Author's note: This will be the contest from Sheryl's point of view but since I clearly had a lack of imagination when I wrote this, a lot (if not everything) goes along to the movies happenings. Excluding a few small inserts and it's a long one this one. Several parts and different occasions. Enjoy!
Chapter Three – Doing the Jig.
She bit her lip nervously, and somewhat annoyed, as she stood in front of her father in the kitchen. She was off to the tournament with Stacey and Kathy, or supposed to, but she had forgotten to mention it in advance to her father. She was standing in a simple light blue tank top and jeans with a tiny shoulder bag and had yet slung up her hair into her usual bun.
"Come on dad, I'll be back tonight." When he didn't answer she frowned and stomped her foot in childish frustration.
"I am eighteen you know." Her father lifted a sardonic eyebrow and quirked his lips, but merely nodded in the end with a sigh and hugged her back as she moved forward.
"Now who's driving, Stacey Perta or what was it?"
"Peralta dad, he's very responsible."
"How old is he?" was the gruff response to her proclamation and narrowed his eyes at his daughter who exhaled.
"He's twenty-one." She shook her head and yelled a goodbye before she was out the door at the sound of Stacey's honk outside.
"I want you on this stair at midnight the latest!" Sheryl gave an affirmative wave and smiled in greeting to Stacey and Kathy, who sat in the front seat.
"Shit, was that your dad?" Kathy awed and Sheryl laughed amused at Stacey's face.
"Yeah, he gives off that impression." Kathy looked back at Sheryl pityingly.
"I thought my dad was scary, poor guy that ever comes near you." Sheryl chuckled and shook her noncommittally.
"That won't happen, but it reminds me; you should be more polite then honk your car horn next time you pick up a girl." Stacey flushed and mumbled an apology with soft nodding motions. Soon somebody pressed on the radio to play and Sheryl leaned back in the back seat as the two lovebirds sat chatting in the front.
****
She chuckled where she stood, Stacey was already sweating from nerves and the first guy had just barely started to skate across the small 'stage'. She tried to stay interested in the guy's skating but she just didn't find it as captivating as everybody else seemed to do. Girls were giggling and pointing at the surrounding boy's and girls, and touching up their make-up's hurriedly when they spotted a group of rowdy boys skate up to the side of the stage.
"Hey, Stacey. Team Zephyre is here." She heard him mumble something in response but she couldn't hear over the loud music and the chattering crowd as she looked at Jay who seemed engrossed staring at the ongoing skater's feet.
"Just relax Stace." Sheryl smiled at Kathy's cooing voice to calm Stacey, who looked to Sheryl queasily in question.
"I'm not falling for that, you've been practicing everyday for this the entire week, I should know since I've been covering for you at work, so if you're not ready then what are we doing here?" She stared him down with her hands on her hips, pleased when his posture eased with a mumble, and she unexpectedly jumped when she heard Jay's name being called through the speakers. She grinned amused and shook her head when she heard the background music.
"'I am iron-man'" she mimed the words as they flew over the crowd, eyes locked on his skating fascinated, and rolled her eyes annoyed at his loud response "you wanna blow me?" to a girl's compliment. Next up was Tony who quickly had both the crowd and the judges on his side during his skating, accidently catching Sheryl's eye as he finished and giving her a surprised, none the yet pleased, smirk before it turned into a scowl as he looked behind her.
"From Mar-Vista California we have skater Stacey Peralta!" Sheryl cheered loudly and smiled at the delightful faces he made during his skating. Everything seemed to escalate pretty quickly after that. One minute she was applauding Stacey getting the shared first place with Tony when an organizer wearing a red t-shirt comes up protesting when it comes to Stacey's place and Tony punching him in the face. She gasped and stumbled through the crowd who mostly were keeping a hold on Tony, stopping him from attacking the organizer again. Skip had taken Tony's spot, and was currently wrapping his belt around his knuckles and she managed to make a distinctive noise that caught his eyes, pleading with him to stop this and calm down.
