Grease Lightning | K.M

1959

"Sandy, we're going to be late", I say to my sister as I hurriedly fluff out my yellow skirt. I smiled lightly, checking my teeth for this morning's breakfast as my sister was rummaging through her room for her gym bag. I noted that we were never late back home and we were losing normality by moving.

I heard my sister sigh, "It's just that these American schools start so early." Her voice grows louder as she meets me by the front door with her bag in hand, "I didn't mean to stress you out". She'd sounded sincere but I was already agitated.

I pull her out the door hard, "maybe if you hadn't spent all summer playing' house with some boy, then you'd be more ready for school". If I had a penny for every time my sister said a guy was "the one" I'd be the wealthiest woman alive.

Once I started the car, warm music flooded my ears- until Sandy turned it off harshly. I glared at her, "you must be achin' for a breakin' this morning, gettin' on my bad side", I warned and promptly turned the song back on.

I could tell the tension in the car was rising. She threw her arms up at me, "how could you say that about Danny? You know I love him, there's nobody else out there for me". I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"What are you thinking? Really Sandy? Danny from the beach is the best you can do", I countered. My anger wasn't called for, but I'd become a little desensitized after hearing about him for weeks.

Sandy opened and closed her mouth several times before finally saying, "you weren't there".

We both said nothing the rest of the drive, granted it didn't take that long to get there. Sandy slammed the door once I shut the engine off and stormed off. Whoever this Danny kid is, I can't help but wonder how he put up with her.

"Do that again and you'll be hittin' pavement", I shout at her from my car. I grab all my books and head for the main entrance once I see that Sandy is gone.

Once I was inside I began taking notice of every corner I rounded and all the information plastered on the walls. The biggest thing seemed to be an upcoming bonfire. As I was reading a bulletin board, a loud bell rang, making everyone run to their classes. I wandered around looking for the front office, but all I found was a group of boys.

I walked up to them silently, worried they'd think I was strange.

"I'm sure glad you didn't take any of her crap, sonny. You would've really told her off huh", said a handsome guy in a leather jacket with perfect hair. The guy he was talking to, Sonny, bit his fist into his hand as a response. It was almost comical.

The group, which I'd counted to be five total, began rough housing. They began mocking Sonny, saying, "Mr. LaTerri. Yes Ma'am, no ma'am", which formed into a chant between all the guys.

Sonny had enough and pushed two of the guys backwards straight into me. I tried to move out of the way but it was too late. I was already picking up my books from the floor.

One of the boys smacked Sonny over the head, "see what you done, knockin' a girl over like that".

"Ain't my fault you clumsy, Danny,'' he mused back.

Two other boys helped me gather my things while Danny and Sonny began to bicker. If they hadn't knocked me down, I would've thought their friendship was cute. After all my books were organized, I stood up and smiled like nothing had happened.

"My name's Doody, and this here's Putzie. Nice to meet ya pretty lady", he said extending his hand. I was reluctant to take it, but I sighed and shook him up anyways. I could always go in search of hand sanitizer later.

"Fellas, don't go scarin' the girl off,'' Danny said half laughing. He pushed the boys out of my personal space and introduced himself, "the name Danny, but you can call me Zuko. And this here's my right hand man-"

He was pointing down the hall, staring at a retreating man walking down the halls. I'm sure Danny hadn't expected his right hand to ditch him. "Never mind, you'll meet him some other time". I was curious as to why he'd just walked off. Maybe I smelled, or maybe he just wasn't interested in small talk. Either way, I didn't want to meet him.

I changed the subject, eager to move on without showing my hurt, "my sister had a boyfriend named Danny. I never met him, but I could imagine he'd look something like you".

"Hear that boys, pretty lady's got a sister,'' said Putzie, laughing with Sonny and Doody.

I thoroughly disliked that nickname, maybe because I thought these guys were sketchy. They looked like they were in a gang with their matching jackets. I shifted my feet, "My name is Cynthia. Where's the front office"?

Danny rolled his eyes playfully, pointing his head sideways, "just around the corner". Looking now, I couldn't believe I'd missed it. I'd walked right past it without knowing.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairwell and so did the boys because they all raced over. A well dressed man came down the stairs smiling. Doody came to greet the man, "hey Eugene", he said, shaking his hand. What I had thought to be boys greeting a friend was wrong. Doody shocked Eugene with a small hand zapper as some sort of practical joke.

I walked away quickly, not wanting to get involved. As I entered the front office, a wave of cigarette smoke blew into my face. American schools are definitely different from the ones back home. Sandy was already in the office, waiting behind two other students.

I walked up behind her, poking her shoulder, "still mad"?

She turned around, "no, I'm sorry. I just miss him is all. I don't think I'll ever get to see him again," she gushed. I smiled and side hugged her, "Well hey, I just met a Danny, maybe you can go steady with him instead,'' I joked.

Sandy was just about to say something when the woman at the front desk called us up, "You two girls the Olsens"? she asked while shuffling through papers on her desk.

"Yes ma'am" Sandy said through a smiling face.

"Here's both your schedules then, let me know if you've got questions,'' she said in a way that implied, 'don't ask questions, I don't care'. Kindness meant something different here then it did back home.

We both silently grabbed the papers and left the room. I breathed in the fresh air, making a note never to take fresh air for granted again. Sandy and I both compared schedules, glad to see we had our first period together.

We both walked quickly, not wanting to be any later than we already were. When we walked in, the entire class looked up at us in confusion. As the day goes on, it's becoming more apparent that this school doesn't get many new students.

"Find your seats ladies, I don't have all day,'' the teacher said, not even bothering to pay us any attention. We both found seats at opposite ends of the classroom. I was sitting right next to a girl with perfectly styled red hair.

While the teacher was walking, the girl leaned over and smiled, "My name's Frenchy, what's yours?"

I giggled at her name, "my name is Cynthia", I said shaking her hand. She had an accent that I couldn't place.

Frenchy looked over at the teacher, who looked about ready to begin his lesson. She sighed, "we can't talk now, but would you like to sit with us at lunch today Cynthia"?

"Can my sister come too"? I asked, pointing across the room. Frenchy followed my gaze and smiled brightly, "of course, the more the merrier".

I thanked her and leaned back into my seat, happy to have a place to sit at lunch.