Cherry's POV
She really isn't like the other Soc's She has honey like hair, wears average clothes, and has tons of makeup considering her "Greaser girl" on our side of town. I watched her flip off J.D McCoy, a very popular jock and had a word brawl with Carly his girlfriend. You see, that's why Bob hated Greasers because of his little sister isolating from him after their dad beat her to death with a frying pan. I didn't know that she was going to go from being one of us to a loud mouthed sassy, rebellious teenager. My former best friend is "one of them" a common hood.
"Delilah you reckon you shouldn't have done that?"
"Geez Cherry it was just J.D and Carly. They deserved it."
I shook my head.
"Delilah you know I like to look out for you because your Bobs sister. Besides that, you dig okay."
"Yeah, I know. You dig okay too. But ya gotta understand this is just how I am now."
Even her speech was different. She talked more Greaser now. She always had been to a point. Lately, she was even more so. I decided to lay off for now. This little gift was why we were such good friends. This was why she hadn't been Bob's friend. Granted he was her brother but that ought not to make them not be friends. Surely you could be friends with your siblings. We walked into the school building and after stopping at my locker we stopped at hers. So she was going to class today?
We were still friends sort of. But she had changed slightly after Bob's death. I knew she had to be grieving because I was. I also knew we both wanted to move on from this. We loved Bob in our own ways. The fact was he was gone and we couldn't bring him back. In dealing with our grief we didn't always spend a lot of time together. Secretly she reminded me of Bob even though she was barely anything like him. Maybe it was because she was his sister. Seemed easy enough to make sense. Whatever the reason looking at her hurt. Made me think of her brother. Perhaps she too was reminded of her brother when looking at me
"Hey, look at this fine ass lookin' broad."
"I chuckled at Two-bit's obscenity.
"What's yer name broad, "He leaned against her locker.
She gave him a flirtatious grin and I almost wanted to smile. I have to admit, these greasers are uncommon. They aren't like other hoods scaring off women or robbing liquor stores. There all family and hardworking something that makes us envy them. I was again reminded of Bob. He wouldn't like her talking to them. No matter how greaser she was. He wouldn't have liked me talking to them either. I willed Bob to come out from somewhere, make his presence known.
Of course, I knew he wouldn't. That was an impossible dream now.
"Who wants to know?" She said still eyeing him.
Her smirking face with eyes challenging him. Most Soc girls were too scared to say anything to Greaser guys. That or just looked at them with disgust. Not Delilah. She knew she was a lot like them. Perhaps this was why she didn't feel fear. Besides Two-bit certainly wasn't someone to be afraid of. I didn't expect him to acknowledge my existence. I hadn't acknowledged them since the rumble. I knew it wasn't their fault what happened to Bob. It was still painful especially when I saw Johnny Cade. I knew he was a sweet boy. He still killed Bob. Even though he only wanted to protect Ponyboy.
He'd recovered enough to come back to school. Most regarded him as a dangerous person. Much like Dallas Winston. I could attest to the fact that they were almost nothing alike. The admiration had been there in Johnny's voice when he spoke of Dallas. My mind wanted to tell me he was so much like him he decided to murder someone. Dallas probably was readily capable especially if he or a member of the gang were threatened. Protecting the ones they cared about was something to admire. I knew that wasn't the case for Johnny. I still avoided him because like Delilah it was at times painful to look at him. I felt sure he understood my reasons for that.
I had once told Ponyboy if I ever saw Dallas Winston I would fall in love with him. I meant that at the time. I wondered if that would have been the case if he'd killed Bob. Either way, he wasn't like them.
"I'm Two-bit babe."
"Two-bit? No way that's your real name."
"The real names Keith."
"I think I prefer Two-bit."
"Me too. So how bout it? What's yer name huh?"
"Delilah."
"Well, Delilah how bout we go to the dingo for a coke?"
"Sorry you're a little old for me I think."
"Age ain't nothin' but a number."
"Keep telling yourself that."
Delilah turned without a backward glance and I looked at Two-bit before following her. I saw Marcia coming in the distance and she waved. I smiled waving back and Delilah sighed.
"Cherry I will see ya later."
