Grease 2

Chapter 18

Louis

I've been planning for a while to get Sharon alone in Shakespeare's fallout shelter, it's not the most romantic place but at least we won't be disturbed. Also, she loves anything to do with President Kennedy, and history and politics, so I do think she'll be kinda interested.

'I don't know how you talked me into this,' Sharon says as we make our way to the steps leading down to the bomb shelter. It's pitch black and her voice is almost shaking, I don't get why she's so nervous although maybe she's scared of the dark. I guess that could work in my favour.

I keep tight hold of her arm as we go down the steps. 'Listen you trust President Kennedy right.'

'Of course,' she says brightening up a little.

'Well, Kennedy says we gotta be prepared for a nucleoid war.'

'It's nuclear Louis.' She corrects me sounding like her normal self again.

'Nucleoid or nuclear, a bomb's a bomb.' I prize the lock open and she pauses outside the door, I almost have to shove her in. Once we're inside she starts looking around but she's totally on edge. I try to put my arm around her and she gasps and jumps away, before she sits down opposite me.

'Shakespeare's uncle must be pretty smart to build an official fall out shelter,' I say trying to set the scene. 'But you've gotta be prepared cos someday when you least expect it there'll be a nucleoid war.' She nods, glancing around again nervously.

'Can we talk about something else, it's kinda creepy in here.' I go and sit next to her, and this time she doesn't push me away when I put my arm around her.

'You can't pretend this stuff isn't happening.'

She sighs dramatically. 'I do know that Louis, I watch the news.'

'Right, remember what you were saying at Joanne's wedding?' She looks at me blankly. 'You were saying you didn't want to die without doing everything.'

She frowns as she thinks back. 'Well no, I wouldn't want to but the way things are looking...' She shivers and moves a bit closer to me.

'Yeah it doesn't look good. I mean if Kennedy's right, and there's a war, well I'll have to sign up...' I leave the thought hanging in the air for a moment.

'God, don't say that.'

'It's true though.' I look at her closely and she bites her bottom lip. 'I know you want to take things slowly but what if we don't have time. I mean what if we died without ever doing it.'

'It?' Her eyes widen and she tries to wriggle away from me.

'Come on Sharon, think about it. You act like we have all this time and we don't. Who knows what could happen tomorrow.' She opens her mouth to say something and I place my finger over her lips. 'Look I know this isn't the greatest of places but we should take advantage while we can.'

'I don't know, I mean....' I pull her back into my arms, lowering her down onto the bed. If she stopped talking for a minute I'm sure I can persuade her. I lean closer to kiss her.

She turns her head to the side, squirming beneath me. 'What are you doing, get off me!' She looks towards the door.

'Shh, relax.' I'm coming on far too strong but we don't have much time since we had to wait until it was late enough that we wouldn't get caught. And if we don't get on with it she'll start worrying about her curfew.

I take her hat off and try to kiss her again but she's totally uptight, like way more than usual.

'For God's sake let me out of here!' She scrambles out from under me and makes towards the door. I quickly block the exit, and she starts backing away like she's scared which wasn't the reaction I was hoping for.

'Think about it Sharon,' I say trying to reassure her. 'You know you want to, I can tell, and we've been together for ages, it's not like we only just met.' I take hold of her hand and she closes her eyes for a moment.

'But Louis...'

I sense she's wavering so I keep talking. 'Look this could be our last chance.' She lets me lead her back to the bed and she sits down facing me. 'You know if I get sent away, well you'll wind up with someone else-'

'No I wouldn't!'

I pull her back into my arms again. 'Yeah you would, and I wouldn't want you to wait for me, I'd hate you to put your life on hold. I mean I'd probably get killed anyway.' I'm laying it on thick now but I sense she's softening up.

'Stop talking like this about something that hasn't even happened.'

'All I'm asking is for you to do one thing. I love you and it would be my biggest regret if we never-'

'I, I'm not...' I don't let her continue, and this time when I kiss her she doesn't push me away. I feel her tremble slightly and I don't know if it's from nerves or the cold, but she kisses me back. Before long we're half undressed, and I really think she wants to do it but she suddenly puts both hands on my chest and pushes against me.

'What's wrong?'

'I can't do this,' she gasps twisting herself out of my arms.

'What?' Surely she doesn't think she can say no now? She sits up and grabs her blouse, holding it against her chest.

'Louis I can't, and not here of all places, I mean look at this place.' She waves an arm and then locates her bra putting it back on with record speed.

I let out a groan. 'Seriously Sharon, what difference does it make, at least we won't be disturbed.' Every time we're alone we're watching the clock or watching the door.

She frowns as she fastens her blouse up. 'How do you know we won't be disturbed?'

'Well, Michael said we could come here. And I'm pretty sure he had a good idea what for, he's not that dumb.' Her cheeks flush, and she looks furious.

'You asked Michael if you could bring me here to do you know what!'

I shouldn't laugh but I do, sometimes she's inadvertently funny.

'Stop laughing at me!' she screams completely losing her temper. 'Oh my God, you're disgusting. So that's why you brought me here tonight?'

I shrug cos what's there to say? I'm sure she knew why I wanted to bring her here, she's acting all fake outraged, probably cos she's in the wrong.

She continues ranting and it's getting annoying. 'Will you stop making a big deal over nothing? Do you think Paulette carries on like this with Johnny?' No way would Johnny put up with this bullshit.

Sharon glares at me. 'Do you think I care what a slut like Paulette does?'

'Well, do you know what they call you?' She looks at me, daring me to go on so I do. 'They say you're frigid, that's what all the guys say.'

The stinging sensation across my cheek is almost instantaneous, boy does she slap hard.

'Louis Dimucci! Oh my god! How could you say that?'

I can barely look at her as she grabs her purse and dashes for the exit. I've blown it this time, big style. I don't see how I'll come back from this.

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