Chapter Text
Rizzo drove down the tree-lined path to Sandy’s house, taking note of the leaves dangling from tall trees as she sped past. They were already changing colors, bright oranges blossoming on the tips of the leaves, indicating the arrival of Fall. The colors of the houses whizzed past, a kaleidoscope of greens, pinks, blues, and yellows. They were so different from the mill houses that Rizzo was used to, the ones with the grey siding and cheap porches, sitting almost atop of each other in a perfect row. In Sandy’s neighborhood, the trees loomed between houses, separating expansive yards that seemed almost a mile apart from one another.
“You could really get a good tan in these kinds of backyards,” Marty commented, popping her head up from the backseat of the Studebaker, “Like a nudy tan, like you’re just completely nude and the neighbors can’t even see you!”
“Yeah, but your parents can!” Jan said, practically shrieking at the idea from the passenger seat, “My dad would have a cow!”
“He already did - he had you!” Rizzo roared, slapping her hand on the wheel. Jan cackled along, swatting the back of Rizzo’s head.
“It would be worth it though. No tan lines or nothin’,” Marty sighed, leaning back in the seat, “I’d kill to live in a neighborhood like this.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Frenchy said, her voice muffled as she pressed her face against the backseat window, taking in all the sights, “I can’t believe you’ve already been here without us, Riz. What’s the house like?”
“I’m not surprised. Sandy’s practically taken your spot as second in command, French,” Marty sighed, snapping her gum in her mouth, “You guys are attached at the hip. Kinda like Danny and Kenickie.”
“Well, I’m not jealous!” Frenchy said, turning to look at Rizzo, “I’m very happy you’ve made more friends, Riz. I feel proud, like I’m a mother or something. My baby has flown the coop.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Rizzo grumbled, ignoring Marty completely. She pulled onto the curb of Sandy’s front yard and placed the car in park before turning around to address the Ladies.
“Listen up, girls! I’m no stickler for rules, but we can at least be on our best behavior ‘round Sandy’s parents. This is a formidable neighborhood and it would do good for us to be connected to a neighborhood like this.”
“Formidable neighborhoods have folks with formidable food!” Jan cried.
“And formidable men,” Marty smiled dreamily, resting her head on the back of the driver seat, “Many, many formidable men.”
“Could you guys be more predictable?” Rizzo said, muttering as she stepped out of the car.
The girls piled at the back of the car, grabbing their pillows, blankets, and overnight bags from the trunk. Frenchy had grabbed the stuffed flamingo she always slept with, the large bird tucked under her arm. Marty had grabbed her multiple cosmetic bags, Jan taking a few in her arms to help her carry up to the front door. Surprisingly, Jan didn’t have much. Usually, the girl would bring bags of snacks and drinks for them to divulge in as the night drug on. Specifically, the snacks were a life saver when they would overindulge in the sneaky Pete and get hungry. But there wasn’t going to be any sneaky Pete tonight, so Rizzo put the observation aside as she grabbed her things.
Frenchy, Marty, and Jan stared up at the house in wonder as Rizzo slammed the trunk shut. Slowly, they made their way up to the front door. Rizzo decided to ignore Marty as she noticed the girl shoving her gum into one of the potted ferns that hung overhead from the porch. Instead, she braced herself, reaching out to knock on the door.
Instead of meeting hard wood, her fist fell into the empty air as the wooden door swung open. Sandy rushed out, practically throwing herself on Rizzo.
“You guys made it!”
Rizzo stumbled back but managed to catch the girl in her arms, blonde hair ticking her cheek. She tried to ignore the soft warmth that the blonde provided and stopped breathing entirely, not wanting to become enraptured in the scent of Sunshine (which smelled a lot like baby powder and honeysuckle and the faintest touch of tobacco). Sandy pulled away to give attention to the other girls. Rizzo tried not to look hurt.
“Of course we made it. We said we were comin’!” Jan laughed, wrapping Sandy in one of her bear hugs. Rizzo glanced at Marty, watching as the girl rolled her eyes.
“Begrudgingly, of course. We had to move around a lot of important Pink Lady business to fit in this sleepover!” Marty huffed, giving Sandy a brief hug.
“Oh, well, if it’s too much trouble…” Sandy started, her face falling immediately. Rizzo shot Marty a look.
“Don’t worry Sandy, Marty’s just being stubborn,” Frenchy reached out, hugging Sandy excitedly, “She’d never turn down an invitation to visit such a swanky neighborhood.”
