Heey guys, if anyone has stuck around for this chapter. Thanks for thinking its worthy enough of reading on! Sorry for taking so long to write this, it was actually sitting in my documents already finished and just waiting to be looked over. Silly me!
-Akumanya
The Outsiders: Stayin Golden, Chapter 2
Suzie started twirling around with her arms raised above her head; her white dress was waving about. I attempted to raise my eyebrow but failed. Suzie stopped and grabbed my hands. My palms got all sweaty, and I could feel sweat droplets on my face.
"Shall we dance?" she grinned
"There isn't any music" I said, more or less just to protect myself from tripping over my feet like a loon. What a strange girl, I thought.
"Aweh, that's unfortunate" she said as she peered at her watch. "I have to go Ponyboy, perhaps we'll see each other again tomorrow after school?" She whispered into my ear while hugging me.
"Suzie, you do understand that you're a Soc and I'm a Grease, right?" I began "that means that we cannot be seen together, or people will think things… and if they think things that won't be good cause we live to much of different lives."
"I'm not a soc…I'm just a person." She reassured. "So it's not gonna matter if they see us"
"No, you're a soc. You live on the west side, so you're a soc!" I reminded
"What if I don't want to be a soc, have you ever thought of that?" Suzie bellowed, she raised her head at the stars "maybe, I just want to be who I am…and not have to worry about gang rivalry…after I just moved here is all. I never signed up to be one, did I?"
"But your still a Soc, whether you like it or not. It's what your classified as because of where you live and the clothes you wear."
"Shoot, I know…but haven't you ever wished just to be free? To not have gangs? Or categorize people? Wouldn't everything just be so much easier?" Suzie sighed well putting her arms out like a bird
"Yeah, it really would be but that's not how things are Suzie" I reminded.
"Augh, well…" she gulped "well, what if I kind of…sort off…like a Grease? Not saying I do but what if!" she murmured.
"Then I'd say you're tough out of luck!" I snorted not really realizing what I was saying.
"Well, dreamy Ponyboy Curtis, I believe this is good-bye and good night. I must be going home now. Or I'll be in trouble; I think I'm already late actually."
"Right, I have to get home to, Bye Suzie." I related.
When Suzie turned she looked as if she was about to cry, her eyes were filled with tears. Had I made her cry? Was she talking about me? Would people understand if we liked eachother? Those were the three questions I repeated over and over again to myself the whole long way home from the vacant lot next to the movie house.
I opened the door to my house; Soda and Darry were at the table just starting to eat.
"The boys went home?" I asked whoever was listening
"Yeah, a while ago actually" answered Soda.
"You were almost late pony! It's already two minutes to eleven" Informed Darry.
"Sorry, I lost track of time I…" I trailed of and never finished. Darry and Soda both stopped eating and looked up at me baffled. I was turning red and clammy, and they could see that I was sweating more than usual.
"…Pony…?" asked Soda
"Who were you with?" added Darry
"Oh shoot, no one special" I lied
I shook it off, because I didn't want Darry hearing me go on about girls, he'd be awkward then would say something like shoot lil brother, you're already off chasin after girls, then he'd want to give me "the talk", which would be even more awkward then talking about girls to him in the first place. I'd rather just talk to Sodapop about stuff like "girls" then talk to Darry about them, and I don't think Soda would tell me that I have to be safe like Darry would.
I sat down with my brothers and began to eat; the atmosphere was tense and silent from the previous event that had just happened just a few minutes ago. Darry and Soda shot a few concerned stares between each other, as if I wasn't there during our meal. Until I couldn't bare it anymore, so I rammed the last of my food off of my plate and into my mouth, gulped my Coke down and just about choked myself half to death.
"where yah goin' Pony?" Called Darry
"To bed, I'm exhausted from today" I called back
"Bet you are!" Laughed Soda
I heard myself make a weird noise. What did they think I had done out there? Who did they think I was with? Augh, why would I do that at this age? "pfft, they can't possibly think that…" I said to myself. I started to pull my shirt off and my pants and socks of as well. It was a really warm night, a dry warm that makes your nose feel stuffy.