"Tony Alva has been disqualified." Sheryl froze at the cold statement and watched Kathy run after her brother who was fuming a distance away. She glanced at Jay who caught her eye before looking away, and she looked to Stacey who seemed to feel more then guilty. She gave all the price-takers polite applause when they accepted their awards but tried to muster up a smile to Tony who was being comforted by a cooing Blanca. Sheryl took a deep breath, knowing she shouldn't do it.
'You did good' she mimed and gave him a quick smile before she walked away and back to the parking-lot and to Stacey's car. She saw Jay sneak around after her and joined her in leaning against the car a few seconds later, raising her eyebrows at him surprised and glancing down at his trophy, which hung in his hand.
"Philaine's gonna be so proud." Jay tapped his foot repeatedly against the pavement in a gesture that were so typical him, and nodded.
"You wanna be my trophy?" Sheryl smiled at the nineteen year old whom in that moment looked to be a smug ten-year-old.
"I am no one's trophy." She smiled softly as he began jumping up and down on the spot, anxious from standing so still.
"Mom wants to know if you want to come over for dinner sometime." She could see that he'd 'been told' to pass on the invitation so she nervously looked around and fidgeted, drawing his gaze to her.
"Would it be okey with you?" He pouted his lips in thoughts, ignoring Sheryl as she blushed when she made an amused snort to how he looked, and nodded as he looked to where Kathy and Stacey were approaching the car.
"Tell her that I would love to then." The second after her last syllable was out he'd skated off and Sheryl smiled brightly at Stacey who couldn't stop touching the trophy he held tightly in his left hand.
"Congratulations!" She smiled brightly at them both but looked at Kathy questioningly when she just looked away with a blank face.
"Nice ride man!" Sheryl rolled her eyes at Skip's nasal voice as he showered Stacey with empty flattery, or it wasn't empty but it had ulterior motives, and walked around the car to lean her chin on her arms on the top of the car.
"How ya' doing doll-face?" Sheryl smiled in spite of herself at the charming words and raised her head slightly in a nod, Larry was right. They weren't harmless.
"I'm just fine Skipper." Sheryl smiled at the grimace on his face.
"It's Skip doll-face" he interjected, somewhat patronising.
"Not in my book" she sing-songed back and caught Stacey's amused face. She stood and stretched before she took a seat in the back seat and chuckled a few minutes later when Stacey started the car and jabbered on in an enthusiastic tone.
"Skip called me 'bro'."
"Skip called you 'bro'?" Kathy repeated shocked, humouring Stacey who failed to notice the girl's amused faces, and watched Stacey nod affirmative.
"He said; 'You look hungry 'bro'." Sheryl started laughing in the back, shaking her head and leaning her head back as Stacey and Kathy continued with their talking and repeating.
"I'll see you guys later. Good luck Stace." Sheryl punched his arm jokingly and smirked at his surprised face. She knew the second they'd left the parking lot and he'd started his talk about Skip, that he would be going down to get some food with the others.
"Hi dad." He was sitting right where she left him and she looked at the clock dramatically.
"Oh no! Five more hours until curfew, what a girl to do?" She smirked at his sigh and rolling eyes.
"You have fun?" Sheryl smiled in memory and shrugged.
"Yeah, Stacey got first place and Jay got in third."
"Who's Jay?" Ben's gruff voice asked and Sheryl snorted as she remembered Kathy's comment this morning.
"Jay Adams. He's a friend of Stacey's and he's Philaine's son." Sheryl had told Ben about Philaine the other night when they'd had dinner together, Ben alternating between frowning, rolling his eyes, snorting and raising his eyebrows to his hair-line as she spoke. Not that he had any hair on his head, not really.
"Didn't she skinny dip with Jim Morrison?" Sheryl looked at her dad speculatively and with a wrinkled nose.
