CHARLIE ZUKO

6 | Johnny

I'm sitting in Frosty's on my own, with a strawberry milkshake. There's a few people around, not too many. As I sit, a guy with a letterman's sweater walks over to the counter and orders a milkshake exactly like mine. When they ask which his table is, he points at me. Shit. I think as he turns and smiles at me, and walks over.
"I'm Johnny," he says, "I've heard-"
"Listen, jelly bean," I say leaning over the table, "Whatever you've heard isn't true."
I notice him looking down at my chest. By leaning over the table, my top has slipped down.
"Nice," he smirks.
I stick my finger up at him, "So what did you hear?"
"That you were annoyed at your boyfriend."
"Bull. You heard I gave sex, flutter bum."
"Okay, okay, I did. But I also heard you were funny and clever and pretty and-"
"Apple butter," I say, rolling my eyes.
"So do you wanna go on a date with me?"
"This isn't a date?"
"Well, no," he says, shifting round next to me. His milkshake arrives with two straws and my empty glass is taken away.
"Bullshit," I say, looking at the two straws.
"Baby," he says, clutching my hand, "give me a chance, yeah?"
"Bloody hell," I sigh. And he kisses me.
We break apart and he has a drink of milkshake. He kisses me hard again. I hear the door slam and somebody says my name. I gulp down some milkshake, shivering as the ice hits my tongue. Johnny takes his sweater off and drapes it round my shoulders. Riz and the girls sit down next to us.
"Oh," I say.
"You do get through them, Charlie." Riz says.
"Piss off."
"Ooh," Rizzo smirks.
"Johnny, this is..." I turn to Rizzo, "Do I tell him your first name?"
"Nah." She says.
"Rizzo and Jan and Marty and Frenchy," I point at them in turn, "and girls, this is Johnny... what's your surname?"
"God, Charlie, you don't even know his last name?" Rizzo snorts.
I cough pointedly, "Ke-"
"Okay, I get it."
Johnny looks between us and, smiling, speaks, "It's Rogers."
"Huh," I laugh, "Johnny Rogers. Like Jolly Roger. You know, the pirate flag?" Everyone looks blank. "No? Okay, I think it's an English thing."
Riz rolls her eyes, "Did you know what you were getting into?" She says to Johnny.
He shakes his head, smiling, and wraps his arm round my waist. I look him directly in the eye. He smiles. He smiles too much.
"Please don't do that," I say as he taps my hip.
"Okay!" He holds his hands up, "So how about the drive-in tonight?"
I shrug, "I've not got anything better to do."
"Charming," he smirks.
I pat his cheek, before turning to Rizzo, "How are you?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
"I'm okay."
"Good."
I turn back to Johnny, who's looking between us with his hand on my waist.
"What?" I say as he looks at Riz, confused.
"What's... nothing."
"Good," I smile.

I sit with Johnny watching the film. Everyone else is around us, apart from Danny and Sandy, who are on another date. Danny left home way before the rest of us, so I think he didn't want to be near us. As we sit, Johnny wraps his arms around me and pushes me down, kissing me.
"Johnny-"
"Charlie," he moans.
I push him up, his lips still on mine. He pushes me back down and runs his hand up my back.
"Johnny. I can't-"
He sits up.
"What? Why-"
"You're not-"
"I thought you-"
"Whatever you thought," I stand, "I'm not, I can't."
"But-"
"Listen, Johnny, you're crap at-"
"Thank you, Charlie," he stands up, "and-"
"I've enough experience to know," I raise my voice at him.
"You can't say-"
"I can do whatever the hell I want," I say, getting out of the car. He goes to follow me, but I slam the door on his legs. I walk off.
"Bitch," he mutters behind me.
I head to the toilets.
As I go inside, Marty and Rizzo are coming out.
"So?" Rizzo says.
"No. He was crap."
She smirks and turns to Marty, "Hey Marty, you ain't gonna tell nobody about this, huh?"
"No, I'll take it to the grave." Marty looks at me.
"She knows," Rizzo says, walking out.
Marty follows her.

As I come out of the toilet, having reapplied my lipstick and made myself look like I'd not just had shit sex, I hear whispering. I hear Rizzo's name fly around a couple of times, so I head to the cars.
"Oh, Charlie," Marty says.
"Where's Rizzo?"
"I- it was an accident. Kenickie knows."
"You told him? Marty you-"
"You know I can't keep secrets."
"Marty-"
"I apologised, okay? It was an accident!"
"Where did she go?"
Marty points at a figure walking out of the drive in. I run after her.
"Rizzo-" I say, breathing heavily.
"I want out, Charlie. I've had enough."
"Riz, sit down. Let's talk."
Rizzo sits, and I sit next to her. She's holding back tears, that tough-girl facade cracking, just a little, like it does when we talk.
"I don't want a baby."
"I know."
"I really like Kenickie, Charlie."
"I know."
"I-"
"I know." She cries completely now, and I hug her.
"I-"
"I know, Riz."
"I've got to do it."
"You-"
"I've got to."

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