Help Can Come from Anywhere
Cherry shouldn't have been in that part of town, according to Soc rules. The West side was for those like her, the ones that didn't have to want for anything. Where they walked around in designer clothes, driving the tuffest cars around. Where people could get away with anything, especially if they knew the right people.
On the other hand, there were the greasers. Ones who had to grow up fast, harden up, if they wanted to live. The Socs and Greasers hated each other, usually it being the Socs who picked on the greasers.
Why? Perhaps it was out of boredom. Maybe the fact that they had to interact with each other, no matter how much they tried to avoid it, seemed annoying to them.
What was probably likely was that the Socs needed to feel on top. Not material-wise, the Socs didn't have to worry there. This was what kept the greasers and Socs on different sides. How superficial they were.
Socs wore masks all the time, pretending to be happy, caring about looks, popularity. Real emotions were hidden underneath, kept within. The most important thing was to stick to the status quo.
As for the greasers-they felt too much. Anger, passion, happiness-they showed it. Acted upon it. It was a big factor in decisions they made. So the two groups were always clashing each other, and peace never seemed to be possible in Tulsa.
This wasn't her usual place. Cherry never came to the East side of town, even after she'd helped Ponyboy and Johnny by testifying at their trial and then spying for the gang before the Soc-greaser rumble that had happened only months ago. An odd type of friendship had been struck between her and the gang of boys.
However, she never saw them except in passing. That was when glances would be exchanged at the most. The redhead did what she wanted, but this life of a Soc; it was how she'd grown up. Someone was always watching her. Head cheerleader at their school, one of the prettiest girls too. Currently single, since Bob had been killed.
Anyway, she had driven over in her Mustang to look for Ponyboy. It had been awhile since they'd talked, and she missed him. Just his take on his world...it was a different perspective, and one she admired.
There was no one to really worry about seeing her. Her parents were away, on a trip, and most of the other Socs were at the party going down at Marcia's. The excuse Cherry had come up was that she was sick. Some guilt flooded through her, for lying. It was the fact that she was lying about seeing some friends of hers that she felt she needed to do that.
Her stomach gurgled, and Cherry bit her lip. It was mid-afternoon, and she had never gotten around to eating lunch. She could wait, she reasoned with herself. No need to fill it now-but then it sounded again. Perhaps she might as well go and grab a bite to eat. Cruising down the road, she spotted a drugstore. The kind where you could just get a plate of something. A parking spot was available, too-right next to a bunch of greasers.
Smoke poured from their lips as they exhaled, cigarettes hanging in their fingers. Cherry recognized none of them.
As she slowed down, one of them looked up at her. As he recognized her, who she was, that is, the expression changed from one of disinterest to a smirk. What she got from it was a challenge-and Cherry wasn't the type of girl to just leave it hanging there.
Flipping her hair behind her, she turned in and parked. Let them think what they want, no one was going to stand in her way.
Until that was what happened. Getting out, she locked her car before turning around, finding herself face-to-face with the same guy as earlier. He stood slouched in front of her, a wider smirk than before formed upon his face. "Well, well, Socy girl. What do ya think you're doing here, hmm? This ain't a place for you."
Straightening up, Cherry looked him in the eyes, her green ones locked onto his brown ones. Coolly, and slowly, she told him, "I'm here to eat. That's all." She moved to the side, to go around him, but a hand was suddenly in front of her.
Looking around it, she saw that a bunch of his friends were there as well, forming a circle. Cherry was basically trapped. "You have food on your side, don't ya? Filet mignon, caviar, all that fancy stuff I bet. Don't need to come here." His eyes passed over her, lingering at times. That was when a smug look appeared. "Though I can't say I'm complaining."
She took a step back, getting a bit nervous now. "Go away, hood!" Her attempt to get them to leave was only laughed upon.
Suddenly, the greaser moved forward, forcing her to have her back to the Mustang. An arm of his was placed on the side, and he leaned over her.
There was something in his eyes. Not just mischief, but something that scared her, sending shivers down her spine. Glaring, she slowly spoke, enunciating each word, loud enough for the others to hear as well. "Leave. Me. Alone."
He moved his mouth to her ear which was where a quiet whisper was heard. "It's too late for that."
"Hey, man, leave her alone!" Cherry looked in the direction of where the anger had come from. How her eyes widened as she saw the greasers parting, to let another enter. The sun was starting to come down, she noticed, and how it shone behind him. It only made him more handsome than ever, she thought. Not that he really needed it. His looks had been something she'd noticed at school, when he was still there.
"I meant it, just, let her go! She's not bothering anyone." The greaser closest to her turned around and dryly looked at the intruder.
"Socs shouldn't be here." It was obvious, a fact of life, his tone clearly said.
With a roll of his eyes, Sodapop squarely looked at the greaser. "Most of the time, yeah-but she's with me." He stepped over, and gave a push, moving the two apart. "Come on, Cherry, let's go." He held out a hand to her, the greaser behind him just scowling.
Cherry looked at him, hesitating for a moment. Then she reached out for him.
That was when a snort was heard, and the greaser turned to the rest of his friends. "Let's go." Off, Sodapop and Cherry watched them as they went down to the road and crossed.
Biting her lip, Cherry looked up at Ponyboy's brother once more. "Thanks," she said gently. "Thank you for that."
All she got was a big grin, a happy one. Much better than the anger he'd had before. "Hey, you helped keep Pony with us. And besides-I don't like seeing them do stuff like that." Sodapop shrugged, still grinning. "Now, why are you here?" Unlike the previous greasers, he seemed at ease in her presence. Relaxed.
Chuckling, Cherry smiled back. "I was going to see Ponyboy when I realized how hungry I was, and decided to stop here."
The grin just grew wider on his face. "Well, he's at home, and it's almost dinner. Hey, you can join us if you want!" Enthusiastic, Sodapop seemed happy with the idea. It was almost impossible for Cherry to think of refusing, with that happy look of his.
"Okay, sure, as long as you don't mind-"
"Of course not! We always have tons of food, anyway."
Gesturing, his hands went up-and that's when Cherry realized she'd been holding onto his that whole time. She smiled to herself, blushing slightly as she drew it back.
Sodapop hadn't seemed to notice, but there was a twinkle in his eye as he looked at her.
"Let's go." With a smile and a nod, Cherry agreed. The decision to take her car was easy enough, but who drove was another matter. Sodapop won, but she didn't mind. Not at all. After all, he'd saved her-and she decided, that happy was a really good look for him. And she didn't want to be why he lost it.