VERONICA
BEEP- BEEP- BEEP
"Ugh, shut up!" I grumbled throwing a pillow at the alarm clock, I missed and it fell pathetically on the ground. I groaned and threw back the covers and slapped it off, with the annoying sound gone I was tempted to get back into bed but I didn't want to risk having to walk to school.
I slumped into the bathroom and turned on the shower head, I jumped in washing hair fast as I could then dried off and put on my silk bathrobe and walked to my room and then into my walk in closet. I looked and decided on a navy blue pencil skirt and a white blouse.
After that, I tied my long blonde (naturally) hair partly back; it's slightly wavy but I don't like the curly look all my friends seem to like. I put on my makeup and lipstick and I'm done!
I go down the long staircase and walk into the huge door way and I turn to find Stacy honking her Sting ray at me. I huff and run outside "alright, I'm coming" I yelled and jump into shotgun.
"About time, did you hear about our new English teacher?" she asked.
"Uh uh" I replied.
"Well, she's some kind of witch apparently, she's gonna give us some kind of super hard project this semester" Stacy answered and I frowned.
"Sounds awful?" I reply trying to sound sincere but it's hard because I like English.
"Ugh girl, don't even try to sympathize, you're a terrible liar" Stacy tells me distastefully and I shrug my shoulders.
The rest of the way Stacy gossips on the latest news over the summer and we eventually get to school without my ears falling off. I get out of the car and Stacy follows suit with her bag, somebody wolf whistles toward us "lookin good, Veronica" this hood says my name 'Ver-on-ic-a' very slowly. We both glare at him and I flip my hair.
I hate greasers the most; they're all rotten, no good, white trash. I stalk away from them now in a foul mood, my first class happens to be English with our new teacher, Mrs. Hurtz.
Mrs. Hurtz certainly doesn't look like a witch lady; she's young and pretty with long black hair and deep blue eyes. She smiles at the class and introduces herself "I'll try to learn your names quickly but I'm terrible at them so be patient" she explains smiling.
"Now, I teach a little differently than most English teachers, this semester you each will get assigned a book to read. It's all different books assigned to partners, only 2 people and I know this class is even. I'm not letting you pick your own partners" she explained, the whole class groaned.
"Each partners will get one book, both of you will have to write a journal entry about a topic in the book. You don't have to tell a single thing about the book but I will know if you're not reading it because you will have a test every week on it.
"What I want each partner to do is write about something in real life that is something like the book. Themes or symbols like discrimination, money, or bravery is what it can be about and you write a journal entry of when something like that happened in your life.
"You hand it to your partner after that and the other will write his or hers. It's one single journal so you have to work closely not separately" she explained.
I thought about this, it sounded interesting but I didn't like the idea of not getting to choose who my partner was.
"Come up when I call your names and I'll tell you what book your reading" she explained and everyone held their breath or groaned when they got a partner they didn't like.
"Veronica Fanta and Ponyboy Curtis" she called, then did a double take at the name and raised an eyebrow at the greaser who was walking up like I was.
"Nickname?" she questioned him.
"No, ma'am" he replied.
She cracked a smile "well, I think I'll have no trouble remembering your name" she told him and he turned scarlet. He nodded and glanced at me, I glared at him and he looked awayNormally when I glared at hoods, they'd challenge me or smirk and say something back but he didn't do a thing, just ignored me.
"Well, Ponyboy, Veronica, you're getting one of my favorites; Gone with the wind" she said and Ponyboy's eyes widened then he stared at his feet.
If I was being completely honest, Ponyboy was cute; he had messy brown hair covered his eyes when he looked down. His eyes were a pretty gray with a mix of different types of grey and flecks of green in them. He was pretty too, almost like a girl with his long eyelashes but he was also well built and lean. He was pretty tall but I was a few inches taller.
"Is there something wrong?" Mrs. Hurtz asked frowning at him.
Ponyboy shook his head then lifted his eyes "no, it's fine" he replied, there was almost no accent like so many greasers had. His voice wasn't deep but it wasn't high pitched; very smooth, I wanted to hear it some more.
I turned away, blushing at the thought of liking a greaser like him "well, okay, you can take your seats" she replied still frowning curiously "um sit next to each other, I'll be passing out the notebooks soon" she added loud enough for the rest of class.
I sighed and did so, the rest of class we didn't talk much at all, the only thing he asked was how to spell my name. His scrawl was neat so we both agreed to use his fore our front cover, then we left that class. We had to meet the next day after school to read and do our journal entries.
I sighed and went to meet Stacy who was already waiting in her Sting Ray "I gotta go by the DX for some gas, 'kay?" she asked me.
"Alright, hey, what do you know about Ponyboy Curtis?" I asked as she pulled out of the parking lot.
"Ponyboy Curtis? A lot, which aspect of him?" she asked, Stacy was the schools 'Know all, see all, and hear all' and the gossip queen. She was my best friend though, since kindergarten.
