Chapter One: New She-Grease In Town
I had a weird nightmare last night. I almost woke up screaming my head off, and I didn't go back to sleep until four in the morning. Man, was I tired, and I didn't want to go to school. Instead of getting out of bed, I pulled the sheets over my head and tried going back to sleep.
"Ponyboy, get up!" Soda yelled in the kitchen. Normally it would be Darry who'd yell for me to get up. "You have school!"
Ugh, I hate Mondays. I really didn't want to get out of bed. As soon as I fell back asleep, Soda came in and started jumping on the bed.
"Come on, Pony. Get up, get up, get up!" he said. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." I didn't answer back. "Fine, the hard way it is." Now Soda started tickling me until I thought I was going to die.
"Alright! I'm up, I'm up!" I laughed. When Soda left, I went to my drawer to get something to wear. I pulled on my red t-shirt, blue jeans, my gray jacket, and a pair of sneakers. Then I put a ton of grease in my hair. Except for how tired I was, I looked tuff. I checked the clock, and I was almost late! I skipped breakfast and ran so fast I almost made Darry fall out of his chair. "Bye, Darry! Bye, Soda!" I quickly said as I ran out the door.
Okay, skipping breakfast really wasn't my best idea, especially when I was this tired. At least I made it to school on time. My first class was health. I just couldn't wait for English class. As soon as I walked in, I noticed something very different. Three greasers were talking to a girl I've never seen before. She had long blonde hair that seemed to be greased, and I think she had greenish-blue eyes. She wore faded blue jeans, pink sneakers, and a white top that said "I Heart G.A." Her purple jacket was wrapped around her waist. This girl was so pretty; I mean, she was gorgeous. By the looks of how she was dressed and how her blonde hair was greased, I immediately knew this girl was a she-grease.
A "she-grease" is a girl who just so happens to be a greaser. We really didn't call them that; the Socs made up that nickname a long time ago, and it kind of stuck. There's a lot of them downtown and not very many in my neighborhood except for Angela Shepard, Tim and Curly Shepard's sister.
"So, baby, how're you likin' Tulsa so far?" I heard a greaser ask the she-grease.
She shrugged. "It's alright," she said. "A little different from Georgia, but I think I'm startin' to dig this place."
"Sweet." The greaser put his arm around her shoulder. "So, what are you plannin' on doin' after school, doll face?"
Before she could answer, Mr. Davis, my health teacher, came into the room. "Alright, class, take your seats, and Andre, give that young lady some personal space."
The greaser, Andre, scoffed and sat at his desk. The she-grease made the mistake at Amanda Rogers' desk right when she walked in the room. Amanda Rogers was one of the most popular girls in school and a snobby Soc. I didn't like her very much since she was so judgemental. This she-grease doesn't know what she got herself into.
"Hey, she-grease," Amanda muttered. "You're in my seat. Now move your butt off my dest and move over to the hoodlums' side, or I'll make you move."
"Hey, relax. I'll move." The she-grease grabbed her books in search for an empty desk. I think Amanda was jealous because this girl was ten-times prettier than her. Besides, we all know Amanda's hair was bleached-blond. Then Amanda stuck her foot out and made the she-grease trip. The whole class began to laugh, except for me and Mr. Davis. I really felt bad for her, so I got up and helped the she-grease pick up her books.
"You alright?" I asked her.
She looked up at me and was speechless for a moment. I didn't know why. This girl's probably fourteen years old, but she looked much younger, and boy, were her hands and feet little. "Uh, yeah," she said, giving me a bright and beautiful smile. "I'm fine. Thank you."
"Ah, you must be Ms. Samson," Mr. Davis said as I helped her up.
The girl nodded. "Yes, I am."
Mr. Davis smiled back. "Well, Ms. Samson, could you please come up front?"
"Yes, sir." She walked up and stood next to Mr. Davis.
"Class, may I have your attention, please?" We all got quiet and turned towards him. Mr. Davis looked down at the she-grease and smiled. "Ms. Samson, how about you introduce yourself to the class."
"Sure. Well, my name Taylor Samson, I am fifteen years old, and I just moved here from Atlanta, Georgia last weekend."
"Interesting," Mr. Davis said. "Class, this is Ms. Samson first time attending a public school, so I want you to make her feel welcomed."
"You mean you want us to be nice to a she-grease?" a Soc muttered.
"She looks like another one of those trashy hoodlums," Amanda added. "Seriously, look at that shirt! It looks retarded." Everyone began to laugh—well, everyone except me and Mr. Davis, obviously. I thought Taylor was going to start crying. I can't stand it when girls cry.
