Okay, confession time. When I saw the new rumble a thought of this story popped into my head and I was so excited about it I stayed up till about midnight brooding over it. So without further ado, I present my first writing piece of my 2011 summer vacation! Enjoy...
I'll Tell You My Dirty Little Secret: by mwahaha16 aka
hatinghaters
It's eleven o'clock on a Tuesday night at the Curtis house and the entire house is completely quiet and still. Or is it?
There's no way they're still up. They must have dozed off by now.
There's a creaking from the upstairs bedroom, and a shuffling around. There's a creak as a shadow crosses the upstairs hallway, heading for the stairs. The shadow man stopped outside of a door, listening hard.
Is that movement I hear? Are they up? Can they hear me? Breathe, take a deep breath. You've worked five long years to keep this a secret, and Dammit, you certainly won't be found out now.
The shadow figure descends as quietly as possible down the stairs. He pauses as the third from the bottom step gives out a creak. After straining his ears once more, he steps down the last three. On his way to the door, he pauses to check out the small dark boy sleeping on the couch.
Just make sure he's asleep. Can't have him running off and telling my little brother on me.
He pauses to check as the boy mumbles in his sleep.
All clear.
With that he steps out into the cool night air, softly closing the front door behind him.
Meanwhile….
Ponyboy Curtis rolled over to see his older brother, Sodapop, staring back at him.
"Hey Soda. Is it just me or did our oldest brother just try to stealthily sneak out of the house at eleven o' clock at night?" Ponyboy voiced. He had been awake enough to here the heavy footsteps that had went out of the house.
"No, definitely not just you. Should we follow him? "
"I don't know, Soda…."
"Oh come on! This is the sixth time this month he's run off secretly at a late hour. Don't you want to know why?"
"Well…."
"And we'll get to bust him. He's out after curfew." Sodapop replied innocently. They both grinned as they rolled out of bed. Car lights swept pass the bedroom window and Ponyboy hissed.
"Hurry up. He's getting away!" Both brothers tumbled down the stairs in an attempt to catch up with their oldest brother and caretaker. Neither of them even paused when, as they were running out the door very noisily, Johnny sat up, rubbing his eyes blearily.
"Huh?" He muttered as the door slammed. Looking around and seeing nothing, Johnny shrugged and dropped back to sleep.
Outside...
Wait!" Pony exhaled. "Darry just took the truck, our only mean of transportation. How are we supposed to follow him?" Soda grinned.
"Aw Pony, don't you trust your older brother. Besides, Steve left his hunk of junk in the garage. We'll take that. Hurry!" They both ran for the garage, where, mercifully, Steve's car was sitting there, waiting for them. Pony jumped in while Soda already had the key in the ignition. They were out of the driveway before Ponyboy had a chance to buckle his seat belt.
A Bit Later On...
As luck would have it, an annoyingly long red light kept the oldest Curtis from driving too far away for his younger brothers to find and stalk him. Ponyboy noticed the familiar taillights about half a mile away.
"He's there Soda, at the red light! Don't speedup too much, he'll notice. And turn the headlights for good measure." He instructed. Ponyboy was honestly getting a bit of a high off this, stalking his older brother around in his nightly secret wanderings. Where was his brother going that required such secrecy? The light eventually turned green and Darry sped off toward the outskirts of downtown. Sodapop and Pony followed behind, headlights off and almost invisible in the nigh as they followed the red taillights speeding in front of them. After about ten agonizing minuets of this, the red taillights stopped at an old building with lights pouring out of it. Soda parked the car on the other side of the parking lot and gazed as his older brother stalked out of his truck and into the building, sports bag thrown over shoulder.
"What the… what is he doing in a place like this?" Soda asked
"I don't know." Ponyboy shrugged. "This looks like one of those old hideouts the gangs talk about. Maybe he's gambling or something." Soda scoffed at his brother's suggestion and hopped out of the car.
"I don't like the look of this Pony." Soda said in a weird deep voice as his little brother got out of the car too. "Looks dangerous. Perhaps we should find a weak spot to break into." Ponyboy frowned.
"What's wrong with your voice? And why can't we just use the door like Darry did. Seems a lot simpler."
"Nothin's wrong with my voice. I was doing a detective voice like they do on T.V. And we ain't using the door because then they'll know we're here."
