Chapter 5
Summer had so far been dangerously repetitive.
For Virginia, it consisted mainly of back and forths from work and doing chores around the house. At night, she would sit in her bedroom, reading books and quietly listening to records. She didn't have much else to do except feel sorry for herself. None of her (supposed) friends had attempted to contact her, not that she would have answered, so she was at a loss for what to do. There was nothing sadder than going to the Nightly Double or the malt shop by yourself, so instead she elected to stay in. She could avoid sunburns and catch up on celebrity gossip and concert reviews at the same time.
The only people she really talked to were some of the summer hires at work. They were younger stockboys who were only on duty in the wee hours of the morning. Try as she might, it was hard to find much in common with them that warranted conversation when they wandered towards the front counter.
She was busy at least. Her checkout lane was always full of mother's purchasing pool filters and volleyball nets.
Swimming sounded nice.
Work always ended at three in the afternoon, give or take ten minutes. She took advantage of the clear skies to have a long walk home, all while trying not to sweat through her top. She stuck to side roads until she reached her neighborhood. The people driving the main strip didn't need to ogle her lonely journey any more than necessary.
As time went on, Virginia never expected a familiar Plymouth to ever be conveniently idling across the street at the perfect time she set out to walk home. One day, though, there it was.
Two-Bit waved her over through the open window and let out a long, low whistle as he watched her cross the road. He was eyeing her legs and Virginia blushed. She was still having a hard time getting used to her calves being out for the summer. Pedal pushers were such a stark change compared to the skirt requirement every day of school from August to May.
"Could those things get any longer?" was his initial greeting.
"Ankles are hardly somethin' to drop your jaw over," she informed him, crossing her legs and tucking them up under herself on the seat. What she really wanted to say was "Could those things get any bigger?" after taking in the sight of his arms in that grey t-shirt someone had cut the sleeves off of.
"Actually, they are," he argued, looking smug. "I happen to be an expert on the subject."
"Keith Mathews, PhD."
"You've got it, baby."
After that, he pulled away from the curb and announced they were getting a bite at the A&W that afternoon.
On the ride, they caught up on local news and Virginia relayed her lousy time at the soc house party. Two-Bit looked proud when she announced she was done with those people, even if things didn't end how she had intended.
"If I ever see crater-face Rick Bridges so much as look at you, I'll sock him in the nose," he said through a smile.
Virginia's feelings sure hadn't wavered in the week or two away from him, not that she had expected them to.
She decided to take the plunge while they waited in line to order. Without even looking at him, Virginia snaked her hand into one of his, dangling at his side. She linked their fingers together and he didn't put up a fight, and he didn't let go. He approached the counter with her in tow, ordered a pair of Number 3 meals, and kept not letting go.
After that, Virginia looked forward to more spur-of-the-moment lunches with Two-Bit. They didn't plan them out, but a couple times a week he'd roll down the street at the same time her shift ended. Knowing there was a chance he'd be waiting for her was the main thing pushing her through the day with a smile on her face.
Unfortunately, he almost always seemed to have someone with him from then on.
It was usually Ponybody and Johnny, who didn't have any obligations but to hang out with their pals over summer. They were no trouble and often led the group to going to the movie house or driving Pony over to the city library, where he begged Two-Bit to wait in the car.
"It's like he thinks I cain't read or somethin'," said Two-Bit in mock offense, like he didn't know that his motormouth would get the lot of them kicked out in a second.
If it wasn't the two kids, it was dropping off a sandwich for Darry's lunch break or even playing getaway car for one of Dallas's latest stints.
One of the times it was just Evie, looking perturbed with her arms crossed. Apparently, Steve got taken down to the station on account of driving a stolen vehicle.
"Well how was he supposed to know where Tim got it?" she wholeheartedly defended. Two-Bit snorted like the answer was in the question.
They had circled the blocks around the station for hours until Steve came traipsing down the steps, no keys in his hands but at least not looking any worse off than usual.
"Have I met Tim?" asked Virginia. She'd met a number of people in passing over the past few weeks between dinner at Jay's and stops for gas around town.
"Nah, not yet. Probably don't want too either. He's like a bull in a china shop." answered Two-Bit.
"All the Shepards are like that," Steve said. "They've got that Indian blood."
