I never thought I could hate a person as much as I hated the girl sitting next to me. It was as though her whole existence was based on royally ticking people off. Or maybe it was just me thinking that it was. But this girl really wouldn't shut up. She kept yammering on about how I should go hang out with her and her hippy-dippy friends after school and how wonderful it was to live on the North side of town and all that jazz. In all honesty, I just wanted to smack her with my textbook and put her out of my misery. Er, I mean, her misery. Wait, no, I really do mean my misery.
"So are you gonna come with us?" she asked me. She was practically beaming, her blue eyes glistened and her straight hair slipped over her shoulder as she leaned towards me in joyful anticipation. My urge to introduce her face to my math book was becoming unbearable, but I knew it wasn't lady-like to knock the teeth out of another lady's mouth. Luckily, the bell rang.
"Sorry, but I have a date with a chocolate-shake down at the soda fountain after school. And I've had to keep pushing back this date for a while, and you know how those milk-shakes hate to be ignored," I said with a smile as I packed my things and waltzed out of the classroom. I heaved a sigh of relief as I walked down the hall towards the entrance and exit of the school.
My first day of school was probably the worst first day of school I've ever had. No brained paper shakers trying to become my friend, cookie-cutter ken doll guys trying to pick me up, and that epically awkward introduction of who I was in homeroom. Normally I can handle one of those things a day, but all at once? Not a chance. But the day before I had seen this boss looking soda fountain, and I had been epically craving a chocolate shake ever since I had moved to Tulsa. So I decided to mosey on over to where I had seen it. On the way, I spotted a group of fine looking boys across the street. And by fine, I mean I wanted to kiss every single one of them, and I had never kissed a boy before.
I don't ever recall seeing boys like them in California, they all seemed to look very similar, and yet different. They all wore jackets and t-shirts on top and jeans and convers or boots of one kind or another. Another thing that had caught my attention was their hair. All of them had their hair slicked back and none had look liked they had seen a bottle of shampoo in quite a while. All of them were chatting and joking with each other, some sitting on a car, some on the sidewalk, and some standing I don't think I realized I had stopped walking until I noticed I wasn't going anywhere. I was about to start walking before I noticed one of them had spotted me; he nudged his friend next to him and nodded in my direction. Soon, they were all looking my way.
"Like what you see, dolly?" one of them called. They all laughed, some jeered and joked more. I wasn't sure how to respond. I always thought I was cute, but I wasn't sure anyone else thought I was. The second guy who spotted me separated from the crowd and headed my way, hands jammed in his pockets.
"Sorry about them, they're a bunch of knuckle heads. They don't mean nothin' by it," he apologized with a smile. I smiled back with a shrug.
"It's actually kind of flattering. Y'all are the first not-creepy friendly faces I've seen all day, and I've seen a lot," I responded.
"That's aweful nice of you to say considering we're not what most girls like you want to be around," he said as he itched his nose idly before shoving his hand back into his pocket.
"I don't see why. You guys seem like a good group and the Barbies and Kens I've been running into all day have been driving me up the wall." This seemed to humor him, 'cause he laughed.
"You're unreal! I would have thought you were a soc or something. How about you come hang with us; we won't bite. Well, except Steve and Dally, but they don't bite hard. I'm Ponyboy, by the way. What were you saddled with?" he said with a grin.
"My name is Rose, but my friends back home called me Ruby on account of my hair," I introduced, brushing part of my trademark dark red curly hair behind my ear.
"Alright, Ruby. Lemme introduce you to the guys," Ponyboy said before heading back to the group with me close at his heels.
"Looks like you got a tag-along, kid," one of the guys said when we joined the group.
"Aw, be nice- she's had to deal with stupidity all day," Ponyboy responded, playfully punching the guy in the arm.
"And you brought her to us?" another one said, causing the group to laugh.
"Put a sock in it. This is Ruby, she just moved here," Ponyboy introduced me. "Ruby, these are the guys; Dally, Two-Bit, Steve and Johnny. Then there are my brothers Darry and Sodapop." Each boy nodded or signaled when their name was said.
"She's a cutie," Steve said with a grin.
"Shut up you. You have a girlfriend, remember?" Sodapop said, smacking Steve upside the head.
"I didn't mean anything by it! I was just sayin' she might be good for one of the ankle-biters," Steve said in his defense.
"Don't go callin' my kid brother and ankle-biter," Darry warned, and they both shut up.
"Where'd you come from, Ruby?" Johnny asked.
"I came from San Diego, California. My dad had business over here, so we all moved here," I explained.
"I've always wanted to go to Hollywood, seems like a real tuff place to be," Dally said as he lit up a cigarette.
"Did ya live close to the beach or anything?" Ponyboy asked.
"I lived about 15 minuets away from the beach, it was nice. I could go whenever I felt like it," I replied, kind of liking the attention I was getting. Boys never talked to me back home, they didn't like girls like me.
"Do you have a boyfriend back home?" Darry inquired, basically shutting down everyone's hopes, or that's what it looked like for a moment.
"Naw, I wasn't tan enough or tall enough for the boys back home. Plus, boys in California don't like smart girls," I said with a shrug.
"That's stupid. It shouldn't matter how smart they are, if a girl likes you- you should go out with them," Ponyboy said with a huff.
"Don't ever dumb yourself down for a guy. You'll be lying to yourself," Johnny said with a nod. I nodded in understanding.
"Hey, do you guys wanna go get a little something? I've been dying for a chocolate milkshake ever since I got off the plane," I asked, hoping they wouldn't mind stopping somewhere and letting me satisfy my craving.
"Sure thing, Ruby. There is this Dairy Queen where no soc's will bother us," Darry said as everyone started to stand up and get ready to head over. He then looked at his watch. "Ah shit. I actually have to head back to work, I'll see you guys later." And with that, Darry headed off.