Paulette tightened her robe around her waist, getting ready for the big reveal. The pink ladies were having their first dress rehearsal after school and she could not wait to show off her costume. She'd put a lot of thought into how best to represent the summer season and she was eagerly anticipating the reaction of a certain someone.

"Hey guys," she called out beckoning the pink ladies over. "Are you ready to see my costume?"

Sharon looked at her nervously. "Why do I think I'm not going to like this?"

Paulette giggled. "Don't be silly I followed your advice, sweet but sexy right?"

"With the emphasis on sweet."

Paulette looked around her, making sure the T birds were also paying attention. She took a deep breath and let her robe fall from her shoulders to reveal a skimpy bikini and very little else.

"Paulette..." Sharon said for once struggling to express herself.

"You are not going out there like that!" Johnny snapped going red in the face. Everyone turned to look, and Paulette twirled around letting them all get a good eyeful.

"But Johnny I'm summer," she said giving him an innocent smile. "And what's more summery than sunbathing on the beach?"

"You are not on the beach!" He raised his voice, his jaw clenched, and she was secretly pleased that he was losing his cool. "Paulette that outfit is too much, or should I say it's too little. It's indecent."

"You don't think I look nice?" she asked in a little girl voice, pushing her bottom lip out.

"You look, you look, like a-"

"I'm sure we can work on it," Sharon said raising her voice and butting in.

"Stay out of it," Johnny growled giving her a hard look.

Sharon rolled her eyes but kept her attention on Paulette. "I appreciate you making the effort. I can see you've put a lot of thought into this, but I don't think Mrs McGee will let you perform in a bikini. In fact, I'm sure she won't but don't worry I have some ideas."

"In the meantime cover-up," Johnny said seeing Goose gawping at her with his mouth open.

"Jeez, you're such an exhibitionist, I can't believe you are my sister," Dolores snarled throwing her robe at her. "I'm embarrassed for you."

Paulette was surprised to see Dolores's cheeks were almost as pink as her bikini. "Look I'm summer, how else am I supposed to dress?"

"I'm sure we can work on it," Sharon said placatory. "Summer is also the wedding season, maybe something bridal will do the trick."

Paulette brightened up. "Bridal? Like June moon?"

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking."

"Oh, I can definitely work with that," she said shooting Johnny a look as she put her robe back on.

"You get yourself a big ass wedding dress," Johnny said in an attempt at humour as he took to the stage with the rest of the T birds. Paulette gave him an indulgent smile before she went and sat down with Sharon and Rhonda who were hanging back to watch the T birds rehearsal. She applauded as Johnny took centre stage, but she had to admit they were bad when they started singing. Terrible even.

"Oh my god, I can't believe the lyrics in this," Sharon said her tone disapproving. "I've heard the chorus, the whole walk, talk like a T bird bit a few times, but this?"

"It's pretty shocking," Rhonda said with a small frown. "For a high school production anyway."

"Do you think so?" Paulette asked wiggling her eyebrows. "No one expected the T birds to sing Mr Sandman."

"Even so," Sharon said scowling. "There's a world of difference between Mr Sandman and singing about the type of girls they want to score with."

Paulett's stifled a smile, talk about uptight. "It's tongue in cheek."

"It doesn't sound like it," Sharon said her face darkening.

"Do you think you might be taking it a bit personally?" Rhonda asked slyly. "Maybe it's too close to home."

Sharon watched the T birds for a moment and then answered. "I know it's an act but it's what they think deep down. We're T bird chicks but they can go with whoever they want."

Paulette caught Rhonda's eye. "Sharon, I think you're being a bit over sensitive."

"Am I?"

"Of course you are, it's just a bit of fun," she said while Sharon continued to brood, her frown getting deeper with every lyric.

~~~

Louis followed Johnny off the stage and Sharon intercepted him, a determined look on her face.

Uh oh, what have I done now?

"Hi," he said going to kiss her and she pulled him to one side, scowling as the other T birds hung back watching them. "What's up?"

"Louis if you want a chick who can give you more, then go right ahead," she hissed. "I won't be blackmailed or pressurised."

He looked at her blankly. "I have no clue what you are talking about."

"Your act." She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him. "You literally say 'if you're hungry for a lover, got to find a chick who will give you more.'"

"It's a song, you're not supposed to take it seriously." He looked at her incredulously. "Come on, you don't seriously think..." He couldn't believe she was getting upset over something so stupid.

"Well, I'm just saying, you can go find someone else if you want to." She looked up at him, her eyebrows raised in question.

"I don't want to find someone else," he said ignoring Johnny and Goose's snickering. "Look, let me get my things and I'll meet you outside where we can talk about this alone."

"Fine!" She flounced off, clearly still not happy, and Johnny came over.

"What was that all about?" he asked cocking his head in Sharon's direction.

"She's got it into her head that our song is some sort of dig about her," Louis admitted and Johnny laughed.

"Jesus, you've got your work cut out with her. I don't envy you."

"She's a good girlfriend," Lous snapped. "I could do a hell of a lot worse."

"I'm just saying she's kinda highly strung," Johnny said holding his hands up in a gesture of apology.

"I guess I can see where she's coming from," Louis admitted with a sigh. "Since I do want more from her and she's not interested."

Johnny contemplated him for a moment. "Nah, I don't believe that. Girls - nice girls - think they should say no even if they want to say yes. They think they have to play hard to get and you've gotta go along with it and persuade them otherwise."

"I've spent months trying and I'm getting nowhere," he said feeling aggrieved.

"Look, I've told you this before. If you wanna get somewhere with her you need to spell out what she might lose if she doesn't start cooperating."

Louis shook his head. "I can't threaten to dump her, she'd probably dump me if I did."

Johnny contemplated him for a moment. "Well, I wouldn't be quite that blunt but you're gonna have to say something. Why should it be all her way?"

"It's not like that," Louis said but he didn't think Johnny would understand. He had Paulette fawning all over him, he was used to calling the shots in their so-called relationship. Sharon wouldn't let herself be pushed around so easily.

Johnny gave him a discerning look. "From where I'm standing that's exactly how it looks, it's all Sharon's way."

"I can't make her do something she doesn't want to."

"No, but you can do something to make her think about what you want, and what she might be missing out on."

"I guess," Louis said awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I'd better go catch up with her now anyway."

"You do that," Johnny said slapping his back. "And think about what I've said. You know it makes sense."

Yeah, but Sharon's not that easily persuaded.

~~~

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