"You know what?" I said. "I think that shirt looks real nice on you."
She looked at me and smiled. "Thanks," she said.
Mr. Davis cleared his throat. "Now, class, for the rest of the period, you will be completing your study guides for your test this Friday. You may work in groups of two, but only be focused on your work and nothing else. Ponyboy, may I speak with you for a second?"
"Uh, sure," I answered. "What's up?"
"Well, I was hoping you wouldn't mind working with Ms. Samson. You're my smartest student, and you may be able to cooperate with her."
I looked over at Taylor. She did seem like a smart girl, and I might be able to get my work done with someone who's as smart as all these other greasers and Socs. "Sure, why not," I said, nodding.
"Great." Mr. Davis turned toward Taylor. "Ms. Samson, you will be working with Ponyboy Curtis." He handed her a copy of the study guide, and Taylor and I got to work.
"Hi," Taylor said, giving me another bright (and cute) smile.
"Hi," I said. I felt my ears get a little warm. "Hey, don't listen to what Amanda and that other Soc said. They just have something against...well, you know, greasers."
"I know about Socs. I kept running into some on my way to school, and in the hallway. Also, I actually thought Amanda Rogers' locker was mine, and she started swearing at me. Hey, what's up with the whole 'she-grease' thing, anyway?"
"It's a nickname the Socs made up for the girl greasers awhile back, now it's pretty much a common name."
Taylor lowered her head. "Well I sort of feel like an outcast, considering I'm the only she-grease in my new neighborhood."
"I wouldn't say you're the only one in our neighborhood. There's another she-grease who lives a few miles away. Her name is Angela."
"Shepard?" Taylor asked. "Oh, I know her. She almost bashed my head in when I asked her boyfriend directions to the liberary." She shrugged.
"I totally forgot about how tough Angela Shepard was and how easily jealous she gets. (I thought she broke up with her boyfriend.) Angela also swears a lot and wears too much makeup. Compared to her, Taylor was much different from Angela Shepard—she wore less makeup than her, she didn't seem like the swearing type, and she was much more nicer (and prettier.)
"Wait a second," Taylor said. "Our neighborhood?"
I nodded. "Yeah," I said, "you and I live in the same neighborhood. I usually saw you going for walks or even in the movie house."
"Oh." She studied me for a moment, then smiled again. "Oh, yeah! I've seen you around town, too. By the way, is your name really Ponyboy?"
I saw that coming. "Yeah. That is my real name."
"That's a very interesting name. I like it."
Amanda scoffed. "Well, she-grease, I actually think Ponyboy is a stupid name," she muttered. Man, I hate how she is always judging everything, even my own name.
Mr. Davis sighed. "Ms. Rogers, please, we'll have none of tha-aah-AAHT!" Suddenly the podium Mr. Davis was leaning on tripped over and fell with a loud Bang! We all began to burst out laughing—even Mr. Davis chuckled. Taylor was laughing so hard she actually snorted! I swear, I thought I was literally dying of laughter when she snorted. Everyone else was also laughing at that except for Amanda, who made a face at Taylor.
"I'm sorry," Taylor laughed. "I snort when I laugh too hard."
Mr. Davis tried to calm down. "It's alright. Now will somebody help me get this thing up?" he asked.
"I got it." Taylor got up and helped Mr. Davis get the podium up. In fact, she was the only one to help him. For a small she-grease, she was surprisingly strong. After all that happened, we got back to work. Taylor and I got it done pretty quickly sincre we knew most of the answers.
At lunch, I met up with Dally, Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve. We headed over to the gas station (which was where we always have lunch). As I sat on the hood of Two-Bit's car, smoking a cigarette, I suddenly noticed Taylor sitting on the hood of a red Mustang and talking to Bob Sheldon the Soc.
Taylor was just chillin' on the hood and eating a Snickers bar and drinking a Pepsi. Bob was saying some stuff to her, but Taylor didn't seem too interested into what he was saying to her. Then Bob ended up putting his lips on Taylor's. She pushed him back and slapped him pretty darn hard.
"What the heck are you doing?!" Taylor yelled. "You're disgusting!" She hopped off the hood and stormed off with Bob following behind.
"Hey, c'mon, baby," he was saying. "What, you're going to walk to school now? Listen, babe, you know I think you're smokin' hot, and I was wonderin' if you may wanna—HEY!" Just then, Taylor flipped Bob! She stormed off as Bob laid on the sidewalk in pain.
Dally whistled. "Man, that is one tough chick," he said.
"Tough and hot," Steve added.
"Next to Angela Shepard," Two-Bit said.
Johnny and I just looked at each other, both our mouths wide open. We were shocked about what we just saw.
