-1Oh, by the way, none of this story belongs to me… just Heather. Everything else is S. E. Hinton's. So don't sue me. And also, I currently don't own a copy of this book, so I don't remember Ponyboy's English teacher's name... so, yeah, I'm playing this by ear...
I felt real stupid when I finally made it to class. I was late; I forgot the way to the English room and had been wandering around for what must have been half the period. There goes my chance to show my teacher how far I'd gotten...
But at any rate, I eventually stumbled into class and everyone was staring at me with their smirking faces, whispering to each other.
Except one. Heather was in the very back, looking at me kind of sadly. Like she knew exactly why I was so late.
"Ponyboy?" Mr. Jones asked, "Is there any reason why you're tardy?"
I went red again. "N-no sir." I stuttered, then made my way to my desk.
Mr. Jones regarded me uncertainly, then shrugged and went on with our lesson. Just a bunch of stuff about direct objects and all the grammar. My eyes started to droop. I hadn't realized how tired I was. Soon Mr. Jones' voice was just a faint jumble of words, and my vision came in and out of focus...
"Let's give the greaser a bath."
My head was shoved under and my scream lost to the water. I thrashed against their grip, but they only dragged me farther down. Bubbles flew up from my mouth and around my ears with a sound like distant thunder. I threw my eyes open, trying to see a way out, but they stung and I had to close them again.
My lugs burned, begging for just one breath... someone was screaming... people were running but I was too weak to follow... then everything went black... except for the blood. There was so much blood... pooling beneath me... flowing out of me... I was drenched in it...
I can't breathe...
I can't breathe...
I CAN'T BREATHE!!
I jumped awake, gasping in air as fast as I could. My clothes stuck to me with cold sweat, and I was shivering like mad.
"Ponyboy?!"
I jerked my head around and found Heather standing beside me. Mr. Jones was coming toward us, his eyes flashing with worry. There was no one else in the room. I tried to say something, but I was breathing too hard to form words, and my mouth just opened and closed uselessly.
"Ponyboy, calm down." Heather put her books down on the desk beside me and gently put her hand on my forehead. "It's just a dream. You're fine."
I blinked rapidly and rubbed my eyes. Just a dream... just a dream...
"What happened?" Mr. Jones asked Heather hastily.
"Fell asleep in class. Guess he had a nightmare."
"Ponyboy, are you alright?" he asked.
What a stupid question.
It took me a few moments to answer him, I was breathing so hard. "Y..Yeah, I'm okay. Ju-Just--"
"Has this been happening often?" he inturrupted.
"Well..." I paused to breathe again, "Sort of, but--"
"When did they start?"
"Look, sir, I'm fine." I said, a little annoyed, and stood up. Why wouldn't he listen? "I just didn't sleep well last night but I'm okay. I promise." I stood up and grabbed my things, then paused. "Where is everyone, anyway?"
"The bell rang a few minutes ago." Heather explained. "You were asleep. I was trying to wake you up, but... you just... I don't know... It looked like I was... hurting you."
I turned to face her. I can't really explain the look in her eyes. I could see so many things in them at once, but the two that stood out the most were concern and... understanding? How could she know..? I was stunned for a second, but quickly came back to my senses.
"I'm fine." I repeated as I picked up my books. "I'll go home and take some asprin or something."
Mr. Jones nodded. "Make sure you tell your brothers about this, Ponyboy. Maybe you should see a doctor."
I didn't say anything, just left the room with my arms around my books. I was still shaking.
"I'm home!" I mumbled half heartedly as I stumbled through the door, but I tripped over the door jam and my books went flying. I'd forgotten to go back to my locker and get the rest of my homework. I sighed angrily and got down on my knees to pick everything back up.
"Whatcha doin' down there, Pony?"
I looked up to see Soda, his face smeared with chocolate icing, putting a plate and fork in the sink. He smiled playfully at me.
"Dropped my stuff." I said bluntly. "What are you doing home?"
"Boss gave me the day off since I worked double last week." He came over to help me.
"How was school?"
I thought about Heather and her bright eyes, how she seemed just to appear everywhere, how she was so eager to help. I thought about my dream, the memory of the night at the park with Johnny...
"Fine." I grunted. "Just fine."
"Good, good." He handed me the last of my papers, standing up. "Where's your backpack?"
"Forgot it." I reached up to grab the paper he held out, expecting to see him rolling his eyes and chiding me again like he usually does when I forgot things.
But he didn't. His eyes went all wide and he paled just a little. "Ponyboy..." he whispered.
I was confused. "What?"
He got down on his knees in front of me and took my face in his hands, looking me over. "Damn, boy, you look terrible."
"I'm fine." I grumbled.
"No you ain't." He stood me up. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Don't you give me that." He was real serious all the sudden, his eyes scanning mine.
"I said nothing happened and nothing happened!" I pulled away from him and went to the kitchen, plopping my books down on the table. I reached into the cabniet above the sink and grabbed the asprin. I shook four or five into my palm and sent them down the hatch.
"Dammit, Ponyboy!" Soda yelled behind me. "What the hell's going on!?"
"Nothing!" I shouted, then ran up to my room. I needed to be alone.
more later... please reveiw!!