Kenickie's Girl (UNDER HEAVY EDITING AND RECONSTRUCTION)

•The Pink Ladies•

"Kenickie, want a piece of salami?" Doody asked. I chuckled, eating my sandwich. "Are you kidding? If I eat that, I'll smell like you." He said and I laughed, "What a stink!" Putzie laughed.

"Hey, guys, look." Danny pointed to the football team, running out to the field. "Ladies and gentlemen, dingleberries on parade." Kenickie announced, not moving from his position. "Look! You really put your foot into it this time." Doody laughed, I sit up to see a jock, tripping over his foot in his helmet. "Try hopscotch, you hot dog." Putzie teased. "What a gavone!" Sonny said, laughed. "Gumdrops, man." The guys laughed and Doody imitated gun shots with his water gun.

"Any of you guys see that new chick in registration? Sure beats the foam domes round here." Kenickie asked. I immediately tuned out, I had no interest in hearing about some girl named Annette with "big jugs."

"Hey, I wanna hear about what Danny did at the beach." I heard one of them ask. "It was nothing." Danny smiled, and I did, too. I knew that smile and it was sweet. "Sure, nothing, Zuko. Right?" Kenickie pressed. "You got in her drawers, right?" Putzie asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, tell us." I asked, actually interested. "You don't want to hear the horny details." Danny insisted, still smiling. The boys and I pressed him to tell us. Finally, he stood up, "Alright, I'll tell you."

I listened as he described his summer and I could tell he wasn't being completely honest. He was being dirty to please his friends. I wondered why I cared about hanging with hormone driven boys, but even if I had more options, I think I'd rather them anyway.

Kenickie's gaze ettled on me, a creepy smirk on his face, "so, James? Do you put out? I mean, how hard is it when your daddy stuck you with a name like that." He laughed and so did the others, except Putzie. A sick feeling settled in my stomach and I got up, "I don't think my name's that bad." I shrug off what I felt and walked away.

I held the tears back the best a could. It didn't matter that Kenickie thought. Kenickie didn't even know, and even so, it was all in good fun. Wasn't it? I mean, boys teased girls all the time. I walked back and threw the trash I had away and all I wanted was to go get ready for my next class.

"You new too?" Someone asked. I was stopped by a girl with boy short, dark hair, wearing all black. "Yeah, I'm James." I say, hoping I wouldn't get the surprised face I always got, and I was glad when she only smiled.

"Rizzo." She said, looking like she was trying to study me. "Come on, meet the girls." She said, leading me to the lunch table. They all wore matching jackets, all saying "Pink Ladies" except for the blond that I saw in the office. I waved to her and she waved back with a smile.

"Frenchy, Jan, Marty and that's Sandy, she's just sitting with Frenchy." Rizzo said, making that clear as they all stood up. "I'm James." I say, smiling. Frenchy grinned, "that's different, I like it."

I smiled, "thanks."

"So, are you going to the pep rally Saturday?" Marty asked. I shrugged, "I might. I don't know if I'll have a ride." I admit. Frenchy smiles, "we can give you a lift, right Riz?" Rizzo smiles, "sure."

I smile, "I might. I'll let you guys know." I say before departing to where I saw my step brother. "Hey Scotty." I greet. "oh, hey! Having a good first day?" He asked. I smile, "it's been a blast." I lie. He smiled, "cool."

We walked into the school and I saw Putzie waving me over. "You seriously walking home after school?" He asked, looking at me. "I might hitch a ride, I'll see you later." I shrug, walking over to the guys. "hey Putzie." I smile, falling in sync with his steps.

"Aye, look, James. I was just messin' earlier." Kenickie said, looking around at anything but me. I look up to him, "sure you were. Anyways, it doesn't matter, Kenick." I shrug him off, which seemed to either surprise him or irritate him, I couldn't tell. I knew the boys made him say that, and that he didn't actually mean it.

