♡ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ♡

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Johnny slouched in the chair beside me, his jean jacket laid haphazardly across the table. He smiled, wiping his forehead with a napkin. "Gee, I'm sweating like a mug over here." He looked at me. "How you keepin' your hair lookin' so nice?" He ran his fingers through his own. "It's like a rat's nest up here."

I chuckled. "I dunno, skill?"

He smirked as he put a water bottle to his lips. As I watched him, I realized it'd been a good while since I'd kissed them. I felt my heart pound with longing. I looked at him: sweaty, but happy. His eyes glimmered with laughter as he watched Darry and Dally continue to argue over who really won the last round, despite the both of them smashing their respective opponents by almost a hundred points each.

He slouched in his seat, his posture without bother for propriety or care for decency. He leaned both of his arms behind the seats beside him, leaning his head back as he soaked in the air conditioning from the fan above us. I'll never forget his face: it was peaceful, calm — even happy.

It seemed, for the first time in forever, that he'd finally let loose, even if just for a moment.

I peered over my shoulder to see Two-Bit gallivanting back with a little less cash but a little more smile.

"Who's ready for another game, huh?"

Everyone murmured their agreement, Darry and Dally eyeing each other. I chortled at their amusing absurdity.

With every round, we all got more and more tired. The hours ticked by, and soon, it was dinner time. Two-Bit, still boasting ten bucks, bought pizza and water for everyone, still having enough for one more game.

By the end of the third game, I was exhausted, but excited for another final game. Two-Bit again went up to pay, and the rest of them opted to the bathroom for a quick splash of water to the face. I was almost on my way, when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Hey." I turned around, finding the source of the voice instantly "Long time no see."

I smiled. "Hey, Nathan!" I looked around for his party, but upon not seeing anyone who seemed his like, I asked, "what are you doing here?"

I felt real stupid whenever he pointed to his shirt, the bowling alley crest embroidered over his heart. "Working."

"Oh," I said, creasing my eyebrows, "I didn't know you had a job?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, parents suggested I do to start making my own money before college." He continued as if assuming my train of thought. "They don't just hand me my money."

I smiled. Yet another reason why Nathan was different from the other Socs. Why he wasn't a Soc. "That's really cool, Nathan." I cringed at how cheesy I sounded, but I was genuinely shocked and pleasantly surprised to see someone seemingly so much higher than me on the ladder rungs pulling some of the same weight that I was, despite the fact that it was for entirely different reasons.

Nathan didn't seem bothered though, instead smiled his genuine smile, leaning on the wooden divider between the alley and the main floor. I'd admitted it before and I'll say it again: Nathan was handsome. Very handsome. But I never found myself attracted to him. Whether it was the fact that we had barely anything in common or simply the difference in where we lived, I never knew why. Not that I cared, anyway. I had Johnny: all that I needed, and more than I could ask for. I had decided a long time ago that Nathan was simply a friend for when I needed an ally in high places. I hated thinking that way, though: it made me feel like I was using him, and a user I was not.

An acquaintance. There. Simply someone to say "hi" to in passing in the halls or in happenstance meetings like the present. Nothing more, nothing less. And I was happy with that.