Ponyboy
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the dark movie house, I only had two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home…
I was walking home when I noticed a strange girl around my age, maybe a year or two older, walking across the street. I don't call her strange because she's ugly, or acts weird. Actually, she awfully pretty—perfectly tanned skin and long, dark hair—she also has green eyes. I usually don't like people with green eyes. I call her strange because I see her so often; the same time and the same place every time I'd go to the movies for the past few weeks. Sometimes I feel like she's following me. It gives me the chills. She also dresses funny. She dresses too nice to be a greaser, but she doesn't dress like a Soc either. This girl wears outfits that seem to be from another time. Sometimes, we'd even make eye contact. She'd smile and then turn around the corner and she'd be gone. This girl was definitely a mystery, all right.
Coming back down to Earth after wondering about the strange girl, I spotted a red Corvair trailing me. I was almost two blocks from home then, so I started walking a little faster. I had never been jumped, but I had seen Johnny after four Socs got hold of him, and it wasn't pretty. Johnny was scared of his own shadow after that. Johnny was sixteen then.
I knew it wasn't any use though—the fast walking, I mean—even before the Corvair pulled up beside me and five Socs got out. I got pretty scared—I'm kind of small for fourteen even though I have a good build, and those guys were bigger than me. I automatically hitched my thumbs in my jeans and slouched, wondering if I could get away if I made a break for it. I remembered Johnny— his face all cut up and bruised, and I remembered how he had cried when we found him, half-conscious, in the comer lot. Johnny had it awful rough at home—it took a lot to make him cry.
I was sweating something fierce, although I was cold. I could feel my palms getting clammy and the perspiration running down my back. I get like that when I'm real scared. I glanced around for a pop bottle or a stick or something—Steve Randle, Soda's best buddy, had once held off four guys with a busted pop bottle—but there was nothing. So I stood there like a bump on a log while they surrounded me. I don't use my head. They walked around slowly, silently, smiling.
"Hey, grease," one said in an over-friendly voice. "We're gonna do you a favor, greaser. We're gonna cut all that long greasy hair off."
He had on a madras shirt. I can still see it. Blue madras. One of them laughed, then cussed me out in a low voice. I couldn't think of anything to say. There just isn't a whole lot you can say while waiting to get mugged, so I kept my mouth shut.
"Need a haircut, greaser?" The medium-sized blond pulled a knife out of his back pocket and flipped the blade open.
I finally thought of something to say. "No." I was backing up, away from that knife. Of course, I backed right into one of them. They had me down in a second. They had my arms and legs pinned down and one of them was sitting on my chest with his knees on my elbows, and if you don't think that hurts, you're crazy. I could smell English Leather shaving lotion and stale tobacco, and I wondered foolishly if I would suffocate before they did anything. I was scared so bad I was wishing I would. I fought to get loose, and almost did for a second; then they tightened up on me and the one on my chest slugged me a couple of times. So I lay still, swearing at them between gasps. A blade was held against my throat.
"How'd you like that haircut to begin just below the chin?"
It occurred to me then that they could kill me. I went wild. I started screaming for Soda, Darry, anyone. Someone put his hand over my mouth, and I bit it as hard as I could, tasting the blood running through my teeth. I heard a muttered curse and got slugged again, and they were stuffing a handkerchief in my mouth. One of them kept saying, "Shut him up, for Pete's sake, shut him up!"
I heard punches and kicks being thrown as the Socs were being thrown off me one by one. "Get the hell away from him!"
I couldn't tell what was going on around me because I was so dizzy, but I knew the voice belonged to a girl. Her voice was kind yet firm as she yelled at the Socs pounding me. Soon I heard the gang and my brothers chasing away the Socs. I felt a hand on mine pulling me to sit up.
"Are you okay?"
"I… um…" I had no words. Not only was I rattled by the Socs, I never saw just how beautiful that girl really was. She just saved my life, too. I was upset and I felt tears in my eyes. I was also embarrassed to be saved by a girl. I finally said, "Who are you?"
"All you need to know right now is my name is J." she brushed my hair back.
I nodded as my brother, Darry, sat in front of me, not even acknowledging J after she had just rescued me. "Are you all right, Ponyboy?"
