GREASE
3
OLD
TRADITIONS
NEW BEGININGS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome back to Rydell High School.
It’s 1990 and there are new students and
new seniors that have invaded the old campus. Nearly thirty years had past
since the classes of 1959 and 1961 graduated. The new crop of T-Birds and Pink
Ladies are much tougher, sexier and meaner than Danny, Johnny, Putzie, Davey,
Kenickie, Sunny, Goose, Doody, Louis, Michael, Stephanie, Rizzo, Paulette,
Dolores, Rhonda, Jan and Marty.
The signs of the fifties and sixties are gone, along with the ducktail,
pompadour and sideburns. None of the new students dressed like their favorite
celebrities. There were no more greasers or greaser chicks. The school had gone
through a huge makeover. There were no more graffiti, litter, and wholes in the
walls or broken lockers. All the walls were repaired and painted with video
cameras in the lobby, halls and outside of campus. From the classrooms to the lockers,
everything remained the same, with new furniture and computers. Rydell saw
protest against the war in Vietnam, to the war on illegal drugs that both the
school and the new principal couldn’t win. Mrs. Blare was Ms. McGee’s second
cousin, while the secretary was Blanche’s young niece.
Vera and Barbara
wore a light pink baseball style satin jackets, with a zipper or snaps in
front, black inner lining, with a white band pattern around V-collar,
stretchable cuffs, collar and pockets, while Mary and Sherry wore the fleece
jackets with white inner lining under the collar and around the upper arms.
Each of the girls vowed the same old pledge, while the T-Birds, however, choose
to love than violence, but had no choice at times. The girls also carried a
small pink nylon handbag with the name of the group across the strap and the
name of each girl on the plastic key chain of pink watch from above the pouch.
They were stylish, fashionable and wore sexier than the previous Sororities
before.
The T-Birds and
Pink Ladies were related to either the 1959 or 1961 gang, except for Blade
(Shawn). He became the leader of the T-Birds after he proved himself to be
tough, vicious and sneaky guy, when he punched a whole in the tires of two
motorcycles that belonged to the Scorpions outside of S&M Pizzeria, just
before Miles or Aaron robbed it with a Beebe gun and a rifle. The former T-Bird
leader of 1988 saw what he did from inside and gave Shawn the nickname Blade
for the way he used the penknife on the tires after the crime, as well as
appointed him the next leader. The Scorpions were caught less than three blocks
away and arrested. Neither Miles nor Aaron were aware of what happened to their
machines or who had done it, because Shawn hid and watched the whole thing
unfold from behind a large black van.
Amanda was the love child from Sandy’s
unfaithful father, while Frank and Sherry were two long time friends from her
old high school and home town. By the time Amanda was sixteen, she was told
about her father, his other family, and where he lived. She was very
disappointed with both parents, even betrayed, because she believed her mother
had misled her. She was more upset with her than she was with her absent
father. She didn’t know the entire story about why the two got together, only
that he was an older gentleman in his late fifties to mid sixties, near
retirement age, and traveled to a few Canadian cities, before stopping at the
Fairmont Royal York Hotel, where Amanda’s mother, who worked as a desk clerk.
When her mother died at the end of June of 1990, she was sent to live with her
father until her brother could return. Her father was her legal guardian, but
under certain circumstances, she was forced to live with her half sister,
except she was unwelcome by Sandy, but welcomed by her husband, cousin, his
wife and her father at the airport. Sandy never forgave her father for his
indiscretion, and had bitter feelings towards him and her half sister. She
never even met Amanda at the airport or wanted her in her home to sponge off.
Not long after she arrived, Sandy had Marcel waiting, and made arrangements
with him to escort her sister around, even though he was engaged to another.
Danny didn’t like it, so he made arrangements with Frenchy for a job for his
sister-in-law as part of the solution. Frenchy was delighted and met her
personally in private a few days later at the salon. Amanda knew nothing about
a beauty shop, only about how to use a cash register, because she used to work
part time at her uncle’s dry cleaning shop a year before. Amanda’s mother wanted
her to quit, because the job had affected her grades. Not long after her uncle
was arrested for income tax fraud, due to his business accountant rigging his
accounts and taking off with this money and theft, he was sent to jail for two
years.
Amanda met her
father at his house the next day. Sandy didn’t want her around him and got into
an argument with her husband, except he believed Amanda should have a
relationship with her estranged father despite what she thought or how he felt,
so she spent three days with her father and step-mother. A week later, they
invited her to the family cottage by the beach, the same place where Sandy met
Danny, and where Amanda and Blade had met at her father’s birthday party.
Neither Sandy nor Danny was invited, because of her attitude towards her
father, so her parents left her out.
A week before school began, Danny and Michael took Amanda on a tour around campus, as well as took her to the famous areas where they once hung out, including the quickest route by foot from her father’s house. Her father paid for her stationary, while Danny and Michael secretly paid for her new clothes. She didn’t need the clothes, but accepted them anyway. She didn’t have much when she arrived, and had the rest sent from an old family friend. Danny and Michael had her registered and told her what route to travel by foot to the places they hung out, except Amanda wasn’t going walk the long distance. After they came out, the saw the Scorpions drive by with-out notice, except by the two men that had a worried, but disappointed look. They never told her the reason, the brief fact of how dangerous they became.
The Scorpions
couldn’t decide whether to stay Scorpions in 1959, or stay with Cycle Lords in
1961, but a couple of years later, however, the group decided to return to the
original title after Leo (Balumdo) and his friends chose another life for
themselves. The Scorpions lost the drag race down Thunder road in ’59 and the
motorcycle chase at the Luau in ’61, so the group disbanded and regrouped with
new faces. The new crops of Scorpions that followed were tougher, sneakier,
ruthless and extremely dangerous compared to the old Scorpions. Mary became one
of the first victims during the summer of 1990, when one of them sexually
assaulted her at the park, because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself. His
excuse was that he had bumped into him instead of the other way around, while
in secret the Scorpion had a long obsession with her for a long time. The
police were contacted and the Scorpion was arrested. He was released on bail
and given a Peace Bond to stay away from her for one year. Since the Scorpion
had been linked to a few other crimes, it was obvious to blame them.
CHATPTER ONE
Amanda went towards it and stayed for a short time, when the busses
started to pull away with the same horrible noise. As she sat down with her
black school bag between her feet, she heard another squeal from a car that
made her jump suddenly and turn, as one of the busses stopped suddenly to allow
the old ‘Bullet nose’ Studebaker pulled
in. Rhonda’s old car was parked on top of the sidewalk with one of the Pink
Ladies driving it. Boy, am I relieved that no one was in front. Amanda
thought with astonishment to herself. Not far behind were the T-Birds with
their five motorcycles. They parked around the car as if to guard it, while she
watched the boys climb off to follow with whistles and flirtations. She wanted
to escape not to be seen, when some more students crowded around moments before
they walked by. While she remained, she saw how the students created a path for
the T-Birds and Pink Ladies like they were royalty, except a minor few didn’t
treat them as such and were pushed rudely to the side. Whether the victims
were fresh-men or new, there was no excuse for being treated rudely. Amanda
thought. She saw them behave rudely to a few of the students as they passed,
including a short blond girl with long hair and dark rimmed glasses with blue
eyes, wearing something that looked like a sailor suit. She looked to be at
least fourteen, but she was actually a senior, who might have been a loner like
Eugene. She was two feet from the doors when one of the Pink Ladies ordered her
to move or she would be shoved to aside.
She wondered
whether the students from the past were the same or worse but she doubted it.
While she waited for most of them to clear, she swore she heard Frenchy and
Sandy talking from her right. Sandy was nervous and un-certain, while Frenchy
was confidence that she would make it. The two teen- agers faded quickly as she
saw Frenchy walking beside her cousin from behind. What’s happening?
Amanda thought with a slightly panicky tone. It seems as though Sandy had
informed him of Rydell and Frenchy sometime before his first day. More images
appeared with Danny standing on the side of the doors with two girls flirting.
Her head quickly turned as soon as she heard his friends rush from behind with
huge smiles and guilty pleasures of their escapades over the summer. Rizzo, Jan
and Marty appeared from the right, where the car was parked in the Square, with
giggles and smiles. Stephanie and her girls came from behind with young Dolores
carrying their books. Not far behind, were Johnny and his boys with questions
of what they did over the summer of 1960. Amanda watched the boys on the flag
stoop talking to Miss. Mason. She wanted them to participate in that year’s
event, which led up to a flirtatious suggestion from Johnny about what he
wanted from her. She retorted with the same flirtation and left with a can of
hair spray. The boys then, stopped below the step in front of the doors with
Davey holding one, while Johnny combed his hair before he and his friends had
entered. Stephanie and her girls, however, waited patiently on the left stoop
in front of the lamppost before they went inside. Amanda didn’t see the rest of
the students, including the cheerleaders’ twins or the peptones, because they
were all blur. ‘This is ridiculous.’ She thought. ‘What are they,
royalty?’
She wasn’t told about the first day. She only saw photos from her
cousin’s yearbook, except what she saw and heard were clear, as if she was
actually there. It had been a long time since she had experienced something
like this. Her head cleared as soon as she heard a teenage boy scream before
being pushed to the ground by the T-Birds. Her stomach was in knots. Her nerves
were frail. She wondered if they would’ve done the same thing to her, even
though she knew three of the boys.
The T-Birds didn’t stop to comb or brush
their hair they way Johnny and his boys did, because Blade’s T-Birds wore black
helmets with the word T-Bird across the back. They carried them until they got
to their lockers. Blade began before the rest of his friends joined, followed
by those who were also disappointed.
“This sucks.”
“But look at the jocks?” (Chaz)
The T-Birds saw four team mates from the
football team pass quickly with confidence and anxiously from behind, as one
member accidentally pushed Moose into Bruce carelessly, while the thoughts of
training and playing were dreams to be reality, the way Christmas morning was
before opening presents.
“Look where ya goin’ a-whole!” (Moose)
The Pink Ladies turned and looked at the boys with disappointment, but
not without disgust from the rest of the girls once they heard Vera’s
thoughtless comment.
“I need a drink.”
“Why don’t you think?” (Sherry)
“I should’ve stayed in bed, but I had to listen to my elders and what
they said. None of them don’t have a clue and they’re not gonna tell me what to
do. I know they think we’re crazy. I saw the fate in their eyes and they know
that high school is no paradise. They never thought I’d get this far, but look
where we are. My heart’s beatin’ and they’ll probably catch us cheatin’.
Studyin’ is too much strain, so why do they choose to give us pain. I’m gonna
buzz around them like bees and dream of them on their knees. What a thought. If
only I could skip without getting’ caught. Come with me, for I’m here till
three. Take me away, oh please do it today.”
The loud noise in the halls was chaotic
with stampede horses and cows in a rush, than students. This wasn’t a
school, but a barn. Amanda thought with disbelief. There were murmurs,
singing from walkmans, skateboards, lockers opening and closing, one or two
basketballs bouncing, laughing, yelling and a few runners, that might they were
on a track. Amanda stopped suddenly at the entrance of the lobby to the main
halls and gawked in complete surprise at what she saw. She never thought that
public schools were so outrageous compared to catholic schools, even though she
heard stories about them. She might be a student here, but she still was going
to keep her opinion to herself. Michael might have liked it she didn’t think
the school was that important.
With the help of a few students, she found her homeroom and made her way
through to the rest of the classes that first day, and made a new friend along
the way. In each class the students had to introduce him or herself, the way
Sandy and Michael had with the usual ignorance of critics, except she didn’t
want to be noticed by Blade, Sherry or Frank in one of the classes. These were
three people she hoped to avoid, but was unrealistic. When Miss. Mason requested
Michael to introduce himself, he received ignorance, while
Amanda received a cold shoulder. No one
cared, except for her old friends. Frank and Blade were in the back near the
window. Neither of them saw her come in until after. Blade was reading a car
repair magazine, while Frank was listening to a walk-man, while holding a comic
book with a Playboy magazine in front of his face. Sometime during lunch,
Sherry tried to find her, but lost her amongst the crowd. Frank eventually
found her after school, and went to talk to her, while she pretended to welcome
his company.
The last time Frank, Sherry and Amanda were together, was at Ontario
Place three days before the two siblings left. It was their last farewell with
plenty of tears. Vera and Mary shared first period. When Amanda introduced
herself, she immediately heard the two Pink Ladies commenting about how the
school should prevent new students from entering.
Around ten o’clock
the students and staff went to the football field for the first announcements,
due to the new intercom the principal had ordered never arrived yet. While on
the halls were empty, she stopped in front of the T-Bird lockers and gently caressed
the black letters, which were painted on the doors instead of scratched by a
pen or a sharp object. She saw the picture of the lockers and the boys in the
yearbook, but she was never told about the T-Birds behaving rudely towards him
with a locker or closing it before walking a few feet to another without a
door. They pushed him in, at the same time Stephanie walked passed, stopped and
reassured him that the boys were nothing to fear. The images faded quickly as
the voice of the principal was heard. She rushed down the hall just like Sandy
on her first day.
The students sat at one section of the
bleachers with the teachers along side. At the top back were the Pink Ladies
with the T-Bird’s standing along the far left side, while Amanda made her way
somewhere in the middle. She glanced at the back and saw the T-Birds without
the girls. They stood at the far end along the side. Blade saw her and reacted
with surprised. Tina and Amanda introduced themselves in a low voice, while
they listened to the rest of the speech.
Above the platform hung a banner, which
read WELCOME BACK RYDELL with the principal and her secretary below. Once
everything settled and the noise fell silent, the principal introduced herself,
before continuing with the announcement.
“Welcome back. To those who are new to
Rydell, I am Mrs. Blare, the principal and my secretary behind me is Miss.
Roberts. To those who wish to get acquainted, my office is always open.”
No applause, but a few boos and hisses.
“Please be quiet.” She continued. “I’m
sorry for the late announcements, but the new intercom hasn’t arrived.”
Some laughed, especially the T-Birds and
Pink Ladies. What they found amusing was something no one knew.
“Anyone who have not picked up their
schedule agendas may do so in the cafeteria after school today. It is necessary
to have one. Every student must follow the rules in the books, including the
dress codes. That is a must. Any violence, graffiti, smoking or in appropriate
wardrobes is not allowed on campus. If caught, I will punish you. IS THAT
CLEAR?
“Rydell always had a good reputation for
cleanliness and respectable students, so lets show the community that we can
keep it that way.
“Next week will be the yearbook photos.
You will be requested to go down to the auditorium by grades. Rydell has a rich
history of numerous after school activities, so please try out. The list will
be posted around the office, gym, theatre, cafeteria and library. To inquire
more, please the main office.
“In two weeks there will be a WELCOME BACK
PEPRALLY, to introduce the newest sports teams that will beat the Cavaliers for
the third straight season.
“In October Rydell will be hosting Career
Month with a speaker and venders of numerous careers for you to participate in.
This is something new and we are proud to invite the special guests. Some are
even former Rydell students. At the end of this month, is the traditional
Halloween contest and dance?
“In December we have our traditional
Holiday event. In January, Rydell will celebrate the Centennial, and for all
you young lovers, February is our traditional Valentines Day dance. In April
there will be a commemorative anniversary date to celebrate this special event,
so I invite you all to come.
“To purchase tickets for each event, come
to the office. Prices will be posted. Now for the main attraction.”
Just after she sat down, a huge, tall
three tier, white cake with pink, blue and yellow flowers was brought on to the
track with a large banner across the front reading…RYDELL HIGH SCHOOL
CENTINIAL. The reaction was oohs and awes as they admired it with wide eyes and
delight. Loud applause and cheers immediately followed, at the same time the
principal stood up again to inform them that one slice per student in the
cafeteria throughout the day, but without strays of skipping class just for a
slice.
“There’s enough
for everybody.” She said with a pleasurable tone and smile. “So let’s have a
safe year.”
During the long speech Moose, Frank, Vera
and Barbara managed to escape down the back of the bleachers, so they were
unaware of the treat that came out on to the field in front of the platform. No
one tried to stop them, but when Chaz tried, he got caught by one of the
teachers, who rushed quickly from the side to stop him. He tried to think of an
excuse, but couldn’t think of anything believable. Just after he returned to
his place, he turned the his right middle finger, which made the teacher even more
madder at the same time, Blade saw him and smacked him on his right shoulder
blade for being an idiot. Moments after the cake came out and a line was
formed, he tried to make his way through, but lost her amongst the crowd. ‘I’ll
find her after school.’ He thought.
She eventually found the cafeteria and
bought her lunch like all the rest, when Blade found her again and tried to cut
in line in order to get close. None of them allowed it, especially the girls,
even though he tried to flirt with a couple of them with his causal charms.
Chaz was a head of her. He had just snapped a girl’s bra for humor and got a
quick response of a painful squeal and a hard slap across his face, with sheer
enjoyment at the end. When Blade finally paid for his lunch, he tried to work
his way through to reach her, but lost her again. She sat near the back in
front of the window. She glanced quickly at him before he disappeared from view
and watched him head towards the patio area.
The gang took two picnic tables ahead of
the crowd. Blade was still unable to see Amanda, even though he pretended to be
interested in what-ever was going on. Moose asked Chaz why he couldn’t get
away, he told them what happened, which the rest found humorous, as he reacted
slightly bitter while he tried to eat his cake. Blade ate and smoked his
cigarette, when he heard Bruce asked if he saw the new girl in the line. None
of them did.
Amanda looked out the window, while slowly
eating the small plate fries with an apple and carton milk. Before she
finished, she saw her sister with the Pink Ladies and Patti Simcox on their
first day of school. The girls wanted to
know what Sandy did over the summer, with the same scenario with Danny and the
T-Birds on the bleachers. Sandy told truthfully, but Danny fibbed. If Sandy
knew what her future husband told. Amanda thought bitterly. I think she
would’ve flipped. When her head cleared, she thought briefly about how
handsome Blade had looked in his T-Bird jacket. He wore a light blue, button
down dress shirt, tight black jeans, with a black leather silver beaded belt
and Harley Davidson buckle, and a pair of motorcycle boots. He could pass as a
handsome Clark Gable in leather. From what she remembered, he was charming and
a gentle, like Danny, except it didn’t seem as though he would pretend in front
of his friends, the way Danny did when it came to Sandy. Blade would
acknowledge her and act like a fool to pretend not to know much. When Rizzo
showed Danny her surprise, both him and Sandy were surprised but then, Danny
saw that his friends and began to act like a fool.
Sharon Cooper Dimmuci was her last period English teacher with Blade, Frank, Sherry, Barbara and Moose. She recognized the face from her cousin’s yearbook. The beauty was still on her face even after all these years. She had a little bit of gray in her shoulder length, curly hair, with a few minor wrinkles that she tried to hide with either makeup or anti-wrinkle cream. Her eyes were still as blue as the ocean with small dark rimmed read-ing glasses that brought out more than her looks. Louis still thought she looked more intelligent.
After the last
bell, Sherry left her friends at her locker in search of her old friend. When
she found her, she was still happy, while Amanda not so much. Vera thought her
friend’s behavior was a little strange, but never asked. She might at the
Frosty Palace later.
Just as the group walked individually
towards the curb, a black Jaguar pulled up behind their rides. None of them
knew who it was or ever seen the car before. “He must have money.” Mary
commented pleasantly to Sherry. “No one at school could afford anything like
that.”
They knew everyone in school, and none of
them knew anyone that drove an expensive car. His friends didn’t want to stay
to find out, but had no choice, however, Blade and Mary did, because they were
the only two that were interested. When they came out, there was a light blue
two door Chevy pick up truck that was on the other side of them. Once it picked
up its passenger five minutes later, the Jaguar then, pulled into its place
parallel to the curb. Just as Amanda came out, Blade hollered a question at her
for an invitation to drive her home, when Marcel quickly backed his car into
the motorcycles, almost injuring his friends. Amanda rushed towards the car and
quickly climbed in before Blade and his friends could attack him. They cursed
harshly and wished it were dead, as one of the members yelled to the driver of
what he or she had done.
“YOU COULD HAVE KILLED US!” Bruce yelled
in a loud anger.
Marcel raised his middle finger in the air
and screamed away with its back tires spewing gray smoke. Amanda didn’t like it
and wondered what had gotten into him. He was like a jealous boyfriend, or a
child that won his or her favorite toy. The T-Birds and the Pink Ladies reacted
in anger, except for Blade and Sherry. Both wondered who the driver was and
what he or she relation to her could have been.
“I’m gonna know who the driver is.” Sherry
said with determination and disappointment.
“Never mind.” Vera said. “She’s a snob
anyway.”
Sherry glanced back with disgust. “Oh,
bite me.”
Blade backed away
immediately for work, to allow the rest his friends deal with the
situation. He didn’t care what happened
to her or questioned it, while he drove to Kenickie’s garage. He’d been working
part time for over a year and knew that the former Rydell student was also a
former T-Bird from the old black and white photo of his old friends in the
office.
The busses picked up the students five
minutes after the group had left. However, during the trip to the Frosty
Palace, the Scorpions appeared from the opposite direction and quickly turned,
cutting off two cars either way, and nearly causing an accident, deliberately.
Bruce saw them and swore loudly in anger. Moose, who rode just behind him,
heard him and took a quick glance back, before doing the same.
“WHAT DO THEY WANT?”
Before anyone could answer, the Scorpions
began to pass and cut him or her off trying to catch up with the T-Birds and
the Studebaker. The T-Birds were fully alert. They wanted to speed to pass the
pink car, even wished they could inform the girls of what was behind, but they
weren’t going to put them or any other driver in danger. The Scorpions wanted
nothing to do with the T-Birds, but if they wanted to race, they were ready, as
they tried to catch up to girls. Many of the drivers from either direction,
watched the boys play ‘lane tag’ and honked. Two blocks from the restaurant was
an un-marked patrol car waiting for speeders and drivers under alcohol or
drugs, when they quickly pulled out to stop the dangerous commotion before
some-one got hurt.
They were curious
about whether they would be pulled over, but when it didn’t happen, they were
relieved as they reached their final destination. They parked their motorcycles
along side the pink car before going in. Frank only stayed for an hour before driving
Sherry home, and before going to work at the movie theatre in the Super Center
Mall. They sat near the back where Danny and Sandy once sat with the rest of
the group many years before. Frank, Sherry, Bruce, Chaz, Vera, Bruce, Mary,
Barbara and Moose drank colas and had a hamburger platter, hotdogs or a salad.
The girls ate mostly a salad with whatever they had along with it.
“What the HELL was going on?” Vera asked
with frustration. “We saw the game play out.”
“The Scorpions wanted a race.” Bruce
answered.
“They could’ve killed ya’s.” Mary said to
Chaz with concern, before giving him a luscious kiss.
They wore white bikini, sports bra style tops with the school’s name in red across the front and red tennis skirts with underpants. It all changed. The girls didn’t look or act innocent. Now they are just as bad as the Pink Ladies, except no one were as bad as the Sorority.
Marcel drove her to school early so she could return to the newspaper office the following Thursday before homeroom. As she headed towards the front door, she glanced at the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, minus Frank and Sherry, from the side the front doors. Moose and Chaz whistled; at the same time one of the girls make a slight insult that she barely heard due to the nervousness she felt. It was like the first day. She didn’t know whether the editor would like her work or hate. Blade looked her smiled and then at his friend with disgust. He shook his head displeasingly and suggested to keep her opinions to herself, without getting hostile. The Pink Lady didn’t like it and looked at her boyfriend for support. Blade was aware that Sherry and Frank were friends with her for a long time and would ask them in private later that day, what they really knew. He excused himself just before the Pink Lady was about to defend her behavior, but was even bitterer for what he had done. Bruce told the rest that the girl was out of his league just by the way she presented himself and whom she kept company with. Vera saw Sherry on the back of a motorcycle that didn’t belong to her brother. She complained about tardiness and didn’t like it, at the same time she smelled booze on her breath. It seemed as though she had been drinking plenty lately, ever since Aaron had been harassing her, so she drowns in liquor hoping to forget. No one did anything, because they understood that she needed to feel good somehow. They do it every time they bump into the Scorpions.
“You’re late.” She said before a puff.
Sherry looked at her displeasingly and ignored it.
The smell of alcohol from her breath could not be hidden by cigarettes or the breath mint she had. It was even on the clothes she wore and hid with perfume. She would have asked why Vera drank so early, but she believed it had to do with Aaron. The group knew Vera’s alcohol consumption was a little heavier since Aaron began to annoy her, but they understood and said nothing. Something bad must have happened before Barbara picked her up that no one knew about. Aaron had tossed a rock through her window the night before, with a note from Frank, warning her parents what he was capable of if they tried to interfere in their relationship. This shakes all, even questions their daughter of what was going on. She had no answer. Later that evening, after they went to bed, she snuck two bottles of vodka from her father’s bar and went to her bedroom to drink one, and hide the other in her bad for the next day. Vera just couldn’t shake her old boyfriend anymore, especially now that he was a Scorpion.
The editor gave her the job, but suggested she change the names. He also informed her that she would be involved with the preparations for the special section of events that each publication would have. When Blade found Amanda, she was in the cafeteria with Tina helping her with schoolwork, as well as editing her rough draft. Tina saw him coming and rushed out without her schoolbooks, because of fear. When Amanda got the job, Tina wanted to celebrate, except she couldn’t do it at the time and promised a rain check for another day. Blade asked to drive her home, but she kindly refused. Since that morning, he kept trying with hopes, and she kept refusing. He eventually became frustrated and wanted to know the reason. She told him firmly that it was none of his business, while in front of Frank, who accidentally overheard them while coming around the corner of the south wing. Frank was aware of Amanda’s job and told him. His mother had seen her at Frenchy’s Salon and was surprised to have seen her after all these years. She asked what she was doing in town and about her mother, except Amanda immediately shut down before she could answer. She reacted with surprise and happiness and said that her children would be so happy to know that their friend was there. At the end of the day, she tried for the Drama Club, because she figured that maybe her little talent for writing might be including with the plays. She left to join the club after the last bell, and once again the halls were packed which was difficult to get through. Blade saw her and tried to worm his way, but she was too far and had disappeared once again. When she stepped through the doors and into the theatre, something unusual happened that she couldn’t explain. Even though she wasn’t alone, there were a few students that wanted to join; she saw images from the past walking up and down back of the stage, and on. The two people she saw the most that day were Stephanie and Michael. The two were on stage with him at the piano, which once stood at the other end, and Stephanie refusing to go with him. Amanda saw these two images pass her as she heard the leader of the Pink Ladies tell her cousin that she wanted a Cool Rider. The images and the feeling of being there was creepy. It sent a chill down her spine that she never had before, and hoped it would never happen again. When the images faded, she had stood alone on stage with Sharon beside her. She was unaware of where she was or of the teacher’s voice requesting her to sit. Her voice broke the trans Amanda was in, smiled lightly with an apology, while slowly stepping down. She sat somewhere in the first row and listened to the teacher, at the same time she noticed the steps behind her. They were the same with a few minor touch ups and the same color paint. No one knew the link with her and the two former Rydell students, nor didn’t she want anyone to know.