“Yeah, we’re happy to be here, really,” Rizzo nodded along, shooting Sandy a small smile, “Any other Saturday we’d just be findin’ ways to get into trouble.”
“Well, we don’t want that,” Sandy smiled back, suddenly reaching out to grab Rizzo’s hand, “Let’s go!”
Sandy dragged Rizzo into the house, barely taking a moment to stop at the candy bowl. The girls attacked the bowl with force, pocketing all the Sugar Daddy's and Peanut M&Ms.
“Ain’t no one I know who has a candy bowl by their front door!” Jan laughed, clapping her hands together excitedly. Regardless, Rizzo noticed that she didn’t grab a piece of candy from the bowl.
After greeting the candy bowl, the girls followed Sandy throughout the house into the same living room that Rizzo had been only a few days before. There was no cigar burning, instead, the whole room smelled of citrus cleaning spray, as if someone had doused the entire room to mask the scent. Sandy indicated for them to place their bags at the base of the stairs, so they piled them all on top of one another.
“We’ll go upstairs after dinner, no worries! Laura should have some tea out in the den while we wait on dinner,” Sandy said, leading them into the adjacent room.
“Tea? Sounds fancy,” Rizzo smiled, hand on her hip as she followed closely behind Sandy.
“Oh, it is,” Sandy teased, glancing back to shoot Rizzo a mischievous smile, “Laura is very serious about guests. I hope you all don’t mind.”
“It’s no bother!” Frenchy said, “I wish my mom entertained you guys more often! She’s always in a rush.”
“I prefer your mom stayin’ away from us,” Marty said, “I’ve had her food and, no offense French, I bet she’d burn the tea.”
“Can you burn tea?” Frenchy asked.
“Absolutely.” Sandy nodded, apparently an expert on the subject, Rizzo noted.
They walked into the den as a pack, huddled together. The entire room was awash with navy blue, as Rizzo expected, but there was a softer blue undertone that lit it up. The couch was white and had a soft floral pattern that almost got lost from far away. Blue pillow were on each edge of the couch, stringy tassels hanging from each corner like pom-poms. There were a few other chairs made of the same material, which the girls immediately filled. Rizzo sat on the couch beside of Sandy, Frenchy on the other side.
In the middle of the room was a small coffee table lined with ornate tea cups. They were porcelain white with gold around the rim. Small leaves were painted along the white of the cup, creating something so beautifully expensive that Rizzo almost felt as if she were cheapening the cups by using them. On the center of the table was a three tiered rack holding sponge cake, scones, and various other sweets. Rizzo glanced in Jan’s direction, surprised to see the girl keeping her calm amongst the desserts. She made a note to pull Jan aside later - perhaps all of the jokes had finally caught up and done some real damage, Rizzo thought.
“Hello ladies!”
Rizzo glanced up, watching as a tall blonde woman strode into the room. She was holding a matching tea pot and a tiny jar with small sugar cubes. Quickly, as if she had done it a thousand times before, she poured tea into each of the cups, one by one. They all watched with interest - tea time was as foreign to them as the concept of Australia itself.
“Hey there, Mrs. Olsson,” Rizzo started, “What kinda tea is this?”
“Just Laura is fine,” The blonde spoke, looking up at Rizzo over the teacup, “And this is a simple black tea, straight from back home. Thought I’d treat Sandy’s new friends to the best we have in the house!”
“Aw, shucks, thanks Laura!” Frenchy smiled.
“Yeah, thanks! I’m excited to try some real Australian tea. The best I’ve had is iced tea, and it was so sweet it made my teeth hurt,” Jan said.
“Nothing wrong with some sugar,” Laura laughed, shaking the jar of sugar cubes at the girls, “It’s here if you need any! Some milk, too.”
She pointed to a small pitcher of milk, though Rizzo couldn’t imagine milk would taste good with tea.
“Tea with a splash of milk and a few sugar cubes is my favorite,” Sandy said, reaching for the small pitcher of milk.
Well, Rizzo thought, maybe milk did belong in tea.
Laura finally stood straight, giving Rizzo a chance to see her face. She was a tall woman, but very slender and thin. Her face was soft and dainty, much like Sandy, though there was no facial similarity between the two. Laura had soft brown eyes and the roots of her hair were brown, almost as if she had her hair done just to match Sandy and her dad. Maybe she was trying to fit in, trying to be a family. Then again, she also might’ve just liked the look of the blonde, Rizzo thought.
