Something Golden
PLOT:It's been a few months since Johnny and Dally's deaths. Ponyboy Curtis is feeling better, but he really isn't himself. Until he meets Matty, a young girl that reminds him of Dally, Johnny and himslef all at once. Matty has been through things Pony can relate to, they understand one another. The two begin to fall in love. But being greasers and having Socs around that's never an easy thing.
Chapter 1
I use to enjoy the first day of school, but this year I wasn't looking foward to it. But Darry said I had to go, that's the one day he wasn't gonna let me miss out on. No way. It would be a bad first impression, he said. And it's already hard enough making a good one since I'm a grease.
There were some things that were going okay. My hair was begging to darken up and grow back out since I cut it a few months back, Darry and I were getting along much better, and I was slowly getting over what happened with Johnny and Dallas. I still can't look at a sunset without thinking of that morning back at the church though. Back when Johnny was still alive.
His parents have left town since he died, which isn't so much of a big deal since they were both scum. Beating up Johnny like he wasn't even human. But everytime I walk by the old house I feel like Johnny should be running out of it, asking for a cigerette or something.
But this morning, as I walked to school, I had a different feeling. Someone was in there. I already knew somebody would be moving in, but I didn't know when. Must of been yesterday, because when I walked by it didn't feel empty anymore.
The walk to school is a long way, all the way on the other side of town. A lot closer to the South side, since mostly Socs go there. In fact, I'm the only greaser. Makes me stick out. And with my hair and what happened with Bob and Johnny will sure make me stick out more.
I took every shortcut I knew to get to school on time. I made it into the homeroom I was assinged to a few minutes before the bell rang. I sat on the middle of the row, but not in the dead middle. I was already gonna be the center of attention today. I sat closer to the door, where it was faster to get out.
I was the first kid there. Sure enough, more kids came in, stared at me, whispered in one another's ears like I wasn't even there. I acted like I didn't care. Made a tough face, like Dally would have. I never though I'd say this, but boy do I miss him. All the desks began to fill up, by the time the bell rang only was left. First row, dead center, that's always the last seat to be choosen. Turns out my English teacher from last year was my homeroom teacher. He sure did like that theme I wrote. Gave me an A+, said it showed true feeling and passion.
A couple of minutes after class started, there was a knock on the door. A pretty girl walked in. Really pretty. She was about 15; hair that was a mix of gold, like sunshine, but brown too, like chocolate. I never saw hair that color before, but it sure was pretty. But everyone could tell right off the bat she wasn't a Soc. She was a greaser. She was dressed very nice though, she had a skirt on and everything. But everyone could sense she was a greaser.
"Sorry for being late, it's my first actual day here. I'm Madeline Dallas." Dallas, that scared me a little. Her last name was Dallas, hopefully she wouldn't act like him. She sure looked too pretty to. "Well, Miss Dallas, maybe you could use a tour of the school. Mr. Curtis, would you like to show Miss Dallas around later?" She looked over at me. Her eyes were a mix of green blue and grey, they were tuff. "Yes sir" I answered.
She sat in the last avabile chair. Everyone was looking at her, but she acted like she didn't care. I couldn't concentrate on anything else throughout homeroom. During the next class I was allowed to show her around. It was history, a subject I was never fond of; so I wasn't missing out on much.
"So, Madeline..." I started. "Don't call me that. I hate that name. Only adults call me it. Call me Matty." Matty, that was a boy's name. But for some reason, it fit her. "Fine then, Matty, I'm Ponyboy Curtis."
"No really? What's your real name?" She looked at me like I had two heads. "That's it. I'm not joking, I also have a brother named Sodapop." I said. "Do you have a sister named Bubblegum?" Matty asked. "No, just another brother named Darrel."
"I'd like to meet your parents." She said. "They're...they're dead." I told her. She looked at me. But not the look I usually get from people when I tell them about my parents, this one was different. "Oh. I'm real sorry, Ponyboy. I don't got a mother either." She answered, her vocie changed. It went from sounding like Dally...to Johnny. "Sorry. My brother Darrel is 20, takes care of me. Soda's 17, works at a gasoline station, full time." I said. "I just got my old man. I sure don't like him though. This is my sixth time moving." She explained.
"Where'd you move to?" I couldn't help but ask. "All the way on the other side of town. That's why I was late to class, it took me forever to get here. I moved into some house, some old grouches use to live in it. I heard they had a son that died..."
I couldn't believe it. She moved into Johnny's old house. I didn't wanna tell her that though. "Um, I live near there too. A few houses down, actually." I said. "How'd you get to school on time?" Matty asked. "My brother, we call him Darry, he made me leave for school early. Plus I know a few shortcuts." I didn't tell her I found them from running away from Socs trying to start a fight or jump me. "Maybe you could show me them sometime." She said. "Yeah, sure. No problem." I answered. It was quiet for a minute.
"Well, Ponyboy Curtis, are you going to show me around this school or what?" Matty finally asked. "Oh yeah, sorry. Well, right over there is the Biology lab..."