𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕. ♡ 𝒋𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆.

vii

.
.
.

  the next morning trish's parents still hadn't come home. this wasn't surprising. she woke up bright and early as usual; took a moment to look out her bedroom window at the colors in the early morning sky as well. it looked so pretty, she thought. maybe a painting of similar hues would come out from the sight later that week.

she finally got out of bed nearing 9 and brushed her hair and teeth, washing her face and letting her locks free of the curlers they were bound to overnight. she wasn't planning on going anywhere that day, she just threw on a sweater she found lying around then headed out into the living area. her bunny slippers padded on the hardwood floor as the boards creaked and cracked. she hoped she wouldn't wake up the sleeping boy on the couch. luckily, even with the pots and pans she clanged while she started to make breakfast didn't even make the boy move a finger.

  eventually, johnny woke up to the faint sound of a record playing. a buttery and sweet aroma tickled his nose as he groaned and stretched out under the wool blanket. this feeling was unfamiliar. he wondered if this is what other boys in the city of tulsa felt whenever they woke up in the mornings. johnny quickly dismissed the thought while rubbing at his eyes, the sunlight seeping through the window and hitting them, because he realized those boys wouldn't be questioning the feeling like he was right now.

"hey johnny, you up?" he heard a soft voice call out. "oh yeah," he said in his mind as his memory came back to him, "i'm at trish's, she let me crash here last night."

"golly, what time is it?" johnny mumbled. trish appeared leaning over the back of the couch greeting him with a smile, wearing an apron and her free curls replacing the bright morning sun with shadows on his face.

"almost half past ten, just in time for breakfast. you were sleeping just like a log," trish replied as she folded his blanket while johnny sat up. he slipped his hand into his jacket to find his lighter, but to no avail.

"oh, i got it on the counter over there. no one wants any lighter fluid on their newly cleaned laundry, now do they?" trish informed him. johnny nodded, letting out a yawn when he got up to retrieve the lighter and his pack of cigarettes that were found alongside it. it had been a little while since he last had a hit. that definitely had to change, he thought. trish had also returned to the stove, and johnny followed behind to see what was cooking.

"flapjacks, huh?" he asked, a stick already hanging out his mouth. trish gave him one of her smiles once again before adding,

"mhmm, managed to get a hold of blueberries for them too."

"they look good." johnny went to light his weed before he paused,

"mind if i took a hit?"

trish shook her head,

"no, as long as you make sure the smell ain't gonna stay." johnny blew the smoke out the kitchen window,

"whatever you say, smiley."

"smiley?" trish asked.

"w-well, yeah. 'cause you're always showin' off your pearly whites like, like they're some kind of trophy o-or somethin'," johnny explained while trish placed the two stacks of blueberry pancakes on the table. she handed him a fork and sat down,

"oh really now? well then what's so wrong about that, huh?" trish retaliated, starting to dig in. johnny just shrugged. he took a few more hits before putting the cigarette out on the dining table's ash tray and sitting down to take a bite himself. he cut off a giant piece of his stack and stuffed it in his mouth, mixing with the flavor of smoke that resided from the weed. he didn't mind.

"'m jus sayin'," he muffled through the giant hunk of pancake. trish laughed a little before dying down and pouting slightly at the boy sitting across from her.

"well then that ain't fair. i don't have a name for you, but you do for me," she argued quietly.

"no one said you couldn't," johnny rebutted, wiping the syrup from around his mouth with a napkin. trish's eyes went a little wide.

"w-well, uh... let me think about it first."

.
.
.

soon enough, the two had finished and johnny even stayed around to help clean up. the golden tone of morning sunlight gradually faded away to the average, everyday atmosphere as they washed the dishes, signaling the true beginning of yet another day in tulsa.

once they were finished and as johnny was stepping out the door, he stopped and turned to trish.

"thanks, for letting me stay over a-and for the food. 'm sorry for taking up your time though. i-i swear this won't happen again."

trish grinned, handing him a paper bag with some extra treats she had to give.

"whatever you say, johnnycake."