I heard Soda come in so I turned over on my side, facing away from the door. A crease was made in the bed from Soda lying down; He turned putting an arm across my chest.
"So, Pony…is there anything that you wanted to talk to me about?" asked Soda
"Mmmm, nope" I answered
"Nothin' at all?" Soda added then went on saying "Well Darry wanted me to talk to you"
I felt my stomach drop, and suddenly the room's temperature rose. "Jeez Pony, don't freak out it jus' is makin' Darry and I a whole lot more concerned" Soda blurted. I turned towards him and looked at his movie star featured face; his arm slid off my chest from me sitting up.
"Look, Soda I promise I did nothin' bad, nothin' at all"
"Well then, don't act so scarred about today why don't yah go on and jus' tell me what happened today, Promise I won't tell Darrel" Soda urged
"Shoot Soda, don't look at me like that" Soda had a look on his face that was telling me he wasn't going to give up and that he really wanted to know "Oh, fine I'll tell you" damn, I caved in, it's just too hard to say no to Sodapop.
"Well, is it a girl? What does she look like? Is she nice?" Soda demanded
"If you quit talkin' maybe I could tell you!" I half yelled
"So it is a girl! Okay, first, what's her name?" Soda roared
"Her name is Suzanne Souer, but she goes by Suzie." I Began "She's real pretty, she reminds me of a fallen angel or somethin' an I'm not jokin'" I took a breath then continued "she has golden hair, and eyes that are about the same color, she has really pail skin with rosy cheeks, she has really cute dimples when she smiles. An real nice teeth." I smirked in delight of this fine maiden. "She's also really kind, and talks really strangely…She's actually from Canada so she has a funny accent, her English is perfect" I stopped then sat up, Soda followed me with his eyes, he almost looked shocked. "She's perfect I added."
"Shoot kid, your blushin'! Calm down Pony, s'not like she's here or anythin'" Soda remarked
I clapped my hands over my cheeks and felt my face go even hotter, I felt like I was gonna pass out, for some reason I was really embarrassed sharing this with Soda. "She sounds like a soc though, how she's so perfect an all." Soda yawned. I gasped, fiddling with the sheets.
"I guess she does" I grinned
"Well did you guys…?" Soda grinned while making a vulgar jester with his hands
"Augh! Soda!" I screamed so loud it probably would send Darry storming down the hall to burst in at any moment. I felt embarrassed. Darry burst in the door screaming "what is it?" right when I was saying "I didn't, I wouldn't at this age!" Darry stood in the door way with his mouth wide open then he looked relived and calm, as did Soda.
"Oh, now that is settled" Darry started "Pony, we need to talk…" Crap, it's gonna be the birds and bees speech I thought to myself.
"I'm really happy an all that you really like this girl, but you have to remember to be saf- I cut him off before he could finished by blurting out "we aren't goin steady or anything, we haven't even kissed!" I bellowed out "I promise nothing of the sort!" I added.
"Oh? Why not!" Soda yelled, Darry burst out laughing and said "Yeah kiddo why not?"
"What?" I was confused "Oh, I donno, maybe she doesn't like me…but she did call me dreamy when she was sayin' bye, is that good?"
"Course that's good Pony!" Soda answered
"Alright boys, its late and you need to go to school tomorrow" Darry pointed at me "and you need to go to work tomorrow" Darry pointed at Soda.
"Shoot, second last day of school! What if I don't see her all summer?" I asked
"Golly Pony! Think! Just ask her for her phone number." Soda answered
"But what if she doesn't-
"Trust me she will!" Soda explained
"But she seems so untouchable" I sniffed
" S'not like she's a soc or anything" he confided
"Umm, yeah…" I replied
"Alright kids guh-night" Darry interrupted
Everything went quite after Darry left turning of the light behind him. Soda pulled the covers over him faced the other way. "My kid brother is growin' up". This made me snicker. Then I turned in the opposite direction and we went to sleep.
