Chapter One: The Morning Before
New story guys! It's a prequel to Twisted Times, which I will complete after this story.
" I'm not gonna wake her up. Kitty's a monster in the mornings."
My eyes fly open. I look up to see my brothers, Ponyboy and Sodapop, standing in the doorway. Soda is my twin, while Ponyboy is two years my junior. And both of them know that waking me up this early in the morning is a death sentence.
"Oh shit, she's awake!" Ponyboy says, running down the hallway. Sodapop follows him suit, as I get out of bed.
"Boy's, did you wake Kittalayn up? My eldest brother Darryl says from his room. Last year, my parent's died in a car crash, and the state decided to let Darry keep us, since he had just turned nineteen, and Sodapop and I were almost sixteen, and Pony was thirteen.
" I'm scared of Kitty in the mornings." Ponyboy says from down the hall.
"You act like she's going to kill you." says Darry, popping his head into my room. " Kitty, you awake?" He asks me.
"I am now." I mutter, sitting up. Somebody has drawn back my curtains, so I'm bombarded with a bright ray of sunlight.
"Well good, because you have school." says Darry as he walks toward the kitchen.
I roll out of bed, and glance in the mirror. My waist-length golden-blonde hair is all over the place, and sticking to my face. I'm wearing an old pair of Pony's boxers, and a tank top.
"Kitty, breakfast is ready!" Darry calls from the kitchen. I leave my room, and make my way there as well.
"Good morning, Sunshine!" Two-Bit Matthews says when I enter the living room. Two-Bit is a member of our gang. He has rusty colored hair, with long sideburns. He got his nickname from always wanting to put his "two-bits" in. I don't think anybody remembers his real name is Keith. Not even the teachers. As well, for some odd reason, he likes school. He tells me he just goes for kicks, and I can attest to that because he's been held back twice. Not just anyone can be a junior at eighteen years old.
Two-Bit is known for two things in our neighborhood: Shoplifting, and his black-handled switchblade, which he couldn't have acquired without the first talent. He likes blondes and fights, and messing around with everybody. You can never shut the guy up!
" Bite me." I mutter, making my way to the kitchen.
"Aww, Kitty Cat, you wound me." Two-Bit laughs. He's drinking a beer, and eating chocolate cake. Breakfast of champions.
"It's too early for this." I say, sitting down at the table. Ponyboy has put together a plate for me, something he does every morning. I don't know why he does it, but I'm not about to complain. On it is fried eggs, bacon, and chocolate cake. There's always chocolate cake available for us. When my parents were alive, they would have never allowed chocolate cake with breakfast. But all of us have a sweet tooth for chocolate, Darry especially, so cake is always at the table.
"Darry, I'm not going to school!" I announce, digging into my food.
"And why is that, Little Miss?" He asks, poking his head into the kitchen.
"I don't wanna." I reply matter-of-factly, stuffing my face.
"If Kitty isn't going, I'm not going!" Ponyboy calls from his room.
"You're going Pony!" Darry calls, fully entering the kitchen. "Kitty do you have a real reason for not wanting to go?" He asks me.
"I just don't feel it today, Darry. I'm begging, please." I watch him as he thinks it over.
"Fine Kitty. Just make up an excuse so I don't have to deal with Ponyboy's whining." Darry says, winking.
"Thank you Darry." I whisper, stuffing my face with food, and returning his wink.
"Ponyboy, you're going to be late!" Darry calls over his shoulder. He then turns around, and leaves the kitchen. "Are you walking today, or is Two-Bit driving you?
"I'll drive the kid." Two-Bit says from the living room. Taking my last bite, I get up from the table, and place them in the sink. It's Sodapop's turn to do them.
"I'm coming!" Pony shouts, running into the living room. I enter as well, and plop my butt down on the couch. "Kitty, are you not going to school?" Two-Bit asks.
"Nope." I say, stealing Two-Bit's beer. I'm not gonna drink it, but he shouldn't be drinking it this early in the morning.
"How come I gotta go to school, and you don't?" He huffs, pulling on his converse. Two-Bit makes a swipe for his beer, but I hold it out of his reach.
"Maybe when you become a girl, and get a period, you can skip school." I say, getting up.
"Kitty, whatya doing with my beer?" Two-Bit complains. I dump the remaining contents into the kitchen sink, and toss the bottle in the garbage.
"It's too early to drink." I say, walking back over to the couch, and sitting again.
"C'mon Ponyboy, we're gonna be late." Two-Bit says, getting up. "By Kitty." He walks out the door.
"Kitty, you want me to pick up your homework?" Pony asks. He's a sophomore, and I'm a senior. We've both skipped grades, me forth, him ninth.
"Thank you Pony." I say.
"Bye Darry, bye Soda!" Ponyboy calls, making his way to the door. "Bye Kitty." He says, slamming the door behind him.
"Sodapop, come on, we got to go!" Darry yells, running into the living room. His shirt is undone, and he's hastily putting on shoes. Once they're on, he buttons his shirt, and tucks it into his pants.
He has to drop Sodapop off at work because they both share one car. Darry works for a company roofing houses, and Sodapop works at the DX gas station in town. Soda dropped out of high school the middle of this year to help Darry pay the bills and stuff. He claims he's happy working at a gas station, but I don't believe him. Darry gave up a football scholarship to support Pony, Soda and me. Sometimes I wonder if Darry regrets it, but I always shake that feeling. He just sucks at showing emotion sometimes.
" I'm coming!" Yells Sodapop, running into the room. His shirt is too, undone, and his pants unbuckled.
"Okay, Kitty, me and Sodapop are headed out. Ponyboy will be back here around 2:30, and we'll be back around 5. Please don't kill yourself while you're alone." Darry says, walking out the door.
"I won't!" I say as he exits. "I love you guys!"
"Love you too!" Darry calls back. Soda runs out after him, his shoes in his hands.
With both the boys gone, I lean back on the couch, and relax. Time to enjoy this day to myself.