...Have Seen What Time Does, Haven't We?...

BY: 21ST CENTURY HIPPIE CHICK

(AMY REYNOLDS)

PART ONE: ....Have Seen What Time Does, Haven't We?....

Michelle Dobbs's beauty was striking; her hair was like someone pouring honey in swirls. Her eyes were doe eyes of a praline color; her fair skin had a few freckles sprinkled to and fro.

As of March 13th, 1961, she was the newest Freshman at the local High School in L.A.; only problem was that no one there really accepted new-comers....

In fact, she was tormented by everyone; sure, there were a few that DIDN'T go out of their way to make her miserable, but the rest.....

Her first whole week was like this; it began to weigh down terribly on her.....

When she would come in, her locker would be vandalized; in her classes, she was poked, prodded, and had things(including gum)thrown at her.

And, to boot, when she got home, her parents didn't get home for nearly two hours!

So, that Friday, March 20th, 1961, she decided to do it....

She climbed the flight of stairs to the outside balcony and readied herself....

Meanwhile, a by-stander happened to look over....

Suddenly, Michelle's feet sprang and down she began....

Everything seemed to be in slow motion; she clawed frantically at the empty air. She suddenly didn't want to die....

Nothing could save her now, though....

But then, she crashed into a pair of arms and they both thudded to the ground.

"Now why did you go and try to do a stupid thing like that for?!" the pair of arms asked from underneath her, sounding like it was in pain.

"Hey, it's none of your business what I do!" Michelle replied, getting off of the distraught human-catcher.

"Well, you were tryin' to commit suicide right there in your front yard, what else WAS there to do?!" the person, who was a boy with dark brown hair, almond eyes, and was tall, asked.

"You're from my school, aren't you?!" Michelle asked angrily, backing away.

"Yeah, and I know you're Michelle Dobbs," the boy replied.

"Yeah, you know alright! You're probably one of those people who vandalized my locker!" Michelle accused, backing away more.

"Hey now, don't go accusin' me of things I haven't done! In fact, I haven't bothered you or anything belonging to you!" the boy replied, "I think theyare all being immature!"

Michelle imediately stopped backing away; she looked at the boy a little closer...

"You're Micky Dolenz! That kid that was having that seizure in Geography!" MIchelle realized.

"Yeah; and in all honesty, I wasn't," Micky replied.

"Huh?" Michelle was confused.

"Ya see, I was goofin' around with some of my buddies ad the teacher came in at the wrong time! She thought I had "Problems" and sent me home!" Micky replied to her bewilderent.

Michelle stared at him a moment before she replied "You do!"

Micky's mouth dropped open and he let out a gasp,"Boy, aren't we a bit cocky?"

She couldn't help but smile at Micky's strange ways...

"Why don't you come over to my place? I know for a fact that your folks won't be home for awhile!" MIcky said persuadingly.

"Oh, I don't know," Michelle started.

"Now don't be like that!" MIcky argued, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

She halfway smiled as the two of them set off down the street; 'I think I've found my first new friend,' she thought to herself.

When the two got to the Dolen residence, his father was sitting on the couch reading the paper.

"Who's this, Mick?" Mr. Dolenz asked casually.

"Oh, this is my pal from school, Michelle Dobbs," Micky replied.

"Hi, Michelle, I'm George," Mr. Dolenz introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you," Michelle replied.

Suddenly, the little pitter-patters of feet came from out of nowhere, and along with it, two little girls....

"MIcky! MIcky!" they cried out happily.

"Hey Gina! Hey Debbie!" MIcky replied, scooping one girl in each arm, "Mich, I'd like you to meet Gina, she's three; and this 'un is Debbie, she's nearly five."

"Oh, they're adorable!" MIchelle gushed.

"Who's that?" Gina, who had shoulder length brown hair and green eyes, asked.

"This is Michelle, my pal from school," Micky replied.

"You're pretty," Debbie said to Michelle.

"Awww..." Michelle cooed," you're really pretty yourself!"

"Really?" Debbie squealed with only the excitement that a four year old could posess.

"Yeah!" replied MIchelle sincerely.

Debbie really was pretty; she had long brown waves with hints of highlights, not to mentionher eyes were a almond shaped almond color; she favored Micky a lot....

Then, footsteps could be heard running down the staircase.....

"Mickymickymickymicky!" a girl of no more than thirteen(going on fourteen) called out.

"What's up, Coco?" Micky asked casually, putting Gina and Debbie down.

