Think Pink (Grease 2) ✔

Chapter 15

The pink ladies were having one of their final dress rehearsals for the talent show. Sharon was catching up on the latest gossip from Rhonda whilst Stephanie was on the stage.

'So Goose told me he went to the diner with Johnny, and while they were there Johnny dumped Steph!' Rhonda whistled under her breath.

'You can't dump someone who has already dumped you,' Sharon said waving her cigarette holder in the air, she only had it for show since they couldn't smoke in school.

Rhonda giggled. 'Exactly, but it gets better. Johnny then challenged Michael to a race down at Thunder Road! We're all going this Saturday.'

Sharon frowned. 'We are?'

'Yeah we've gotta support Johnny,' Rhonda said. 'We're t bird chicks.'

'The thing is Johnny has it coming,' Sharon whispered. 'It would sorta serve him right if he lost.' She glanced over at Johnny, he was huddled together with the other t birds.

Rhonda followed her gaze. 'But we can't say that Sharon. Between the two of us, if Johnny wasn't the leader of the t birds, I think I'd be rooting for Michael. But we can't.'

'I know we'll have to support Johnny but I hope it doesn't get out of hand.' Sharon could well imagine Johnny roping all the t birds into racing. She got up and gestured for Louis to come over to her.

'Did you know Johnny's racing Michael down at Thunder Road?'

Louis shrugged. 'Yeah, he said if Shakespeare wants to be a t bird then he'll have to beat him.'

Sharon groaned. 'And what if Michael gets hurt? We need him to play the piano for our act.'

Louis grinned at her. 'You know I wish you were this absessed over me.'

'Obsessed you mean,' she said correcting his grammar.

'You know what I mean,' he said more seriously.

'I do like you Louis....'

He sighed. 'Like?'

'Stop pushing me all the time,' she said her voice strained.

'Sorry.' He put his arm around her, and she was tempted to shrug him off.

'Steph the lights have gone out on your dress.' Sharon deliberately turned her attention back to the act, she knew what Louis was alluding to and she didn't want to discuss it for the umpteenth time.

~~~~

As soon as the pink ladies act was finished Steph was running out the door to catch up with Michael. She ignored Sharon's complaints that she was leaving them to do all the tidying up, she'd make it up to Sharon later, maybe.

'Michael, stop, wait up.'

He turned around. 'What do you want?'

She stopped for a moment, catching her breath. 'This race with Johnny, I don't want you do do it.' It was a joke, they were treating her like some sort of prize and she was not impressed.

'Well, I do want to do it. You know all year those guys have taken the mick out of me, and now I have the chance to show them...'

'Show them what exactly?' she asked imploring him to see sense. 'They're jerks, Michael, so they underestimated you, so what? You show Johnny you're better than him but what does that prove?'

'It proves something to me,' he growled. 'And it proves something to Johnny Nogerelli.'

Her face fell. 'You just want to beat Johnny, this is as much about your ego as it is about his.' She felt extremely disappointed.

Michael shrugged. 'Ok, maybe it is but wouldn't you want to see that smug look wiped off his face. It's not just me he's given a hard time too.'

Her shoulders sagged. 'I can handle Johnny. I don't care about him, or what he might do to me. You could get hurt down at Thunder Road, have you ever even been down there?' The old abandoned road was little more than a dirt track.

'Actually, I practised down there, I wish you wouldn't underestimate me.'

'If you're doing this to prove something to me you don't have to. And I won't agree to see you just cos you beat Johnny,' she insisted with a small smile.

He chuckled. 'And if I lose to Johnny?'

'You think I'm that much of a flake?' she asked feeling hurt.

'No I don't but I have to do this. I have to show those guys I'm not some kid they can push around.'

'I guess it's your decision,' she said hearing the steel in his voice.

~~~~~

'So are you gonna come and support me down at Thunder Road?' Johnny asked Paulette giving her his best winning smile.

She looked at him hesitantly. 'I think I have other plans.' Sharon and Rhonda nodded their approval.

'It'd mean a lot to me if you were there,' Johnny said trying to be charming.

'Why, isn't Stephanie the trophy?' Her tone was light but she was obviously reminding him of that night at the Bowlarama, he had a hell of a lot to make up for.

'She might be Shakespeare's trophy but she ain't mine.'

Paulette paused, and Sharon and Rhonda moved closer all ears. 'I've heard this before Johnny.'

'No you haven't, I've never said that before.' He looked at Sharon and Rhonda and wanted to tell them to get lost, but since he'd humiliated Paulette more than once in front of them he guessed he had to suck it up.

'And you've never apologised to me either.' Paulette looked at him expectantly, and he looked at his feet squirming.

'Ok, I'm sorry, ok?'

'That's it?'

Sharon and Rhonda were shaking their heads, urging Paulette on. Johnny shrugged.

'That wasn't very heartfelt Johnny,' Sharon piped up. 'I think Paulette deserves a proper explanation.' Paulette nodded, and Rhonda giggled.

'Jeez Dimucci can't you do something about her,' Johnny shouted over at Louis. Louis came over but Sharon gave him a warning look.

Johnny sighed. 'Look Paulette, I'm sorry I treated you real bad. I guess I was sorta hung up on Steph and the way she sorta dumped me, and I wasn't thinking about anything else.'

Paulette let out a deep sigh. 'Yes I know it's Stephanie you're thinking about.'

Johnny groaned, feeling frustrated. 'I am not thinking about Steph! I was but not any more. I was over her a long time ago.' He hated that he was having to say this in front of everyone, and he couldn't admit it was his resentment over Steph dumping him in the first place that had caused him to pursue her for so long.

'Maybe you should tell Paulette you're sorry for taking her for granted, and trampling all over her feelings,' Sharon suggested cocking her head to one side.

'Dimucci I swear to God...' Johnny growled, and Louis pulled Sharon away before she could say any more.

'Ok I'm sorry for taking you for granted, and for ugh trampling all over your feelings,' Johnny said parroting Sharon's words. 'If you give me another chance it won't happen again.'

Paulette looked at him, and he could see she was trying not to smile. She bit her lip and glanced at Rhonda. 'I'll think it over Johnny, there's a lot to forgive.' Rhonda nodded.

'Right...' Johnny was taken aback, he thought she'd be easy to win round when he was offering himself up on a plate.

Paulette gave him a small smile. 'Look I'll see you at Thunder Road, and we'll talk after the race.'

He breathed a sigh of relief. 'So you'll be rooting for me?'

'Sure Johnny, you know me,' she said smiling. He winked at her breathing a sigh of relief; he was almost certain he was forgiven.

~~~~~

Thank you for reading, comments/votes much appreciated. The prequel to this 'Girl Code' is on my profile page.