Blade waited for Amanda against the corner wall at the end of metal rail to ask to drive her home. She saw him, but tried not to stare or glance, while thinking how cool and sexy he was. She never noticed this over the summer, but her body started to slowly melt with her heart beating with a slight rush inside her chest. Besides his trademark jacket, he wore a pair of black jeans, a white button down shirt, a black leather belt with silver beads and a large oval Harley Davidson belt buckle. His right thumb was hooked on the front of his pants with an unlit cigarette over his ear. He looked like the dark hair kid that had the tall girlfriend from her favorite television show, Saved by the Bell, except Blade had more sex appeal, with suave and intelligence than the character.
Marcel began to sense tension in the Zuko home, mostly from Sandy. He never realized this at first, and was glad that Frenchy gave Amanda a job, because it would help distract the teen, even help with her schoolwork. If the owner was there. Frenchy was all over the place. Not only did she have her own cosmetic line under Sandy’s business, but also she continued to manage it. The former Pink Lady Amanda, but felt pity for her as well. She put her part time on the register, stocking and sweeping, and paid her thirty dollars a week. When he picked her up after the theatre, Marcel saw the motorcycles and the pink car parked at the edge of the Square. He never knew what was in there, other than a parking lot. He waited against the passenger side in a dark nylon jacket, gray button down shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. He had to pick her up along with his girlfriend before he could return to Sandy’s business to complete the books.
Marcel stood about the same height as Blade, except he was about three feet taller, while Amanda was shorter, around five foot five and a half. She received her height and medium brown hair color from her mother, but had her father’s eyes and slightly round face. She wasn’t shaped like the cheer-leaders or like supermodel, but she was skinnier than Sherry and had a swell figure. While he waited, the Scorpions made their appearance and turned into the Square just as she came out. If they had seen her, they would have rushed towards her like wolves in heat, knocking Marcel to the ground or killing him in the process. These boys didn’t care. He never knew about the intense history between them and the T-Birds, but he would soon. There was no avoiding them.
Vera didn’t want to see Aaron, so she hid in the school until they left and watched from the window in an empty classroom above. The Pink Ladies had planned to go to the Frosty Palace the way they always did every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Their bowling nights was Saturdays and Wednesdays with the boys. Blade and Frank sometimes joined them if they didn’t work late. Miles was the leader of the Scorpions with his sidekick Aaron. Amongst the long battle to get the Sorority, the boys have dated the squad and continued to cause problems with the T-Birds, as well as tried to make the girls jealous. Aaron had his own reason against the T-Birds; he had been trying to win Vera back for three years. He believed she looked sexier now that she was the leader of the Sorority, except she wanted nothing to do with him ever since he cheated on her many years ago. Anytime the Scorpions saw the Sorority, they acted nice and flirted with them at first, with the same in return, until the problems appeared, and created tense and friction for the girls to dislike them. Leo and his boys did it at the football field. Once the Sorority saw the trouble the boys had caused at the Luau, they wanted them to leave as much as the rest. The principal was aware of the trouble the Scorpions had caused during her security round of the campus that she did four times a day. They weren’t allowed on campus, but ignored the warning and the Restraining Order. After Marcel and Amanda left, the principal called the police to report the problem, at the same time the sound of the siren and the sight of the police scared them, just as Vera felt a huge relief. She later drank more vodka in the washroom of the Frosty Palace.
The old restaurant remained the same. The Rockola jukebox that Sandy once used still remained, but the faces have changed. Jan and Putzie were the new owners with a black and white photo of them in a dark frame behind the register counter. The longer they stayed the more she liked to work there, because she liked the light blue and white uniforms and, because she knew that Aaron couldn’t go near her due to the Restraining Order that Jan and Putzie had against the Scorpions for theft numerous times over the summer. She would feel safer there than at the Dingragorio dance studio her grand-mother owned. At least her parents would know that she would be safe. She dreaded the thought of trying to convince her parents that it was Aaron, who threw the rock and not Frank, with a huge argument that was predicted. Be-fore her washroom break with alcohol, she went to the counter to talk to the manager about a job. He was a middle aged, tall dark man dressed in the old fashion ‘soda jerk’ costume, without the white triangle hat. There was an opening for part time bus boy/girl and a waitress. He wanted a resume and a letter of reference. Both were easy. She worked at the diner outside of town the summer before and then, at the dance studio, because Aaron found out and got her fired. When she returned, the girls already had their burger and fries in front of them.
Her prediction was correct. Her parents wanted her daughter to keep her distance from him; at the same time they called the police to report the threat while she was in her bedroom. The police eventually went to his home to investigate, which shocked all in his house. None of them expected this visit yet; he did have an alibi as to where he was on the night in question. Frank and his family were shown the note, except the hand writing wasn’t his, so to prove that it wasn’t, he was asked to write the same thing for the officer’s to examine. Both appeared the same, except they weren’t sure, so they kept both notes. However, Frank informed them of the witnesses that could verify him. They later went to the theatre to confirm the information and returned to his house with an apology, as well as to ask who might have done it. He only knew of one person, but whether the police would investigate was unknown.
Near the end of September the first newspaper was printed with the head line news first and the first section of time line at the end, starting with 1950 to 1952. For a week Amanda went to the library to work on the research project for the paper as well as received credit and a free paper with the rest of the club. Amanda liked the work, because she was away from the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, as well as gave her more insight about the school and those that walked the hall before. She had difficulty to write her personal journey, but once it was finished, she felt relieved without a care of what any of her family had thought or said.
A LOSS, A NEW
Amanda Dumbrousky Olson
It’s hard to get over a personal loss, and to accept a new start. I lost my mother this past summer of lung cancer. She was not only a parent, but also my best friend and mentor. When she died, my heart is full of sorrow. I am lost without her. I can never go home. She won’t be there to pick up the phone. She’s not there to protect me.
Amongst the darkness came a light of a father I never knew, a half sister I never met, and two cousins who were never aware. From what I heard and seen, I have cousin that got married years before my older sister became Rydell alumni and a cousin that came two years later. I was shipped alone from my birth home to a strange place I’ve never been. My brother-in-law met me at the train station with my name on a sign. I never met him before but introduced him with warm welcome smile. Everyone knew my sister and my cousin.
Frenchy met both of them on their first day. Now I’m working for the former Rydell student at her beauty salon and like the distraction. I’ve met my father, but remain a stranger. I don’t live with him, but with his daughter. When I met my sister, her husband, my cousin and his wife, my opinion is this; they are all old enough to be my parents, while my father is old enough to be my grandfather. As for my thoughts, I don’t have any.
The only good thing is that I am forced to stay away from my new home, because she doesn’t want me around. She introduced me to a guy old enough to be my brother, but he has a girlfriend. The saddest thing is that father doesn’t want me, but claims that he does. He wants a relationship with me and wants to make me happy.
He is trying to make up the years with non-stop gifts, with a secret that he may never know. To know more who are my relations and the old alumni are, come to Frenchy’s Salon and I will tell you. This is an article of disappointment and hate, but not out of revenge.
No one knew anything at first, but the story quickly spread when Tina came to the salon to meet her mother, who is one of the hair stylists amongst the four. She never started the story, but Frenchy read it and the story quickly snowballed. She wasn’t mad or upset, but very concerned about the way it was written, which made her wonder about the teen’s home life. Tina and her went out after she finished work, to the S&M that Danny drove them to. He was glad for her and hoped that she continued to strive. Tina wanted to show him the article, but Amanda quickly shook her head. He saw it and looked at her strangely; at the same time she mouthed the words NO in a slight panic gesture. He remained clueless and never knew about the article.
On the day of the article Sherry asked Amanda in the cafeteria the reason she didn’t reveal her secret. Amanda told her she couldn’t incase her family found out, and she didn’t want any more problems that she already had. She hoped that her secret would allow Vera to give her a Pink Lady locker. Sherry mentioned it to her, except Vera refused with an excuse that her friend wasn’t good enough to use it. If she wanted a locker, Amanda would have to pay her five-dollar rental fee. Vera was joking, but was serious and kept it a secret. Sherry was baffled to know that her leader would stoop so low for extortion and left for her next class. She wasn’t going to let her get away with it, and promised to mention it to Frank. Vera smiled guiltily with Mary, at the same time she asked whether she would do it.
Vera slammed her locker.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She went down the hall to her next class, tossing the newspaper in the trashcan, with Mary along side her.
On the first day of Career Month (October) all the students received an anniversary pen with a black necklace string. This was just one of the surprises the principal had planned throughout the year. A few thought it was cheap and threw them out, while some kept them. All the venders were set up in the auditorium. The principal reminded the students to attend or receive detention with the secretary. There were numerous venders to choose, but none for what she wanted, so Amanda took a brochure from Frenchy’s booth, allowing the former Pink Lady to believe that she had helped one person alone the same road she traveled. She didn’t talk to her about the career choice, but asked how the situation was at home. She had read the newspaper that someone had left behind at her salon. No one knew who the customer was; only she was from Rydell and had the school’s news-paper. This was the first time the former Pink Lady felt pity. Amanda didn’t answer; because she knew that her boss was a still friend with her sister, so it was better that she kept secrets from everyone, except Tina. From there, Amanda went to travel and tourism booth and grabbed another.
Mrs. Blare was making her round of the school and saw Blade and Chaz passing the auditorium. She stopped them going the other way to ask where they were headed, but all they could do was act nonchalant and pretend that they had already gone. Blade didn’t need a job. He thought about opening his own garage or managing one of Kenickie’s. He didn’t know if this was the road that he would stay on, but he was satisfied and had no need to change right now. Chaz, however, wasn’t interested, because he thought about working at the DMV or at his grandfather’s club on the Galleria Boardwalk. He worked their part time as a busboy and waiter a year ago, but couldn’t serve alcohol due to his age, but as soon as he turned eighteen, the law couldn’t stop him. February fourth was his special day. Over this past summer, he worked with his father and made fake licenses for his friends to ride a motorcycle until they passed the actual road test.
“We were there earlier.” Blade said in a confident lie.
She looked at Chaz and waited for his answer.
“You?”
“I was there in between homeroom and second period.” Chaz answered casually.
They thought she would ask for the information, because she supposedly done so last year, but she didn’t. It was also too stupid. She would know whether they did as soon as she spoke to the vender owners inside at the end of the day, as well as read the guest book that was around the entrance. She smirked with doubt as she watched them continue down the hall, at the same time she wondered how many had attended that day. The Pink Ladies found it interesting and stayed longer than most.
Around the first week Sherry showed Vera a 1959 yearbook to prove that Amanda and Sandy looked a like, except that didn’t persuade her. Vera still wasn’t going to allow a nerd to use their lockers, so she closed it fiercely and told her that she was real bitch. Her voice was loud enough for the teacher and mostly everyone to hear, while they were supposed to be learning. Sherry wasn’t going to quit. She knew Amanda deserved one of the lockers and belonged part of the group and didn’t need to prove it, but she must have believed that Amanda was a snob from the driver of the car plus, the fact that she didn’t look cool. Sherry hadn’t been able to learn anything, because she couldn’t find her. Now that Amanda was free, she might be able to. At lunch in the cafeteria, Sherry and Barbara were together, when Vera stormed to the back in anger with Mary behind her.
Vera bent over the table beside Barbara and told Sherry to stop talking about her to Frank behind her back. Sherry placed her beverage can down and told her that he was the only one that could get through, since she was acting like a loose cannon.
“No one likes her. No one cares.” Vera said in anger.
She looked at Barbara and at Mary with a look of unconcern. They didn’t care whether Amanda used the lockers or not, because it was useless topic with no point. It’s not like Michael trying to use a T-Bird locker and them making a big deal, but Vera spoke for the two girls, because she believed this was what they had wanted.
“You maybe the leader and our friend, but you don’t speak for all.” Sherry said disagreeing.
Vera released a sigh of frustration, at the same time she saw a few faces looking and listening, so she gave in.
“Give her the damn thing.”
Sherry found Amanda in the theatre after school to tell her the good new. To her it was. She waited in the dark in the back until the meeting had finished. The meeting was about a theme to celebrate the Centennial with a special event in April to show it. Once it was finished, Sherry met with her to tell her the news.
“I don’t want to change.” Amanda said.
“It’s closer to your classes.” Sherry said convincingly.
“To be honest, I don’t want to be near your friends.”
“Why?” She asked curiously, as she pretended.
Amanda sensed it as she gathered her books and jacket to leave.
“Your friends don’t like me. I know and I don’t care.”
Sherry couldn’t answer, so she changed the subject to her new friend.
“Where’d you meet the new guy?” Sherry asked curiously, as she walked with her.
“Sandy wanted me to be friends with him to get me out of her hair.”
Sherry looked strangely. She was unaware of anything.
“What do you mean?”
Amanda didn’t answer. She just kept on walking, while Sherry stopped.
“Wait.” She said as she quickly reached out her left hand to Amanda’s right arm.
Amanda turned slowly and knew what was coming.
“You didn’t answer.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t even know whether we’re still friends.” She said with a hurtful sigh. “I see you and you’re not the girl I once knew.”
She walked brisk fully away.
Club Cooper was named after Sharon and decorated between the Hard Rock Café and Club 54 in New York. The dance floor was in the middle of the room with small stage for the disc jockey, with four speakers, a set of giant speakers at the end and two smaller ones on the ceiling. In the middle were four large spotlights of numerous colors and a disco ball. Behind the stage was a huge mural of popular sights like the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore. On the light blue walls were numerous photos and large glass cases with vintage memo-rabilia’s from the fifties, sixties and seventies. Around the room were small round tables with decorative tablecloths, salt and peppershakers, a mini Tiffany style lights, and a napkin holder, with two cushion arm chairs. The bar was on the far right with metal stools and the poolroom with two pool tables. On the left were the washrooms with a kitchen at the far end. On the black ceiling were large round metal light fixtures with large bulbs and numerous fans. The floor was black and the dance floor was a polished white. It looked like the floors at Sears. Outside the glass doors were two huge ceramic pots with trees lit up, above the glass doors hung a fabric awning with his wife’s maiden name and a camera. On the wall along the parking lot was another painted mural of the Galleria and the beach; with a camera that he got installed after the Scorpions torched a car. Louis had two security guards at the door and a metal detector, while another patrolled the room with the owner. They made their usual rounds separately, but when he saw the newest T-Birds, he was pleased and offered them the first beverage free.
While the day progressed the Scorpions were at the club on the Galleria Boardwalk planning a scheme that would frame the T-Birds and win the hearts of the Pink Ladies. Amongst this plan, they were also wanted to destroy the former T-Birds, because they continued to make the past Scorpion members appear bad, like the latest members. Leo and the rest of his boys never made much of themselves, because of numerous problems they continued to create with the T-Birds and those around. When the gang broke up, they couldn’t make a success of anything due to the criminal records they had, so they ended up with small paid jobs, which even affected Cha Cha’s relationship with Leo. The two never got married or had a family, because he was far too wrapped up on the grudge against his rivals and had enrolled future members to continue the same troubled non-sense as he did.
The Pink Ladies arrived at the club alone at nine thirty, except the boys didn’t show until an hour and a half later. Blade, however, arrived alone. When they failed to appear as they were supposed to, the Pink Ladies spent most of the night with other guys and two Scorpion members. Frank, Moose, Chaz, and Bruce weren’t too pleased as they saw them in the poolroom, so they went to find other girls to make their girlfriends jealous. Miles and Aaron were pleased, especially Aaron, who wanted to have quick sex with Vera on the pool table.
“Lookin’ good babe.” He said with a pleasant smile.
During the game, he misbehaved a little, which didn’t please either her or Miles. At one point, she smacked his hand with her cue in order for him to stop. One of the guys even tried to defend her but stopped when he saw that she could take care of herself. He also realized that the two teens knew each other and had a love hate relationship. She hated him and he loved her. He also watched grope her a couple of times which angered him and her at the same time.
“One more time and I’ll break every limb in your body.” She said harshly. “
He smiled with amusement, which she found offensive.
“Try it buddy, just try it.” Vera said in a mean daring tone.
“Don’t be an ass.” Miles said with a stern tone, as he took a sip of beer before hitting the ball.
When Vera’s turn came around again fifteen minutes later, he pinched her ass while she was bent over the table. She squealed in shock that made her miss her target and then, quickly nailed him in his gentiles.
“You didn’t listen, so you deserve what he get.” Vera said angrily and a pleasurable smile.
She watched him grunt in pain and enjoyed it, while her friends watched in shock and disbelief.
“The next time, hit ‘em over the head with the cue.” Mary suggested.
Aaron glared up at her from across the room, while holding himself. He tried to comment, but couldn’t say the words.
“You got what you asked for.” Miles said and watched game continue.
At the end of the game, Vera promised to meet the other guys with her girls at the bar, but as soon as they headed towards the wide doorway, Miles and Aaron prevented it. They didn’t want them to be with the guys or the T-Birds, so they tried to distract and convince them for another game. None of the Pink Ladies wanted to play again, because they were bored and wanted to dance. Aaron asked Vera to dance, but she turned him down. If she accepted, she would have to remain alert. She no longer trusted him after all the devious things he had done. Barbara asked politely for them to move, but neither of them moved. Vera and Sherry stood in the middle with Barbara and Mary on either side.
“What do you want Aaron?” Vera asked with a small impatient outcry.
“I want you and I won’t let you go.” He answered frustrated and seriously.
Vera laughed with amusement, followed by her friends, as the suggestion was unrealistic.
“STOP IT!” He said in extreme anger, as he quickly picked up an empty beer bottle and smashed it on the table to threaten her with. “YOU GIRLS CAN LEAVE, BUT VERA STAYS!”
Miles quickly reacted. He didn’t expect this, but his appeared shocked with awe, as he tried to remain calm, with hopes that he wouldn’t fulfill his actions.
“What are you doin’ man?” Miles asked calmly. “She’s not worth it. I’m not gonna get kicked outta here, so put it down.”
“I don’t care.” Aaron responded desperately as his right hand began to shake slightly with the bottle two inches from her face. “SHE’S MINE!”
“We’re goin’ to play pool.” Miles said as he lit up a cigarette. He changed his mind.
Miles took over. “Okay girls, go.”
“BACK OFF!”
“Put the bottle down.” Miles said as he watched the fear in the eyes of the girls he respected and wanted, but not in a violent way.
Aaron heard, but ignored him until Moose walked by on his way to the bar. He saw the intense, but frightful situation and quickly turned in search of Blade, at the same time the guys the girls were to be with, had found other singles. His reaction was swift. He was concerned and frightened at the same time. He saw Aaron with the broken bottle and had to get help. He forgot all about the drinks when he found Blade on the dance floor with a colored girl in a tight mini low cut dress. He greeted her with smile and nod, while he mouthed the words ‘excuse me’, before he pulled him away. Before he left, he mouthed ‘sorry’, while took his friend aside to inform him of the news. Blade wasn’t pleased. He returned but she had disappeared.
“Get the Birds.” He said loudly in his ear.
After Moose left, he found his dance partner at a table with her friend and then, gave her a kiss of appreciation before he left the two alone. She wasn’t mad or disappointed, but told him goodbye with a warm smile.
The music continued to be loud, as the boys met at the bar before going to the room to prevent a murder.
Sherry saw her brother and his friends. She smiled with relief, as Blade tapped Miles on the back of his right shoulder to let him know he was there. He turned to expect a security guard, and not his rivals, but he did predict them with an expression of ‘oh, it’s you.’ Blade saw the bottle and quickly hit Aaron on the neck and shoulder with a strong karate chop that felt like he was hit with a plastic ketchup bottle. It caught Aaron by surprise, which caused him to drop the sharp object and turn suddenly, while the girls quickly squeezed through, but before Vera could, Aaron grabbed her arm to prevent her from leaving.
“YOU’RE MINE!” He yelled like a child that didn’t want to let go of a toy that didn’t belong to him.
Frank quickly reacted. He left, found a ketchup bottle, returned and hit Aaron’s wrist.
“MINE!” Frank said with satisfaction, as he gently took her hand and led her out.
The Scorpion dropped the glass that smashed on the floor, as the sharp pain rushed through. He turned and pictured his rival’s funeral. Aaron swore intensely as asked him what he had done.
Frank never answered. He just took Vera’s hand and led her and the rest away from the nightmare. Miles challenged Blade to a game of pool that would finally decided the winner of the Sorority, except Blade refused and reminded him that the girls were theirs until graduation, so Miles quickly thought of something sneaky without no one, not even Aaron would know.
“Ok, so you choose, play for fun or race to the death.”
Blade looked at him strangely. “Are you crazy?”
Miles looked at Aaron and told him to stop shaking his hand and act like a man. He glanced back at Blade at the same time he butt his cigarette in the ashtray on the table on his left. He then glanced at Blade with a guilty smile and shook his head. Blade saw it and told Miles that he would allow them to take what wasn’t there’s, not even with a game or a race.
“You’re a coward.” Miles said with temptation.
“Of all the times I’ve kicked your ass, you have the nerve to say that to me.” Blade remarked sarcastically.
“Then, play.”
“You’re on!” Blade said with a smile of confidence, as he stood like Kenickie in the parking lot with a cigarette before the broad cast and stared at Rizzo.
He lit a cigarette and told Miles to set it up. Miles never played pool with Blade, so he was unaware of how good the T-Bird was. Blade’s father taught him how to play pool and bowling, amongst other sports that were rugged and manly. He began playing both since the age of eleven and won numerous tournaments until his interest changed to wrestling, because of the exercise and excitement. Frank learned to play when his father took him to a tournament at the age of sixteen, while his mother took Sherry to badminton practice with Amanda, where the two became really good until the family moved.
Blade went to tell him that they were playing for the girls. In order for communications, the boys had to talk to each other up close due to the loud music, which wasn’t very pleasant considering the way they felt about one another. Miles set up the balls just as the others prepared their cues. Aaron picked up his cue lying on the table and wanted to jab Frank in the abdomen with it for hitting him, while he stood beside his friend at the other end. As always, there were no rules. With every challenge, all the rules were tossed out the window. Blade leaned closer to Frank to tell him to be alert. Miles and Aaron would do anything to cheat or to distract them with an injury. They stood across from the doorway with the boys watching, as Miles and Aaron thought of ways to cheat, while Aaron thought about hurting Frank during the game. He worse he made his rival, the better he would feel. Miles flipped a fake coin that he found in the pocket of his jacket that hung on a back of a wooden chair behind him, while keep it a secret. The coin came from one of his little sister’s games and must have put it in his pocket while he was playing with her. He held onto it while he went to Blade to ask what he wanted Heads or Tails. After it was flipped and landed upright Miles lied and said that it landed downward for the Scorpions to start first. Suspicions immediately a rose with Blade, as he went back to Miles to inspect the coin.
“What, you don’t trust me?” Miles said with a pleasant smile.
Blade shook his head and asked to see it.
The light was slightly dim, but enough to notice it was a toy.
“I knew you’d try to cheat.” Blade said.
Blade held the cigarette between his lips as he searched his jean pocket for a coin. He flipped and watched it land on the table bottom down near the fake. Miles and Aaron went first as predicted the first time. Neither Blade nor Frank said anything, but watched carefully. Miles broke the balls and continued. Aaron was next, then Frank and last Blade. The game appeared normal for the first twenty minutes, but after Miles and Aaron saw how good Blade was, they had to cheat somehow. No one took score, only that the table had to be clear of all the balls, except the white one. Miles tried to hide it at some point under his arm to cheat in order to win, Frank bent over the table near him to prevent it.
“Grow up.” Frank said. “Play it right, or we walk.”
Miles didn’t listen and hit a ball anyway with a guilty smile.
“You do that and we win.”
Frank and Blade had no choice. They had to play the best they could, and with honesty.
“They’re doin’ it ‘cause they know we’re winnin’.” Frank said to Blade.
Frank was good. He hit four, with three in the side pocket. Blade was better and hit most with the white ball. Each member took one or two turns, depending on whether a ball went into a pocket, however, Aaron tried to cheat by hitting another ball after the first missed. There were only four balls left and all were nearly in a line, Blade hit the first, and all went into a corner pocket near Miles. The two Scorpions stood in awe of shock. Miles even tried knock the table so one of them would miss the pocket, but all he did was hurt his right hip. The table was too heavy to move, not even an inch.
Sherry watched with suspense and excitement. Once all went in, she yelled with sheer delight and jumped with joy knowing her brother and her friend had won. Blade and Frank put the cues down. He then, went to Miles and Aaron with anger looks on their faces, and warned them to stay away from the girls or deal with them. Frank and Blade joined their friends, but before they all left, Aaron rushed around the table with cue to hit Frank on the back of his head before anyone could stop him. Miles didn’t want him to do it, but couldn’t reach him either. His friend was too fast. Miles tried to notify his rival, except his voice couldn’t outwash the music. Aaron knew that Vera was Frank’s weakness just like Leo knew that Rizzo was with Kenickie, this was the reason he drove into the Square to pick up her and Marty. He didn’t want Marty, but went with them to the dance anyway.
A security guard saw what happened and rushed to the scene. The Hercules man grabbed the cue from Aaron just as the group walked slowly out of the way, with Vera cradling Frank’s head in her arms. No one knew he was coming, except Vera felt completely relieved. There was no blood, only a bump on the cranium that would swell very quickly. ‘Hercules’ gave the Scorpion a warning not to do it again, or get thrown out with his friend.