None of the Plymouth's hitchhikers were ever a bother. The situations usually called for more the merrier anyway, but Virginia just couldn't bring herself to shake the feeling of wanting some time alone with Two-Bit, just to see where it led.
In the early morning hours on Saturday, Sodapop called (when he got her number, Virginia wasn't sure) to say he'd be over around five to pick her up. It sounded like they were celebrating Two-Bit's birthday a couple days in advance since everyone had the weekend off, and since no one would want to be dealing with a hangover on a Monday.
It was short notice but still left plenty of time to get to work in the kitchen on her "gift." It wasn't much, but she didn't expect Two-Bit to be the type to want much more than a good time for his birthday.
She fixed her mother's breakfast and then got to work mixing up eggs, flour, milk, and a less than healthy helping of melted chocolate chips. Mrs. Campbell stepped in to wash the dirty dishes as they came, which Virginia couldn't thank her enough for. Not long after, it went into a round tin and was left in the oven.
Sodapop pulled up a bit after five, still wearing his DX uniform and smelling of gasoline. Sounds of Gilligan and the Skipper faintly arguing on the TV floated through the open windows of the Curtis house when the two arrived.
Virginia spouted a hello as they walked through the front door, leagues more confident than the first time she had visited. She was surprised when it seemed like the gang was waiting on her. A few of the guys, once lounging on the couch and floor, sprang to their feet to follow in a trail behind Virginia. She scanned the scene with confused eyes and waved with a free hand before heading to set things down in the other room.
When she was settled, someone clicked off the overhead light and Steve flipped open his lighter. Darry was quickly pushing at Two-Bit's shoulders, ushering him towards the center of the room.
"Alright, alright," he was laughing, "get it over with."
The room slowly erupted in singing, all out of tune and pace. A couple comedians replaced Two-Bit's name with his real one, Keith, drawing it out longer than necessary. Virginia joined in all the same, inwardly groaning at how incorrect it felt. When they finished, Steve lifted the lighter an inch from the other boy's face and told him to make a wish.
"I wish I had a million dollars," Two-Bit scrunched his eyes together and crossed his fingers.
Right before he could blow it out, Steve flicked the silver lid closed. Two-Bit reached past and smacked him hard on the head for that.
Popping the lid off that Tupperware cake-taker was like calling fleas home to their dog. Virginia was suddenly crammed in the center of the Curtis's compact kitchen, surrounded by six eager boys. Johnny grumbled for them to quit their shoving and that Two-Bit got the first slice anyway. He happily bragged about that fact while scooting everyone out of the way to open the fridge and pull out a carton of milk.
"Twice in one day?" Pony said to his brothers, something for just the three of them.
"I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth," Darry commented.
Virginia helped herself to popping open cabinets to find just enough dishes to go around and pilfering through the drawer in front of her to reveal a knife good enough for the job. She cut out a slightly bigger piece for Two, it being his celebration and all. He gave thanks while taking it off the counter and lingered a little longer to half-pretend he was about to push Virginia's face down into the frosting. She breathed in sharply, wide eyed and holding in a shout for if he had really done it. She spun around to point the butter knife in his direction, but he had already darted across the room to hop up on the counter. From there, he winked, took a big bite, and mouthed another 'thank you' with a gob full of chocolate cake.
Virginia didn't have an inkling what it was like to have brothers, or siblings at all for that matter. She couldn't imagine her quiet house full of clamoring teenagers. She liked it here, though, in the opposite of her upbringing. It was warm and friendly, and she got an individualized thank you for every filled plate and fork that she lifted above her head for someone to take away. Sodapop even placed a quick peck on the top of her hair when grabbing his, which left her flushed.
After everyone was served, Virginia fixed herself a plate of her own and a glass of water since the milk had been finished off. She sat at the dining table between Pony and Darry and reveled in the happy sounds coming from around the room. It seemed like chocolate was a good choice.
"You know, I turn fifteen next month," said Ponyboy, setting his fork on the empty plate. It sounded like he was hinting at something.
"Don't be rude, Pony," Darry told him. He was scratching his belly like a big grizzly bear until he spoke and stood to collect the dirty dishes around the room.
"It's not rude to me," Virginia smiled. She'd happily do it all again, thriving off the praise she got this time around. "What kind d'ya want?"
"You ever make pie?" asked Pony.