"Bye Delilah."
Ever since Bob's death and the resulting rumble things had been different. A little calmer but secretly both Soc and Greasers were itching to have another rumble. Well some of them were. Others were likely hoping it didn't come to that. I figured Pony was one of them. Maybe Johnny too. Dallas would probably enjoy it. Results of the change remained everywhere. The death of his best friend led to Randy having so much grief. He broke up with Marcia just after the rumble. That weighed on her mind heavily. He'd been promising marriage to her and now was barely in school.
People treated Ponyboy different from what I could tell. Everyone remained distrustful of each other. You could see it in the eyes of socs and greasers. The warning a rumble could happen any second. I hated it but this was how things were.
Ponyboy POV
I'd tried to get back to normal after everything happened. It got better once Johnny came back to school. Some of the people looked at us worse than before. I knew they blamed us for killing Bob. The worst of it was saved with Johnny. I didn't like it because he was real sorry. No one felt more grief about it than Johnny. We weren't looking for reminders. We were looking to forget about it and move on. I thought of Cherry Valance who wouldn't even look at us. She likely couldn't.
She was Bob's girl and she cared about him. I wondered if every time she saw us coming it brought back painful reminders. I headed to class not feeling optimistic. Couldn't quit now. Darry would skin me alive. Probably Soda too. I took a seat in the back of the English class. I had managed to pass the last school year by some miracle. I gazed around the room and so several socs. Many were at the rumble. I wished anything I had more greaser friends in class. Least Curly Shepard was here. He just got out of the cooler not long ago. Most people didn't mess with him cause of Tim.
It was good to know he would have my back in here. I wished I had Johnny or Two-bit here with me. I stared at the teacher who was carrying a piece of paper that I could only assume had the names of all the students listen in some order. I hated seating arrangements. They would probably have me beside one of the socs. I'd make the mistake of pulling out a switchblade in front of a girl once and she'd not been too keen about that. The teacher spoke instructing everyone to stand up. Yep, seating arrangement. Would it be alphabetical order or something else?
"Ponyboy Curtis."
I winced wondering what people thought when they heard my name. I was famous though I'd call it more infamous. I was no Paul Newman. Golly he wouldn't want to be in my shoes. Doubt anyone would. I was seated at a table right in the middle. Not the best but not the worst either. Least I wouldn't be upfront. That'd be even worse. I just hoped I wouldn't be put with a soc guy.
"Delilah Sheldon."
I flinched as I heard the name. When I laid eyes on her I concluded she couldn't be related to Bob. Looked nothing like him. But boy was she a looker. I'd put her right up there with Cherry Valance. I didn't think nobody was as pretty as her. This girl sure was. I took advantage of her walking towards me and took in her whole form. She had to be a soc because her clothes looked so nice. She wasn't looking like one I'd ever seen. She looked more like a greaser. Some of the other soc would blush at her clothing. I was having a hard time not doing it myself.
Her checkered top was low to her belly button. Her black skirt shorter than any other soc girl's in the room. I'd seen Dally's girl Sylvia wear things like that. Never had I seen a soc do it. Her honey like hair was a pleasure to look at. Her clothes were average but still impressive on her. She wore a ton of makeup. I quickly looked so I wouldn't be caught staring. As he finished calling the names I started to sit down. She smiled at me and I nodded in response. At this point, I wasn't used to anyone showing me kindness that I didn't know. The teacher started to speak.
"Alright class, everyone turn to your partner and ask them five questions. It's important you get to know each other because you won't be changing who you're sitting beside all semester. You have five minutes and go."
"So your Delilah right?"
"Yeah, and you're in Mr. Ballad's gym class Ponyboy Curtis…?
I nodded with a smile.
Wow, what an original name!"
My parents are original," I grinned.
"Ya must be real proud," she said with a wink.
I suddenly saddened. Every day, my life was in shambles because of the train crash. That was why I was such a dreamer to make myself better for them in their memory. I need to graduate in honor so that way Darry wouldn't have to feed me and Soda. We wanted out of poverty, away from constant peer pressure, and bullying. I needed an outlet from all the shit, the drama, and fear. But that's just life having its way with a fourteen-year-old kid. I wonder if it will get better when I turn fifteen but probably not. I know my parents wouldn't want me to feel that way. She seemed to notice my change in expression.