After he left, Miles slapped his friend as hard as he could at the back of his head and told him never to embarrass him again, and meant it. He never saw his leader so angry and couldn’t figure out why, while he held his head with his right hand and a weird stare.
“What was that for?” He asked startled. “I thought you wanted me to take them.”
“Your head is in you penis.” Miles answered bitterly. “The chic isn’t yours anymore.”
Aaron took his hand off and stormed closer to his friend. He didn’t like what he had said and reminded him that Vera would always be his.
“I now want revenge.” Aaron said. “I want Louis to pay.”
“What does he have to do with you acting like a jealous ex?”
Aaron didn’t answer, only that he wanted revenge and he was going to get it. “Either you’re with me buddy, or you’re with them!”
Louis saw the group from behind the bar. He served one customer and left to tend to his young friends. He led them to his office, came out and met with his security that had a slightly disturbed look on his face. ‘Hercules’ never saw anyone use a cue stick in self-defense. He thought it was ridiculous. He had seen much violence in his day and dealt with them all, but to have witness something so stupid was the first. Louis wanted to know where they were and went to visit them with the guard. He saw the table and glass on the floor.
“I want you both OUT!”
He turned to his employee and asked him to make sure that they had left.
The Pink Ladies and T-Birds were unaware of what happened after they left the office ten minutes later, as they continued to enjoy themselves no matter what happened. Frank remained with Vera in a dark area with his head on her shoulder, while she ordered vodka, a non-alcoholic beverage and an ice pack. The T-Birds forgot all about what made them late and apologized anyway. Near the end of the evening, Vera was drunk, Mary felt slightly ill due to an unexpected spike in her drink after she returned, Sherry was still bewildered after being groped by Miles in the poolroom, while Barbara remained sober with a young attractive guy, who was also a police officer in training. Their first day since it reopened in early September was a nightmare, which got worse as they would hear about what happened the following day. Barbara sent a complaint to the bartender, who later referred the message to Louis moments before the breakout.
The guard studied them, as Miles grabbed his jacket with disgust, while Aaron pretended to act innocent. While Miles’ back was turned, the guard saw a wooden chair fly threw the air. The man ducked beside the pool table, as it smashed against the wall three feet where Miles’ had stood. The Leader of Scorpions jumped with his heart beating frantically inside his chest, as he quickly turned and saw who had done it. He became furious with rage and wanted to kill him, at the same time Aaron picked up another and hit the man over the head before he was able to stand. The sound was loud, but not loud enough. Several people nearby heard the commotion and went to check it out. Aaron saw them and yelled for the two to scatter before they got caught.
“I’m not the one that tried to kill a man.” Miles said.
The guard received a powerful, but painful headache that shook him to the core of nearly unconsciousness. Aaron ran out leaving Miles to clean up his mess. Miles left before anyone reached the room. When they saw him, he they weren’t sure whether he caused the problem or was a witness. The crowd slowly became even larger, as Miles quickly snuck into the washroom without anyone watching, just as the security and Louis rushed to the scene. Once it was clear, Miles then, darted towards the bar with a mask and motor-cycle gloves, jumped the bartender with a beer glass over the head, knocking him unconscious before opening the register for the money, and two bottles of expensive wine. There were cameras above and he didn’t want to be seen. Everything happened within minutes. It was like a locomotive out of control. That’s how fast it all was. Once he reached outside, Aaron had already left, at the same time he scattered with the questions of what his friend had done; all awhile another plans to commit a robbery was in progress. He didn’t know what his friend was thinking, as assault charges; theft and attempted murder were added on what, a fast lay. Vera wasn’t even worth a trip to a motel room, not after this.
When the news about the bartender reached Louis, he rushed to check on him at the same time he noticed the opened register. Miles filled his pockets of two thousand dollars in cash and zipped them both as he left. The music stopped after a waitress yelled in horror at what she saw behind the counter.
Blade danced with a couple of girls, as well as bought them a drink, but left before the nightmare. He stopped in front of the Frosty Palace snack stand near the food court to listened to the silence and the sounds of the waves against the sand. It was one o’clock and the Galleria Boardwalk was closed for the night, but the sound of silence was nice. He leaned over the railing and stared into the darkness with questions of which guy was than Amanda was with.
‘Whenever I see the two of you, I hope his heart is true. He looks like he cares, but I hope that he treats you fare. He can easily be deceive so please don’t believe. Does he tell you sweet things, or does he see you as another ‘ugly’ fling? He seems to be a Romeo, but maybe he’s a gigolo. I hope nothin’ goes wrong, for the hurtful road can be long. You seem fine. Maybe one day you’ll be mine. I hope he’s what you’re lookin’ for, ‘cause you deserve so much more. If you’re satisfied, then please don’t every cry. This maybe warm and true, but don’t let ‘em hurt you. I’ll be there to show you how much I care. This is just a dream with something to believe. No one will ever know how much I care for you so. You’ll be part of my soul. I won’t let you go, not with a love that maybe out of control. I just wanna let you know and tell you I gotta go. Dream in sweet memories with a devotion of happiness.’
He walked back to the club near the end, to see Louis standing outside with his wife and an officer. He was unaware of what had transpired until after the paramedics arrived.
CHAPTER THREE
On the Monday following the event, the news about what happened was printed in the local newspaper the next day. Before homeroom began, the principal announced the cafeteria would serve free beverages during lunch throughout the year, as well offered fifty percent off on all school supplies at the school store. Amanda didn’t know Rydell had a store, but she guessed it started years after her family graduated. Also, the principal reminded the seniors to purchase their school rings before the end of the week.
The T-Birds disliked what happened, but they wanted to know more about what happened to Blade before his friends went with the rest of their class to the auto junkyard after school for a car to rebuild and be graded. The class took place during the day like all the others, but this trip was special and had to be done after school. Blade never had the same class, because he already had a job doing the same thing. He didn’t answer and went to the theatre with his books in his hand and a long hope that he would drive her to work, since he was going in that direction.
The meeting was about the Centennial, but like before she saw Sharon and the girls at the Talent Show. While she sat in the first row beside Tina, she saw the girls sing and dance to the Girl for all Seasons. Amanda couldn’t sing like her sister or like the other girls, but sang anyway without her being aware of it. She never heard the teacher, nor was Sharon aware that anyone knew the song after all these years.
“I’ll be yours in spring time when the flowers…”
Amanda continued until the end, when Sharon climbed down and shook her student gently from the trance she was in. Amanda felt it, looked up at her with a clueless expression, as the rest of the students giggled lightly with amusement. Sharon asked where she heard the song, except Amanda didn’t know what she was talking about. Her head was still not clear. Tina gently tapped her cheeks to wake her; at the same time Sharon asked her whether she wanted the other student’s help. The lyrics were in the archives of the music department, but she didn’t think the music teacher used or them. Without fully realizing it, Amanda said Stephanie, at the same time the rest remained clueless, except for the teacher. Sharon hadn’t heard the name in years. She never knew her long lost friend was still in town or back.
Blade watched everything from the dark and found it strange. The last time he saw something similar was in a movie. This was even weirder. He didn’t think this could actually happen. He quickly forgot about the club and because intrigued. He wondered how she knew the former Pink Lady and whether Sherry, Frank or the teen’s father was aware of this. Amanda shook her head again, and then looked at Sharon with clear focus.
“It happened again.” Amanda said in a low concerned tone.
“What did?” Tina asked.
She looked at the teacher. “Hi, Mrs. Dimmuci. Why are you lookin’ at me that way?”
“Answer my question?”
She glanced at Tina clueless and back at the teacher.
“Don’t mock me!” The teacher answered with hostility.
Amanda didn’t know what the woman was talking about. She would never behave rudely to an adult.
“It happened again didn’t it?” Amanda asked with concern. Tears began to show. She felt embarrassed for something she had no control.
Tina nodded, and then patted her friend’s right hand for support.
“She wasn’t.” Tina said honestly. “She…she has something that no one else has. I wish I can explain it without getting laughed at.”
The teacher didn’t believe it and let it go. She returned to the discussion for the special event, while Amanda gathered her strength and thoughts to join the rest. Tina knew quite a bit, so she was the only one Amanda could trust. After the first story, she said that Amanda’s experiences might have been linked to the stories she heard and the photos she saw. It was possible, but up until now, she was never told about the Frosty Palace, Sandy running down the hall during the school’s anthem on the first day, or her sister and cousin meeting Frenchy outside.
Blade left and wondered what he saw. He stopped at a custodian near the main door and asked him to deliver the small clear plastic sandwich bag with a small blue and white artificial flower to Amanda. She liked it and kept it. It was a nice gesture of interest, but remained adamant about where she stood with him and the group. Marcel picked her up at four thirty just as Blade sped out of the driveway to the Square. He watched him disappear quickly in the left and rear view mirrors. Amanda was three minutes late, because of the meeting. The T-Birds and the Pink Ladies left soon after. He liked the pink car and wondered who once owned it before, because it was in good shape and ran pretty good, other than the minor unwanted noise it shouldn’t have made. Amanda worked and completed her school assignments with the pen around her neck. She eventually worked on a theme for the play, but nothing came. Her mind was blank.
Just as she walked off the front stage, she heard the cheerleaders start their audition of Brad. She turned around slowly to hear one of twins tell her sister how excited she was for being the first to rehearse. After that came the Pink Ladies and then, Johnny and the T-Birds singing Prowlin’. The T-Birds weren’t prepared and looked like Asses. What was happening to her?
Blade began to work immediately on the 1989 Pontiac car at the garage that came in on the evening of the club disaster. He had replaced the break pads, but needed to replace the transmission. He was a hard young worker with great determination. He worked for five hours without a break and hoped to work on his 1979 Stingray that his father’s friend had given him. It needed almost everything, except a body. That remained with barely a dent. Before Kenickie had left for the evening, he purchased a hamburger, fries and a can of cola from the Frosty Palace. Blade appreciated the offer and thanked him warmly before getting back to work. He watched him place the bag on top of the tall red metal toolbox next to his jacket. When Kenickie saw a light blue mark on the back, he touched it while Blade’s back was turned, and saw what was printed on it. He was delighted to know that the boys still kept the legend going. He knew what school he attended, but didn’t know what status the teen had in the group. Knowing this strong connection, Kenickie knew that he could trust the young man with the extra set of keys to the business. He had so many questions but didn’t know where to begin. He doubted whether the teen would answer.
“I’m given’ you these.” Kenickie said as he held out his left hand.
Blade turned to look at him and at his hand. He reached out and accepted it with gratitude.
“Lock up.” He said with a warm acceptable smile.
Blade appreciated it, but didn’t know the reason other than trust.
“Thanks. I promise to guard them with my life.”
He watched him leave garage through the service door and disappear. Once he was gone, Blade ate his dinner and continued to work. He had a little trouble trying to install the transmission. It was the right size, make and model, it was just that part of the connection under the car was a little rusted and he had to work on how to clean and attach. The T-Bird had another car, other his own, to work on, and he hoped to complete this one before the end of the week, so he could go to the Galleria Boardwalk with his friends. He had the day off and he wanted to have fun before the theme park closed for the season.
There was a slight conflict between Marcel and his girlfriend concerning Amanda and the park. She wanted to go, but not to baby sit. She hadn’t been there in over a year and from what she heard, the park had more attractions. He explained over a beer at Sunny’s restaurant what he saw and how he be-lieved the gang was dangerous even a bad influence on an innocent mind. He even told her about the other leather biker gang, which didn’t fizzle on her, as she felt slightly uncomfortable listening to something that might either be an obsession or jealousy during the times he spent with her. Marcel had no interest in the teen, just in her, the one he thought would be his fiancé one day. He made it clear that he was concerned for Amanda’s welfare since she was an orphan with a sister who didn’t care about her and a father who should have kept his ‘car in his own garage.’ The story was summarized, but it wasn’t far fetched. Things like this happen all the time with a child left to fight for his or her own identity in this world. Who could abandon a lost child? She thought with honesty and pity. Unfortunately, Marty overheard part of the conversation and wasn’t pleased while taking their order. She had requested them to pay and then leave as soon as they could. She only knew what he said about her old group, to which she never knew were still around, and about abandonment, before she disappeared behind the counter to the kitchen. The news about this would eventually get back to Danny, because Sunny and him remained close. If it does, Sunny would want to know every-thing. Frenchy already became suspicious of what might be going on and she was trying to get close enough to Amanda for her to confide in the former Pink Lady, but the teen seemed reluctant, and with good reason.
Marcel drove the two women to the theme park around twelve thirty. The day before she went, Danny had asked Frenchy in secret to give Amanda one day off, so she could enjoy it with her new friends. He meant the Pink Ladies, and told her that Amanda would work overtime, and he would pick her up. This was okay. He secretly gave Amanda a hundred dollars and told her not to pay him back, but to keep it between them. She gave him bear hug and a kiss on the cheek before Marcel drove off. By this time the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies were already there. Frank and Vera were half nude in the back seat of the Studebaker with the motorcycles parked on either side like guardians of a treasure. Moose and Chaz wanted to have fun and watch, while the rest of their friends enjoyed the park. The two teens in the car hadn’t been in the parking lot for twenty minutes before they started to grab at each other. No one was around when they started until the T-Birds saw the car move, so the peaked in the back window silent as two lambs in the field grazing, when Frank peaked up and saw them. Boy, was he ever mad.
“GET OUTTA HERE! YOU PREVERTS!”
Vera immediately climbed up on her elbows to watch and shook her head with disgrace.
“Those boys have no respect.” She said.
The two began groping each other and swallowing each other’s tongues as their hormones raced, when they were disturbed again, but this time by a police officer, which knocked on the window and gave the two a summons for indecent exposure in a public place. The two thought it was Chaz and Moose returning for another peep. Frank had said something in anger not knowing that it wasn’t them, and blushed with humiliation for the embarrassing scene he help cause. They both received the two hundred dollar summons that had to be paid the next day or the two would be charged legally. Vera didn’t know how she would pay it. She didn’t make that much, not even at the Frosty Palace, where she waited part time during the week. Since she just started, she barely had enough to pay rent on a cheap apartment. She was lucky she was able to get time off. She had lied to her boss about studying for a test in order to go to the park.
Amanda arrived a couple of hours later with Marcel and his girlfriend and walked past the Blade and Frank on the first black metal benches near the entrance. No one knew that she would be there, because Sherry had told her brother the day before that Amanda had turned down her invitation. When Frank and Blade saw her, Frank asked her why she had lied. She glanced at him, pretending not to have seen Blade, said nothing while Marcel spoke for her. He spoke protectively of her and said that she was allowed choosing whom she wanted to be with. The three continue walking, which in fumed Frank, who said the guy was an ignorant ass. Blade did nothing, because he somehow didn’t like him and it was possible due to jealousy or it had to do with what was already confirmed. The guy already had a girlfriend, so what was she there for? He wanted to know. Frank watched them disappear amongst the crowd and then, looked at the club and saw two attractive girls that were just what the Scorpions liked. Maybe they were their chics. They both thought the two boys were handsome, especially Blade, except the girl on the left looked like the lead singer of Twisted Sister, and the other looked like Tammy Fay. Both wore heavy make up with their hair as wild and unusual as the two celebrities. Blade was sitting on the back of the bench with his arms supporting him, when he looked up and saw them. They were a complete turn off, so he whispered to Frank that they had worn their Halloween costumes too early. He laughed as he released a puff of smoke from his nose and mouth, except the girls didn’t find anything humorous about it and left with an insult. Apparently they heard a part of it and no longer wanted to stay. It was either that or, someone else had spoken about how the park had gone down hill with prostitutes.
“Does she think she’s better than us?” Frank asked with slight sarcasm.
“I don’t know,” Blade said. “So just leave her alone.”
Blade continued to sit for an hour just watching the crowd come and go, except Frank left to find Vera at the food court, where the two had a private picnic on the beach. The two were relaxed. After lunch Vera laid topless until the same security guards that caught them in the sexual act, gave her another for the same thing. This time, she swore harshly and asked the reason for it. The guard answered that it wasn’t a nude beach. The beach was split in two sections: nude and regular. The nude had a large dark screen that divided the beach, as well as had another in front of the parking lot so that no one would view the nudist. However, the security guard was new on duty and didn’t know the difference or he was deliberately following and causing trouble for these two teens for some unknown reason. After he had left, Aaron appeared with a happy satisfied grin for both the summons and for the good view of her round plump breasts.
“They’re more mature than when I last touched and seen them.” He commented.
Vera quickly pulled over her light yellow tank top with the spaghetti straps, while Aaron was aroused and amused. Her boyfriend couldn’t control himself any longer. First he tried to keep her at the club, now he pushed the T-Bird to the breaking point. What Aaron had asked for? When the security guard saw it, he broke it up and gave Frank a summons. He was out of breath with scratches on his arms and back; at the same time he cursed the guard for what he did and for not giving one to Aaron. Frank was suspicious and glanced at her.
“Take on me for it won’t be long. He’s lookin’ for a rumble. One day I’m gonna watch his head tumble. Leave him to me. I’m gonna knock him down before he’s able to turn around. Needless to say, he’s here until that day, but I play for keeps. Don’t worry or say you’re sorry, ‘cause he’ll be gone and everyone will know that he was wrong. We’re together until end, ‘cause we’re more than just friends. The beach is a place for play, but turns he turns it gray. He pops up anytime. He’ll even steal a dime. He’ll always be shady. You’ll be by my side when I kick his hide. We’ll celebrate in the end, ‘cause there’ll be nothin’ to defend, so I want to take him on. There’s one wish, and it’s gonna be finished!”
Marcel took the two young women to the food court first at the far end of the boardwalk, where he bought them burgers, fries, a can of soda and a salad. The Galleria Boardwalk had various shops and game venders on the right, with a long black double railing twenty feet on the left with tall lampposts, speakers and a flowerpot with various annuals on hooks below. On the boardwalk in front of the railings were benches with dark green trashcans four feet in between each. Beyond the food court were the rides with more game venders and a mini concert theatre. On the left of the park was a long dock for rented boats to fish or bumper boats to play on. Both weren’t included on the ticket price, because the cost for the boats included the cost of the fuel for the bumper boats and the baits to fish. The beach was free for swimmers and fire pit/barbeque users. The only things that weren’t free were the surfboards and other inflatable accessories. There were brick fire pits/barbeques near the dock and away from the rest of the beach lovers for safety purposes. Around this area were two portable toilets and two change rooms. Blade eventually went to the food court for a snack and saw the three of them, along with Bruce and Sherry. She saw her and was very disappointed, but tried not to let it get to her. They invited him over and invited him to the park, where the two were going to spend the afternoon. Amanda never spoke about her mother’s death or the rest of her family. She was there to escape the world she left behind and thanked the two what they were doing. However, part of her felt like a fifth wheel and wanted to leave. Another part wanted her to stay, but not with them. If she knew her way, she would have continued alone and met them later at a certain spot. Marcel had read about the violence at the club and saw Louis later that day in the park and informed him of a friend that needed a job until his other bartender had recovered. Louis considered it and asked for the telephone number.
Amanda never saw the former T-Bird, but seen an old photo in Michael’s yearbook. Marcel purchased tickets for the park and walked with them at all the attractions, as well as rode most of the rides with him and his girlfriend. When she didn’t feel like going with them, played the games nearby. Amanda came off the Ferris wheel alone, when Sherry quickly approached to ask her why she didn’t accept her invitation. Amanda never intended to cause a problem or hurt her old friend’s feelings, but she just didn’t want to be the T-Birds or Pink Ladies, so she accepted Marcel’s offer. As Bruce caught up to her from the same ride, he overheard Amanda tell Sherry that she wasn’t the same girl she once knew. He realized the two girls were long time friends, but never understood what she had meant. Amanda saw Marcel and his girlfriend step off a roller coaster and quickly rushed towards them, leaving her gasping and gawking at what she took was an insult, before figuring out what she had really meant. While the three were there, Amanda never won prizes, not at first, until Marcel and his girlfriend saw the slight envy due to their small prizes and wanted to help. Marcel advised her on how to play one game, which she won a little stuffed penguin. The next game his girlfriend helped her play a target game with a water gun. Amanda played this game before but always took a gun was defective or barely squirted water. Such games were rigged so the player would return to spend more money. She won a little rag doll that looked like Raggedy Anne and Holly Hobbs. Amanda stood alone amongst the others in a long line for the swings, with Bruce and Sherry two people a head. When Amanda saw them, she hoped not to talk to them, at the same time she felt slightly sorry for what she had said earlier. Bruce saw her just as he bucked himself in. He gave a little nudge to Sherry to look; at the same time she watched her old friend walk two rows behind and sat in one of the outside chairs. After all were bucked in the ride began to rotate slowly with the swings sliding out-wards. After it was over, Sherry left Bruce again to find out what Amanda had meant by not the same, to confirm what she already knew. The fire red head had her reasons, but to find out whether she was right or wrong, was something Amanda didn’t want to talk about. Marcel watched from the railing and wanted to stop the brief meeting. When he tried to go in the out direction, the ride manager held his hand in front in order to prevent him from going in. He had to stay outside unless he wanted trouble with the security. Amanda quickly asked her question for her to consider. She asked what the reasons were for her to change appearance, behavior and attitude. She also wanted to know what the attraction was for both gangs, as well as told her that her family didn’t need to do what they did, because they would probably had been accepted by who they really were. Once out of the gate, Marcel touched her back and gently led her away. She turned and asked one more question about whether it was worth the right decision.
Amanda didn’t go on any more rides, because she didn’t want to bump into anymore of the group, so she stuck with the games. The group rarely played them. The prices of the games ranged from a dollar to three, depending on what they were. The venders that had things to throw like balls or rings; they were a dollar for four. Amanda was good at the games with the balls, because she won a giant panda at one and a polar bear with a black vest at another. During the games where she was alone, she met one of the Scorpions, and didn’t like him. Marcel and his girlfriend were on the ride two feet away and were uneasy about what was going on or what would happen. She was aware of the gang and warned her boyfriend of the dangers surrounding them. The two couldn’t reach her due to the ride they were on, but tried their best to watch closely every time the ride came around to the game. The guy didn’t do anything, except flirt and made a pass. When Marcel saw him, he told the guy to get lost and find a prostitute. The guy left and hid behind another game booth to drink alcohol and cigarettes that he smuggled in. Both were forbidden.
At the end of the evening, around a quarter to nine, she left the park with two large stuffed toys, two small and a white plastic bag full of candy. Marcel’s girlfriend won a pair star shaped earrings, while he won a free pass to the park. Amanda saw the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies head towards the beach for a bonfire. Blade was the last. He saw Amanda and tried to invite her, except Marcel wasn’t too pleased and answered for her. Blade responded with sarcastic question about who he really was her father or boy-friend. His girlfriend felt slightly insulted, but brushed it off as the leader of the T-Birds disappeared into the night. After her things were in the back seat of the car, she couldn’t go home or be a third party in their date, so she said she would call a taxi when she was ready. He was willing to drop her off at her father’s house, but she wasn’t ready to be with again. She needed more time. Even though she spent a week with him, he was still a stranger and she was still uncomfortable around him. She thought about Blade’s invitation and would ask him to help her with her prizes. He was determined to have her remain. It was getting late and he didn’t want the Scorpions or any other entrusted guy to endanger her, so they agreed not to leave her stranded until they knew she would be safe. She compared the Scorpions to the T-Birds and told her how safe Amanda would be with the boys from Rydell. He wanted to know how she knew all of this. Her answer was easy. Her brother worked for Sunny’s Pizza and her cousin worked as a teacher at Rydell. The T-Birds remained rough around the edges, but they knew how to treat women, even if they did think about sex a lot, but what boy didn’t, unless he was nerd and only interested in science and biology. He was hesitant and fearful. He didn’t want anything bad to happen, or both Danny and his father-in-law would kill him. Amanda was very scared and uncertain, but she seemed to sense that she would be okay with Blade, even though she didn’t know him very well. She knew enough to know that he would never harm her. Marcel asked his girlfriend to take her over to where the teens were and hoped that they would agree to drive her home. For the rest of the night, he would continue to worry instead of being focused completely on her. His girlfriend waited several feet away until it was safe to leave. When Amanda found them near the dock she received a displeasing looks from both Sherry and Frank, while she asked Blade whether it was too late to join him. The question surprised her, because she never asked a boy if she could sit with him. He seemed to surprise and more than pleased to know that she had changed her mind.
There were three benches. The one Blade, Mary and Chaz sat on were east to west. Frank and Vera were on the other that was north and south, while Moose and Barbara sat south across from the pit-facing Blade on the other side. Blade cleared a spot at the other end of the bench for her and asked Mary to put Amanda’s bag in the car. She didn’t really want to, because she wanted to be with her boyfriend, but she admired Blade so much, that she did it as a favor; while Sherry complained like a child about the insult her old friend gave. No one was really interested. Before Mary left, she told her to burn it, but both Blade and Frank gave her a dirty look with her brother telling her to grow up. Sherry huffed in anger like a child pouting, while Vera shook her head slightly in agreement, while feeling the warmth and strength from her boyfriend’s right arm around her shoulders. Her anger quickly faded after Bruce kissed her passionately for her to forget.
He never seen her behave this way and wondered why, even where it came from, because he certainly didn’t want to see it again.
Amanda and Blade took a walk on the beach, but before she could actually relax, or try to, she was worried about Danny, and informed him that she needed to use the pay phone. He led her away, but while she spoke he overheard her repeat the Danny’s name. Sandy wanted to know whom she was with since she wasn’t with Marcel. Amanda answered, but asked for Danny repeatedly with no luck, but with tears coming to her eyes. He didn’t know whether to comfort her or if it was appropriate. When he did, she never said anything or even knew it, as she heard his voice far in the back- ground. He was mad at his wife. Once he took the phone she felt a little better. Danny wanted to talk Blade, so she handed the phone over to him and told him why. Blade wasn’t good with talking to people in such matters on the phone, so he did his best. He felt like he was being interrogated, which always made him uncomfortable. Her brother-in-law gave his first name and then, asked for Blade’s identity. He couldn’t use his nickname, so he used his full name with a slight crack in his voice. Danny wanted to know if the boy attended the same school. Amanda heard the T-Bird answer. He also asked if he could meet the teen to thank him. Blade doubted it, but to satisfy him, he would. After the unusual conversation, she apologized, as well as told him that her brother-in-law was the only one that made her feel a little comfortable.
