Grease

Chapter 22

Tentatively I open the kitchen door almost expecting to find Stephanie in floods of tears. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see she's got her head in the fridge as she rummages around for something to drink. She stands up holding a can of beer.

"You want one?" she asks. "That cocktail Paulette made makes me wanna puke. Kinda like Paulette." She laughs but there's a hard edge to her voice.

"Yeah a beer would be good," I say wondering if I should even broach the subject of Johnny kissing Paulette now. She seems totally composed and I almost imagine that I didn't see the hurt look on her face minutes earlier.

"Paulette's something else," I say taking the bottle. "I'm not quite sure what to make of her."

Steph flicks her hair over her shoulder before taking a big swig of beer. "What you see is what you get with her. Much like Johnny. I should leave them to it."

"I can see how you would feel like that," I say trying to be tactful. I know better than to criticise another girl's guy cos as you can bet that as soon as they've made up she'll hold it against you.

"I'm through with Johnny, I can't even say tonight's the final straw. It's been a long time coming," she says her shoulders sagging. "Paulette's not the first, he's cheated on me before and I've let him talk me around. I suppose I knew he'd always come back to me so the other girls' were no threat."

"But that's so disrespectful!" I bite my tongue remembering my rule.

"The only person Johnny respects is the face in the mirror," she says with a rueful laugh. "But enough is enough. I'm gonna-"

The door swings open and Johnny barges in heading straight for the fridge. He barely glances at us, he seems oblivious to what happened out there. He emerges from the fridge holding a beer and then he grins at Steph.

"Hey, don't take all the beers. Paulette made that cocktail for you girls."

Steph rolls her eyes at me, and for once we're on the same wavelength. I had thought Johnny's cockiness was part of his charm but tonight I'm thinking otherwise. 

Steph tilts her head to the side taking a slow sip of beer. "I think I might choke on anything Paulette's made."

Johnny looks away briefly before straightening himself up to his full height which is not that tall as it happens. "Don't be getting sore about that game, it was just a bit of fun. It ain't my fault the bottle landed on Paulette."

"I didn't see you protesting," Steph says raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not gonna make a scene, and I didn't see you flounce outta the room when I kissed Stacey." Stacey must be the cheerleader he kissed first.

"No you're right," Steph says slowly and Johnny looks smug. "I didn't cos I'm so used to your bullshit I'm over it. I'm over you, Johnny." 

My eyes widen and Johnny looks stunned. "What are you saying Steph?" he asks taking a step closer to her and I wish I wasn't in the kitchen witnessing this.

"It's over, it's been over for a while," Steph says quietly.

"You're just pissed cos of Paul-"

"No! I'm pissed cos of you." She folds her arms over her chest and takes a step back. "Paulette's the icing on the cake."

"Nothing's happened with Paulette," he says his voice rising an octave.

"Save it," Steph says waving her arm. "I'm outta here. Enjoy your party. See you, Sylvia." And with that, she turns on her heels and exits through the back door. Johnny looks after her for a moment and then picks his bottle up draining it.

"She doesn't mean it," he says running his hand through his hair, checking it's still slicked back. 

"She sounded pretty convincing to me," I venture nervously and Johnny smiles.

"Wait till you know her better, you'll see." He grabs the bottle that Steph left and takes a sip of it. "Besides Steph wants to be leader of the pink ladies next year. You think that will happen without me?" 

I shrug my shoulders. I don't know how it all works but I can't see that Steph would stay in a relationship with him for that reason alone. Johnny must see I look doubtful because he starts to speak again. 

"It's true. I'll be leader of the T birds and as my girl, Steph will be leader of the pink ladies. If she's not my girl that won't be happening."

I frown not quite understanding. "But if she's not your girlfriend, and you don't have one, surely she can be leader of the pink ladies as much as the next girl?"

Johnny smiles at me like I'm an idiot. "I can soon replace Steph, and even if I don't, I won't let her be a pink lady. T birds outrank pink ladies so I call the shots." I look at him incredulously. I know they have some weird rules but why on earth would the girls sign up for that? No wonder they're all desperate to snag themselves a t bird boyfriend, I guess it's the only way of guaranteeing their place in the gang.

"That's incredible," I say and Johnny nods not realising I'm not impressed. "I'm glad I'm not a pink lady then."

"I could make you a pink lady," he says. "If you want."

 I shake my head forgetting my earlier conversation with Rhonda. "I don't think I'm cut out for it."

"Sure you are. You'll have to sex your look up a bit though."

I can't help laughing. "Sex my look up?"

"Yeah," he says studying me. "You're a beautiful girl but you hide it, you need to take a few tips from your sister. Now she is hot." 

I roll my eyes. "Did you mean to be so rude?" 

Johnny frowns. "It was a compliment. You know with a few changes you could even be pink lady leader. I had thought of Paulette but that would be a low blow to Steph."

"Hold up, two minutes ago you were saying you and Steph were still together, now you're looking for her replacement?"

He pauses running his hand through his hair again. "There's nothing wrong with making contingencies, Sylvie. I like to have a backup plan."

"I'm nobody's backup plan," I say grabbing my drink, ready to leave the kitchen. "Find someone else." 

He gapes at me. "You're not offended are you?" 

"Would you care if I was?" I ask my hand on the door handle.

"Yeah, sure," he says getting his cigarettes out. "We're friends aren't we?"

I cock my head to the side. "Guys like you aren't friends with girls." I meet his gaze challenging him to disagree. He lights his cigarette and I know he's playing for time.

"I'm friends with plenty of girls," he says. "And I could make life a lot easier for you at Rydell."

He leaves the words hanging in the air and I can't help biting. "How could you make life easier for me? Rydell's okay."

"I've watched you Sylvie," he says stepping closer to me. "You try hard to fit in but you don't quite cut it." I roll my eyes waiting for him to tell me to sex myself up again. "With me on your side you could have half the student body eating out of your hand."

I laugh pretending I'm not remotely interested but I am intrigued. Eve's always been popular without even trying, I try to be nice to everyone and don't have even half the success.

"Like I said, I don't want to be a pink lady," I say trying hard to sound convincing. "All those codes and rules."

"Just think about it," he says winking. "Everything's a trade-off. Senior year could be your year." I don't reply cos in a way he has a point. There's a reason why Rhonda puts up with Goose's idiotic behaviour, and why Sharon's now willing to give Louis a chance. I know it's superficial but the thought of being effortlessly popular for once is tempting me.

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