𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕. ♡ 𝒋𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆.

xv

.
.
.

  ding!

  "the door is open trish!"

  "OH! i-i forgot about that, i'm sorry..."

  trish and jahanna stepped into the house and was greeted by ponyboy, who was sitting at the dinner table reading a book. lunchtime had just passed when they arrived to help the eldest curtis brother, darry, prepare for thanksgiving that night.

  "thank you again for inviting us here pony," trish expressed. ponyboy set his book down and stood up to greet the two.

  "it was no problem. the more the merrier—"

  "is that jay and sweets i hear?!" sodapop happily hollered, implementing the new name he had come up for trish, as he came tumbling in from the kitchen. trish giggled as jahanna waved beside her.

  "i'm so glad you came!" the boy beamed. he glanced at the paper bag trish was clutching to tightly in her hands.

  "oh sweets, you didn't have to bring something," he sighed with a small smile.

"I couldn't resist," the girl sheepishly replied. ponyboy pointed to the bag.

"what'd you make?"

"oh it's just some cornbread, it's not all that special..."

"well ain't that a relief?" sodapop laughed, nudging ponyboy at his side, "that means darry won't have to be worryin' 'bout baking anything this year! oh, he's already startin' to prepare dinner back there in the kitchen if you'd like to be helpin' trish."

"hey! i said i would help too!" jahanna butted in then started for the kitchen. trish stayed back for a moment.

"is johnny here?" she asked and her head uncontrollably tilted to the side in curiosity.

"no, johnnycake ain't here. he said he'd be comin' though, right?" ponyboy wondered. trish nodded with a pursed lip before following after jahanna. maybe he'll be there later. something inside of trish hoped so.

.
.
.

  "really? you've never considered getting a job cookin' or somethin'?" sodapop asked with a mouth full of mashed potatoes. it was now evening, and thanksgiving dinner was prepared; currently being devoured.

  "or are you more interested in baking?" darry added.

  trish shyly chuckled and shook her head,

  "no, i wouldn't suit a serious job with cooking i don't think. i like making whatever i want to in my own time. and uh, i prefer baking a bit more to cooking, yes."

  "interesting. but soda, can you please swallow your food first before talking. the sight isn't pretty," ponyboy complained. jahanna snorted at one end of the dinner table,

  "you're no better—"

  "hey! this isn't about you!—"

  ding!

  the laughter around the table was interrupted by the house buzzer. darry set down his utensils and stood up,

  "i'll get it."

  trish's eyes followed him as he went to open the front door, while the others continued on eating. "what if it's johnny," she thought, "wait maybe not because we've already began eating. WAIT but he can't know that unless he's here. but what if he's not here— well, he's not here but what if he's here now—"

  "hey johnnycake!" yelled sodapop.

trish's eyes went wide as she snapped back to the present, and she was greeted by the boy in his denim jacket. he waved at them around the dinner table. a wave of relief crashed over trish as she jumped up and warmly greeted him with a hug.

"you're here!" she cheerfully said. johnny, after a second of shock, stiffly hugged her back to the best of his ability. at that moment, trish soon realized what she had done and quickly let go. her face reddened as she stammered apologies.

"i-i'm so so so s-sorry a-about that... it's just— um— nice to see you...?"

johnny chuckled and stepped into the house,

"it's alright. it's nice seein' you too."

"johnny, for a second there i thought you weren't comin'," darry said.

"same here..." trish added, barely audible. johnny must've heard it though because he turned to her saying,

"well i'm here, ain't i?"

  he smiled in her direction and jahanna laughed at trish's surprised face.

.
.
.

"darry, did you make this?" johnny asked as dinner continued, holding up a piece of the bright yellow bread. sodapop almost choked on his turkey leg as he snorted at the assumption.

  "i-i'll take that as a no?..." johnny sheepishly corrected himself and sunk a little in his seat.

  "the cornbread? oh, no, you know baking is not my strong suit. trish brought that on too of helping me cook!" darry explained.

  trish darted her head up at the mention of her name, eyes wide in a startled state since beforehand she had been spaced out while eating her fill. johnny couldn't help but smile at her expression a bit when he looked over at her.

  "really? well, of course. you're real good at cookin' and all that aren't you?" he wondered aloud.

  trish shrunk in her seat and put a hand over her mouth as she mumbled, "thanks johnny." Although it seemed as if she wasn't liking the attention, her eyes very evidently twinkled at being noticed for the hobby she enjoys most.

  "y'know, it's great havin' you two here this year," johnny said to the girls, "you're good company."

  "thanks johnnycake," jahanna grinned.

  "how about a toast?" ponyboy suggested, glancing at the girls and holding up his cup of apple juice, "for our new friends here."

  everyone followed suit with their drinks held high. they all clinked their glasses with smiles and some small spills here and there before dinner continued.

.
.
.

  eventually dinner was done. the girls and johnny walked out the house, and split off in their different directions. johnny waved and went off to assumably the lot, while strangely jahanna was trying to swiftly get both her and trish out the door, resulting in a shorter-than-desired farewell and thanks to the brothers. so much so, that trish almost fell off said brothers' front porch because of how fast jahanna was moving.

  after safely turning a corner trish whisper-yelled,

  "jahanna what the hell?"

  jahanna situated the both of them stop under a dim lamppost and finally let go of trish's wrist. she crossed her arms and leaned against the post, staring at trish rubbing her red wrist with a smug look. an after a second and after she had realized jahanna was staring at her, trish hissed,

  "what?—"

  "you like johnny cade, don't you?"