"Apple and pumpkin. Anything else would be an experiment but I'm willing to give it a try."
"I'm used to experiments so that's fine," he said under his breath, giving a pointed look toward Sodapop, who was headed their way.
"That a crack at my cookin', little brother?" Soda put an arm around Pony's neck real quick, messing up his hair. Ponyboy fussed over it and Soda whipped a comb out of his back pocket and started pushing it back into place. "Thank you, Ginny, it was delicious."
They were a good family.
"Y'all ready to go?" Sodapop changed the subject.
"They're lettin' me?" Ponybody questioned, eyebrow quirked. They were heading to a bar after all, something Virginia was making a point not to think too hard about or else she'd start getting nervous.
"Yeah, Dal put in a good word for you. Gotta be out by eleven, though."
"You and me can go hang out at the lot or something after, Pone," added Johnny.
"I'll probably need to be gone by then too," said Virginia. She felt bad for bringing up a curfew in the summertime.
"We'll get you back," affirmed Soda.
The gang loaded up between the De Luxe and the pickup and headed out.
Buck Merrill's roadhouse was on a gravel road off the byway. It was a large, two-story cube of white-painted cinder blocks.
Country music and girls greeted them as they filed through the front door. Most of the boys split off in different directions, seeing friends and shaking hands with members of other gangs, leaving Virginia to scope out the most comfortable (which was a generous word) open seat for the evening. She lingered near Ponyboy and Johnny, and whichever boy they met up with wearing a leather jacket in the middle of summer, but gave them space to do their own thing.
For now, she'd just take it all in. She surveyed the blue-collar people, the flickering neon lights, and how the sun set through the grimy windows that were few and far between.
An hour into the event Two-Bit had pushed himself up onto the bar and was making it into a permanent seat, as much as that ticked off the bartender. He'd lean back and top off his glass when no one was looking. It took every ounce of willpower in his body not to give himself away with laughter. When he did it, his teeth would press together in a wide grin, hisses of air escaping through the gaps.
Sodapop drug Virginia out to the dance floor when a fast-paced country tune he liked came over the speakers. Calling it a dance floor was a stretch. It was the most open area in the place, but it was still a crowded, hardwood space surrounded by tables and chairs.
Dancing with Soda was a blast. He only stepped on her foot once and made up for it with a crazy spin. They made it through two songs until Virginia started working up a sweat and a different girl cut in for her chance with Sodapop Curtis. Virginia half wondered how Sandy would feel about that, but rescinded it wasn't any of her business.
After that, in a move she knew would embarrass him half to death, Virginia waved over Johnny to join her. He was occupying a booth with Ponyboy, where they were both sipping on fountain colas and watching the night go on. He shook his head and looked away with a shy smile. Virginia persisted and it worked, or at least it made Ponyboy laugh and give Johnny a series of elbows to the ribs until he got up and walked across the room to meet her.
Johnny usually looked small. He was always curled up on the couch like a cat or buried in that big, jean jacket of his, but here he looked tall. Taller than usual at least. He still didn't tower over anyone in the group. Virginia had to look up to meet his eyes and raise her hands to meet his shoulders. She took a second to wonder if the scars there ever hurt. If they did, he never said anything about it.
He mentioned his legs though, with a "Careful, they don't work so good all the time," when it seemed, for just a second, he sank on his right side.
After the slower Waylon Jennings song finished playing, Virginia thanked Johnny for completing his community service and let him return to the table. He hurried back to Ponyboy's side, but at least the comment got a snort out of him.
About to return to her own seat, Virginia spotted Dallas, working to button up his shirt while descending down the stairs. A random girl made a move on him, trying to keep his chest from disappearing behind the fabric. He swatted at her hand and continued on to the bar. Virginia's eyes followed all along the way, watching him fluff out his bedhead and tap twice on the counter for a drink. And from there they carried down towards the other end, where a blonde had positioned herself up on the counter beside Two-Bit.
One of her hands ran down his thigh and the other reached to the glass upon his lips, forcing him to chug the rest of it for cheers among his audience.
Virginia's stomach churned but couldn't look away. She only turned to bolt after Two-Bit's eyes landed on hers while the blonde was toying with his shirt collar.
She had enough of a mind left not to dart outside into the night, despite it swimming with every emotion in the book: jealousy, anger, disappointment, disgust. She felt nauseous, too. For the months of time she put in with him, and the weeks and weeks of worrying if it was making a difference, here was her answer.
