The Wonder of You

Three weeks passed and for the most part they were smooth. In the mornings the Cullen’s would hang out with the T-Birds before school started, the T-Birds more than happily discussed classic cars with the Cullen’s or recommended rockabilly bands that they should give a listen too.

The Cullen’s had grown on the Greaser’s so much that they actually wanted to invite them to join the gang, but they knew that wouldn’t be a good idea because they felt the Cullen kids were too sweet to go off and fight people with chains and baseball bats.

Emmett was still fighting his feelings for Pauly, or at least that’s what he claims because at night he makes his way to her room to watch her sleep and breathe her scent.

He was getting better at controlling the urge to kill her, he could now be in close proximity to her and smell her without the monster coming out, much good that would do him he’d never have an opportunity to truly be intimate with her.

Pauly loved the Cullen kids, well except for Emmett. It’s not like she hated him, but she couldn’t really stand him.

Some days he would be polite, funny and talk to her and other day’s he would completely blow her off when she would try to make conversation with him.

His strange ways drew her to him, she had always wanted a guy that wasn’t afraid of being a jerk to her, it sounds like a fucked up thing to want, but it’s true.

Her whole life everything was handed to her on a silver platter because she is a Lombardi. Boys have thrown themselves at her feet her whole life because she’s beautiful, charming, and witty.

But none of this seemed to affect Emmett, and she really dug it. Of course she never mentioned it to anyone, she didn’t want Brad to flip out and make a scene like he always does.

It was currently the day before the big game and the entire football team was practicing for the game tomorrow.

The T-Birds had to win this game, they had won it all of the years they had been in high school and if they lost their senior year it would be a humiliating loss and make the Scorpions think that they’re better than them.

After the tackling part of practice the coach sent them to change into their running attire. They quickly stripped their pads and helmets off and were left in white wife beaters and black short shorts.

When they finished the running exercises they sat around on the roof of their cars smoking out, relaxing themselves for the big game tomorrow.

“Sweet heart you’re going to do great I just know it,” gushed Mrs. Lombardi as she bombarded Paula’s face with kisses.

Paula couldn’t help but laugh and in between her giggles responded, “Thanks ma.”

“I remember back in the day when we’d give the damn Scorpions the old one two.”

“Those days are long gone pops!”

“They are, but I still have the memories. Oh it felt so good!”

“We’ll see you at the game my Pauly Marie!”

Pauly smiled as her parents kissed and hugged her lovingly. She grabbed her sports bag and ran out the door shoving it into her car.

She made a pit stop to pick up Brad from his house; he was yet again wearing her T-Bird jacket. He smiled and kissed her lips lovingly.

Soon everyone was in the school parking lot. Today the Greasers were sporting their letterman’s jackets since they had to show school spirit at the large pep rally that had been assembled for them.

The pep rally held all the usual tricks, a bonfire was made, the alma mater sung, and the football players lifted into a godlike status.

The rest of the day went by in a blink of an eye. During lunch they had sat on the hood of their cars, smoking out relaxing their nerves.

Then when they got the munchies they ditched and went over to Pauly’s house where her mother had prepared a very fine meal.

After that they went to the locker rooms and took a nap, not waking up till four in the afternoon to start getting their uniform on.

“So are you gonna go all the way tonight Pauly,” asked Frankie as he did some very lewd movements with his hips.

“I wish! You know Brad though he’s not fast, he’s waiting till marriage!”

“You’ve been with that prep for three years now! You’d think he’d given it to you, especially since you’re a virgin!”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Are you ever gonna go steady with him?”

“Nah, you know how it is. You know within a year if you want to get steady with someone. He was supposed to be an adventure but the prep and his morals, it’s like really?”

“Why don’t you get someone new?”

“Like who?”

“Well you have been casting an eyeball towards that burly Cullen kid!”

“Emmett? Nah, forget about it.”

“I don’t know I think he secretly digs you.”

“I’m gonna go back for a smoke. I’ll see you clowns in a bit.”

Pauly walked out by the parking lot and sat on the hood of her car in her uniform pants that already had the pads in them.

She took long deep hits from her blunt and concentrated on the tasks at hand. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice when Emmett stood next to her.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Emmett clearing her throat, she smiled at him and said, “What brings you to these parts?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” he responded his deep masculine voice sounding like music to her ears.

“Talk to me? I must truly be blessed! Please say my name kind stud!”

Emmett began laughing loudly, Pauly couldn’t help but laugh whenever she heard his laugh it was music to her ears.

He smiled at her and said, “Are you nervous?”

“No.”

“That’s good. I thought you might be hungry and I brought you a burrito. Word on the street is you like Mexican.”

Pauly stared at him confused, this whole week he hadn’t said a word to her and now he was bring her dinner? This boy is odd.

“Thank you for the burrito. I do love Mexican food. What’s your favorite?”

“Italian. I’m a spaghetti man.”

“I make mean spaghetti.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

His face was mere inches apart from hers when he said that. They stared at each other, both forgetting to breathe just staring into one another’s eyes.