After lunch, I saw Taylor talking to Cherry Valance. "So what'd you do to Bob after he tried to kiss you?" Cherry asked.
"I grabbed his wrist and flipped him," Taylor answered as she taped a cut-out of the Jackson Five into her locker. "I thought he only wanted to just have lunch and chat a bit, but then he started flirting with me, kissed me, then I had to flip him." She shrugged.
Cherry nodded. "Yeah, some boys are sick like that. But...there was this one boy I met at the drive-in, and he was very sweet and dreamy, and he loved sunsets."
"Let me guess, is his name Ponyboy Curtis?"
"How'd you know that?"
That's what I'd like to know, I thought.
Taylor shrugged. "Just a lucky guess," she said to Cherry, "but mostly because Ponyboy does seem like a dreamy boy who loves sunsets. And he his so cute."
"And he is so behind you," I said.
Taylor exclaimed, then smiled when she saw me. "Oh, hi, Ponyboy. Tryin' gto give me a heart attack?"
"Well, I overheard you say my name. Hi, Cherry."
Cherry smiled. "Hi," she said. "Taylor was just telling me how some guy tried to kiss her and how she flipped him."
"I know," I said. "Johnny, Dally, Two-Bit, Steve, and I were having lunch at the gas station, and we saw you with that Soc."
Taylor chuckled. "Okay, are you stalking me or something?" she asked. Then the bell rung. "I have to get to class. See you guys later." Taylor asked Cherry for directions to the drama room.
I didn't see Taylor for the rest of the day until I got to English. When Mr. Syme finished talking to her, Taylor sat next to me.
"So how was your first day?" I asked as quietly as I could while Mr. Syme discussed today's lesson.
"It was good, thanks for asking," she whispered.
"Hey, Taylor, I know I've only known you for a day, but..."
Taylor smiled. "'But' what?"
My ears were getting a little hot. I knew I was blushing. "Nothing. Nevermind."
Taylor giggled. "You're so cute when you blush," she said, looking back at the board."
I chuckled myself. You probably know what I was going to ask Taylor. If you don't, I was going to ask her if she wanted to, maybe, walk home with me and probably get to know her better. It's weird. I've never felt this way about anyone before. Never.
After school, the gang and I had to walk home because Steve had to help Two-Bit get his car to the shop when Two-Bit got a flat tire when I got back to the school. Then something caught Steve's attention—eight Socs were in an alley, and they looked like they were beating up someone.
"What'cha gonna do about it, greaser?" a Soc muttered. "Or should I say, she-grease?"
She-grease?!
"You Socs ain't as tough as ya'll look!" yelled a familiar voice. A pink sneaker kicked the Soc in the groin (um, okay, ow!), and when he fell down, I noticed that the Socs' victim was Taylor! She had blood streaming down the side of her head, but she got to her feet and threw a few punches at some Socs. She seemed tough, but I think she needed help. Dally, Two-Bit, and Steve were enjoying the fight. Johnny was thinking the same thing I was thinking.
"Yeah, she-grease!" Steve said.
"Kick their butts!" Two-Bit added.
"Get them, girlie!" Dally yelled.
Taylor didn't even hear; she was too busy beating the Socs. Once a Soc grabbed her by the hips and threw her to the ground, we thought now was the perfect time to get my brothers. Luckily, Darry and Soda were already home. "Guys!" I yelled when I walked, scaring Soda out of his skin.
"Pony, what's wrong?" Darry asked.
We told Darry and Soda that we saw the Socs beating up a greaser. When I told him that this greaser was a she-grease, the seven of us ran out to help her.
The blond Soc who threw her down was now sitting on top of her. In his hand was a switchblade being held against her throat. Then he cut off a lock of her greasy blonde hair. That made me mad to see the Socs hurting an innocent girl, especially one who's our kind. Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit chased some Socs away, and Dally had to end up beating the tar out of a couple. Johnny and Soda pulled the blond Soc off of Taylor. I punched the Soc in the face five times and twice in the gut. Finally the Socs got back into their Mustang and drove off.
"Didn't your mothers tell you not to hit girls?!" Two-Bit yelled at the Socs.
Taylor was rolled up into a ball, laying on the ground and crying. I knelt down next to her. "Hey, you alright, Taylor?" I murmured. She turned away from me, but through her tears she said, "Yeah."
"Hey, little lady." Soda walked up to her. He started examining her wounds. "Man, they've got a hold of you pretty good. Don't worry, little lady, they ain't gonna hurt you no more," he murmured, giving Taylor a grin. Taylor grinned back at him.
