𝙶𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 & 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚜 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟷𝟶

Ghost woke to a soft murmur coming from the TV and clatters from in the kitchen.

She glanced at the clock. "Dang it!" The girl ran to grab her skates and slipped them on not bothering to tie them.

"Where are you going?" Soda asked rubbing his tired eyes. He wore a white tee and sweatpants.

She opened the chipped and paint peeling door then carefully walked down the stairs, ignoring Soda.

"Wait! Are you gonna skate to your house?" Soda asked following after her.

"I was planning on it!" She venomously snapped.

"Let me go grab the keys and my shoes and I'll drive you."

"No, I'm-"

"Two when you see Darry tell 'em' I'll be right back!" Sodapop shouted emerging from the house with shoes on and swinging a key on his pointer finger.

Ghost sighed and hopped into the red pickup.

After Soda was able to find her apartment with my clarification of directions later, he parked outside.

"See ya at work!"

"You wish," she mumbled hopping out of the car.

"Wait!" Soda shouted at her after he noticed the red car Dally warned him about in his peripheral.

"What?!" She groaned and then noticed where he was staring. "Wanna come in?" She sheepishly asked knowing that she could protect herself but wasn't sure about Soda.

"Sure."

When Soda walked in he was confused. The whole place was clean but boring. She had a single couch along the wall in the living room, her kitchen had nothing on the countertops, no rug or TV sat in the whole house.

Ghost ran off into her bedroom as Soda awkwardly sat on the couch.

Ghost emerged with a white tee shirt and a black and white flannel button-up, tight jeans, and red Converses. Her dark brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Want me to drive you back to our house?" Soda questioned the girl who was peeking out the window.

"Uhh I was gonna leave but I can't with them out there. I guess I'll come."

———

"Decided to stay?" Darry asked peering out of the kitchen as the two walked in.

"For now." She grumpily replied.

"Want some breakfast?" Darry offered her a plate of eggs, sausage, and crispy bacon.

"Sure." She sat down at the table picking at her food not hungry.

Steve walked in and noticed that Ghost was still here. "You are still here!"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"You look likes something is on your mind man." She looks up to Steve's worried face, he slid into the chair next to her.

She hears Darry complaining in the living room and Two Bit scurrying to get out.

"Just stuff goin' on, mental battles, y'know man." He tilted his head at her.

"Yeah I think I do, now do ya want some cak-oh sorry I just assumed you didn't want to talk about it, did you want to?"

She chuckled slightly, "no, I think
I'm good, I'll let the battles stay in my mind. Uh, thanks, Steve."

"Oh, my Santa!!" Steve put his hands to his head.

"What? Are you okay?" Ghost jumped out of her chair.

"You laughed and called me by my correct name."

"Oh shut up Steven!" She chucked a piece of bacon which hit his forehead.

She bursted out laughing and fell into her chair, she couldn't contain it.

All the boys, Darry, Two, Pony, and Johnny (Dal was at Bucks) all ran into the kitchen, scared something happened.

"What, what happened?" Pony asked like a frantic horse (oops 🤪).

"Steve- he, he-bacon." She couldn't breathe how hard she was giggling.

"She tossed a piece of bacon and it hit my head and now she thinks it's funny," Steve said blandly when he actually felt special that she's being like this around him.

"What's up with her?" Dal walked into the room.

"A piece of bacon made her laugh," Johnny muttered, as she still was laughing.

"I don't think she's laughed in a long time, welp, her humor is broken."