Sharon
I thought Stephanie might have been a little off hand with us after we had words at the Bowlarama but she was fine the next day. Her head must have been so spun by that guy on the bike she can't think of anything else. I don't understand it. I think about Louis all the time but I wouldn't get worked up over a total stranger.
'So I guess you're gonna be hanging out at your dad's service station,' Paulette says teasing her. 'In case a certain someone stops by for gas.'
'Make sure you have your makeup on,' Rhonda adds, and Paulette can't stop giggling. She probably thinks there's absolutely no chance Steph will get back with Johnny when she's crushing on someone else.
'Personally, I don't see how you can get so hot and bothered over someone you don't even know,' I say throwing my two cents in.
'I'm not,' Steph says and we all roll our eyes as we head into the chemistry room. Paulette starts giggling again when she sees Michael sat with Frenchy.
'There's your boyfriend,' she snickers, and Steph elbows her.
'Having a facial?' I ask Michael and he shrugs going a bit red.
'Hey Steph,' he says trying to get her attention as she reapplies her lipstick. 'Have you ever read a Superman comic?'
'Not in the last few hours,' she says giving him an impatient look, and Frenchy pats his arm before he skulks away. I would feel sorry for him but if he wants to get Stephanie to go on a date he'll have to be more assertive.
'He needs a guidance counsellor,' Rhonda says and I'm about to agree when the siren goes off. None of us reacts, Mrs McGee seems to be in constant preparation for a nuclear war. One day a bomb will drop for real and we'll all just ignore the alarm.
'Hey Sharon,' Louis calls poking his head through the door, and I go join him leaving the others testing Frenchy's makeup samples.
'I thought you said you were going to the library,' he says. We both have a free period.
'I'm on route to the library.'
He laughs. 'If you say so. Let's go sit outside and get away from all this noise.'
We go sit in the bleachers and watch the football team practice or maybe it's the soccer team.
'So have you thought any more about what I said?' Louis asks suddenly and I raise my eyebrow. 'About going to see Shakespeare's fallout shelter?'
'Not really, I mean why would I want to?'
'Cos it's really impressive, I think you'll be pretty interested, it's like live history or something.' It does sound sorta interesting but I'm surprised Louis would care, he doesn't pay half as much attention to this stuff as I do.
'I'll think about it,' I say and he smirks.
I look at him suspiciously. 'Louis Dimucci are you up to something?'
'Who me? Of course not.' I tilt my head to the side giving him my best stern look. 'I just thought we could do something different together but if you don't want to, forget it.'
He sits back turning his attention to the action on the field and I feel a bit guilty. 'I said I'll think about it,' I say. We've been getting along really well lately and I do want to spend time together but something about this is making me nervous....
****
Paulette and Rhonda are round my house and we're trying to sort out our costumes for the show. I have the most stuff so my wardrobe is being raided first.
'I thought Steph was coming?' Rhonda says as she tries on one of my hats.
'She cancelled,' I say scowling. She's not interested at the best of times, and now she's mooning over that dumb biker. I swear if she messes up our act I'll kill her!
'Well good riddance,' Paulette says as she admires herself in the mirror.
'What do you mean?' Rhonda asks.
'Well she's so sulky all the time, I swear she's jealous that Johnny's with me now. Don't get me wrong, I understand it's got to be hard that they're not together anymore but she needs to get over it.'
Rhonda snickers and I try not to laugh, Paulette's deluded. 'I think Steph is over him,' I say. I can understand if she is pissed Paulette's got together with Johnny though, it's a bit close to home.
'You don't bad mouth someone unless you care about them,' Paulette says pouting at her reflection.
'I guess the guys are all crushing on Balmudo then,' Rhonda says and I laugh. Louis absolutely hates him.
'Can I borrow this necklace, Sharon?' Paulette asks reaching into my jewellery box.
'Sure.' I don't even look, my best jewellery is kept somewhere else.
'Great, I've got a date with Johnny tonight and I've bought this new cream dress. It flows out from the waist, it's real ladylike.'
That's not her usual style, she either wears tight skirts or pedal pushers. 'Are you changing your look?'
'Johnny said some of my clothes are a bit slutty,' she admits.
'No!' Rhonda gasps.
'I wouldn't say that exactly,' I say and Paulette frowns at me. I think how to phrase it tactfully. 'Personally, I think the problem is the tops and skirts you wear together. On their own they're fine but you wear tight low cut tops with tight skirts, you should wear one or the other.'
'Yeah you shouldn't show your boobs and your ass.' Rhonda gets straight to the point.
'I guess,' Paulette admits. 'But it took a lot of work for me to get in shape, I wanna flaunt it.' She poses in front of the mirror sucking in her stomach. She did use to be a little overweight and it's obviously a sore point with her, even nowadays she gets guys pinching her waist. I was skinny until I hit puberty so I do sort of understand her wanting to show her figure off.
'Well you'll certainly be flaunting it at the talent show,' Rhonda says holding up Paulette's costume.
'Yeah I don't think Johnny will be too pleased about it,' Paulette says but she's smiling like she hopes he will overreact.
'So long as he doesn't stop you performing,' I say imaging him putting his foot down at the last minute.
'He won't, he might get a little mad though,' she says giggling. 'And anyway, other people might look at my body but he's the only guy who gets to touch it.' Rhonda makes a gagging noise.
'I hope you're careful,' I say.
'I know what I'm doing Sharon, you heard Mr Stuarts talk, there are only three or four days in the month you can get pregnant.'
Yeah and I also remember he said that was totally unreliable.
'Is your cycle really that regular?'
'Yeah, isn't yours?' I shake my head, I couldn't say for certain but since I wouldn't risk it I don't follow it that closely.
'Paulette what if one month you weren't regular?' Rhonda asks her brows furrowed. 'You can't be certain just cos you usually are.'
'You guys are such stress heads,' Paulette laughs and I raise my eyebrows at Rhonda.
Paulette catches my look. 'Honestly Sharon how long have you been going with Louis now? Don't you think you're being a little unfair to him?'
'No I don't, and if he's not happy he can find someone else!'
'And what if he goes and does that?'
'Then he wouldn't be the right guy to begin with.' I sound more confident than I am. I know he could ditch me, and cos he's a t bird there'll be a queue of girls waiting to take my place.
'Sharon's right, if a guy only wants one thing then he's not worth it,' Rhonda says.
Paulette looks nonplussed, she probably thinks we disapprove and in a way she's right. 'So what are you doing tonight?' she asks me changing the subject.
'Louis is coming round for dinner and then we're going out.' I don't tell her where we're going cos I feel a bit nervous about it. I don't even think Louis has asked Michael if we can go see this air raid shelter, so we'll be creeping around there in the dark. I'm beginning to regret saying I'd go but I guess we don't have to stay long.
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