My Uptown Girl

A Slow Dance and a Kiss

The day after the fight, was one Shirley was dreading. That morning, she was called by Helen, who asked if she could come in for the lunch shift at the diner. She agreed and, once again, had to dress up as someone who she wasn't. She took a deep breath and slipped on her pastel cardigan, leaving home.

When she arrived to the diner, Bob's car was parked, right next to her spot, and Bob was leaning against it as he waited for her. He made his way over and opened the passenger-side door, sliding in.

"We need to talk."

"Bob, I need to get to work."

"This will only take a second. I'll talk to Helen if she gets onto you." Shirley nodded and waited for him to speak.

"Shirley, you haven't been here long, right?" She nodded. "Do you know what Greasers are?" She shrugged in response. "Greasers are just hood rats. They don't care about anything, but drinking and fighting. They like to pick on us, rich kids, just because they don't have anything and want to take it from us. They're bad news, I tell you."

Shirley wanted to punch him, the way he was looking at her. Even though he was giving her a warning, Bob was nonchalant as he spoke. She wanted to fight with him, to argue that she too was a Greaser, even though she didn't look, or act, like it. But, she also didn't want to ruin the friendships that she made with the few Socs that she got to know over the time she's been in Tulsa. She adored Cherry and Marcia and, seeing how Bob was Cherry's boyfriend, she knew that once she said something, he would never let the three be friends.

"Okay, Bob. I understand." Shirley kept her head down as her mind was full of guilt. She had become close friends with that group of Greasers, especially Johnny, Dally, and Ponyboy. She felt as if she had practically abandoned them at that moment. She could only hope that they will never find out about her betrayal.

"I'm only saying this to protect you. Us, Socs, we got to look out for each other." With that, Bob opened the passenger door and left her, heading off to go find Randy.

With a deep breath, Shirley got out of the car and headed into the diner.

"There you are, sweetheart! Go put your apron on! We got a busy lunch shift!"

-

Shirley pulled into the gas station, where Steve and Sodapop worked, and stumbled out of her car, so she could go get a drink from inside.

"Woah there, girly. You look tired." Steve put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze, greeting her.

"I am, Steve. You got any grape sodas? I'm parched".

"Sure thing. Wait right here, though. Soda's inside and he's practically driving away all the customers."

"How come?"

"He and Sandy got into another fight, this morning before work. Sandy's mad cause Soda didn't wake up early to take her to school, so she had to ride the bus. He's been pissed off all day." Steve sat Shirley down at the bench, that was right outside the entrance to the gas station, and went inside to get her the drink she wanted.

After a couple of minutes, he came back out and gave her the cold drink, Soda right behind him. Shirley smiled at the man.

"Told him you were here and he wanted to say hi." Steve went back to what he was doing, before Shirley got there, and Soda sat down on the bench, next to her.

"You alright?" A horrible question to ask, but Shirley couldn't help but feel worried about her friend. It looked like he didn't sleep at all, last night. With the bruises and cuts he received yesterday, along with the dark circles that was now under his eyes, he looked like he needed a long nap.