OK, I am a child of the 80s- big permed hair, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Saved by the Bell, fluorescent clothes, need I continue? One of my favorite 80s movies is "The Breakfast Club." For some reason, today I started thinking about the JE characters as the main characters from that movie:

Ranger – The Bad Boy (Judd Nelson)

Morelli – The Athlete (Emilio Estevez)

Stephanie – The Princess (Molly Ringwald) Hey, Steph may not be a snob, but she's a

Jersey girl! And she's expected to be with Joe.

With that as inspiration, I started this story.

Rated M just because you never know where the story will go!

This is totally AU. For the purposes of this story, all main characters (Joe, Ranger, Steph, their friends) are the same age. They are all 17-18 and in their senior year at Trenton High. Class of 1996.

I was walking back to my car after the football game. The late September weather had turned a little colder than it was supposed to, and I was glad that I had thrown my jacket in the car as an afterthought. The sequined bathing suit, tights, and knee high boots that majorettes wore didn't offer a whole lot of protection from the cold. I shivered as I unlocked my 1983 Chrysler New Yorker. It was old and ugly, but it could hold tons of friends and their stuff! Besides, it was cheap and one of the only cars I could afford on my Tasty Pastry salary. Especially since my dad had refused to let me buy anything that wasn't American. That had severely limited my options at Big Al's Used Car Emporium.

A loud horn beeped beside me, and I waved at Mary Lou as she and Lenny drove past in his pickup truck. Mary Lou was practically sitting on Lenny's lap, but she spared me a quick wave before she went back to snuggling against his shoulder. I sighed. All my friends had deserted me tonight in favor of their boyfriends or dates. Maybe I really should take Dickie up on his offer of a burger and fries.

I reached in to get my jacket, and suddenly I felt someone grab me from behind. I screamed as they pressed up against my back, their hands coming around to hold my hips in the front.

"Relax, Cupcake! It's just me!"

I turned my head and blushed as I recognized Joe Morelli. He was fresh from the showers, having traded in his football uniform for a pair of ass hugging jeans, a sweatshirt, and his letterman's jacket. Morelli was dark and dangerous, sinfully handsome, and rumored to have a lizard tongue. His tongue had never done any exploring on me, but his fingers had. When we were 6 years old, Joe had sweet talked me into his dad's garage under the pretext of playing "choo choo." That pretty much meant that I stood still and lifted my skirt so that his "train" could explore my "tunnel."

Joe pressed tighter against my back. "You wanna grab some pizza and beer? A group of us are heading over to my Cousin Mooch's house. His parents are out of town, and someone got a keg."

In the back of my mind, I thought that this was probably not a good idea. If my mother ever found out that I went to a keg party, she would kill me! But who in their right mind says no to Joe Morelli? He was the captain of the football team and the sexiest guy in our class. Only an idiot would say no!

I nodded. "OK, but I should change first." I motioned down to my majorette outfit.

His eyes darkened. "No way. Leave it. I especially like the boots!"

I blushed and opened the trunk, tossing my duffel bag in.

Joe grabbed my keys and locked my car. "Ride with me?" he asked with a charming grin.

I pulled on my coat and nodded. Morelli led me over to his beat up pickup truck and helped me climb in. He climbed into the driver's seat, and I smiled shyly up at him. I'd had a crush on Morelli since we were 6 years old and in Kindergarten together. Now that we were almost 18 and in our Senior year, I thought that maybe he would finally notice me. Joe had always flirted with me, but that was it. He never pursued anything serious. Maybe now I'd finally get to see if the lizard tongue rumors were true!

I sat on Mooch's front porch wondering how I was going to get home. The party had been a disaster. Morelli was drunk, practically passed out on Mooch's couch. My car was still at the football field. And the high heeled white majorette boots that I was still wearing, thanks to Joe, would make walking home incredibly uncomfortable. The partygoers who were still sober had left at least an hour ago, so there was no way I could bum a ride from someone else.

