VANILLA, BABY • KENICKIE

TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE - No words

The house was quiet when Ducky slipped through the door, shoes in her hand to muffle her steps. The clock in the hallway ticked past eleven. Frenchy was waiting, arms folded, sitting cross-legged on the sofa. Her eyes narrowed as Ducky froze mid-step.

"Where the hell have you been?" Frenchy whispered sharply, mindful not to wake their parents.

Ducky blinked, forcing a nonchalant shrug. "Relax. I was with Jack. He drove me home."

Liar.

Frenchy tilted her head, skeptical. "That's funny. I saw Jack leave school without you. You weren't in his car, Duck."

For a split second, Ducky's mask slipped but she regained her usual attitude. "Guess you weren't looking close enough. Maybe you need glasses." She tried to laugh, but it rang hollow.

Frenchy's suspicion lingered, her eyes scanning her sister's face — the smudged lipstick, the faint redness around her eyes. But she didn't push. Not tonight.

"Fine," Frenchy said, settling back against the couch, though her gaze didn't soften. "But whatever you're doing, you better not let Dad find out."

Ducky slipped upstairs, heart hammering, guilt trailing her like a shadow. She shut her bedroom door and collapsed against it, burying her face in her hands. Her body still hummed from the night, her skin still felt his touch.

She should've stayed away. She should've walked home. She should've said no but deep down, in the quiet of the night, she knew she wouldn't have. Not with Kenickie. Not ever.

As the week progressed, the Pink Ladies were clustered around Ducky's locker, trading gossip, cigarettes and twinkies. Rizzo was fussing with her compact mirror and Marty chattered about some older guy she'd met, and Rizzo rolled her eyes through it all.

"So no more Ducky and Jack?" Jan asked as she passed her can of soda to Ducky.

"He slept with Annette. I'm not a second choice." She shrugged. She leaned against the locker door. She'd been dodging Jack for days now, ignoring his waves, his notes and the way he looked at her in class. But Jack wasn't the type to stay quiet.

"Ducky," he called, striding down the hall with that varsity confidence. The chatter around the lockers stilled.

Ducky groaned, snapping her locker shut. "Fuck off, Jack."

The words hit harder than she expected. His face tightened, but he kept going. "Come on, don't do this. You said you'd give me a chance."

"Yeah, and then you went and fucked Annette," Ducky shot back, voice sharp enough to cut glass. "And you expect me to still go out with you?"

A ripple of whispers broke out in the hall. The T-Birds had just arrived, heading towards their usual spot — Kenickie in tow.
Rizzo reached for him but he brushed past her, eyes locked on Jack and Ducky.

Jack lifted his chin, scoffing. "Oh, come on, Ducky. Don't play saint. We all know you aren't a good girl. So what you're saying is - you only fuck losers then?"

Gasps erupted around them. Marty's hand flew to her mouth. Sandy froze mid-breath. Rizzo arched a brow but stayed silent. Ducky's entire body went still. Her voice, when it came, was steady, cold, lethal.