This chapter is from Tina's P.O.V
I do not own the Outsiders
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"Tina, Pone are you guys ready?" Darry shouted from downstairs. Sure I was dressed but there wasn't a chance I was prepared for tonight. It was parents evening at the school or in our case legal guardian/older brother evening I already know how this is going to pan out. Ponyboy will get told about how amazing he's doing and how they reckon he could be on his way to getting a scholarship one day then their attention will turn to me and in a far more diplomatic way they'll say it's such a shame how I missed out on getting any of the family intelligence. I'm not stupid but I'm nothing like Pony, good grades just come naturally to him. It would be okay if we weren't in the same year at school, maybe then I wouldn't be expected to get the same grades as him then. If only I was born a few months later. "It'll be fine T" Soda said ruffling my hair. That was easy for him to say he didn't have to deal with parent Darry nagging him about his grades. Soda dropped out school not long after our parents died to help with money, he probably would've dropped out anyway Soda was never academically intelligent. At least that's what his teachers said. I was 12 at the time and wanted more then anything to be in high school. At the time Soda was 15 and all the boys were there going to school together except me and Ponyboy. I was always getting told the stories of all the chaos they'd cause, Soda, Steve, Two-bit and Dally they were inseparable in those days. Dally was always looking for trouble and Two was up for anything that'd be a laugh so you can imagine the stories they'd bring back to our house, Steve and Soda just got dragged into their antics by default and I wanted to be part of it. Soda said I could come along to his parents evening to see the school were all the stories had come from. I sat quietly as his face went slightly pink with a uncertain apologetic smile on his face as teachers told my parents that with his grades it'd be a miracle if he ever made it out of high school. Apparently he wasn't focused during lesson, had a tendency to show up to classes late and had only managed to get a C on a test once that year. When we got home mom was in a state, Soda kept saying how sorry he was but it wasn't his fault he just wasn't smart in that way. My dad was his saviour, he calmed mom down and told Soda not to worry, telling him as long as he tried then there was nothing more he could do.
Now walking through the school I could feel everyone's eyes on us, most of the town heard about what happened to us. I think the news was more shocking because a 20 year old guys was raising 3 kids, half the town was just waiting and expecting Darry to give up on us or for the state to take us away.
'Hello, Mr Curtis take a seat please' mrs Turner was a tall lady with a big bone structure too, yet she's the most delicate and soft spoken person I've ever met. She's my English teacher, I like her, she's one of those teachers who are actually passionate about the subject they teach. 'Tina seems to be doing well, although she wasn't doing great at the beginning of the year she's brought her grades up and is comfortably at a B' this was a weight off my shoulders, it wasn't an A but at least I wouldn't have to hear 'you need to get those grades up' again. 'Ponyboys grades seem to have taken a turn for the worse, is there something troubling you Ponyboy? I'm here after school every Tuesday and Thursday I want to help you because I know you're a smart boy' This was news to me, sure I had noticed a few times during lesson his attention would slip and he'd be staring out a window for ages but I never thought anything of it. Ponys always been a daydreamer yet his grades have never suffered until now.
'Pony you've got a chance don't screw it up, you're going to see that teacher after school like she said and you're going to get those grades up' It's all I'd heard the whole car journey and it hadn't stopped now we're home. 'I know I will Darry' I feel sorry for Pony, he has had a rough year and I know first hand what it's like being on the receiving of Darry. I sat next to Soda, Pony had already shot off to his bedroom the first chance he got. 'How'd it go kiddo?' I let out a sigh 'fine for me but I can't say the same for Pony'
...