"Yeah, I just really don't wanna know why that was the only thing you remembered from everything I told you-"
"Hey, it's not the only thing!" Ben's gruff voice interjected and gave her a look when she raised a speculative eyebrow. He rolled his eyes at her antics and stood up.
"I need at least a 24-hours heads-up next time. I want to know where you're going, with who, when you'll be back, for how long and how will you get back." He rambled everything up and Sheryl was left standing shocked at his paternal tone with the exit of a 'good night.'
****
"Hello sir. My name is Tony Alva. We were wondering if Sheryl is home?" Sheryl stood leaning against the wall by her stairs a few days later as Tony and the shy soft looking brown haired boy stood at the door, introducing themselves to her father. Ben stood an impressive frame in the doorway with his bulky arms crossed over his chest, staring down at the two boys stonily.
"Hey, what's going on?" Sheryl looked at Tony suspiciously, who glanced at her, wisely keeping his mouth shut. She was standing in just a simple flowing skirt and tanktop, hair made up in a bun in the back of her neck and no make up, as usual when she just were to stay at home. Ben glanced between his daughter and the boys, gauging her expression before he muttered: "Ten o'clock."
"You wanna come skating with us?" Sheryl smiled at the fragile looking boy with brown hair, she'd med him several times before, who nodded to a car by the street where Stacey and Jay sat. She yelled goodbye to her father and smiled at the brown-haired boy after grabbing a sweather by the door.
"I don't think we've ever been introduced."
"Sid" he supplied and Sheryl nodded, somewhat amused with the disappointment of him having such a short name. She gave Stacey and Jay, mostly Stacey, a nod in greeting and took a seat beside Sid who sat in the back, now between her and Tony.
They seemed to be the second group there, or maybe the third, since there already were quite a crowd present, some skating around in a big empty pool and others just listening to music playing and hanging out.
"Sheryl!" Sheryl looked to see who were yelling her name and smiled at Michael who gave her a friendly hug when she approached before wiping off the sweat on his forehead.
"Hey, who lives here?" Sheryl looked around at the luxurious garden and pool-chairs around the spacious pool, Michael shrugged noncommittally and that was the end of that. She looked around herself after being left by Michael for the big pool and spotted Sid sitting alone on one of the pool-chairs, looking fixedly at the guys skating.
"Hi." She sat down beside him after making a questioning hand-gesture and sighed in agony when she saw Tony give her a lewd smirk-sneer.
"You don't seem impressed" Sid commented and Sheryl looked to see Tony strut about in front of a few girls who gazed at him adoringly. Or maybe not adoringly. She snorted and leaned forward to stage whisper: "He's not my type."
Sid nodded with a calm twist of the mouth.
"Too poor?" Sheryl looked at Sid surprised.
"More like: 'He's got a girlfriend'." Sid blushed, properly chastised,
"You skate?" Sid nodded to her question and looked back at the pool as someone finished his lap and Jay jumped into the pool, no shirt and his usual top hat. Sheryl gaped shocked at the almost ripples of muscles on his stomach and the shining of sweat. There were something odd about seeing him so.. Intimate. She cleared her throat uncomfortable with where her mind started to stray and saw Sid look at her teasingly.
"Sheryl and Jay, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-"
"Shut up!" Sheryl exclaimed embarrassed and laughing, shoving him unexpectedly so he almost lost his balance and both missing Jay's last lap around the pool.
"I don't skate as good as these guys-" he made a nod to the skaters surrounding the pool in eager excitement "-but I have fun." Sheryl nodded, pleased with his last comment on the subject.
"The best reason to do anything."
"RUN!" Sheryl looked around herself at the loud and echoing exclamation, confused as everybody started disappearing and hurrying about in blurry shapes. Somebody grabbed her arm, putting her in motion, and lead her off and shoved her up hurriedly on to a car together with Kathy and Blanca, who were yelling after Tony. He looked back at them from up the street, grinning after looking at them as if checking that they were all there, before jumping inside a car driven by a girl who clearly wasn't a friend of theirs, judging from Blanca's crying and cursing.
