admiration | j. cade

v. jukebox

CHAPTER V
JUKEBOX !

JOHNNY LOOKED OVER TO PATTY WHO WAS picking at her nails, he turns his attention back to the page of Romeo and Juliet, trying to follow along as the teacher dragged on.

Johnny looked over at Patty again only to find her already looking at him. He blushed and turned away, moving his hair so it covered his eyes.

Patty slides a note over to him and he slowly opens it, I had fun Friday. Maybe we can hang out after school.

He looks over at her but her attention was on the teacher,
he slowly takes his pencil and writes his answer passing it back to her.

Sure.

Patty smiles at him and he smiles back, his stomach hurting. It was sort of like when you are on a roller coaster, the rushing feeling you get or when you laugh to hard and get the butterfly feeling. It was pure ecstasy.

The bell rang and he gathered his things, "I'll meet you by your locker," Patty smiles and Johnny nods.

"Okay, we can go to Way Out or do something you want to," She says, "Is it okay if I bring a friend?"

Johnny felt his heart drop, the ecstasy feeling gone. Of course Patty Williamson did not want to hang out alone with Johnny Cade.

"Uh yeah," Johnny says quietly.

"Of course you can bring a friend!" Patty says immediately, "I just don't want it to be awkward or anything."

"What?" Johnny asks.

"You know you are really quiet," Patty says with the kinda awkward honesty she always used, "And I never know what to say and it makes it really awkward."

Johnny feels his face grow red in embarrassment and he stares at his shoes.

"No!" Patty says loudly, "I didn't mean it as a bad thing! Oh gee, I'm sorry, Johnny."

"It's fine," Johnny says.

"Patty!" A group of people shout, Johnny turns to see them ushering her over.

"See you, Johnny! Sorry again!" She says walking to her friends, Johnny only nods and continues on his way.

-

Johnny waited by his locker when the bell rang for school to be over. He had ran to his locker and gathered his things, waiting for Patty and her friend to show up. He was also waiting on Ponyboy, but he was slow so Johnny told him to meet them outside.

"Hey Johnny," Patty smiles, "You remember Jenny, right?"

"Yeah," Johnny says, "You made out with Dal at the Nightly Double and everything got awkward."

"Eh, right," Jenny says awkwardly, "Are you bringing a friend?"

"Uh, Ponyboy he's waiting outside," Johnny says.

"Alright, well Jenny's brother offered us a ride so we should go," Patty speaks up.

The three all walk outside, the silence a bit awkward but Johnny didn't really care. He waved to Ponyboy, signaling for him to come over.

"Hi, I'm Ponyboy," He says holding his hand out to Jenny.

"Jenny," She replies, "Oh look! There's William." She points to the nice car and the three follow behind her.

Patty and Jenny argue over who gets shotgun before Patty just sits down anyway, "Hi William."

"Patty," He greets smiling at her.

Johnny climbs in the car sitting in between Jenny and Ponyboy. He watches Patty as she reaches over and turns the radio on, "Oh, turn it up," Jenny says immediately, "This is my favorite song."

-

William stopped at Way Out to let Johnny and the others out of the car. Jenny and Ponyboy were talking about some book he hadn't read, therefore he walked next to Patty.

"It seems Jenny and Ponyboy are getting along," Patty observes, "You know if her and Dally have talked anymore?"

"Not sure, haven't seen Dal since that night," Johnny replies, holding the door open for Patty.

"Thanks," She says.

Johnny follows her to a table and sits across from her, Jenny and Ponyboy joining not too long after.

"What can I get ya'll-" Johnny recognizes the waitress as someone from the party, "Patty! Jenny!"

"Hi Sarah!" Patty says happily waving to her friend.

"Well what can I get ya'll?"

"Uh four milkshakes," Jenny speaks up for everyone, "Chocolate?"

Patty nods then Jenny looks over to Johnny and Ponyboy who both nod.

"Alright, chocolate it is," Sarah says before leaving.

"Johnny wanna pick out a song?" Patty asks him.

Johnny nods and the two leave the booth and head over to the jukebox.

Patty grabs a few coins from her purse. He watched as she looked through many different songs before finally choosing.

"How about this one?" Patty says looking up at Johnny, Patty blushing when realizing Johnny was already looking at her.

"Uh-" Johnny says awkwardly, "Good. It's good."

Patty put in her cents and the small tune of "Can't Buy Me Love," by the Beatles began playing. She clasped her hands together before taking Johnny's hand and walking back to the table.

"Nice!" Jenny cheers, Patty releases Johnny's hand so she can sit down and he frowns, his hand slightly tingling at her touch.

Johnny thanked Sarah as she passed out the friends milkshakes.

He took a small sip of the chocolate milkshake, stealing a glance at Patty who had slight chocolate still above her lip. He resisted the urge to reach over and wipe it off like the cliche movies they play at the Nightly Double, instead he caught her attention and pointed it out. She blushed and quickly wiped it away.