Back at the beach silence fell, but only for a short while as he started a one-man conversation that was rudely interrupted. He was going to ask more about her family, but after that night, he doubted she would answer. The T-Birds and the Pink Ladies were caught off guard by the Scorpions sudden uninvited invitation. They scattered sand on those ten feet as they sped past and heard a couple of them shout harsh words to them. They watched the gang stop and block the view of the water from the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, while Amanda dashed behind Blade like a scared child. She peered out from behind and apologized for acting immaturely, but he understood.
“Oh shoot.” Blade said with a low frustrated tone.
He looked back with a warm comfort smile and told her that everything would be fine. She didn’t know whether to believe him or run.
Miles was ahead as always with his friends behind.
“GET OFF OUR BEACH!” He demanded in anger, while still on his motorcycle. They were all on their machines, which was against the law. Only emergency vehicles were allowed.
“Drop dead dick head.” Moose said in sarcastically in defense. “You’re breakin’ the law.”
“They’re no rules on the beach.” Aaron retorted. “So get off our beach.”
“Where does it say ‘Losers’?” Chaz asked with a sarcastic grin.
“Are you gonna shut ‘em up?” Miles asked Blade.
Miles didn’t like Chaz. He thought the T-Bird was worse than the rest, especially intellectually.
“Go find your own spot,” Bruce said. “And leave us alone.”
The Pink Ladies had backed away as soon as the Scorpions withdrew their weapons. They were ready to fight, but the T-Birds weren’t. Even though they had their weapons, they had to remain cool.
“Let’s see which won wins.” Aaron said with a gun pointed at them.
Two security guards made their final rounds before the park closed around two. The never saw what was going on at first, but one of them saw tire tracks from the parking lot to the beach and began to follow them. Once at the source they immediately began to question the event, as well as ordered the Scorpions off the beach before they received a thousand dollar summands. Lots of money for trespassing, but the only comment Miles had was that other vehicles were allowed, except he never said what kind. One of the guards was related to Aaron, except no one knew it, and he was the one that gave the summons to Frank and Vera. The one related to Aaron was only a rookie, who took two orders from him as well as promised to keep his secret. His partner never knew. Aaron’s cousin watched his partner write the summons, but after the disturbance was over, his cousin pick pocketed the book and tore out the pages very neatly before lying to his partner that he had dropped it.
Back at the bonfire, the group lost their appetites for any of the snacks they bought and wanted something stronger to drink other than pop, especially Vera. She no longer had any Vodka. She drank the last on the beach after Aaron paid his unexpected visit.
Amanda felt a huge weight being lifted. She was relieved that they were gone. She had watched Vera drink the last alcohol and wondered whether the rest of the girls drank, especially those from the past. She believed they might have but not heavily, except she sensed that Vera did from the way she always appeared and smelled. An alcoholic ranked of booze, even under the perfume or cologne. He or she even had blood shot eyes, odor on his or her breath, and staggered in the walk. Amanda doubted whether to ask Vera whether she should drive, even though she would receive a drunken backlash, but had to say something anyway.
“Are you going to drive?”
“What’s it to ya?” Vera answered with a slightly sarcastic, but slightly slurred tone.
Blade sighed with impatient and told to sober up or get out. Frank jumped to her defense to explain her reasons, except he didn’t want to listen, because there was no excuse that would cause her to become a drunk if she wasn’t already. Vera was pleased for what he did and gave him a hard kiss, even though he didn’t care for the taste of alcohol and cigarettes. He held on to it, at the same time he tried to make Blade and the rest believe that it was okay.
“Leave her alone.” Frank said again.
Blade looked at the girls and told them that it was their decision on what to do. The code could be broken if she refused to fly right. If she wanted help, they would do it without tarnishing the reputation.
“We worked hard to clean it after Louisa and Morgan’s girls had done.” Sherry said firmly. “We can’t let it get tarnished again.”
Barbara and Mary knew she was right yet, they felt that Amanda had stuck her nose where it didn’t belong. Eventually the girls would have spoken about it, but only if they saw it getting worse. No one outside the group was aware, but they thought that she would blab to the rest of the school and start trouble.
“Back off.” Blade said defensively. “She don’t need you in her face.”
He then glanced at Amanda and continued. “Her lips are sealed.” Amanda nodded. She didn’t care what the girls did; only that it did involve her two oldest friends. She only hoped that Sherry or Frank weren’t in the car, while Vera was behind the wheel drunk.
“Frankly, I don’t care what you do.” Amanda said sternly with concern. “I do care about my friends Frank and Sherry. We’ve been friends since we were children, and I don’t want to see them in a car with you behind the wheel drunk.”
Vera stopped, pushed him away a little and looked at her with slight discussed. She then, went closer to her, while beside Blade and told her how she felt.
“How dare you tell me what to do?” She waved her finger in front of her nose. “Who gave you-“
“Stop it!” Blade said angrily.
He looked at Frank. “You better get her under control before I hit her.”
Frank pulled her away at the same time, she glanced at him and asked why, while jotting out questions that were unrelated, like why he was defending the virgin and why he no longer defended her etc. She even threatened to kick Sherry out because of her friendship with Amanda, except Sherry wasn’t scared, only defensive, because she wasn’t going to accept Vera’s non-sense.
“My friendship has nothing to do with the group.”
“The next time I see her, she better be sober or she’s out!” Blade said firmly and then, walked with Amanda to his motorcycle.
The last thing she heard was Vera telling them how she didn’t care who her relative’s were, Amanda wasn’t going to be part of the girls. Sherry never asked. She only wanted Amanda to have a locker. She also didn’t want to ride in the same car as her, so she rode home on the back of Frank’s motorcycle.
Barbara, Sherry, Mary and Blade saw Sandy and Danny’s house. They were unaware who lived inside with Amanda, but when Blade walked her to the door and saw the former T-Bird behind her, all were shocked. He had read the school’s newspaper, like the rest but never thought anything of it. Questions immediately rushed through the girls, especially Sherry, who wanted to know the reason for the secret. Blade met him once before at S&M Pizzeria, and the two immediately got into a conversation, while the former T-Bird reacted surprised by the legacy that him and his friends had left behind. He reminded the teen that the group were lovers and not violent. He never asked whether the Pink Ladies still existed, but assumed. As well as reminded him the girls were off limits to anyone, which was probably the same speech Frenchy gave Michael in the football field. He was interested in Stephanie, except he wasn’t allowed to go near her. Before Danny left, he was impressed and wished him well.
CHAPTER FOUR
Blade turned eighteen on October 11. He
was to celebrate with his friends at the Frosty Palace, except he couldn’t take
time from work to join them. Sherry invited Amanda, except she couldn’t make it
due to her job, and after what happened on the beach, she doubted that she ever
would be around them again. Amanda gave him a card and a gift certificate to
Bargain City; a discount store that sold numerous products that Frenchy took
her to before driving her home one evening. Frenchy purchased towels, face
cloths, bars of soap with aloe, laundry soap and hair supplies for her
business.
She heard about the party through numerous
students. Some were false, which started rumors about the restaurant being
burned to the ground; while the truth was the Scorpions had set fire in the
boy’s washroom with a volatile cocktail thrown through the opened window before
the cake came out. The place was cleared faster than the crowd at the club, and
there weren’t as many. The fire was set deliberately because of the T-Birds
being there plus, the gang was aware that part owner was a former T-Bird. The
day after, the Scorpions rode their motorcycles through the movie theatre after
it was closed. They stole money from the cash registers, candies as well as
left a T-Bird jacket similar to the one Frank wore. Frank never forgot his, but
Aaron wanted to get him into trouble, so he could win the heart of his
ex-girlfriend, except it failed when Frank showed the police his jacket and
told him where he was at that time. He had an alibi as well as had a witness to
support it. The security cameras, however, showed a gang with different
motorcycles to the machines the T-Birds drove.
Since then, Amanda stayed away from the
group and immersed herself in schoolwork, her job, newspaper club and the
vendors in the auditorium. She saw a few of the gang members, which couldn’t be
avoided, including Frank, who tried to make small talk. She worked mostly in
the library for her assignments and for research for the Centennial. She worked
better at school and at the salon, because it was quiet and less stressful. Two
days before Halloween, the gang invited her to the Bowl-a-rama to release stress
and for a good time. Johnny and his friends played every Tuesday night, which
was later changed to the weekends in order for the gang to be together. Amanda
didn’t want to go at first, but immediately accepted, since it kept her away
longer. At least she wouldn’t have felt like a fifth wheel with Marcel and his
fiancé. Barbara borrowed her mother’s light blue 1988 four door Ford car,
because the Studebaker needed repairs since the Galleria. Mary could have used
Rizzo’s, but her car was at Kenickie’s garage. It had been out of commission
for a while. The parts were difficult to find due to the age and model, so
Blade and his boys had to rely on what they could get their hands on in junk
yards and other auto part dealers. Blade kept it at Kenickie’s garage to work
on whenever he could.
The bowling alley remained the same
inside and out. Just as the car entered the driveway, Amanda saw the images of
the motorcycle chase with her cousin and the Cycle Lords, and the gang hiding
inside before rushing out for a closer look. The T-Birds stood outside the
doors, while the Pink Ladies watched from the hood of another car. Stephanie
was completely intrigued and interested, but at the end police came and watched
Michael jump over the patrol car at the same time, he stole Stephanie’s heart
in the process. Johnny saw it all and was disappointed. Sherry was behind
Barbara and saw that Amanda wasn’t with them, so she returned to the car to
notice the trance. She snapped her fingers a couple of times and slapped her
cheeks lightly in order to wake her. When Amanda shook her head to clear it,
she saw her friend and blushed with humiliation.
“Sorry.”
“Are you okay?” Sherry asked.
“Yeah.”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Sherry said.
“I’m okay.”
Sherry had doubts but quickly forgot about
it.
“Come on and lets have some fun.”
The only changes to the bowling alley
inside were the electronic score boards and the video games in the arcades.
From the moment the car pulled into the parking lot, to what was occurring
inside, intrigued her, as she slowly walked behind the allies, to where her
friends were. She saw Johnny bend down in front of the cigarette machine with
the out of order sign and the giant pins behind him, to the rest of the
group bowling, the images and their voices were clear. Johnny had just bowled
and tried to cheat by telling his boys that it was a strike, when Stephanie
corrected him. So to make him appear that he knew what he was doing, which he
didn’t, he believed it was a half strike and blamed the reason on the girls.
They were all there, Johnny, Goose, Davey, Louis, Stephanie, Paulette, Sharon,
Rhonda and young Dolores. Paulette disagreed with his comment, while Dolores
said something about her bra. She went to bowl at the same time Johnny and
Louis stared at the way the blond Pink Lady flaunted sex. The ball hit all the
pins. She returned to Johnny, who held her and was tempted to a kiss her, while
the rest wanted to play. He then, jumped on the score table to announce what he
wanted with the others listening and responding. She saw the excitement and the
fun, as well as heard every word, including the count down with all the teens
on the knees a lined on either side of the lane.
Paulette, Sharon and Rhonda wore pink
and white-checkered bowling shirts, while Stephanie wore red with black and
white stripes around the arms of the sleeves. Sharon, however, decorated her
shirt with a black ribbon from the shoulder to around both sleeves, as part of
her style and taste. The Pink Ladies also had pink blowing balls in pink
leather-bowling bags with a dark pink square patch in the front with the words PINK
LADIES written in black. The boys wore black bowling shirts with a wide
white stripe on the collar and sleeves and a silver gray bowling ball at the
back with the words T-Birds printed in black, while Johnny wore a white
and black pinned stripe shirt with black stripes on the collar and sleeves,
with same monogram at the back.
While in the trance, Sherry and her
friends were all ready to go. They began with Vera and Blade first. Amanda was
last. No one noticed she was absent until a few minutes later. Vera and her
girls never wore the same skirts as the former Pink Ladies or carried their own
monogram ball bags and balls. They wore light pink t-shirts with a white rim
around the cuffs, neck and bottom hem, the words Pink Ladies in black and the
name of the girls above the left breast. They were nice and inexpensive, but
stylish as well. In fact, it was Vera’s idea to wear them, because it looked
good under her jacket, as well as with everything else she wore. When Amanda’s
turn came, it was Frank, who turned around from the back of his seat to see her
and immediately wondered what was going on.
“Oh, no.” Sherry said as she quickly got
up. “Not again.”
“I told you she was a nerd.” Vera said
sarcastically from the score table.
Sherry looked back and told her fiercely
to shut up.
“What’s goin’ on?” Frank asked as he went
to her.
“I gotta tell ya later.”
Sherry slapped her face gently again to
awake her at the same time Blade wondered the same. The images faded just Bruce
commented to Moose that she was a freakish nerd. Moose nodded with a grin,
while Vera smiled and called her a virgin nerd.
Johnny’s words continued to echo in the
air ‘Let’s bowl. Let’s bowl. Let’s rock n’ roll.’ Neither Michael nor
Stephanie told her about Johnny standing on the score table, only about how he
won her heart. Amanda never saw the inside or knew where the bowling alley was
located until that evening, so how was it possible for her to have seen and
heard these images?
All of them never saw anyone in a trans
without a psychiatrist.
“That’s creepy.” Chaz commented before he
made the do do sounds like in a horror movie.
“There’s something seriously wrong with
her.” Mary said.
Amanda’s head was clear, while Sherry
looked at her strangely again.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was goin’ to ask you” Sherry answered
with concerned.
“Huh.”
“We all played and are waitin’ for you.”
Amanda raised her right hand to the side of
her face. “Oh no!”
She wanted to cry, but held back.
“Why does this keep happening?”
“They came back, didn’t they?” Sherry
asked.
Sherry remembered. Her and Frank once saw
Amanda do the same thing after her grandmother died. She had visited places
that her late relative once did whether she was told about them or not, and had
the same experiences. It was creepy then and remained.
Amanda nodded just as Vera asked whether
she was going to play.
She got ready and picked up a ball from the
retriever. Amanda wasn’t a good bowler anymore. Her uncle used to take her
between practices with his teams, which stopped after the first tournament. She
was ready to bowl and focused her attention on pins. The first throw was a
strike. It surprised her and the other completely, because they all thought she
would fail, herself in-cluded. She turned and went back, but was a little
fearful about whether she was allowed to join the girls on bench.
Frenchy and Doody were in the arcade
playing pool and drinking beer with a couple of friends, when she saw what
happened while going towards the washrooms. She didn’t know what was going on,
or was aware that her employee was there, but was glad that the teen wasn’t
alone. She wanted to go over, but she knew that it was handled, because when
she returned, she saw her bowl. It was her second round. She wondered if Sandy
was aware of this, but doubted it. The T-Birds played worse than the Johnny’s
boys, with unexpected distractions in between. Paulette distracted Johnny, so
Vera did the same, but worse. Just as Frank went to bowl, she went to him and
stopped two feet in front of the alley. She teased him by calling his name with
sexual pleasure before asking him whether he wanted to touch her breasts for
luck, at the same time she pulled up her shirt to show him. She wore a black
lace bra that showed everything but her nipples. She slowly pressed them
against him, as she felt the bulge below the waist get hard. She liked it,
because the distraction was working and no else was watching. She then, gave
him a peck on the nose and said that she would be waiting. She pulled it down
and turned. The feeling lasted for a while at the same time he wished that he could
satisfy it. Goose ran down the alley and stopped two feet from the pins and
threw it in the next alley. Chaz did the same but with two balls and in two
lanes. He cheated worse than Goose. Bruce was on his knees in the middle of the
alley and pushed the ball. It knocked them all down. When Moose bowled, he got
half a strike and knocked one more, but his distraction was Barbara, who lifted
up the shirt to add a touch of perfume from her roll on in between her breasts.
Sherry distracted Bruce by putting his left hand down her pants as well as blew
in his ear, before telling him a lie on how much she needed him between her
legs. When she turned, he threw the ball, which went into the gutter the same
way Moose’s did. The boys knew the girls were playing dirty, but never
complained the first time, however, the girls complained the second time,
because they weren’t going to allow the boys to cheat.
“I hope a ball drops on your foot.” Vera
said to Chaz.
“You girls are playin’ dirty.” He said as
he glanced at his buddies.
“We don’t know what you’re talking
about.” She said innocently.
Blade bowled normally. He knew how to
without distraction, unless a beautiful girl past his way. The girls bowled
normally, including Amanda. After the first two throws her game became a little
off, because her arm was getting sore. It had been a long time since she
bowled. When Chaz bowled his second round, Dolores came up to him, tapped his
shoulder and told him to play the game correctly or ban him from the building.
They thought it was funny, even though he didn’t think so.
Around this time, Miles and Aaron came in
about a half hour later and hid in the arcade. They played a few games before
Blade went to the wash-room. When he came out with a brown paper towel on his
hands, he saw them and remained alert. He had gone into the snack area for a
bottle of beer and a cola for Amanda, when Doody approached him at the counter
to warn him.
“They look more dangerous than the boys we
fought.”
“Thanks, but I saw them.” Blade said with
a light smile, as he took his order and left.
Doody returned to his wife to allow Blade
deal with the matter. After he bowled, he informed his friends of the
Scorpions, at the same time Chaz and Moose began to leave. Blade climbed on the
back of the seat and told them not to move.
“Where ya’ goin’?” Blade asked.
“To kill the trespassers.” Chaz answered
in anger as he hit his left fist in-to his right hand.
“We’re not gonna stoop to their level.”
Blade said sternly. “Finish the game.”
“Don’t tell us you’re startin’ to turn
chicken?” Moose asked with slight sarcasm.
“We’re here to bowl.”
“If we’re not gonna fight, then lets trash
their cycles.” Chaz quickly suggested with eagerness.
“BOWL!”
The game went on, at the same time Vera
thought Chaz had the right idea, so she quickly left after her last turn. She
took two foam cups and her book of matches from her Pink Lady purse. She left
without her jacket, and took another, as well as baseballs cap that hung over a
bench two ally away. She put them on to hide the name on the back from the
shirt and her face from the camera. Once outside, she quickly scanned the
parking lot until she found them parked in the dark along side the
building. She unscrewed the caps off the
two gas tanks threw them in the dark. She heard them land somewhere, and lit a
match to each of the cups before dropping them in. She ran straight as fast as
she could beyond the camera’s visual. She was out of breath and flushed, but
heard the explosion. She returned a few seconds later without her friends
knowing. Frank saw her flushed and out of breathe.
“You leave me hot, sweaty and breathless
baby.” She said, as she smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
She bowled and left to use the washroom
to clean up.
Mary looked at her suspiciously and
followed her to question what she had done. When she saw her, Vera was in front
of the sink with her purse and cosmetic bag.
“What did you do?” Mary asked
suspiciously.
“I corrected what was wrong.” She
answered with a smile of satisfaction.
The Pink Lady began to settle. She was
panting no longer.
“What does that mean?”
She didn’t answer, only smiled. After she
finished with her face, she went into the stall and took out a bottle of vodka.
She already had one and a half earlier. It was a miracle she hadn’t slurred her
words. Mary heard her unscrew the cap, while Vera drank like a fish. When she
saw that the washroom was empty went into the other stall and climbed up to
pear over.
“Oh, leave me alone. I’m just
celebrating.”
“What the hell!” Mary said with a loud
outcry.
Vera looked slightly baffled and smiled.
“Since when are you a monkey?”
Apparently Aaron groped her in the girl’s
washroom at the Frosty Palace while she was on break. She climbed through the
window with the help of the large metal trash bin that he had pushed. He didn’t
hurt her, only warned her not to tell anyone unless she wanted something bad to
happen to Frank.
Mary climbed down and left, but not
without reminding her what would happen if she framed the boys for something
she did. Vera yelled that she didn’t care and continued to drink. She felt
good, even forgot all about the game. She’s not goin’ to learn. She
thought disappointedly.
A huge rush went towards the front
doors, along with Miles and Aaron. Her question was answered. Oh boy.
She thought with a dread.
The T-Birds and the Pink Ladies heard
the noise of a gunshot, because from inside it sounded like one. Blade and
Frank sat at the back of the seat with the other three boys on the bench. The
girls were on the other bench, with Barbara at the score table. All were
curious as to what happened but never left to speculate like they normally did,
because the victims quickly rushed in just as Moose asked from the score table
where Vera was.
“She’s feelin’ good.” Mary answered with
disappointment and shaking her head.
They immediately knew what she meant.
Frank took four steps from the game, when Miles and Aaron stormed towards them,
bumping and knocking a few people along the way. Dolores, however, rushed from
the office and went out to investigate the commotion. When she returned, she
saw a gun pointed at Blade.
“WHICH ONE OF YOU PRICKS DID IT?” Miles
said in a very loud tone in extreme anger.
“What are you talkin’ about?” Blade
answered calmly, as he climbed down to talk.
“DON’T PLAY DUMB?”
Vera what have you done? Mary
thought with worry.
Dolores reappeared and stopped at the
shoe counter to ask the staff to contact the fire department and the police. At
the same time, the staff tilted her head a couple of times in the direction of
the T-Birds, while she slowly picked up the telephone. Amanda however, had
passed her on the way to the washroom with fear. She wanted to hide where she
would feel protected. When she followed her head, she reacted with complete
surprise. She was unaware of the Scorpions had trespassed and wanted them to
leave, except she couldn’t do it until after the police had arrived. She had to
act calm and talk to Miles with the gun, to see if she could persuade him to
put it down. She was a brave woman, who saw this all before, but not this bad.
When the police arrived twenty-five minutes later, a fire was shot in the roof,
because he never got the answer that he was waiting for. Screams were heard and
fear from those that were there quickly stared at what had transpired.
“I WILL KILL SOMEONE IF YOU DON’T
ANSWER!” Miles said, as he pointed the mouth of the gun in Blade’s face.
Dolores forgot about the reason for why
she didn’t want them there, only thought about ways to get the kid to put the
weapon down.
“You don’t want to do this.” Dolores
said. Her voice cracked a slightly at the start, but became clear as she
continued. “Killing him isn’t the answer.”
Aaron bent backwards slightly and saw the
manager. They knew who she was and who her husband was, because they trashed
his business and nearly killed two people.
“I WANT ANSWERS DAMN IT!”
“Answers to what? Your motorcycles?” She
asked. “No one here set fire to them.”
“YOU’D VOUCH FOR THESE SCUM, ‘CAUSE YOUR
HUSBAND USED TO BE ONE BEFORE HE BECAME A LAW BITING CITIZEN!”
She wanted to kill him herself.
“The answers aren’t here.”
“THEY’RE RIGHT THERE” Miles said again and
threatened to kill, as he released the lock as he felt the barrel move once
more.
Blade was scared and came close to peeing
he, while the rest looked on with the same horror. Minutes passed seemed like
hours as they continued to listen to Dolores until the police arrived. When an
officer rushed in and saw the stand off, Aaron immediately pulled out his
knife, quickly pulled Mary in front of him and held against her throat.
Everyone was horrified than the last. If Miles pulled the trigger, Blade would
be dead, and Mary would have been stabbed, but the conflict would either
continue or be resolved with two dead teens, a horrified display that no one
had wanted. She wept with fear as she saw death in the face. The officer tried
to talk the two teens from the biggest mistake, except they refused to listen.
“WE WANT THEM TO ADMIT WHAT THEY DONE!”
Aaron said in anger. “OR SHE DIES!”
The officer and Aaron saw his partner two
minutes later, and warned him of the baton. He ordered his partner to go into
the trunk with a number 45. Everyone involved thought the number meant a gun,
when it meant a some-thing less harmful. Miles quickly moved the gun away from
Blade and ordered the other officer to stop or fire. When the officer refused,
Miles fired another shot in the direction of a tall, colored middle, aged guy
about five feet away. The guy had stood near the snack area when he saw the
bullet in the wall by the counter. Blade saw the focused had switched and
believed he had a brief window to do something, so he quickly took the cup that
Chaz had on the seat, called Miles’ name and slashed the Scorpion in the face
with it, while the boy’s faced looked at him. It came to a shock, which also
blinded him slightly as he quickly reacted with the gun again and pointed it
back at the T-Bird. Moments before Blade ducked, the second officer returned
with the shock gun and grabbed a ball from the lower rack beside him and
dropped it on Miles’ foot. The second officer fired the shock into the back of
Miles’ neck, at the same time his partner continued to hold the gun to Aaron.
Miles’ body shook slightly as pain rushed through him. The reaction shocked
Aaron to drop the weapon and released the Pink Lady very quickly with fear and
embarrassment, as warm liquid from between his legs appeared.
Arrests were made with laughter from the
rest made Aaron want to shrink and hide. The second officer stayed with them
while his partner returned to question what had happened. Everyone had an
alibi. Chaz held Mary until on the bench until she had settled. She no longer
wanted to play, but wanted to go home where it was safe.
In the washroom, both girls appeared
relax. Amanda was in the far end on the floor, while Vera got drunk and threw
the bottle away. She left fifteen minutes later with breath mints in her mouth
and more perfume. Her eyes were pink and swollen and she staggered when she
walked. The fire depart-ment had left with a huge relief off her shoulders. She
never asked what happened, but her friends already knew what was inside her.
Sherry, however, had no interest in her, as
she walked past Vera while on her way to the washroom. The red head didn’t know
that Amanda would be there, but guessed considering it was the only hiding
place that her friend had felt safe amongst the madness. She opened the door
and called in.
“Is it over?”
“Yes.”
Amanda came out cautiously and apologized.
“No need to.” She said sympathetically. “I
would have done the same.”
As the two walked towards the shoe rental,
Marcel and his girlfriend came in for two beers, but changed their mind after
they saw the smoke and the charcoal motorcycles. They saw the fire truck and
police leave, so they knew something happened. When Amanda saw him and his
girlfriend turn the corner from the door, she swore silently and expected that
they wanted to take her home. She dreaded it. He looked at his girlfriend with
a dreaded expression and told her what he thought about the gangs.
“You’re not going to change my mind.”
Marcel.
