Stephanie put her belongings in her locker whilst the other pink ladies idly chatted beside her. She smiled pretending to listen but her attention was focused on the hallway where she could see Johnny and Goose approaching. She turned her back, hoping against hope, that Johnny would pass by without a confrontation.

'Hi Johnny,' Paulette said breathlessly. 'I really like your hair at the back, it's really cool.' Stephanie bit her lip, trying not to smile as Paulette blatantly tried to get her ex's attention.

'Thanks,' Johnny said to Paulette before his eyes landed on Stephanie. She turned around, bracing herself. 'So what's the story?'

'Yeah, what's the story?' Goose demanded before Johnny shooed him away.

'You know the story Johnny, it's over,' Steph said quietly. How many times did they have to have this conversation? She'd let him talk her around too many times over the summer but it was no good, it would never work between them. Johnny met her eyes looking confused.

'That's not good enough,' he said but without his usual assurance.

'Don't make a scene ok.' Steph could see the girls were watching their encounter. Johnny jumped back offended.

'There's no scene.' He straightened the collar on his jacket, backing off as Louis and Davey joined them.

'What scene?' Louis asked, eyebrows raised.

Johnny grabbed him, shoving him against the locker, his frustration getting the better of him. 'There's no scene!'

Stephanie rolled her eyes, and to think Johnny wondered why she'd had enough of him. She slammed her locker shut and turned to see Louis was now making out with Sharon, and Johnny was strutting down the hallway, Goose at his heels.

'Ok girls let's go,' she said. Rhonda looked at herself critically in the mirror for one last time, and Paulette fluffed her hair. Sharon had unlocked her lips from Louis's and they were making their way to Mr Spears homeroom, whilst Steph ushered Rhonda and Paulette towards Miss Mason's class.

                                                                     ~~~

Stephanie was halfway down the corridor when she saw Goose grab some guy and throw him against a locker. She gaped at Johnny who stood to one side laughing. He shrugged before they sauntered off as if it were a perfectly normal occurrence, which in a way, it was. Steph glared after them and then approached Goose's victim who seemed a little stunned but otherwise unharmed.

'Hey don't let those jerks get to you,' she said thinking he looked vaguely familiar as he tried to flatten his dishevelled blond hair.

'Oh thanks, I won't,' he stuttered and she recognised his voice. It was the guy who'd sat next to her on the bus. 'I'm Mich-'

She turned her back on him, walking quickly away. She might have offered him a sympathetic word but that didn't mean she wanted to make a new friend, much less anything more than that.

                                                                        ~~~

At lunchtime, Stephanie made her way over to the table where the pink ladies were sat. She saw Johnny heading in the same direction and cursed. She was the leader of the pink ladies, why did he have to sit with her girls?

'When are you guys gonna grow up?' she snarled as soon as he and Goose sat down.

'What are you talking about?' Sharon asked her interest piqued.

'These jerks were beating up on some new kid earlier.' Steph cut her eyes at Johnny. 'I'd be more impressed if you did it one on one but when you have this lug-' She gestured to Goose. 'Well, that's just pathetic.' Rhonda looked at Goose disapproving.

'We were just messing with him, it was a joke,' he said putting his hands up. Stephanie shook her head giving him a hard look.

'What's the big deal Steph?' Johnny said slamming his fork down. 'Since when do you care about some nerd from England? Maybe you're after a new boyfriend?'

Steph scoffed. 'Whatever, Johnny.'

'He's from England?' Rhonda asked. 'Hold on, was it that guy Ms McGee introduced this morning?'

'Yeah,' Goose admitted sheepishly.

'Oh, that's so mean. He's new to the country, what's he gonna think of us?'

'Who cares,' Johnny snarled, and Rhonda blushed.

'So what does everyone think about this talent show we're having?' Paulette quickly interrupted. Rydell had missed out on a place on National Bandstand, and Ms McGee had announced they'd have a talent show at the end of the year instead.

'I think it sounds lame,' Steph said taking a bite of her sandwich.

