Emily Curtis
Chapter Two
I was walking down the hallway to the basketball court when Mary and Katie caught up to me.
"Hey Em, ya ready for practice," Mary asked as she fell into step beside me.
"Oh yeah, I can't wait to work so hard that I will hardly be able to stand tomorrow morning," I answered sarcastically
Our coach, Coach Hanson was a real slave driver. He was one of those coaches who always wanted you to win, he didn't care if it was fun or not, he just wanted to win. It really annoyed me sometimes; there was no team spirit during a game just him barking orders from the sidelines.
"Yeah, well I'll see ya at work later Em," Katie said as she took off down the hall in the other direction.
Mary and I continued walking through the halls towards the change rooms; well really it was more like pushing and shoving our way through, but we eventually got there.
"Hey Curtis, hey Randle," we got chorused with by team mates as we stepped foot into the change rooms. We replied politely and began changing into our gym clothes. I was chatting to a girl on the team, Linda Patterson, about the big game this Sunday. It was a semi final. If we won we would be playing The Hawks, a team from Oklahoma City, in the grand final. The final was being played in Oklahoma City, it was also being televised!
As we all made our way to the outdoor basketball court we began to get excited at the thought of playing in the grand final. Our school had never in the whole history made it that far and it would be really cool to captain the first team. We have to play in the outdoor court for now because last week a bunch of boys broke in and completely vandalized the indoor court, the repairs are still taking place.
"Okay listen up!" Coach Hanson bellowed to get our attention.
We all turned and walked towards him. He was a fairly big guy, probably about Darry's height, but not as muscular, just fatter. He has dark hair that's starting to turn grey and always has the same evil expression on his face. He's just selfish and cold hearted. He's new this season, we had a different coach for the three seasons I played prior to this one. I really liked him, he was really nice. He actually cared about each individual player, not just winning the game. He was really great when mum and dad died. He was there to listen when I needed someone outside of my family to talk to and could offer some really great advice. But his wife got sick just before the new season so he quit and they moved to the city. Leaving us with Coach Hanson.
"I want you to do some stretches and then run five laps around the outside of the court for your warm up." He ordered, then wandered back to the bench and sat down.
Groaning we reluctantly began our stretches and started to jog around the outside of the basketball court.
The rest of practice went pretty much the exact same way, Coach Hanson yelling orders at us from the bench. Those two hours seemed like the longest, hardest ones of my life, but then again every practice leaves me feeling that exact same way. Sometimes I feel quitting, but I do love basketball just not the coach, also I need basketball for a chance at college and if there's one thing greasers aren't its quitters!
As soon as practice finished I ran back to the change rooms and changed from my sweats into my waitress uniform. Mary was getting a lift home with another girl from the team, so that meant I was on foot by myself to the diner. It's not the safest thing to do around these parts I know, but I gotta get to work some how.
I was half way there when I noticed a green mustang trailing me.
"Great, that's just what I need," I mumbled to myself and quickened my pace a little.
"Hey there gorgeous," some drunk soc slurred leaning through an open window.
'And they're drunk too, brilliant!' I thought to myself and quickened my pace again.
"Hey, don't ignore us," another one yelled as the car came to an abrupt stop by my side and they began to pile out. There was about five of them. I could probably take one or even two, but five, I was in trouble! They began to circle around me when I heard it,
"Hey, you get away from her right now!" I turned around and saw Soda, Steve, Ponyboy and Mary running towards us. The socs looked at them, then back at me, than at each other and took off for their car and sped away.
"They didn't hurt you did they?" Soda asked as they reached my side.
"Nah, I'm fine," I said and turned to continue my walk to work.
"We'll walk the rest of the way with you," Steve told me and fell into step beside me.
"So why were you walking by yourself?" Ponyboy asked.
"I gotta get to work somehow don't I?" I said without looking at any of them. I was tired, a little agitated and I was starting to get a headache. All I wanted to do was get to work so I could get home and go to bed. But of course my teachers have to put a pin in that plan and give out homework.
"Well we'll see you back at the house later, you have a ride home right?" Soda questioned as we got to the diner parking lot.
"Yeah, Katie's working today and she has her car." I answered walking into the diner.
The second I stepped foot in there Katie rushed over to me, "I'm so glad you're here, we're flat out. Can you cover station four?" She said handing me my apron and a order book and pen, before turning back to the kitchen. It was gonna be a long night!
I was right. The night just seemed to drag on and on. When I finally got a moment to think I looked up at the clock and saw that it was only 7:30! What? I still have another one and a half hours of this!
Why is it that when you're having fun time just seems to fly by and when you want time to fly it seems to stand still? Well that's a question I ask myself everyday at work. I've never been able to work the answer out though.