FIRST OFF SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! MY COMPUTER WAS HAVING TROUBLES UPLOADING!
When I woke up I almost forgot where I was. I sighed and looked at the clock. The sun was just rising and it was 4 in the morning. Perfect. O got up and looked over at Pony. His lamp was still on and we was at his desk, though it was clear he was sleeping. I shook my head and went to go get changed. The house was dark, but I ignored that. Today, for me, was going to be a cleaning day. I got my work cloths and changed. I was wearing old blue jeans and a red checkered shirt. I put my short hair in a pony tail and splashed some water on my face to wake me up.
I started with breakfast. On our ride from the train station Darry had explained the rules and the first one up made breakfast. I went into the kitchen and got out the griddle. It was Sunday. For me Sunday was my favorite day of the week. You see, every Sunday my mum and I would always make rainbow pancakes. I was going to keep the tradition going. I went up and grabbed the food coloring from my bag. I made the batter and put it into six bowls, one for each color. I made about 6 dozen, one of each color and set them on a plate in the table, under which I had put a blazing hot towel so that they would stay warm. I then went to clean the kitchen. It was about 5 now and the kitchen was spotless. I was proud of myself, I had done a good job. I then went on to the living room.
This was going to be a hard good. The carpet looked black, though I went to the corner and discovered that the real color was yellow. I sighed and shook my head. This was sad. I went upstairs and looked around for supplies, careful to be quiet, all the others seemed to be asleep. The boys from before had stayed over. Steve and Two-Bit were sleeping in Soda's room. I soon found carpet cleaner and set to work. It wasn't an easy job but after three hours I was done and the carpet was yellow once again. I went back into the kitchen and re heated the pancakes since they were cold now. I started to hear people getting up and went to go look. I saw Darry rubbing his eyes and walked out into the hall. He looked surprised to see me up.
"Oh, wow. Zoe, I didn't expect you to be up, usually I'm the first up. How long have you been up?" He asked.
"Since four." I told him and he looked shocked.
"What'd you do for," He stopped and looked at the clock, "Four hours?" He finished.
"Well, I cleaned for the most part... well you'll see. If you want I'll wake up the others I made breakfast." I told him. He still seemed to be in a state of shock and went back into his room to get dressed.
I knocked on the door to Soda's room softly and when nothing happened I slowly open the door and walked in. The were sprawled all over the floor. Soda was in bed, upside down and next to him was Steve who had managed to be right side up, while Two-Bit was simply on the floor. I walked over to Soda and shook his shoulder.
"Soda, wake up!" I said. When he didn't I flicked him on the forehead.
"6 times 7 is 42!" He yelled blotting up and falling off the bed and landing on Two-Bit who let out and yell and kicked the bed which knock Steve off the bed. I started to laugh.
"Good job, Soda!" I said and laughed even more at his confused look.
"What?" He asked, putting on a silly grin.
"Come on guys, breakfast is ready, you should get some before it gets cold." I then turned to Soda, "I think that you'll like this." I told him. He gave me a quizzical look, "Their different colors." I told him. He put on a bigger smile and bolted out the door the others behind him. I fallowed them out and when they came to the living room they let a scream.
"What?" I asked them. The stood at the edge of the carpet.
"What happened to the carpet?" Two-Bit asked.
"I cleaned it. Took three hours but it turns out it's really yellow." I told him. Steve gave me a strange look.
"How long have you been up?" He asked me.
"Since four." I told him. He looked at me crazy but shrugged and went into the kitchen, Two-Bit fallowing. Soda stayed and turned to me,
"Thanks for cleaning up, but you didn't have to do that." He told me. I shook my head.
"I wanted to." I told him. He smiled.
"I thought that he signed up for a exchange kid, not a maid." He joked. I sighed and went off t o the kitchen were everyone else was. Darry came in and pointed out the door,
"Did you see the carpet?" He asked and Soda explained with a mouth full of my rainbow pancakes.
"Man these are great." Two-Bit said. I smiled at him,
"Thanks." I said. When Darry saw them he gave me a look.
"Rainbow?" He asked. I nodded,
"It's a family tradition, Sunday is rainbow pancake day!" I told him. He just shook his head and went back to what he was doing. The minutes passed and Pony soon came in. He glared at me and went to sit down.
"Did you try to cook again?" He asked Soda, taking a bite a purple pancake.
"Nope, Zoe made them." Soda said and Pony spit out what he was eating.
"Ur, not hungry anymore." He said and went back to his room. I looked out the door with a frown on my face. No one seemed to notice though. I plan came into my mind and I turn to Soda.
"Hey Soda?" I asked. He looked up at me.
"What?" He asked.
"Can you lock the door from the outside of Pony's room?" I asked him. He thought for a moment then nodded.
"Good. I have a plan."
"What are you getting at crazy girl?" Steve asked. I smiled at him.
"You're going to lock me in there with him and not let us out until he has a total change in perspective." I told them.