Emmett backed away and gently stroked Pauly’s cheek saying, “I’ll be cheering you on. Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

Pauly went back into the locker room and saw the guys scrambling to find a seat

“You bastards were spying on me,” she roared throwing her helmet at them.

“couldn’t help it. But we told you!”

“Shut it Billy.”

“What you’re gonna go ape on us?”

“Nah that’s for the field.”

Soon enough the coach walked into the locker room followed by the Catholic Priest. Everyone knelt down and began saying the “Holy Father Prayer,” they asked God to bless them with an injury free game and a win.

At the end of the prayer they made the sign of the cross and began lining up into lines of threes and held hands, making their way to the field.

The night was very dark but the stadium lights illuminated the beautiful field. Their breathing was fast and the adrenaline was rushing through their blood.

The cheerleaders stood in two rows holding a wide banner that the team would soon run and tear. They stood behind the banner in a circle and Pauly shouted out, “Who’s house is this!”

“OUR HOUSE!”

They swayed as they said those lines, and soon enough they were jumping up and down making animalistic sounds. They came in close and held out their hands placing it on top of Pauly’s head as she said, “ONE TWO THREE!”

“BREAK!”

With that they were off, they ran through the banner, ripping it to shreds and were ready to begin this game. The T-Birds were receiving the kick off which meant that offense would be up first.

Pauly did practice throws with her apprentice getting her arm into the swing of things. After she was done with warm ups she was caught off guard by Brad and his prep friends who were chanting for her.

Paula smirked at the prep boys chant. It was cute, but she knew that none of those boys were doing it to help Brad out; they were all doing it because they were hoping that she would break up with Brad soon and give one of them a shot.

Paula found her parents in the stands, they were sitting next to the Cullen family. She ran over to her mom so she could give her the customary game blessing and said hello to the Cullen’s she heard her name be screamed and ran out onto the field.

“BLUE 54 BLUE 54 SET HIKE!”

The center tossed the ball back to Paula who cradle tossed the ball to the running back who ran the ball to gain twenty yards.

As soon as he was done, they ran over to the ball and called another play always ready for the next move not giving up any space until a touchdown was made.

The game went by in this fashion. The T-Birds were slaughtering the Scorpions with a score of 49-3 in the fourth quarter with two minutes left in the game. The T-Birds were on offense again and they wanted to score another touchdown to make the Scorpions feel even worse.

The offensive linemen went up to the line. They squatted down, placing all of their weight on their lower body, and stared at the eyes of the defensive linemen.

The offensive linemen placed their right hand on the ground, and brought the left one directly in front of them protectively.

The wide receivers walked into the line and were ready in their running stance. The running back and fullback stood at each side of Pauly.

Pauly looked around the field and then bent forward placing her hand right underneath her center’s ass as she viciously shouted, “Red 61. Red 61 Set HIKE!”

She caught the ball and took two steps back planting her feet firmly on the ground. She looked into the field and found Tommy wide open; she took a step back and launched the ball.

The ball was in the air for seven seconds until it landed in his arms. Tommy ran it in as a touchdown. Pauly lifted her right hand, shaking it as she said fuck yeah, when out of nowhere she was knocked on the ground.

Emmett let out an accidental snarl. He was pissed off that some guy had walked over to Pauly and tackled her after the play was done. Jasper sent a wave of calm to make him settle down but his mind was racing with what he would do to the guy that had knocked her down.

Pauly looked up from the ground and saw Johnny two face Bianchi towering over her. A rage unlike any she had ever felt took over her and she stood up.

She threw her helmet off and her shoulder pads and put her hair in a pony tail saying, “You wanna rumble! Let’s rumble!”

Johnny stared at her, she had called him out and now he had to fight. He took off his helmet and pads, and threw a punch at her which she easily ducked and then slammed him with a right jab.

He was trying hard to get her, but it was of no use, she was an excellent fighter. Soon the coaches were on the field trying to separate the two, Johnny was covered in his blood and Pauly was trying to free herself to finish him off. Before he left he shouted, “WATCH IT YOUR DEAD!”

“BITE ME!”

She was carried by team members to the locker room, where she calmed down. They all congratulated her for having messed up Johnny, knowing that she had to fight him since he had initiated the challenge. Although she was happy that she had won, she feared the repercussions the possibility of later rumbles.

The parking lot was slowly cleared out until the only cars left were those of the football players and the Cullen kids.

“Emmet what are you gonna say?”

“I don’t know, how I feel I guess.”

“That’s always a good route.”

“I guess I just hope she likes me.”

“She does. Jasper can feel it and its funny hearing her think about you.”

“What does she say?”

“I’m quoting, ‘that self centered son of a bitch! Fuck I love him.’”

Emmett laughed loudly at the thought of her saying those words. She was so damn feisty and he just loved it.

The T-Birds finally made their way out of the locker room. Pauly’s face lit up when she saw the Cullen’s waiting for her by the car.

She said goodbye to the guys and started walking quickly towards them, that’s when she heard the tires squeal and a gun get pointed out the window.

Her face turned to panic when she saw where it was pointed.