Ponyboy's POV

I opened my eyes from my nap to find Darry opening up my door telling me I had a visitor.

"Who?"

He smiled, "A redhead Soc. You feeling up to it?"

"Yeah." I honestly didn't really want her to see me. I had a pounding headache, 102.5 fever, and my throat was killing me. But Darry didn't need to worry. Plus, I didn't want her to see our house. For boys we do good house cleaning but still, she was a Soc.

"Hey Pony," Cherry said softly as she walked in, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay thanks." I said feeling awkward. She looked worried. I smirked, " Both my brothers have grey hair, Soda may be able to pull it off, but you won't look good grey."

She laughed and I inwardly winced as it aggravated my headache.

Cherry's POV

I froze slightly when I saw Ponyboy. His cheeks were bright red, his skin was pale, and his voice was hoarse as was his breathing. He still smiled softly at me and I noticed his eyes were slightly glazed over from fever. Randy told me he visited pony and Ponyboy flipped when he mentioned Johnny, I wasn't gonna make that mistake. He had pneumonia and was still real sick.

"What's the diagnostics?" I asked curiously. He laughed softly and said in an awful hoarse voice, " What's not wrong shock, concussion, exhaustion, malnutrition, and pneumonia."

"Glory!" I said a bit too loud because He winced slightly and reached for the aspirins. I thought I saw him shake out 4!

"Pony!" I said kinda loud.

"What?" He replied startled while grabbing his head.

"Open your hand." I commanded and he sheepishly opened it and 4 were asprins there.

I just stared at him. Does he wanna get worse? Finally I said, "Would you like to od or something that's really dangerous." He looked at me his cheeks burning red, " but two doesn't work, Cherry, my head hasn't stopped pounding since I woke up Tuesday." I sighed. "Tell your brothers." He stubbornly shook his head, "They worry too much."

He looked ready to fall asleep. He started mumbling something about Johnny and I felt his forehead. Darrel stuck his head in. "He seems hotter and he's talking about Johnny." I told him concerned. Pomyboy was right, worry lines were etched into his face when he felt pony's head.

"Do you mind leaving? He's not really up to visitors," he told me politely motioning to the pale sleeping figure. I nodded.

"Thanks for coming, it's the first he's smiled in a while." I remember he was hiding in a church for a week and Darry really hasn't seen him and I left, back to my stingray and out of the east side.

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Eventually, Soda and Darry had to go to work. They didn't want to but my fever was only 101 so it wasn't worth losing a job. But... Darry said I needed a babysitter. Two-Bit was busy with his kid sister and Steve was working. So I was home alone.

I was searching for some cough drops when the screen door slammed. A rough voice answered, "Well looky here. Hello Ponyboy." I almost had a heart attack but I realized it was just Tim. I coughed out a hoarse "Hey" and then went back to looking for cough drops.

"I heard you was sick," he said. It was his business to know your business. He wasn't a bad guy though. He stood up for greasers and though he would deny it and flatten you, he was slightly concerned.

"There's about 20 things wrong with me," I told him, still not facing him. He stared at me so I rattled off the list.

"Shoot!" I yelled when I checked the last cabinet and realized we were out of cough drops and aspirin. I started coughing real hard, almost choking up a lung in the process.

"What's wrong?" Tim asked when I was finished.

"Nothing, we're just out of cough drops or aspirin." We talked for a few minutes and he left and I was finally left to peace and quiet so I took a nap until Soda and Darry came home at 6:00.