"Be good, if you need a ride home just call and I'll come get you, Dad will kill me and you both if you walked home alone, also use those manners I know you have," Joe told his kid sister.
She smiled, "Manners? What manners? I have no clue what you're talking about?"
Joe chuckled, "sure you don't, if I get a report you were rude I'll tell pa and let him take care of ya."
She was shocked... "Joe... Please... Cut me some slack... Please... please, please?" She begged finally getting on the ground and hugging his leg
"Get your butt up young lady," he said kinda seriously but had a chuckle in his voice also, "Look just behave got it?"
"I can't get up! I'm paralyzed!" She played... knowing how far she could push him. "I'm not a dog, Joe. You can't just tell me to behave. You know me, stuff always slips my mind."
Joe huffed and dragged her to her feet and looked her dead in the eyes, "it's either behave and use the manners you were taught to use or deal with dad and his belt, your choice."
"But dads not here, is he?" She said as she disentangled herself from him. "What did you say to Rose's brother?"
"It doesn't matter what I said to him and plus if I do find out you weren't the polite girl I know you can be I will tell dad and he will get the belt out and it'll be a month of doing all the chores, now behave I gotta get back before pa does get home so I can work on the barn for the new horse."
Alex smiled. "Fine, Hey Joe?" she shouted to him.
"What Alexandria?" Joe called back knowing that she hates being called that.
"Don't call me that Joe... It makes me feel like I am in trouble." She smiled
"Well how about this then Alex, you behave and the horse will be yours instead of mine, Darry will tell me if you're good or not, but honestly it's up to dad to figure it out and plus if you are good, you'll get the surprise Dad has for you."
She smiled. "Deal" She ran up to him and gave him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. "I love you Joe."
"Love you to Alex, now get inside and behave," he told her and got into his car and drove home.
She smiled and then ran up the steps and went inside the house to join Rose.
Rose glanced up and smiled a weak smile, "want to take the English to my room where we won't be bugged by annoying boys?" Rose asked with a chuckle but was serious at the same time. She knows that the boys will keep bugging her to do something for them even though they can get up and get it on their own. Alex laughed and nodded, and followed her into her room.
"Don't mind the mess," Rose told her friend softly as she picked up the blankets that fell onto the floor.
"Are you kidding, your room is cleaner than mine. At least you can actually see your floor," Alex laughed
"Yeah well with a strict brother like Darry you need to keep it clean," Rose told her and sat down on the bed and leaned against the wall, "so, um, what is our English project? Isn't it a poster for Romeo and Juliet?"
"I think so... I don't remember, I think I was sleeping or something," Alex laughed.
"Yeah you probably were, I'll go ask Pony since he has the same class but a different hour," she got up and went into the living room, "hey Ponyboy do you remember what our English project was for? I think a post for Romeo and Juliet but I'm not sure and Alex was asleep during that time."
"Yes, that's the assignment," Pony yelled and Alex laughed at the truth finally being revealed.
Rose chuckled and went back to her room since she was in the living room and Pony was in the kitchen, "It's a poster," Rose told Alex. Rose quickly opened her English book and found the instructions, "here these are the instructions, I have the paper in my closet, and I guess we have to nominate one of us two to be in the play."
"You know I think this is one time where I wish I would have stayed awake in literature class," Lexi giggled
"Yeah it'll help if you did stay awake Lex but at least you have a good friend like me to help you out, so since I know you can't memorize lines that good I'll be the one we nominate since it's that stupid social Mark being Romeo and no one likes him," Rose replied with a chuckle.
Lexi giggled. "I know I suck at remembering lines, you know I am still waiting for the teacher to call my dad, about me sleeping in class" Lexi giggled.
"She won't trust me, I fell asleep a few times also but she never called Darry she just warns us students about falling asleep, eventually she'll just start sending you to the office and then the school will call," Rose told her with a chuckle, "so I have this small drawing I designed for our poster, if you like it we can use it if not then we can come up with another idea." Rose handed Lexi a drawing that was of the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet. It was detailed really well.
"Wow! This is amazing! You really have a true talent! This is sure to get us an A!" Alex said happily.
Rose chuckled a little bit and Dallas came into the room, "howdy ladies," Dallas said making himself comfortable in the chair in Roses room.
Rose rolled her eyes, "So, do you want me to draw it and stuff and then we both put our names on it?" Rose asked Lexi while ignoring Dallas.
"Well My dad always told me that work should always be held in teams, and not just one, and then the other taking all the credit. So why don't I do something, just to even it out?" Lexi asked.
"Okay can you draw flowers?" Rose asked with a smile, "or you could color the night time sky a dark blue and the flowers red since that's the main things colored besides the grass," Rose told her with a smile and glanced at Dallas, "Dally be a sweetheart and get me a glass of orange juice please, also get Lexi one if she wants one."
Dally nodded, "want one Lexis?" Dally asked from the door.
Lexi looked at him. "Yes please," She said. Finally remembering her manners.
"Okay," Dallas said and went to the kitchen.
"so want to do the coloring since your coloring is better than mine?" Rose asked Lexi after Dallas was out of the room.
"Sure... if I can stay inside the lines..." Lexi giggled.
"I know you can girly, you can color better than I can" Rose told her. Dallas came in and handed them each a glass of juice, "thanks Dally."
"Thanks." She took a sip. "So Rose, I was wondering if you liked to ride horses?"
Rose slightly smiled, "a little, haven't been on one in a while."
"Well what if maybe this weekend or whenever you came out to my place, and ride horses?"
"Um, sounds good, I'll talk to Darry about it and maybe tomorrow since its Saturday," Rose replied as she started to make a bigger copy of the picture she drew.
Lexi smiled. "Cool, hey maybe your brothers could come out also, have a little party. Of course, I still need to ask my father." Lexi giggled
"Yeah, maybe and it'll be wise to talk to your dad first also," Rose said with a smile. She glanced up at Dally and saw a worried look in his eyes "Dally, you alright man?" Rose asked kindly still sketching on the poster.
"Oh hold on I need to use the bathroom." Lexi said as she left the room.
Dallas walked in. "Look I'm worried about you hanging out with Lexi. I mean her father sounds pretty strict, and have you met her brothers?"
"I just met Joe, he seemed nice, plus Lex and I have been friends since grade school," Rose told him as he sat down on the bed with her. She was still drawing on her picture.
"Well what about her father, have you met him?"
"Only once when I was younger, he seemed nice then," Rose replied and took a drink from her juice, "Dally, tell me the truth, why are you suddenly worried about who I hang out with?"
"I just don't want to see anything bad happen to you. You know I, I sort of in a friend sort of way, care about you."
Her cheeks went red a little, "I know you worry, maybe you could tag along also to keep an eye on me?" she suggested.
Dally smiled, "well I did hear a mention of a party tomorrow." He smirked
Rose giggled, "Well I knew that one word would get your attention."
Dallas smiled. "So what does Darry think of this, what's his name Joe?"