"You going to the pep rally?" Sonny asked, slinging his arm around me. "I'm not sure, yet. I may need a ride." I say, still not making my mind up if I even wanted to go. "You could go with us?" Putzie suggested but Kenickie wore a face of annoyance. I smirk, "I'd be intruding on poor Kenickie's dirty talk, yeah? I'll figure something out." I say, opening my locker. Putzie laughed, but was cut off when Kenickie hit his chest. I shake my head and we walk to our class.

••••

"Hi, Rizzo, mind giving me a ride?" I ask, really not feeling like walking. I had a killer headache. "Sure, get in." She said, getting in her car. I wave to Scotty before I get in.

"You know him, James?" Rizzo asked, leaving the school parking lot. "He's my step brother." I say, earning an "oh really" look from her. "he's a hunk." She laughed. I made a face, and she laughed again.

We pulled up to my house a minute later, "you need a ride in the mornin'?" Jan asked before I got out. "If it's no trouble?" I ask, looking at Riz. "No, no trouble. See you then." She said.

Scott and his dad pulled in a minute later. Scott got out and smirked at me, "I knew you wouldn't walk home." I shrug, what can I say? He knew me well.

"Well, Rizzo thinks your, I quote, a hunk."  I said, smirking as we walk through the front door. "Well, the guys you been with all day seem to dig you?" He asked, his cheeks turning pink. I laugh, "oh, no. I only really get along with 3 of them."

"I take it your first day was good?" Mom asked, coming in from the kitchen. I shrug, and Scott gave me a look. "It was cool." I look at her and then walk upstairs. "Got lotsa homework." I say, shutting my door.

Today hadn't been all that bad and I couldn't lie, I was kind of excited for tomorrow.

•••

I was up and ready, early that next morning. I decided to wear some leather pants, my flats and a dark blue shirt that showed a little of my stomach, at least what my pants didn't cover, and obviously, my leather jacket.

"Lilly-Mae–oh, you're already up." She was surprised. I shrugged and gathered my books. I heard Rizzo honk from downstairs, "gotta go." I say, brushing past her and down to the front door. "You want me to tell Riz anything?" I wink at Scott, who shoves me out the door, laughing.

"Hey, Riz, hey girls." I jump in and they smile. Riz waves at Scott who stood on the porch. I chuckled at his blushing face and she drove away.

Today was a great as yesterday, but it seemed to go by too fast, it was lunchtime before I knew it. I sat with the boys again, "decided if you're going to the pep rally?" Danny asked me. "Yeah, I'll probably go with Rizzo and the girls." I shrug. He nodded, "that's cool."

Kenickie started talking about a car he was planning to get tomorrow, which was a long conversation, I thought I'd bring mine in. "I have a car, it was a piece of junk but it's cleaned up a bit. Still got along way to go." I shrug.

"What is it?" Kenickie asked. "50s Challenger." I shrug and he sat up, "how'd you get one of those?"

I smiled, my hand involuntarily going to my necklace, "my dad won it in a poker game, I mean it was a piece a junk when we got it." I tried to laugh. "Yeah? Why isn't he fixin' it for ya?" Kenickie asked in a teasing tone. I didn't answer and I guess the hurt on my face was evident, because Putzie hit his chest, "knock it off, I think that's a sore subject." He whispered. Kenickie only snorted and settled back against the wall.

I sighed and Putzie gave me a bright smile, which I tried to return. I keep reminding myself that Kenickie didn't know. And even if he did, why did I expect he'd still crack jokes?

I tried to stay in a good mood for the rest of the day, but it just wouldn't happen, I even walked home that day. Instead of going in, though, I went to the garage and stared at the car, Klunker. It was covered by a sheet, still hasn't been touched by anyone since dad last touched it.

I gripped the dusty cover, wondering if working on it would really help. I sighed before pulling off the sheet, staring at the car. As I stared at it, my chest tightened.

I grabbed the book from the front seat, seeing the outline of where it used to sit, the rest of the seat was covered in dust. I sighed, clutching the book but throwing the sheet back over the car.

I just wasn't ready yet.

•••

{officially edited: March 23, 2018}