"Who?"
"The people." Soda huffed, stating toward the building.
"And they call me weird." Ponyboy scoffed, following his older brother. They walked up to the door and Sodapop put a hand out to stop Ponyboy.
"Now hang on Pone, there must be a secret unlocking device on the door, so we can gain access to Darry's secret place." Sodapop bent down to look at the door when it suddenly opened. He looked up to see Ponyboy, hand on the doorknob, holding it open.
"What's with you any way, Sodapop? You're acting as weird as Darry." Sodapop jerked the door out of his brother's hand.
"Ain't nothing wrong with me, you're just ruining my fun is all." He allowed himself in to the brightly lit place and both younger Curtis boys and to close their eyes at the sudden brightness. They heard a rolling sorta noise and opened there eyes to see…
"A roller-skating rink?" Pony asked, confused. And a roller-skating rink was right indeed. There were a group of people watching as a group of men on roller-skates were skating in a circle. A loud announcer voice sounded from somewhere.
"Alright folks, that was just the Sugar Crystal group and to start tonight's skate off championships is last year's winner!" The crowd cheered as music was put on. But it wasn't just regular music. A horrified look came over Ponyboy's face.
"Oh god, Soda! This isn't just regular roller-skating!"
"It's not?"
"No! This is a….Roller Disco!" An unmanly shriek escaped Soda and an expression to match Pony's came over him.
"But…but what could Darry be doing here? At one of these? That's the most unmanliest thing of all!" Soda screeched, attracting unwanted attention from the people around them. The music got a bit louder and the announcer was back.
"Alright folks, time for last year's champion to open this year's contest. Heeeeere he is! Suuuuugar Buuuuuuuuns!" Loud cheers rose up and Pony's attention was attracted to the person who came bursting out into the rink. Sodapop noticed him at the same time and both jaws dropped.
"Oh." Pony started
"My." Soda put in.
"God." They said this together as the skating man was spinning in the rink.
"Please tell me that's not who I think it is." Soda whisper pleaded.
"If you think it's out older brother, guardian and care-taker, Darrel Shaynne Curtis Jr., then I can't." Pony answered, watching as his oldest brother twirled around the rink like a figure skater.
"Is he wearing rainbow colored short-shorts?" Soda shrieked. Ponyboy could only deftly nod as Darry began dancing and skating to the song that was playing. Before he knew what was happening, he was being dragged by the collar back to the car.
"Soda, what are you doing? Darry's still doing his bit!" Pony complained, trying to twist away. But Soda had a firm grip on his young charge.
"I've seen enough. I don't know what that was back there, but I never want to see it again." Ponyboy was silent for about a minute before he started straight out laughing.
"What are you giggling about?" His older brother demanded as he let go of him by the car. Pony had to catch his breath before answering.
"The tuffest guy in our house has just been caught at a roller disco. I can't believe I didn't have a camera!" Soda scoffed at his laughing brother and made to get into the car.
Later...
About two o' clock a.m., Darrel was making his up the front steps of house, whistling a happy tune. There had been a huge crowd tonight, and he, Darrel, had been made to come out for not one, but two standing ovations. All in all a good night. He swung his bag with his skates and rainbow uniform over his shoulder as he stepped into the dark living room and closed the door, turning to lock it. A light burst on behind him.
"Hello Darrel. Aren't you a bit over curfew?" Darrel yelped and turned to see Soda with his hand on the lamp switch and Pony sitting on the couch, looking at Darry with a condescending look. Johnny was nowhere to be seen.
"Soda! Pony! What are you two doing up so late? It's two in the morning!"
"Same should be said for you. Where were you Darry? Out at the bar?" Darrel furled his eyebrows.
"I ain't gotta listen to you. I'm a grown man and your guardian. Now I'm tellin' you right now to get both your butts up to bed before I ground them, ya hear?"
Do they know something? Are they going to let on?
Here was an awkward silence as Darry waited to see what his brother's reactions were. Pony just shrugged and got up.
Thank the lord. They're clueless!
"Night Darry." Pony muttered, heading up the stairs. Darry nodded and turned to his other brother. He gave Darry a look but started up the stairs.
"Night…..Sugar Buns." Soda sniggered. Darry looked at him in horror.
Busted.