Chapter 3:
"Come on please," Connie begged.
"I'll just get in the way," Laura insisted.
Connie sulked, last night she had fallen in love with Billy Tessio and now she was trying to run into him on purpose at the diner which she knew was frequented by the Cobras.
"It'll look weird if I go by myself," she whined. She did not want to let on how much she liked him. Not just yet anyway.
"He's going to see right through this," Laura pointed out. She didn't really want to be Connie's third wheel, especially around a boy she didn't even know.
"Not if you come too then it'll just look like we went out for lunch or something." Connie was sounding like she thought this was a very solid plan.
"Aren't you meant to be in church today?" Laura asked desperately, it was Sunday after all.
"I went to early morning mass," Connie poked her tongue out, "See you have no excuse."
"Ok, ok," Laura resigned, she knew Connie would never stop plus she was getting hungry anyway. Plus there was a chance she might run into Ace. The very thought of it made her nervous.
"I haven't got any money," Laura said.
"I'll pay," Connie insisted, "Or better yet charm some boy into paying."
So that was how Laura found herself squashed in a booth between the wall and Connie who was sitting on Billy's lap and across from Diane Fontaine, a pretty senior who was on Charlie Hogan's lap. Feeling as though she had been promoted from third to fifth wheel she excused herself to the ladies room. Edging her way past everyone she made her way toward the bathroom. She was disappointed. He wasn't here.
When she came out again she ran smack into Denny Lachance and Peter Mongoose.
"Watch it there Laura," Denny smiled as he reached to stop her from falling.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she stammered, mortified.
"It's fine," Peter insisted, "I find it hard to get around Lachance myself."
She smiled awkwardly at the joke before she excused herself back to the safety of her table and away from potentially embarrassing situations. She seen Billy and Connie had now moved against the wall and both couples were engaged in some fairly involved making out. Laura sat at the edge of the booth, occupying herself with looking around at the other patrons of the diner. She recognised most of the kids here from school. She wondered what it would be like to have a boyfriend who would take her out on a Sunday afternoon.
She didn't see Ace and Eyeball watching her as she rested her elbow on the table and set her face in her palm, trying to look anywhere but the two couples. Ace smiled, she was embarrassed by them. He wondered if she'd been kissed before.
"This the one?" Eyeball asked, looking where Ace was looking.
"I knew she'd be here," Ace replied, lighting a cigarette. "What do you think? Beautiful right?"
"Yeah," Eyeball agreed, not knowing what else to say. If Ace was claiming her he was going to have to watch what he said. She really was pretty though. He wondered why he hadn't seen her around before.
Ace just narrowed his eyes and inhaled from his cigarette as he watched her some more. "She's my new girl," he informed Eyeball.
Laura soon became bored and rested her head on the table, tapping her finger absent mindedly on the table in time with the music, wishing she was at home. She didn't didn't really like going out. She always felt horribly awkward.
"Pretty good beat you got going there."
Her head snapped up, surprised to face Eyeball Chambers.
"Didn't mean to scare you," he whispered close to her face.
She swallowed nervously.
"Hey Eyeball," came a cool voice from behind them both, "Why don't you sit down."
Ace placed his coke and fries on the table in front of her, claiming the seat for himself before sliding in next to her. She moved over to accommodate him. Whilst Eyeball took the other side.
Laura kept inching over as far as she could. When she accidentally brushed against Billy she sprung away nervously, not wanting to get in anybody's way. She wriggled back over and felt herself press against Ace instead.
"Not a whole lot of room in these," he smiled.
She felt her heart jump to her throat, he was so handsome.
"Sorry, maybe I should move to another table," she offered, feeling more embarrassed than ever. Convinced he could read her thoughts.
"No I like it," he replied flashing her a look that she didn't understand.
"I think I should probably go home soon anyway," she said looking desperately at Connie who was still practically underneath Billy.
"I'll drive you," he offered casually.
"Oh no I wouldn't want to be a bother, I'm fine to walk," she insisted.
"Girls shouldn't be walking by themselves," Eyeball smirked. "Bad things could happen to 'em.
He caught the deadly look Ace flashed him and quickly shut up again.
"Come on," Ace said with finality, revelling in the way her body pressed against his. Heightening how much he wanted to press other things against her.
Laura did want to go home. She felt awkward around these couples and she hadn't told her mother where she was going, she didn't want her to worry.
"Ok," she finally agreed.