Читать книгу Retro Geeks - Karen Mueller Bryson - Страница 3

Molly and Ally were having tremendous difficulty coming to terms with the fact that they still did not have dates for the senior prom. Despite being cute, in an unconventional sense, the girls were still inexperienced when it came to the opposite sex. The world can be a cruel and unfair place and, in this case, also totally sucky. Molly and Ally understood the main reason for their lack of prom dates (or any dates for that matter) was their complete lack of social standing at school. They didn’t quite fit with any clique. They were individuals, who embraced everything 80s. They were Retro in a school filled with kids, who had no idea what the word ‘Retro’ even meant.

“OMG,” Molly screamed when the girls’ fav song began to play. It was “Don’t You Forget About Me” by the Simple Minds from the totally awesome Breakfast Club soundtrack. The 1985 John Hughes teen drama starred their moms’ favorite actresses: Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. The girls were named after the pair of “Brat Pack” actors. Obviously! When Ally and Molly’s moms were in high school, they watched The Breakfast Club like 385 times.

Molly and Ally danced around Ally’s bedroom, listening to all of her mom’s old CDs: Depeche Mode, The Cure, Duran Duran and, our course, the Pretty in Pink soundtrack (from another amazing John Hughes hit, also starring Molly Ringwald).

The girls rocked out until there was a pounding on Ally’s door…and her little brother, Ollie poked his head in. “Hey, Dorkos,” he said and grinned.

You should know that Ollie is not his real name. He’s held the moniker for years because he’s shaped like an olive with a patch of pimento red hair on the top of his pointy head.

Without missing a beat, Ally said, “Oh, look. It’s Captain Chuck. What do you want?”

“The two of you look like a bad 80s band.”

Ally glared at her brother. “There’s no such thing.”

“Care to join us in the twenty-first century, Retro Geeks? Dinner's getting cold.”

Ally slammed the door in Ollie’s face and she and Molly continued dancing to Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

When, without thinking, Molly said, “Your mom had the most awesome music collection,” Ally stopped dancing. She missed her mom so much. She died when Ally was in seventh grade. It hadn’t been easy for Ally, growing into a teenager without a female role model.

Molly stopped dancing, too. “Sorry,” she said. “I didn't mean to upset you.”

“Prom's coming up,” Ally said.

Molly grimaced. “If we get asked.”

“Then graduation,” Ally continued. The downward spiral of gloom rolled in quickly. “I'll be motherless for all of my major rites of passage,” she complained.

“At least you have me,” Molly said. “Your BFF.”

Ally knew Molly was trying to cheer her up. They were not only BFFs but also totally inseparable, kind of like peanut butter and bananas or root beer and ice cream. But having a BFF didn’t completely make up for losing her mom.

Molly held up a palm. Ally went to high-five but she tripped on her throw-rug and fell on her butt. Whenever the girls attempted the hand gesture, it was a complete disaster. Molly tried very hard not to completely crack up at the sight of Ally’s tumble. Instead, she extended a hand and helped her friend off the floor.

When The Cure’s “Why Can’t I Be You” started playing, Molly and Ally broke back into dance and finished rocking around the bedroom.

On Saturday, just like nearly every other Saturday since the start of high school, Molly and Ally hung out in Ybor City, which to them was like one of the most awesome of places in downtown Tampa, Florida. And the main reason for its awesomeness: Lost in the 80s Vintage Clothing and Accessories, the absolute favorite of their favorite shops.

When Ally spotted Molly, she knew immediately that her BFF was sporting a Bananrama “Cruel Summer” ensemble, which included peg leg pants, suspenders, a black felt hat and big 80s hair-do. Not only did Banarama have some totally awesome dance hits, their outfits were to die for!

“Love it!” Ally said as soon as Molly caught up to her.

Molly turned to Ally and said, “OMG! You look just like Siouxsie Sioux!”

“Peek-A-Boo,” they both said at exactly the same moment and laughed. “Peek-A-Boo,” from the 1988 Peepshow album, was Siouxie and the Banshees’ first truly big hit in the United States and was the girls’ absolute fav Siouxie and the Banshee’s song.

“So, did you get your deposit in yet?” Molly asked.

Ally gulped. “No, sorry,” she lied.

Molly and Ally had planned to attend one of Florida’s BIG state universities together since they were in seventh grade. That was until Ally got a full scholarship to New York University to study drama. She didn’t have the courage to tell Molly she had applied like three months ago. Now she was expanding her evil web of lies because she’d been accepted and hadn’t told Molly about going to New York in the fall.

“You promised,” Molly continued. “It's the only way we can guarantee our roommate selection for next year. The freshman class is filling up, you know.

“I know,” Ally said feeling more guilty by the second.

“You still want to go to school with me, don't you?”

“Like, duh,” Ally said hoping to appease her for the moment.

Lost in the 80s Vintage Clothing and Accessories sat crammed between a martini bar and a sushi bar, about half-way down the main strip in Ybor. As the girls approached the store, a carload of jocks and cheerleaders cruised along side of them and one of the jocks yelled out of the passenger window, “Hey, Losers. This should make you look better.”

Before they knew what was coming, chocolate milk shakes hit the girls and splattered all over their outfits. The jocks and cheerleaders speed away laughing.

Covered in milk shake, Molly and Ally hurried into the vintage shop. The store was a life-sized time capsule circa 1982-1989. The shopkeeper, Belinda, was a former 80s New Wave super-star, not unlike Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go's, an awesome all-female, barrier-breaking 80s band. The Go-Go’s made history as the first chart-topping, all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments.

Belinda, who was like an auntie to the girls, rushed over to them. “Son of a monkey!” she exclaimed when she saw the pair. “What happened to you girls?”

“We had a run-in with some milk shakes,” Molly replied.

Belinda’s eyes narrowed.

“We're fine,” Molly continued.

Belinda handed each of them a Katrina and the Waves beach towel. “Let's get you out of those outfits. I'll show you what I got in today.”

She held up a super-sized, “Frankie Say Relax Don't Do It” t-shirt.

“Cool,” Molly said and smiled.

Belinda passed the shirt to Molly then held up a similar t-shirt that said, "Frankie Say War! Hide Yourself!"

“Totally awesome,” Ally said and Belinda handed her the second shirt.

Belinda started to plow through another pile of clothes. “We used to wear those t-shirts with leggings,” she said and handed them each a pair of black leggings.

Then she selected a CD from a huge bin of 80s classics and passed it to Molly. “Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It's on the house.”

Molly began to read from the CD cover. “Welcome to the Pleasuredome.”

“Some of their music was banned back in the old days, for supposedly being obscene, even though they were topping the charts,” Belinda explained.

Molly and Ally gave each other a sly glance.

“Don’t get any ideas,” Belinda continued. “Their lyrics are tame by today’s standards.”

“Thanks,” Molly said.

Belinda grinned. “Anything for my two best customers.”

“Aren't we your only customers?” Molly countered.

“It's the quality not the quantity that counts.”