EIGHT

Spring was coming to an end, and summer was just beginning. Flowers were in full bloom, and the grass was greener than ever. School was out for the summer. Darry was hired as a manager of Wilcox Roofing & Co. It was the biggest roofing company in Oklahoma, so Darry's salary had almost tripled. No longer needing to work, Sodapop quit his job at the DX. Cora Lee broke up with Johnny, and although Johnny was heartbroken, they remained 'just friends'. Ash and Ponyboy and Roma and Sodapop were still dating. Liz and Dallas broke up and got back together so many times, everyone lost count, and interest.

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Sodapop awoke to a sharp pain on his forehead. He sat up and looked around the room. Surely, there was Dallas sitting on a stool with a slingshot in his hand. Surprise, surprise.

"Hehehe," he chuckled. "You plannin' on getting up anytime soon? It's two already." A cigarette hung from his mouth, so his words were muffled. "It's just you and me. Pony went out, Darry's at work, and the rest of the gang's next door."

Sodapop rubbed his eyes wearily. "Hmmmm. What? It's two already? How could I sleep in so late?"

"Beats me." Dally replied. "Darry was worried though, he tried to wake you up before you left, but you wouldn't budge. Oh yeah, your little girlfriend is here. In the kitchen, I don't know what she's been doing in there."

Sodapop's eyes started getting heavy again, and before he knew it he fell asleep listening to Dallas rambling on and on about a fight he had gotten in yesterday with some Socs, and how Aaron had helped him. Dallas looked over and saw him asleep again. "Shoot, why's he so damn tired?."

With nothing else to do, Dallas stumbled into the kitchen. Roma and Ash were cooking something in a pot that was boiling on the stove. "What the heck is that?" Dallas asked.

"Soup, but don't you dare go near it. It's for Soda, not you." Roma replied while stirring. Of course, Dally tried to stick his finger in the pot. Ash pushed him away, or at least attempted to. Dallas rolled his eyes; he wasn't in the mood to argue.

"That's right, and stay away," she declared as Dally headed towards the window. He pretended he hadn't heard. Totally out of character for Dally. Ash vaguely wondered why he hadn't threatened to beat her head in.

"Soda looks as sick as a dog. Maybe one of you should go and see what the hell's wrong with him," Dally mumbled, cigarette still hanging from his mouth, unlit.

"Oh no, really?" Roma asked worriedly. She took a thermometer out of a cupboard, and headed towards his room. Dally followed her. "Dallas if you want to smoke, go outside. Not in the house. Better yet, don't smoke right now. You've already had three this morning."

He groaned something that sounded like cursing, but didn't argue. He stuck the cigarette in his pocket. Dallas hadn't been acting like himself lately, at all. Something was bugging him, and Roma vowed to figure it out soon.

She knelt down beside Soda's bed and put the thermometer in his mouth. He opened his eyes a little, and then closed them again. "How did you get so sick, my poor baby?" Roma whispered under her breath, and kissed Soda's forehead. Dally snorted.

"Yeah, you poor baby," he added sarcastically. "Get better. It's so boring cause all anyone cares about is you, and no one wants to do anything fun. Besides, you've had your share of attention. It's been a week now."

Roma rolled her eyes. "Dally, you aren't helping. Go next door, everyone else is there. I think you'd be more useful there than you're being here."

Dally left the room, grumbling.

Roma took the thermometer out of Sodapop's mouth. One hundred and one degrees. Even after three Advils, this stubborn fever still wouldn't come down. Roma left the room, discouraged. This whole week, everyone had done so much to try and make him feel better, but nothing would help. The doctor was on his annual vacation for two more weeks. What would he do until then?

She walked into the living room, and there was Dally lying on the couch, smoking. Of course, he hadn't listened to her. She came up behind him, and took the cigarette out of his hand. She didn't even bother scolding him, and he didn't bother threatening her. Something was definitely wrong.

"Roma! The soup is done!" Ash called from the kitchen.

"Thanks, Ash, can you put it in a bowl, and take it to Soda's room? I'll be there in a minute."

"Sure."

All of a sudden, there was a bang, and someone came into the house. "Who is it?" Roma yelled.

A bubble popped.

Great, Roma thought. Just what I need, Liz. Dally's eyes widened.

"Guess who's back?" she yelled obnoxiously. She came into the living room, in all her eyeliner, and a tonne of perfume. She was wearing the tightest leather pants in the world, and a top that showed a little too much cleavage.

"The devil?" Roma answered.

Liz stepped closer. "Well, well, well. Look at you, little miss goody two shoes. You really need to do something about that hair," She replied.

Roma just walked back into the kitchen. She would have easily said something back to Liz, but there was no point whatsoever in wasting time on her, when she had other things to be doing.

From the kitchen, where Roma was cleaning up the mess Ash had made, she had a perfect view of the living room. Dallas and Liz were fighting about something, and trying not to be overheard. It was hard for Liz to be quiet, since she was always so obnoxiously loud. Occasionally, Roma heard bits of their heated argument, but she wasn't too interested. She heard Liz yell, " But who's fault is it really?" Then Dally said he would kill her one of these days.

"Guys, take it outside, Soda's asleep," Roma yelled. The fight was getting a little loud.

"Shut it bitch," Liz yelled back. Roma rolled her eyes and swore at Liz under her breath. After many attempted punches, and slaps, and pillows thrown, they eventually ended up on the front porch. Through all the swearing, Roma still couldn't grasp exactly what it was they were fighting about.

Roma went back inside, and headed towards Soda's room. Ash was sitting there trying to get Soda to have some soup. "Thanks Ash." Ash nodded.

"I'm going next door now, to join everyone else," she added.

"Okay, I'm here if you need me. And use the back door, I have a feeling you won't want to go near the porch."

Roma sat down on the bed next to Soda. "Get up, honey. How are you going to eat laying down?"

"Not really hungry," he mumbled.

"That's what you've been saying for the past week. Now you need to eat." Roma tried to help him lean against the headrest. When he was finally sitting up, she put the bowl on a tray, and forced him to drink the soup. As soon as he was laying down again, he was out like a light.

How much can one person sleep? Roma thought to herself. From this angle, she could she how sick he really was. His face looked pale, and weak. He had lost weight. After sitting on his bed for fifteen minutes and watching him sleep, Roma kissed him on the cheek and left the room.

There was a loud bang, of something crashing against the house outside. When she opened the front door, she was amazed. Dallas and Liz were full out fighting and yelling. Liz was threatening to tell something, and Dally was just about ready to choke her. Steve was trying to hold Dallas back, but it wasn't working all too well. The whole gang had come outside and was watching this fiasco. Two-Bit joined Steve, and together, they successfully held Dally back.

"Everyone! Listen. Dallas, I'm telling them, I don't give a crap about what you say, you selfish ass," Liz shouted. The gang was watching everything so intently.

"You say one word, and I'll wring your neck you stupid broad!" Dally's eyes were burning and he looked like he would kill Liz, if Two-Bit and Steve let go of him.

Liz popped her gum really loudly, and cleared her throat. Dally was screaming and cursing, but no one was paying attention. Liz could be much louder than him. "Everyone! I'm telling you anyway! Listen carefully. I –