"Ok, Pixie, what are we going to do?"
"Don't call me that!" Jasmine huffed for what seemed like the millionth time. After half an hour of intense debate, they had decided to do their project on pixies which were fairy-like creatures that were mischievous pranksters. They were all very small. While flipping through a book, he had come across a drawing of a small, blonde-haired pixie.
"Hey, she looks like you!" Ever since that moment, Pony had started calling her Pixie.
"Why cant I call you Pixie? Their tiny. You're tiny. It fits." Jasmine rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his arm with the book in her hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Darry watching, laughing into his arm.
"I'm only a few inches shorter than you, Ponyboy Curtis!" As they worked, Darry came into to start dinner. By the time, he had it finished, they had decided on writing a short play about pixies. When Jasmine noticed Darry getting out plates, she jumped up to help. He waved her away and called the others in. Nervously, she sat between Ponyboy and Two-Bit. She tried to make herself as small as possible as the hood beside her waved his hands wildly.
"So there I am, right? Looking at the principal and I says to the guy Hey! I thought she asked for an opinion on her ass! I didn't know she said get to class!" Jasmine giggled as he finished his story. He sent her a wink, making her blush.
"You're cute when you blush, Pixie." She blushed harder at Two-Bit's words. Apparently, they had all agreed with Pony's opinion.
"So Pixie, how are you liking Tulsa so far?" Jasmine thought her face was going to catch fire at being addressed, especially when the man in question was the one she had been thinking about the whole time she had been in the kitchen. She stared at her plate.
"It's been nice so far." Darry frowned as he watched her push around her food. Had he even seen her take a bite? Her plate looked untouched.
"Well, it sure didn't take you long to hook up with Ponyboy." Now it was youngest greaser's turn to blush.
"Shuddup, Randall!" Pony shouted, blushing bright red. Darry glanced at Jasmine who sat quietly, wanting to see her reaction. She caught his glance and quickly looked away, a small smile on her face. She looked at the clock.
"I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow Pony?" They all looked at her.
"You can't walk out there! It's dark!" Jasmine shrugged. She was used to walking in a neighborhood far worse than this one but she wasn't going to mention that. Pony turned to Darry.
"Can you give drive us?" Darry rubbed his face with one hand. He didn't want to go driving all over creation dropping off his youngest brother's girlfriend. He damn sure didn't want to watch Pony kiss her while he had just been sitting in the living room imagining that same thing.
"I'll take ya squirt. I'm headed to Buck's." Two-Bit said as he stood. Darry sighed in relief.
"Thanks, Bit. Help clean first, than you can go." He said, rising to clear the plates. Pony sighed and nodded.
"Can I help?" Jasmine asked but found herself once again waved off. She shrugged and walked into the living room to get her things. Soda and Steve had taken up wrestling again. Steve had him pinned when Soda reached up to muss up his hair. Steve released him with a yell.
"Bastard!" Taking his chance, Soda jumped up. Steve grabbed him by his ankle making him trip into Jasmine. They fell to the floor with a loud bang, Soda on top. Jasmine felt the familiar panic rising through her at the feel of another body pressed against her. Frantically, she pushed at Soda, even kicking at him to get him off. When he was clear, she raced out of the door, leaving three bewildered greasers behind her.
"What the hell happened?" Pony shouted.
"We were just playing, Pone! I tripped and fell on her. I didn't know she would react that way." Pony scooped up her bag.
"I told you! She doesn't like to be touched! Cant you listen?" Ignoring his brother's attempts to answer, he raced after her.
"Jasmine! Wait up! Jasmine!" He caught up with her by the vacant lot. He reached out a hand and grabbed her shoulder. He was unprepared when she swung around and slapped him full in the face.
"Oh my god! Ponyboy! I'm so sorry!" She knelt beside where he was sprawled on the ground.
"Damn, girl. Nice swing." She gave a watery chuckle before bursting into tears again. Pony lifted his hand to comfort her then lowered it. He waited until she finished.
"Wanna talk about it?" She sniffed.
"Do I have a choice?" He smiled.
"Course, but just know. I can be very persuasive." She sighed. Jasmine laid back beside him and stared up at the stars.
"I'll tell you a secret in return." She turned to grin at him.
"What secret could you possibly have?" Pony blushed, thankful for the darkness.
"I'm gay, Jasmine. Johnny and I, we were together when he died. We kept it a secret but we were in love." She was quiet for a moment. He grew nervous.
"That's ok, Pony. If it makes you happy, I support you." They were quiet for a long time. Ponyboy lit a cigarette and blew out the smoke. He was patient. It had taken a lot of patience to get Johnny to open up. He placed and arm behind his hand, letting his mind wander back in time to the times when he and Johnny would sit in the lot and dream out loud. He stilled when he heard her speak.
"My mother was murdered, Pony, nearly a year ago. I was there when it happened. My mother wasn't the nicest person. In fact she hated me. Blamed me for everything. She was constantly out of work with a new boyfriend every time you turn around. They never lasted long and with each new guy it seemed that she hated me more and more. She definitely got more violent." Pony laid still, barely breathing. He stared at the sky but didn't see the stars.
"When I was nine, I was attacked by her boyfriend, a guy named Henry. When it was over, I told her about it. She beat me, saying that it was all my fought. That I was nothing but a slut. I was nine! I didn't even know what sex was, for crying out loud! The second time happened when I was thirteen. It was the same story with mom."
"She even said that I was jealous of her. That I purposely slept with her man as payback. The last time, was the day she died. I was barely seventeen. I came home from school and Larry was sitting on the couch, drunk. Mom was gone. He pushed me onto the couch. I fought him- god I fought him with everything I had but he was just so heavy." Pony felt tears slip down his face but he made no move, wanting her to finish while wanting her to stop.
"Mom showed up right after he finished. She saw me on the couch with my skirt pulled up and him standing with his pants undone. She lit into me. Managed to cut me good. Then she turned and lit into Larry. I ran into the bathroom and locked the door. They were going after each other pretty good. When the gun went off, I knew she was dead. I called the cops. When they showed up, they tried to help but I fought them so viciously that I knocked myself out. Woke up two days later in the hospital." She sat up and leaned over Pony.
"I haven't touched anyone since than Pony. I cant stand the feel of another's touch without thinking of them. They never caught him, Pony. Even in death, my bitch of a mother has ruined my life."