Shawna's Story (A Johnny Cade Fanfiction) //CURRENTLY EDITING//

~3~

Days had passed and while my brothers were out with school and work, I spent more time with Johnny and Dallas.

“So, where are you boys from?” I asked, while we were sitting in the living room, watching a Mickey Mouse re-run.

“I was born here in Tulsa, never set foot out of town,” Johnny said.

“I'm from New York,” Dallas said.

“I knew your accent sounded familiar,” I said.

“You've been?” Dallas asked.

“Only for a few days, when I didn't know where I was going,” I said. “I wish I took pictures. It was nice seeing the ocean.”

“Yeah, I didn't get to stay long enough to see those sights,” Dallas said. “But one day I'll go back.”

“So you do have goals,” I teased, making him smile a little.

“Yeah, I am just full of surprises,” Dallas said.

“What about you, Johnny Cade? Any goals? Places you'd wanna see?” I asked.

“I'd be happy to just get out of this town,” Johnny said. “Don't matter where I go, just as long as it's away from here.”

“Yeah, I know that feeling, that's why I ran,” I said, “But don't worry, you'll get out one day. You're brighter than you think.”

“Yeah, Johnnycake, you're a smart kid, you just get in the way of yourself,” Dallas said.

“Thanks,” Johnny said. I gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

“I'm gonna go make some lemonade. Helped a friend pick his lemon tree, and he let me keep a few,” I said, getting up from the couch.

“When'd you have time to pick lemons? We've been here with you all day,” Dallas said.

“You got here at 11, I've been busy since 5 this morning,” I said, washing my hands in the kitchen. I rinsed off the lemons, picked up a cutting board and the clean glass pitcher. I cut some lemons in half, squeezed them into the pitcher, catching the lemon seeds in my hand. I added water to the lemon juice, filling the pitcher the rest of the way and poured some sugar into the pitcher, before stirring it.

“How do you work so fast?” Johnny asked.

“Hm? Oh, I don't know. Cooking just comes to me naturally,” I said. “I used to cook with my mom at a young age.”

“That's nice,” Johnny said.

“Yeah, I make some good bread,” I said, stirring the lemonade. I poured a little into a cup and tasted it, thinking a little. “Something is missing…” I began cutting up lemon slices and stuck them into the pitcher, before stirring the pitcher again and tasting it in my taste cup. “Mhm,” I stuck the pitcher in the fridge and began cleaning up the kitchen again, before storing the lemons in a safe place. “Now I have to figure out what to use all of those lemons for.”

“You could make pie,” Johnny suggested.

“Or a cake, kind of getting tired of chocolate,” Dallas said, lighting a cigarette.

“I guess I can figure something out. Dallas, you know the rules, off the couch,” I said. “I won't be able to get the smell out of these chairs.”

“Alright, alright,” Dallas said, getting up to step outside, me following him with a towel, fanning away the smoke.

“You must really hate the smell of cigarettes,” Johnny said, chuckling softly.

“Tell me about it,” Dally said, standing on the porch.

“It stinks,” I said, heading into the back to grab a basket of laundry to sort out and fold.