Virginia turned a corner into a darker back room. Maybe it would lead to a bathroom where she could be the stereotypical girl she never wanted to become, one who locked herself away in a stall to cry her makeup off in an overreaction to some guy.
Instead, it was a narrow dead end with chairs stacked up in one corner and wooden crates in the other. She turned on her heel to go some other way, maybe to head out to the parking lot after all, but there he was.
Two-Bit hadn't wasted any time coming after her it seemed, and she half appreciated, half resented that. He was feet away from her in seconds.
"It wasn't what you're thinkin'," spilled out of his mouth. He wasn't slurring like she would have expected out of anyone else at this point. It was urgent.
"You don't gotta defend yourself to me," Virginia tried to sidestep. She did her best to sound self-assured, like she was over all of it.
It wasn't working. She sounded pitiful instead and she knew it. There was no denying the lack of weight to her words, even when she continued, "I shoulda known to give up at this point. Go have fun."
"Listen," he said, putting his hands on the sides of her arms, "I dunno who that was and if it sends you running like this, I'll be keeping it that way."
"Two-Bit, you don't gotta-"
"You think I hate you or somethin', Gin?" He was keeping his tone light, but she could tell this was something real important to him.
"No, I don't think you hate me," she responded truthfully. She shook her head slowly, needing a moment to gather up the strength to say what she wanted to next. "I just spend all my time nowadays worrying that I like you more than you like me."
She stared at her shoes after that, embarrassed, and then doubly embarrassed at herself for acting like a little girl at recess.
Two-Bit brought her face back up though, with a hand on her cheek and a goofy grin to grab her attention.
"Cain't you see I've been hangin' on your every word for the past," he counted the months in his head and puffed air out through his mouth when he gave up, "shoot, however long we've been gettin' to know each other?"
She was quiet.
"No…"
He snorted.
"You're kiddin'!"
She hated how contagious that smile was, and she loved it all the same.
"You're like that with everybody! How am I supposed to know the difference?"
"Ginny Campbell, I really wanna kiss you right now. That's what makes the difference," he announced, eyes sparkling and hands finding their way down to rest on her waist. "What d'ya say?"
She nodded and could hardly get the whole "yes" out before her lips were covered with his.
Two-Bit had mentioned in passing before how he'd had his lip busted in fights gone by, but Virginia couldn't tell. They were smooth and soft and tasted like a sticky combination of root beer and alcohol. There were no signs of damage - the opposite in fact. A smile could be felt, tugging at the corners it was no stranger to, as the kiss was deepened ever so slightly more.
Any attempt at subtly was thrown out the window as Virginia found herself pressing her hands into the wrinkles of Two-Bit's shirt and her lips onto his. She didn't have time to think about being chaste when something so wonderful was at her fingertips. If the young man before her wasn't holding her in place, she would have surely leaned in so hard it toppled the both of them over. What a sight that would be, one she knew he'd laugh off and not let her live down for weeks to come.
Maybe he was reading her mind or maybe he could feel her legs almost giving in. Two-Bit spun her around and pressed her back against the painted brick. The texture grabbed at her collar, coarse grit on the back of her neck opposite to the soft hand that had reached up to the side of it.
Virginia's mind swam.
It wasn't her first kiss but it very well could have been. The feeling just couldn't compare. The fluttering of the butterflies in her stomach made her lightheaded, and they only got worse with each and every peck they gave each other. Ginny was hyper aware of the hand that had slunk down to her hip and the other that had a thumb pressed into her jawline. One of her own had found its way up to Two's arm, not letting a chance to trace the muscles underneath slip away.
The only thing that took her out of the trance was when she heard distant laughter and a celebratory hoot. Her lips were suddenly free, and she opened her eyes just quick enough to see Two-Bit looking in that direction to shoot a wink and wave somebody off. Two cowboys and a grease she had never met before had apparently thought they'd walked in on a show while looking for a table.
If her cheeks weren't already blazing red, they would be now.
When Two-Bit returned his attention to Virginia, his grey eyes were like the sea.
"Christ," he said, a little too loud after such an intimate moment. "Have I told you lately how crazy I am about you?"
No, he hadn't. He'd never told her that at all, but she was still so glad it was true.
