Chapter 3
A/n: wow. My mail box has been officially blown up. Thanks to everyone who's been faving. And an even bigger thanks to everyone who's been submiting character discriptions. Speaking of, who thinks I should give Darry someone to love? Who would be willing to submit characters for that? There has to be some Darry lovers out there. Anyway, I should get on with the story before somone eats me.
Ponyboy's POV
Johnny and I were sitting at Dingo's the next day. Kyla and Rin had gone to the back with the manager about half an hour ago to apply for part-time jobs. As I sat there, sipping on my pepsi, I heard a high-pitched scream being let out form behing the employee doors.
"Oh my gosh!" Came another scream. Me and Johnny jumped out of the booth that we were sitting at and ran to the door in a second.
"What wrong?" I shouted from my end of the door. The lock clicked and the door opened, reveaking Kyla and Rin in black collared shirts with checkeres skirts that went down right above their knees. WAIT! I shouldn't be looking there! Shame on me!
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. But we look hot in uniform!" Rin said as she posed and winked at us. I had to agree. They did look really nice in them. I looked over at Johnny, and gave him a small nudge in the ribs, on the side that wasn't bruised. I had caught him checking Rin out!
"These girl are so full of energy! Kyla will help out in the kitchen, and Rin will wait on tables, being as though they had both agreed that she was more social." said the manager. He shook hands with us, and Kyla went off to start learning the ropes. Rin came up to me and handed us a list.
"Our hours end at 5:15. Take this list and get everything for supper. By the time we get home, we'll be able to whip up something quick." Rin said as she gave us some hugs and gave Johnny a quick peck on the cheek before she went off to her corner and started taking orders.
We walked to the grocery store that wasn't to far from home, and we got everything that was on the list. Flour, eggs, chicken, sausage, and rice. If I didnt know any better, I'd say they were making something that was foreign to us. I guess it could't hurt. Rin did make a huge breakfast this morning. But she had asked us if we had any shrimp too.
"So Johnny, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that Rin has a thing for you." I said as we walked in the house. I started putting away all the groceries in the nessesary places, and Johnny shrugged.
"I don't think so. Kyla said that she likes to hug people a lot. So maybe that's all it is." He said as he began to help out. He looked a little embarrased by what I said.
"But then again, if I still didn't know any better, I'd say that you've taken a liking to her too. You DIG her, man!" I said as I slapped him across the back proudly. I looked up at the clock, 5:23. They should be home any minute.
"Hey guys! We're home!" Rin said as she came walking through the door. She was in the clothes that we let her use from Mom's old closet. Kyla walked in not too far behind her.
"Welcome home!" I said as I finished putting away everything else. Johnny had walked out of the kitchen, only to come stumbling in backwards. Rin had jumped him again, only she had jumped on him and gave him a hug. Johnny blushed, but hugged her back. I KNEW IT! SHE DIGS HIM TOO!
"Rin, calm down! We were only gone for a few hours! You're gonna break poor Johnny's neck!" Kyla said as she walked past them, getting out the big pot from under the sink.
"But I missed him..." she said as she pouted, and her words caused Johnny to blush deeper. I would have to talk to Johnny, and tell him that I told him so.
"Anyway, what are you and Rin making for dinner?" I said as she asked me to get the flour and some hot water.
"We come from the southern states. You ever heard what they eat in Louisiana?" She asked me, ignoring my earlier question.
"Don't they eat seafood? Like crab and shrimp?" I asked, putting some flour in a bowl and adding water to it.
"We sure do. This is a traditional dish that is made by the locals. We call it gumbo, I'm not sure what anyone else calls it though." I had heard of gumbo before. But never did I think I would get the chance to try it.
"What goes in it?" Johnny asked as Rin had cleaned the chicken and started cutting it up.
"Depends on the kind you make. We're making a chicken gumbo." Rin responded as she turned on the stove and mixed up the flour and water. She had asked me to finish cutting up the chicken and sausage, she asked johnny cut get some vegitable oil and start dicing onions.
"First, we'll carmelize the onions until they are a brownish clear color. Then we'll add the flour and water and cook until it turns a nice brown color. We'll also boil the eggs and and add the chicken and sausage when the base of the soup is the right color. When the chicken and sausage are almost done, we'll put the boiled and peeled eggs into the pot and let everything cook down. We'll remove excess grease and fat that'll be at top, and cook the rice." Kyla said as she began to stir at the onions.
"When we put the flour and water in, we'll need you to be careful. It can get really hot." Rin said as she showed us a few scars from blisters. At least we know she's done this before.
