The next day, after Darry, Soda, Ponyboy and the rest of 'em left, the whole gang called more than once during the day to check up on me and see how I was doing.
"Heya' Kimicakes!" Two bit shouted into the phone as the nurse handed it to me.
"Hey Two-Bit!" I said happily, "I haven't talk to you in, er, forever," I said with a slight giggle.
"Yeah," He said gloomily, "I thought you forgot about me"
"Two-Bit, you're such a spaz" I loved that you could always tell when he was kidding.
"Yeah, but that's why you love me right?" he cracked.
I chuckled lightly, "Yeah, that's why I love ya'"
"So, how ya' doin Kimberley?" He always loved to call me my full name because he knew I hated it, he just love to mess with my mind.
"I'm okay, I guess." I said after a short pause, "I just don't like being in hospitals much, you know how that is."
"Ack! Tell me about it. That time I was I spray painted the cop car's window's black and the Socs…." and he went on and on telling me how the cop's Socy son had chased him down with his buddies and beat him up real bad and how he hated being in the hospital, even if was just that one night.
"Hey, is Jake around?" I asked suddenly.
Jake. The quietest one in the group and the most distant, if you know what I mean. He had always been protective of me, like he was responsible for me, even thought he wasn't THAT much older, just 5 and a half months. I think he's more protective than Darry is…
well…..until now. He hadn't talked to me since Darry told the gang about me and my, um, "situation"
So I figured that he was disappointed in me, the same way Darry was (even though Darry won't directly admit it) and I think Jakes' trying to avoid me to prove it. But, everyone knew that he's always had a thing for me, since I was 13, but no one says anything. And I gotta admit I had a little something for him too…not that it would ever go anywhere. Or at least I don't think so.
"Oh, uh, Yeah he's around" Two-Bit said.
"Well, um, can I talk to him" I said a little awkwardly.
I got all worked up thinking about what Jake was gonna say to me about all this. So I was a little rude to Two-Bit.
"Uh, yeah, sure" he said obviously a little weirded out, "Hold on a sec." There was a lot of shuffling and a loud crash and Jake's smooth, deep and sexy voice came on the line.
"Hi" he said sternly.
"Hi Jakey" I said sweetly trying to get him to stop being mad at me (which he obviously was)
"Hi Kim" he mumbled.
"Okay, um, how are you?" I asked quickly.
"Fine"
…..Something that I've noticed is that he always gives short answers when he's mad.
"You?" he asked.
So,
I can always tell when he pretends not to be interested but really is. I can tell anything about him. Either he's just predictable or I just know him too well.
"I've been better" I admitted.
"Yeah, I'm sure" he said sarcastically.
"Jake!" I said a little agitated now.
"That's my name"
"Your pissing me off, Jake."
"Yeah, and who's fault is that?" He said angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Either I'm stupid, or that made no sense.
"I'm just saying that if you hadn't gone and screwed up, then maybe I'd be in a better mood."
Ouch.
That hurt,
A lot.
My eyes teared up and I felt something in the back of my throat.
I was close to hanging up when he let out a regretful sigh.
"Kim" he started, "I'm sorry, it's just,"
there was a long pause, "I care about you a lot, and I,"
another pause, "I hate that you're like this, all sick and everything"
and then, I thought I heard him let out a little yelp, like he was actually crying. Whoa.
Jake never cried. He was apathetic most of the time.
"Kim, can you meet me down at the DX?" He said almost in a whisper.
"Um, yeah, I guess, when?"
"Around 8:00, or 8:30?"
"The DX is closed at 6:30" I said a little confusedly.
"I know" he said slyly. It was like he wanted something.
"Why so late?" I asked.
"Just be there alright?"
Well, that was weird, but at least I know that he's not mad at me. I fiddled with the wristband the hospital gives you and looked over at the clock, it flashed 5:47.
"See you then" he said abruptly and then clicked off the phone.