The game was never finished. They tried,
but after what happened, none of them had any interest. Blade saw Marcel escort
Amanda and another girl out while he stood at the counter with his friends
finished preparations to leave. Sherry believed the Italian had judged the
group badly after what had happened, while Mary confessed how it all began,
while Frank leaned against the counter with Vera. Blade glared at him with
extreme anger and wanted her jacket. She refused to give it and slurred her
words that she deserved it. While on his friends left, he remained in the
snacking area to relax with ease at the same time he expressed how he felt
about her.
‘There’s a yearnin’ that I’m still
learin’. Whatever it is, it keeps me awake. You might be the answer. I know
he’s not your lover. What’s this feelin’ runnin’ through me? I need you to
believe in me. You are my life and my dream. My heartbeats faster with you,
‘cause my feelin’s for you are true. This is somethin’ new. I don’t want you to
go. I’d like to be with you tonight and stay until we see the light. I’d never
use you. I admit I’m no angel. I have regrets, but I’m proud that we have met.
I’m a better man and give you all that I can. There’s a future for us together.
We’ll make it through the stormy weather. I can’t stay away anymore, so please
let me through the door.’
By the next day, she would have forgotten
all about what had happened. It seemed as though she had forgotten a lot of
unpleasant events since Aaron and his escapades. She drank secretly three times
a day under the noses of her family and friends, including hiding a bottle in
public places where outside liquor bottle from the other stall in one of the
girl’s washrooms at school. Vera began to skip classes at random so she could
hide and get drunk. She didn’t need him or Sherry’s question to make Amanda a
Pink Lady, even though she proved that Amanda was part of the school and the
Sorority. Later that evening, she revealed Vera’s secret to her brother, which
eventually blew up after he told his girlfriend about the discussion.
They met hours before the Halloween Dance
at a booth somewhere in the corner near the side widow, which faced the parking
lot at the same time they realized that an intervention was the only way to
resolve this matter. Sherry invited Mary and Barbara to S&M in secret to
discuss Vera’s situation. Neither Mary nor Barbara had doubts at first, until
Barbara saw Vera earlier that day, after she requested to use the facilities in
the middle of the class. Mary didn’t like to talk behind the back of her best friend,
but she even knew something had to be done, so the girls met in the Square
after school. Barbara was supposed to drop her off at work, while the rest off
at the restaurant. They kept the meeting a secret until the end of the day,
where they met at their lockers. Barbara told a lie about she couldn’t drive
her, which enraged Vera, who would have easily dismissed it. She told her in
anger that she didn’t care about her friends, only about her job, before
slamming her locker and storming off.
“What’s
goin’ on?” Sherry asked curiously to no one in particular.
“Why can’t she stop?” Barbara asked. “Doesn’t she know that there’s a
rep to protect?”
“Aaron won’t leave her alone.” Mary said with slight anger.
“Where are her loyalties now?” Sherry asked curiously to Mary. “You’re
her best friend.”
Mary didn’t know.
They wondered the same thing that Sharon, Rhonda and Paulette did with
Stephanie towards the T-Birds, except this was towards the Sorority. They all
knew she was devoted to Frank, except she could no longer continue to carry
this heavy weight. Marty accidentally overheard the discussion as she served
the girls and advised them of what to do without getting them mad at her. She
believed Vera should no longer wear the jacket and get her to prove that she
was worth to wear it again.
“It’s been done.” Sherry said disappointedly.
“She needs to prove that she’s worth it, by cleaning herself up with an intervention.
CHAPTER FIVE
The school was decorated throughout the
halls on Halloween with orange and black paper streamer and other decorations.
Some staff and students got in the spirit of the holiday with costumes while
others that dressing up were for children. The T-Birds, however, wore a full
rubber mask, a wig it or something that covered the eyes. Blade wore a black
plastic mask of no one or monster in particular. Frank had a wolf man mask,
Bruce wore an Elvis wig and glasses, and Moose wore a hockey mask, while Chaz wore
a red mask with a clown wig.
Amanda was dressed as a pink and white
rabbit. She wore pink rabbit ears with white in the middle. The tip of her nose
was painted black with whiskers on her cheeks. She wore a pink and white dress
with a white cotton ball tail, a pink ribbon at the waist and a petticoat. On
her feet she wore white ankle socks and pink flat shoes. She looked cute. It
was the same cost-ume that her uncle bought her a year ago. Her father wanted
to purchase one, but she didn’t want Sandy to repeat her displeasure of what
she thought about her sister.
The Pink Ladies wore costumes that turned
the eyes of many of the boys and male teachers. Vera wore a black cat costume
with a pair of cat ears, a black beaded choker, a painted nose and whiskers, a
black tank top, a mini skirt, black tights and a pair of black high heels. Mary
was dressed as a barmaid that looked like a French maid costume. Barbara was
dressed a Wonder Woman. Sherry was dressed as Hoola Dancer. She wore a similar
costume that Paulette wore, except Sherry’s blouse was a light blue, her lea
skirt was mixture of white, green and red, and her lea floral around her neck
was artificial, with numerous pastel colors. On her feet she wore red spiked
heels with a gold ankle chain. Her make up was put on light, not heavy the way
Paulette was at the Rydell Luau.
“Cute.” Blade said with a positive smile
to Amanda as he placed the green lollipop back in his mouth and gave her a
wink, as he continued to walk on down the hall towards the class alone.
She turned around, smiled with
appreciation, and then returned to her locker for her things before homeroom.
Just before class began, he had invited her to the party at Frenchy’s and told
her that the Halloween dances were always boring. She had no plans but didn’t
want to go. She dreaded the thought of going back home or even to her father’s
house, because she didn’t want to be in either of these places. She would give
her answer at the end of the day.
During lunch the Student Council gave an
orange ticket with the name Halloween Contestant printed in black, to the
students with the best or unique costume. The contestants were to attend the
dance to announce the winners. A member from the council liked her costume, but
not the ballerina costume Tina wore, because she didn’t have on the correct
footwear. Tina was disappointed, but quickly forgot about it to ask her whether
she would be attending the dance. Amanda nodded.
“If you want, I can get you a date.” Tina
kindly offered with a sincere smile.
Amanda hesitated and lightly shrugged her
shoulders
“I don’t know.”
Danny picked her up after school, because
Marcel was working overtime on two business accounts other than his and
Sandy’s. He asked if she was going to the dance at the same time, she nodded
and showed him the ticket.
“Good for you.” He said with a smile of
encouragement. “I know you’re going to win, ‘cause you look so cute.”
“That’s strange coming from a former
T-Bird.”
“Does it?” He smiled and laughed slightly
and unexpectedly. “I guess I started looking at life differently since I became
a dad.”
Amanda’s head turned slight to the left
with an ‘oh well’ suggestion.
“How is it that the rest of your friends
seem to be tough, while you ended up being a softy?”
She smiled lightly.
He shrugged.
Moments before they reached the salon,
Amanda asked why his wife felt the way she did towards her.
“I didn’t ask to be born. It’s not my
fault. What’s her problem?”
“I think a lot of it has to do with what
her father did and is having trouble getting over it.”
“I know, but she has issues that only her
father can answer.”
Danny took a quick glance at her, nodded
and agreed.
“This obsession she has is going to
destroy her, or us if she’s not careful.” He said with concern. “If this matter
took place as a kid, I would have been able to punch someone out of anger, but
when you’re adult and something like this smacks you in the face, you have to
live with it, even discuss it with the other person.”
“You’ve been come wisdom like in your old
ways.” She smirked lightly and giggled.
It was meant for humor, which he accepted
and appreciated, because he knew that she still had something positive amongst
a huge mess.
“Don’t worry about your sister. Come to me
anytime.”
After she closed the door, he leaned over
to inquire whether she wanted to attend Frenchy’s party with a short reason
that it would keep her out much later. He said that him and Sandy wouldn’t
attend, because he no longer had any interest. She didn’t want to go, but when
he put it that way, she nodded. He said that Frenchy would drop her off at her
father’s house, where she could stay for as long as she wanted. What a
relief. She thought pleasingly.
The salon was lightly decorated for the
season, with a long banner on the wall above the waiting area, while around the
mirrors and counter hung little signs with either a ghost, a pumpkin or
scarecrow with little greet full words whether below the figure or above.
Standing in the window of the waiting area was a mannequin dressed in a Dracula
costume with a round plastic tray with various candies inside, and another on
the counter by the register. The staff was dressed in numerous costumes for the
occasion with a couple of customers in the chairs and one in the waiting area.
Amanda expected to get out of her costume and into her clothes that she carried
in her book bag, which weighed it down a little more, but after she saw the
rest were dressed for the occasion, she decided to keep it on. One of the staff
members asked if she was going to Frenchy’s party, except she didn’t know how
to get there or how to get to the contest, since she didn’t remember anyone
offering her a ride. She thought that Danny would, but she wasn’t sure.
Halloween became a tradition for Jan and
Putzie at their house and at the restaurant. The two former Rydell teens
enjoyed the event, because it made them feel young again. They decorated, had
special menus, and even gave out candies. At one point they even held dances
and games, except this time they had an important, but fun task to cater
Frenchy’s party. The T-Birds and Pink Ladies normally attended, because their
parties were more entertaining than the Halloween Dances at school. The gym was
always decorated in the same theme of a Haunted House with plenty of
decorations; haunted sounds and special effects, except it all became a bore to
several that found other places for entertainment. When Blade and his friends
found out that there wasn’t going to be any party, they weren’t completely
disappointed. They were still going to have fun, even attend Frenchy’s party.
Every Halloween the T-Birds always played
their practical jokes on other students as a tradition, and each year they came
up with more frightful and daring attempts. Last Halloween the boys rigged up
the slide show machine to show photos corpses taken from the town morgue. The
slides appeared on the screen on the wall where the stage once stood for the
National Bandstand broadcast. Moose apparently got the slides from his uncle,
who worked as a mortician and borrowed them only for one night unaware to his
relative. The students appeared frightened, while him and Chaz laughed
hysterically. Their fun was short lived as soon the lights went up and the
principal rushed in, except the slides were no longer in the machine, but in
Moose’s jacket pocket. This time the boys had to top the last, except they had
think how.
Frenchy drove Amanda to the school just in
time for the contest to begin. She left her to finish the preparations and to
attend to her own party. Tina sat on the bleachers with disappointment, while
her date, a Skeleton, sat next to her with a few others. Tina had a date for
her friend, except he couldn’t wait and found another. When she saw her, she
asked Amanda why she was late, even forgot all about Amanda’s work schedule.
Amanda wasn’t concern, only curious about the dance and the contest, so she continued
to walk past towards the stage and a long table full of prizes, while Tina
walked away in a huff. Amanda saw a cosmetic bag with various cosmetic and/or
perfume from her sister, as well as six cassette tapes wrapped of various
singers, a brand new RCA boom box radio, a small think gift box with gift
certificates and coupons to local businesses in town, a white letterman button
down sweater, and a mini tool kit.
The decorations were primitive with a fog
machine under the bleachers. There was nothing to be frightened or even pretend
to be. Amanda believed she saw better at her old school than here.
On the walls hung tombstones with weird
expressions. The first one had ‘HERE LIES A DUD, WHO THOUGHT HE WAS A STUD.
HE HAD A DATE AND THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT, TOO BAD HE MET HIS FATE.’
The second one read…’HERE LIES A CREAM
OF THE CROP, HE DROVE A FAST CAR, BUT FORGOT TO STOP, SO LAYS WITH A DEAD COP.’
In between each were large life size paper
dummies of ghosts, zombies, skeletons, Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf man, the
Mummy, and a witch. When the contest started, the music stopped and the
announcer (a Student Council member) dressed as an Alien requested the
contestant to line up in front of the stage. Some were nervous; many were
bored, while the rest didn’t seem to care.
“Welcome everyone to Rydell High annual
Halloween dance. We would like to thank the Decorative Committee and the Art
Club for their tireless effort into making this years event a success.” She
said greet fully. “On the table beside me (she held out her left hand like a
show girl) are some wonderful prizes for all the contestants. The winner will
take home the new HP desktop computer that was donated by the board of
education. Each one of these fantastic prizes has been donated by members of
our business community.”
The principal left her office a few
minutes after the contest began. During this time, however, two Scorpion
members went into her private office with-out concern, to break into the safe
for anything that was of value and stole all the money from the school, while
Miles and Aaron stole all the computer and accessories from the computer room.
Everything was loaded in a stolen S&M delivery truck in the Square. No one
was aware of what was going on, because they thought that Sunny was catering
the event. The theft was done neatly with two T-Bird jackets left behind. One would be found in the office and the
other in the classroom. Before Aaron rejoined the others, he snuck around the
school wearing the same mask and costume as Frank. Aaron was in search of Vera.
He was determined to grab her or kill her either one. His obsession became his
life, and he wanted her desperately.
He
eventually found her going into the cafeteria and began to follow slowly, while
the photos of the winner and contestant were taken for the yearbook at the back
of the cafeteria. Vera watched Amanda and the others stand in between two large
coffins, while she stood in front of the windows with all the tables and chairs
that were lined or upside down. Along the main doors were three buffet tables
full of food, which were also tainted with the gags the boys had done. Once the
adults were gone, she lit up a cigarette and sip from the cola can, while she
waited for Frank. She didn’t touch any food, because they either had crushed
chocolate laxatives added to the deserts, Tabasco sauce over the fruit and
vegetable platters or had glued a few of the paper plates together that were
piled at one end like a small tower. These were just a few of the gags they
did. None of the students were aware of the food, when Aaron slowly crawled
through with his chin up high and eyes gazing from side to side scanning the room,
while Vera dashed towards the back door before he could reach her. He saw the
door close, but never saw her leave. He assumed she had gone out and tried to
follow. She recognized him from his walk, which was soon followed by his loud
humorous demand.
“Vera, baby doll.” He said and repeatedly from the parking lot of the
Square.
He
sniffed her out like a hound dog in search of a convict that broke out of
prison. He was full of eagerness and pleasure with guilt all over. His voice
sounded cheerful, but horrific that sent a deep chill down her spine. He knew
that Frank wouldn’t help her, not after he had called the school twenty minutes
before the contest to inquire whether he was there. He took a chance. He lied
about a family emergency that rushed him out before he completed a prank. None
of the T-Birds were aware that he had left, not even Vera. If she couldn’t find
him, she was to meet him at the Frosty Palace after the contest. Aaron found
her hunched down against the wall in between two cars not far from the
theatre.
“What are you doin’ here?” She asked with a sarcastic tone, as she stood
up casually while blowing the cigarette smoke from her lips.
He
never asked why she acted like a frightened child, only about Frank, even
though he knew.
“Looks like we’re alone.” He said casually with a smile.
“Well, you can take a hike.”
“You don’t understand.” He said as he took out a gun that he stole.
He pointed the mouth to her and released the lock.
“You’re comin’ with me.”
She reacted surprised with fear and nervousness.
“You’re crazy.” She said as she took another puff with a shaken hand.
“You need help.”
“You belong to me!”
“I’m not goin’ with you.” She said in defiance.
“Don’t tempt me!” As he patted the left pocket of his jacket to indicate
that he had a weapon. “You know what I can do!”
No one saw them. There was no one in the Square. It remained dark with
only the lights from on the buildings. They were near the theatre where
Stephanie once stood waiting for Michael, the Mystery Biker before the Talent
Show. When she didn’t move, he brought out the knife he held on Mary and held
it up by the blade. He would use, if she didn’t respond quick enough. He pinned
her against the wall with his body, while she stared at the knife on the ground
along side him. He released but not his
hands, and quickly forced her around so he could tie her hands behind with a
strong orange line that he kept in his pocket. He took it from his family’s
camping gear earlier that evening, so he could use it after the robbery. He
tied it real tight, cutting her circulation to the point her hands turned blue
and then, forced her to climb on his new motorcycle, with him behind her.
The T-Birds met the girls fifteen minutes later, during the contest, and
left for Frenchy’s soon after. Not long after they had left, Miles and two
Scorpion members were amongst the customers wearing their costumes and waited
until nearly closing until they stole from the register. Neither Putzie nor his
wife knew they were there, not even the staff until much later after the money
was gone. Throughout the evening Putzie and Jan stood near the door to give out
either a candy or a mini surprise bag to many of children and preteens dressed
in various costumes. No costume no candy or bag. Over a cold beverage, the gang
wondered what happened to Frank and Vera; because they were suppose to go
together. The news about what happened quickly spread amongst the regular
customers, before being reported to the local newspaper the day after, with two
questions of why and what the motive was for the repeat. Blade couldn’t
understand it. He never saw any of the Scorpions since the last robbery. Him
and his friends were always in the restaurant during the week or on weekends,
whether together or separately, and never saw any of the gang members, except
for outside. They kept the old traditions that Rizzo and her girls had,
including the Bowl-a-rama and the diner and motel. The other Pink Ladies and
T-Birds that came after weren’t interested in traditions, until one of the
T-Bird members took his girlfriend to the Frosty Palace vendor on the Galleria
Boardwalk. He brought the gang back.
Frenchy’s house was decorated better than the gym. Everything appeared
realistic like in a horror movie. There were tombstones on the left side with
cobwebs and spiders, while on the right were zombies, ghosts, witches, goblins,
a Wolf man, Dracula, the Mommy and several decapitated heads all lit up in the
eyes. There was a fog machine near the rosebush and boom box on floor of the
porch. Hanging down off the eaves, pillars and around the doorframe were black
and orange streamers and lit up garlands. On either side of the porch was a
large jack-o-lantern with a battery-operated candle and two more long strings
lit up garlands. Inside the lights were slightly dimmed with similar
decorations, but on a smaller scale. She had turned her old house into Haunted
House and had dancing and games down in the base-ment, while the main floor was
for eating, drinking and mingling. Amongst the guests were Marty, minus her
husband, Kenickie and his second wife, Marcel and his girlfriend (they took
Danny and Sandy’s place), Michael and Stephanie, Goose and Rhonda, the T-Birds
and Pink Ladies, and Dolores. Her husband wasn’t able to attend due to the
continuous, but strenuous investigation.
The furniture in the living room were pushed along the walls with a bare
floor for a few of the games, while the rest took place in the basement, with
more decorations and Halloween music. Frenchy hoped her young employer and
friend would attend, but was un-aware of whether she had a ride. Marcel and his
girlfriend only attended because Danny had asked to replace him and Sandy,
since he refused to attend due to her attitude, he warned her of what would
happen if she went alone. He assumed their friends would shun her the way
Frenchy and Sunny had started to. They rarely visited or were invited anywhere
on account of Sandy on going disrespect for her sister. Danny assumed that
Amanda would enjoy the party, because she would be around teens her own age. He
knew that such parties weren’t to Marcel’s interest, but since him and his
girlfriend liked her, they did it out of respect for his wishes. Frenchy gave a
hug to each of her guests and said respectfully with politeness of Danny’s
phone call, and made her aware of what was going on. She then, welcomed them
and offered them drinks and beverages in the dinning room. Once everyone
arrived, Frenchy stood in the entrance to the living room, clanked her wine
glass gently with a spoon to make a short announcement, while her guests
listened to the introduction to Amanda, which caused her to feel slightly
embarrassed for some unknown reason. She let out a little smile of acceptance,
as those she knew, questioned how Sandy could have had a younger sister.
Sherry, however, was appalled. She took a quick glance down at her glass of
cola and then, up at Amanda, who slowly disappeared in the hall. She believed
her friend was still there a minute and a half later. She never expected to
find her in Frenchy’s old bed-room. Amanda didn’t know she was there, in fact
she never heard her go in or ask a question
“What are you doin’ up here?”
She slowly opened the door even wider and walked in. Neither Sherry nor
Amanda was aware that it was the Pink Lady’s old room, because neither of them
took a tour. Amanda wanted to hide until she gathered her thoughts and
emotions. Sherry went in search for concern. The two weren’t expecting to be
gone long, so none of the other guests, especially their hosts would know that
they had disappeared.
Images and voices from the slumber party filled the room. She saw what
it looked like and heard what was discussed. Sandy sat in a chair at the other
side of the double bed near the open closet, in light blue nightgown and blue
satin ribbon hair band, while Marty and Rizzo were on the bed, with Jan on
floor in front of the television and French on the floor other side of the bed
not far from the door, with her makeup kit at her feet. The sight of her sister
made her nauseous, especially when Frenchy offered to pierce her ears. It was
Rizzo’s expression about Sandy that made Amanda nod with agreement. When Sherry
saw it, she asked what Amanda was doing without looking at her clearly to
notice the trance her friend was in. The party was a nightmare with Rizzo’s
only entertainment. When Sandy came out of the washroom, all quickly vanished,
as she felt someone slapping her gently on her cheeks.
Amanda pretended everything was fine, except Sherry knew better. She
never told her about what she saw.
“My head is spinning.” Amanda answered with an overwhelming tone. “I
don’t know whether I’m coming or going. My focus is on school. It’s the only
distraction.”
“You weren’t there when I just walked in.” Sherry said, as she slowly
sat down beside her. “Where were you? Why did you nod?”
“I
saw Sandy and the girls here, but the room didn’t look like this.”
Sherry’s eyes widened with slight astonishment and a circular mouth
gesturing the word ‘Oh.’
“My life’s a mess and I don’t know how to clean it.”
“It takes time.” Sherry said curiously. “Tell me what you just saw?”
Amanda glanced slowly around the room before staring out the large
window into the darkness.
“Did anyone tell you about the sleepover?”
Amanda shook her head gently. “Sandy never once spoke a kind word to
me.”
“I
know, but she’ll get what’s comin’. She’ll regret it all someday. Did her
husband or Frenchy tell you?”
Again Amanda shook her head.
Amanda went on to describe what she saw, just as Marty came down the
hall. She had used the main washroom at the end of the hall, something that
Amanda was trying to find, except Marty stopped in front of the opened door to
listen to the rest of the conversation.
“If
no one told you what used to be here, then how did you know? I heard you say
something about Sandy. What about her?”
“Hum.” Amanda answered lowly, with a slight daze and confused.
“You said…’Look at me I’m Sandra Dee, Lousy with virginity’. What’s the
rest of it? What does it mean?” Sherry asked with a puzzled tone.
“WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING IN HERE?” Marty yelled in anger.
Both girls jumped with a start, quickly turned around without an answer,
while the former Pink Lady repeated the question.
“Just came to find her. She wasn’t feelin’ well.” Sherry quickly replied
with slight nervousness.
She took Amanda’s right arm and quickly left with a gentle tug, while
Marty looked at them suspiciously. She watched them disappear down the stairs
at the same time; she questioned how they knew what Rizzo had said. She hadn’t
heard it in years. The story spread quickly with a few miss- translations long
the way, which seemed to puzzle Frenchy, who wondered the same thing as her old
friend. Marty didn’t have the answer, but told her Sandy’s sister was very strange.
“Oh no, you must be mistaken.” Frenchy said with a light laugh, as she
handed her a small plate of food.
“Then, what could it be?”
Frenchy and Marty saw them go down stairs, along with Moose, who had
just returned from outside with a stack of cassette tapes and compact disks of
the latest songs. On the way down, he happily suggested in a loud tone that the
party needed more than an Ouja and Bobbing for Apples games.
“We
need to liven things up or we’ll die.”
He
passed the music onto Frank, who stood near the stereo on an old desk opposite
of the stairs with his date at the other end of the sofa bed. Blade still
didn’t like his friend dating Miles’ sister, even if she didn’t like what her
brother was doing. She was never aware of the exact problems he caused; only
that he was the instigator, along with his friends. The tall speakers played
and the floor began to feel movement.
“Let’s party.” Moose said happily in a loud tone.
Just after the first song began, Frenchy and two other adults came down
to join them. No one felt the slightest cool temperature, even though there
were two long floor heaters at either end of the large brightly lit room. The
adults expected a make out or sex party, although Doody found Mary and Chaz
sometime later in one of the bedrooms. Blade, however, tried to kiss Amanda a
few times during the four dances, except she pulled away, be-cause she wasn’t
interested and shy. After the last, he climbed the back stairs alone and took
off without anyone noticing. She had no problem to dance with him. She was a
little uncomfortable at first, but after the second dance, Blade felt slightly
relieved and began to express how he felt to himself.
‘When
the song started playin’, my prayer was answered, as I held you near. My arms
were wrapped gently around you, as we moved across the floor. I wanted to give
you more. We were stars tonight under the dim light. You were so lovely, as all
seemed fine, but you had him on your mind, with a question of did you fall? I
hoped you didn’t do it all. I knew that he would hurt you, but I don’t know if
it’s true. I hope that you’ll have time for me for I know what will make you
happy. I don’t know why he’s here, but my heart was beatin’ with an echo in my
ears, while I held you near. You moved so easily, as I believe you should feel
wild and free. My hopes and my dreams gave me something to believe. My friends
will never know, how much I love you so. You are my desire that sets my heart
on fire. Our dance is done and we had our fun. I’ll be alone with no one to
call my own.
Marcel dropped Amanda off at her father’s around twelve. Amanda’s
stepmother waited and welcomed her in, while her husband slept. Amanda became
aware of this woman’s struggle of what her husband had done, but felt
responsible to look after the orphan until the teen was ready to leave. She was
grief-stricken by her oldest daughter’s reaction and felt betrayed far worse
than what her husband did. She was slowly losing her without enough strength to
stop it. Sandy’s heart had turned cold and her heart felt more pity for her
son-in-law for what he had to tend to. It was her idea to get Amanda to spend
more time with them as part of the healing process, as well as part of the
bonding that her husband had to do.
About an hour later, her stepmother went to check on her, like had since
the stranger arrived, and the teen’s eyes were wet once again. The lights from
the street made Amanda’s face slightly clearer, as she also wondered why she
never took off her costume.
“Don’t cry.” She said in a very low whisper, as she gently touched the
loose strand of hair that hung over the teen’s forehead. “I didn’t want you
here, because you were a bad reminder of what he had done, but now that I
started to get to know you, none of this is your fault. I don’t blame you, but
my daughter shouldn’t be taking it out on you either.”
Just as she turned, she kicked Amanda’s diary and picked up while her
left hand kept her balance on the bed. She didn’t know it was a diary until she
saw the cover and leaned it away from her. She was about to close it, when she
saw a tab stuck to the place where Amanda left off. The entry was incomplete
yet it told exactly how she felt.