"You're going to be in there for a long time, girlie." Soda told me but I put a hand on my hip.
"I'm not going to just let him be a shell. I'm going to do something, so are you with me?" I asked. They all though and then nodded. I smiled and walked up the stairs.
When I went into the room, Pony didn't notice, he was at his desk again. I closed the door and I hear Soda click the lock on the outside. For a moment I lost my confidence but I put on a brave face and went up behind Pony. He still didn't hear me, or maybe he was ignoring me. I looked over his shoulder. There was only simple letter in the middle of everything. I was little and crumpled. I looked at it, it was a letter to him for a kid named Johnny. I wondered who that was. Around it were letters back. Most of therm were half finished. I read the one that he was working on.
Dear Johnny,
I was thinking about what you said, about staying gold. I don't think I can do it. There's this new kind at my house. I hate her, she thinks she knows who I am and what I feel but she doesn't know anything. I wish you were here. I feel like it's all my fault. There are so many things I could have done to have you still here. If I hadn't gone into--
"What. Are. You. DOING?" He asked me getting up. I stumbled back, scared that he might hurt me.
"Who's Johnny?" I asked. For a second his eyes went soft, they melted and I could see that he was filled with sadness. Though not a second later they hardened up again.
"No one, you need to know about." His voice was cold and his fists were clenched. I looked him over and felt bad for him. Johnny must be one of the kids from the accident.
His lips turned into a thin line.
"He was one of the kids from--" I started but he cut me off by taking a step forward and slapping me across the face. I fell back onto the bed and held my face where it was burning from the hit. I could feel my face contort into a mix of shock and betrayal.
"Don't you dare talk about him! You don't even know him! You have no right to come in here and talk like that!" He yelled. His eyes were burning with hate and anger. Though there was something else mixed in, sadness, fear, guilt? I couldn't place a finger on it. Though right now all I wanted to do was craw under a rock or by in the loving arms of my mother back in England.
The room was silent and I could feel anger just coming from where he was standing.
"Pony," I begged, "Just talk to me." My voice was weak, only coming out as a whisper. Compared to him I felt like a rain drop, while he was the ocean. I was still on the bed and he was towing over me, looking down on me with disgust.
"Why? Why would I?" He demanded. I didn't even know how to describe the look of pure hate on all of his features. It was as if he thought that he look at me hard enough I would catch on fire. If looks could kill I knew that I would be dead.
"I want to help." I squeaked out. Why did I want to do this again? He laughed his cold laugh and something inside me clicked. I didn't need to take this. My body started to act by its self and I stood up. Matching his hight, our faces an inch apart.
"Do you know what you're doing to your family?" I yelled right back to his face. His eyes narrowed as I continued, "They love you! They put up with through this! Do you know how you repay them? YOU GIVE THEM SHIT!" I rarely swore and was surprised when the profanity came out of my mouth. I could feel Pony getting madder and went for the straw that would brake this camel's back.
"You don't love them." I spat out, "You can't love anyone! And no on will ever love you back is you keep this up! WE GET IT! You're upset! But you need to get your act together and put on a brave face! They wouldn't want you to be this way! They would want you to life your life! Look around! Is this what they wanted for you?" I yelled pushing him and starring stair into the cold eyes that had before scared me but now disgusted me.
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" He bellowed, "You don't know what they wanted! Stay out of my LIFE!" He stomped to the door and pulled it harshly. When nothing happened he jiggled the knob.
"What the?" He asked.
"You're not leaving until you get your act together." I said. He turned around and growled at me. He then screamed and turned to the wall it and punched it as hard as he could. Then he turned around, eyes closed and slid down the wall.
I instantly felt horrible. I had only wanted to show him what was happening to him. I studied his face. It was showing no emotion, but I wasn't a fool. I looked closer and saw a tear slid down his face.
I stood up silently and sat down next to him. I put my hand on him and started rubbing circles on his back. He sucked in a harsh breath at my touch but soon relaxed. I started to hum. It was an old song. It was both my mother's and my favorite song.
After the song ended his eyes opened and looked at me. His eyes still puffy and red from before.
"How do you know that song?" He asked. I was a bit surprised but answered anyway,
"Um, my mum used to sing it to me when I was sad. It's my favorite song." I told him, blushing slightly.
"So did my mom." He said. I smiled.
"So do you want to talk about it? It will make you feel better." asked him, then added, "It sure helped me with Maddie." He have me a questioning look.
"Who's Maddie?" He asked. I looked up the the ceiling.
"Right now? An angle in Heaven." I told him.
"What happened?" He asked. I smiled at him,
"I'll tell you my story if you promise to tell me yours." He nodded to this and I smiled at him again, this time a small smile was returned. I gave myself a pat on the back, one obstacle down, many more to go.
.Zoe Ann Petro.
Okay, tell me what you think! I have a question for the next to chapters though. Who would you rather see Zoe get together with and who would you like to be jealous? Just let me know! Thanks for reading! And thanks to all who reviewed!
-Jasmine