14th May 1964, Mother's Day. The first Mother's Day of which I don't have a mother to be exact. Everyone was inside, all my brothers friends have come round today. I reckon it's to distract us from realising what day it is today, but I remember. Hell I'm sure all my brothers have remembered we just haven't mentioned anything to eachother. Even when Soda left an hour earlier for work with a bunch of flowers nothing was said. We all knew he was going to see her, he went to their graves a lot. I've never understood why, I haven't been back there since the funeral I'm weaker than Soda I can't handle the pain of going back there, seeing the proof that they really are dead, they really have left us, forever. So I've come outside instead, sitting on the picnic table in our front yard. I remember Dad making it Darry was helping him, I wanted to join in too but I was too young probably 5 or 6. So instead I just handed over the screws or tools when they needed them, giving them the wrong things half the time but my Dad never had a go at me. Once we were finished he told all the boys that I had helped make it and it won't have been possible without me, even Darry played along in praising me. God I was beaming in pride about 'making' this picnic table. We used to use it all the time in the Summer, we'd have dinner or lunch in the sun. My brothers friends would come over too, we might have been poor but somehow my mom still managed to feed the millions. Sometimes Darry and Soda would let me and Pone hangout with them and there buddy's afterwards. After we'd scoffed down our food as fast as we could we'd race over to the park a few blocks down, the whole gang of us. In those Summer days it seemed like the sunlight never left, we would be out playing for hours. I think those may have been the happiest days of my life.
I'm meant to be reading a book out here but I keep going over the first sentence over and over again but it's just not sinking in. I've thought about going back inside but it's as though we're all trying to talk avoiding anything that might upset us. It's the elephant in the room that makes it unbearable, I wish that people would just act normal rather then walking on eggshells.
I didn't even realise Dally was outside until he was sitting beside me. The smoke from his cigarette is making my eyes sting, he hasn't said anything and I really don't know what to say to him to break the silence. Dally and I aren't really friends, he just thinks I'm a silly little girl and he makes his opinion on that quite clear. 'Started looking like a girl again' he was looking at me now waiting for me to reply but he just wasn't a person I knew how to make conversation with. 'Why're you here?' I didn't mean it to sound rude but Dally won't care, he's rude to everyone. 'To see my mates, you okay with that Curtis'
'I meant why're you out here and not inside'
'Same reason as you'
I frowned at this, why couldn't he just give a straight answer? This is why I didn't talk to him, he was one of those people who were hard work to speak to. I don't know if I should've asked the question but he was the one who'd came out here and disturbed my peace. 'Where's your mum?' No one has ever met Dallys parents, he came here when he was 13 from New York. I remember the day so clearly my dad brought him to the house because he'd tried stealing cigarettes and a chocolate bar. He was an unfriendly looking kid with an angry face, he didn't say a lot but when he did he had a strong accent we all thought was amazing. When my Dad asked about his parents "ain't got none" was the only reply Dally gave. It wasn't until later we found out he was supposed to be living with his Aunt but I don't know how often he actually stayed at her house. 'She's dead' his voice was void of emotion just like he was stating any other fact. I looked to the ground feeling uncomfortable 'I'm sorry'
'Don't sweat it kid, it was her choice'
I looked at him now my eyes narrowing 'what do you mean?'
He flicked the butt of his cigarette 'topped herself didn't she' it was said with complete nonchalance I searched his face for any sign of emotion, nothing. Completely unfazed he got up and sauntered over the gate giving me a nob over his shoulder 'See ya round Curtis'
...
I heard my door creak open abit, I didn't move this wasn't unusual, Darry would sometimes check on me at night I'm sure he does the same to Soda an Pony. I think it was just for reassurance that we were in bed safe and sound, now he could sleep peacefully. 'T, you still awake?' It was a whisper but it wasn't Darrys voice.
'Soda?' I could just about make out his figure in dark, he came over to the bed without turning the light on. 'Here take this, get yourself some new clothes' he put bunch of screwed up notes in my hand, it was too dark for me to see how much was there. 'How much is this? Where did Darry get the money from?' Soda wasn't looking at me, he'd already started making his way to leave 'Darry doesn't know, I picked up a few extra shifts at the DX'
'Thanks but Soda you know I can't take your money' He had worked for it he should spend it on getting himself some new clothes, it wasn't like he had money just lying around to waste on me. 'You can and you will please Tina it's for you'
Turns out there was enough money for me to buy a pair of shoes, two skirts, a dress and a few plain blouses. I'm not sure what I'll say to Darry if he asks where I got the money from. Darry's a very proud person so finding out Soda gave me money probably wouldn't go down well. Pony and me are his responsibility to look after and he refuses to take help from anyone even Soda.