"Forget him, he's an asshole." Sheryl's sentiments were clearly not wanted as both Kathy and Blanca glared at her, but she failed to notice, as she looked around rather panicked.
"Where's Sid?"
The car stopped on the boardwalk a while later and with a wave of thanks to the driver, Sheryl hurried up to a table where she found the boy's sitting and eating.
"Hey, you okey? You just disappeared on me" Sheryl looked down at Sid earnestly and relieved to finally have found him. He stared up at her, eyes wide open in surprise, and so was Jay. Stacey didn't look so surprised and Sid had to swallow to get his bearings together.
"Yeah, I just ran the other way" he answered sheepishly and Sheryl finally caught that they were all surprised that she cared. She frowned to herself and rubbed her arm where somebody had grabbed her before.
"Yeah, I never got to thank whoever it was that helped me out." She saw Sid open his mouth to speak but it snapped shut with a painful grimace as a 'thud' sounded under the table. She looked at him speculatively when he remained silent and nodded slowly to herself.
"Anyway, I guess I'll get to thank him sooner or later."
"Not so innocent after all then baby?" Sheryl sneered down at Jay who smirked at her for a few seconds before he turned back to play with his frites. As she stood scowling at the back of his head, a car approached and she slapped the back of his head just in time for Skip and Tony to step out of the car.
"Doll-face" Skip greeted in his nasal voice and Sheryl smiled and nodded politely.
"Skipper." Her smile widened as he grimaced.
"Leaving so soon?" Sheryl turned her head to Tony who shoved a fry in his mouth before he looked back at her. Sneer firmly in place.
"My day off." She turned away from the boys with a last smile, mostly directed to Stacey and Sid, but jumped surprised and disgusted as Tony slapped her on the ass. She could feel how all the blood drained from her face, and stared at him shocked as disgust and ill at ease crashed over her.
"Come now sugar-" Tony must have caught her look cause he added spitefully "-you need the tip don't ya'?" She took a deep breath and were somewhat surprised herself when it came to the cold and emotionless tone of her voice.
"Fuck you." Tony just sneered in response, his eyes betrayed him however, and she hurried off, hearing Skip's voice yell before a car drove off and the boy's started to laugh uproariously. She was walking down the street, maybe a block or two left to her house, when she met a stumbling Philaine who only wore a short jean skirt and a bikini-top. Sheryl could see her lip quiver.
"Have you seen Jay-boy Sherry?" Sheryl smiled softly in response and changed the subject.
"He told me that you've invited me for dinner, what do you say about I make you something to eat and we'll hang out til' Jay shows up." Sheryl smiled encouragingly and Philaine's face slowly cleared of all traces of distress and sadness, brightening up.
"Awesome idea!"
Just under a half hour later, Sheryl was placing a blanket over Philaine's passed out form and making a move to retake her seat in one of the chairs to continue her sketching as she waited for Jay to come home, he stepped in through the door rather noisily. She made a hurried shushing noise and saluted the half drunk boy in goodbye, but jumped when he grabbed her arm and stared at her contemplatively.
"I would be a good friend." She'd meant to say it bitingly, taunt him with the fact that she would never be such a good friend to him, but it came out soft and comforting before she slowly walked home trying to figure out the look in his eyes.
****
The restaurant had never been so empty before, usually there were at least a few stragglers who might want a drink or something, but today there wasn't a single customer in sight. She smiled brightly as she heard someone come in through the door, feeling restless.
"Are you really that bored?" Stacey chuckled as she sagged again and let out a small childish whine. She rested her cheek on her hand and leaned against the counter with an agonizing sigh.
"So what is the victor doing here?" Stacey blushed at the reminder, but proudly straightened up to show his torso and the new t-shirt he wore, to Sheryl's amused face.
