Think Pink (Grease 2) ✔

Shakespeare

Stephanie was startled when Miss Mason put her essay firmly down in front of her and gave her a pointed look.

"See me after class Miss Zinone."

Miss Zinone? I'm in trouble.

She looked at her paper and was dismayed to see a bright red F on it. Shit, I didn't think it was that bad. Embarrassed she flipped her paper over and ignored the concerned look Michael Carrington was shooting in her direction. For the rest of class, she insolently chewed her gum feigning disinterest and hoping Miss Mason would forget about her.

"Stephanie, a word please," Miss Mason said before she could hurry out of the door.

"Look, I know I should have done better," she said trying to head off a lecture.

Miss Mason pushed her glasses onto her head. "So why didn't you? This is well below your usual standards."

"I guess I don't really understand Shakespeare," she admitted. "I can't get my head around the language. I mean I know it's English but it might as well be in French or something, it's foreign to me."

Miss Mason gave her a sympathetic look. "But it's the same for everyone, you've just got to get over your preconceptions and dig a bit deeper. I know you can do it."

Steph shrugged. "I don't share your optimism."

"Fine then prove me wrong. I'm going to let you rewrite your essay because I believe you can do so much better. If you're smart you'll prove me right, and if you're not and you do terribly again, then I'll leave you alone."

Stephanie pulled a face. "And what if I don't want to do it again? I don't think-"

Miss Mason waved her hand. "You can prove me right or you can prove me wrong. Either way, you're rewriting it."

"And if I refuse."

"You're a smart girl, we both know you're not going to do that." She gave Steph a small smile. "You're dismissed."

Stephanie grumbled under her breath, for show more than anything, as she left the room. "Who asked him to write all that stuff anyway?"

Michael coughed startling her. "I guess she didn't like your essay?"

"No kidding, I've gotta write it all again," she said her voice whiny.

"I could give you a hand." She opened her mouth to tell him to get lost but she had no idea where to start with her rewrite. She knew her essay had been bad but an F?

"I don't know," she said hesitating, wanting him to convince her.

"Why don't I look over it before rehearsals?" he suggested. "I bet we can salvage something from it."

"Okay, you might be able to give me a few pointers." She knew he'd helped a few people out with their school work, it couldn't hurt to let him take a look at it. "Do you want me to pay you?"

He looked affronted. "Stephanie, I'm offering to help as a friend."

"Oh, okay," she said awkwardly. "Thanks."

~~~

Stephanie and Michael sat to one side of the stage while the Preptones finished their rehearsal. The pink ladies were the last act on so they had some spare time. Steph saw Johnny scowling at them as he took his place on the stage, and she turned away refusing to be phased by him. They weren't a couple, she could do what she liked. She looked up as Michael cleared his throat and she could tell he was trying not to smile.

"Hey I'm not normally this bad," she said when he put her essay down.

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Look, if I'm a lost cause forget it." She went to stand up and he touched her arm, stilling her.

"Of course you're not a lost cause," he said and she relaxed into her seat again. "You have the right idea, you understand the story, but your phraseology needs a bit of work."

She looked at him confused. "I'm so dumb I don't even know what that means."

"Well let's see," he said picking out a passage. "'Hamlet went totally nuts when he caught his mother doing it in the sack with his uncle.'" He laughed, and Stephanie felt herself blush. Her words sounded so much worse when he repeated them with his English accent.

"That's not so great, is it? I knew I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you're right but you need to say something like, 'Hamlet was tormented by his mother's incestuous relationship with his uncle.' It means the same thing but the language is more appropriate for an English essay."

Stephanie let out a low whistle and quickly scribbled his words down. "You're a really smart guy. I knew my words were crass but I couldn't think how else to put it that wasn't even worse."

"I'm not that smart," Michael said self-consciously. "But as far as Hamlet goes, I guess I have a home advantage."

She shook her head. "Stop selling yourself short, it's not just Hamlet, you're good at everything."

"I'm not that good," Michael said looking away from her. "I try my best for my parents' sake since they've given me this opportunity to come to America."

She frowned. "You think it's an opportunity to come here?"

"Yeah, for someone like me it is." He met her eyes again. "My parents didn't have anything like the opportunities they've given me. My dad left school at fourteen, he had to work to help support his brothers and sisters. My mother had a similar upbringing, she went into service when she was fifteen, working for some posh family in their mansion."

Stephanie listened fascinated as he recounted his parent's early lives. "I would never have guessed. I thought you were one step away from royalty."

Michael let out a laugh. "If only. I'm one step away from the coal mine."

Not so different from me.

"Steph, will you come on," Paulette hollered interrupting them. "Sharon's waiting."

Stephanie looked apologetically at Michael. "I guess I'd better go," she said for once reluctant to leave him.

Michael stood up. "Me too, I've got a piano to play but I'll work with you on your essay later."

"That'll be great," she said and she meant it. She'd enjoyed their discussion and he'd made her feel like her essay wasn't such a hard task after all. She saw Johnny talking to Goose and gesturing towards her, his face furious. She gave him a filthy look; when would he get it into his thick head that they were over?

~~~

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