I rested my head, on my brothers shoulder, as our dad drove us to our new school. "What's the point of starting a new school, dad?"
"Yeah, you're just going to move us, when you're tired of this place too," My brother continued.
My dad sighed, as he turned to look at us, "Twins, I told you this is not just a substitute position, they want me for a full time gym coach."
My dad grew up in Tulsa, and actually made it out of this town on a football scholarship, almost making it to the pros. That was until he busted his knee, during a major game, and ended up not being able to play anymore. Since he had been so good, he went back to school to become a teacher, and started substituting, all over Oklahoma. He was married to my mom, for three years, until she died giving birth to the two of us. He was a good man, and a great father, just sometimes it got tiring going to a new school, whenever we would move out of a different district.
"And history," My brother, and I, added in unison.
"So they're not getting rid of me," Dad pulled into the teachers parking, and the three of us made our way, into the building. "I already picked up your schedules, there written in your folders, and don't get into trouble."
"Who, us?" We asked in unison again, giving an equal innocent look.
"Adrian, Charly, please be good, you don't want to give me a bad reputation, right?" He grasped both of our shoulders, and sighed, "I promise, we won't move alright?"
"Come along, Adrian," I linked my arm through my brothers, as we walked to where our first class was, which were together, "Here we go,-"
"Again." My brother sighed, leading us to the empty seats in the back, beside the window. "We got literature first."
My brother was twenty seconds older then me, dad would joke saying I was holding onto his leg, when the doctors pulled us out. Adrian, was named after our great grandfather, and he had blue eyes, and raven hair that he gelled back. He stood at five foot, eleven. He was probably my best friend, only friend actually. I had raven hair, and blue eyes, like him. Only I was five-five. We also had the same cream complexion, which we got from our mother.
"I hate your hair like that," My brother commented, as he took his notebook out.
"I'm not trying to impress you," I answered, doing the same with my books. I looked around the classroom, and watched as a couple guys came in, and sat in the spots beside us.
"Steve Randle, Keith Matthews, you two are late," The teacher accused.
"We got lost, Mrs. Hopkins," The one known as Keith said, causing some of the class to laugh.
The teacher sighed, as she looked at the boy known as Steve, "And I suppose you were trying to find him, before you got to class, Steve?"
"Nope, I was at the bleachers, having a smoke," He answered, winking when he noticed me looking at him.
"Detention," The teacher announced, before starting on her lesson. "I am going to break you off into pairs, and the partner I assign you too, will be your partner for the rest of the year."
I looked around the class nervously, being used to working with my brother.
"I want rows one, three, and five, to look at the person to your right, and ask them to move one seat back. The ones in the back, move all the way to the front," The teacher waited, while everyone moved to there correct seat, separating my brother and I.
My brother squeezed my shoulder, before moving to the front, "See you after class, sis."
"Actually Keith, why don't you switch places with Patrick, and come sit in the front," The teacher looked satisfied, as Keith, did as he was instructed. "Now I want you to turn to you partners, and read chapter one, followed by answering the questions at the end of the chapter."
"I get the new girl, ain't I lucky," The boy next to me reached his hand out, waiting for me to shake it, "The names Steve Randle, and your name is?"
"Charly Ross," I shook his hand quickly, before opening my book, "We'll go back, and forth."
"Or you could just read, and I'll just listen," He suggested, with another wink.
"Well if I'm the only one reading, you will miss some stuff, since I plan on reading every other paragraph," I started reading, and smiled when he started the next paragraph.
"So where are you from?" He asked, when we were finished with our assignment.
"All over Oklahoma, and Texas," I answered, looking at the next chapter, "We could start on the next chapter."
"You're lucky, I read at all," He answered, as he leaned back against his desk, and stretched.
The teacher approached us, and stared at my partner skeptically, "What are you guys doing?"
"Nothing, we finished our assignment, Mrs. Hopkins," Steve answered, as he handed her his half of the questions, and then my half.
The teacher looked over the papers, and marked them with a smile, "Looks like we found a good partner for you, Mr. Randle," she handed the papers back to us, and then wrote in her book.
I smiled when I saw the A, in the corner of the sheet, "Good."
