Simple Wager
"You want me to what?" Ponyboy asked, incredulously.
Two-Bit grinned. "Oh, come on, kid! Why not give it a shot? It'd be a laugh, wouldn't it?"
Ponyboy shook his head, wondering where his buddy's head was these days. Ever since his brothers and the gang had found out that he'd written several short stories for English Class and found that they enjoyed them, they'd been pushing at him to write more. Darry had even asked Ponyboy what he thought about journalism for a career and, when he'd actually replied that he was thinking about it, Darry had begun looking for the best colleges that he could aim for scholarships for.
However, he'd always refused to write short stories for them all, because he knew what their chosen reading material was these days. Now, by no means was a blushing virgin - he was sixteen, and he'd had a couple of on and off girlfriends - but he'd never written anything in the same category.
He knew that Two-Bit's mother read a lot of detailed romance novels, but he'd never read any of those. Although, he may have indulged in the Kama Sūtra once or twice - call it curiosity after hitting puberty - but no one would ever get him to admit that out loud. The ribbing he'd take from the guys for that would be ... well, he'd make sure they never found out.
Two-Bit looked at Ponyboy with one eyebrow raised. "Why don't we make a wager, kid?"
Ponyboy paused in taking a drink of water and looked at Two-Bit, cautiously. He knew what Two-Bit was like with his wagers and he wasn't particularly eager to be in on one. However, everyone knew that he had a hard time turning down a wager, which appeared to be in the Curtis blood, because Darry and Soda were practically the same, though not to the same degree as he was.
"What kind of wager?" Ponyboy asked, cautiously.
Two-Bit grinned, knowing that if he'd asked about it then he'd be taking the wager anyway. "You have to write a book that has girls swooning and it has to be a big seller. You can write it under an alias, or something."
Ponyboy was quiet for a second. "If it is a big seller?"
"Then we'll all quit harpin' at you about your writin' and we'll even admit that you're better than us, in the art of the seduction of women."
That was certainly a plus, in more ways than one. "And if it's not?"
Two-Bit grinned in such a way that a shiver ran down Ponyboy's spine. "Well ..."
-x-x-x-x-x-
Looking at the blank piece of paper in front of him, Ponyboy sighed in frustration. He'd been trying to write for days and nothing was coming out right; it was all rubbish and now he had a major case of writers block.
Dam you, Two-Bit! Ponyboy thought.
Slipping his shoes on and grabbing his jacket, Ponyboy walked out of his room and out of the house. He needed a break.
-x-x-x-x-x-
Sitting at the bar in Bucks, with Curly Shepard to his right and yammering on about what Angela had done to make Tim mad at her, Ponyboy downed his bottle of Pepsi. Ponyboy, at sixteen, wasn't known for his drinking and his buddies away from the gang had learned to stop pushing him.
"Do you mind if I join you?"
Ponyboy looked back to see a girl about his age, maybe a year older, standing behind him. She had long brunette hair, crystal blue eyes and an hourglass figure. She was wearing jeans, a black shirt and leather boots. Also, she had very little make-up on. All in all, Ponyboy found her to be very attractive.
And he'd seen her before.
Ponyboy smiled at her. "Of course. How could I possibly deny such beautiful company?"
A blush rose to her cheeks and she smiled shyly, before sitting on the stool next to his. Curly had disappeared as soon as she turned up, knowing not to get in the middle of this.
"I'm Amanda."
"I know," Ponyboy told her. "We're in the same history class."
Amanda didn't look surprised, as she'd already known this. "I've seen you there. I've actually been trying to gather the courage to talk to you all night."
It was then that Ponyboy smelt the wine on her breath. She must have had a few, to help her gather said courage.
Ponyboy wasn't unaware of his own appeal. He'd hit puberty when he was fourteen and had filled out. He'd finally lost all of the baby fat he'd been trying to get rid of for years and he'd had a serious growth spurt about a year ago, making him almost six feet in height and everyone said he was still growing. He'd also become more defined with his muscles, though he hadn't bulked up. He was still lean, which was the suited physic for a track runner. He stopped putting so much grease in his hair, as well, leaving his bangs to fall into his eyes. Everyone said that he was looking more like Soda ever day, but he didn't see it. Although, that could've also been because one of the idiots said that Ponyboy had the most sex appeal out of his brothers, as well, which Darry and Soda hadn't been entirely pleased about.
Ponyboy and Amanda spent an hour talking about various topics. He was mostly interested in learning as much as he could about her. He found out that she lived with her younger brother and her mother, but her father had walked out on the family for another woman when Amanda was six. Her mother had been seven months pregnant at the time and had gone into early labour due to the stress. No one was sure whether it was the stress of the early labour, or it would've turned out that way anyway, but her younger brother had a number of disabilities; he would never be able to walk without aid.