"I need help on some of my homework!" Coco, Micky's first younger sister that had light brown hair and eyes, replied.

"Sure thing!" Micky replied, "Ya think you can hang tight for a few, Mich?"

"Yeah," Michelle replied.

"I'll show you my kitty! Come on!" Debbie squealed as she took Michelle's hand amd drug her up the stairs.

Micky watched the pair go into Debbie's room; from there, he had a feeling the fifth Dolenz kid had just been adopted....

"Oh, she's so cute!" Michelle said about the Orange sherbet and vanilla kitten with blue eyes.

"Her name's Orange Vanilla," Debbie said proudly, "I named her myself!"

"Ya know, I don't have any pets, or brothers and sisters, of my own; you guys are lucky," Michelle said suddenly as she stroked Orange Vanilla's velvety fur.

"Really? I love Micky an' Gina an' Coco Sunshine; I don't know what life'd be like without them," Debbie intoned. She sounded so much wiser than her mere four years.

Michelle merely smiled at Debbie's intelligence," You love them a lot, huh? I always heard that brothers and sisters fight like cats and dogs!"

"Every once in awhile, Coco'll get mad at me over somethin', but Micky'll try his best to help me out of it," Debbie replied. "I get mad at Gina all the timme, but she's just a baby an' she don't know nothin'."

Michelle laughed out loud, sort of making life uncomfortable for the kitty....

Unknown to them, Micky stood outside leaning onthe doorjamb, listening to the two....

"Micky's my hero," Debbie went on, "one time, a boy that lived on our block was makin' fun of me an' Micky didn't like it; well, he found the guy and told him to leave me alone or he'd have to deal with him personally."

"Aw, I'd do anything for you, Sprout!" Micky said as he came into the room, his cheeks tainted with the slightest pink.

"I think that was sweet, Micky!" Michelle marveled at the boy.

"Well, I don't like anyone pickin' on my sisters," Micky replied shyly, yet defensively at the same time.

Michelle smiled, "So now what?"

"Well, we could always play fooyball," MIcky said with a grin.

"Cool! I used to play that with all my old friends back home!" Michelle said as they all filed down the stairs; Debbie went to go get Coco.

They'd been playing for about an hour now; Michelle and Debbie were in the lead, due to the fact that Michelle could tackle better than Micky.....

Then, while they were planning their plays.....

"Michelle?"

She'd recognize that voice anywhere!!

"Mike?!!"

She ran toward the taller guy and they embraced.

"Why didn't I ever see you at school?" Michelle asked him.

"I saw you, I just didn't know itwas you! You've changed a lot," Mike replied; he had raven hair, parted to the right, and soulful brown eyes.... he also wore a guitar on his back.

Micky coughed behind Michelle...

"Oh, Mike, this is MIcky Dolenz and his sisters, Coco and Debbie," Michelle introduced, "guys, this is my buddy, Mike Nesmith."

Mike smiled and shook Micky's hand, "We've met."

"Yep," Micky added, " We're in choir."

"Cool," MIchelle replied.

"Ya wanna come over for a little while, Mich?" Mike asked, "Mom's been askin' about you."

"I would....but I already promised Micky's mom I'd stay for dinner," Michelle replied with a weak smile, "but I can come over after; where do you live?"

"Second corner on Main, housenumber 551," Mike replied.

"Okay; I'll see you there," Michelle said.

Mike nodded and smiled, "See ya then."

"Dinner!" Micky's mom, Janelle, called from inside after Mike had left.

The kids all filed into the house and washed up.

After the delicious dinner, Michelle offered to help MIcky wash dishes.....after much protesting, she got her way....

"Why doesn't anyone like you?" Micky asked her suddenly.

"Heck if I know," Michelle replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I don't see why everyone there has this thing against newcomers...." Micky mumbled off.

"Well, we're done here; I guess I'll split," MIchelle said as she washed the sink out.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you later,"Micky replied.

"Yeah," Michelle said, "see ya."

Mike Nesmith heard a knock on his front door; when he answered it, there stood Michelle Dobbs, his friend ever since childhood.

"Hey, Mich," he said.

"Hi," Michelle replied; Mike made a gesture for her to come inside so she did.

"Mom's in the kitchen doin' somethin'; wanna go listen to records?" Mike asked.

"Sure; you still have my favorite don't you?" Michelle wondered.

"Yep, in all its glory," Mike replied with a slow grin.

"Is that Michelle, Michael?" Mrs. Nesmith asked rom the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am," Mike replied.

