𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕. ♡ 𝒋𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆.

xi

october 1965
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  "BULLSHIT!" jahanna yelled. trish and johnny flinched as they were sitting on the curtis brothers' living room floor. ponyboy, sodapop, and steve, all sitting right next to jahanna, tried to recover from the ringing in their ears as they were seated on the couch. the two had let it slip while the six of them were hanging out on a mild fall saturday that their art project didn't get full credit because mr. mckinley was suspicious that trish had actually taken the pictures—he had thought she stole them from a book at the library.

"dumb bitch. what library just has spare pictures of flowers and sunsets lying around? i'm 'bout ready to ACTUALLY go on o'er there and make him give y'all the points back! you deserved them!" jahanna added very angrily. it probably didn't help how her and dally recently got into another fight, meaning she was already wound up. trish attempted to calm her down saying it hadn't effected their grades all that much but it hadn't helped one bit.

"trish, if someone's being a jerk, is your natural instinct to make cookies for them? are you really letting that coward throw away all your hard work?" jahanna argued. trish opened her mouth to retaliate but it soon closed. she frustratedly sighed and her shoulders sank. she knew she couldn't argue back because that's exactly what she was doing. a tint of embarrassment was prominent in the color of her face. johnny caught sight of it and turned to jahanna.

"we tried, jay. did you think we didn't? mr. teacher just can't get it through his head."

jahanna scoffed. sodapop adjusted his DX hat as he spoke up,

"yeah, jay. everyone knows teachers don't actually know what they're doin', right?" he laughed. jahanna shrugged indifferently and redirected her attention to mickey mouse playing on the television in front of them.

"hey, don't sweat it you two, your project looked real neat and pretty. looked like johnnycake pulled out his best penmanship for that one," steve added proudly. trish and johnny mumbled "thank you"s as ponyboy pitched in.

"and you've got a real knack for colors, trish. no wonder mr. mckinley thought a 16 year old couldn't have taken 'em. they were just that," he paused in thought, "it was real tuff."

trish's eyes lit up a bit and, even though she tried her best to contain it, she couldn't help but break into a bashful smile. jahanna had given a lesson or two about what it was like to live in tulsa after seeing how distraught trish acted around the gang when they first met. so trish knew—to the best of her understanding— that "tuff" was an honorable compliment.

  and although trish was trying to hide her shock, it seems that the rest still noticed and chuckled. jahanna suddenly groaned and rolled her eyes.

  "God, don't tell me trish is becoming y'all's new pet. this is just about the third time y'all have hung out! how can she be y'all's lil' kid sister already?" she complained.

  "what? jealous much, jay?" ponyboy teased.

  "now you shut your trap—"

  "m-me? new p-pet? i-i don't think so jahanna..." trish mumbled sheepishly, interrupting an irritated jahanna. jahanna stopped and shook her head before turning to the television again.

  ring! ring!

  "don't listen to her trish, you dig well," sodapop and steve ruffled the hair on the top of trish's head before steve got up to answer the phone,

  "hello?"

  "so trish, what's the next good you're gonna be baking?" ponyboy whispered.

  "shut your trap, ponyboy!" both jahanna on the couch and steve on the phone whisper-yelled. trish giggled and fixed her hair.

  "maybe something with pumpkin, but i don't know anywhere 'round here where they have pumpkin picking," trish whispered back nonetheless.

  "there's this jack'o'lantern festival coming up in town. we could all head there when it comes around," johnny suggested. trish and ponyboy nodded in agreement. they were interrupted when steve started talking.

  "no, darry's out workin'... alright... alright, yeah... she is, trish's over too... sure, okay see ya," steve hung up, "dally's gotten trouble with the fuzz again, he's headin' over right now."

  jahanna sprang up, everyone else soon following, "God dammit! what'd he do this time?"

  "bashed one of their cop cars' windows right open," steve nonchalantly replied. the tension in the air left everyone uneasy. ponyboy tapped on trish's shoulder, who was worriedly listening in on the conversation. she spun around to face him.

  "i think it'd be better if you head back over to your side if town..." he said.

  "good call, ponyboy," soda chimed in, "you don't deserve having to deal with the fuzz after you just moved into town, trish."

  "yeah, we wouldn't want you getting caught up with the fuzz, not to mention them cops pro'lly wouldn't take nicely to you to be on our side of town," johnny quietly added. although trish wanted to stay, knowing jahanna was going to stay for dally, she saw the look of the boys' faces and nodded in understanding. she wasn't one to argue in a situation like this after all, terrified at the thought of her parents finding out she was not only on this side of town but also crossed paths with the law. she grabbed her jacket and headed towards the door,

  "alright, i'll get going then. i really hope i'll catch y'all again soon and that all goes well! and jahanna," jahanna turned to trish, "you know my house number, right?"

  "yeah," jahanna then recited it in reenforcement to her claim. trish nodded and gave everyone a last wave and smile before stepping out.

  they saw her curly hair through the window blowing about as she ran all her way home, her shoes hitting the sidewalk echoing out through the street.