Rhonda was in the kitchen at Sharon's house watching Paulette chop up apples and oranges for the punch she was making for the party. "Shouldn't this be Sharon's job?" she asked, folding her arms. "Since it is her party."

"She's busy getting ready, and she has spent the whole day sorting the house out and making all the nibbles." Paulette grabbed a handful of chips before turning to Rhonda and pouring her a drink. "What do you think?"

She took a sip of it, savouring the taste. "It's nice; it's very sweet though."

Johnny entered the kitchen and Paulette thrust a drink into his hand. "Here, try this."

He took the glass from her and sniffed it before taking talking a large gulp. "It could do with something in it," he said winking and passing her a bottle. "It needs a bit of a kick."

Paulette looked at the bottle and giggled, pouring it into the punch. "Don't tell Sharon," she whispered to Rhonda as Johnny left the kitchen. "You know how uptight she gets."

"I don't think she'll care, she isn't interested in anything but Dimucci these days." She couldn't help scowling, Sharon had invited her in with barely a 'hello' before dashing upstairs to finish applying her makeup. Obviously, her thoughts were elsewhere.

Paulette frowned slightly. "Well, what about you and Goose? You seem pretty hung up on him to be fair. I have to admit I'm surprised."

Rhonda blushed, taking a sip of the punch to play for time. "I guess we're kinda dating. I mean we are dating but it's not all hot and heavy, we're just having fun."

Paulette let out a long, exaggerated groan. "For fucks sake...so all the pink ladies have T bird boyfriends except me?"

"I guess we do," Rhonda said trying not to sound smug since it had to suck being Paulette right now. "Maybe you could give Davey a chance, you're about the same height."

Paulette gave her a playful shove. "You must be joking, there's only one guy I'm interested in and until he becomes available then I'll be all on my lonesome."

Rhonda inwardly groaned; Johnny was with Stephanie and until that changed Paulette really should be more discreet. Steph's your best friend for Christ sake.

"Hey Ritter," Goose said coming into the kitchen and Paulette rolled her eyes before leaving them alone. "Remembering we were talking about you getting payback?"

Rhonda screwed up her face. "What do you mean?"

Goose grinned and opened his jacket revealing a bottle of vodka. "How about we get someone to lighten up a little." He wiggled his eyebrows and Rhonda starred at him blankly.

"Oh, you mean Sharon," she said catching on. "I dunno." She craned her neck around the kitchen door and watched Sharon come down the stairs and join Louis at the front door. Despite Johnny's words about personally taking care of crowd control, that job had been delegated to Dimucci.

"How's guard duty?" Sharon asked sidling up to Louis; he quickly pulled her towards him, and she snaked her arms around his neck in response. God, they're gross, so over the top. They'll probably spend the whole night making out with each other.

Goose reached for her arm and pulled her away from the door, closing it behind her. "Come on." He grabbed a glass and filled it with the punch, then added a liberal amount of vodka. "Give this to Sharon, let's see how she likes it."

He chucked and she smiled faintly before taking a sip of the drink. "Goose that's far too strong, she'll taste the alcohol in it for sure."

He poured a little out, then topped it up with the punch. "Okay, try this."

Rhonda took a sip. "Hmm, I think she'll probably realise there's alcohol in it, but maybe not how much."

"And if she knocks it back quickly, she'll be drunk before she knows it!"

Rhonda smiled nervously. "Much as I wanted to get some sort of revenge on Sharon this wasn't what I had in mind. Spiking her drinks is really underhand." Even if she has shown no remorse for stealing my boyfriend, but then Johnny gave her a free pass. It's him I should be angry at.

Goose frowned, meeting her eyes. "Nothing bad is gonna happen to her. She's at home, she's perfectly safe, but don't you think it'll be funny to see her loosen up? To see what the real Sharon is like?"

"The sober Sharon is the real Sharon," she said unconvinced.

He shook his head. "Nah, the sober Sharon is her putting on a front. She pretends to be the perfect good girl but I bet she'd love to let go."

"So are we doing her a favour or trying to humiliate her?" she asked her frown deepening.

He cocked his head to one side. "We're just having fun with her, don't overthink it."

She took a deep breath. I owe her nothing, she made a move, multiple moves, on my boyfriend, but still...

"I'll have to get everyone a drink or it'll look odd," she said pushing her reservations to one side. She began filling more glasses, careful to keep Sharon's extra alcoholic drink to one side. Putting them on a tray she went through to the living room, handing the drinks out to eagerly awaiting hands. And there were many eagerly awaiting hands.

"Are you playing host now," Steph said taking a glass from her, half smiling.

"Well, someone has to," she said gesturing towards the door. "The last time I looked Sharon was otherwise engaged."

Stephanie pulled a face. "I think we're gatecrashing their party if you get my drift."

"Does it matter?" Johnny said, raising his voice over the music. "Can't you try and have some fun?"

Stephanie glowered at him, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "I am having fun!"

"Yeah, it looks like it."

"I just meant if Sharon wants to tie herself to a jerk like Dimucci then that's her problem," Steph said knocking her drink back, challenging him.

Johnny's looked confused. "That wasn't what you said, you said-."

"It's what I meant! Dimucci's an asshole and he's after only one thing. Sharon could do a damned sight better than some second rate T bird."

Ouch!

Johnny began to splutter and Rhonda quickly backed off, leaving the room to join Sharon and Louis at the door. She coughed loudly as she approached them, and they broke apart turning to face her.

"Here, try this," she said handing Sharon her glass and trying not to giggle. "Paulette made it, she put everything and anything into it." Well, that wasn't a lie.

Sharon took a sip. "Thanks, Rhonda."

"No problem." Rhonda turned to Louis who was watching her stony-faced. "Do you want some?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'll stick to beer. I don't like sweet drinks and that looks way too sweet."

"Okay, Paulette did overdo it with the fruit, to be honest." She smiled as Sharon took another sip of her drink, larger this time. That's it, drink it up, baby, drink it right up...