✞☠︎𝕋𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖☠︎✞

Chapter Three: Fevers, Birth Control, and Chocolate Milkshakes

"Hey Soda," Steve casually sat down on the couch next to him. he saw that he was burning with a fever. Darry was at work, as usual...so Soda had to take care of himself. Poor Soda. But Steve, he really couldn't concentrate on his best friend's illness. He wanted to tell him about Jessy. She was so...mysterious. Hot. Seductive. All the things Steve wanted, but there was one thing -- he just met her. Love at first sight never existed. 

"What Steve," Soda rasped. He coughed. Steve patted his shoulder. Soda just put a blanket over his head, even though it was wickedly hot outside. The dumb fever. 

"Don't get me sick buddy," he echoed, and just got off of the couch. He couldn't tell Soda. Jessy wasn't the type Soda would like. Then again, Evie wasn't either...but he just wanted to keep Jessy a secret for now. 

"Liar. I want you to tell me what you were going to say," Soda wanted Steve to give up his secret. Steve just shook his head. 

"Later buddy," he walked back into the kitchen, where Ponyboy was reading something else -- and it was not  Romeo and Juliet. Ponyboy threw the book in his bag, but Steve had already seen the cover of the book. "What the hell Ponyboy why are you reading about fricken birth control?" 

Ponyboy began to turn multiple shades of red. "It's something for school," he whispered. Steve nodded as Ponyboy began to pull the book back out, slowly. 

"Well I hope you get an A on your project, A in meaning abstinence," Steve laughed, and Pony slammed his book shut, and walked to his room. 

Shit. "Come on Ponyboy I was only teasing!" Steve shouted. 

"teasing about what?" Samantha came into the room with a chocolate milkshake in her hand. Steve rolled his eyes. 

"Ponyboy was reading about birth control." 

Samantha choked on her milkshake and then broke down in laughter. "Oh Ponyboy, did he check that book out at the library?" she had dropped her milkshake and Two-Bit, who had been following her around as her second shadow, began to lick the sacred dessert off the floor. She stopped mid laughter and looked at Two-Bit as if he were a ravenous beast. Two-Bit awkwardly got up off the floor and wiped his chocolate covered face with his shirttail. 

"Eww," Samantha picked up the cup and tossed it into the trash. Darry had came home surprisingly early, which made Ponyboy groan in anguish and go to his room. Darry beamed with pride. 

"Are you okay Darrel?" said as he was playing with two apples from the garbage. Darry just smiled and said,"Samantha, you cleaned up. I am so proud of you." 

"Ummm....ok," she walked out of the room. Darry's pride and joy quickly evaporated into his normal, sterile mood. 

"Ugh I just try to be nice and I get the cold shoulder!" Darry pushed Two-Bit's hands out of the garbage, sending him backward. "is Soda still sick?"

Ponyboy ran out of his room at the mention of Soda's name. "yes he is sick Darry! And you are just working!" Ponyboy pointed his finger at Darry, trying to condemn him. But Darry didn't budge. Of course

"I can't afford to take off," Darry used his usual motherly tone.

"Darrel Shayne Curtis JR -- a single mom with no desire to get married, but takes the responsiblity of raising about 12 children," Two-bit wandered into the room with fruit. 

'What the hell are you eating?" Darry yelled. "And why are you mocking me?"

"I'm a mockingjay!" Two-Bit dropped his fruit and flew around the room. Samantha just giggled because Darry would get even more mad if she decided to fly around too. "And I was eating a papaya!"

"It was a peach Two-Bit," Ponyboy corrected, cleaning up his mess. "Where's Megan?" he then started to look around the house for her. 

"Oh she's out shopping with Avianna. I wanted to come by and get my wallet quick before I leave," Samantha shoved Two-Bit's face away as he came closer to her chair. 

"Sounds dumb, you girls and shopping," Steve muttered. Samantha looked at him weird. 

"Something bothering you?" 

"No, just I feel that someone is watching me."