Mrs. Nesmith came out and talked to Michelle for a minute; then, she went back into the kitchen and let Mike and Michelle go about their business.

Michelle took a flying leap at Mike's bed and flipped through his records until she found the one she was looking for.

"Yay!" she exclaimed, dancing around the room as the music began.....

Mike smiled, "You haven't changed a bit."

Michelle laughed, "Crazy as ever!"

Mike began laughing with her; then, in sudden celebration, he picked her up and began spinning her around by her waist.

The next week for school, Micky and Michelle were taken to school by Micky's mother, Janelle.

This time around, Mike waited for Michelle at the entrance.

"Okay," Mike said when they all met up, "I'll walk with ya until I gotta split off for Geometry."

Michelle nodded.

Stares; Michelle, Micky, and Mike got nothing but stares as the boys walked her to her locker. Mike then had to break off with them and head for Geometry.

Micky walked by her side all the way to her first period Algebra...

"Mike'll meetcha back here and walk with ya; then I'll walk with ya to third period Geography," Micky said as he left her.

"Okay; see ya later," Michelle replied.

The boys were so nice; there was actually a sunny side to this heckhole after all...

But not for long apparently....

When she got into the classroom, she couldn't believe her eyes....

A new student, a boy to boot, was surrounded by girls...

Loads of them...

And new students weren't taken well? Boy, that changed quick after a certain boy with hair and eyes of a dark brown and a meger height of 5'2", who apparently wasn't from any local area, came to town....

Since the girls were all fawning around the new arrival, the boys decided to try something different....

Michelle cringed as she walked past one of the boys and he whistled....

"Hey, Michelle..."another began to taunt.

She ignored them and tried to go to her seat.

But an unseen object, a foot no doubt, caused her to trip; her skirt hem flew up a little too far behind her....

Laughter was the next thing she heard; not a single "Are you okay?", just cold, cruel laughter....

Michelle got up and straightened her skirt, then fled for the bathroom..on the OTHER side of the school...

" 'Oo was 'at?" the new boy asked one of the girls.

"Oh no one, Davy; just some stupid girl that moved here last week," she replied haughtily.

This made Davy Jones very curious; she was a stunningly beautiful girl, no doubt about it. Why was she picked on so....cruelly?

Mike waited a good five minutes outside the Algebra door to meet walk Michelle to her next class; when he never saw her come out, he asked what must've been a new kid about her....

"Yeah, I saw 'er; she went 'at way," the Englishman said, pointing,"I meself think she 'eaded foah th' bathroom."

"Thanks," Mike replied, taking off in that direction.

"At least she 'as SOME friends," Davy thought to himself....

Michelle was curled up in the stall, keeping hidden best she could.

Suddenly, for the first time that day, someone came in!

Her eyes squeezed shut so tightly that there was no way she would have seen thehead poke under the stall door....

"There you are....." they said.

"Micky!" Michelle exclaimed.

"Shhh! Not so loud, man! Do you REALLY want me to get caught hanging out in the girls bathroom?" Micky replied with a smirk. MIchelle giggled, "No, I guess not," she replied.

He walked over to her and propped his feet and legs up, "Mike was gonna come, but there was some kid in your class that wan't a butthole and is telling Mike what happened; wanna talk about it?"

Michelle subconciously started pulling at the hem of her skirt as the whole embarassing ordeal came back to her...

"Well, it wasn't really any big deal or anything...."Michelle began as involuntary tears sprang into her eyes.

"....well, I don't know which one tripped 'er, but it upset 'er an awfyl lot," Davy was saying to Mike.

"I'd say so; she's been nothing but pushed around and been cruel to ever since she got here!" Mike replied with rage.

"I didn't laugh at 'er! I dunno why they'ah pickin' on 'er like they ahe! She's not one people usually make fun of!" Davy explained.

"Well aparently all these nuts have something against her because she's a new-commer," Mike muttered angrily.

" 'At's not right; is she youah gihlfriend?" Davy asked.

"No, she's like my little sister, man!" Mike replied, giving Davy a strange look, "say, how come no one's hassled you yet?"

"Th' gihls flock around me but th' guys look like they wanna bloody kick me ahse," Davy replied, "can't say I blame them..."

Mike nodded,"Yeah," he kind of chuckled, "when a one-man-act comes along and gets all the girls, they Do kinda feel threatened."

Davy shrugged...

"Well, thanks for the help; I'm gonna go find her now, though Micky probably already has," Mike said.

"Okay, I'll keep an eye out foah 'er in my othah classes," Davy replied, walking on.