She was wearing a white blouse with a long green skirt. A frilly apron was tied around her waist, various food stains splattered along the front. Her blonde hair was curled at her shoulders and she wore a ribbon to tie her bangs back. All-in-all, she didn’t look too bad. A little too generic, but a nice woman, maybe. She definitely didn’t look like the mothers that Rizzo was used to.
Rizzo drew her eyes away from the tall blonde, instead turning to Sandy. She was surprised to find the girl already staring her down, thin brows almost furrowed, as if something was wrong. However, as soon as their eyes met, Sandy quickly looked away, the expression melting from her face entirely.
“I’ll have whatever Sandy’s havin’,” Rizzo smiled, bright and goofy, holding out her cup. Sandy gave a gentle knock to Rizzo’s knee with her own, though it went unnoticed by the room.
They sat together, chatting over scones and jam and tea for a short time while Laura finished making dinner. Rizzo could smell the scent wafting from the kitchen, the spices warm and savory. Scones and cakes aside, whatever Laura was cooking in the kitchen smelled to die for.
“What’s for dinner?” Marty asked, nose in the air as if she were thinking the same thing.
“Spaghetti, I think,” Sandy said, in-between bites of a slice of vanilla sponge cake, “Laura makes a great spaghetti sauce. She uses the tomatoes and herbs from her garden out back.”
“She’s a whole renaissance woman, eh?” Rizzo chuckled.
“I guess,” Sandy scrunched her nose, “She does a lot around the house.”
“Sounds like a dream,” Mary said.
“Yeah, my mom’s always just too busy working to worry about growing stuff like tomatoes. Heck, she barely had enough time to help me grow when I was a kid!” Frenchy laughed before taking a moment to pause, “Not that there’s anything wrong with my mom. She works hard for us!”
“Of course,” Sandy nodded, “There’s nothing wrong with a working woman. I hope to work one day too.”
“Oh wow, really? What do you wanna do, Sandy?” Jan asked, “I figured you’d just wanna be a mom or something after high school.”
“Of course not! Well, I want to be a mother one day, but not any time soon. I think I’d really like to be a teacher, perhaps,” Sandy replied, “Or, better yet, maybe a professor!”
“Professor? More like secretary to the professor,” Marty laughed.
“Ya know, they say the secretary is the one doin’ all the work anyways!” Frenchy said.
“Please ladies, don’t you all know we’re supposed to be wives?” Rizzo said, waving her hand in the air dismissively.
“If we’re gonna be wives after high school, I guess that makes you a teenage spinster, Riz,” Jan laughed, “You aren’t wife material!”
“I’m sure Rizzo would make a great wife!” Sandy interjected, setting her plate on the coffee table, “If I were a man, I’d certainly consider her a catch. I’d be so lucky.”
Rizzo felt her face go hot as the entire room looked at her. Sandy seemed to recognize what she said and, after a moment, she brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she began to laugh. The rest of the girls slowly joined in, much to Rizzo’s satisfaction.
“Please, Riz a wife? Yeah, right!” Marty cried, smacking her hand on the arm of her chair, “Talk about TV dinners and disappointment!”
“I know how to throw some cereal in a bowl, thank you very much,” Rizzo sniffed indignantly, turning her head away, “I’d even buy the name brand!”
“Not the name brand,” Frenchy gasped, “Frosty O’s for every meal!”
The girls hollered, and Rizzo noticed Sandy leaning into her as she laughed, relishing in the sudden warmth.
“What’s so funny in here?”
The girls looked over towards the hallway as Mr. Olsson appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in a dark suit, sporting an orange tie around his neck. He walked into the room, setting his briefcase down near the hallway entrance.
“Welcome home, dad!” Sandy smiled brightly at the man, giving a small wave, “These are my friends!”
“Glad to see you young ladies so animated over Frosty O’s,” he chuckled. How long had he been standing there, Rizzo thought?
“We also get pretty jazzed over Trix if the moment’s right,” Rizzo joked, cracking a small smile, “How was work, Mr. Olsson?”
“Oh, Rizzo! Nice to see you again,” He nodded towards her, stepping further into the room as he shrugged off his suit jacket, “Work was alright, just a lot of paper work today, unfortunately.”
“What do you usually do?” Frenchy asked, leaning forward with her head in her hands. Cow, Rizzo thought, noting the way her eyes were shining at the sight of the man.
“Oh, you know, finances and whatnot. I’m over a team of men in the city. They definitely don’t make the job easy!” he chuckled to himself.
