Chap 4

The morning came a bit too quickly for Ponyboy and Sodapop. Darry was up and moving around, Johnny was on the couch with cake, and Sammy was in the shower.

"Darry, what's for breakfast?" Ponyboy muttered as he came around to stand by the fridge. "Cake?" "Eggs made how you like, Pony. Did you take a shower yet?" Darry replied. "Shoot Darry, I just woke up. Plus Sammy's in there."

"In where?" Sammy asked, wandering in with a towel around her. "I just got out," She added as she exited the kitchen. "I need a shirt." She announced to no-one in particular as she entered the bathroom again and pulled on her pants and shirt from yesterday. "I can't wear this one again."

"So don't wear one!" A familiar semi-sarcastic voice rang out. "Sorry to dash your hopes, Two-Bit," Soda said as he handed a shirt to Sammy and she pulled it on as she came out then pulled her other shirt from under it.

"What was that?" Two-Bit asked in feigned shock. "How did that happen?" He asked, referring to her little shirt trick. "Something I picked up awhile back," Sammy said with a casual smile. "Darry...can I put this in the laundry and do some later?" She asked, pausing to dip her finger in the jelly as Darry prepared to put it on Soda's eggs. "SODAPOP!" He bellowed, tapping Sammy's fingers lightly and replying to her, "Shoot yeah, I'm just grateful someone likes to do laundry," He told her with a smile.

Ponyboy sat at the table with his eggs, plain with maybe a little salt. "I wanted to sleep in this morning," He said to no-one, and Sammy swooped down to give him a hug. "Poor Pony. Want to go to the park or something?" She asked, sitting down in the chair, fiddling with the buttons on her, well Soda's shirt. It was a bit big. "Why? I can entertain myself," Pony replied automatically. "I mean, sure, but what will you do?" Sammy smiled, laughed a little. "I thought about swinging. Maybe going down the slide," She admitted. Darry smiled gratefully at her and walked off to get changed and showered himself.

Steve walked in, muttering under his breath about kids leaving their stuff everywhere. He was massaging his arm, which was already sporting a bruise. Pony's mood rocketed downwards and he glared at his eggs, spearing them into his mouth before putting his plate and fork away and walking, almost stalking down the hallway where he slammed the bathroom door and the sink began running. "You and Pony okay?" Sammy asked Steve as she stood up, putting the salt on the counter and dabbing at a spot of jelly with the sponge. "Have we ever been?" Steve answered, shrugging it off. "Do you always do that?" He asked, staring at her hands. "Do what?" Sammy asked innocently.

"The cleaning thing," Steve said, gesturing at her hands which had soap on them and a sponge in her left hand as she moved to the dishes and started scrubbing them. "What else am I going to do to keep my hands moving?" Sammy replied matter-of-factly. Steve shrugged. "Play cards?" She whipped her head to face him. "Is that a challenge?" She asked teasingly. He shrugged again, opening the deck of cards and shuffling them then bridging. "Maybe."

Sammy tossed the sponge down, wiped her hands off on her jeans, and sat down, snatching the cards from him and dealing the standard blackjack cards. "Two out of three...loser buys me and Soda a movie," She said, placing the deck to her left. "Agreed. But if you lose, then you owe me one dance at Buck and Dally's next party." Steve retorted.

Sammy cocked her eyebrows. "Tough deal...but I accept." She said, and the game began. They both sported serious but laughing expressions and thought excruciatingly hard about each silent gesture.

"Darry? Where's my DX shirt?" Sodapop asked absentmindedly, wandering into the kitchen shirtless, gobbling his cold eggs and grabbing a tall glass of chocolate milk to wash it down.

"On my body." Sammy replied, focused on her card game. "I think he means the other one." Steve smirked. Sammy tossed her cards down. "BLACKJACK!" She cried triumphantly. "Where'd you learn to play like that?" Steve asked. Sammy smiled. "Johnny and me played it a lot." She replied.

"Sodapop Curtis." Sammy said, pushing the deck to Steve and coming to stand beside him. "What's your say in going to the movies with me? Steve's treat."

"Sure, sounds good..." Soda replied absentmindedly, pushing her hip gently to the side so he could get into the laundry room and rummage around for his extra DX shirt. He pulled on an undershirt, slipped the blue DX on, grabbed socks, and hurtled out the door, smacking Steve on the head as he went by.

"Darry?" Sammy asked, glancing at the clock. "Do you leave when they do?" She asked him as he came out fully dressed. "I do. I'm late." He replied, hugging her in a strictly friendly manor before grabbing his keys and going to his car, driving off in a cloud of dust. Sammy glanced at the floor. Shoes...Soda's shoes..."SODA?!" She yelled over the car's motor. "SHOES?" She called, holding them out. He nodded with a grin and motioned for her to throw them. She did so and when he dropped them outside the car door she laughed, waving to Steve who was admonishing Soda.

They drove off and Sammy went to find Ponyboy and Two-Bit.