"Thanks," Mike said sincerely.

Davy nodded.

Mike, meanwhile headed for the bathrooms...

"..just tell me which guy it was and me and Mike'll sort 'em out!" Micky all but yelped to his friend.

"No, Micky; fighting won't solve anything," Michelle replied, then added quietly, "your reputation doesn't need to be ruined because you defended me."

Micky was about ready to punch the wall, but luckily Mike came in at this time....

"Mike! Thank Egor you're here! Michelle won't tell me which one it was!" Micky said to Mike in a "help me!" fashion.

"Well, don't feel bad, that new kid didn't know the guy's name and his description fits over half the guys in this school!" Mike replied.

"Yeah, Michelle mentioned HE fit in rather well," Micky muttered, rolling his eyes at the very thought.

"Not with the boys," Mike countered, "he said the ones in the first period looked ready to kick his arse!"

"Don't really blame them..." Micky mumbled; Mike raised an eyebrow to his response, "er,...the fact that he seems popular with the ladies..." Micky pointed out.

Mike made and "oh" kind of indication.

"Well, I'd better get on to my next class," Michelle said, "as nice as this is,we can't hide in the girls' restroom all day."

"Gee...I forgot we were IN the girls' bathroom!" Micky replied, giving Mike and Michelle dumb grins.

Michelle slapped him upside the head and Mike laughed.

"Okay, let's go; I'll go first and make sure the coast is clear," Michelle said as she gracefully, stealthily, made her way toward the door....

Micky and Mike kept hidden until Michelle gave them the signal.

"You go first," Micky said automatically.

"No, you go first," Mike replied.

"Oh no, I insist," Micky gestured toward the door.

Mike took him by the collar of the shirt and said, "Would you like a friendly nudge or a swirly?"

"Uh....I-I-I-I'll take the nudge!" Micky squeaked as Mike lat him go.

When he was safely out the door, Mike chuckled, "Works every time..."

Michelle waited for Micky to meet her and walk with her to her Geography class before shewent outside the room...

Suddenly he walked up; but he wasn't alone....

Beside him was a shorter boy; they were both laughing about something.

"Hey, Mich; I'm guessing you remember Davy?" Micky asked after a laugh-fest he and the other boy were having.

"Uh, we were never really INTRODUCED....." Michelle replied.

She then noticed him......REALLY noticed him...

His dark brown hair was neat, his brown eyes twinkled with boyish mischief; his smile was pretty much....perfect. Were ALL Englishman this good-looking?....

"Well, this is Davy Jones; he just moved here from New York, England before that," Micky introduced, "this is Michelle Dobbs."

"Wow....New York and England? You've moved a bit, huh?" Michelle asked as they started walking.

"Yeah, but it's been fun.....'cept foah th' fact 'at I'll prob'ly get gotten at sometime today," Davy replied.

"Davy's has three more classes with you today," Micky didn't fail to point this out.

"Oh, which ones?" Michelle wondered.

"This next one, Aht, an' 'Istory," Davy replied.

"Cool....oh crap! Bell's gonna ring any time!" Michelle yelped, making a mad dash for the room.

Micky and Davy, not exactly WANTING to be late and getting detention for it, ran after her.......

Michelle decided that durin homeroom she'd go down to the library and check out a book.

When she gt up there, someof the occupants of the library(snobs and various other who- nots) left.

Only one did not....

Michelle wasn't relieved about this, either; for the boy that stayed behind wasn't what you'd call a regular boy....

She'd seen him smile at her earlier that day; Mike was quick to let her know that he was trouble.....

And indeed, he looked the part.

Tall, messy brown hair, a little heavy-set, even the circles under his eyes looked menacing!

But.....he liked her......that was Mike's serious opinion; he'd tangled himself up in Mike's web before and the results WEREN'T pretty....

She decided to be polite, if necessary, but to keep her distance at the same time; she headed for the scary section of books in the library.

She was just looking around until she came across Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart". Hmmm....interesting.....

Picking it up, she leafed through it and began to read one particuarly scary part.....

A sudden tap on her shoulder caused her to drop the book, jump, and scream.

"Shhh!" came from the direction of the librarian's desk.

She saw that it was him; the boy that Mike had warned her of.....

The boy named Brayden Nicks....

"Hi, Michelle," Brayden said.

"Hi, Brayden," Michelle replied hurriedly, "I was just going to check out."

She started for the desk.

"Oh, me, too; what homeroom are you in?" Brayden asked.

continued