He was shaking me and I wished he'd stop. I was dizzy enough anyway. I could tell it was Darry though—partly because of the voice and partly because Darry's always rough with me without meaning to be.
"I'm okay. Quit shaking me, Darry, I'm okay."
"I'm sorry." He stopped instantly. Darry jammed his fists in his pockets. "They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?"
They did. I was smarting and aching and my chest was sore and I was so nervous my hands were shaking and I wanted to start bawling, but you just don't say that to Darry.
"I'm okay."
Sodapop came loping back. He dropped down beside me, examining my head. "You got cut up a little, huh, Ponyboy?"
I only looked at him blankly. "I did?"
He pulled out a handkerchief, wet the end of it with his tongue, and pressed it gently against the side of my head. "You're bleedin' like a stuck pig."
"I am?"
"Look!" He showed me the handkerchief, reddened as if by magic. "Did they pull a blade on you?"
I remembered the voice: "Need a haircut, greaser?" The blade must have slipped while he was trying to shut me up. "Yeah."
He looked at me more closely. I looked away hurriedly, because, if you want to know the truth, I was starting to bawl. I knew I was as white as I felt and I was shaking like a leaf.
J sighed and pulled me closer to her as she rubbed my back, calming my shaking body. I was surprised at first, but then I hugged back, burying my face in her shoulder. "Shh. It's okay."
I hesitated to let go off J when Soda just put his hand on my shoulder. "Easy, Ponyboy. They ain't gonna hurt you no more."
"I know," I said, but the ground began to blur and I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. I brushed them away impatiently. "I'm just a little spooked, that's all." I drew a quivering breath and quit crying.
Soda rubbed my hair. "You're an okay kid, Pony."
I had to grin at him—Soda can make you grin no matter what. I guess it's because he's always grinning so much himself. "You're crazy, Soda, out of your mind."
Darry looked as if he'd like to knock our heads together. "You're both nuts."
Soda merely cocked one eyebrow, a trick he'd picked up from Two-Bit. "It seems to run in this family."
I wiped my eyes hurriedly. "Didya catch 'em?"
"Nup. They got away this time, the dirty..." Two-Bit went on cheerfully, calling the Socs every name he could think of or make up.
"The kid's okay?"
"I'm okay." I tried to think of something to say. I'm usu ally pretty quiet around people, even the gang. I changed the subject. "I didn't know you were out of the cooler yet, Dally."
"Good behavior. Got off early." Dallas lit a cigarette and handed it to Johnny. Everyone sat down to have a smoke and relax. A smoke always lessens the tension. I had quit trembling and my color was back. The cigarette was calming me down.
I offered J a cigarette, but she refused. "I don't smoke."
"Really?" I asked. "Why not?"
"It's bad for your health." She told me and I shrugged.
Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Nice-lookin' bruise you got there, kid."
I touched my cheek gingerly. "Really?"
Two-Bit nodded sagely. "Nice cut, too. Makes you look tough."
"I can help with that." J said pointing to my bleeding cut. "Just don't freak out, okay?"
I nodded, anxious to find out what she was gonna do. To my surprise, she pressed her lips to my cut and I blushed. When she pulled away, I saw everyone else's facial expression. They were all in awe.
"What?" I asked.
"It's gone…" Soda says.
I felt the side of my head. He was right. It was gone. Next thing I knew, Darry had kicked J to the ground. "What are you? A witch?"
"The hell? No! I'm a fairy." J told us.
"More like an angel." Dally said.
"Back off, Dally!" J growled.
"How do you know my name?" Dally asked.
"I know all your names, Dallas. Darry, Sodapop, Two-bit, Steve, Johnny, and of course, Ponyboy." J pointed out all our names. "All characters from my favorite book and movie."
"We're in a movie?" Sodapop asked.
"And a book." J added.
"And you're a fairy?" Two-bit asked.
"Yup. J the Superfairy from the year 2019." J says. "This is an old book."
"I'll say." I gasped.
"Yeah. Where I'm from I'm a superhero. In 2019, the technology is much better, and we dress like this. There's also no greaser/ Socs rivalry. I mean there's still hate and discrimination in the world. It's just not as bad." J explained.
