Think Pink (Grease 2) ✔

Chapter 28

'Sharon are you sure this is such a good idea?' Louis asked as they made their way to Frosty's Palace. 'Johnny's not gonna like being set up.'

Sharon bit her lip, her happiness at their engagement momentarily marred. 'I know but Johnny's been avoiding Paulette, she's scared to call him, we have to do something.'

Louis looked at her doubtfully. 'I think springing it on him might backfire.'

Sharon nodded, she had reservations herself. It had seemed pretty straightforward when Steph had first suggested it, now she was thinking the stakes were too high to be game playing.

'Well it's too late now,' she said as they made their way inside. 'Johnny will be on his way.' She suddenly stopped, looking over at the table where Stephanie and Michael, Rhonda and Goose, were sat with Paulette. She glanced down at the ring on her left hand. 'Maybe we shouldn't say anything in front of Paulette?' She'd barely been able to contain herself all afternoon but looking at Paulette brought her back down to earth.

'She's gonna find out as soon as you get home tonight,' Louis pointed out. 'I'm probably going to have to ask your mom's permission.' Sharon giggled, that was one conversation she didn't want to miss.

They made their way over to the others, and Rhonda stared at her suspiciously. 'What's going on? You look positively gleeful, Sharon.'

Sharon held out her hand so they could all see the diamond ring shining on it. 'We've got engaged!'

Rhonda and Stephanie shrieked whilst Goose and Davey looked incredulously at Louis. Sharon didn't dare look in Paulette's direction.

'Congratulations,' Michael said shaking Louis's hand.

'No way!' Goose said finding his voice.

'You've gotta be kidding,' Davey added and Sharon gave them both filthy looks.

'Oh I get it,' Goose said and looked pointedly at Sharon's stomach. 'You too?'

'Goose!' Rhonda admonished.

'Of course not,' Sharon said, although she was so relieved that wasn't the case she didn't feel angered by the assumption.

'Thanks for that Goose,' Paulette snarled sourly. 'As if I needed reminding.'

'Sorry Paulette,' Goose mumbled. 'Look Johnny will come round.'

'Will he?'

'Well there he is,' Goose said looking towards the door that Johnny was walking through. 'You can ask him yourself.'

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Johnny instantly realised he'd been set up when he saw Paulette sat with his friends. He felt a moment of anger but he got himself under control, he knew he had to face Paulette, and if he didn't he'd lose everyone's respect. He went over to the table forcing himself to smile.

'Hey guys,' he said. 'What's going on?' The conversation seemed more animated than usual but he was still shocked when Sharon waved her left hand in his face, and Dimucci told him he'd proposed.

'Congratulations,' he said whilst thinking that Louis must be totally insane. Why did he want to go and tie himself down to the girl when he didn't have to? It made zero sense. His thoughts quickly returned to his own dilemma as he looked at Paulette watching him expectantly. He swallowed hard, he couldn't avoid talking to her for any longer.

'Paulette how about we get a table by ourselves for a little bit?' he suggested awkwardly, ignoring all the eyes that were on him.

'Sure Johnny,' Paulette said standing up eagerly. He took her arm and led her to the other side of the room, sliding into a booth away from prying eyes.

'I can't believe Dimucci and Sharon, they must be crazy,' he said although he wasn't that surprised when he thought about it. Sharon had Louis wrapped around her little finger.

Paulette smiled tightly. 'They want to be together, I guess that's the next step.' He couldn't miss the envy in her voice.

'It's a bit soon though, she's not pregnant is she?' Johnny would sort of be pleased if she was, at least someone else would be in the same boat as him.

Paulette shook her head. 'No I daresay Sharon will be the perfect virgin bride, and if she's not, well she'll do a damned good job pretending she is!' 

'For once I think she has the right idea,' Johnny said giving Paulette a sour look. If she'd been a bit more like Sharon they wouldn't be in this mess.

Paulette pulled a face at him. 'Are we going to sit here and ignore the elephant in the room?'

'No I guess we can't. So how have you been?'

Paulette's eyes flashed with anger. 'Not good Johnny, not good at all. You know none of my family has been in touch, if it wasn't for Mrs Cooper I'd be living on the streets.'

'I'm sure your parents wouldn't let that happen,' he said uncertainly.

'How would you know, you don't know them, and you haven't exactly been there to help. I wanted you to come to the doctor's with me but where were you?'

A wave of shame flooded through Johnny. 'You didn't ask me to.'

'I shouldn't have to, you should have been in touch offering to help,' she snapped. 'I had to sit in the doctors with all the staff judging me, it was so humiliating.'

He looked down. 'I'm sorry, I'm not handling this very well. I don't know what to do.' He wanted to run away and never come back but he knew that was impossible.

'I don't know what to do either,' Paulette said in a small voice. 'Sharon's mom has been looking into the practicalities, cos either we'll have to put the baby up for adoption or get married....' She left the words hanging in the air, and Johnny finally met her eyes.

'This is the biggest, worst thing that has ever happened to me,' he said letting out a deep breath. 'I think about all the stuff I've been through that I thought was bad, like Steph dumping me, and there's no comparison.' He saw Paulette wince at the mention of Steph's name.

'Well it's the same for me,' she said her voice strained.

'I just don't think we're ready for this yet.' That was the crux of it, they'd barely been going steady.

'We have to be,' Paulette insisted.

'But I'm not and feel like you've backed me into a corner.'

'I haven't Johnny, it was an accident.' He wanted to believe her but he didn't.

'We should have been more careful.' To think he used to tease the other t birds that their chicks were frigid, the joke was on him now.

'So what are we going to do about it?' 

'I don't know.' He threw his hands up. 'I don't want babies and marriage yet.'

'So you're leaving me?' She looked ashen. 'I know I'm not Stephanie, I know you don't love me the way you did her.' Johnny cut her off with a wave of his hand.

'Paulette this is nothing to do with Stephanie. What I felt about her was just kids stuff. This is real grown-up shit.' He saw her relax slightly. 'I want to tell you I'm happy and it'll all work out but I don't know if it will.'

'We could be happy Johnny, I know it,' she pleaded. 'We're good together.'

'Yeah maybe, just give me a bit of time to think.' Somehow he had to get his head around it and come up with a solution that they could both live with.

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