Cool Rider (Grease 2)

Chapter 4

Rhonda

Rhonda parked up outside Sharon's house. She glanced at Steph who was sat next to her in the front, indicating she should go knock for Sharon. Steph continued to glare into space.

'I'll go get Sharon, shall I?' Rhonda said.

'Oh do you want me to?' Paulette piped up. Rhonda shuck her head.

'I've already turned off the engine.' She got out slamming the door, seriously they just used her as a taxi service. She stomped up to Sharon's front door, knocking loudly, and was surprised when Sharon didn't instantly appear. Just as she was about to knock again the door opened.

'Oh Rhonda, I'm sorry,' Sharon said. 'I can't come out tonight. I don't feel well, I've got an awful stomach ache.' Rhonda scowled at her, now she thought to tell her.

'I'm sorry,' Sharon repeated, her arms around her stomach. Rhonda sighed, looking at her more closely, she did look pale.

'Well I hope you're better soon,' she made herself say.

'Could you let Louis know I won't be there, I forgot to call him as well.' Rhonda sighed, so now she was a messenger service as well as a taxi driver?

'Ok.' She could see Sharon was hurt by her abrupt tone but she was too annoyed to care. She got in the car slamming the door again.

'For god sake Rhonda,' Steph moaned as the vibration caused her to smear the lipstick she was applying. 'What's with you?'

'Sharon's not coming, she has stomach ache and she didn't think to call.' Paulette and Steph remained silent, as if they didn't see the problem. Rhonda put the car into gear and pulled away.

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'Hey Rhon,' Goose called as they entered the bowling alley, she ran over to him ready to spill her troubles. Goose listened, and shrugged when she finished her tale.

'Didn't Sharon say her stomach was hurting when we down at the beach?' Rhonda vaguely remembered, and felt a little guilty.

'It's not the point though, they take advantage of me.' She looked over at Paulette who was now in Johnny's arms, and Steph had her lips locked with Michael's. Neither of them had much spoke to her during the ride there, she couldn't help feeling they didn't value her friendship at all.

'You don't have to bring them,' Goose said, and she knew he didn't understand. 'And I bet Sharon must have been real ill not to call you, it's not like her.' 

'Yeah I know,' Rhonda admitted. Sharon wasn't one to flake out on arrangements, and she had looked ill. She called Louis over.

'Sharon's not coming, she said to let you know.' The smile left his face.

'Why's that?'

'Stomach ache she said.' Louis frowned uncertainly.

'Was her mom home?'

'I don't think so, her car wasn't on the drive.'

'Right, maybe I'll shoot off then,' he said, grinning at Goose.

'Yeah you do that,' Goose said. 'Check she doesn't need some one on one attention.' Rhonda did not miss the innuendo, and Paulette sidled over after Louis had left.

'You said she has stomach ache?' She lowered her voice but the the guys could still hear. Rhonda nodded. 'And now Lou's shot off, like maybe he knows what it is.'

'He knows Sharon's home alone,' Goose laughed. Paulette gave him a condescending look.

'I'm thinking it's more serious. I think Sharon's having a miscarriage.'

'No!' Rhonda gasped, how did Paulette go from stomach ache to miscarriage?

'Well she has a stomach ache, Lou's gone to see to her, seems like he knows there's more to it.' Rhonda shuck her head, Paulette was absurd. Stephanie came over and Paulette repeated her theory to Steph.

'I guess,' Steph said. 'Sharon would hide something like that, and Dimucci would cover....' Michael spoke up.

'Stop speculating, she said she had a stomach ache. If she was hiding a miscarriage she'd have called you with a very different excuse.' Paulette pouted but Rhonda thought he was right.

'Yeah,' Goose added. 'Dimucci's shot off cos he thinks he's gonna get her alone.' He turned away to talk toJohnny whilst Stephanie, Paulette and Rhonda huddled together.

'I don't know what I'm gonna do,' Steph admitted looking at Michael. 'I don't wanna split up but it looks like he's gonna have to apply for US citizenship to be able to stay here.'

'Is that what he wants to do?' Rhonda asked, and Steph shrugged.

'I dunno, he hasn't made any moves to, and I think he misses his family.'

'You could get married, and go to England,' Paulette suggested looking at Steph expectantly. Steph chewed her gum.

'Yeah I've thought of that, thought that we could get married and buy some time at any rate. But I dunno, I never saw myself married at this age. I mean we've just left school.'

'Don't think like that, getting married would take the pressure off. You could still live as if you weren't,' Paulette insisted. 'You guys are perfect together, you've gotta do everything you can to keep it that way.'

Stephanie shrugged, and Rhonda rolled her eyes looking at Goose. She was glad she wasn't in Stephanie's situation as there was no way she'd consider marrying Goose, she wasn't even sure how serious he was about her. She knew on more than one occasion he'd gone out with Johnny looking for girls. He'd insisted he was simply Johnny's wing man, but they were supposed to be going steady, it was disrespectful.

'I don't think you should get married Steph,' Rhonda said ignoring the foul look Paulette shot her. 'If Michael wants to stay in America he should find another way.'

'It's none of you business Rhonda,' Paulette said pulling a face.

'Fine, ignore me.' Rhonda felt herself beginning to pout and quickly straightened her face.

'No Rhonda's right,' Steph said with a sigh. 'It's too soon to get married, if we didn't work out being married would be a disaster.'

'Well if it was me with Johnny I'd get married,' Paulette set, briefly glancing over at Johnny. Her finger reached for her neck, touching an old ring of his that she now wore on a chain.

'Well maybe you're more sure of your feelings,' Steph said glumly. 'I've not been dating Michael for long, we were barely friends before we got together. I think we need to get to know each other better before we make that kind of commitment.'

'But it wouldn't be a commitment Steph,' Paulette said. 'Look at it as a means to an end.' Steph nodded but Rhonda could tell she simply wanted to drop the conversation, she wasn't agreeing with Paulette. Rhonda knew Michael might be text book perfect, but that didn't mean he was the right guy for Stephanie. She looked over at Goose, who was hanging off Johnny's every word, and wondered if he was the right guy for her. After a year together she didn't think she should be having doubts.

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