"Hey, I got an A," He looked surprised for a second, before crumbling it up.
"What you do that for?" I asked confused.
"She marked it in the book, and it's not like my dad is going to hang it on the fridge," He laughed, before tossing the paper at me, "If it's that important to you, hang it on your fridge."
I sighed, as I placed the paper in my folder, "I'm sorry, if I seem snobby, just this is new for me."
"What's new?" My partner asked, as he tapped his fingers, against the desk.
"Not being partnered with my brother," I answered, glancing up towards the front. "So smoking at the bleacher, is why you were late?"
"No, but that's the type of answer, that she expects a greaser to have," He answered, then stood when the bell went off, but hadn't left, "So where is your next class?"
My brother came up next to me, and showed me his paper, "B plus, what you get?"
"A, of course," I answered my brother, as I looked at my schedule, "I have History with dad," I answered Steve's earlier question.
"We don't have dad, until third, Charly," My brother showed me his schedule, as he looked at mine, both of us gasping in unison, "This is the only class we have together."
"Good luck," I heard the five minute bell, and gave my brother one last glance, before hurrying to my next destination.
"I would had walked with you, if you waited," Steve sat beside me, as I took a seat in the back, trying to keep away from my dad.
"I didn't need anyone to walk with me," I smiled, when my dad came into the classroom, with his arms full with supplies.
My dad was an even six feet, with same hair slicked back as my brothers, and green eyes. He usually wear a sweater vest, with a button shirt, and a pair of jeans, because they were comfortable to him. He put a stack of binders in front of each row, and a box of pencils, along with a stack of business cards he made for students before each school year.
"I didn't know teachers could wear jeans," Steve looked at me, as a binder, pencil, and card, reached him. He raised his hand, not waiting for my dad to call on him, "What is this, teach?"
My dad looked up from his grade book, and smiled briefly at me, before looking at, Steve, "The binders have three dividers in each, one for notes from class, second for graded test, which could be used for future exams, and the third for your homework. The pencils are so you guys don't have any excuse, as to why you don't have one, for when I give assignments, and the cards have my number, incase you have questions about homework, or just want someone to call. I have to inform you, I take the phone off the hook at seven in the evening," He gave a playful wink, before turning towards the black board, "I need to live my life, you know."
I raised my hand, and waited for my dad to call on me, "Aren't you going to tell us your name, sir?"
"Saying as most of you are juniors, I was hoping you'd be able to read, the name placed on your schedules, Miss?" He was smirking, as he looked at his clip board, "Miss Ross."
Steve looked at his schedule, then at me surprised, "You have the same last name."
My dad coughed behind a laugh, as he continued writing on the board, "Glad to know, at least one of you knows how to read."
The rest of the class laughed, before we all started copying the board, after instructed.
I was at my locker, which happened to be next to my brother, and Steve. I was taking the books, of the classes I had homework for, before going to leave. I sighed, when Steve, came up beside us, "Hey, Steve."
"Hey, I was going to ask, if you could help me in some of my classes," He was carrying the binder, and a math book, "I thought I could get good grades, if you help."
"My fridge isn't that big," I teased, then saw my brother, leaning against our dads car, "So was your day, as weird as mine?"
"Besides that B plus, from earlier this morning," He looked over my shoulder, at Steve, who was still standing beside me, "Looks like you got a stalker, Charly."
I rolled my eyes, before turning back to face the other guy, "Fine, my dad has a teacher meetings after school on Thurday's, meet me in his class after your last period, next week."
"Steve Randle," Steve held his hand out to my brother, who shook it politely.
My brother nodded, as he shook his hand, "Adrian Ross, your that Keith's friend, right?"
"Yeah, he's my buddy, we're all greasers," Steve answered, with a proud grin.
"Greasers, and Soc, glad to see that much hasn't changed," My dad joined us, smiling at Steve, "Randle, you're dad use to be on the football team, when we were younger." He looked at my brother, "You still trying out, Adrian?"
"I was actually thinking about joining the track team," My brother answered, tossing his stuff in the front seat.
"That's great son, heard they have a couple scholarships, going for the track team," Dad explained, then looked at Steve, "You in any sports?"