"Must be nice." Said Johnny.
"It is." J said. "The movie/book started when Pony was walking out of the movie theater. It's funny cuz Ponyboy writes the book for his English class at the end."
"Interesting. So it ends where it starts and repeats itself." I say.
"Exactly." J smiled at my understanding. Then turned to Darry with an angered expression, yet her voice was still calm. "And Darry, where I come from, a man who hits a lady is no man. Especially after I saved your baby brother's life." She dusted herself off and got off the ground.
"Sorry." Darry apologized and actually seemed sincere about it.
J cracked a smile and rubbed Darry's shoulder. "It's okay. But I'll get you back one day and you'll never know what hit ya."
Darry laughed. He actually laughed. But by the look J was holding, I'm guessing she meant what she said. That's when Darry's face looked more worried now. J had such a way with our emotions, it was unpredictable.
"Thanks for saving my life." I say.
"No problem." J replied brightly.
Steve flicked his ashes at me. "What were you doin', walkin' by your lonesome?" Leave it to good old Steve to bring up something like that.
"I was comin' home from the movies. I didn't think..."
"You don't ever think," Darry broke in, "not at home or anywhere when it counts. You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your nose in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? No sirree, bub. And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade."
I just stared at the hole in the toe of my tennis shoe. Me and Darry just didn't dig each other. I never could please him. He would have hollered at me for carrying a blade if I had carried one. If I brought home B's, he wanted A's, and if I got A's, he wanted to make sure they stayed A's. If I was playing football, I should be in studying, and if I was reading, I should be out playing football. He never hollered at Sodapop—not even when Soda dropped out of school or got tickets for speeding. He just hollered at me.
J rubbed my arm, comfortingly. "He doesn't mean that."
Soda was glaring at him. "Leave my kid brother alone, you hear? It ain't his fault he likes to go to the movies, and it ain't his fault the Socs like to jump us, and if he had been carrying a blade it would have been a good excuse to cut him to ribbons."
Soda always takes up for me. And now J is here too.
Darry said impatiently, "When I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid brother, I'll ask you— kid brother." But he laid off me. He always does when Sodapop tells him to. Most of the time.
"Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy," Two-Bit said. "Any of us will."
"Speakin' of movies" Dally yawned, flipping away his cigarette butt. "I'm walkin' over to the Nightly Double tomorrow night. Anybody want to come and hunt some action?"
Steve shook his head. "Me and Soda are pickin' up Evie and Sandy for the game."
Darry sighed, just like I knew he would. Darry never had time to do anything anymore. "I'm working tomorrow night."
Dally looked at the rest of us. "How about y'all? Two-Bit? Johnnycake, you and Pony wanna come?"
"Me and Johnny'll come," I said. I knew Johnny wouldn't open his mouth unless he was forced to. "Okay, Darry?"
"Yeah, since it ain't a school night." Darry was real good about letting me go places on the weekends. On school nights, I could hardly leave the house.
"I was plannin' on getting boozed up tomorrow night," Two-Bit said. "If I don't, I'll walk over and find y'all."
"How 'bout you, pretty lady?" Dally asked, swinging his arm around J's shoulder. "You wanna come?"
J removed Dally's arm from around her. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it."
"Please!" I entreated.
Everyone looked at me. I probably sound real desperate, begging like I was, but I really wanted her to come. I'll probably never hear the end about it from the guys later.
"Okay." J says. "Anything for you, Pony."
I knew I was blushing behind my smile. And I knew that everyone else knew too.
Steve was looking at Dally's hand. His ring, which he had rolled a drunk senior to get, was back on his finger. "You break up with Sylvia again?"
"Yeah, and this time it's for good. That little broad was two-timin' me again while I was in jail." Then he looked at J.
"Don't get any ideas, big boy." J said. "So you better keep the damn ring on your crusty ass finger and shove your flirting up your ass. Leave. Me. alone."
Everyone seemed to be both shocked and impressed at the same time. But Dally looked a little hurt. "Okay…"
What is J doing to us?
After most of the gang had left, it was just J, me, and Johnny, sitting in front of my house getting to know her better. She's into all the same things I am; reading, writing, movies, even sunsets.