"All went well then I presume?" Stacey nodded bashfully with a brilliant grin, and told her about his date with Kathy.
"My, my" she teased and smiled.
"So where are you taking her?" Stacey shrugged and Sheryl raised her eyebrows surprised.
"Some place to eat." Sheryl laughed at his try to be casual and smirked when he looked up flushed red and with a defiant look.
"Have fun" she told him and smiled in answer as he smiled and shoved her jokingly.
"Maybe I should send Michael here to give you company?" Sheryl rolled her eyes and grinned superiorly.
"At least he'll have time for me." She gave him a stricken look and Stacey left the place laughing. Sheryl shook her head contemplatively to herself.
Stacey was a nice boy, just the type of boy most girls would want in a boyfriend, but Sheryl had seen the looks Jay and Kathy had shared. Jay was definitively more exciting then Stacey with all that distracting energy and self-confidence. She just hoped that things turned out well for Stacey in the end.
"Day-dreaming again?" Sheryl smiled at Sid who just seemed to get paler for everyday that passed, even in the strong sun.
"You okey?" She gave the question layers and recognized the stricken look in his face before he masterly phased it away.
"T.A is throwing a party tonight." Sheryl stared at the boy who desperately tried to divert her attention, probably an easier feat as he usually spent his time with Jay.
"Is he now?" she murmured and looked away as he nodded eagerly and pushed away a few strands of hair from his clammy forehead.
"His dad is away for the weekend, you should come by." He smiled at her and Sheryl couldn't decline to that angel-face.
"On one condition-" she murmured nervously and saw him sag and nod disappointed "-that I get to call you my friend?" She bit her lip nervously and refrained from yelling out in frustration as he took his time to answer. She glanced up and sagged in obvious relief to his huge grin. A 'Cheshire Cat' grin indeed. She pointed towards an ice-cream bowl and Sid nodded happily, muttering 'Strawberry', and smiled childishly when she nudged the bowl full of strawberry ice cream his way.
"So Sidney, what are you gonna do with your life?" She gave him a stern stare, reminiscent of her father, and chuckled when he made a shocked face.
"God, your dad scared the hell out of me when he opened the door." Sheryl laughed through her mouthful and Sid widened his eyes earnestly, presenting an even more amusing picture.
"He's bloody mountain Sheryl!" She laughed out loud and shrugged, not disagreeing with the statement.
"What about your parents?" Sid smiled at her, surprised with the question, but considered how to answer.
"Dad's a work-aholic. Mom just walks around at home in fancy clothes and tell the helpers and maids what to do." Sheryl nodded.
"Not such a good relationship to the two in other words?" Sid shook his head and Sheryl smiled sadly.
"My mom left when I was seven. Just walked out the door, got into the car and didn't even look back." She stared at the floor as she remembered and spoke in a monotone voice.
"Dad was furious when he came home. I was afraid to come out of my room for days, afraid he would blame me." She gave Sid a grimace of a smile when his clammy hand took hers in comfort and breathed out slowly.
"Where is she now?" Sheryl shrugged and looked back at him.
"Don't know and don't care." Sid watched her as he scooped up the last of his ice cream from the bowl. Dogtown was known for housing bad parents; his didn't care as long as he kept the course of becoming a lawyer, Stacey's dad drank a lot and his mom had died, Tony and Kathy's mom had also died from a car accident and their dad was strict and demanding. Jay's mom was still stuck in the 60's, still chasing that glorious feeling of freedom and admiration.
"Want me to meet up with you tonight?" Sheryl smiled relieved and nodded, she had no idea of where Tony's house was. She bit her lip and flushed in embarrassment.
"Eh Sid? What should I wear?" Sid smiled at the girly question, and how abhorred Sheryl seemed to be for asking it, and shrugged.
"Whatever you want; you look pretty no matter what." They both blushed at that, Sheryl a nice pink, and thanked him for the compliment.