“I bet,” Frenchy nodded.
“Sounds hard,” Marty agreed, eyes shining in that same, obnoxious way, “But you look just the man for the job.”
“Glad you think so,” he gave a brief smile before glancing back at Sandy, “Darling, introduce me to the rest of your friends! I’m sure they have names.”
“Oh! Right,” Sandy nodded sheepishly before introducing them one by one, “This is Frenchy, Marty, Jan, and, of course, Rizzo.”
“Right! It’s nice to meet you ladies. Hopefully Laura is done with our meal soon so we can eat. I’m starved!”
As if on cue, Laura appeared in the doorway, in the process of untying her apron.
“Oh, honey, you’re home!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up at the sight of him, “Right on time, too! I hope you’ve had a great day at work.”
“It’s just the same as usual, Laura. I’ll take my food in the den tonight, if it’s alright with you,” he said.
Laura’s face fell, but she tried to pick it back up, shooting him a small smile. A sad smile, Rizzo thought.
“‘Course it’s alright. I’ll make you a plate.”
Laura quickly turned back into the kitchen, a brief hush falling over the room for a moment.
“Again,” Mr. Olssen started, clapping his hands together, “It was very nice to meet you girls! Feel free to jump in the pool tomorrow if the weather permits.”
With that, he exited the room, the strong smell of cigar and cologne wafting after him. The girls were quiet for a moment before Marty snapped her head towards Sandy, eyes wide.
“A pool?!” she cried, “How do your folks feel about sunbathing in the nude?”
Dinner went by uneventfully. The spaghetti was delicious, as was the homemade garlic bread that Laura supplied. She’d kneaded the dough herself, she said. Rizzo couldn’t imagine Laura in the kitchen, arms the density of wet noodles pounding away at dough to make fresh bread. But, she kept her mouth shut and appreciated the food anyways.
Afterwards, the girls grabbed their bags and followed Sandy upstairs, giggling to themselves as they passed the photos lining the wall, some of Sandy in as a baby, others of her with missing teeth and birthday cake. The girls were impressed with her bedroom, yellow as the sun, ogling her record player. It was definitely the latest model, though Rizzo wasn’t one to be impressed over fancy things. She did notice a small TV that she hadn’t spotted in her previous visit sitting in the corner of the room. The girls piled their bags and pillows and blankets onto the floor in a big heap.
“Papa let me bring up a spare TV from one of the guest bedrooms,” Sandy motioned to the TV, “He wanted to make sure we had plenty to do tonight!”
“That sure is nice of him,” Frenchy said, “Mom made me work for my TV!”
“Oh please, he’ll take the TV back as soon as you all leave tomorrow,” Sandy laughed, “They don’t believe I should have a TV! At least, not until I graduate.”
“Good thing graduation’s just a couple months away,” Rizzo said, plopping herself down on the edge of Sandy’s bed.
“I can’t believe it,” Marty said, “To enter adulthood!”
“And the workforce,” Jan said, flipping through Sandy’s records, “Hey, you’ve got all the latest releases!”
“It’s to make up for not being allowed a TV,” Sandy said, sitting next to Rizzo on her bed, “Don’t let them fool you, it’s not all it seems. We have rules and problems just like any other family.”
“I’d trade my family with yours in a heartbeat,” Marty said, “Just lemme know and I can get French to dye my hair blonde like yours.”
“Just your luck and you’ll end up pink too,” Rizzo laughed.
“I’d make you pink outta spite so we can match,” Frenchy said, pulling out a record, “Oh, Brook Benton! I just heard his song the other day at the diner, what was it called again?”
“ It’s just a matter of time ?” Sandy asked, her face lighting up, “It’s one of my favorites right now!”
“Then let’s dance!” Frenchy said, jumping around excitedly. She quickly inserted the record into the player and glanced on the back of the record cover to see what track the song was on. She then began playing the record before lifting the tonearm and adjusting it to where the song began. Suddenly, a slow melody began playing from the record, Brook Benton’s warm voice filling the room.
“A slow song French, really?” Marty said, crinkling her nose in disgust, “There are no men around to dance with!”
“We can dance with each other, stupid,” Frenchy sneered. Marty turned away with a dejected sigh. Frenchy shot Rizzo a knowing look.
Of course, Rizzo thought. Frenchy was scheming.
“Well, I’ll pick the next record then,” Marty said, plopping herself onto the small nook in Sandy’s window, “Count me out in the meantime.”