"Um… I don't know" I admitted.
She sighed "well, I know he's cute, grey and green eyes, messy brown hair, athletic build; you can't go wrong. He's real smart too, skipped a few grades and usually keeps to himself a lot, real quiet. He's a senior but he's a year younger than us, has a few scholarships from schools because of some novel he wrote" she explained.
"He wrote a novel?" I asked incredulously and she nodded then pulled into the DX, Sodapop Curtis, the heart throb of many girls in Tulsa walked up.
"Full tank" Stacy told him.
"Gotcha" he answered.
"Thanks, doll face" Stacy added making Sodapop smirk, he was handsome with blonde hair and light blue eyes and a dazzling smile. He was one of the tolerable greasers.
"Oh! That's right, hey Sodapop, my girl here is interested in your brother" Stacy told him pointing at me.
"Ponyboy?" Sodapop questioned smiling in amusement. It dawned on me what they were talking about and my face burned "I am not, we're English partners!" I argued.
"English partners?" Sodapop asked, his eyes lit up with curiosity.
"We're reading a book and have to make a journal entry for every chapter" I muttered.
"What book?" Soda asked clearly interested.
"Gone with the Wind" I answered, Sodapop's eyes went wide then he frowned, what was with these brothers and that book?
"Hm… well, good luck then" he muttered, what did that mean?
Sodapop filled the tank up and Stacy drove me home, as soon as I walked in, I found my dad in the kitchen. I hesitated going in the kitchen but I decided to anyway "uh hi dad, you're home" I said awkwardly.
Dad turned and nodded smiling, it was obviously fake "hi sweetie how was school?" he asked, like you care.
"Um fine" I replied.
"Good, keeping grades up?" he asked turning to look for something in the cabinets.
"School just started" I answered, crossing my arms.
"Right" he answered, this was suffocating me.
"I'm gonna go do my homework" I told him.
"Okay" he answered absently, he didn't care about anything, and it was so quiet I could hear a pin drop.
I sighed and decided to go to bed without dinner that night, I couldn't bear to face my dad again, the next day went quick and I had to schedule a time with Ponyboy. I didn't want to return to my house in all honesty.
"Um, can we do our work at your house?" I asked, Ponyboy's face was unreadable and he nodded.
"Um sure, I need to call my brother though, do you mind um… walking?" he asked.
I tried to make a face but I shook my head anyway, he went to a pay phone and talked on the phone "yes… tell Two-bit to shut up… better not ask her that or I'll deck you… uh huh… uh huh… yeah… bye" he finally hung up, exhausted.
"We can start walking now" he told me and I nodded and we started to walk, I was glad I chose to wear jeans today and not a skirt and high heels. I walked along with Ponyboy who seemed to remain stoic and glanced from side to side the whole way.
"It's not pretty" he finally told me.
"Huh?" I asked.
"My house, it's real shabby and there may or may not be some of my friends there so um, don't do that thing you do" he told me.
"What thing?" I asked me frowning then glanced at a shabby looking house.
"That, you purse your lips then look disgusted" he pointed out.
"I don't-"
"Yes. You do" he cut me off and I guess I couldn't deny it since I really did.
I bit my tongue and we remained silent the rest of the way, Ponyboy's house was real shabby but it was cleaner than the ones I've seen with stuff all over the front yard.
Ponyboy opened the door for me and I walked in and he shut the door, as soon as Ponyboy walked in he tackled by a tall skinny boy with rust colored hair.
Ponyboy wrestled him and managed to pin the other face down with his arm behind his back "give up, you no good hood?" Ponyboy asked, he was grinning.
"No way" the other boy replied and Ponyboy twisted the boy's arm "okay! Okay! Uncle!" Ponyboy released the boy who laughed and breathed hard then plopped on the couch.
"Gee kid, I think you're getting as good as Darry" the boy gasped.
"Or you should lay off the cigarettes and booze" Ponyboy quipped making the boy laugh then turn to me, I tried to keep as straight a face as possible.
"Two-bit Mathews, at your service m'lady" he told me grinning.
"Veronica" I replied politely, making him raise an eyebrow.
"Anyway" Ponyboy gestured me to follow, I did so, clutching my bag and sitting at the kitchen table.
Ponyboy leaves and brings back a different copy of Gone with the Wind; we read the first chapter silently then write a dull journal entry. Nothing was interesting really; by the time we were done it was 5:00 pm.
Dad would be home by now "-dinner" I looked at the eldest Curtis brother with surprise.
"What?" I asked, I had zoned out for a minute.
"Do you want to stay for dinner?" he repeated smiling.
"I don't know; I don't want to impose" I replied, yes please! Anywhere but at home!
"It's no problem, how do you feel about hot dogs?" he asked.
I blinked, I hadn't had a hot dog since the year mom died; before we always had barbeques at our house and we'd eat hot dogs and hamburgers and all kinds of things. When she died though, it was like our family died with it.
