Infatuation

Chapter 48

Two-Bit goes home so he can get Brenda. Sodapop brings in the second box. Dally told me he was careful to explain that we didn't want any of Dad's things. He didn't really have anything of value. Just some clothes and beer bottles.

Inside the second box is some of my old art projects. There are some paintings and different ceramic pieces I had to make in tenth grade.

Soda takes one of my jars out. The jar itself is white and the lid has a pink rose on it. Making it was one of the hardest things in art I ever did. I made each individual petal and put the flower together. I restarted the rose several times just so I could get it perfect.

"You made this?." Sodapop asks as he rotates the lid in his hand.

"I did make that." I say honestly.

"Glory, Roe. You're really good." He says as he gently sets the jar down.

"Thanks," I say with a laugh. 

Once I'm done bringing all my stuff to my room, Soda brings me into the kitchen. On the counter is a batch of cinnamon rolls. I look at Soda.

"Who made these?" I ask.

"I did," he says proudly. I can tell he made them. The frosting is blue.

"When did you make these?" I ask him. He hasn't left my side once.

"I made them last night. When you were asleep." He says with a bright smile.

"Soda, you didn't have to." I tell him.

"Yes I did. I want you to have a good Birthday." He tells me. He pulls me close to him. I lean my head against his shoulder.

"Thank you." I say genuinely.

Brenda and Two-Bit get here after I finish eating my cinnamon rolls. In Brenda's hands is a small gift bag. I smile at her.

"Hi, Bren," I say.

"Hi! Two-Bit and I got you a present." She says as she holds the bag out to me.

"Thank you," I say. I take the bag from her. She urges me on to open it. I laugh and pull the tissue paper out.

Inside the bag are several pairs of earrings. Most of them are a gold color. They are very pretty. The only problem is that I don't have my ears peirced.

"I thought that we could peirce your ears today if you would like. I got you gold earrings so they would match your necklace. Sodapop showed it to me a couple days ago." She says with a smile.

"Thank you so much, Bren, and Two-Bit." I tell them.

"Are you gonna let her peirce your ears?" Soda whispers next to me.

"I don't know. Should I?" I ask. Cutting my hair was one thing. To peirce my ears she will be sticking a needle in my ear. Do I want her to do that?

"I think she can do it, but do you want to?" He whispers back. I've been wanting to peirce my ears for a long time. I had them peirced when I was younger, but I ripped one of my ears and had to get it stitched up. I didn't wear earrings after that, and it caused my other peirced ear to close up. I think I'm ready to try it again.

I look at Brenda. "Okay. We can peirce my ears." I tell her.

"Really?" She acts surprised.

"Yes, really." I say with a light laugh.

"Okay! We don't have to do it right now if you don't want to." She adds.

"We can do it now. As long as you promise me not to mess it up," I say with a smile.

"Oh, I won't. I've peirced all my friends ears." She admits.

"Really? Wow." I say.

"She tried to peirce my ears one time," Two-Bit says as he shakes his head.

"You would have looked great." Brenda tells him.

He rolls his eyes. "Are you gonna pierce her ears or not?"

"Yeah, I am." She sticks her tounge out at him.

Brenda disappears into the kitchen and comes back shortly. In her hand is a cup of ice and a chunk of apple in her other. I raise my eyebrows in question.

"It's to help numb your ear. The apple is for the needle to go into." She tells me. I nod my head. I sit down on the couch and Brenda sits down next to me. She holds the ice cube to my ear.

"I'm just going to hold it on there for a couple of minutes." She tells me.

"Okay," I say. Sodapop sits on the couch next to me. He places his hand on my upper thigh. The butterflies return.

"Can you feel this?" Brenda asks a couple minutes later. I feel nothing.

"No." I tell her.

"Okay. I'm going to push the needle through, okay?" She says.

"Okay." I tell her. There is a sharp pressure and a little bit of pain. Then, nothing.

"Done with this ear," she tells me. I lean forward so she can peirce my other ear.

"This one has a scar on it. Why?" She asks as she touches my ear. I laugh quietly to myself.

"I've had my ears peirced before. When I was fourteen someone put their finger through my earing and fell. The earing went with them, causing my earlobe to rip." I tell her.

"No way! I'm always scared thats going to happen." She tells me.

"Just don't let anyone touch your earings and you'll be fine." I explain. She nods her head.

After both of my ears are peirced she puts earings in the little holes. They are light, small gold ones that feel weird for a couple of minutes. I'm not used to things hanging from my ears.

"Thank you, Brenda." I tell her.

"You look so pretty!" She says. I smile at her.

"You really do look pretty." Sodapop chimes in. I grin and roll my eyes at him.

"You do!" He insists. He pulls my hair out of my face and places it behind my ear.