You Like Me Too Much

Chapter 3 Part 1: 5 August, 1960

      The inside of the Allerton dance hall was suffocatingly hot and steamy, especially with the leather jacket Rose was wearing. This and the cigarette trousers that she was wearing had been the subject of great debate earlier that evening, seeing as they were practically illegal for girls to wear. But Rose really liked the leather look and the freedom and power that came with men's trousers, and she decided that matched with a silky, dark purple blouse underneath the jacket, she looked rather good. Her hair was pinned up in a simple high bun with a blue ribbon as a headband, and she had matched it all with deep red lipstick and her usual dark eyeliner and mascara. That and the black stilettos gave it enough of a feminine look for her friends to decide that it wasn't too strange and okay to go out in. She had tried in vain to coax the others into wearing leather jackets and trousers as well, but they didn't feel up to dealing with the reaction they would get from such radical clothing. They had to make sure to leave Nonnatus before anyone noticed them. The nuns would've thrown a thousand fits if they had seen Rose going out like that. Not to mention Trixie's, shall we say, racy choice of style.

     They down their first scotch and coke of the evening as they wait for the band to go on. The wait gave them plenty of time to continue the second great debate of the evening: what they should do about the lads.

     "I think they're fun," Trixie shrugs. "They're funny, gorgeous, and they're in a band, which makes them 10 times hotter."

     "She has a point," Rose nods, and she and Trixie laugh and clink glasses.

     "They're also disgusting players," Sarah points out.

      "Oh, she also has a point," Rose concedes, looking between Sarah and Trixie.

      "Well, how about this," Val suggests. "If one of them is rude tonight, we leave, simple as that."

      "Sounds good," they hum in agreement.

      "It's not like we have anything better to do anyway," Rose finishes her drink. "Might as well enjoy a good party."

     Val moved to respond but was interrupted by the boys in question finally jumping onto the stage.

     "Hello, everybody, hope you're having a wonderful night," Paul speaks into the microphone as he adjusts his guitar strap around his neck. "We're gonna start by playing a little song for you called Maybelline!"

     The girls finally shake up their hesitations and make their way over to the dancefloor, where they notice Iris and a few of her friends.

     "Hey!" Trixie rushes over and embraces her. "You're going to the egg party tonight, right?"

     "Yeah, it's my first one," Iris smiles excitedly.

     "Oh, no worries, it's their first one too," Trixie gives an evil grin as she nods over to the others.

     "Oy, stop trying to make us sound like losers," Rose calls over.

     "Speaking of that, was it really necessary to bring the egg?" Sarah chimes in. "Keeping an egg in your purse all night seems like a recipe for disaster."

     "Of course it's necessary; it's the whole theme!" Val cries, pretending to be horrified. "And hush with your logic! Clearly you need another drink." She grabs Sarah by the arm and drags her to the bar.

     "You would get drinks without me?!" Rose cries, feigning hurt as she hurries behind them. As they trip over to the bar, the git of the group makes his presence known.