"Sorry did I say something wrong?"
She didn't know. Not about my parents or the fact I'd killed someone. I liked that. Easier to meet people and talk that way.
"No sorry, it's just my parents died. "
"Oh, I'm real sorry about that."
"Thanks," I said nodding gratefully.
"I lost someone important to me too. Just never gets easier."
She was right. I wondered who that person was but I didn't ask. She clearly didn't want to talk about it. If she did then she would have told me.
"So Ponyboy ya got brothers or sisters?"
"Two older brothers, Darry and Sodapop."
"Another original name!"
"What about you?"
"I uh have an older brother. But I have some cousins who feel just like siblings sometimes. So ya know Two-bit?"
"Two-bit," "Yeah I know him all right. A good friend of mine."
"Well, your charmer of a friend was trying to use pickup lines on me this morning."
She said it with a grin so at least she could find some humor in it.
"Yeah, that's ole Two-bit for ya. He flirts with every woman he sees."
"Rats thought I was special."
She smiled again good-naturedly. Boy was she pretty. No wonder Two-bit flirted with her. She was about his type just classier yet still in Greaser form. I didn't want to ask but I did anyway.
"So you're a soc?"
"Well I'm from south side but sometimes I think I oughta be on north side. I am considered a soc though. I can tell you're a greaser."
"Yeah more to me than that though."
I didn't know why I felt the need to tell her that. My interactions with girls had been limited at best. Cherry didn't talk to me anymore. I didn't know why I expected anything different. With Delilah it was different. It was class so it shouldn't be a big deal to talk to her.
"I bet there is."
Delilah POV
This Ponyboy Curtis was a doll if I ever saw one. The teacher had long stopped the discussion and began talking again. I couldn't focus because I couldn't get him off my mind. The name sounded familiar to me for some reason. I couldn't place it. When class was over I grabbed my books and walked after Ponyboy. I would have talked to him more but I didn't want to seem annoying, which was strange because I usually didn't care what anyone thought about me. I could tell this Ponyboy was different.
"Hey, Delilah."
I turned to look at Ponyboy who looked at me shyly.
"Yeah?"
"See ya around."
His smile melted my heart.
"Yeah see ya." I giggled.
He turned to walk away and I headed down the hallway when I spotted Cherry looking at me with a pale face. What was her problem? Something seemed wrong so I walked up to her.
"Cherry?"
"Delilah you know who that is?"
"Yeah, that's Ponyboy Curtis. Sit beside him in class."
"Delilah you could get in major trouble if anyone saw that and knows."
"Knows what? Cherry if this is about him being a Greaser you know I basically am too."
"No Delilah you don't understand. That's not it."
"Okay, then what is it?"
She wasn't making any sense.
"Ponyboy was one of those greasers that Bob and his friends attacked that night. Johnny stabbed him."
My mouth fell open. I would never have thought that. But it made sense his name sounded familiar. Though how could I have forgotten the name? I didn't know Johnny but at least he wasn't Ponyboy who killed Bob. I understood what Cherry was saying completely. If anyone knew I was Bob's sister then something could be said about it or worse. The thing was, no one knew I was his sister. We were never seen interacting with each other. I looked too Greaser and he was most definitely a soc. Most probably assumed our same last name was a coincidence. Which had always been fine by both of us.
"Wow, I didn't know that."
"That's actually a relief."
"So you know him then?"
"Sort of."
"What's he like?"
"Sweet and smart. A real dreamer. Caught up in a bad situation he didn't ask for."
"You talked to him lately?"
"No Delilah I couldn't do that. You know why. Most people knew who he was. So I'm expected to stay away from him and I think that's best."
"You think I should then?"
"You have never listened to me or anyone else."
"Maybe I will start now."
"Sigh, I know he is a very sweet young boy. If anyone knew you were connected to Bob especially in that way you could both get into lots of trouble.
"Thanks for looking out for me Cherry."
"Not a problem."
Cowriter and Plot creator ChillPillBerry.