In the Heart of Another
Chapter 1: Jonnie Girl
"Hey you guys check this out!" Two-bit ran into the store, where me and Soda were getting some stuff so that Soda could make chocolate cake tonight. We were standing at the counter paying for the stuff when Two-bit ran in.
"What is it this time, Two-bit," Soda said. "Please don't tell me you've got another little kid out there standing around in his underwear."
Two weeks ago we were all sitting in the lot, bored out of our minds, when a couple of kids walked by. Two-bit had the craziest idea. He wanted to see how long he could make the little guys stand around in their underwear before they got brave enough to pull up their pants and run home. It never happened, Two-bit had the kids out there for at least two hours before some cops rolled by and yelled at the kids to pull up there pants. We laughed for days.
"Naw, not today," Two-bit said. "It's even better. Hurry up." Soda and I finished paying for the groceries and hurried outside.
When I got outside I almost had a heart-attack. I felt Soda grab my jacket to brace himself. We both saw and thought the same thing. Johnny.
Across the street there were five Socs surrounding a girl; but she was just any girl. This girl looked exactly like a female version of Johnny. She was a couple of inches shorter than me, she had curly black hair-but it was long- and she had the same scared brown eyes Johnny had.
The Socs had the girl backed up against the building across the street. The girl looked as if she was about to cry. They were saying something in low voices, probably threatening her.
"Lets say we go interrupt some fun," Two-bit smiled. Soda and I shook our heads in agreement. We slowly walked across the street, trying not to make any noise. We managed to get behind them without them noticing. The girl glanced at Soda and he quickly put his finger to his lips. She looked back at the Soc standing in front of her.
"So what do you say," asked the Soc. He girl opened her mouth to say something, but Soda interrupted her.
"Well I don't know what she says," Soda said, as all the Socs flung around, facing us. "But I say you leave her alone."
"What are you going to do about it if we don't, Greaser?" One of the Socs stepped towards Soda.
Two-bit flipped out his switch blade. His smile widened as the Soc back up a step.
"Well we might just have to cut you up a bit," he said.
The Socs all looked at Two-bit. The biggest one who was standing in front of Soda looked at Two-bit as if he wanted try him, but thought better of it.
"Get in the car," he said to the others. They walked to the car slowly. The big Soc turned back toward the girl. "We'll be back for you."
He turned to us, spit on the ground in front of Soda-barely missing Soda's shoe- and walked off. The four of us watched them until the red camaro sped off. We turned to the girl. She didn't look scared anymore, as a matter of fact, she was giving us death glares.
"I didn't need your help, you know," she said in a soft voice. "I was doing just fine on my own."
"A nice thank you would be nice," I said to her. Well I know one thing, she wasn't as grateful as Johnny.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing out here by yourself," Two-bit asked her.
"Minding my business," she hissed. "Which is more than I can say for the three of you."
Soda's eyes widened. I knew what he was thinking. This chic might look like Johnny but she was ten times meaner. Two-but stepped closer to her.
"So what's your name?" The chic looked at Two-bit. I could tell she was thinking whether or not to tell him to back up or just tell him her name. She chose the latter part.
"My friends call me Jonnie Girl, but my real name is Jonette," she told us. Three of us looked at each other. This was just too weird.
"So how'd you get get on the Socs' bad side," Soda asked. Jonette shrugged.
"I was just walking down the street when they pulled up and got out of the car. They surrounded me and started threatening me," she told us. Then she made a disgusted face."They kept calling me a greaser, whatever that means. And I kept telling them that even if I did know what a greaser was, it was probably a lot better than what people called them." Jonette paused for a sec and looked at the three of us. Her eyes landed on Two-bit. "Wait. Didn't that big guy call you a greaser?" Two-bit nodded.
"That's what I am. I'm a greaser," he told her. "We all are." Jonette made another disgusted face.
'Then why'd he call me a greaser," she asked. "I don't look anything like yall." I frowned at her. I was feeling a little bit offended. She didn't even know us and was alredy insulting us. If Dally were here, he would tell her to shut her trap about something she didn't know. And plus, even though she doesn't know it, she does look like a greaser. Johnny.
