"Yeah. Now imagine Dal as a crotchety, old guy," Tara said loudly.

Dallas whipped his head towards her as Cara burst out laughing. Soon, everybody was laughing at her words.

Dallas already acted like Bronte, now he just needs the pointy ears and he'd be a grouchy old guy. I smiled at the image in my head.

"What did you just say?" Dallas hissed.

"You know what I said." Tara didn't move, her blue eyes meeting his brown ones. "I can say it again if ya want."

"Nope. I'm good. Now give me that Kools back," Dallas said.

"Okay." She shrugged, giving him the cigarette. "You can get another visit from Elwin."

He paled when she mentioned Elwin. Laughing Elwin, who couldn't hurt anyone. Always joking. Maybe his fear is of doctors.

"Are ya scared of him?" Tara asked.

She's brave. But then again, Dallas seems softer every day. Especially when Linh's around. Maybe she's thawing his heart.

"No. And frankly, it ain't any of your business," Dallas drawled.

"But you're family. And that makes it my business," Tara said sternly.

"Nope," Dallas said. "Ain't your business. Now, buzz off."

He turned to Linh and kissed her.

"Get a room!" Two-Bit yelled, walking in.

"Oh, hush up!" Tara shouted. "Ain't like ya don't do that with Lara."

Two-Bit opened his mouth, but couldn't find any words and just stood there, looking like a fish.

"And close your mouth," Tara said. "Otherwise, you're gonna get flies."

Two-Bit's teeth clacked together as he snapped his jaw closed.

"Well, I should say thanks for that," Dallas drawled, his eyes on Tara. "But Dallas Winston doesn't do thank yous."

"Only I can talk about myself in the third person!" Keefe shouted.

"He does mean thank you," Linh said, ignoring Dallas' glare. "He just doesn't want to appear any softer than he already is."

"I ain't soft!" he hollered.

"Your kisses say otherwise," Linh said, arching her eyebrow.

"Aw, shut up," Dallas whined.

"Well, Jenny's asleep," Two-Bit said. "That's what I meant to say."

"Oh, good," Sophie whispered. "She must be tired."

"Yeah," Two-bit said.

"Well, it's late," I said. "I need to moisturize."

"Okay," Sophie said. "Go do your girly routines."

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

"What? It's true," she said, shrugging.

"Doesn't mean you have to say it," I said. "Anybody want to do it with me?"

"Nope. I am not a girly girl. Not one little bit," Tess said. "Except for eyeliner."

"Thick, dark streaks," Alyssa added.

"It isn't really all that girly, though," Maria said.

"Signature greaser girl look," Evelyn said.

"Yeah," Tess said. "The Council's eyes kinda bugged out when they saw us."

"It's gonna be fun, getting them used to this," Maria said. "Imagine if we got more than just us into it."

"Oh, yeah," Evelyn said.

"Or you could not," Pony said. "I kinda like it being just y'all rocking the greaser look."

"So are you," Evelyn said.

"But you can pull off eyeliner better than I can." Pony grinned.

"I should hope so," Tess said. "You and eyeliner don't mix."

"Of course we don't! I'm tuff," Pony said, pulling Evelyn into his side and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Aw," I said dreamily.

"You want that to happen with you and me?" Dex asked.

He wrapped his arms around me, enveloping me in warmth. I sighed, happy that we could let down our guards, even if just for a few minutes.

"Thanks, Dex," I said as he placed a kiss on my forehead. "I needed that hug."

"I did too," he said softly. "I'm glad I got over my grudge against Vackers."

"You and me both," I said. "You're a wonderful person."

"So are you," Dex said. "I'm glad we have this chance."

"Oh, get a room!" Steve hollered. "It's bad enough watching these two," he said, pointing to Linh and Dallas. "But to have to watch y'all being all sappy at the same time?" He shuddered. "Ugh."

"Wow, Steve, real subtle, aren't ya?" Maria said dryly. "It's no wonder Soda got all the girls."

"Hey! I've got you, don't I?" Steve said cockily. "I mean, can ya handle the Randle? I thought ya could."

"I can, I have, and I will continue to kick your ass," Maria said. "Or are ya really that stupid?"

"No, but you're mine," Steve said. "Right?"

"Nope. you're mine," Maria said, grinning cheekily at Steve's look of shock.

"I'm going to go get ready for bed," I whispered to Dex.

"Okay. Go keep Jenny company," Dex said, his periwinkle eyes twinkling.

"Of course," I said.

I quickly went through my evening routine, settling into my sleeping bag, in between Linh's and Tess'.

*****

"Hey, wake up. Everybody else is waiting on you," I whispered to a sleeping Dex, running my fingers through his messy hair.

"Mm?" he murmured, still half-asleep.

"Wake up!" Keefe shouted.

"What?" Dex shot out of bed. "What's wrong?"

"Your mom insisted on waiting for you to wake up," Keefe said. "Before eating breakfast."

"I wouldn't put it that way..." I said. "But your mom wanted everybody to eat at the same time."

"Well, I'm up and starving," Dex said, brushing his hair out of his face. "Let's go."

"Finally!" Two-Bit whooped. "Food! Mallowmelt!"

"We aren't having mallowmelt for breakfast, silly!" Bex shouted, running after Rex. "That's a dessert!"

"Why can't we eat dessert for breakfast?" Two-Bit asked.

"Because." Bex continued to race around the Solarium. "It's not right."

"Right, wrong, doesn't exist," Two-Bit said nonchalantly. "Not after the Socs got to us all."

"Of course," I muttered. "Back to this again."

"Hey, he has to let out his anger somehow, right?" Dex asked.

"I guess, but still..." I whispered.

Dex tucked my hair behind my ear before kissing me. He didn't have any morning breath, and I had brushed my teeth before trying to wake him up.

It wouldn't surprise me if he came up with an anti-morning breath elixir in his dad's shop, and that's why he doesn't have any morning breath. The Dizznees can come up with so many innovative elixirs, I have no idea why the nobles still shun them.

"So, breakfast," Dex said, running down the stairs, and into the kitchen. "I'm up!"

"Finally!"

"It's about time!"

"Food!"

The shouting continued until Juline put the first plate of blitzenberry muffins on the table. Then they stopped shouting and the room was filled with plates clinking against silverware as they raced to stuff themselves silly.

"Here," Dex said, handing me a muffin.

"Thanks," I said, taking a bite, and letting the berries fizz and pop on my tongue.

"I know you like them," Dex said, blushing. "I figured you'd want one before they eat them all."

I glanced at the greasers to see Tess and Dallas fighting over the last one.

"Give it to me," Dallas growled.

"I don't want to," Tess said calmly. "Think about Johnnycakes."