“You don’t wanna dance with me, Marty?” Jan asked. Rizzo watched as the girl hesitantly extended her hand, almost bouncing on her toes with nerves.
“I don’t dance, especially if it’s slow dancing with another woman.”
Jan dropped her hand, giving a small laugh.
“Of course,” she said. Rizzo felt her heart break for the girl, her mental note to check in becoming increasingly necessary.
“Don’t be bad news,” Frenchy scoffed, quickly grabbing Jan around the waist and dipping the girl to the floor, “I’d be happy to dance with ya, Jan!”
Jan laughed, coming back up to give Frenchy a twirl. It was clumsy and fun, but totally didn’t match the music. The two began to slow dance awkwardly, being goofy on purpose despite the tone of the song. Rizzo glanced at Marty, noticing as the girl kept her eyes on Jan, obviously jealous that Frenchy had saved the day.
“Hey Riz, wanna dance?” Sandy asked.
Rizzo whipped her head around, noticing that the blonde was now standing in front of her, hand extended in the same way that Jan had done for Marty. Rizzo hesitated for a moment, gulping down nerves as she regained composure.
“How could I say no to such a doll?” Rizzo teased, slipping her hand comfortably into Sandy’s. Sandy’s face broke out into a wide smile as she pulled Rizzo against her, slowly dancing to the music. The blonde’s arms fell around Rizzo’s waist, and Rizzo played along, throwing her arms around Sandy’s shoulders. They fell into a comfortable rhythm, swaying back and forth against the music.
Rizzo had danced with guys before, had her toes stepped on and had been felt up in the dark gym during prom. She’d always danced with hooligans - greasers who just wanted to sweet talk her into sex, thinking she was as easy as the rumors had made her out to be. She’d given in with Danny and had once considered Kenickie, just to get back at her old fling, but had never made the move. Since Sandy entered her life, she didn’t have the time - or the eyes - for anyone else.
Sandy kept trying to lock eyes with her but Rizzo kept looking away, heat rising to her face as she swayed. Instead, she laid her head on Sandy’s shoulder, desperate to escape the blonde’s heavy gaze. Tension buzzed in the air around them, but Rizzo ignored it, instead relishing the smell of fresh linen as she rested her head on the shoulder of Sandy’s dress. Suddenly, Sandy’s head rested against her own, a welcomed weight and closeness that Rizzo hadn’t experienced before. They swayed like that until, too quickly, the song came to an end, switching to another of Brook Benton's tunes. Rizzo began to pull away, finally meeting Sandy’s eyes as she did. What she saw was bright blues shining right at her, the look of a cow if she had ever seen one. She wondered if her eyes told Sandy the same story.
The was a heavy quiet in the air before Marty coughed, which caused the girls to jump apart. Sandy quickly made her way around the bed, coming up to the record box.
“Come here Marty, I’ll show you all of my peppier tunes!” Sandy smiled, waving the girl over. Marty and Jan swarmed around her, excited to see all the records.
Rizzo dropped onto the bed with a sigh, trying to regain composure. Would the girls keep their mouths shut at this budding romance? Frenchy would, sailing their secret infatuation out to shore, and she had a feeling that Jan was more like her than she knew. But what about Marty? Obviously the girl was disgusted at women loving women - though, the majority of the country felt the same, Rizzo thought. There was a shift on the bed as Frenchy sat beside of her, an ‘I-told-you-so’ look written across her face.
“Whadda ya want, Frenchy?” Rizzo asked, raising a brow.
“Just came to say that I want all the credit when you guys fall in love,” Frenchy said, lowering her voice. Granted, not much could be heard over the upbeat music blasting from the record player. How would Sandy’s parents even sleep tonight?
“Fall in love? Please, it’s basically past that point. How about you be my best woman if we’re ever married? I’ll disguise myself as a man and we can walk down the alter.”
“So you admit it,” Frenchy said, “I never thought I’d see the day!”
“This old cow can’t hide it no more, French. I’m tired and she’s the only thing that makes me wanna wake up in the morning these days. Seeing her is like the sun peeking through the blinds on a bad day.”
“Who knew you’d be a romantic when given the opportunity?” Frenchy laughed, “So when are you gonna tell her?”
“Never,” Rizzo glanced at Sandy, watching as the blonde danced frantically with Marty and Jan, throwing her limbs around to the music, “She can never know.”
“What? Why?” Frenchy asked, resting an arm on Rizzo’s shoulder, surprised.