And she loved hearing it out loud. It made her heart swell whether it was fueled by a couple of glasses of Bud or not. She wanted to say it back, to agree and tell him that every moment they spent together was a thrill she wanted to keep coming back to get more of, but some part of her kept it in. She couldn't help the teeny tiny voice in the back of her head that said maybe, just maybe, he was too tipsy and come tomorrow all of this wouldn't count.
"Happy birthday, Two-Bit," is what she fell back on. It was the easiest thing to say with the way her heart was still racing.
He smiled back, a huge one that stretched lines across his cheeks. Then, he placed a finalizing kiss at the top of her forehead and pulled her by the hand back into the main room of the bar.
The rest of the night passed with watching the boys knock back a number of drinks on tap over increasingly heated games of pool. Dallas argued with an old man who was hollering to change the radio station and Sodapop headed home early since he had work in the morning. Virginia made herself comfortable in a booth beside Johnny, watching Two-Bit and Steve play the most uncoordinated game of darts Tulsa had ever seen (which she was sure was going to get someone's eye poked out). Two-Bit routinely checked in, whether to make sure she was watching when he won or to ask her if she needed a bite to eat.
She'd never thought it was possible to feel this comfortable in a bar before.
At some point, a fiery haired young woman asked to sit at the table with Virginia. She took to talking and sharing her life story unprompted, not that Ginny minded listening.
Her name was Ruby, and her parents owned a ranch in New Mexico. She was on a trip with some girlfriends heading to Memphis for the rest of summer. They'd taken Route 66 this far but would have to stray from the historical road when they set out in the morning.
Ruby had commented on the fact that Virginia was the only one around not nursing a drink ("Can't figure out how to get used to the taste.") so the redhead bought her something else. She had to convince Buck Merrill to mix up a rum and coke and, surprisingly, Virginia approved the flavor. She winded down, absentmindedly playing with the stirring straw and continued to mingle. She listened to Ruby oggle the "big blonde" in the corner until revealing his age to her ("What? Never mind, he's just a kid.")
That comment didn't stop her from chatting Dallas up when he approached to click glasses with Virginia, probably surprised as everyone else to see she was actually drinking something. This was the second time she had ever interacted with the boy, and she was grateful his tune had changed from the original. Though, he was still teasing her, taking the time to mention things getting "hot and heavy" in the back room. If word had already gotten back to him, no way she was living it down anytime soon.
Sometime later, Darry was emerging from a dark corner. He shook hands with another guy his age, raven-haired and intimidating, and gathered up his brother to leave. It alerted Virginia to search for a clock on the wall. She couldn't find one but managed to round up Two-Bit long enough to tug on his shirt and say she needed to get going.
"Dally said he'll get you home," informed Two-Bit. His words still didn't slur like she thought they would at that point. Instead, his voice was heavy. He seemed more tired than drunk, despite everything that was in his system. When you were so used to it, maybe it didn't do much of anything, Virginia figured.
"He's not wasted?" she whispered, trying not to let the topic of discussion hear from a few feet away. Though, there was no way he could over the music. That might have been why he made at least one effort to be friendly.
"Nah, he's got a fight in the morning, so he took it easy," he answered. "Come on, I'll walk ya' out."
The three of them made their way out the door and down the steps of the roadhouse. The gravel crackled under their shoes and the light from the single streetlamp flickered from age and the bugs that circled it.
Dallas and Two-Bit idly talked about the T-Bird on the other side of the lot that they were walking to, which actually belonged to Buck. Virginia was too preoccupied with giving glances to the back of Dallas's head to hear the car talk. Once again, the warnings of Dally's reputation that she had heard months ago floated at the forefront of her mind. He was a fast driver and a dirty talker; handsy too, she bet. She'd never been left alone with him before.
But she knew the facts. Two-Bit wouldn't have trusted her with Dallas if he wasn't going to get her home safe.
At the very least, major concerns aside, what on earth could they have to talk about for the fifteen-minute ride back? She wouldn't mind so much if he blasted the radio and kept to himself.
They reached the car and Two-Bit hollered over, "Hey Dal, close your eyes."
He didn't. Instead, he profoundly rolled his eyes and turned his back. He leaned against the car and lit up a cigarette.
As soon as he did, Virginia was surprised with another kiss. It wasn't near as deep or needy as the first, but it still did something to her heart.