‘Why did she leave me alone? How can I make it on my own? I’m never
gonna hear her voice on the telephone. She’ll never dry my tears or chase away
my fears? I didn’t want to let her go. How will she know? I didn’t want to say
good-bye. It’s been hard on me to try. I wish we were like a photograph, where
we smiled or laughed. I want it to be like yesterday. How it seems so far
away. I’ll never feel her arms around
me, or a warm kiss. I’m lonely without her. We were a pair. It’s so unfair. My dreams of her are
gone like a sad song. I cry myself to sleep. My heart continues to weep. I
won’t be alone anymore. I know someone waits for me at my door. I’ll be happy
once again. I just don’t know when…”
When the following week came, Vera cleared out her locker, kept her old
lock on it, and found a new one somewhere in the school. She hoped no one would
realize the absentee, but when the news reached the Pink Ladies at the end of
the day, they looked at each other strangely and wondered the reason. Mary
immediately searched the building after her last class to confirm the news,
when she couldn’t find her due; she went to her locker to find her friends and
told them what she didn’t find.
“Rig must have been mistaken.” Sherry said as she closed her door. “She
couldn’t have moved.”
Barbara quickly glanced at her while she unlocked her door. “She’s been
actin’ strangely. Are you sure she’s okay?” She looked inside and began to
prepare to leave. Mary had no answer, but had a strong feeling that some-thing
was wrong. She needed to support her the same way she did after the assault on
the beach that past summer. The Scorpion knocked Chaz to the sand, as he then,
grabbed her and tore off her bikini top. The Scorpion took off like grease
lightening, while her boyfriend tried to grasp what had happened to him, as
well as to her. He knew the Scorpion was strong for him to punch him down on
one hit. Chaz had always been a well flexible, quick and strong young man to
knock down due to his good reflexes with this legs, arms and hands. He learned
how to be quick with the Scorpions after the first fight that him and his
friends got into a few years earlier.
As
Vera walked to the Square alone, she wept like a child and expressed to herself
how she truly felt.
‘What
am I gonna do? My heart wants to be with you. Baby, it was hard to let you go.
I just wish I could let you know. I cry every night with hope this will turn
out right. It’s all so unfair. I want to tell you how much I care. I miss the
things we do. I want so much to return to you. There are things I’ve done that
were fun, but I’m no thief and gave no grief. I never had a lot of guys, but
I’ve told plenty of lies. Even though I hurt you, I had to let you go. We had
to go our separate ways, while I think being with you from yesterday. The worst
thing was that I gave back your ring, but I cry and feel ‘cause I know that
what we had was real. When I close my eyes, I dream of you, for it’s then that
I know what we might have again. This is how I keep the love we had alive,
‘cause the memories are what helps me to survive. Even though we’re through, my
love for you is strong, but is not gone. Good-bye my love. Good-bye.
She
rarely showed tears in public, but did quite a bit unaware to her. She thought
about Rizzo for some odd reason and didn’t know why. Maybe it had to do with
the connection that she felt with the former Pink Lady leader. She felt alone
then, the way Vera did now.
During the first week, Rydell was ready for it’s first pep rally and
football game against the Cavaliers. Four female and four male contestants were
on a lists for homecoming king and queen. After the football team won the game,
the king and queen were to parade in the field before ringing the victory bell.
Mary wanted to become queen even though her name wasn’t on the ballots, so she
had asked Chaz to hack into the computer in the coach’s office to rig the
election. She knew there would be an investigation, however, the rules about
the contestants no longer qualified the cheerleaders, but any girl. Plus, she
wanted Chaz to be her queen, except he didn’t like standing in front of a lot
of people, not even for a small speech, so he didn’t touch the list for the
potential king.
On the day of the pep rally two things
happened. The first was the crime that the principal had to resolve, so she watched the boys from the window with a
heavy heart and thought about what had happened. She was immediately informed
about the crime of the computers, as well as saw that the safe was broken into.
She had their jackets, but that wasn’t enough proof, only that they were there.
However, the money might still be on campus and she needed to investigate it
sometime during her confrontation with the boys. Whatever the results, she
would then, call the police and let them take over. Just after the first bell
went off, she used the microphone in her private office to call them down; at
the same time the boys wondered curiously what she had wanted. There was
nothing they thought of. They didn’t ride their machines on the grass the way
Leo did so many years ago, or wrote on the walls, except in the boys washroom,
which was nothing new. A lot of students did that. What could it have been?
There was only one way to know. Blade and Frank sat in the two dark brown
leather chairs in front, while the rest sat on the love seat style sofa behind.
She closed the door and began the meeting. The all greeted her, except she
wasn’t in the mood to return it.
“Is
there anything wrong?” Blade asked with slight concern.
“You tell me?” She responded with a curious question.
She held up Chaz’s and Moose jackets. All the boys reacted in shock,
especially the two boys in question. They were speechless. They didn’t know how
she got them, or what happened that night. They knew someone broke into their
lockers, except neither Chaz nor Moose saw anything. Blade looked at them and
then at the principal before asking the next question. He knew the jackets were
gone when he saw them at the Frosty Palace. He had asked about them, except neither
one of his friends knew what happened. The disappearance was a real mystery.
“Where did you find those?” Blade asked curiously.
He didn’t care who heard him or whether this was her office or not. He
suspected that she believed his friends had stole ten computers and ten
printers without getting caught. She asked where they and the money were
hidden, as well as asked the reason for their crime. Bruce stood up immediately
to defend them, but before he could, she ordered him to sit back down. She
requested a locker search for the money without any conflict, as well as told
them that she would call the police for them to investigate. The boys didn’t
like it, but gave in just to prove her wrong. All the lockers were searched
while the halls were empty. When the principal saw two lockers were broken and
nothing in them, she gave them the benefit of the doubt, except they weren’t in
the clear yet. Chaz and Moose were given back their jackets at the end of the
day, except neither of the boys attended the rest of their classes due to anger
and frustration for what had happened. They met the rest of the T-Birds at the
Frosty Palace to discuss the situation and how to resolve it.
They drank cold beverages without an appetite. After what happened, no
one was hungry for their usual burgers, fries, onion rings, nachos, hotdogs,
corndogs and vegetable platter. The platter was for Blade. He preferred them
and the burgers to all the rest.
“The Scorpions screwed us this time.” Blade said as he sipped his root
beer.
“Those bastards!” Bruce commented harshly.
“What makes you believe it’s them?” Chaz asked with a slight curious
tone.
His friends looked at him strangely. They couldn’t believe he was
stupid.
“What are we goin’ to do?” Moose asked.
“We don’t know where they are.” Frank said.
“We don’t even know how they got in.” Moose said suspiciously.
“The last known was one of the cheerleaders had dated one.” Blade said.
“But that was a while ago.”
“You think its history repeating itself?” Frank asked with concern as he
took a big gulp of cola.
Blade shrugged and said that they all had to be alert for something
more.
“This isn’t over. Now the principal will be watchin’.” Blade said.
“We’re
not goin’ to take no prisoners or spare lives. We’ll throw no punches, only
take the dives. Every night has a dawn with us as pawns. We’re goin’ to fight
for what’s right, for our destiny is to be free. I know what to do and we’re
not goin’ to lose, but you have to choose. Money, women, beer and wine are fun
and fine, but with a dark cloud hanin’ like a shroud, they try to knock us to
our knees with us beggin’ please. They’re evil friends of Satan that sends a
chill down our spines. They’re like a storm that rolls in like thunder and blow
like a hurricane in heavy rain. We’re goin’ to strike like lightening in the
sky and watch them die for their crime. Once they’re down, we’ll party all over
town. This’ll be fun like playing out in the sun. Hell’s waitin’ and comin’ for
them. Everyone will know they aren’t no gem.”
The second was after school. Once
the coach had left for training, Mary and Chaz snuck into his office, to hack
into his computer to change the name of the Homecoming Queen to hers. Before he
left, he hacked into the principal’s computer to change
the same information, because her computer was the main frame to all other
computers, and it held all of the school events and information. Chaz didn’t
want to do it, even though she was aware of what him and the others went
through, however, she wanted to be-come queen, because she wanted to clean the
Pink Ladies reputation after eight years of it being tarnished. She knew it was
wrong, but the rigging and hacking would be kept between the two of them. No
one would even know. There would be no evidence or a trail, because there was
no camera in his or the principal’s office.
When her name was called, she would have
to pretend to be surprised, so that no one would be suspicious. She tried to
tell this to Vera two days ago, but she changed her mind after she saw the
white painted face and thick make up like a maim or a corpse. She mentioned
this to Chaz with extreme concern and told him that Vera’s was starting to
creep her out. The group was aware of the crimes committed against her father
and knew that they had affected her, along with Aaron.
That same evening around six o’clock the
announcement for the Queen began with excitement, until Mary’s name was
mentioned, which created a slight disappointment amongst a few in the crowd
that believed the contest was rigged. It wouldn’t have been the first time the
T-Birds and Pink Ladies did anything like that. Mary acted on cue, which made
the cheerleaders wonder. There were mixed emotions when it came to the Pink
Ladies. Some believed they should have been extinct like the dinosaurs and some
believed the girls should remain. The ones that didn’t like them were jealous
because they wanted to date the T-Birds. Yet, the squad was allowed to date
Blade and go near the rest, because the boys never cheated before the
commitments to the Sorority. They were like Danny. The boys kissed and necked
with other girls if they wanted, but gave the rest to the Pink Ladies after
they had a solid relationship. Luther was the King, he was also the football
line backer that all the team were counting on, he was also known to be the
singing geek to a few that heard him sing in the shower after each game or
training.
Frenchy, Doody, Sandy, Danny, Goose and
Rhonda were amongst the crowed in the bleachers. They came out to support the
old team, as well as to enjoy the fun, except none of them liked the cheers,
except for one, which sounded like Johnny at the bowling alley many years ago.
In the middle of the game, there was a
thirty-minute intermission that be-came a short party with music, cheerleaders,
dancers, food and beverages. All were free, except for the snacks and drinks.
Proceeds went to the school’s athletic fund. The game was suspenseful and full
of excitement. No one knew who would win after the score showed the Cavaliers
were two points a head, until the Rangers found their weak spot and became
stronger, thanks to Luther. He took control of the ball most of the game until
another member of his team took it and scored the rest of the points. At the
end the crowd waited for the kick off and watched impatiently and suspenseful
for the ball to go over the goal post. Fingers were crossed and sweat ran down
some faces as all became overwhelming very quickly, until they thought it
wouldn’t go over, but at the last minute everything that the crowd had held,
especially those that supported the team, flew in the air seconds after the
ball went over the post. The team, cheerleaders and the crowd rushed on to the
field, except for Mary and Chaz. They had to attend the after party at the
Frosty Palace with Luther, as part of the duties for being King and Queen.
Frank, Bruce, Moose, Blade, Barbara,
Sherry and Amanda were at S&M for a pizza and wings. Sandy didn’t want to
go, because she believed her sister would be there. Before the game, Frenchy
warned her old friend of what would happen if she continued to treat her half
sister poorly, except Sandy didn’t want to hear it, and left moments before
Danny returned with a few snacks. He asked where his wife went. Frenchy
informed him and it was then, the former T-Bird leader became fed up with
everything.
“This ain’t goin’ away.” He said. “One of
us gotta give.”
He wasn’t interested in the game at first, until he saw the cheerleaders and it reminded him of what his life had used to be.
CHAPTER FIVE
The school was decorated throughout the
halls on Halloween with orange and black paper streamer and other decorations.
Some staff and students got in the spirit of the holiday with costumes while
others that dressing up were for children. The T-Birds, however, wore a full
rubber mask, a wig it or something that covered the eyes. Blade wore a black
plastic mask of no one or monster in particular. Frank had a wolf man mask,
Bruce wore an Elvis wig and glasses, and Moose wore a hockey mask, while Chaz wore
a red mask with a clown wig.
Amanda was dressed as a pink and white
rabbit. She wore pink rabbit ears with white in the middle. The tip of her nose
was painted black with whiskers on her cheeks. She wore a pink and white dress
with a white cotton ball tail, a pink ribbon at the waist and a petticoat. On
her feet she wore white ankle socks and pink flat shoes. She looked cute. It
was the same cost-ume that her uncle bought her a year ago. Her father wanted
to purchase one, but she didn’t want Sandy to repeat her displeasure of what
she thought about her sister.
The Pink Ladies wore costumes that turned
the eyes of many of the boys and male teachers. Vera wore a black cat costume
with a pair of cat ears, a black beaded choker, a painted nose and whiskers, a
black tank top, a mini skirt, black tights and a pair of black high heels. Mary
was dressed as a barmaid that looked like a French maid costume. Barbara was
dressed a Wonder Woman. Sherry was dressed as Hoola Dancer. She wore a similar
costume that Paulette wore, except Sherry’s blouse was a light blue, her lea
skirt was mixture of white, green and red, and her lea floral around her neck
was artificial, with numerous pastel colors. On her feet she wore red spiked
heels with a gold ankle chain. Her make up was put on light, not heavy the way
Paulette was at the Rydell Luau.
“Cute.” Blade said with a positive smile
to Amanda as he placed the green lollipop back in his mouth and gave her a
wink, as he continued to walk on down the hall towards the class alone.
She turned around, smiled with
appreciation, and then returned to her locker for her things before homeroom.
Just before class began, he had invited her to the party at Frenchy’s and told
her that the Halloween dances were always boring. She had no plans but didn’t
want to go. She dreaded the thought of going back home or even to her father’s
house, because she didn’t want to be in either of these places. She would give
her answer at the end of the day.
During lunch the Student Council gave an
orange ticket with the name Halloween Contestant printed in black, to the
students with the best or unique costume. The contestants were to attend the
dance to announce the winners. A member from the council liked her costume, but
not the ballerina costume Tina wore, because she didn’t have on the correct
footwear. Tina was disappointed, but quickly forgot about it to ask her whether
she would be attending the dance. Amanda nodded.
“If you want, I can get you a date.” Tina
kindly offered with a sincere smile.
Amanda hesitated and lightly shrugged her
shoulders
“I don’t know.”
Danny picked her up after school, because
Marcel was working overtime on two business accounts other than his and
Sandy’s. He asked if she was going to the dance at the same time, she nodded
and showed him the ticket.
“Good for you.” He said with a smile of
encouragement. “I know you’re going to win, ‘cause you look so cute.”
“That’s strange coming from a former
T-Bird.”
“Does it?” He smiled and laughed slightly
and unexpectedly. “I guess I started looking at life differently since I became
a dad.”
Amanda’s head turned slight to the left
with an ‘oh well’ suggestion.
“How is it that the rest of your friends
seem to be tough, while you ended up being a softy?”
She smiled lightly.
He shrugged.
Moments before they reached the salon,
Amanda asked why his wife felt the way she did towards her.
“I didn’t ask to be born. It’s not my
fault. What’s her problem?”
“I think a lot of it has to do with what
her father did and is having trouble getting over it.”
“I know, but she has issues that only her
father can answer.”
Danny took a quick glance at her, nodded
and agreed.
“This obsession she has is going to
destroy her, or us if she’s not careful.” He said with concern. “If this matter
took place as a kid, I would have been able to punch someone out of anger, but
when you’re adult and something like this smacks you in the face, you have to
live with it, even discuss it with the other person.”
“You’ve been come wisdom like in your old
ways.” She smirked lightly and giggled.
It was meant for humor, which he accepted
and appreciated, because he knew that she still had something positive amongst
a huge mess.
“Don’t worry about your sister. Come to me
anytime.”
After she closed the door, he leaned over
to inquire whether she wanted to attend Frenchy’s party with a short reason
that it would keep her out much later. He said that him and Sandy wouldn’t
attend, because he no longer had any interest. She didn’t want to go, but when
he put it that way, she nodded. He said that Frenchy would drop her off at her
father’s house, where she could stay for as long as she wanted. What a
relief. She thought pleasingly.
The salon was lightly decorated for the
season, with a long banner on the wall above the waiting area, while around the
mirrors and counter hung little signs with either a ghost, a pumpkin or
scarecrow with little greet full words whether below the figure or above.
Standing in the window of the waiting area was a mannequin dressed in a Dracula
costume with a round plastic tray with various candies inside, and another on
the counter by the register. The staff was dressed in numerous costumes for the
occasion with a couple of customers in the chairs and one in the waiting area.
Amanda expected to get out of her costume and into her clothes that she carried
in her book bag, which weighed it down a little more, but after she saw the
rest were dressed for the occasion, she decided to keep it on. One of the staff
members asked if she was going to Frenchy’s party, except she didn’t know how
to get there or how to get to the contest, since she didn’t remember anyone
offering her a ride. She thought that Danny would, but she wasn’t sure.
Halloween became a tradition for Jan and
Putzie at their house and at the restaurant. The two former Rydell teens
enjoyed the event, because it made them feel young again. They decorated, had
special menus, and even gave out candies. At one point they even held dances
and games, except this time they had an important, but fun task to cater
Frenchy’s party. The T-Birds and Pink Ladies normally attended, because their
parties were more entertaining than the Halloween Dances at school. The gym was
always decorated in the same theme of a Haunted House with plenty of
decorations; haunted sounds and special effects, except it all became a bore to
several that found other places for entertainment. When Blade and his friends
found out that there wasn’t going to be any party, they weren’t completely
disappointed. They were still going to have fun, even attend Frenchy’s party.
Every Halloween the T-Birds always played
their practical jokes on other students as a tradition, and each year they came
up with more frightful and daring attempts. Last Halloween the boys rigged up
the slide show machine to show photos corpses taken from the town morgue. The
slides appeared on the screen on the wall where the stage once stood for the
National Bandstand broadcast. Moose apparently got the slides from his uncle,
who worked as a mortician and borrowed them only for one night unaware to his
relative. The students appeared frightened, while him and Chaz laughed
hysterically. Their fun was short lived as soon the lights went up and the
principal rushed in, except the slides were no longer in the machine, but in
Moose’s jacket pocket. This time the boys had to top the last, except they had
think how.
Frenchy drove Amanda to the school just in
time for the contest to begin. She left her to finish the preparations and to
attend to her own party. Tina sat on the bleachers with disappointment, while
her date, a Skeleton, sat next to her with a few others. Tina had a date for
her friend, except he couldn’t wait and found another. When she saw her, she
asked Amanda why she was late, even forgot all about Amanda’s work schedule.
Amanda wasn’t concern, only curious about the dance and the contest, so she continued
to walk past towards the stage and a long table full of prizes, while Tina
walked away in a huff. Amanda saw a cosmetic bag with various cosmetic and/or
perfume from her sister, as well as six cassette tapes wrapped of various
singers, a brand new RCA boom box radio, a small think gift box with gift
certificates and coupons to local businesses in town, a white letterman button
down sweater, and a mini tool kit.
The decorations were primitive with a fog
machine under the bleachers. There was nothing to be frightened or even pretend
to be. Amanda believed she saw better at her old school than here.
On the walls hung tombstones with weird
expressions. The first one had ‘HERE LIES A DUD, WHO THOUGHT HE WAS A STUD.
HE HAD A DATE AND THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT, TOO BAD HE MET HIS FATE.’
The second one read…’HERE LIES A CREAM
OF THE CROP, HE DROVE A FAST CAR, BUT FORGOT TO STOP, SO LAYS WITH A DEAD COP.’
In between each were large life size paper
dummies of ghosts, zombies, skeletons, Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf man, the
Mummy, and a witch. When the contest started, the music stopped and the
announcer (a Student Council member) dressed as an Alien requested the
contestant to line up in front of the stage. Some were nervous; many were
bored, while the rest didn’t seem to care.
“Welcome everyone to Rydell High annual
Halloween dance. We would like to thank the Decorative Committee and the Art
Club for their tireless effort into making this years event a success.” She
said greet fully. “On the table beside me (she held out her left hand like a
show girl) are some wonderful prizes for all the contestants. The winner will
take home the new HP desktop computer that was donated by the board of
education. Each one of these fantastic prizes has been donated by members of
our business community.”
The principal left her office a few
minutes after the contest began. During this time, however, two Scorpion
members went into her private office with-out concern, to break into the safe
for anything that was of value and stole all the money from the school, while
Miles and Aaron stole all the computer and accessories from the computer room.
Everything was loaded in a stolen S&M delivery truck in the Square. No one
was aware of what was going on, because they thought that Sunny was catering
the event. The theft was done neatly with two T-Bird jackets left behind. One would be found in the office and the
other in the classroom. Before Aaron rejoined the others, he snuck around the
school wearing the same mask and costume as Frank. Aaron was in search of Vera.
He was determined to grab her or kill her either one. His obsession became his
life, and he wanted her desperately.
He
eventually found her going into the cafeteria and began to follow slowly, while
the photos of the winner and contestant were taken for the yearbook at the back
of the cafeteria. Vera watched Amanda and the others stand in between two large
coffins, while she stood in front of the windows with all the tables and chairs
that were lined or upside down. Along the main doors were three buffet tables
full of food, which were also tainted with the gags the boys had done. Once the
adults were gone, she lit up a cigarette and sip from the cola can, while she
waited for Frank. She didn’t touch any food, because they either had crushed
chocolate laxatives added to the deserts, Tabasco sauce over the fruit and
vegetable platters or had glued a few of the paper plates together that were
piled at one end like a small tower. These were just a few of the gags they
did. None of the students were aware of the food, when Aaron slowly crawled
through with his chin up high and eyes gazing from side to side scanning the room,
while Vera dashed towards the back door before he could reach her. He saw the
door close, but never saw her leave. He assumed she had gone out and tried to
follow. She recognized him from his walk, which was soon followed by his loud
humorous demand.
“Vera, baby doll.” He said and repeatedly from the parking lot of the
Square.
He
sniffed her out like a hound dog in search of a convict that broke out of
prison. He was full of eagerness and pleasure with guilt all over. His voice
sounded cheerful, but horrific that sent a deep chill down her spine. He knew
that Frank wouldn’t help her, not after he had called the school twenty minutes
before the contest to inquire whether he was there. He took a chance. He lied
about a family emergency that rushed him out before he completed a prank. None
of the T-Birds were aware that he had left, not even Vera. If she couldn’t find
him, she was to meet him at the Frosty Palace after the contest. Aaron found
her hunched down against the wall in between two cars not far from the
theatre.
“What are you doin’ here?” She asked with a sarcastic tone, as she stood
up casually while blowing the cigarette smoke from her lips.
He
never asked why she acted like a frightened child, only about Frank, even
though he knew.
“Looks like we’re alone.” He said casually with a smile.
“Well, you can take a hike.”
“You don’t understand.” He said as he took out a gun that he stole.
He pointed the mouth to her and released the lock.
“You’re comin’ with me.”
She reacted surprised with fear and nervousness.
“You’re crazy.” She said as she took another puff with a shaken hand.
“You need help.”
“You belong to me!”
“I’m not goin’ with you.” She said in defiance.
“Don’t tempt me!” As he patted the left pocket of his jacket to indicate
that he had a weapon. “You know what I can do!”
No one saw them. There was no one in the Square. It remained dark with
only the lights from on the buildings. They were near the theatre where
Stephanie once stood waiting for Michael, the Mystery Biker before the Talent
Show. When she didn’t move, he brought out the knife he held on Mary and held
it up by the blade. He would use, if she didn’t respond quick enough. He pinned
her against the wall with his body, while she stared at the knife on the ground
along side him. He released but not his
hands, and quickly forced her around so he could tie her hands behind with a
strong orange line that he kept in his pocket. He took it from his family’s
camping gear earlier that evening, so he could use it after the robbery. He
tied it real tight, cutting her circulation to the point her hands turned blue
and then, forced her to climb on his new motorcycle, with him behind her.
The T-Birds met the girls fifteen minutes later, during the contest, and
left for Frenchy’s soon after. Not long after they had left, Miles and two
Scorpion members were amongst the customers wearing their costumes and waited
until nearly closing until they stole from the register. Neither Putzie nor his
wife knew they were there, not even the staff until much later after the money
was gone. Throughout the evening Putzie and Jan stood near the door to give out
either a candy or a mini surprise bag to many of children and preteens dressed
in various costumes. No costume no candy or bag. Over a cold beverage, the gang
wondered what happened to Frank and Vera; because they were suppose to go
together. The news about what happened quickly spread amongst the regular
customers, before being reported to the local newspaper the day after, with two
questions of why and what the motive was for the repeat. Blade couldn’t
understand it. He never saw any of the Scorpions since the last robbery. Him
and his friends were always in the restaurant during the week or on weekends,
whether together or separately, and never saw any of the gang members, except
for outside. They kept the old traditions that Rizzo and her girls had,
including the Bowl-a-rama and the diner and motel. The other Pink Ladies and
T-Birds that came after weren’t interested in traditions, until one of the
T-Bird members took his girlfriend to the Frosty Palace vendor on the Galleria
Boardwalk. He brought the gang back.
Frenchy’s house was decorated better than the gym. Everything appeared
realistic like in a horror movie. There were tombstones on the left side with
cobwebs and spiders, while on the right were zombies, ghosts, witches, goblins,
a Wolf man, Dracula, the Mommy and several decapitated heads all lit up in the
eyes. There was a fog machine near the rosebush and boom box on floor of the
porch. Hanging down off the eaves, pillars and around the doorframe were black
and orange streamers and lit up garlands. On either side of the porch was a
large jack-o-lantern with a battery-operated candle and two more long strings
lit up garlands. Inside the lights were slightly dimmed with similar
decorations, but on a smaller scale. She had turned her old house into Haunted
House and had dancing and games down in the base-ment, while the main floor was
for eating, drinking and mingling. Amongst the guests were Marty, minus her
husband, Kenickie and his second wife, Marcel and his girlfriend (they took
Danny and Sandy’s place), Michael and Stephanie, Goose and Rhonda, the T-Birds
and Pink Ladies, and Dolores. Her husband wasn’t able to attend due to the
continuous, but strenuous investigation.