“I can’t ruin her life, French. She deserves better than me,” Rizzo smiled sadly, turning back to her friend, “I can’t give her the life she wants. Can’t even hold her hand at the Frosty Palace, can’t let anyone know if we started dating. We could get thrown into jail for that. I can’t do that to her.”
“But what if it’s what she wants?” Frenchy asked.
“Too bad. We can flirt and drag this thing out, but after graduation, we’ll go our separate ways and she’ll find her a nice man and raise a family and have a job. Maybe even move back to Australia. I can’t give that to her and she’ll be grateful this didn’t go any farther than it already has.”
Frenchy sighed, giving Rizzo a sad look.
“You’re better than me, Riz. If I were you, I’d hold onto her and never let go.”
Rizzo turned back to Sandy and the girls, watching as they stumbled around the room, screaming and laughing as they bumped into one another. She noted Marty holding onto Jan’s hand as they jumped around, noted the joy on Jan’s face, noted Sandy glancing over at her, smile broken out over her face like the moon. She’d have to let Sandy go, but for now, she didn’t mind a little bit of fun.
“Hey, girls!” Rizzo called, speaking loudly over the music. The girls came to a halt, Sandy quickly stopping the upbeat music in its tracks. “Frenchy, why don’t ya show Sandy her gift?”
“I’d completely forgotten!” Frenchy gasped, clapping her hands together. She ran to her overnight bag, throwing her things out of the bag before pulling out a box. It was just a plan, paper box, but she had wrapped a large bow around the outside, sparkly and pink. Frenchy passed the box to Rizzo as she bounced on her toes, excited. The girls joined Rizzo on the bed, squeezing in together as Rizzo held the box to her chest.
“Now, it’s been about forever since we’ve given one of these out to somebody. Last person was some broad in Freshman year we thought made the cut, but she ditched us a few months later. They sent her to live in Wyoming with some relatives for nine months and I ain’t heard from her since.”
“She was too easy to be a Pink,” Marty said, looking at her nails as if she were bored.
“What does that make you?” Frenchy teased, raising a brow. Marty slapped at Frenchy as she laughed, shaking her head.
“Anyways, we wanted to get ya something,” Rizzo said, thrusting the box towards Sandy.
Sandy hesitated before snatching the box. She carefully removed the bow, placing it gently on the pillow beside of her. She opened the box, gently lifting the pink garment from the inside. Holding it out against her frame, her smile grew wider. They’d deviated from the norm this time, settling on a pink collared shirt with the normal Pink Lady insignia stitched to the back. On the front, right above the left breast, read “Sandy” in the same color and font as the back.
“You guys!” Sandy cried, hugging the shirt to her chest, “This is perfect!”
“We figured you’d prefer something like this,” Jan said, smiling excitedly.
“I would have loved the jacket regardless,” Sandy said, “But this is still the greatest present I’ve ever received!”
“We just didn’t want ya to feel like you’ve gotta change to be one of us,” Rizzo shrugged, “Wear your long skirts and your lacy socks, whatever, we just wanted to get something that would match. Plus, if you ever get cold, you can just borrow my jacket or somethin’.”
Sandy gave Rizzo a shy smile, causing Rizzo to realize the weight of her words. Marty and Jan looked at her with wide eyes, the implication not slipping them by.
“W-what? It’s cheaper than buying another jacket on top of the shirt!” Rizzo stammered, looking away from them.
“I think it’s sweet. Thank you Riz, and you too, girls,” Sandy said, leaning forward and catching all of them in her arms for a group hug, “I’d love to be apart of the Pink Ladies!”
“Hey now, it ain’t official till next Saturday,” Rizzo reminded the girls, pulling away from the group hug, “I can’t say for sure what Zuko and Kenick have in mind, but hopefully it’s nothin’ too crazy.”
“Knowing how spiteful Danny is, I’m not so sure,” Sandy said, biting her lip, “I’ve made him pretty angry.”
“Nah Sunshine, it’s me egging it on. All you’ve done is reserve your right to say no,” Rizzo replied.
“As you should have! No offense Sandy, but he’s just not right for you. Now, I could always set you up with one of my guys if you want! I don’t mind sharing,” Marty said, suddenly reaching into her wallet as she began to pull out the photos of her boyfriends.
“No thanks, Marty, though I do appreciate the offer. I’ve got my eye on someone already,” Sandy said, glancing briefly at Rizzo before she looked away, biting her lip.
“Your loss,” Marty shrugged, “More for me!”