"Being called a greaser isn't a bad thing," I told her. "Itsbetter than being a Soc any day."
Jonetterolled her eyes at me and sighed. I had only just met her and I already didn't like her.
"So where were you headed, before they came," Soda asked her. Jonette looked at him up and down before answering.
"I don't know," she said. "I came here to look for a cousin of mine but she moved a long time ago."
"So where you headed now," asked Soda. I looked at Soda. Why was he asking so many questions? He certainly wasn't in to her, or I would hope not. I didn't say anything to him. He always had a reason for things he did.
"I don't know," Jonette shrugged again. There was a slight pause while all of us stood there looking at each other. Soda spole first.
"Well, why don't you come with us until you have somewhere to go," Soda said. I turned to Soda and gave him a weirdlook.What was that all about? Why would he invite a complete stranger into our house. I know we always said the guys can come in whenever they want, but Jonette wasn't one of the guys, no matter how much she looked like Johnny.
"Don't you thinkwe should ask Darry first," I said. Soda shook his head.
"You know Darry won't mind Ponyboy,"he said. Jonette let out a snicker. I glared at her.
"What's so funny?" I asked heatedly, even thoughI already knew the answer. She was laughing aty name. I know I should be use to it bynow, but it was something about Jonette laughing at my name that just rubbed me the wrong way.
"Ponyboy?" She said, smiling."What kind of name is that?" All of a sudden I had the urge to slap that smile off her face.
"Well what kind of a name is Jonette," I asked. Jonette ignored me and looked at Soda.
"Who's Darry," she asked him.
"He's our older brother," Soda told her. Jonette gave another digusted look. I was pretty sick of her looks she was giving her and if Darry hadn't threatened to kill me if I ever hit a girl, I might have slappped her.
"All three of you are brothers?"
"No, just me and Pony," Soda said. Jonette look a little relieved. "So what do you say?"
Jonette took her time thinking about it. I sighed and tapped my feet impatiently.
"Alright," she finally said. "Two nights including tonight. And no more." She motioned down the street."Lead the way."
Soda and Jonette walked down the sidewalk in front of me and Two-bit. They laughed and talked like they were old friends or something. I didn't like it. I didn't trust that Jonette girl. She was up to something, I could feel it.
By the time we got to the house, Darry was already home from work.When we all went inside, Jonette lingered outside. No one seemed to notice but me. Darry and Steve were inside watching some soap opera.Steve glared at Soda and then at me.
"What?" I asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"What did you two do? Go to Texas to get groceries?"
"We had a bit of a problem," Soda said, coming back in the living room. He had been in the kitchen putting up the groceries.
"What kind of a problem," Darry asked, not looking up from the tv.
"Some Socs were in our territory, threatening this chic," Two-bit said.
"Yeah and Soda brought her here like some stray dog," I said, sitting down on the couch next to Steve.
"Don't get wise, Pony," Soda said. "Watch your mouth."
I rolled my eyes. Soda didn't even know this girl and already was taking up or her.
"Well where is she," Darry asked, now looking around. Two-bit and Soda looked around the house.
"She's still outside," I said. "She didn't come in when we did."
"Well how come you didn't invite her in, Pony," Darry asked as Soda went outside to find Jonette.
"I didn't bring her home," I said. Darry gave me a look. Soda came in with Jonette following slowly behind him. She held her head like she was in trouble. She looked like a little three year old who was about to get yelled at. Darry looked at her sympathetically, but I saw right through her. Was I the only one in the house that didn't have a weakness for girls? Sometimes I wonder about us guys.
"Darry and Steve, this is Jonette," Soda said. Jonette looked up and Darry and Steve froze on the spot. They saw it, too. I looked at Darry. He looked like he didn't know whether to smile or run. Steve just stared blankly at Jonette. They didn't know what to say. She looked just like Johnny. What else was there to say.