The next morning I woke up to Darry shaking me and telling me that we're late. We didn't have time to eat. Soda and I were arguing over who could use the shower first till Darry screamed and said "jus' let Pony use it you always use it first Soda!" I pushed Soda out of the bathroom and jumped in the shower. Right when I was finished Soda stripped down behind me when I was facing the mirror and greasing my hair back with the comb. When I was finished I screamed at soda to hurry up. When Soda was finished we slid ourselves into the truck. Darry drove Soda to the gas station first because it was on the way to my school, after Darry dropped me off at my school. I raced into the door not replying to Darrel's goodbye. I had English first. I burst the door open all panting and sweaty, mumbling to myself that I have to stop smoking and saying sorry to the teacher.
The whole class stopped what they were doing and looked at me dumbfounded. I turned read then stood up straight and re-said "Sorry"
"Its fine Pony, take a seat" Said Mr. Syme
"Right" I looked at my seat to find that Suzanne was staring at me with a huge grin across her face. I started to blush then she giggled. I wasn't the only one that noticed her staring…
"Well are you just going to stand there starring at your girlfriend or are you going to take a seat?" Asked the teacher
"S-sorry" I stammered.
Suzanne just put her head down as the rest of the class started to laugh. I don't understand how it was so funny though, but apparently they thought it was. Perhaps it was because she's a soc and I'm a Greaser, hmm, who knows! The class was long and boring, and then finally the bell rang. I packed my stuff up and left the class to embarrassed to look back at Suzie.
I headed to science, I really hated the soc that sat right in front of me in that class, he was always starting arguments with me during class or shouting out rude remarks of how I'm a grease. After the bell rang I started to my locker when I was opening it I felt someone tap my shoulder with a tiny finger. I turned, didn't seen anyone in front of me so I looked down and saw Suzie's big gold eyes staring up at me. She's so short I thought just realizing it at that moment.
"Umm, do you mind if I talk to you, Pony?" She asked. I looked around and people were staring at us in the hallway. "Perhaps we could go to the cafeteria?" she suggested.
"Suzie, I can't talk right now. Plus I never eat in the cafeteria" I started to walk away; I felt her tugging on my arm.
"Please Pony" When she looked up at me her eyes were watery and swollen like she was just crying. Then I noticed the marks that were around her neck, they were bruises in the shape of hand marks, you could see the details of the fingers and all. My eyes widened and I grabbed her hand that was grabbing my arm, I bent down a bit so then we could be eye level. "Let's go" Her and I walked out of the school and started to the parking lot, Two-bit and Steve were out there waiting for me to take me somewhere for lunch. But I waved and walked away. Suzie and I were still hand in hand, and in the parking lot I watched as Two-bit's and Steve's eyes followed us. Suzie started to sob; I turned around to look at her. She let go of my hand and put her hands over her eyes and started to ball.
"W-what's wrong?" I asked "What can I do to help?" I was alarmed now not because she wasn't answering. I didn't know what to do… she's a girl…I didn't know how to deal with girls when they cry, should I put my hand on her shoulder and say It'll be fine wanna talk about it?
"n-n-nothing" she said with a shaky voice behind her small hands.
"M-my dad, he snapped at my mom…" she sobbed "He hit her…I tried to protect her and tell him off…and he started…" she stopped and looked up at me taking her hands away from her face and putting them beside her, curling them into fists " started to chock me" she said putting a hand to her neck.
"When did this happen?" I was shocked, how could someone do that to this little angel.
"This morning!" she shrieked. "He was drunk, it wasn't his fault he's not like that anymore, honest!" she shouted then started balling again putting her hand up to her face again.
Steve and Two-bit were still staring at us from Two-bit's car, He finally got his brakes fixed. There was a long pause. There was a lump building up in my throat, before I noticed what I was doing I had bent down and put my arms around her torso, she had her arms around my waist barring her face into my chest.
"Sorry Pony" she blurted
"For what? It's not your fault" I told her
She looked up at me whipping tears from her face. Letting out a smile then a thumbs up to say that she was feeling much better. "Pony?"
"Yeah Suzie?" I replied
"Can we do something after school today? She sniffed "I really don't want to go home" she admitted
"O'course we can, what do yah wanna do?" I asked
"Anything…" she declared
"Well how about we have a lazy afternoon watching the sunset in the lot near my house…then we can think of other things to do afterward" I suggested
"That'll be great!" she boomed