The furniture in the living room were pushed along the walls with a bare
floor for a few of the games, while the rest took place in the basement, with
more decorations and Halloween music. Frenchy hoped her young employer and
friend would attend, but was un-aware of whether she had a ride. Marcel and his
girlfriend only attended because Danny had asked to replace him and Sandy,
since he refused to attend due to her attitude, he warned her of what would
happen if she went alone. He assumed their friends would shun her the way
Frenchy and Sunny had started to. They rarely visited or were invited anywhere
on account of Sandy on going disrespect for her sister. Danny assumed that
Amanda would enjoy the party, because she would be around teens her own age. He
knew that such parties weren’t to Marcel’s interest, but since him and his
girlfriend liked her, they did it out of respect for his wishes. Frenchy gave a
hug to each of her guests and said respectfully with politeness of Danny’s
phone call, and made her aware of what was going on. She then, welcomed them
and offered them drinks and beverages in the dinning room. Once everyone
arrived, Frenchy stood in the entrance to the living room, clanked her wine
glass gently with a spoon to make a short announcement, while her guests
listened to the introduction to Amanda, which caused her to feel slightly
embarrassed for some unknown reason. She let out a little smile of acceptance,
as those she knew, questioned how Sandy could have had a younger sister.
Sherry, however, was appalled. She took a quick glance down at her glass of
cola and then, up at Amanda, who slowly disappeared in the hall. She believed
her friend was still there a minute and a half later. She never expected to
find her in Frenchy’s old bed-room. Amanda didn’t know she was there, in fact
she never heard her go in or ask a question
“What are you doin’ up here?”
She slowly opened the door even wider and walked in. Neither Sherry nor
Amanda was aware that it was the Pink Lady’s old room, because neither of them
took a tour. Amanda wanted to hide until she gathered her thoughts and
emotions. Sherry went in search for concern. The two weren’t expecting to be
gone long, so none of the other guests, especially their hosts would know that
they had disappeared.
Images and voices from the slumber party filled the room. She saw what
it looked like and heard what was discussed. Sandy sat in a chair at the other
side of the double bed near the open closet, in light blue nightgown and blue
satin ribbon hair band, while Marty and Rizzo were on the bed, with Jan on
floor in front of the television and French on the floor other side of the bed
not far from the door, with her makeup kit at her feet. The sight of her sister
made her nauseous, especially when Frenchy offered to pierce her ears. It was
Rizzo’s expression about Sandy that made Amanda nod with agreement. When Sherry
saw it, she asked what Amanda was doing without looking at her clearly to
notice the trance her friend was in. The party was a nightmare with Rizzo’s
only entertainment. When Sandy came out of the washroom, all quickly vanished,
as she felt someone slapping her gently on her cheeks.
Amanda pretended everything was fine, except Sherry knew better. She
never told her about what she saw.
“My head is spinning.” Amanda answered with an overwhelming tone. “I
don’t know whether I’m coming or going. My focus is on school. It’s the only
distraction.”
“You weren’t there when I just walked in.” Sherry said, as she slowly
sat down beside her. “Where were you? Why did you nod?”
“I
saw Sandy and the girls here, but the room didn’t look like this.”
Sherry’s eyes widened with slight astonishment and a circular mouth
gesturing the word ‘Oh.’
“My life’s a mess and I don’t know how to clean it.”
“It takes time.” Sherry said curiously. “Tell me what you just saw?”
Amanda glanced slowly around the room before staring out the large
window into the darkness.
“Did anyone tell you about the sleepover?”
Amanda shook her head gently. “Sandy never once spoke a kind word to
me.”
“I
know, but she’ll get what’s comin’. She’ll regret it all someday. Did her
husband or Frenchy tell you?”
Again Amanda shook her head.
Amanda went on to describe what she saw, just as Marty came down the
hall. She had used the main washroom at the end of the hall, something that
Amanda was trying to find, except Marty stopped in front of the opened door to
listen to the rest of the conversation.
“If
no one told you what used to be here, then how did you know? I heard you say
something about Sandy. What about her?”
“Hum.” Amanda answered lowly, with a slight daze and confused.
“You said…’Look at me I’m Sandra Dee, Lousy with virginity’. What’s the
rest of it? What does it mean?” Sherry asked with a puzzled tone.
“WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING IN HERE?” Marty yelled in anger.
Both girls jumped with a start, quickly turned around without an answer,
while the former Pink Lady repeated the question.
“Just came to find her. She wasn’t feelin’ well.” Sherry quickly replied
with slight nervousness.
She took Amanda’s right arm and quickly left with a gentle tug, while
Marty looked at them suspiciously. She watched them disappear down the stairs
at the same time; she questioned how they knew what Rizzo had said. She hadn’t
heard it in years. The story spread quickly with a few miss- translations long
the way, which seemed to puzzle Frenchy, who wondered the same thing as her old
friend. Marty didn’t have the answer, but told her Sandy’s sister was very strange.
“Oh no, you must be mistaken.” Frenchy said with a light laugh, as she
handed her a small plate of food.
“Then, what could it be?”
Frenchy and Marty saw them go down stairs, along with Moose, who had
just returned from outside with a stack of cassette tapes and compact disks of
the latest songs. On the way down, he happily suggested in a loud tone that the
party needed more than an Ouja and Bobbing for Apples games.
“We
need to liven things up or we’ll die.”
He
passed the music onto Frank, who stood near the stereo on an old desk opposite
of the stairs with his date at the other end of the sofa bed. Blade still
didn’t like his friend dating Miles’ sister, even if she didn’t like what her
brother was doing. She was never aware of the exact problems he caused; only
that he was the instigator, along with his friends. The tall speakers played
and the floor began to feel movement.
“Let’s party.” Moose said happily in a loud tone.
Just after the first song began, Frenchy and two other adults came down
to join them. No one felt the slightest cool temperature, even though there
were two long floor heaters at either end of the large brightly lit room. The
adults expected a make out or sex party, although Doody found Mary and Chaz
sometime later in one of the bedrooms. Blade, however, tried to kiss Amanda a
few times during the four dances, except she pulled away, be-cause she wasn’t
interested and shy. After the last, he climbed the back stairs alone and took
off without anyone noticing. She had no problem to dance with him. She was a
little uncomfortable at first, but after the second dance, Blade felt slightly
relieved and began to express how he felt to himself.
‘When
the song started playin’, my prayer was answered, as I held you near. My arms
were wrapped gently around you, as we moved across the floor. I wanted to give
you more. We were stars tonight under the dim light. You were so lovely, as all
seemed fine, but you had him on your mind, with a question of did you fall? I
hoped you didn’t do it all. I knew that he would hurt you, but I don’t know if
it’s true. I hope that you’ll have time for me for I know what will make you
happy. I don’t know why he’s here, but my heart was beatin’ with an echo in my
ears, while I held you near. You moved so easily, as I believe you should feel
wild and free. My hopes and my dreams gave me something to believe. My friends
will never know, how much I love you so. You are my desire that sets my heart
on fire. Our dance is done and we had our fun. I’ll be alone with no one to
call my own.
Marcel dropped Amanda off at her father’s around twelve. Amanda’s
stepmother waited and welcomed her in, while her husband slept. Amanda became
aware of this woman’s struggle of what her husband had done, but felt
responsible to look after the orphan until the teen was ready to leave. She was
grief-stricken by her oldest daughter’s reaction and felt betrayed far worse
than what her husband did. She was slowly losing her without enough strength to
stop it. Sandy’s heart had turned cold and her heart felt more pity for her
son-in-law for what he had to tend to. It was her idea to get Amanda to spend
more time with them as part of the healing process, as well as part of the
bonding that her husband had to do.
About an hour later, her stepmother went to check on her, like had since
the stranger arrived, and the teen’s eyes were wet once again. The lights from
the street made Amanda’s face slightly clearer, as she also wondered why she
never took off her costume.
“Don’t cry.” She said in a very low whisper, as she gently touched the
loose strand of hair that hung over the teen’s forehead. “I didn’t want you
here, because you were a bad reminder of what he had done, but now that I
started to get to know you, none of this is your fault. I don’t blame you, but
my daughter shouldn’t be taking it out on you either.”
Just as she turned, she kicked Amanda’s diary and picked up while her
left hand kept her balance on the bed. She didn’t know it was a diary until she
saw the cover and leaned it away from her. She was about to close it, when she
saw a tab stuck to the place where Amanda left off. The entry was incomplete
yet it told exactly how she felt.
‘Why did she leave me alone? How can I make it on my own? I’m never
gonna hear her voice on the telephone. She’ll never dry my tears or chase away
my fears? I didn’t want to let her go. How will she know? I didn’t want to say
good-bye. It’s been hard on me to try. I wish we were like a photograph, where
we smiled or laughed. I want it to be like yesterday. How it seems so far
away. I’ll never feel her arms around
me, or a warm kiss. I’m lonely without her. We were a pair. It’s so unfair. My dreams of her are
gone like a sad song. I cry myself to sleep. My heart continues to weep. I
won’t be alone anymore. I know someone waits for me at my door. I’ll be happy
once again. I just don’t know when…”
When the following week came, Vera cleared out her locker, kept her old
lock on it, and found a new one somewhere in the school. She hoped no one would
realize the absentee, but when the news reached the Pink Ladies at the end of
the day, they looked at each other strangely and wondered the reason. Mary
immediately searched the building after her last class to confirm the news,
when she couldn’t find her due; she went to her locker to find her friends and
told them what she didn’t find.
“Rig must have been mistaken.” Sherry said as she closed her door. “She
couldn’t have moved.”
Barbara quickly glanced at her while she unlocked her door. “She’s been
actin’ strangely. Are you sure she’s okay?” She looked inside and began to
prepare to leave. Mary had no answer, but had a strong feeling that some-thing
was wrong. She needed to support her the same way she did after the assault on
the beach that past summer. The Scorpion knocked Chaz to the sand, as he then,
grabbed her and tore off her bikini top. The Scorpion took off like grease
lightening, while her boyfriend tried to grasp what had happened to him, as
well as to her. He knew the Scorpion was strong for him to punch him down on
one hit. Chaz had always been a well flexible, quick and strong young man to
knock down due to his good reflexes with this legs, arms and hands. He learned
how to be quick with the Scorpions after the first fight that him and his
friends got into a few years earlier.
As
Vera walked to the Square alone, she wept like a child and expressed to herself
how she truly felt.
‘What
am I gonna do? My heart wants to be with you. Baby, it was hard to let you go.
I just wish I could let you know. I cry every night with hope this will turn
out right. It’s all so unfair. I want to tell you how much I care. I miss the
things we do. I want so much to return to you. There are things I’ve done that
were fun, but I’m no thief and gave no grief. I never had a lot of guys, but
I’ve told plenty of lies. Even though I hurt you, I had to let you go. We had
to go our separate ways, while I think being with you from yesterday. The worst
thing was that I gave back your ring, but I cry and feel ‘cause I know that
what we had was real. When I close my eyes, I dream of you, for it’s then that
I know what we might have again. This is how I keep the love we had alive,
‘cause the memories are what helps me to survive. Even though we’re through, my
love for you is strong, but is not gone. Good-bye my love. Good-bye.
She
rarely showed tears in public, but did quite a bit unaware to her. She thought
about Rizzo for some odd reason and didn’t know why. Maybe it had to do with
the connection that she felt with the former Pink Lady leader. She felt alone
then, the way Vera did now.
During the first week, Rydell was ready for it’s first pep rally and
football game against the Cavaliers. Four female and four male contestants were
on a lists for homecoming king and queen. After the football team won the game,
the king and queen were to parade in the field before ringing the victory bell.
Mary wanted to become queen even though her name wasn’t on the ballots, so she
had asked Chaz to hack into the computer in the coach’s office to rig the
election. She knew there would be an investigation, however, the rules about
the contestants no longer qualified the cheerleaders, but any girl. Plus, she
wanted Chaz to be her queen, except he didn’t like standing in front of a lot
of people, not even for a small speech, so he didn’t touch the list for the
potential king.
On the day of the pep rally two things
happened. The first was the crime that the principal had to resolve, so she watched the boys from the window with a
heavy heart and thought about what had happened. She was immediately informed
about the crime of the computers, as well as saw that the safe was broken into.
She had their jackets, but that wasn’t enough proof, only that they were there.
However, the money might still be on campus and she needed to investigate it
sometime during her confrontation with the boys. Whatever the results, she
would then, call the police and let them take over. Just after the first bell
went off, she used the microphone in her private office to call them down; at
the same time the boys wondered curiously what she had wanted. There was
nothing they thought of. They didn’t ride their machines on the grass the way
Leo did so many years ago, or wrote on the walls, except in the boys washroom,
which was nothing new. A lot of students did that. What could it have been?
There was only one way to know. Blade and Frank sat in the two dark brown
leather chairs in front, while the rest sat on the love seat style sofa behind.
She closed the door and began the meeting. The all greeted her, except she
wasn’t in the mood to return it.
“Is
there anything wrong?” Blade asked with slight concern.
“You tell me?” She responded with a curious question.
She held up Chaz’s and Moose jackets. All the boys reacted in shock,
especially the two boys in question. They were speechless. They didn’t know how
she got them, or what happened that night. They knew someone broke into their
lockers, except neither Chaz nor Moose saw anything. Blade looked at them and
then at the principal before asking the next question. He knew the jackets were
gone when he saw them at the Frosty Palace. He had asked about them, except neither
one of his friends knew what happened. The disappearance was a real mystery.
“Where did you find those?” Blade asked curiously.
He didn’t care who heard him or whether this was her office or not. He
suspected that she believed his friends had stole ten computers and ten
printers without getting caught. She asked where they and the money were
hidden, as well as asked the reason for their crime. Bruce stood up immediately
to defend them, but before he could, she ordered him to sit back down. She
requested a locker search for the money without any conflict, as well as told
them that she would call the police for them to investigate. The boys didn’t
like it, but gave in just to prove her wrong. All the lockers were searched
while the halls were empty. When the principal saw two lockers were broken and
nothing in them, she gave them the benefit of the doubt, except they weren’t in
the clear yet. Chaz and Moose were given back their jackets at the end of the
day, except neither of the boys attended the rest of their classes due to anger
and frustration for what had happened. They met the rest of the T-Birds at the
Frosty Palace to discuss the situation and how to resolve it.
They drank cold beverages without an appetite. After what happened, no
one was hungry for their usual burgers, fries, onion rings, nachos, hotdogs,
corndogs and vegetable platter. The platter was for Blade. He preferred them
and the burgers to all the rest.
“The Scorpions screwed us this time.” Blade said as he sipped his root
beer.
“Those bastards!” Bruce commented harshly.
“What makes you believe it’s them?” Chaz asked with a slight curious
tone.
His friends looked at him strangely. They couldn’t believe he was
stupid.
“What are we goin’ to do?” Moose asked.
“We don’t know where they are.” Frank said.
“We don’t even know how they got in.” Moose said suspiciously.
“The last known was one of the cheerleaders had dated one.” Blade said.
“But that was a while ago.”
“You think its history repeating itself?” Frank asked with concern as he
took a big gulp of cola.
Blade shrugged and said that they all had to be alert for something
more.
“This isn’t over. Now the principal will be watchin’.” Blade said.
“We’re
not goin’ to take no prisoners or spare lives. We’ll throw no punches, only
take the dives. Every night has a dawn with us as pawns. We’re goin’ to fight
for what’s right, for our destiny is to be free. I know what to do and we’re
not goin’ to lose, but you have to choose. Money, women, beer and wine are fun
and fine, but with a dark cloud hanin’ like a shroud, they try to knock us to
our knees with us beggin’ please. They’re evil friends of Satan that sends a
chill down our spines. They’re like a storm that rolls in like thunder and blow
like a hurricane in heavy rain. We’re goin’ to strike like lightening in the
sky and watch them die for their crime. Once they’re down, we’ll party all over
town. This’ll be fun like playing out in the sun. Hell’s waitin’ and comin’ for
them. Everyone will know they aren’t no gem.”
The second was after school. Once
the coach had left for training, Mary and Chaz snuck into his office, to hack
into his computer to change the name of the Homecoming Queen to hers. Before he
left, he hacked into the principal’s computer to change
the same information, because her computer was the main frame to all other
computers, and it held all of the school events and information. Chaz didn’t
want to do it, even though she was aware of what him and the others went
through, however, she wanted to be-come queen, because she wanted to clean the
Pink Ladies reputation after eight years of it being tarnished. She knew it was
wrong, but the rigging and hacking would be kept between the two of them. No
one would even know. There would be no evidence or a trail, because there was
no camera in his or the principal’s office.
When her name was called, she would have
to pretend to be surprised, so that no one would be suspicious. She tried to
tell this to Vera two days ago, but she changed her mind after she saw the
white painted face and thick make up like a maim or a corpse. She mentioned
this to Chaz with extreme concern and told him that Vera’s was starting to
creep her out. The group was aware of the crimes committed against her father
and knew that they had affected her, along with Aaron.
That same evening around six o’clock the
announcement for the Queen began with excitement, until Mary’s name was
mentioned, which created a slight disappointment amongst a few in the crowd
that believed the contest was rigged. It wouldn’t have been the first time the
T-Birds and Pink Ladies did anything like that. Mary acted on cue, which made
the cheerleaders wonder. There were mixed emotions when it came to the Pink
Ladies. Some believed they should have been extinct like the dinosaurs and some
believed the girls should remain. The ones that didn’t like them were jealous
because they wanted to date the T-Birds. Yet, the squad was allowed to date
Blade and go near the rest, because the boys never cheated before the
commitments to the Sorority. They were like Danny. The boys kissed and necked
with other girls if they wanted, but gave the rest to the Pink Ladies after
they had a solid relationship. Luther was the King, he was also the football
line backer that all the team were counting on, he was also known to be the
singing geek to a few that heard him sing in the shower after each game or
training.
Frenchy, Doody, Sandy, Danny, Goose and
Rhonda were amongst the crowed in the bleachers. They came out to support the
old team, as well as to enjoy the fun, except none of them liked the cheers,
except for one, which sounded like Johnny at the bowling alley many years ago.
In the middle of the game, there was a
thirty-minute intermission that be-came a short party with music, cheerleaders,
dancers, food and beverages. All were free, except for the snacks and drinks.
Proceeds went to the school’s athletic fund. The game was suspenseful and full
of excitement. No one knew who would win after the score showed the Cavaliers
were two points a head, until the Rangers found their weak spot and became
stronger, thanks to Luther. He took control of the ball most of the game until
another member of his team took it and scored the rest of the points. At the
end the crowd waited for the kick off and watched impatiently and suspenseful
for the ball to go over the goal post. Fingers were crossed and sweat ran down
some faces as all became overwhelming very quickly, until they thought it
wouldn’t go over, but at the last minute everything that the crowd had held,
especially those that supported the team, flew in the air seconds after the
ball went over the post. The team, cheerleaders and the crowd rushed on to the
field, except for Mary and Chaz. They had to attend the after party at the
Frosty Palace with Luther, as part of the duties for being King and Queen.
Frank, Bruce, Moose, Blade, Barbara,
Sherry and Amanda were at S&M for a pizza and wings. Sandy didn’t want to
go, because she believed her sister would be there. Before the game, Frenchy
warned her old friend of what would happen if she continued to treat her half
sister poorly, except Sandy didn’t want to hear it, and left moments before
Danny returned with a few snacks. He asked where his wife went. Frenchy
informed him and it was then, the former T-Bird leader became fed up with
everything.
“This ain’t goin’ away.” He said. “One of
us gotta give.”
He wasn’t interested in the game at first, until he saw the cheerleaders and it reminded him of what his life had used to be.
CHAPTER SIX
Amanda never attended the game or the celebration, because she told
Sherry that she wasn’t interested in anything the school had offer, like the
metal Rydell High School key chain that every student received. During that
week, however, her behavior from neutral to depression began to show with those
concerned. Danny was the first to see it and was extremely concerned. Of course
his wife didn’t help much in the teen’s mental and emotional heath. In fact,
Amanda once cried out like a young woman in terror with her sister during
Sandy’s appointment at the salon the day before. The former Rydell student took
quick glances at her sister deliberately with a guilty grin while her sister
worked a few feet nearby. After the first three complaints, Amanda dropped the
plastic bottle of shampoo and rushed over to her sister. With anger and tears
in her eyes, she took the glass canister that had the combs and poured it over
Sandy’s lap. She squealed and jumped to her feet just as she called her a
witch. She saw Sandy was about to speak and jumped in before she was able to.
“YOU DON’T FOOL ME! YOU FOOLED EVERYONE TO BELIEVE YOU WERE AN INNOCENT,
WHILE DEEP DOWN LIED THE DEVIL HIMSELF. I DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU OR YOUR DUMB
FAMILY.”
Frenchy was in the back office and heard the commotion, so she rushed
out to investigate. She saw her employee and watched her storm out before she
was able to stop her, while Frenchy glared at her old friend with anger and
disappointment.
“What did you do to that young girl?” She asked as she pointed her right
finger at the closed door.
“What did I do?” Sandy reacted with complete shock. “Look what she did
to me!”
Frenchy saw it, but wasn’t the least concern. She looked at her employee
and suggested he work on another customer, because she wanted her old friend to
leave. Amanda had returned just before the salon had closed, which disappointed
Frenchy, who thought she could rely on her new employee. She told her not to
allow private matters to interfere with her work, because it was bad for
business. She spoke with sincerity and understanding, while the former Pink
Lady informed her that she took care of the situation. When Marcel picked her
up, Frenchy asked him to keep her away from Sandy’s house, because she wanted
to meet with her two old friends. When Frenchy got mad, she could be just as
mean as a tiger. When Danny heard the story, he applauded with agreement to
what his sister-in-law had done, and warned that he would leave her if she
didn’t stop. She didn’t like the warning, but he meant what he said.
He knew she continued to cry over her loss and for what she’d been
go-ing through with his wife, which seemed to have subsided slightly, except he
never saw her hide in the dark closet with the sliding door closed or sleep in
it. He saw his child do it from a temper tantrum, but not a grown teen. This
was immature and wondered how long it would go on. She spoke whenever she
wanted, which was rare, and she ate her meals in her bedroom instead of in the
kitchen. He even argued with his wife about where Amanda should eat, which was
stupid. He met with her friends and teachers to find out if she had been acting
strange. Since Amanda wouldn’t talk to him, he thought he would get the
information from those that knew her more. It seemed she had skipped two classes
on different days and was found in the washroom weep-ing, even during lunch.
The only time she spoke was to answer questions from the teachers, and her
homework was incomplete.
From there, he visited the salon to inquire the same information, except
he didn’t find much, only from the manager, who informed him of how she slacked
in her job, as well as rarely smiled to the customers, especially the mothers
and daughters. This made her cry even harder and cause her to run to the
washroom in the back near the office. The manager knew that she tried not to
cause a scene and had reminded her of it, even with the stern voice. However,
he noticed that the teen took it worse than before, which seemed odd, and when
he asked what was wrong, she ran out the door and never came back until the
next day. Marcel’s girlfriend found her in the public library a half a block
away. She tried to ask what was wrong, except Amanda never revealed it. Amanda
would tell her she was fine and not to ask anymore. Danny had asked Marcel the
same question, except he couldn’t answer, because he rarely saw her, only after
school, and her behavior then, had always been the same. She rarely talked and
only stared out the window, sometimes with slight fascination with no mention
of what his girlfriend had seen. Danny made his father-in-law aware of what was
going on and asked the same question, except he didn’t have much either, since
the last time he saw her was after Halloween.
****
Amanda stayed with her father until the following Monday and walked to
school that morning. Danny had requested him to drive her, because he had
meeting and didn’t have time. When he arrived, he nearly got into an argument
with her father over his relations with his daughter and the age difference.
The senior thought the Italian was very rude and warned him not to return. Just
as he turned, the Italian told the old man that he should have kept his man
hood in his pants, and none of this unfortunate experience would have happened.
During her walk, she pondered how to get out of Sandy’s house of horror
and whether she should accept Sherry and Frank’s offer to move in with them
without crossing the line that she had with their friends. If she moved in, she
would be around them all the time, because it was either Barbara, who picked
her up or rode on the back of her brother’s motorcycle. Amanda never told
anyone the reason for her sudden change, at the same time she realized that her
father would never have remembered her birthday that was on the last day of
November. She didn’t even know whether or not Sherry and Frank still
remembered. They continued to send a birthday card and a gift by mail, but that
suddenly stopped after a year, because they were too busy being cheap, horny and
‘cool.’ She wanted to be alone with no one to bother her; this was why she left
her father’s house early without breakfast. She was aware of her emotions and
knew the reason. Since her mother’s death, this birthday would be the hardest.
The weather was a little cool. She wore the brand new clothes that her
father gave her and wondered what her uncle was doing and where he was. She
wore the light black nylon jacket with the yellow-pinned stripe down the arms
and around the waist and collar, pair of blue jeans, and a pair of black
‘Mary-Jane’ shoes. She had written letters to him with no answer, but she never
gave up hope. She continued to write until her fingers fell off, because that
was the only thing she that made her feel better. She somehow knew her sister
had interfered, except she couldn’t prove it.
Nearly a half a block away Marcel and his girlfriend found her and tried
to get her into the car as, except she told them that she want to be alone. She
the tissue in her hands and thought she either had a cold or the cold had
affected her sinuses. She asked him to pull over so she could investigate at
the same time; she sensed something was a little off. He parallel parked in
between a Ford pick up and a two door Chrysler, while his girlfriend quickly
climbed out. They had to do this quickly before either one were late to their
expected appointments. Marcel didn’t want the T-Birds and Pink Ladies to find
them and interfere, so he hoped this little meeting would be short and hopeful.
Amanda insisted that she was fine and politely asked her to leave.
Marcel’s girlfriend was a psychology major and had seen something
similar a few times during her studies and work experiences, so this was her
reason for feeling the way she did. Even though her boyfriend had briefly
mentioned the discussion with Danny, she considered that maybe Amanda had the
signs. She was aware of her being in morning and heard bits and pieces of what
her living arrangement was, which could cause anyone to get depressed, however,
she had never seen any evidence to confirm them.
Marcel’s girl friend was an attractive young woman in her mid twenties,
who was tall and had the figure of Madonna, but had a similar facial appearance
of Belinda Carlisle without the long blond hair.
“Just humor me.” She said with a concerned smile. “Something’s wrong and
we just want to help, so come with me.”
“I-
“I
know.” She politely interrupted. “We can talk on the way. Can’t we?”