Suddenly a thought popped into my mind. That's it! I'd take Joe's truck keys and drive over to the football field to get my car. Hopefully he wouldn't be too mad that I borrowed his truck. I scribbled a note on a Post-It and stuck it to Joe's forehead, fishing his truck keys out of his pants pocket. I blushed when he moaned. Pulling the keys out as fast as I could, I hopped into Joe's truck and took off for the field.

I stepped out of Joe's truck and noticed a group of guys hanging around on the edge of the parking lot. They were sitting on the hoods of a couple older muscle cars, smoking and splitting a six pack. I thought that I recognized them from school, but I couldn't be sure.

Our high school was pretty big, a combination of several area junior high schools. The kids from the Burg, my area of Trenton, had gone through school together from Kindergarten to 8th grade. Then we were combined with 3 other area schools at the huge high school- Trenton High. It had made the transition to high school interesting. Everyone was fighting to establish their place in the new social pecking order. The populars from each area fought to be the most popular at the new school. Those who were the bad boys at their old school fought to be the worst at the new school. Most of the rest us, myself included, just kind of fell somewhere in the middle. This group looked like they belonged in the bad boy crowd.

They silently observed me as I climbed out of Joe's truck, leaving his keys under the front seat. I hoped they didn't steal his truck! That would probably ruin any chance I had with him! I walked quickly over to my car and unlocked it. Climbing in the front seat, I nervously relocked the doors. I let out a deep breath and shoved the key into the ignition. I turned the key. I heard a clicking sound and that was it. I tried again. Click, click, click, click.

I lowered my head to the steering wheel and softly banged my head against it. I let out a groan. Damn it! How was I going to get home? As it was, I was almost past my curfew. There was no way that I could drive Joe's truck to my house. The Burg gossip mill would go crazy if it was parked in my drive over night. Plus my parents would want to know how I ended up with Morelli's keys. After the whole choo choo incident, my mother wasn't overly fond of Joe, understandably. My father didn't know about it. If he did, Joe would be dead. He just despised him based on the Morelli man reputation- drunken, abusive womanizers. I was pretty sure that he would not be in favor of me dating Joe.

I jumped and let out a yelp when a knock sounded sharply on my window. Looking up, I saw someone standing by my car. He had on a tight black shirt and a black leather jacket. His skin was dark. So were his eyes. His hair was brown and silky, hanging down to his shoulders. I thought Joe was dark and dangerous, but this guy was even darker and more dangerous looking.

I took a deep breath. He motioned for me to roll down my window, so I did, cracking it just about an inch. He smirked when he saw that that was all the further I was going to put it down. "You got a problem, Babe?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

I took another deep breath. "My car won't start." I admitted. I wasn't sure if that was wise or not. Was this guy planning on hurting me?

"Let me take a look?" he asked.

I hesitated, and he shook his head. "Would you rather sit here all night?"

I blew out a deep sigh. He was right. Here goes nothing I thought as I climbed out. He reached out a hand to help me out of the car. I grabbed it and felt a jolt of electricity as he pulled me out of the car. I looked up into his face, shocked, and found him looking back at me. From his wide eyes, I was guessing that he had felt the spark, too.

His friends sauntered over as he climbed into the car. I gasped as I looked up and saw that one of them had a flaming skull tattooed on his forehead. He grinned when he saw me staring at it. "Like it?" he asked smoothly.

I nodded.

He grinned even wider then. "My dad's a preacher. Got this the day I turned 18. It was the only thing I could think of to get out of going to church every Sunday."

I started laughing hysterically. I couldn't help myself. I wiped tears from my eyes and looked up at him. "I turn 18 next month. Wanna take me to get a matching one? Maybe it'll get me out of weekly mass with my mom and grandma!"

He let out a huge guffaw and one of the other guys wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "You don't want to match this ugly guy, Beautiful! But if you want a tattoo, I'd be happy to take you. I'll even give you some free advice about what to get and where to put it." He wagged his eyebrows up and down at me.

I grinned and slugged his shoulder. "Maybe I'll take you up on that." I teased.

"Anytime, Beautiful. When's your birthday again?"

"October 12th."

"It's a date!" he grinned at me.

