Always On My Mind

Part 1

May 22nd, 1953

6am! You quickly jump out of bed and go to your closet. You examine all possibilities and then settle on a blue dress with a floral pattern. Last day of school and your best friend's graduation, you had to look your best. You went to put your short brunette hair back in two pig tails and applied your favorite dark red lipstick and a little rouge to your cheeks and examined yourself in the mirror. You were only 16 years old. Not fully developed and constantly bullied for the boyish looks you had, shorter hair and freckles that lined your nose. In fact everyone bullied you...except for one guy and that was your best friend since grade school, Elvis Aaron Presley. He was also bullied, although for different reasons, yet almost for the same reason...you were both different, but that's what brought you two together. What had you on edge though is he was graduating, being two years older than you at 18 he was ready to go off into the real world, leaving you alone at Humes High School for two more years. You were nervous about the future to say the least, but you knew Elvis was more than ready to leave the constant pestering. You fluff your hair a little and then twirled and smiled at yourself in the mirror. Perfect. "Y/n, Elvis and Gladys are here, hurry up!" Your mom called from downstairs. You gather your book sack and polaroid and quickly take them downstairs. As soon as you come to the front entrance you see your best friend looking very handsome in a nice two piece black suit with a white button down shirt. He smiled at you and you went to hug him. Elvis was handsome and you knew that as well as all the girls in school, especially once puberty hit and you both figured out what hormones were, but you just couldn't picture him in any other light than your best friend..,practically like an older brother. That was also the thing is you were both only children in your families, even though technically Elvis had a twin that died at birth, he was the only one and the center of his parent's world. "Oh, y/n, don't you look darling." Gladys smiled and opened her arms for a hug. She was like a teddy bear and a second mother to you. You stood back and curtseyed. "Oh, Betsy, look at these two Just yesterday they were bathing in that big tin bucket out there, now look at them..." Gladys smiled and you blushed and Elvis ran a hand nervously through his hair at the mention of being naked as kids together. "Anyways, Gladys let me get a photo for you...for the scrapbook." You suggested. Elvis rolled his eyes. "Without the jacket, please?" He said and took it off, tossing it on the other couch. He took a seat on the loveseat in your living room. "Vernon!" Gladys called outside. He had been sitting in the car outside and walked inside. They both took their places on either side of Elvis and you snapped two polaroid's, giving one to Gladys.

"You're so talented, y/n." She said and kissed the top of your head. "Alright, let's get these kids to school before Elvis misses his graduation." Your mom chimed in and you and Elvis raced to the car and road to school together.

The school was bustling with excitement and Elvis was all smiles, even getting high fives from fellow graduating seniors as you walked down the hall. "Hey howdy doody!" A boy called to you as you both made your way down the hall and you looked down in embarrassment. Elvis quickly met your pace and put an arm around you. "Hey, buzz off asshole!" He called back to the boy and held you to his side as you continued down the hallway. "Elvis, they're just being stupid. It's fine." You say, clearly still upset at the comments, but attempting to ignore it. "No one messes with my wittle doody." He looked down at you and smirked. Elvis towered over you at almost six feet and you at a measly five foot two, you felt small especially in the hallways. No wonder you were teased so much. "Attention students, please make your way to the auditorium." The loud speakers came to life and announced and Elvis looked up at them, beaming. You notice how even under the fluorescent lights, it made his blue eyes sparkle. One thing you always kept to yourself and fought often was letting yourself feel anything towards him. You both knew way too much about each other to think twice about going together, but you had to admire his charming good looks. "Here, one more, Mr. Grad?" You ask, holding your camera up. He smirked again and chuckled. "I swear, that things glued to ya." He teased and you got ahead of him to snap the photo and then went back to his side before you could get plowed down by other students. You hand him the picture and he smiles. "You always know how to get the best shot dontcha, y/n?" He said and took your hand, "C'mon, before I'm late!" He hushed you both to the auditorium and you relished the feeling of holding his hand as you made your way through the sea of your classmates.

After his graduation, your parents had the idea to throw a big BBQ at your home in the backyard. They still lived in Tupelo and said they would rather have it be close to school, so your mother happily volunteered. Gladys picked you both up promptly at 3pm, but not before getting out of the car. "Oh, my sweet satnin! Cmere, let me get a photo of both of you." You started shaking your head furiously. One rule you had is you were the one always behind the camera, but Gladys was persistent. "Oh no ya don't, I don't have any of you lately, y/n." She took the camera from me. Elvis leaned down, smiling slightly and whispered in your ear. "Smile, wittle doody." He teased and then as she snapped the photo he gave you a quick peck on the cheek. You blushed slightly. "Alight, and that's the only one you get, only because I love you Gladys." You smile and take the camera. That photo still is being circulated to this date and one of your favorites of the two of you.

As you made your way back home, you could tell Elvis was running on excitement and sillies. He kept poking you with his diploma and using it to speak to his mother in the front seat. He would deepen his already low voice and call out directions and then he would start humming and singing to pass the time until you pulled into the driveway. You could see the smoke from the firepit in the backyard. You quickly get out of the car and make your way to the backyard, but Elvis challenges you to a race and you sprint the rest of the way until you collapse on your porch, both of you breathing heavily. "Y/n, if you're gonna horseplay, go change. Don't ruin your new dress." Your mother scolded. "New? Hmm, lemme see my wittle in her new dwess." Elvis teased and stood you up. He had a marvelous sense of humor which always had you both laughing until your bellies ached. "Now, twirl." He said and you did as told. "Very pwetty. Now mind your mama." He said and gave your mother a wink. "This is why I love, Elvis. He knows to listen to his elders." Your mother said and kissed his head. He grinned from ear to ear. "And congratulations, son. Do you have any plans for work now?" Your mother asked and Elvis shrugged slightly. "I dunno. I was offered a job working for Mr. Crown." He said. "Oh, Crown Electric is a fine place. I believe he offered y/n a place there in a few years as his receptionist." Your mother said, slightly bragging and she had you shrugging too. You had envisioned yourself working for the local paper as a photographer, but that was still a few years away anyways. "Well, congratulations anyways! I'm sure you'll have a bright future Elvis." She said flipping over some of the burgers. Elvis turned and leaned against you and you leaned against him. What both of your parents didn't realize is the completely different lives you both envisioned for yourselves and what you didn't know now is everything was about to change.