****
She still had a wardrobe emergency when she came home and stood in front of her mirror an hour before she was to meet Sid. Her washed hair was braided down her back and she stood in only her underwear in front of the mirror, scowling at herself in judgement and muttering self-pityingly: "Not like anybody's gonna notice me anyway." There was a swift knock on her door before it opened and Sheryl jumped under her towel panicked.
"Dad! I have to say 'OK' first!" She was blushing and glaring daggers at her father who frowned and rolled his eyes in a way that said 'women'.
"I'll try to remember." When he didn't say anymore she gave him a look.
"Yes? Did you want something?"
"Just wondering how thing's are going." Sheryl lifted a dubious eyebrow but complained in a childish whine.
"I don't know what to wear." Ben nodded and muttered a soft 'ah' and closed the door after him as he exited. Sheryl scowled before scoffing annoyed. She had been glancing at one of the few dresses she owned, but she wondered if it might be a bit too formal. With a aggravated sigh she climbed into a flowing brown skirt that reached her knees and put on a blue t-shirt whose arms and neck had been cut off. She put on a simple pair of ballet shoes and hurried down the stairs as she let her hair out. She'd touched up her make-up a little by adding some more blush and a few strokes with the mascara brush, and turned to Ben as he came out to the hallway where she reached for her sweather.
"I want you to be home by twelve." Sheryl looked at him.
"Come on dad, it's already nine soon." He stared at her gruffly and shifted.
"One then, but if you're not here by then I'm coming out after you." Sheryl smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you daddy." He grabbed the sweather she held in her hand and shook his head in a move to tell her it was unnecessary. With a sigh she caved and took a few steps out of the door.
"You look very nice sweetheart, have fun." She jumped downtown to meet Sid and gave him a hug in greeting, fingering the Led Zeppelin shirt he wore.
"Very cool" she commented and smiled as Sid blew himself up proudly. He looked around her frowning and Sheryl twisted to accommodate him worriedly.
"Where's your sweather?" She let out a huff at his laugh and gave him a hard shove, fighting the urge to grin at him. They walked next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, and as they approached Tony' house Sheryl raised her eyebrows at the loud music and great activity.
"His dad is going to kill him" Sid affirmed and laughed, giving her a nudge to get them to walk again. She shook her head at the already huge mess and saw Michael a distance up, chatting up a girl who was giggling and touching his arm every once in a while. Sheryl grinned and nodded as Sid pointed to the keg. She looked back at Michael and laughingly approached his open arms and drunken grin.
"Sher-bear!" Sheryl cocked an eyebrow at the nickname but he failed to notice and lifted her into a bear hug. She smiled at the other guys around and held her hand out to the blonde girl who was glaring at her petulantly.
"Is this your girlfriend Michael?" The girl blushed and giggled as Michael's attention settled on the girl again and led her away by an arm around her shoulders. Sheryl chuckled and made a gracious nod as a black-haired guy complimented her on a 'good job'.
She was, surprisingly, having a good time. She'd greeted Sid in the kitchen half an hour ago and he had then been in a very delighted buzz, his "This is my friend! Sheryl!" had easily alerted her of that. She saw the guy in front of her lick his lip nervously and grab her hand with a nod to the dance-floor and a nervous glint in his eyes. Sheryl nodded with a smile, a gush of nervous air leaving her lungs, and laughed embarrassed as he righted her hands when a slow song came on. He gave her a calming smile, relaxing them both with the knowledge of the other being just as nervous, and placed her arms around his neck and sat his own hands on her hips. After a few tense moments where Sheryl desperately tried to notice anything else then the scorching heat from his hands onto her hips, they slowly began to chat.
He told her that he was a member of a skating team named 'G&G Skating' and she smiled amused over his enthusiastic tale of how he got discovered and all that he's been doing since. In the middle of a shared smile over something so trivial she can't even remember why, only how her cheeks refused to let her stop smile, something disturbed her arms and suddenly he was gone and Tony stood instead with a disgusting leer on his face. By the smell of him she easily detected that he was stoned and felt him grab her hand and drag her close with an arm around her waist.