"I did some gymnastics, with a couple of guys, at the YMCA. That was when I was in junior high though," He looked towards a couple of boys, when one shouted his name, before looking back at me, "Hey, we're going to the nightly double tonight, you, and your brother should come."
"It'll be good for you twins, to make some friends," My dad explained, and sighed at our uncertain faces, "It's not a school night."
"Give him our number, Charly," My dad suggested, as the other boys, walked up to us, "Don't give that number out to none of the students, that's our house line."
I felt my cheeks heat up, as I did as my dad suggested, then handed the paper to my classmate, "Here you go, let Adrian, know where to meet you." I jumped into the back of the car, before my dad suggested anything else.
My dad shook the hands of the three other boys with Steve, and exchanged some words with my brother, before he got back into the car without my twin. My dad was grinning at me, as he looked in the review mirror, "You're brother is going to hang out in there house, apparently he knew them, from when Two Bit, asked him to join them for lunch. You could had gotten to know them at lunch, if you weren't such a daddy's girl, Charly."
"I hate this school, Adrian, can't believe he didn't tell me where he was going to eat lunch. I was worried about him, and he was having a good time with friends, while I ate with you in the classroom," I stared out the window, and poked my tongue out, when my dad laughed.
"You're brother and you, need to make friends. You don't have to worry about him, even though I know you think it's hard not to, being twins and all," He pulled onto our street, which wasn't really the best of neighborhoods, but had been my dads old childhood home. "Charly, I just want you to be your own person, and don't hide behind your brother." He smiled at me, before getting out of the car.
I sighed, before following him into the house, "You know, most dads don't want there daughters, hanging out with a bunch of boys."
"Most dads, don't have a daughter, who can defend themselves like mine can," He answered, unlocking the door, and waiting for me to go into the house. "You still want me to take you to the dojo, and sign you up for karate?"
"Yeah, it will count as a gym credit, and it would be nice doing something familiar," I answered, as I walked into the kitchen, and took a frozen lasagna out of the freezer, "I'll warm this up for you dad, so you aren't stuck having nasty ham sandwiches."
"Charly, you need to let me be the dad, and you the child," My dad kissed my forehead, before putting the lasagna back in the freezer, "I will warm up yesterdays fried chicken, alright?"
"Last time you played dad, we had charcoal chicken, which tasted like ashes when I bit into it," I reminded, taking the leftover chicken out of the fridge, and turning the oven on.
My dad turned the oven off, and lead me out of the kitchen, go get changed," My dad suggested, shoving me gently towards my room, "Wear something warm."
"Can't believe I am being punished," I mumbled, as I sat on the couch, wearing my jeans, and a large sweater, "The movie better be good."
"It's not always about the movie, it's about having fun with your friends," My dad was eating his chicken, and flipping through the channels.
"You should come," I suggested, causing him to laugh, "What's so funny?"
"Honey, teenagers don't want to socialize with there teachers, and most certainly fathers," He explained, patting my knee.
The front door opened, as my brother entered the house, with a couple boys I didn't recognize.
"Are you ready, Charly?" My brother asked, looking down at me, then at the two boys, "This is Ponyboy Curtis, and Johnny Cade, the others are waiting outside. Boys, this is my twin, she's the best sister I ever had."
I rolled my eyes, as my brother helped me up from the couch, "I'm the only sister you ever had," I grabbed my purse, before walking out of the house. I blushed, when Steve, who had been standing next to another unfamiliar boy, wrapped his arms around my shoulder, "Steve."
He grinned, not removing his hand, as he pointed to the other guy, "This is Sodapop Curtis, he's Ponyboy's brother, and you remember Two Bit." He pointed to the boy, who I had known as Keith, instead of Two Bit.
"Keith, is Two Bit?" I asked, a little confused, brushing Steve's arm off, before standing next to my brother.
"How old are you guys?" Sodapop asked, looking at the two of us, wearing a very handsome grin, "Your brother was saying, you two were twins."
"Yes, we're sixteen," I looked at Johnny, since I recognized him from the house across the street, "You live down the street, don't you?"
"Yeah, but I am at the Curtis's, most nights," He answered, not taking his eyes off the ground.