The rest of the night was uneventful. They danced, watched movies, took turns taking showers in Sandy’s fancy bathroom, and while they didn’t smoke any cigarettes, Sandy snuck them a bit of her parent’s fancy wine, sipping it in proper glasses like they were worth something. Jan did her imitation of the tooth paste gopher and Frenchy tried, again, to pierce Sandy’s ears (this time, Sandy powered through), and Marty made the room smell like cheap perfume as she spritzed her letters. It was just like every other sleepover Rizzo had ever had with the girls, but this time, there was a light.
From her nest on the floor, Rizzo stared towards the ceiling. After a long night of playing around, the girls had finally decided to sleep, each of them picking a side of the bed and hunkering down for the night. Faint light shone through Sandy’s translucent curtains, giving Rizzo just enough sight to make out shapes in the popcorn ceiling above her. She could make out the shapes of animals and faces, letting her eyes scan aimlessly above as she slowly began to drift off to sleep. Frenchy was wrapped up in her own blankets on one side of Rizzo, a gap between them, and Sandy’s bed was on her other side of her. On the opposite side of the bed, or maybe at the foot of the bed, or somewhere in the room, Jan snored loudly. Marty was somewhere nearby, Rizzo assumed. As much as Marty made snide comments about her friendship with Sandy, Rizzo could tease Marty to Hell and back about Jan - not that she ever really would. That topic seemed fragile enough as it was and Jan seemed on the edge of breaking. She’d have to tell the others to cool it with the teasing.
A shifting from Sandy’s bed stirred her from her popcorn ceiling thoughts. She glanced over to find Sandy sitting straight up, just a silhouette against the light from the window. Her nightgown hung to her body, hair falling against her shoulders as she leaned over, as if trying to find something in the dark. Sandy swung her legs over the side of the bed and climbed down to the floor, crouching down at Rizzo’s side. She leaned over, pressing her face as close against Rizzo’s as she could. Rizzo shuddered from the sudden heat against her skin, Sandy’s breathing right against her ear.
“Meet me outside, at the tree,” Sandy whispered as quietly as she could, her voice so tiny that Rizzo had to strain to hear it.
With that, Sandy stood and carefully made her way to the bedroom door. She opened it and closed it gently behind her without another word. Rizzo lay still, listening to the other girls around her to see if there was any change in breathing. After a few painful minutes, Rizzo quietly made her way out of her sleeping bag and left the room just as quietly as Sandy had. She crept into the hallway, slowly making her way down the stairs. The house was dark aside from a few nightlights at the base of the stairs. Once at the bottom, she quietly made her way to the sliding glass doors at the back of the house before exiting into the backyard.
She stepped onto the patio, silently cursing herself as her bare feet went from cold concrete to wet grass as she made her way through the yard. She hadn’t thought to slip on her shoes, too enchanted to stop and think. The moon shone brightly, thick clouds knitted into the sky like cotton candy she’d get at the fair every year. Making her way to the edge of the yard, her breath hitched in her throat. Sandy was on the swing, swinging from the earth into the sky. Her hair flew behind her, almost looking blue from the glow of the moon. She was beautiful, Rizzo thought.
Sandy didn’t acknowledge her as she came closer and Rizzo didn’t mind, instead stepping behind the girl to push her higher into the sky. Rizzo made sure to give a strong push every time Sandy returned from the air. They worked this routine for a few minutes before Sandy dropped her feet into the wet grass, stopping the momentum. When the swing came to a stop, Sandy turned to face Rizzo, her eyes shining from the glow of the moon.
“I’m so glad that was you! I was worried I’d whispered to one of the others,” Sandy laughed, breaking the silence.
“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind a secret midnight rendezvous,” Rizzo chuckled.
“Maybe, but I wanted to see you,” Sandy said, biting her lip as she hid a smile, “You’re my favorite.”
“Maybe for now, but that’s ‘cause you don’t know the other girls good enough. Get to know Jan more and I’m sure you’d have a new favorite,” Rizzo said, grateful of the nighttime sky to hide her blushing face, “Only one you might not like is Marty, but that’s ‘cause she’s a little mean. Well, mostly always mean.”
“I know enough to know you’re my favorite. I want to know all about you,” Sandy sighed, leaning her head against the one of the ropes holding up the swing. Rizzo ignored the cow eyes and the way Sandy was biting her lip and the way her heart picked up in her chest at the sight of the blonde.
“Not much to know, Sunshine,” Rizzo chuckled nervously, “I’m pretty bland.”
