𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕. ♡ 𝒋𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆.

iii

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"so where're your folks, doll?" two-bit asked as the gang crowded on the green couch and in around the small space, the smell of chocolaty dessert wafting about the house after trish had pulled the cake fresh out the oven. trish was scrambling with her small radio on the side of the living room—almost dropped it when she heard the little nick name two decided to call her—searching for a good channel to play for her visitors, before deadpanning,

  "out working."

  "any idea when they'll be coming home?" soda asked. trish shrugged before taking a seat right between jahanna and ponyboy on her couch.

  "beats me. they're usually out 'til of late, usually after i head up for the night anyway. they work long hours to keep up but it's nothing new. it's always been like that around these parts, whether up north or east or west or even further down south. right, jahanna?"

  "amen to that. no matter how many bridges there are between york to philly to camden, never seems to bring much of the people together, and don't know how long they're plannin' on trying with no avail," she sneered.

  of course they weren't talking just about the people in the cities, why no, they were talking about the colors on the city streets. the two girls and their peers were tired hearing of all the black and white, absolutely sick of it. thankfully, when dal first brought jahanna into the picture the greasers felt the same way, since they themselves were trapped in the society that favored superiority defined by stupid constructs. or how they, with the exception of ponyboy, simply put it: "ass-hats with ass-hat rules".

"man, camden? heard from them people back in new york that place be real rough out of the entire south jersey," dallas chimed in. he blew out his cig's puff of smoke out a nearby open window, knowing how trish got in trouble with her folks last time he came around with jahanna and got the place smelling like a big ol' cancer stick.

"yeah, pay there is even worse. needles everywhere and not a nickel in sight. that's why i picked up baking, since no one can tell cookies made from brown hands from ones made by white ones. everyone loves a bit of sugar in their life, right? not only did i give people some food when they couldn't even afford it but i can pick up a couple bucks myself, y'know?" trish laughed and everyone couldn't help but smile at the sound.

  "speaking of which, i bet the cake's cool by now. anyone care for some icing?" she asked as she looked around at them all in the room.

"you should see her decorating her cakes, it's a real sight, i swear," jahanna told the boys. trish just shrugged her off and made her way to the kitchen, getting out some chocolate icing she made earlier in the day from her light blue fridge. jahanna urged the others to crowd around to see the spectacle—and trish did not disappoint.

  the boys hadn't seen such elegance with icing since the last cake mrs. curtis had prepared for dinner before the wreck. it didn't take too long for everyone to have a green plate with a slice in one hand and a fork in the other, either.

  "dang, where'd you learn how to make this?" steve asked trish with a mouthful of fudgey cake muffling the question. trish giggled and handed the boy a napkin before answering,

  "if i remember correctly i copied it from an old cookbook that used to belong to God knows who in the back of a thrift shop. it's either that or got it copied from a library book i snook grace's card to check out." jahanna snickered with trish at the memory after its mention.

  "it's probably not the best though, it's only my second or third time making it though i'm guessing," the girl admitted bashfully.

  "it's incredible! what are you saying?" soda exclaimed, receiving a free napkin from trish after the fact.

  "aren't you gonna have a piece?" darrel asked seeing trish's hands cake-less. trish politely shook her head "no".

  "aw johnny why don't you give her that last piece instead of taking it for yourself?" ponyboy spoke up. all eyes turned to the boy in the denim jacket who was about to take the last of the dessert from it's platter. trish turned around and the two met eyes. the boy blinked, before backing away.

  "no, no! you can have it, uh, johnny, right? yeah you're fine—I MEAN it's alright you can have it i ate before you all came over anyway!" trish blurted out.

  "HA!" jahanna gasped.

  "jahanna shut your trap!"

  laughter burst out in the small kitchen. trish looked down to hide her crimson face. "it was going fine until you had to mess it up!" she thought.

  she was still looking at the tiles on her floor when a plate with half a slice of cake was pushed near her on the counter. trish looked up to see the boy with half a slice on his plate and an empty platter.

  "yeah, the name's johnny. johnny cade."