"So, your parents have just kinda given up on you, huh kiddo?" Jane asked. Gordie shrugged slightly and bent back to his sundae. She frowned slightly, her blue eyes shimmering under the dim lights. "Don't worry Gordie. I know that if Denny were still alive, it wouldn't be this way." Her voice was dismal, her face losing a bit of color. Gordie nodded and looked up to her.
"Hey Jane. C-can I ask why you came back here? I mean, there's nothing here for you anymore. I woulda thought coming back would just make you more depressed." Jane watched Gordie closely, her finely polished nails tearing off small chunks of napkin on the soft blue Formica counter. She shrugged, her chocolate brown hair falling to one shoulder.
"I guess it's my way of letting things go. Letting my mind realize that he's not here anymore to worry about. I haven't seen my parents in a little under a year and I know that that's probably hurt them." She looked down, sighing. Gordie shifted in his seat, watching her. Finally, she looked up, her eyes filled with tears. "Look, Gordie. I gotta split, kiddo." He nodded to this and stood, pushing in his chair. Jane followed his lead and they both walked out into the summer sun. She hugged herself briefly and put a hand on Gordie's shoulder. "You take care of yourself, Little Man. Denny would have been proud." Gordie looked at the ground and pawed a pebble away with his shoe. Jane began walking down the street, stopping only to look back at Gordie once more.
"Jane? Y-you know that Denny thought of you as his future, right? You were his happiness." he voiced and turned in the other direction. Jane shook her head slightly, a single tear running down her cheek.
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She got to the Plymouth's door, digging in her pale pink cigarette pants for her keys. Suddenly, a hard hand clamped down on her shoulder, spinning her around. She let out a yelp of surprise and slight pain. Ace Merril grinned down at her. Jane exhaled sharply, her eyes half-closing.
"Well, if it isn't my little baby doll? How ya doin' Janie? See anything green?" His breath was a mixture of smoke, beer and Juicy Fruit. She recoiled from him, groaning softly.
"Damn it, Ace Merril. You don't just sneak up on people like that." He moved her hair back from her shoulders. She pushed his hands away, her temper raising a few notches.
"Aren't you going to greet me with a welcome home kiss? I've been waiting for you to show your pretty little face back here again. Let's take a little ride, shall we?" Jane looked around her. The entire group of Cobras stood around her in a loose semi circle. On her far left, Eyeball Chambers leaned against the Plymouth's trunk. She turned her attention back to Ace and pushed him away roughly.
"Go to hell Ace. I'm not going anywhere with you and your skuzzy little friends. So, get bend and get the hell out of my way. You're breathing on me. " Ace's face was suddenly divided with lines.
"No chick's gonna talk to me that way. Not even you. You were so stuck up in high school, I bet Dennis couldn't even get down your skirt." Jane turned on him, a dull fury rising in her. She swept her soft palm up and slapped Ace hard, making her palm sting. The Cobras hissed and catcalled as she did so. Ace closed his eyes, speaking softly, as if to a small child.
"If it weren't for all these people around, I would pop you so hard right now. But right now I'm gonna let that go. We'll catch up with you a little bit down the road, Janie girl. Don't you worry." Jane rolled her eyes, her body propped up roughly against the Plymouth.
"Yeah, I bet. So now why don't you make like a tree and leave?" Ace laughed, turning toward his car. He motioned for the Cobras to follow, and reluctantly, they did. Jane sighed with relief, a line of sweat beginning to form on her forehead. She opened the car's door and jumped in, gunning the engine.