"Hey, Pony! You got homework!" Darry called, but I ignored him.
"I'm gonna go." J stood up.
"Why?" I asked.
"Cuz you have to do homework. I don't want to distract you. I want to be on Darry's good side, you know." J told me.
I frowned. "How old are you, J?"
"Fifteen. Why?" she said.
"Well, if you're a year older and from the future, you ought to be real smart. You can help me with my homework. Or that can be our excuse anyway."
"You're cute." J smiled and rubbed my hair. "But I don't know if Darry'll have it. Finish your homework. We'll meet up later and watch the sunset together."
"But what if I'm still not done, and the sun sets before I see you again?" I say.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early." J sat down again. "And we can watch the sunrise."
"Please stay." There I was, begging again.
J pressed her lips to my cheek. "It's real hard to say no to you, you know that?"
I smiled. I stood up and offered a hand to J, pulling her up.
"Bye, Johnnycake." J hugged him and kissed his forehead. "Stay safe, alright?"
Johnny blushed, nodding. "I will, J."
I didn't dig seeing J with Johnny like that. I know J is just real friendly, but watching J kiss or even hug anyone else didn't make me feel so hot. Was that selfish? Maybe, but this girl has such an effect on me, on all of us.
"Ponyboy!" Darry yelled.
"Let's go." I quickly grabbed J's hand and went inside with her.
"Why is she still here?" Darry asked.
"She's gonna help me with my homework." I told Darry. He stared at our hands. I gripped J's hand tighter, not willing to let her go. This time I wasn't taking no for an answer. "Please?"
"Alright." Darry says. "But you're doing homework in there, not anything else."
"What would we be doing?" J smiled innocently, yet flirtatiously at the same time, but she obviously was playing dumb. Darry's and my face went red. "Oh stop. You know you love me."
"Um, let's go." I pulled her with me to me and Soda's room. Sodapop was hanging on our bed. "Out."
"Hey, J." Soda greeted.
I rolled my eyes. "You have a girlfriend, Sandy, or did you forget?"
"What?" Soda asked.
"Sodapop was just saying hello, Pony. There's nothing wrong with that." J told me, letting go of my hand.
"Yeah, there ain't nothing wrong with saying hello, Ponyboy." Soda said.
"Out!" I repeated myself.
Sodapop frowned and stood up. He left the room without a sound. I guess I felt bad for hollering at my brother, but I just wanted to be alone with J.
"Ponyboy!" J scolded. "What the hell's gotten into you?"
"I-I don't know. I don't usually yell at Soda. I just wanted to be with you. Alone. I—"
J's glare broke into an understanding smile. "Oh Pony, you don't have to be so protective of me. I'm a big girl. I can kick ass if I wanted to. Dally's in particular."
"Oh, I know." I said. "I think you even hurt Dally's feelings."
"Dally has feelings? Who knew?" J says sarcastically.
"I'm serious. You have an affect on all the guys. You made Darry laugh. You made Dally feel bad. I bet Soda or Johnny are gonna fall for you. How do you do it?"
"Yeah, I call that the fairy affect. Along with making people comfortable to save them, being a superhero and all, I'm alluring to the eye as well as to the heart. So, when I enter to movie world I am almost impossible to push away in the case that someone finds me as an intruder to their world. You have to love me, under any definition. I have the power to put a love spell on anyone. When I say it out loud, it sounds selfish. But not all my charm is from the fairy affect. It comes from me. I would never force such love on anyone, for it's not real love, but an illusion. You guys are attracted to my beauty—which is the fairy affect—but your hearts are true, golden. You befriended me from your own choice."
"That makes sense..." I say, listening to her every word.
"I'll talk to Dally if you really think I hurt him." She replied.
"Yeah. You should." I say, pulling some books out of my bag. "Let's do my homework."
"I can't figure it out, J." I said, pretending that I don't know nothing about the math so she'd help me.
"Well if there are fifty pieces of fruit," J scooted closer to me and my face heated up. "and twenty-five of them are apples," she moved even closer to me. I bit my lip real hard. "what percentage of the fruit are oranges?" J was now so close, our lips almost touched.