Amanda released a frustrated sigh and warned them that she would accept,
only if her and Marcel wouldn’t ask any questions. She hesitated for a minute
and shook her head to accept.
When the Jaguar pulled into the driveway to the Square, the T-Birds and
Pink Ladies were already there. The T-Birds hung outside the cafeteria, while
the girls headed towards their classes. Sherry saw the car pull up and her
friend climb out the back, just before she stepped through the doors. She saw
the girl’s face was slightly flushed and wondered what was wrong. She didn’t
believe Amanda and her new boyfriend had done the sexual deed, be-cause nothing
appeared out of place, the way Vera always had anytime her and Frank got
together. Amanda was upset and wanted to know why. There was no connection to
Danny’s unexpected visit, to the reason yet, until she invited her to the
washroom. Amanda didn’t want to or be around her.
“What’s wrong?” Sherry asked with concern while she leaned against the
counter.
Amanda stared in the empty sink in silence. While Sherry waited, she lit
a cigarette, blew the smoke from her lips and held it over the sink. With the
other hand, she touched the side of her friends face at the same time; she
pulled away quickly in a sudden jerk twitch motion. She thought Sandy had hit
her, but saw no mark, so her sister must have insulted her. It was the only
reason. When Amanda first began to open up, she was aware of the upsetting
situation, not including Amanda’s morning, and didn’t like the stories she
heard. So the Pink Lady concluded that this was another upsetting moment.
“Don’t tell me she did it again.” She said with an unpleasant expected
tone before it became more serious. “That legend of all her holier than thou is
tainted with dog shit.”
She
took a puff, released more smoke and then continued.
“The woman had everyone fooled, including Danny. He was so in love with
her, that it’s a shame he had wasted his life.”
Amanda closed her eyes slowly and opened them. She was emotionally and
mentally tired of it all and wanted it to end, except she wasn’t going to allow
anyone to knock her brother-in-law after what he had done for her.
“I
don’t care what you say about her, but Danny has been good to me.”
“Okay then, tell me if I’m right or wrong.”
“Sandy has nothing to do with it.”
Sherry nearly dropped her cigarette by surprise.
“Are you defending her?”
Amanda looked down at the sink, shook her head and replied.
“You’re way off.”
“Then go on.” She said with a hand gesture of it going around.
“Leave me to grieve ALONE!”
Amanda stormed out almost crying and the message for her friend to
easily understand. When she saw the girls, she gathered her emotions and
pretended to be strong, while she grabbed her things from her locker and left
for her first class. She didn’t care what they thought of her or what Sherry
would tell her. She never even greeted them. Just as she stepped away, she
heard Mary rudely comment to Barbara on how rude Amanda was, as well as
suggested to take the locker away. Amanda turned swiftly around and told the
girls in anger, that she didn’t care what they did, only wait and she would be
gone before lunch. She quickly turned and disappeared.
“Her and her sister might be one.” Mary rudely commented.
Sherry overheard it and corrected her.
“Leave her alone. There’s more to it.”
At lunch Sherry found Amanda sitting alone in the far back with nothing
in front, not even a book. Sherry wasn’t mad, only understandable as she sat
down across from her with a sandwich and a can of cola. It seems that before
she had left the washroom before first period, when she bumped into Tina
accidentally with a small wrapped birthday gift. The gift wasn’t for Amanda
yet; it triggered something that Sherry had forgotten. No wonder she was
up-set. She thought with an ashamed tone.
“I’m so sorry. I forgot.” She said sympathetically. “No wonder you’re
upset. You’re birthday’s comin’ and with what you’ve been through….
She trailed off with her hand gently resting on top of hers and a lump
in her throat. “I’m sorry.”
Amanda stared out the window in a trance and didn’t say anything. She
didn’t even notice her friend was there until after the ghosts of Rhonda,
Dolores and Paulette had disappeared, and heard Sherry express something that
was more comforting.
“I
remember a time where the sun used to shine. You lived your life like a
childhood’s dream, where you believed you were happy and free. Then, you awoke
one day and saw that it had faded away. When your road you were on had turned,
and you watched your past suddenly burn. You knew it became a memory, so just
let things be. You can’t go back. Take my hand and I’ll help you anyway I can.
You’ll reach the light of the new day and the old one will fade slowly away. You
got a life to live and more to give. Leave your sorrows behind. I’ve been there
and crossed that line. Your new friends live in an ivory tower and don’t want
to touch the flowers. They’ll hurt you more. I’m here knockin’ at your door.
There’s a special day comin’ your way. I’ll be there for you again. Don’t
worry, you’ll be able to sleep peacefully and dream happily again.”
At
her locker Blade asked to drive her to work. She accepted, because she no
longer wanted to be around Marcel or his girlfriend. While he waited for her
alone in the Square, in the same parking space that Grease Lightening used to
be, Miles and a Scorpion suddenly appear, with him on the back of the
motorcycle. Blade sighed with disappointment, but was on alert. He watched them
ride by and disappear towards the football, while he wished the T-Birds were
there. Miles and his friend came for the girls they saw from the squad on the
night of the dance and crime spree. They knew what school and what they were,
which made things perfect for them to complete the plan they had set unaware to
anyone.
None of the T-Birds knew when or where the Scorpions appeared, only to
be prepared. It had been like that when Danny was a teen and on going. Amanda
came out fifteen minutes later, just as the Scorpions turned around and came
back. Miles saw her and yelled anxiously for his friend to stop. She stopped
just below the step and saw the trouble. Oh boy. She thought with a
negative tone. Marcel and his girlfriend arrived just as the motorcycle stopped
behind the principal’s 1988 light blue four door Chrysler, and he didn’t like
what he saw.
“So you still think they’re fine?” He said sarcastically to her, while
Miles quickly dashed towards the ‘catwalk’ before Amanda took another
breath.
Blade tried to climb off but was stopped just three feet from his
motorcycle by the other Scorpion, who made a quick U-turn and took out a
baseball bat from his saddlebag, like a samara with a sword, and used it as he
rushed by. Blade screamed in pain as he felt something break and warm blood
pouring from the opened wound. Marcel’s girlfriend glanced out the front window
and yelled in panic and fright at what had happened. Marcel rushed out to help
Blade and Amanda, as well as called her name, when the same Scorpion brought
out Miles’ gun that he stuffed in his pants, and fired it into the Italian’s
upper right chest. Amanda immediately reacted in panic at the loud sound of the
gun and scream of pain, as she listened helplessly against the same pillar that
Rizzo once stood with her book up to her chest. Miles kept Amanda until after
he pursued her
Blade
tried to reach her. He was three feet from his motorcycle, when the Scorpion
quickly swiped out a switchblade and threw it at the back of Blade’s right
shoulder blade with one hard thrust. The Scorpion was a good thrower. He used
to practice his throw of sharp objects like darts at bars and won several dart
contests. Believe it or not, he even won a contest over Moose, and the T-Bird’s
hobby was darts. He even received a board and darts for his birthday a few
years ago without his aunt’s approval.
A small crowd gathered at the mouth of the
two buildings where Vera was taken while on their way off campus, but seconds
before anyone could warn him, the Scorpion threw the weapon. They reacted in
horror as they watched and heard the T-Bird scream in horror and fright before
slumping forward. One of the onlookers was Marcel and his girlfriend from the
car. They couldn’t believe what had transpired and thought he was dead. Marcel
rushed out to help, but before he or anyone could assist, the Scorpion saw the
audience and quickly took out the gun that Miles gave him and fired a warning
shot into the air to prevent them from getting any closer. Miles gave him the
weapon for backup incases there was trouble, and to a Scorpion, anything or
anyone was trouble.
The Scorpion remained alert and swift as
he guarded his trophy and his leader from those he believed were his prey.
Marcel tried to help by walking towards him every time the Scorpion faced the
other way. When he realized that the Italian was getting closer, he demanded
him to stop, with the gun pointed in the Italian’s direction and then, fired
just after he said it. The bullet went into Marcel’s right shoulder. His
girlfriend screamed with fright, as she watched helplessly from inside. There
was no time to warn him. She knew he was going to shoot, as she wondered why he
didn’t obey the mad teen’s request. If he had, her boyfriend wouldn’t have had
his face on the pavement. Marcel screamed in pain and anguish at the same time,
he tried to watch the teen waving the gun and asking which of the teens wanted
to be the third victim.
“Let me take you away.” he suggested with
a grin that looked in between a guilty pleasure and innocence.
“I just want you to go away.” She said
nervously.
Amanda reacted with nervous and fear and
at the commotion behind her, as she listened helplessly against the same pillar
that Rizzo once stood with her book up to her chest many years before. Miles
saw the horror in her eyes and thought it was attractive. He liked women that
were either helpless or feisty. He worked hard to woo her, even tried to make
her forget whatever was happening by using all of his good guy charm, whatever
that might have been. She tried to move to either side to look around the corner,
except he stopped her and kindly suggested that she focus on what was in front
of her. She squirmed uncomfortably, while he tried to tell her what a good time
they could have without revealing the truth about the wild parties of alcohol,
drugs, sex/rape the Scorpions always had. He made her extremely uncom-fortable
and there was nothing that the Scorpion could say or do to ease her out of it.
Her stomach became queasy before the horror that took place, from the rotten
smell of garlic, onions, liquor and fish on his breath.
“I noticed you at the Bowl-a-rama.” Miles
said again. “It’s a shame we couldn’t have met under better conditions.”
From the strength that he had amongst the
pain, Blade tried to yell at Miles with a crackle, fear and anger in his voice.
“KEEP
YOUR MITTS OFF!” Blade hollered in pain.
“What
will he do?” Marcel asked.
The pain was excruciating, but Marcel had to know, while he laid on his
stomach and staring at the Scorpion with the weapon.
“Try to pick her up and turn her into one of their whores.” Blade
answered.
Marcel looked even more horrified compared to what had happened.
“Are you serious?”
Blade saw him a few feet and nodded.
The principal immediately rushed to the
sound of the gun while during her security rounds. When she saw Miles, she knew
there were trouble, but not the sight from a horror movie. She was horrified as
she glanced quickly at Miles and his friend with the gun from five feet away.
Miles snickered sarcastically with disappointment. He rolled his eyes as he
wished that she hadn’t arrived. Miles looked at her furiously and cursed
silently to himself. His friend,
however, panicked and fired another shot, seconds after she had appeared. Her
heart leapt to her throat. She went completely white reacted in horror and fear, as she thought she saw her life flash before
her eyes. Neither Miles nor his friend expected her, because to the Scorpions,
she was far worse than Ms. McGee, with a stronger fist and a stern hand. When
Leo and his friends terrorized the Luau, she reacted in fear and watched the
party gets destroyed. The last huge party Ms. Blare had, she made sure the
Scorpions were arrested.
Miles
stepped away from the pillar, but not without taking her right hand gently, and
kissed it out of respect. He looked at his friend in extreme anger.
“WHAT ARE
YOU, NUTS?”
“GET LOST
LADY!” the Scorpions demanded as he triggered the gun for another shot.
Miles
rushed towards him just seconds before the second shot was fired. He wasn’t
afraid of what his friend would do. He grabbed the weapon with severe reminder
of what his friend had done and then, told him how stupid he was for using it.
Miles glanced at the injured party near the car and shook his head with
disappointment and then back at his friend.
“WE’RE
ONLY AFTER T-BIRDS!”
The
principal stormed over and warned them that they were after no one. She looked
over at the crowd to ask in panic for someone to get the nurse and to call the
police as she rushed to tend to Blade’s injury. Miles and his friend just stood
for the moment and watched. They were pleased for what happened but never
showed it. She then, looked over at the other injured party and was even more
shocked. Two injured. This has never happened at Rydell. What am I suppose
to do that I already have done? I’ve worked so hard to keep this school clear
of any problems, and then this. She thought upsettingly.
She felt
Blade’s pulse on his neck and knew that he was still alive. His heart was
strong, which was good. She turned to face the boys and told them in extreme
anger, that if they didn’t leave, she would kill them herself. It was a threat
and she knew it, but at that moment, she didn’t care. She was scared,
frightened and concerned at what was going to happen to the two men and
possibly the school. The student came out with the male nurse in his fifties
with dark skin, glasses and a bald spot. He looked like a black Pillsbury Dough
boy. He examined the teen, while she tended to Marcel. Miles and his friend
quickly left with pleasure and slight disappointment.
“Let’s
hope your first target puts Blade out of commission.” Miles said to his friend
pleasantly and then, laughed harshly with complete amusement. His friend
quickly followed while the two drove. When Amanda watched them disappear, she
made herself known and saw the horror for herself before fainting. The nurse
requested two students to carry her to the nurse’s office and stay, while he
continued to tend to the injured. Amanda never went to work. After the ambulance
took Blade and Marcel, the nurses tended to his patient and then contacted
Danny to inform him of the situation. He arrived just as Amanda’s head stopped
spinning. He found her sitting on the exam table with the nurse, drinking a
glass of water slowly, while he met with him to discuss what happened.
The day after the horror, the school reported the news, but the
secretary refused to allow it as she warned the student of what the principal
expected would happen, except the editor published it, which was a disappointment
to the principal, who eventually met with the editor, with a choice of either a
retraction or a suspension. She didn’t want panic in the halls or receive a bad
reputation from the school board. Around this time, a report was made about
Vera’s father arrest for arson at the motel and diner outside of town. It was
the same place where Michael and Stephanie studied many years before. The story
reported that he burned the room deliberately after being mistreated by the
owner. It was a lie, but the evidence proved he had done it. Aaron set fire as
a warning not to go near Frank or the T-Birds. If she did, someone she loved
would suffer. He meant what he said and smacked her across the face as a
reminder.
Vera saw a bandage wrapped around Frank’s left hand nearly a week later
and thought he had gotten into a fight with Aaron. The truth was that he had
burned himself on the popcorn machine at the theatre where he worked. She had
heard numerous stories about the fight in the Square and thought that Aaron was
one of them. She asked Mary at lunch to keep her posted about Blade’s
condition. Since neither of them had seen him in a couple of days after the
terror, Mary was the only one she could speak to that wouldn’t ask too many
questions about her strange behavior or sudden fashion change. Vera wanted to
tell someone, even her about what had happened, and how she felt, but she
feared more terror from Aaron. Since the night of dance, she saw terror and
possessiveness that she had never seen before. She experienced her first rape
in the back of his grandfather’s (Leo/Balmudo) black 1949 Mercury Hell’s
Chariot. This was the same car that the Scorpion leader had raced Grease
Lightening down Thunder road in 1959. It
was kept in the garage under a gray tarp.
She broke her relations with Frank before homeroom began, which was very
nasty and public. He refused to accept it the same way Johnny did with
Stephanie. Aaron made sure his threats were real after he framed her father for
arson, and promised to do more if she didn’t stay away from Frank and the rest.
He never admitted the crime against her father, but she suspected. Without any
evidence, she couldn’t do a thing, not even tell her mother and Mary about
being dragged to a secret location to get married. She wanted to tell his
mother but doubted she would listen. Her mother was too over-whelmed by her
husband’s charge and arrest. None of them suspected she was married, not even
seen the black leather band around her wedding finger. She took it off after
she went inside and put on after he picked her up. The only suspicions the
T-Birds and Pink Ladies had, was the sudden change in fashion and the large
black marks on her face, that she tried to cover with foundation make up or a
black hat with a long thick black veil. Aaron never boated her every day, but
she wore a hat and veils just the same. She was in morning and felt it without
her boyfriend or friends. At one point, her mother had seen them and was very
concerned. She thought Frank had done it so she visited him unexpected at the
theatre two days before Amanda’s birthday to confirm whatever suspicions he
might have had. He was behind the snack counter with a long line.
“We sort of broke up.” He said while he handed her a small beverage and
a hotdog.
For her to gain entrance she had to pay for a movie and pretend to buy
in order to talk to him, so she paid for the two and stood aside while he
cont-inued to work.
“What do you mean sort of?” She asked suspiciously.
“Since the Halloween dance, she’d been acting mighty strange.”
Her mother had seen it, nodded and agreed. “Go on.”
“I don’t know what’s goin’ on, only that I haven’t been able to go near
her or ask for a date. I suspect Aaron has somethin’ to do with it. I never saw
her act so strange, and I know her just as well as the rest of my friends.”
“Since her father’s arrest, I barely see her. And that’s not like her.”
“Have you visited her at work?” Frank asked curiously.
The middle-aged woman nodded and told him that Putzie had fired her for
slacking off.
“That doesn’t sound like Vera.” Frank said with even more concern.
“She’s the most responsible person I know. She liked the job.”
When she saw Blade return to school with his arm in a sling without his
jacket, she feared that Aaron had hurt him as well.
The Pink Ladies had gone to the Palace the same evening and noticed that
Vera wasn’t there. They thought she was sick, but were told she was fired. The
restaurant was the only place the group could talk to her, except Aaron
threatened her to leave or he would burn it to ashes. Mary left her two friends
and went to Blade’s job to discuss Vera’s problem. She parked her mother’s 1989
Chrysler beside the shop and went in. Blade listened while he tended to the
customers. His employer didn’t want him to work, because he didn’t believe his
young employee could do it. Blade was stubborn and knew could even with one
hand. His employer had doubts, so he kept his young employee behind the counter
until his injury healed. The service station was really busy. His employer
didn’t mind the visitor, as long as she didn’t interfere with his work,
“Tell me what’s on your mind.” He asked.
“I
think I know what’s going on with Vera.” She said seriously.
He
finished with the customer and looked at Mary.
“We already know.”
Her suspicions were right with a possible logic, but there was still
noth-ing to confirm it.
“No, I mean, I think she might be married.” Mary said suspiciously.
“Don’t be stupid.” He said sarcastically.
She ignored the sarcasm and continued. “I saw a ring on her finger.”
“Which one?”
She showed the correct finger. He then asked a stupid question, which he
knew he would receive the obvious answer. Of course. He thought, as he
smacked his right hand on his right leg.
“The Scorpions don’t marry.” Blade said.
“Aaron has a hold over her. It makes sense.”
“What do you want from me? Talk to her mother.”
She thought about it. “What are we goin’ to do now?”
One customer was Marcel. He came in after his girlfriend pumped the gas.
He thanked the teen for what he tried to do, as well as tried to apologize for
the way he had acted towards Blade’s friends.
Miles and his friend were arrested for assault,
because their faces were caught on camera, except they were released on bail
until a Restraining Order was given. Not long after he left, Miles pulled up,
which infuriated Blade, as he rushed around the counter to control a tense
situation before it got out of control. Miles wasn’t there for gas, even though
he did add some, and he got away without paying after the employer demanded him
to leave. Blade returned to the counter to call the police and to tend to
another customer that came in. The T-Bird said he would pay for the gas, but
the employer told him not to.
Around two o’clock that same morning the Scorpions burned Kenickie’s
garage, because they found out that he was once a former T-Bird member plus,
the station had a member amongst its and employees. Cars and pick up trucks
were burned. The loss was tremendous and devastating. Kenickie didn’t know what
to do or whether he could recover from his loss. He had insurance, but the fire
made it bad for his customers and for the reputation that he had long since
built. When Rizzo heard, she returned to be by her ex-husband’s side. She
helped him built it and was sad to have lost it.
The day before Amanda’s birthday, Mary met with Vera’s mother at the
Palace to discuss what her mother already knew over a cold beverage. The truth
hurt, but she was appreciative to know that she had friends that cared. Mary
told her what she suspected. It was the same conversation that she had with
Blade. The news was troublesome, so she questioned it the same way she did with
Frank, without suspicions. The meeting was very difficult and uncomfortable for
her, because she didn’t know how to start or how to phrase her words without
getting the woman angry, but in the end she saw the small gratitude and thanked
her for the information. After the news was out, Aaron disappeared without an
arrest or charge, while Vera’s mother and grandmother were her mental and
emotional support. Cha Cha wanted to kill him. She knew who his relations were
and was glad that Leo was dead. If he found out what his grandson had done, he
would either phrase him or hate him, but she believed the first would have been
the one.
Danny dropped Amanda off at home, while he and Sandy met with Michael
and Stephanie at S&M for dinner. They discussed Amanda’s new home, which
delighted Sandy, who prayed for a miracle to happen. Her cousin and his wife,
however, were very disturbed and wondered whether she was losing her mind.
“You need help.” Michael said while Sandy continued to laugh.
“Does daddy know?” She answered.
Michael nodded. “He agreed.”
“Okay, you can have her.” She said. “How soon can you get her?”
Amanda’s birthday party began at the Bowl-a-rama on a Saturday and ended
at ‘Club Cooper’. Amanda didn’t want to go with them, but attended to please
the others. She heard what happened and feared a repeat. Frank didn’t want to
be apart of it. He liked the plan of him hosting the second half at the club
yet; his heart wasn’t in that either. In fact, he didn’t want to be apart of
anything since Vera began her morning period, except go to school and work.
Whenever he saw Vera, she either snubbed or avoided him. At times he tried to
talk to her whether in the hall or in class. Each time she either responded
with similar behavior as Stephanie towards Johnny, or ignored Frank completely.
Sherry had a difficult time to convince her brother to help her with the
celebrations, because all he did was mope in his bedroom, which wasn’t like
him. She reminded him repeatedly of the horror Amanda faced, which didn’t faze
him until she smacked him in the head while he laid on his bed faced up with a
sour expression. It caught his attention, even made him a little angry, except
she didn’t care and convinced him of the reason. Frank and Sherry didn’t
believe the rest of their friends would be interested, so they left them out.
It wasn’t that they weren’t invited; the two siblings didn’t think their
friends would be interested in a family gathering, even if it ended at the
club.
In
attendance other than her father and stepmother, were Frenchy, Frank, Dolores,
Stephanie, Michael, Sherry, Marcel and his girlfriend. Danny never attended,
because he wanted to resolve the unsettled situation between him and his wife.
However, he sent a gift to Frenchy to pass on to Amanda, be-cause he wanted her
to know that he was still thinking of her. Amanda reacted with complete
surprise, even though the guest list wasn’t what she had expected. This was
better than having the door on my locker wrapped with a large bow. She
thought pleasantly.
Sherry decorated her locker early that morning before she had arrived,
to let her old friend know that she never forgot. It was truly appreciated.
Dolores agreed to the party and made arrangements with the staff for
preparations. She had met her the first time when the Scorpions were enraged
about their motorcycles, but couldn’t get to know her due to the unfortunate
situation. She was pleased to have her back and stayed with the gang until the
party ended. If she were still a teen, she wouldn’t have wanted to be near
Amanda, because she would have thought the same as Rizzo. Michael was
different. She saw him as an intellectual and Eugene a nerd.
Michael handed her a card with a key inside, and announced to everyone
that she would be living with him and Stephanie. She was speechless and
overwhelmed with emotions at the same time she was optimistic about what her
life would be if she changed address. She barely knew him or his wife, but she
wanted to take the chance.
“When were you going to consult me?” Amanda’s father asked with
surprised concern.
He sat in the booth across from his daughter. His uncle was displeased.
He knew his nephew was a good man, but he should have been consulted before the
announcement.
“We had to act fast.” Stephanie said with comfort and reason from beside
him. “We want to take care of her. We thought you would agree.”
Michael answered. “She’s not happy where she is.”
The old man didn’t need to be reminded, so he nodded and allowed it. “I
think she’ll be happier with you.”
Amanda didn’t say a word. She smiled to the agreement and had hoped that
all would be fine. She had no doubts. For the first time, she was going to feel
better and sleep with ease.
Nightclubs were never to Amanda’s taste. She pretended to enjoy herself,
while she remembered what was waiting for her after the party, a nice home with
friendly people, security and happiness. There were no interruptions, only the
T-Birds and Pink Ladies, including Vera, waiting for their friends. There were
no beer only food and non-alcoholic beverages. They expected the Scorpions,
except they never appeared. She arrived around the same time her former friends
did, but waited in one of the stalls in the washroom until it was clear. Aaron
never knew where she was. He thought she was at home. Since he wasn’t allowed
near her home, she feared that he or someone from the gang would follow, so her
mother drove her and waited in the office at the back not to embaress her
daughter in front of his friends. She waited in the office and spied from time
to time with hope that one of her friends would inquire more, while Louis
hosted the party with Frank.
Her fashion sense never changed. She was still dressed in black and had
a black hat with a veil. She remained mostly around Amanda and watched her
without staring, while thinking whether she could turn to her to resolve the
problem she was in. Her heart broke for her mother every time she wanted to
talk but couldn’t out of fear. Vera thought that Amanda and her had something
in common or even similarities, considering both were in morning, but for two
different reasons.
Blade recuperated in the hospital for a week, wore a sling for ten days
and tended physiotherapy after school. During that time, he couldn’t ride his
own motorcycle or worked as a mechanic. Blade expected his friends to assist,
except each one was busy, including Frank, who didn’t want to drive him. He
preferred to sulk and work until his sister gave him a headache with non-stop
nagging about being a fool instead of a friend.
She also convinced Mary to drive Amanda to work, because she still
didn’t like Marcel, except her friend reminded her that Amanda wasn’t a member,
so in front of every-one in the cafeteria during lunch, Sherry stood up
fiercely to reminded her friend of who Amanda’s relations were. This didn’t
matter. “She’s part of us without the pledge, and you know it!” Sherry said
with frustration. Mary tried to argue, but lost. She valued Vera’s opinion and
was about to mention her name, when Sherry interrupted with a reminder in form
of a question about how a leader could have an opinion when she was barely
around. Mary asked her friend that she after the position. Sherry became angry
at her defense and told her friend that she didn’t want it, but believed
someone else should. Mary indicated Amanda without mentioning her name, except
Sherry reminded that her old friend didn’t want it.
“Stop making excuses and be courteous.” Sherry said. “The girl needs a
ride and I don’t want her with the Italian.”
“I’m Italian.” Mary said in defense.
“YOU’RE NOT HIM! OKAY!”
“I’ll do it for gas money.” Mary said with a guilty pleasurable grin.
“That’s blackmail.”
“That’s my offer.” Mary said. “Take it or leave it,”
Sherry didn’t have that kind of money, so Frank paid Mary after he
received it from Blade. He charged Blade for gas money and reminded him of the
rise in fuel.
