After Noelle had thoroughly pissed me off by talking a whole bunch of shit about John, I told her that I had to leave because John was hanging out with Lydon but was supposed to be heading over to my house at some point today and I didn't want to miss him.
"Let's just go find him," she suggested softly, completely focused on the painting in front of her.
"That's ridiculous, Noelle. I haven't the slightest idea where he could be right now."
"But I do," she murmured.
It hit me that Noelle would know where the Sex Pistols hung out due to her past with Lydon. But would she even want to take me there? As far as I knew, she couldn't stand Lydon nor could she stand John. Why would she offer to take me to them?
"Nonsense. You hate them. Why would you want to go anywhere near them?" I demanded. "You just got done calling John rubbish and now you want to go on a hunt for him."
Her painting faltered and I watched as her paint brush froze and her hand locked up. She didn't turn to face me. She didn't even speak for a moment. I had to wait in the silent room, the only sound coming in was coming from downstairs from her mother's strange, French records. When she finally spoke, her voice was more malevolent than usual.
"Do you want to go see Sid or not?" She demanded.
I raised my eye brows and let my mouth fall open in shock. What had suddenly caused her to be so vile towards me? Did I even want her help at this point? She had been shitting on John all afternoon and making me feel wrong for wanting to be near him, and yet here she was now, offering to bring me to him.
And yet, even after making me feel bad all afternoon, I was still willing to suck it up and accept her help if it meant I'd get to see John as soon as possible.
"Of course I do. You know I do," I stammered finally.
"I'll get ready to leave then."
That was how it came to be that Noelle and I were bustling down the street in search of John and Lydon. Me in my beret, turtle neck dress, and white boots, and Noelle in her bright red pants, gigantic belt buckle, and a cropped shirt that just barely covered her chest with long sleeves that billowed in the wind.
I was painfully aware of how perfect she looked compared to myself, with her white stomach practically sparkling in the sunlight as though the ice queen was indeed made of ice.
I followed Noelle through the streets of London, passing by various businesses and apartment buildings. Men and women alike kept glancing over at Noelle, some with disdain, others with lust. Still, Noelle walked with a confident sway in her hips, not even faltering as she stepped into a boutique with the word "SEX" slapped over the door in giant, bright-pink letters.
I paused at the entrance, looking around at the people who were glaring at me as they passed.
What would your mother think?
"Kimmy! Dépêchez-vous!" Noelle's tone was firm, pulling me out of my thoughts and back into reality.
I blushed and put my head down, hiding in my hair as I hurriedly stepped inside the store.
"What's the matter?" Noelle asked once I reached her.
I kept my eyes fixed on the red carpet at my feet, refusing to look around the room. Lord knows what kinky stuff they've got in a store called "SEX".
"I just...I was thinking about my mom..." I breathed.
Noelle giggled. "Thinking about your mother in a store called 'SEX'? You are a kinky little girl, mon chéri. Comment coquine!"
I felt my face practically lit ablaze with embarassment. My head snapped up and I gaped at Noelle. "You know that that's not what I meant!"
Noelle smirked and rolled her eyes. Looking away from me, she scanned the room with a bored look on her face. "You're precious beau is here."
"He's not my beau," I grumbled, my face now searing hot.
"Whatever he is, he's here."
She nodded somewhere in the distance. I peeled my eyes from her and followed her gaze. I noticed a tuft of spiky black hair and my heart leapt into my throat. My knees grew weak and I began to develop cotton mouth.
Standing in a corner was John, a goofy grin on his face as he held up some ball gags and jiggled them in some guy's face. I saw the equally spiky, red hair on the other man's head and instantly knew that John was horsing around with none other then John Lydon, also known as Johnny Rotten. Lydon cackled and swatted the gags away from his head.
"How charming," Noelle muttered, her voice oozing with disgust.
I ignored her and instead allowed my trembling legs to guide me closer to the gangly figure in the corner. Closer to John.
"Oi! Sid!" I croaked out, the words barely managing to escape my dry mouth.
John abruptly stopped laughing and jumped, raising his fist as though he was expecting a fight. When he saw me, his eyes softened and his grin widened.
"Kimmy! Check out Rotten's new toy!" John chuckled, waving the ball gags in the air.
"Wow Lydon, I didn't know you were into that kind of thing," I giggled, going along with John's joke.
"He's full of shite," Lydon laughed, the teeth that gave him the pseudonym "Rotten" were living up to the name. "Sid was buying those for you!"
I knew Lydon was only joking, but I blushed anyway and found myself unable to look at John. Instead, I turned away and saw Noelle, standing off to the side. For the first time since I'd known her, she looked unsure of herself. She was awkward and just sort of standing there like she had no clue what to do.
"Sorry to interrupt whatever you guys were, uh...doing..."
I nodded at the ball gags with a smirk.
"But I ended up at Noelle's house and, rather than wait for Sid to come around, we decided to come find you guys. I hope that's alright."
"I just didn't think it right to have Kimmy waiting around for Sid when she could be hanging out with him instead," Noelle added, shouldering passed me and into the small group. Her arms were folded over her chest and her eyes locked with Lydon, who had stopped laughing and was now glaring right back at her.
"Of course, always a pleasure seeing Kimmy ," John made it a point to say my name and not Noelle's. He gave her a cold stare as he spoke.
Noelle didn't seem to notice. She was too transfixed on glowering at Lydon to acknowledge John's remarks.
"I was going to bring it up when I met up with you later, but, seeing as we ran into each other now, do you want to come to our concert tomorrow night?" John asked me, ignoring the angry couple beside us and smiling down at me.
"There's a concert tomorrow night?" I asked.
"Yeah. It'll be my first one with the guys," John said excitedly.
"I'd love to but...it's a school night," I replied glumly.
John rolled his eyes and grabbed hold of my arms, shaking them vigorously. "C'mon, Kimmy! You have to come to my first show! I don't think I could do it without you."
I bit my lip thoughtfully. "Well..."
"Please?"
"I don't know..."
My mother would be pissed, my father would be even more pissed, I'd be exhausted in the morning, and I'd most likely get spit on and trampled all night during the concert.
But those eyes...
John was beaming at me, his eyes were pleading as he bounced in place awaiting my answer. Noelle was shooting me a warning look, and Lydon was too busy scowling at Noelle to notice what was going on.
"Alright, I'll go," I said, finally caving. John let out a cheer and pulled me into a hug. "But Noelle and I have to leave by midnight."
"I'm going?"
"She's going?"
Noelle and the guys screeched at me all at once.
A devious smirk crept across my face.
"It wouldn't be punk rock without a little turbulence, now would it?"
John's disappointed face lit up with appreciation for how well I was embracing his new lifestyle. Lydon and Noelle on the other hand, both looked ready to pounce on me.
"Midnight it is, love."