"... but he never let's it get to him," Amanda told Ponyboy. "Harry has always lived life to the fullest."
In turn, Ponyboy told her about his family - how his parents had died when he was thirteen, how his older brother gave up a chance to go to college to care for him and Soda.
"That must have been hard," Amanda commented.
Ponyboy nodded. "It was - for all of us. Darry stopped havin' fun, I found it difficult to have Darry as a figure of authority and Soda was stuck in between us. It's gotten slightly better, but Darry and I still argue. I've learned to just walk away when it starts up but, sometimes, Darry follows me. Just last week, in fact, we had one of the worst arguments we've ever had - over a grade I got on a test. I haven't spoken to him since."
He paused for a second and had a sip of his drink. "I think one of the biggest problems is that Darry is one who sees his side only. He has difficulty seein' things from other points of view and we've all tried to help him. He also has difficulty facin' reality - I'm the same, in some ways, but I've gotten through it. I don't really think he has. He doesn't talk about his problems, whereas I can talk to Soda, or Two-Bit about it. If I'm really desperate, I'll go to Steve and he'll listen, as well. We're all different and it's just a matter of learnin' to live with those differences."
"You sound as though you don't like Steve." Amanda had noticed the comment about Steve and, obviously, Ponyboy still wasn't great at masking his feelings entirely.
Ponyboy shook his head. "It's not that. We're buddies and always will be. We get along in our own way."
Amanda nodded. "I think I understand."
They continued talking until they both deemed it time to head home. Seeing as how her friends were busy and she didn't have another ride, Ponyboy gave her a lift home. When they stopped in front of her house, Amanda looked at him.
"Do you want to come in for a while?" Amanda asked. "Harry and my mom are visiting my grandparents for the night."
Ponyboy was quiet for a moment. "I'd like that."
-x-x-x-x-x-
The next morning, Ponyboy stood on Amanda's front porch, kissing her goodbye. He'd been worried that she'd wake up and regret what happened last night, but she hadn't. He'd helped her cook breakfast for the both of them and now it was time for him to go home.
"I'd like to see you again," she said, breathlessly, breaking the kiss.
Ponyboy smiled. "I'd like that, as well. I'll come and see you at the diner. Do you want to see a movie after one of your shifts?"
Amanda nodded, grinning. "I'd love to. I get off at 5 on Wednesday."
Giving her one last kiss, Ponyboy left and headed home. He thanked his lucky stars that his brothers were at work by the time he got in, though the note that Soda had left on the kitchen table made him laugh. Yes, he was certainly lucky that Darry'd had a long day at work yesterday.
Ponyboy went straight to his desk and picked up his pen. Last night seemed to have cleared up his writers block.
When she descends, she leaves a trail of bliss in her wake ...
-x-x-x-x-x-
Six Months Later
Seeing his book in the stores, under a different name, Ponyboy was thankful that no one except his English teacher and his girlfriend, Amanda, knew that he'd written it. Not even his brothers knew.
The book had been flying off the shelves and there was already talk about turning it into a film.
Ponyboy thought back to the bet he'd made with Two-Bit, which had seemed to have been forgotten. He didn't think that it would last, but he was glad for the quiet while it lasted. However, his luck seemed to have run out when he walked home that day.
Two-Bit had blabbed to, not only his brothers, but Steve, as well.
"... took the bet," Steve guffawed.
Soda chuckled. "Why'd you do that, Pone?"
Ponyboy shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
"And now?" Two-Bit looked smug, which made it hard for Ponyboy to hide a grin.
"Oh, it was still a good idea."
Taking a piece of paper from his backpack, Ponyboy handed it to Darry, who looked at it. Darry's expression was overcome with shock.
"You published it!" Darry exclaimed.
"What?" Soda, Steve and Two-Bit rushed over to Darry to looked at the piece of paper, showing that Ponyboy had published his book and how much he'd made from it.
They all looked at him in shock.
Ponyboy grinned. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a date. I'll see you later."
Walking out of the house and leaving them all in a shocked stupor behind him, Ponyboy got into the truck and drove away. He couldn't help thinking that none of the money he'd made and was making, unless in an emergency. It would also help when it came to college - maybe Darry could even go back.
Taking the bet was certainly one of the best things he could've done. To think, this had all started with a simple wager.
Author's Note:- This one shot is purely for fun and good humor. If you have any one shot requests, then let me know and I'll see what I can do. Please, let me know what you think of this.
Enjoy!