All she did was ask a math question and I was burning up. What is this girl doing to me?
"fifty percent."
"That's right, big boy."
I leaned in to kiss her and she brushed her lips against mine. But then she quickly pulled away and I nearly fell forwards. Did she regret it? I looked up at her with hurt eyes and saw her giggling. She teased me. I heard Sodapop and Darry laughing from behind the doorway.
"That's what you get for being jealous." She giggled. "I'll kiss ya, just not when we have an audience as well as when you learned your lesson."
"I… learned my lesson." I say.
"Nope." J said, holding my cheek. "Sorry for teasing ya, but damn, your face was priceless."
"I'm glad you found it amusing." I replied, sighing.
"You're the main character. Everything is in your prospective." J said, changing the subject. "And you're one of my favorites."
"One of?" I asked. "Who's the others?"
"Sodapop…" J says softly and I looked down, hearing a faint "Yes!" from Soda.
"Soda is not competition, Pony." J told me, lifting my chin.
"But he's all movie star handsome. And I ain't nothing special. I'm… I'm just me."
"Aw, Ponyboy. You're so much more than "just you." You're Ponyboy Curtis. The boy who loves sunsets, who's so down to Earth. You're really something special. And if this is "just you," then it's exactly what I'm looking for." J hugged me tightly. "Just you" are no match for Soda. Or Johnny. Or anyone else. I love you all, every character—of the greasers—but I love you in a different way."
"Really?" I asked, hugging her tighter.
"Really." J responded. She pulled away and pressed her lips softly to mine, pulling on my hair as she became rougher. "I also love your long greasy hair. Don't know why those Socs would wanna cut it off."
The girl knew what she wanted and dug being in control. She was on top of me on the bed kissing me voraciously. But that's where it hasta stop: kissing.
"No more than this, all right?" I said between kisses. "I can't do nothing else with ya."
J stopped kissing me for a minute and stared at me disappointingly.
"I'm sorry." I apologized.
"No, um, that's not it." J says. "I'm just surprised you'd think I'd take advantage of you, Pony. You're fourteen, practically a baby."
"I'm not that little…" I blushed.
"No, you're just real cute..." J rubbed her thumb against my chin and started kissing me again. "…Baby."
My ears grew hot hearing her call me baby like that. I ain't never kissed a girl before, but obviously J had a little more experience. Which made me wonder. "Didya have and boyfriends before me?"
"Not important." She continued to kiss me, but I wanted answers.
"But Didya?" I asked.
J stopped kissing me. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. What's it to you?"
"How many?" I asked.
J's face grew hot and twisted with anger. "A few. That's not important. And it's none of your damn business."
"It's just a question. I just wanna make sure I'm not dating a player or somethin'. You're fifteen and you've had a few boyfriends?"
"Goddammit, Ponyboy!" she scolded and I flinched. "A player? Me? Just because I've had a few boyfriends, does not make me a player! If you think I've token advantage of the fairy affect, you are wrongly mistaken. Maybe those boys hurt me. Maybe I fall to fast. Damn, Pony, you could just be another one. I don't toss around my boyfriends. And who said you were mine now?"
J was crying now. I didn't know what to say. My heart broke, hearing her say those things. I didn't mean to hurt her or make her cry. She got off of me and left the room, glaring at my brothers who'd been listening. I followed her and grabbed her hand before she left through the front door.
"What about the sunset?"
"Watch it alone." J stared at Sodapop and then at me. "You think I'm a player?"
J didn't even hesitate to crash her lips into Sodapop's. My vision blurred with tears. She pulled away. Soda seemed surprised, but not bothered by it. He had a goofy grin and his cheeks were red. J turned back to me with a piercing glare, but her expression softened when a started to bawl.
"That meant nothing." She said. "But I always wanted to do that."
"I'm sorry I misjudged ya, but ya didn't hafta kiss Soda." I said.
J bit her lip, she was obviously still angry with me. But seeing me cry made her feel bad. I gave up and trudged back to my room, but she followed me and sighed. "I'm sorry, Ponyboy, I was just upset." She pulled me for a hug that I didn't want to escape, even if she did just kiss my brother. I dug my face in her shoulder.
"I probably deserved that, but it still hurts. Don't do that again. Please."
