Chapter 4
Andy POV
Half-way through the day, Two-bit and Dally went to see Tim. Two-Bit came back about an hour later, Dally was still with Tim. Lori was going to the movies tonight with Johnny and Two-Bit was teasing them to no end. I knew Lori didn't like Johnny in that way, but Johnny, well, anyone with eyes could see that he liked her.
I lifted my head from under the hood of the car that Steve and I were working on.
"I'm going for some air." I called as I walked out the door. I got to the side of the building and leaned against the wall. I noticed something on the ground and bent down to pick it up. As I did that, the pencil I had behind my ear slipped out and fell to the ground. I was too interested in what I had found on the ground to care…or even notice really. It was an earring that someone had dropped. Hmm , useless.
"Hey" I heard someone shout. I looked around to see Two-Bit running towards me.
"Hey Two-Bit." I replied. He went to open his mouth but as soon as he did he slipped on the pencil I had dropped. He went flying into me and knocked me over. With a scream and a loud 'thump' he landed on top of me on the ground.
"Ow! Dammit! My stomach." I growled, clutching it tightly.
"Shoot. Sorry Andy, you okay?" He asked, concerned.
"Yeah, just gimme a second." I said, scrunching my eyes closed.
"Want me to fix it?"
"How do you plan on doing that?" I asked.
He leaned down and put a soft kiss on my lips. I froze. Where did that come from? Just as he pulled away, I heard someone cough and looked up to see Steve standing there with a scowl.
"Umm, h-hi S-Steve." I stuttered.
"I heard a scream." He stated. "But I guess everything's fine out here."
With that he turned on his heel, and stomped back into the DX. Before he left I thought I saw his eyes flicker to something like hurt before they turned back to blazing.
"Steve, wait!" I called after him. Two-Bit had gotten off me and I sat up and leaned against the wall. Two-Bit sat beside me, resting his head against the wall.
"Why?" I whispered. He just sat there, motionless.
After a few minutes, he spoke. "Andy, ever since you got here I've liked you. You just didn't realize it. I know I'm not exactly a serious person but I ain't jokin' around. I really do like you."
My mind was spinning. Can't I just have one un-complicated thing in my life? 'What am I gonna do?' I thought. 'I can kinda picture me with Two-Bit, but I really like Steve. I mean after last night I thought maybe he liked me too.' I guess everyone makes mistakes. Maybe my life isn't supposed to work out. Maybe I can't have something go right or end up with my perfect guy. Maybe, just maybe, I have to always settle for the next best thing. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
"Two-Bit, I don't know what to do." I said sadly. "What do you do when your life is spinning out of control and won't stop?"
"You hold on tight." He whispered. He leaned in to kiss me again and this time, I went along with it. I was never gonna get with Steve. God just didn't give people like me those types of chances. But I had someone who cared for me and who I cared for, maybe not totally in the same way but maybe a little. I guess that's the best I can ask for right?
He pulled away and grinned. I grinned back; knowing this was probably the best life would get for someone like me.
I leaned over and buried my face in his chest. He rubbed my back soothingly. I didn't exactly want to face the other guys inside the DX. What was I gonna say? Then an idea hit me. It wasn't exactly brilliant but it got me out of having to explain this to everyone.
"Hey, Two-Bit?"
"Hmmm?"
"I'm not exactly looking forward to explaining this to the rest of the guys."
"Me neither. Glory, is this gonna confuse them or what?"
"I know. But maybe we don't have to say anything."
"Huh?"
"Maybe if we just act like we're together they'll catch on and we won't have to say a word."
"Wait. Act? But I thought we really were together. We are aren't we?" He stumbled through his words quickly at the end.
"Well, I guess. I mean, if you want to be." I said looking down at my feet.
"Of course! Andy I've wanted to ask you out all week."
"Then I guess we're together." I said, giving him a small smile. "Alright well just follow my lead."
We stood up and dusted ourselves off. I bent down and picked up the pencil. As far as I was concerned this pencil had caused everything. If Two-Bit hadn't slipped on it, he wouldn't have kissed me. Then Steve wouldn't be angry, which still confuses me because he obviously doesn't like me that way. Last but not least, I wouldn't have to come up with a way of letting the guys know we were together.
I swung my arm back and threw it as far as I could.
"What was that?" Two-Bit asked.
"Oh nothing." I replied and started skipping to the door of the building. Before I could reach the door Two-Bit came up from behind me. He grabbed my wrist and spun me around so my back was against the wall.
"What?" I asked.
"Just one more, please?" He said pleadingly. He gave me his best puppy-dog face but I wouldn't fall for it.