My tall, dark, and handsome car mechanic climbed out of my car. He glared when he saw his friend's arm around my shoulder, and his friend quickly removed it. He walked over and stood in front of me. "It's dead, Babe. Any idea what happened?"

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "Yeah. My trunk light doesn't always shut off. When I threw my bag in the trunk earlier, I was distracted. It probably stayed on the whole time I was gone."

"Want me to jump you, Babe?"

I uncovered my face and my jaw dropped open. "What?" I squeaked, my eyes nearly popping out of my head.

The whole group of them started laughing hysterically.

"Your car, Babe. Want me to jump your car?" he managed to choke out.

My face flamed a bright red. Duh! I was such an idiot! I cleared my throat. "Oh! Um, yes, please. But I don't know how to hook up those cable thingies!"

He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders. "I know how to hook up those cable thingies. You'll be good to go in just a couple of minutes, OK?"

I just nodded dumbly at him. God! He was so hot!

He squeezed my shoulder, then walked over to an older black Mustang. He pulled it in front of my car and popped both hoods. Tattoo guy helped him hook up the cables, and in no time, my car was started.

Leaving my car running, he came over and stood in front of me. "Let me drive you home?" he asked, his soft brown eyes staring into my blue ones.

"Why?" I questioned softly.

"Just in case, Babe. I'd hate for you to get half way home and have more problems."

I wrinkled my forehead at him. "But then how will you get home?"

He glanced over at his group. "My cousin will follow me."

The cute guy who had had his arm around my shoulder earlier nodded.

I bit my lip, unsure.

He grinned when he saw my indecision. "I promise not to attack you on the way to your house," he reassured me. "But would you feel better if Cal rode with us?" he motioned to flaming skull tattoo guy.

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I'm just not sure what my parents will think of me coming home past curfew with a couple carloads of guys." I blushed.

His cousin grinned. "I'll park at the end of your street. How's that? Your parents will only see Carlos."

Carlos. So that was my rescuer's name.

I smiled in relief. "Thanks!"

Carlos took my hand and walked me over to the passenger side of my car. When he opened the door for me, his friends started whistling and catcalling. He glared at them, and the whistles turned to coughs and throat clearing.

I sat back in the seat, my heart beating double time.

He climbed in and looked over at me. I looked back at him. When I didn't say anything, he raised an eyebrow at me. I raised both of mine back at him. Finally he grinned at me. "Babe, you're going to have to give me directions. I don't know where you live."

Shit! Mental head slap! That's probably what he was waiting for, huh?

I blushed and closed my eyes. If he weren't so freaking hot, maybe my mind wouldn't be scrambled around him!

I heard him trying not laugh and opened my eyes to see his dancing with amusement.

"Out loud?" I groaned.

"Yeah, Babe, out loud." He grinned.

I blew out a sigh, and he took my hand. I felt the same spark I had earlier. I hoped he did, too.

I gave him directions to my house, and he drove me home, holding my hand the whole way.

He pulled into the driveway, and my mom opened the front door. "Stephanie Michelle Plum…" she started, but gasped when she saw Carlos climb out of the driver's seat of my car.

My dad poked his head out behind her and saw Carlos. He glared at him and then looked over at me. "Pumpkin, what's going on?" he asked in his gruff voice.

"My battery died after the game. Carlos jump started it for me, and offered to drive me home in case it gave me any more trouble." I explained.

My mom was still staring at Carlos suspiciously, but dad looked over at him and nodded. He stuck out his hand. "Frank Plum." Carlos shook his hand. "Carlos Manoso. Nice to meet you, sir."

"I appreciate your helping out my little girl. You got a ride home, son?"

Carlos nodded. "My cousin followed us. He's waiting at the end of the block." He gestured to the black Mustang.

My dad turned and pushed my mother through the door. "Five minutes, Stephanie." He ordered and closed the front door. I could hear my mother protesting on the other side.

Carlos grinned at me and raised my hand, kissing my palm. "I guess I'll see you around, Stephanie."

I nodded, and he walked down off the porch and jogged back to his cousin's car.

"I hope so." I whispered.

TBC

So what do you think? Worth continuing?