"Man, what is up with the Socs these days?" Steve muttered to himself. "First they're jumpin' us for no apparent reason, now they're jumpin' innocent little broads?!"
"By the looks of how this pretty lady has her hair greased, she's obviously one of us," Two-Bit said. "Maybe this little she-grease could use herself a bodyguard."
"That don't sound like too bad of an idea," Taylor said when we got her back on her feet. "By the way, the Socs just caught me off-guard. I'm alright. I was just walking home from school when that red Mustang pulls in. Eight Socs got out, callin' me hot and dirty she-grease—which I am not—until I had to punch one of them in the gut, which was why they were beating me up." She shrugged.
"Well, it's a good thing they didn't hurt you too badly," Darry said.
"Yeah," Dally agreed. He studied Taylor and grinned. "Nice-lookin' cuts, cutie. They make ya look like the tough little broad you are." Taylor cocked an eyebrow at Dally as he leaned against Darry's Ford. "So, what's your name, hottie?" he asked putting his arm around her shoulder.
"Um, my name is Taylor Samson. I just moved here from Atlanta not too long ago."
"Atlanta, huh? Nice city, with good-lookin' girls like you."
Taylor shook her shoulder to get Dally's hand off. "Well, thanks so much for helping me," she said. "So what're your names?"
"Well, my name is Two-Bit Mathews." He leaned against the Ford next to Taylor, also trying to look tough. "This here is Steve Randle, Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston—whom we call Dally—Darrel Curtis—whom we call Darry—Sodapop Curtis, and Ponyboy Curtis."
Taylor smiled at me. "Well, I know Ponyboy Curtis, but I didn't know he had brothers."
"And we didn't know Ponyboy had such a cute friend," Soda said. "I mean, look how tiny she is!"
"She's that short, but can flip a Soc," Steve said. "Hey, T, how'd you do that anyway?"
Taylor grinned. "Hold out your hand and I'll show you."
Steve probably didn't trust her, but he held out his hand. That's when Taylor grabbed his wrist and flipped him. "Wow!" he said to Taylor.
Darry nodded. "I like you," he said to Taylor.
"Man, what is it you guys do for kicks around here, anyway?" Taylor asked.
"Well funny you should ask," Two-Bit said. "I'm plannin' on headin' to the Sunset Club this Saturday night. What about you guys, ya'll in?"
Oh, yeah. The Sunset Club. I've heard about that place too many times. The Sunset Club was supposed to be the coolest club in town that just opened up three weeks ago. It's supposed to be a country club, too, but it's more of a teens' hangout. Two-Bit's been there, and he would not stop talking about it and said we should all go sometime.
"Well, actually, Soda and I are both taking the day-off of work," Darry said.
"Sweet." Two-Bit turned towards Taylor. "What about you, sweet-cheeks? You in?"
Taylor shrugged. "I'm not sure. My aunt probably doesn't want me hangin' out with some boys. But, still, it would be nice to hang with my kind."
"Oh, come on, doll," Dally said. "Ol' Two-Bit said it's the coolest club in town. You'll love it."
"Come one, pleeease?" Soda begged, giving Taylor the sad puppy-dog look.
Trying not to laugh, Taylor thought for a moment and sighed. "Well...I guess if I talk to my aunt, I guess I can tag along with you guys."
"Yay!" Two-Bit said, giving Taylor a hug. She was trying not to smile.
"Okay, Two-Bit, give the girl some space," Darry said. "Ponyboy, take Taylor home. Make sure she gets home safely."
"Sure," I said.
I followed Taylor over to her house, which was right nextdoor to Johnny's. Outside of Taylor's house was a young woman with black hair sitting on the porch.
"Taylor!" she yelled as she ran towards us. "Where on earth have you been? What happened to your head and neck, and who is this boy?"
"I'm okay, Aunt Ellen," Taylor said. "This is Ponyboy Curtis. I got into a little mix-up with these boys, and he and his friends helped me. They even invited me to this club tis Saturday night. Can I go, pleease? They are really nice boys, I swear it."
Taylor's aunt studied me for awhile, wondering if I should be trusted or not. She sighed and said, "Alright, but I prefer for this young man to call me Ms. Samson and to have you back by nine."
Taylor smiled. "Thanks. Hey, Pony, when will you get here to come and get me?"
I shrugged. "Well, I was thinking I could show you around town, maybe come got you around four and we can meet up with the guys at six?"
She nodded. "Sure. Well, bye. Oh, Ponyboy...thank you." She was smiling at me.
I smiled back. "See you around." As I walked off, I overheard Ms. Samson asking Taylor who these other boys were. Man, I could not wait for Saturday night!