"Hey" her former partner interjected, giving her face a long look when she smiled at him apologetic.
"I know him Tom, I'm sorry. I'll see you around?" Tom gave her a searching look just in case, making her smile at him softly for the sweet gesture, before nodding him away.
"Yeah, she'll see you later" Tony chuckled spitefully and tightened his hold on her waist, making her gasp at how close they really were, she could feel his breath on her face for crying out loud! She glanced around her with a clearing of her throat and caught Jay behind Tony's back giving her a murderous look, making her tense and look down, almost hurt.
"What's so wrong with being this close to me?" Tony murmured and Sheryl sighed, she heard the strange quality to his voice alerting her of the fact that he hadn't sobered up yet.
"It's nothing wrong Tony" she answered and looked away from where she knew Jay stood. She felt Tony's head lower and angle so his breath fell on her ear and slid his right hand down under her neckline.
"Just think about how it'll feel later when I'm lying on top of you naked." She scowled at his words and the sleazy tone and detangled herself from him as quickly as possible.
"Thanks for the offer-" she sneered "-but I think I'll pass." She looked at the clock and smiled at Sid as she passed the kitchen, who sat on the kitchen sink with a huge smile.
"I'm gonna go home Sid, my curfew is in fifteen minutes." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and rubbed her arms to fight off the chill as she stepped out of the warm house. She found Jay and Tony leaning against two pillars beside the stairs down to the lawn, looking down at Kathy and Stacey who seemed to just have arrived and looked to be arguing. Tony and Jay's heads turned to share a look quickly as Stacey walked to his car, leaving Kathy in the grass staring after him. Tony stood and stared at Sheryl as he passed her, dragging his fingers along her arm, and Sheryl looked back from Tony to see Jay give her a long look before jumping down and approach Kathy who now had laid down on her back. Sheryl walked up to the closest pillar, the one Jay had rested against, and looked down with a frown as Jay started to jump and dance around Kathy until she laughed and jumped to her feet, following him with smirks on their faces. Sheryl gave a deep sigh and drew a hand through her hair, shaking her head as she walked home. Stacey's gonna be heartbroken.
"Are you drunk?" Her father was awake and up waiting for her. She sighed and pulled her hair into a hazard bun on top of her head.
"No. All I drank was water." He gave her a long look to see if she was telling the truth before continuing to the next question.
"You smoked?"
"Nothing. Passively maybe" she muttered when she remembered that awful stench Tony had worn as they danced so close, and started up the stairs.
"You have fun?" Sheryl turned to smile at her dad.
"Yeah, most of the time. Some drama, but I made friends." Ben nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before entering the living room, listening to Sheryl's steps up the stairs. She fell head first on her bed when it came in sight and gave off a loud and annoyed groan to the pillow before rolling onto her back and grabbing a blanket. She opened her window and carefully climbed out to lie down on her tiny balcony, wrapping her blanket around herself and falling asleep by counting the stars.
****
She didn't see either Sid or Stacey (or Michael for that matter) for a few days after Tony's party. Things went back to how they used to be for Sheryl; work and then home. She started spending more time with a girl named Peggy, they'd met briefly a few times and the girl's first words to Sheryl had been: "You gotta let go of all of their drama, things doesn't work otherwise."
She had invited Sheryl to ride her with her and the other girls to the next skating contest, 'Ocean Front Festival'. Kathy and Sheryl hadn't looked at each other for the whole ride; Sheryl had felt the tension from Kathy just by showing up, but as Kathy had to hold up the front seat so Sheryl could climb out of the car, Sheryl caught her eye sternly.