“I doubt that,” Sandy said, getting up from the swing. Her nightgown hung low, stopping just above her ankles. Her feet were bare like Rizzo’s, the edges of her feet covered in dew and loose grass. She began walking closer, her hands clasped behind her back. The air smelled sweet and humid and too much all at once. Rizzo took a step back as Sandy took a step towards her.
“Really, there’s not much to know about me,” Rizzo said, “Meanwhile, Jan has a brother who’s pretty nifty. And Marty has just about fifty boyfriends,”
“Not fifty,” Sandy said, stepping closer. Rizzo took another step back, only to find herself backing into the bark of the tree. Sandy took one more step closer, only a few inches away from melding herself into Rizzo. “I hope they aren’t the jealous type. I would be heartbroken to find the one I love talking to someone else.”
“I’m not sure love has much to do with it,” Rizzo said, “She did just offer you one of ‘em tonight.”
“Would you like to have a boyfriend?” Sandy asked, reaching up to caress Rizzo’s cheek with her hand. Her dainty fingers traced over Rizzo’s jaw, leaving a trail of sparks in their wake.
“I-I’m not looking right now,” Rizzo gulped, “For a boyfriend, I mean. For any boy, really. They’re all trouble.”
Sandy nodded, biting her lip. She brushed her thumb over Rizzo’s cheek. She looked pensive or thoughtful or hesitant or something Rizzo couldn’t put her finger on as she pressed herself further against the bark. She was surprised she wasn’t melting through the tree.
“If you’re not looking for a boy, who are you looking for?” Sandy asked, her breath hot against Rizzo’s face, “I couldn’t bear it if you were looking for anyone other than me.”
Rizzo dropped her eyes to Sandy’s lips, hesitating for only a moment before capturing them with her own. She’d kissed boys before, kissed them hard and fast with teeth and tongue, their lips dry and scratchy against her own. Sandy was different - Sandy was soft. She was soft and slow and curious. The kiss was brief, lasting only a moment before Sandy pulled back. Up against the bark, so close together, Rizzo noted how much shorter she was compared to the blonde.
“Was that okay?” Sandy asked, suddenly giving Rizzo space, “I’m so sorry if that wasn’t, well, if I misinterpreted -”
“You didn’t misinterpret anything,” Rizzo said, gently reaching out to grab Sandy’s hand, “I’m the one that kissed you, right?”
“Not that I gave you much of a chance of anything otherwise,” Sandy said, intertwining her fingers with Rizzo’s. Rizzo gave a soft squeeze.
“Better off you did, I’m not the type to make first moves.”
“But are you sure?” Sandy asked, “Are you sure it’s me you’re looking for?”
“Listen, I’m not one for all the dramatics, but I like you. I don’t know what that really looks like. We can’t go on any dates to the Frosty Palace like you could with Zuko or hold hands at school. Are you sure it’s me you’re looking for? A girl like you liking a girl like me - or any girl, really - is taboo. Don’t settle for a street rat like me, Sunshine.”
“I wish you could see how spectacular you are,” Sandy frowned, “I don’t want Danny or dates at the Frosty Palace or a public courtship. I won’t live a lie when I know the person I want to be with is standing right in front of me.”
“This will never work,” Rizzo said. She let their hands fall to their sides, pulling herself away, “This ain’t somethin’ folks take lightly, you know. It’ll never get better for us.”
“Then lets just be together for as long as it lasts,” Sandy said, cupping Rizzo’s face with her hands desperately, soft fingers tracing the outline of Rizzo’s jaw.
Rizzo leaned into the touch, her eyelids fluttering closed as Sandy brought her in for another kiss. Rizzo snaked her arms around Sandy’s waist, pulling the blonde even closer against her. As the kiss deepened, Sandy’s fingers making their way into Rizzo’s curls, Rizzo realized they were in too deep to pretend that this wasn’t a thing. There was no way they could go back to only a few hours ago, ignorantly flirtatious and absolutely only friends. But hadn’t they crossed that line a while ago? Hadn’t there always been something more between them?
Rizzo pulled away, trying to catch her breath, dizzy. Sandy pulled her in for a hug, rocking back and forth together under the tree.
“We can try,” Rizzo says, nose pressed into the shoulder of Sandy’s nightgown, “But don’t think I’ll be soft like this all the time, Sunshine.”
“You can’t help but be soft for me,” Sandy laughed, “And I can’t help but to be brave for you.”