Everything went off without a hitch, except that Soda got burned when he tried to see what was in the pot. The base had splattered and got him on the cheek. Darry came home later. And turns out that we had made so much gumbo, we were able to invite everyone for supper. And we still had leftovers!
"Hey! What smells so good in here?" Two-Bit said as he, Steve and Dally walked in the front door. The rice was almost done, and we were clearing off the table to let everyone sit down.
"Gumbo. We got some Louisiana girls in the house boys!" Soda said as he lept through the door of the kitchen. Everyone roared with laughter, until Kyla and Rin walked through the doorway looking fierce. Everyone, even Dally shut up instantly.
"Your really from Louisiana?" Two-Bit asked. We nodded.
"And there's really the all-famous gumbo in the kitchen." Steve asked. They girls raised an eyebrow: Famous? But they nodded.
"And there's enough for everyone to have more than one bowl?" Dally asked. The girls smiled, looking pleased with themselves.
"Plus leftovers." Rin said as she dropped her tough act and went to start setting the table. Everybody whooped and hollered. Even Darry started cheering.
"Hey Sodapop, whats with the blister?" Steve said as he followed him into the kitchen and to the dining table. Soda shook his head and laughed. "When someone says that gumbo is hot, keep your distance." he replied.
Everyone had at least two bowls. Darry ate three, and Soda ate four. By the time we all got full, we all wanted to roll on our stomachs. Such a big dinner that only costed a mere $3.46. Kyla walked outside to get some fresh air and Dally went outside to smoke. After awhile, we heard them talking about how Dally shouldn't smoke. I hate smoking, Johnny was never one to smoke, Two-Bit stopped cold after his mom died of lung cancer, Soda and Steve are too worried about their good looks, and Darry can't risk once because of his athletic pride.
"You really shouldn't smoke, seriously!" Kyla said as she took the butt and stomped it out. Dally looked mad at her for a minute but then decided to let it go.
"Real nice dinner you and your lil friend made. Didn't know what I was missing." Dally said as he leaned on the frame of the porch. He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, and he heard Kyla chuckle at his comment.
"If you really think that you missed out because of our gumbo, you are in for a big surprise." She said as she laughed a little harder.
"How big are we talking here?" Dally said as he stood up straighter and cocked an eybrow at her.
"Sha! Maybe as big as the 'gator in da bayou!" She said, as she laughed even harder. I had never heard someone talk like that before. I guessed it was they way they were used to talking, but Kyla and Rin had covered that up real nice.
Dally smiled at her accent, a smile that I had never seen before. "Tell you what, I'll quit smoking if you agree to let your accent show. It's refreshing." He said. Those were some pretty sincere words for Dally. I heard Rin gasp from behind us. She hadn't shown a single sign of the accent either.
"Rin, can you talk like that?" Johnny asked her. She turned around and smiled. Johnny looked at her with interest. And she backed up a bit.
"Well, c'mon! The screen door muffles what Kyla is saying." Two-Bit said as he and Johnny walked over to her, and she grabbed a knife and pointed it at them.
"Ay, you betta watch what choo do, beb. Mais sha! You two have the whites faces I've ever seen. Almost as pale as the bouille (Boo-yee) my mawmaw makes." She said as the humorous glint returned into her eyes. We all started laughing, and she put the knife away.
"C'mon, Johnnycake. I wouldn't do something like dat to you." Her face instantly fell at the way she said the word 'that'. We all busted out laughing. She smiled too.
"Laissez bon temps roulez!" She said as she threw her hands up in the air! We all stopped and looked at her funny. She rolled her eyes, like it was the most obvious thing ever. She waved everyone in, like she was gonna tell a secret. At this point, Dally and Kyla had come in too, and stood huddled like everyone else.
"Are you ready to find out what it means?" She said in a serious voice, the misty expression in her eyes held mysteries. We all looked at each other, and came to a silent agreement.
"Ok it means..." she paused as everyone scooched in that much closer. She suddenly threw her hands up again with a smile and dancing eyes. "LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!" she belted to the house. And we all cheered as if it was the best thing we ever heard.
That was the night.. before I fell in love.
A/n: Forshadowing for the next chapter. I have three people that i have to choose from for Soda. I update every night. I will end submissions on 2/8/12. Then on friday night, i will have the chapter that will include the new character. DONT FORGET, TO REVIEW ON THIS: Should Darry have someone to love too? Who would be willing to do such a task?