.  "What happened to you, Sasha?"  Sasha looked ashamed and she lied to Charlotte about what had happened to her. "Nothing. I tripped down the stairs and I fell." Charlotte did not believe her and knew that she was covering up something.
                          
  Charlotte just smiled and she told her "If you ever need to talk to someone, I am here. I have been told that I am a good listener." Sasha looked at Charlotte and smiled. " I do need to talk to someone. Can you meet me after school? I am in Physics last period but I will be in the library afterward. Charlotte agreed to meet her and she continued on to her class. The day went by really fast and before she knew the school day was over.  She headed toward library when she saw James. She told him that she was going to be staying a little bit later at school. He also was going to the library to work on a project. Charlotte was walking into the library when she heard Jack Holmes arguing with an unknown female. "How could you think I did not care about you. I know that is crazy since I have treated you badly in the past. I never thought I could care about someone this much."  Charlotte went around the corner and she noticed that Jack Holmes was arguing with Sasha Adams! Jack saw Charlotte and he was surprised to see her in the library. He decided that he was going to apologize to her and ask her for forgiveness. "Charlotte I wanted to apologize for the way I have treated you in the past. It wasn't right and I wanted to ask you for your forgiveness."  The African American teenager looked at him and smiled.  "Of course, I forgive you, Jack. And I hope you will learn to forgive yourself as well."