Ponyboy looked at his watch, and started walking with Johnny, right behind him, "Let's get going to the movies."
Sodapop walked beside Steve, and my brother, as Two Bit fell behind with me. He reminded me of a movie star, if you liked those kind of guys. "Your dads a teacher?"
I didn't hear my brothers answer, as Two Bit kept talking about, who knows what. I looked at him, and smiled when I noticed he wear a Mickey shirt, "Sorry, what?"
"I was saying, Soda, he has a girlfriend," Two Bit answered, confusing me even more, "Saw you looking at him."
I felt my cheeks get warm, as I looked at my walking companion, "Yeah, it's a bad habit, watching people. I am not interested in him, as anything more then a friend, if even that."
"Steve, is single at the moment," He informed, and laughed as I rolled my eyes, "I think he likes you too."
I stopped walking, and stared at him, a little surprised. Thanks to karate, I was able to school my expression, "I just met all of you guys, Keith. Kind of to early to start thinking about dating, don't you think?"
He just shook his head, and looked at me, "Two Bit."
"I am going to call you, Keith," I ignored the annoyed expression, he wear.
"Friends call me, Two Bit," He urged, leaning against the store window, which we had stopped by on the way to the movies.
"Fine, Two Bit," I turned to walk back home, ignoring as my companion followed me, "Why are you following me, Keith?"
He ignored me using his name, as he stood beside me, "Where are you going?"
"I am going home, don't want to spend my time, with a bunch of boys. I already am out numbered, at my own home," I didn't see where I was going, and ended up tripping, and probably would had fallen if he hadn't caught me.
He still had his arms wrapped around my waist, as he looked into my eyes, "You need to be careful."
"I think I could stand on my own now," I smiled, as I started walking, back towards where we were headed before, "Didn't Pony, say something about the movie starting."
He still had a hand around my waist, as we walked towards the movies, "He did. I think I should keep my hand here, in case you trip again."
"I think I could manage, on my own Two Bit," I smiled when I noticed the other boys, waiting in front of the drive in, "Thanks." Smiling as Two Bit, released his grip from my waist, before the others noticed us.
Steve wrapped his arm around my shoulder, as I approached the group. "We thought Two Bit, might had kidnapped you, or something," he teased, leading me to the ticket stand, and paying for two tickets.
"Why did you get two?" I reached in my purse, before Steve, took my hand, and held it, "I have money, for-"
"He wanted to pay for your ticket, he already told me he was going to at the Curtis's," My brother whispered in my ear, as he handed the ticket lady his own money, for a ticket.
I smiled at Steve, as we started walking, "Sorry I never had someone pay for me before, then again never attended a school long enough, to have the chance," I blushed when I realized I was babbling, "Sorry, I babble when I am nervous."
He laughed, as he wrapped an arm around my waist, and lead me to the seats, "I was going to ask you on a date, but you got into your dads car, before I had the chance."
"Oh, never been asked out before," I sat beside him, as my brother sat behind me with Soda, while Ponyboy, Two Bit, and Johnny, sat in front. "Or had a guy pay for anything, like I said."
He smiled as he wrapped an arm around the back of my seat, "So I'm the first, good to know."
"I think I'm going to get some popcorn," I was going to have my brother come with me, until Steve, stood to his own feet, taking my hand as he walked towards the snack bar.
"Sounds good, let's go," He pulled me closer, as we stood in the line, trying to prevent the others from bumping into us, "It's crazy here Friday nights." He pulled me against him, when a couple kids in front of us, started to fight. "Watch it!"
The next thing I knew, a fist was coming at me, and the only thing that I thought of was to defend myself. So I blocked his wrist with my arm, and swept my foot under his, causing him to fall to the ground.
I blushed, when a couple of kids around us clapped, then looked at the surprise in Steve's eyes, "Sorry, it's a habit. I just saw a fist coming at me, and then my instinct kicked in."
"It was great, I don't know any girls, who can fight like that," He wrapped his arm around me, as he stepped over, the now sitting kid.
When we got back to our seats, Steve, told the others what I did, causing me to blush at the attention. Then wrapped his arm around my shoulders, as the second movie began, allowing me to rest my head on his shoulder.
That was a great night...