"You can't play both Kathy, it's not fair to either of them." Kathy looked away as if she'd been the sound from a buzzing bee and linked arms with Blanca as they walked off to find Tony and the others. Sheryl glanced at Peggy who raised her eyebrows before skating off to the skating area. Sheryl grumbled to herself in her lonesome state: "I'm dropping it" and smirked at Skip who was writing 'Zephyr' on a simple brown bag of skateboards.
"Cheating kid's on their allowances then Skipper?" Skip looked up at her annoyed and Sheryl raised her hands in a 'peace' gesture.
"You're really strange Skipper, with you nasal voice, and kind of an asshole to Sid-" she stopped him from interrupting "-but you've done something really good with this team." Skip looked at her.
"Well I'm happy to have your approval doll-face, but I have work to do." She smirked as Skip tried to catch the surrounding kids' attention and she crouched down next to a unsure looking boy.
"You like skateboarding?" The boy nodded.
"Have you heard of 'Zephyr' skating team kid?" Skip interjected in his nasal voice and Sheryl glanced at him before smiling at the boy again.
"Why don't you go and get your mom and come back so you can buy a real 'Zephyr' skateboard?" The boy eagerly scurried away to find his mother and soon there was a long line of people in front of Skip.
"I believe my work here is done." She smiled at Skip, who spared her a glance before he got distracted by the approaching money, and flounced off to the sound of Skip's price arguing.
"Sheryl!" She turned swiftly to the urgent call and spotted Kathy close up on Jay further along up the street.
"Michael!" She laughed at his huge smile and shrieked when he lifted her and twirled her around.
"I got recruited!" She screamed girlishly in happiness and gave him a hug again.
"That is so awesome!" Michael nodded, more then pleased.
"So you and Tom will practically go on tour together?" Sheryl smiled as Michael told her all of the plans his team had for him and how he got recruited. She laughed as he nodded to somebody to the left of them and took hurrying steps before remembering himself and turning back with apologizing eyes, grasping her shoulders.
"Sorry, I gotta go, don't be a stranger okey?" He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and she laughed as he jogged up to his team's tent. She smiled to herself and looked around, catching the sight of Tony standing next to a guy dressed in a screaming yellow and by instinct she looked back to catch Jay's eyes who shrugged off Kathy off of him and walked closer to Tony to listen.
"Sheryl, come on!" Sheryl gave Jay's sneaking form a last glance before running up to Peggy who looked at her stupidly and put an arm around her shoulders.
"I like your top." Sheryl smirked amused at Peggy who already seemed to be wishing that she could take back the girly statement. Sheryl glanced down at her long blouse, which was a pale pink shade with tiny dark red flowers. She'd left her jeans in the car cause of the heat so she just had one of her dad's long tank tops on underneath. She smiled and raised her chin at Peggy.
"I like it too." They laughed when they approached the others, Shogo and Red dog, members of team 'Zephyr', was doing a jig in celebration of today's skating success, and grabbed both Peggy and Sheryl to join. She heard a low whistle mid-move and mid-laugh, and glanced up to see Tony's face angled sideways with his eyes locked on her legs and thighs. She looked down stricken and furiously tugged down her tank top and blouse to over her knees, feeling utterly exposed.
"Looking fine baby-girl." Sheryl scowled blushingly, feeling somewhat relieved that it wasn't a degrading comment he'd made, and flushed even brighter when she noticed that most of the crowd still had their gazes locked on her legs and thighs.
"Now leave doll-face alone. Should have enjoyed the view in silence" Skip drawled and Sheryl's somewhat relieved smile disappeared into a gaping scowl aimed to Skip as he grinned at her saucily.
"Yeah yeah, home to Dogtown 'Zephyr's!" They all cheered and laughed, and Sheryl was standing still after getting an appreciative smirk from Jay.
Finally I've updated! Don't believe there's a lot of people following this, but I decided when I started this, that THIS was the one story I HAD to complete. I have already written several chapters, and are on my eight right now but I don't want to upload all and then just get stuck. Hopefully someone follows this and if you just stumble onto this; reviews are always nice.
Thanks! / Tilly