"Sounds great" I answered smiling sincerely.
"By the way…" Darry added.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Um… well, are you always this… spacy?" he asked, I laughed embarrassedly.
"Not usually" I admitted.
"Good because Ponyboy is likely going to zone out on you a lot, he practically lives in Lala Land" Two-bit added and Ponyboy, who was approaching behind him, shoved him to the side.
It was so odd to see him this way; I guess you really don't know someone until you've walked around in their shoes. From what I've seen from him at school, he was serious and painfully quiet but with these guys. He was happy, full of life, and made jokes all the time.
"Um, can I help?" I asked getting up, Darry blinked.
"Sure, you know how to make relish?" he asked a little taken aback.
"It's my specialty" I replied and he chuckled.
Suddenly, there was a whole flock of people coming in for dinner, I now knew all their names; Darry was the oldest Curtis brother, Sodapop the middle brother, and Ponyboy the youngest.
Then there was Steve Randle and Two-bit Mathews who were always over; Sodapop, Steve, and Two-bit all were playing poker and Ponyboy stayed on the coach and read.
"By the way… how did Ponyboy and Sodapop get named?" I asked, Darry chuckled.
"My mom was a real original woman, she must've let dad keep the tradition and then went crazy with Soda and Pony" he explained, I laughed.
"Tradition?" I asked.
"Yup, the first born son in the Curtis family is always named Darryl but I guess in this family, my name is the odd one" he explained and laughed then the stove went off.
"Guess so" I agreed.
Darry whistled and the boys all came running for food and hotdogs all except Ponyboy, who was still reading.
"How about you go get him" Darry told me, I hesitated but went into the living room.
"Hey Pony" I said and he wasn't paying attention, I called him again and again when I sighed and went to his side. The whole of their gang was watching with amusement AND then I thought of something evil.
I'd always wanted to do this to someone "HEY PONY!" I yelled in his ear, he jumped about a foot almost letting go of his book. He went red when he saw it was me, he got up and marked his page then threw his book on the table beside the coach.
The whole gang laughed, teasing Pony as he walked past me into the kitchen; it wasn't long until I had to go home. I grimaced, I had to walk home or face calling my dad.
"Veronica, do you have a ride home?" Darry asked.
"Uh no, I just thought I'd walk" I replied, god I didn't want to talk to dad.
"No way you're walking without anyone, this neighborhood's dangerous especially for girls" Darry replied firmly.
"I'll drive her" Ponyboy volunteered.
"Alright then, take the truck" Darry instructed digging into his pockets and tossing Ponyboy the keys.
I didn't object since it was better than walking home or calling dad to pick me up. I climbed into the truck and Ponyboy started the engine. "So um, which way?" he asked looking at me, I couldn't see him very well in the dark but it was clear to see his jaw line and collar bone and especially his eyes.
"Um go toward the DX" I replied, trying not to stare.
"Got it" he started driving.
"Right" I replied once we got a ways, we didn't talk much but it wasn't awkward; it was comfortable.
There was a question that I couldn't stop thinking about "um Ponyboy, what happened to your parents?" I asked quietly.
Ponyboy's eyes went soft and smiled sadly "they died in an automobile accident, both of them died within contact, that's what the police told us. Dar had to quit college and get a job at a roofing company and Soda dropped out to work at the DX" he replied.
"I'm sorry" I answered.
"I've got enough sorry's for a live time" he sighed.
"I know what you mean" I told him.
"Hm?" he asked.
"My mother died when I was 12, my dad's never been the same" I replied then pointed to the neighborhood.
"Yeah, for a while after they died, Darry stopped smiling. He'd yell at me for the littlest things, if I got a B in math, he'd yell I should've gotten an A but something happened that kind of brought us together" he explained.
"I just wish my dad would yell, it's like he doesn't even see me anymore" I answered.
I knew Ponyboy didn't know how to answer and that was fine with me, he didn't have to "here" I pointed to my house. It was huge and gorgeous and clean but inside; I knew it was empty and cold.
"Ponyboy" I said when he pulled into the drive way.
"Yeah?"
I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, I'd never done something like that in my life; I'd had boyfriends but none had I ever just kissed on the cheek. All they wanted was kissing and sex, that's all.
"Thanks" I told him.
He smiled a little; I could see his cheeks turning red from the light in front of my home.
"Yup" he said.
I unbuckled and got out but before I shut the door I looked up at him and he stared at me "I think you and your brothers and friends, they're all nice, I think I was wrong about you and maybe about greasers" I added.
A small smile came to his lips "thanks, I think I was wrong about you too" he replied.
I relieved smile came to my face and I nodded and the shut the door, I waved good bye and he waved back then he left. I touched my face, oh god, I had a crush on him.
A bit cliche, yes, a lot cute, definately. If you like it, Review plz? If you don't... REVIEW