After the first study session, both agreed that a meetup once a week would be perfect. Fridays after school. Ponyboy never had anything to do on a Friday night and Curly was willing to give up that time since he was usually busy with something every other day of the week. The redhead didn't know what, but he didn't ask. It was likely something he didn't need to stick his nose into anyway.

Ponyboy chews at his lower lip, silently twirling his pencil in his hand. It was lunchtime and he was in the library, tray pushed off to the side, a few bites taken out of his meal but it was otherwise untouched. He was more focused on the notebook in front of him. He had a test for the next class period and was looking over everything. Darry would have his head if he didn't pass. 

Suddenly a pair of hands cover his eyes and he tenses a bit. Although at the sound of an all too familiar chuckle, he relaxes and simply leans back into his chair. The redhead couldn't help but grin gently, tapping his pencil against the table.

"Guess who?" A voice teases, lips dangerously close to his ear.

"Hmm... I don't know," the redhead responds playfully, although his voice is on the quieter side. "Johnny?"

"You're insulting, you know that?" The voice huffs, a chin resting against his shoulder. "I am not Jumpy Cade..."

"Don't go calling him that, Curly."

Curly laughs.

"I knew that you were a smart one," Curly purrs playfully, arms dropping to wrap around his neck from behind, chin now resting on his arms. "Smartest guy I know, anyway."

Ponyboy tips his head back slightly, angling carefully to look at Curly. Their faces were close all over again. That was happening too much lately, he thought. But he wasn't going to make any effort to move the older male.

"I feel like that's not saying a lot," the redhead teases, lifting his free hand to ruffle Curly's head of messy hair. "There's plenty of people smarter than me."

"Hey! Watch the hair!" The ravenette whines, pulling away completely in a matter of moments to attempt to fix his hair. He moves to sit in the chair next to Ponyboy, pouting. "Well I've never met anyone smarter than you. It was a compliment. And then you go trashing my hair. You know how long that took?"

Ponyboy takes in Curly's appearance, smiling more than before. He was really handsome... Dirty and ripped jeans, a random T-shirt, and his leather jacket thrown on top. The redhead laughs at seeing him try and fix his messy head of curls, hence his name.

"Not even a teacher?" The redhead teases. "And probably just about as long as it took me to do my hair. I'm no better than you."

Ponyboy was particular about how he kept his hair.

"Nah, not even a teacher," Curly responds, leaning back in the library chair, just enough to get his legs settled onto the table, showing off a beat up pair of converse. "This is their job, but I still think you're smarter."

"And why's that?"

"Dunno, I just know that you're smarter is all."

The redhead rolls his eyes playfully. Curly was something else when he wanted to be. He didn't understand him sometimes. But he didn't need to understand anyone an awful lot. At least he didn't think so.

"Well, I guess I'll take it. Even if I know that I'm not the smartest kid around."

Curly flicks the side of his friend's head, huffing, turning his body toward Ponyboy in his chair. It didn't look comfortable by any means, but to each their own.

"Take the compliment, man. You're real bad at that."

"So if I complimented you, you'd take it?"

"Not the point... Anyway, what're you up to? It's lunch time and you've got your shit out."

"Studying. I've got a test next period and Darry told me I'd be grounded if I didn't pass. Especially since he helped me with the homework..."

"Hard ass," Curly huffs. "I think you'll do good anyway. You should be eating. Don't you have track or whatever?"

"Not yet, although I do practice all year round to be able to do well for the team," Ponyboy responds. "Indoor season stuff starts in November. But the outdoor season is in March."

He was the best at the outdoor stuff. He enjoyed running.

"Well, either way, you should be eating lunch. Not that it exactly looks good. School food is a bit sketchy."

"And where's your food then?"

Curly rolls his eyes.

"In my stomach, where else would it be? I eat for the first ten minutes and then I go cause havoc somewhere for the rest of it, you know?"

"So you decided to come and find me?"

"You're full of questions today. I just happened to stumble across you."

Ponyboy didn't miss how Curly's cheeks subtly reddened. Whether he was embarrassed or something else, he didn't know. But the redhead wasn't blind, he knew that for sure. Although Darry always told him that he was on the track for reading glasses. Darry had them, but Soda didn't.

"I guess so," the redhead teases, pushing his notebook aside to grab his tray. "If it makes you feel better, I'll finish this."

There was no use in studying now, not when Curly wasn't going to leave him be until the bell rang. He takes a bite of his meal, nose scrunching up a little. It was cold already. He should have just eaten it quickly when he got it.

Curly laughs at the look on Ponyboy's face, shifting a little in his chair. He fiddles with the zipper on his leather jacket carefully, wolfish grin on his face still. He thought that the younger male was reactive in the best way possible. He couldn't hide his expressions for shit. He was just always making a face. He liked that.

"Makes me feel a lot better, actually," the ravenette says. "Especially since it's cold."

"You ass."

"What about my ass?"

"You're just an ass, Charles."

Curly whines.

"Again with the name?"

"It's your name, what am I doing wrong?" Ponyboy teases.

"I'd rather you beat me over the head with the chair I'm sitting in than to ever have to listen to you say my real name," Curly responds. "You're being cruel."

"Like you have room to talk about cruelty."

The older male huffs and he tips his chair forward, sliding his legs off or the table. He instead turns his chair and settles his legs into Ponyboy's lap instead. He crosses his arms over his chest, looking at the redhead.

"Shut up and finish your cold slop," Curly says.

Ponyboy rolls his eyes but continues to eat nonetheless. He loved messing around with Curly. They only ever hung out at school so this was the only time he could do it. Outside of school, he was either at home studying, the library, the school for track training purposes, or with the others.

Once he was finished, he pushed his tray away from him again.

"We still good for Friday?" The redhead asks.

"Yeah, yeah, nerd. I'll walk home with you and everything, just so you know I won't run off."

"I trust you enough to get to my house without having to walk home with me," Ponyboy teases, resting his arms on Curly's legs that were in his lap.

"Yeah? Well then who else would protect you? Walking all by yourself isn't exactly a good picture for rich assholes."

"I can protect myself just fine, Curly."

"I'm still walking with you anyway, just in case and all that. Better safe than sorry."

"You can be safe?"

"You mean in the sheets or in the streets? The answer is different depending."

"Curly!"

Ponyboy swats at Curly's legs, causing the older male to burst out laughing and pull them out of his lap. He was grinning so wide. And the redhead could only stare at him, his own pale cheeks going bright red. It should be illegal to look like Curly Shepard did.

"You walked right into that one!" Curly says through laughter, tipping his chair back harshly.

The ravenette ends up on the floor, still sprawled out in his chair, still laughing. He wraps his arms around his stomach tighter, trying to stop the laughter that was bubbling up and out of him.

"You're dirty minded," Ponyboy huffs.

"Don't act like you don't love it," Curly purrs, pulling himself together enough to move onto his knees, crawling toward the redhead, resting his chin against one of his knees. "You like words, don't you? Those were definitely words."

Ponyboy looks down at Curly, his cheeks reddening more. His chest felt tight and his stomach was fluttery. A crime. Curly Shepard was a downright crime.

"Shut your trap."

The ravenette lifts a hand to playfully zip his lips shut, locking it, and throwing away the key. He rests his cheek against Ponyboy's knee, humming. He seemed relaxed.

"Whatever, man..." Ponyboy mutters.

Curly simply laughs silently.

Ponyboy was a dead man walking.

Especially if Curly was gracing his presence.