'I guess it does,' Sharon said. 'But there's supposed to be a big prize.'

'And it'd be a chance to show off on stage,' Paulette added. 'It's not quite the same as being on live TV but it's something.'

'You want to enter?' Stephanie was incredulous.

'Why not?' Paulette asked.

'We don't have an act.'

'I might have something we could do,' Sharon said slowing, mulling it over. 'From back when I used to have song and dance classes.' Stephanie vaguely remembered Sharon's mom had her enrolled in performance arts after school activities until she'd put her foot down when she was about fifteen.

'You did singing and dancing?' Davey asked snickering, and Louis kicked him.

'Yes, I'm actually very flexible,' Sharon said glaring at him. Johnny nudged Louis and they both smirked.

'See we could do it, Stephanie,' Rhonda said ignoring the T birds muttered innuendoes.

'We'd need some backing singers though,' Sharon said putting a plan together. 'If we were to perform the act I'm thinking of.'

Stephanie opened her mouth to object but then thought better of it. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Sharon was occupied with the talent show? It would give her less time to interfere in the leadership of the pink ladies. 'Look, I have a lot on with working for my dad,' she said pointedly. 'I don't have the time to organise this.'

'So we can't do it?' Rhonda asked her mouth turning down.

'We can if someone else takes charge,' she said looking at Sharon.

'But you're supposed to be our leader,' Paulette said grimacing.

'It's called delegation.'

'I'm sure I can sort something out,' Sharon said quickly. 'There are a few girls in my homeroom who I think I can persuade to join us. And you'll help me won't you Louis?'

Dimucci looked up startled. 'What?'

'Oh just with props and things.'

'I'll think about it,' he said, and Goose and Davey laughed. Everyone knew that he would, it was becoming quite clear that Sharon called the shots.

                                                                       ~~~

At the end of the week, all the girls had a free period so they sat outside watching football practice. Stephanie had to put up with yet another interrogation from Paulette, it was at least her fourth but who was counting?

'So what's the story with you and Johnny?'

'Let's just say I outgrew him over the summer,' Steph said flicking her hair over her shoulder.

'Well he still has the hots for you,' Paulette pointed out. Stephanie gave her a wry smile, she knew Paulette had been trying to get Johnny's attention all week but she'd been lucky if she could raise a smile from him.

'Johnny just hasn't learned when you're dead lie down. Besides, there's more to life than just making out.'

Paulette looked momentarily perplexed. 'You know I've never thought of it that way.'

'Well there's a surprise,' Sharon said giggling, and Paulette elbowed her.

'It's alright for you, you've got Dimucci fawning all over you.' Sharon smiled but she didn't retaliate.

The girls continued gossiping until they were disturbed by the roar of motorcycles. They turned their attention to the track where Balmudo and his gang had parked up by the T birds. Stephanie made her way over, wondering what on earth Johnny had got himself into now.

'These cockroaches are going to invade our turf one time too many,' Goose blustered, his eyes flitting to Johnny.

'We should take care of them tonight,' Louis added. Johnny grabbed his packet of cigarettes, slowly lighting one, and Steph could tell he was nervous.

'Tonight we bowl,' he said his voice slightly higher than usual, and Balmudo smirked at them. 

'Hey you're lucky we're bowling tonight,' Davey said, and the other T birds squirmed. The gang laughed before driving off, leaving Johnny to shout a few insults once they were safely out of hearing.

'Hey! Are we bowling tonight?' Sharon shouted over to Johnny.

He turned and nodded. 'That's right.' He then caught Paulette's eye, giving her a long lingering look. 'And I want you to look special.'

Paulette gasped. No problem Johnny,' she said in her best Marilyn voice.

Johnny smiled and she beamed back at him, while Steph gritted her teeth. She didn't miss the look Johnny shot her, clearly he was trying to wind her up. It wouldn't work, they were over, and if he wanted to get with Paulette, he was welcome to. More fool her for giving him the time of day.

                                                               ~~~

Thank you for reading, the prequel to this story 'Girl Code' is on my profile page.