"Shh. I won't. I'm sorry." J pressed a kiss to my head. "I really like you, Pony."
"Me too." I looked up at her.
"You know what I just realized?" J asked and I shrugged. "I like it better kissing you than Sodapop."
"Good." I held her tighter and looked up at her with pleading eyes. "K-Kiss me. Please."
"With pleasure." I was back on the bed with J on top of me, making-out. J looked out the window for a moment. "What about the sunset."
"I don't give a hang about no sunsets when I'm with you." I told her and we resumed.
Soda walked in on us after a while. He stood wide-eyed when he saw J sitting on top of me on the bed.
"Am I interrupting?"
"Kinda!" I snapped, wiping J's lipstick off my mouth.
"I didn't do anything bad with him. I wasn't going to do anything bad with him. Please don't kick me out!" J said frantically as she sprouted wings and flew off of me.
"I won't. it's just Pony's bedtime and—" Sodapop was interrupted.
"I ain't got a bedtime, Soda!" I blushed.
"It's all right." J caressed my cheek. "I have a curfew anyway. Love you, Pony."
"Love you." I returned blushing harshly.
"Love you Soda." J kissed Soda's cheek.
Soda chuckled. "Love you too."
I crossed my arms and huffed.
"I love him too, Ponyboy. I love you all eaqually. But you get the benefits." J said and I smiled. "Love you too, Darry!"
"What? Did she just say she loved me?" Darry asked. We laughed.
"Yes! Favorite movie! Obsessed! I just made-out with Ponyboy! And kissed Sodapop! Ahh! Bye!" J flew out my window into the night.
Soda and I laughed. The girl was nuts about us. I dig her so much. I love her. You have to love her. Whether it's in a friendly sort of way or romantically. You just have to love her.
Soda and I changed and got in bed. Lying beside Soda, staring at the wall, I kept remem bering the faces of the Socs as they surrounded me, that blue madras shirt the blond was wearing, and I could still hear a thick voice: "Need a haircut, greaser?" I shivered.
"You cold, Ponyboy?"
"A little;" I lied. Soda threw one arm across my neck. He mumbled something drowsily. "Listen, kiddo, when Darry hollers at you... he don't mean nothin'. He's just got more worries than somebody his age ought to. Don't take him serious... you dig, Pony? Don't let him bug you. He's really proud of you 'cause you're so brainy. It's just because you're the baby- I mean, he loves you a lot. Savvy?"
"Sure," I said, trying for Soda's sake to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
"Soda?"
"Yeah?"
"How come you dropped out?" I never have gotten over that. I could hardly stand it when he left school.
"'Cause I'm dumb. The only things I was passing anyway were auto mechanics and gym."
"You're not dumb."
"Yeah, I am. Shut up and I'll tell you something. Don't tell Darry, though."
"Okay."
"I think I'm gonna marry Sandy. After she gets out of school and I get a better job and everything. I might wait till you get out of school, though. So I can still help Darry with the bills and stuff."
"Tuff enough. As long as you don't take J from me." I said.
"I won't. But, damn she's a good kisser. She almost had me. but she ain't Sandy, and I wouldn't do that to you, man."
Good, but… Wait till I get out, though, so you can keep Darry off my back."
"Don't be like that, kid. I told you he don't mean half of what he says..."
"You in love with Sandy? What's it like?"
"Hhhmmm." He sighed happily. "It's real nice.
Maybe I'm in love with J. it's real nice being with her.
In a moment, his breathing was light and regular. I turned my head to look at him and in the moonlight, he looked like some Greek god come to earth. I wondered how he could stand being so handsome. Then I sighed. I didn't quite get what he meant about Darry. Darry thought I was just another mouth to feed and somebody to holler at. Darry love me? I thought of those hard, pale eyes. Soda was wrong for once, I thought. Darry doesn't love anyone or anything, except maybe Soda. I didn't hardly think of him as being human. I don't care, I lied to myself, I don't care about him either. Soda's enough, and I'd have him until I got out of school. I don't care about Darry. But I was still lying and I knew it. I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.
J visited S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders! Oh my friggin' God! I love this movie/ book!😘😘😘