"Get home safe," Two-Bit said, breaking away. "G'night."
"Goodnight."
As soon as Virginia turned to touch the door handle, a huge, rusty pickup truck sped in the parking lot beside them. The brakes kicked up rocks and dust and Dallas cursed out the people inside for nearly running him over. The front of the truck was too close for comfort and the back stuck out the opposite direction, ignoring where the imaginary lines would be if it was a painted, asphalt lot.
The driver got out first. He was a fully grown man with a splotchy, wet stain running all the way down the front of his shirt. He had a farmer's tan and was unshaven, and his eyebrows were set into permanent displeasure.
Dally didn't hesitate in shooting out a "Watch it, man," combined with a series of other expletives.
Virginia had fully popped the door open at this point and was setting out to slip into the passenger's seat, until she caught Two-Bit's gaze. He was narrowed in on the truck, specifically the driver. She watched suspiciously as the man came around and kicked up dirt onto Dally's shoes with purpose.
And then everything happened so fast.
The driver spit "Outta the way, kid," at Dallas. The man in the passenger's side, who looked not too different from the other, only taller and with less hair, threw the door of the truck open. It collided with the side of the T-Bird, making the most horrible bang and scrape Virginia had ever heard.
It was like rabid dogs on a steak. The fight popped off then and there.
Two-Bit pushed her down into the car in an instant and dashed around front to accompany Dally, who was already pounding away on the driver. He was sobered up all at once and was shouting- they all were shouting. She couldn't pick out any of the words in the commotion and somehow found herself adding to it.
"Dally! C'mon!" she screamed, any other words caught in her throat. She burst back up from the seat and rounded the car to try to break up the fight. If she had been thinking she would have known there was no point. There was no time for thinking though. At max, five seconds had passed, not that anyone was counting.
Dallas took a punch to the stomach and Two-Bit swung on the other guy's head. Blows were traded back and forth. Maybe Viginia wouldn't be so panicked if this was a fight between greasers, or the boys against a pair of socs. Something about the fact that these were two rednecks, double their age but still in shape, obviously looking for a fight, frightened her. She shouted again but it didn't do much of anything.
"Get outta here!" Two-Bit hollered back at her after successfully landing a punch in the center of the driver's chest. His words had such a bite to them she wasn't sure she'd ever heard before.
She was frozen in place for what felt like forever, but when her feet finally listened and let her step away, she couldn't go far. A wall of people had formed, most funneling out of the bar to watch the riot outside. Virginia had backed into a farmhand and his girlfriend and integrated into the front row of the crowd against her will.
From that spot, it at least looked like the boys were winning. They had earned some cuts and maybe a black eye but at least the men were backing down, one even laid out on the ground.
Until the passenger pulled out a pocketknife and, as if in reflex, Two-Bit brandished his own.
The crowd turned, some yelling for them to fight fair and most others dispersing at the change in intensity. A cold sweat took over Virginia and before she knew it, someone had knocked her forward, hard, when they turned to run back inside.
She hit the ground, dust getting into her mouth and hair. Her head hurt, bad, where it landed on the rocks. She tried to shake it off, reasoning it was more important to get back to standing in case she did need to take off. She didn't want to leave him out there alone to get stabbed or worse, but if Two-Bit told her to run, she'd bolt inside and grab Buck and… and tell him to come out and help, or call the cops, or whatever it was they needed to do.
A clammy hand helped her up off the ground. She didn't get a look at who it was though, for she was intently staring straight ahead, watching Dallas kick out the shins of the man left standing. He had swung the knife in defense and missed. Her currently blurry vision didn't help much, and she lost track of Two and the weapon.
She must have blinked and missed something.
Her hand was flying down to grab at a pain somewhere between her stomach and right leg. It was like a running cramp but a thousand times worse.
Oh, she realized.
There it was.
Hey all, thanks for sticking around and reading! This chapter was a fun little roller coaster with a cheeky little cliffhanger that I hope you all enjoyed :) I don't know if I've said thank you for the reviews yet, but thank you! Please never be afraid to send them in because I adore reading them. And thank you for giving this story a chance. It doesn't seem like Two-Bit is a popular choice for leading man so I'm so happy to be doing him a service and giving him the attention he deserves (don't tell him I said that though, it'll go to his head c; )