1961 // louis dimucci

Chapter 3

"Come ON, Paulette, get in the car!" I shout out the car window. She's been doing her hair and makeup for the past two hours.

"I have to be perfect for Johnny!" She shouts back, through her bedroom window upstairs.

Stephanie rolls her eyes.

"Look, you're already perfect, now get in the car before we leave you and your perfect ass here," Rhonda honks the horn.

"Alright! I'm coming!" She slams the window shut, and then runs outside.

"Okay," She climbs in the backseat, "Perfect."

"You look the same as you did before," I tell her. Why did she take so much time to do absolutely nothing different?!

"It takes a lot to be this pretty," She smiles.

We get to Bowl-A-Rama and the guys are playing pinball.

"Where the hell have you guys been? We've been waiting an hour!" Johnny exclaims, throwing his hands in the air.

 I try to explain, "Well maybe if somebody-"

"Hi, Johnny," Paulette grins.

He winks at her like he did this morning.

She's definitely swooning on the inside.

"We got you guys food... but we got hungry while we waited, and well... we ate it all," Goose says, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Let's just bowl!" Paulette's little sister, Dolores, appears from behind Davey.

"How'd you get here first?" Paulette stares at her.

"I didn't have to wait for you," She gestures to her skateboard.

Dolores is a "Pink Lady - in training". I don't really know how that happened but I think it was Sharon who gave in and told her she could hang around with us. Let's just say, Paulette was pissed with Sharon for weeks.

"I already got your shoes," Dolores hands us each a pair of white bowling shoes.

"C'mon," Louis nods his head towards the alleys.

Steph bowls first, then Goose. After that, it was me, Rhonda, Louis, Sharon, Davey, Johnny and then finally, Paulette.

When it's mine turn to bowl, I bowl a perfect strike.

"Oooooh," Louis says, "Someone's been practicing."

"Even without practice, I'd still kick your ass," I wink and saunter off to our side of the table.

"You're too attractive to be using that kind of language," He says, leaning over Sharon, who's writing down my score.

"Get off of me!" Sharon shoves his chest.

"Geeeeez," He puts his hands up in mock surrender.

Everyone bowls again and when Goose goes, he runs up the opposite alley and bowls from the end of the alley.

Johnny bowls and knocks two pins down.

"Yeah, Johnny," Louis applauds.

What? It was only two pins.

Paulette throws herself at him, "Way to go, Johnny!"

TWO PINS.

"Hey, hey, do not mess the hair."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Hey! Paulette, whose side are you on?" Sharon asks.

"Our side!"