''I bet you three dollars you ain't gonn' do it.'' Angela told me as she sipped her beer. I looked at her and took a sip of my pepsi.

''Do what?'' I asked her.

''C'mon Lennie, you've had a crush on him since forever, just go and ask him on a date.''

''Who?''

Angela rolled her eyes ''Yeah right, play stupid with me.''

I stared at her. We had been out on her porch for 45 minutes, in the hot sun both of us drinking a pop. Of course, Angela always felt the need to feel superior when she's around me, so she soon changed her pop for a beer.

''Sodapop Curtis. You've been drooling for him since the sixth grade.'' She pressed.

I shook my head. ''I have not. You're so lying.''

''Ugh.'' she continued ''Come on, you told me last year you wanted to marry him and have his babies.'' she laughed ''I bet you're dying to have him for yourself.''

''Ew Angela.'' I felt myself blush. ''What kind of stuff do you even think.''

Angela laughed ''See! You're blushing.'' she took another sip of her beer as I took of my pepsi. ''You do want him though, right?''

She looked at me seriously and I felt myself smiling. Yes, of course I want him! I've been dreaming of marrying him since I was twelve and he was fifteen, but of course, half of Tulsa felt that way.

''Angela, he's just a crush.'' I told her as I sat back against the grass.

''Yeah, I reckon that's all he can be for you. Better not to bring your hopes up.'' She shrugged.

''What do you mean?''

''What I mean, is that Sodapop Curtis is out of your league because, One.'' she looked at me ''He doesn't even know you.''

''He knows me! He says hi when we go to the DX'' I argued.

Angela chuckled ''Yeah, when WE.'' she stared at me as expecting some kind of answer. ''My brother is Tim, of course he's gonna say hi if I'm there Lennie.''

I rolled my eyes and took another sip.

''Well, as I said.'' she continued ''He doesn't know you, and you're not dating anyone. So he's not interested.''

''What you say is?'' I said.

''What I say is you date Ponyboy Curtis and make Sodapop want you, easy as that.''

''Woah.'' I laughed ''How did Pony get in the equation?''

''Easy, if Curly's seeing someone, Tim gets interested by the girl.'' she said ''Thought it would work the same way with the Curtis.''

''I doubt it.''

''You're a chicken.''

''Am not''

''You are.''

''Am not''

''You are''

''Am not''

''Bet ya 3 dollars you aint got the guts to even flirt with little Pony.'' Angela said as she chuckled.

''I can even date him.'' I said. Of course I can, who's she to tell me I can't. Besides, it's Ponyboy. We've been kind of friends since forever. Kind of.

''Yeah, like you dated all your boyfriends'' Angela laughed ''For a week and not even got a kiss.''

I sighed ''Well, what do you want me to do?''

She seemed to think for a second. ''You have to go all the way.''

I widened my eyes. ''You mean like... sex?''

''Sure.'' She smirked. As I stayed silent she laughed. ''See, I told ya you're a chicken.''

''No, I'm not. I can do it.'' I nodded to myself. ''Yeah, I can do it.''

''Sex with Ponyboy Curtis?'' she laughed. ''That's like expecting rain in the middle of summer.''

''I can do it, I tell ya.'' I told her ''I'm gonna go all the way with Pony, and then I'm also gonn' get Soda'' I laughed to myself.

''Okay, bet's on.'' Angela smirked. ''ten dollars?''

''Make it twenty.''