"Nope. Save it for inside." I said with a smirk. I knew how much I was bothering him by doing this. It was quite entertaining. Well for me at least. I grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to the front door.
We walked in holding hands. Apparently, Steve had already told them what had happened because he and Soda were in deep discussion, as were Ponyboy, Lori and Johnny. They all stopped talking abruptly when we walked in. Steve shook his head to Soda and walked away. Lori came over to me.
"Can we talk?" she asked quietly.
"I guess." I replied. "I'll be right back." I added to Two-Bit.
I followed Lori outside and we sat down at the front of the DX.
"Why would you do that?" she asked suddenly.
"Do what?" I questioned. What had I done?
"You know what!" she said sternly. "You can't just go kiss a guy like that!"
"Why not!"
"You honestly don't know?" she said, a little more quietly.
"Obviously."
"Oh come on Andy. Did you not see Steve after what just happened?"
"Not really, no." I said. "He kind of ran inside after he saw us."
"Andy." She started. "From what I've heard, Steve doesn't even know how to cry." I flashed back to the moment before I passed out. Steve knew how to cry…he just didn't show it.
"So? What's your point?"
"I don't think I've ever seen him so close to tears." She half whispered. This shocked me. Why would Steve be close to crying? He proved to me that we would never happen.
"What does he have to cry over?" I asked. I was a little bit spiteful at the moment. He breaks my heart, won't talk to me after he sees me with another guy and he's the one getting teary-eyed? I don't think so.
"Andy I swear you are blind." She said with a half-smile. "Steve obviously likes you. You guys almost die for each other and you end up with someone else. How do you think he feels?"
"I never really thought of it like that." I said honestly. "Well he could have at least talked to me after what he saw." I said, anger returning. Lori was lying. She must be. Steve doesn't like me and that's that.
"Andy, what could he have said?"
Lori POV
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Steve kept a good distance from Andy and Two-Bit at all times. I still can't believe that they are together. It's extremely frustrating to know that Steve and Andy like each other but that someone else got in the way. Well anyways, at about 7:00 me and Johnny set out for the movies because everyone else was busy with something or another and Ponyboy had already seen everything good. I was still a little bit nervous though, because after finding out that Johnny liked me this morning I wasn't sure if he was thinking this was a date or not. 'Of course he's not, what are you thinking? You're just two friends going to the movies on a Friday night.' We hopped the fence and took a seat at the back. We watched the movie in silence. It wasn't a great movie but it was okay. After the movie I wanted to sit in the lot. We sat in the lot for a while looking at the stars. It was very peaceful and, after a confusing day like this one, it was just what I needed.
"Hey, Lori?"
"Hmmm?" I replied, because by this time I was half asleep.
"I…umm…I-I really like you."
I half opened my eyes and rolled over to look at him. "I like you to Johnny."
"No I meant, I mean…"
"Don't hurt yourself." I joked. I was trying to laugh it off but I knew what was coming next. He took no notice that I had even opened my mouth. I sat up to see better.
"I-I really like you." He stuttered. Oh no. Here it goes. I guess it would be easier to tell him now than later.
"Look, Johnny I…" But I didn't get to finish my sentence because within that second he pressed his lips against mine and almost knocked me over in the process. He ran his hand through my hair as he pulled away and looked at me. He had surprised me so much that I had lost my train of thought.
"I-I…" I stuttered. I really felt like an idiot now. Smooth Lori, smooth.
"Don't hurt yourself." He said with a slight grin. He leaned in and kissed me again, this time being careful not to almost knock me over. Half-way through, I pulled back. I was not going to make the same mistake Andy did.
"Johnny, I can't I'm sorry."
"Why not?" He asked, slightly crestfallen. "Is it me? I mean it's alright if it is I just…"
"There's someone else!" I blurted out. I slapped me hand over my mouth, eyes wide in shock at what I had just done. "Oops" I mumbled into my hand.
"Oh." Was all he said. He looked so hurt but I couldn't do anything to help him. It's not my fault I didn't like him in that way.
"I'm sorry Johnny, I really am, it's just…"
"You can't." He finished for me.
"Yeah." I said quietly "Can we still be friends? I mean I don't wanna lose our friendship over this."
"Sure. But, Lori, I need to know one thing."
"What's that?"
"Who is it?"
Uh-oh. The moment of truth. 'Should I tell him or not? Okay let's think about this. If I don't tell him, he'll think I don't trust him. If I do tell him he might be angry that I chose his best friend over him. That might start fight between the two of them. That would be bad. Then again, Johnny isn't the kind of guy to turn on his best friend over something like this. I guess telling him would be the best thing to do.' Here it goes.
"Johnny you promise you won't say a word of this to anyone?"
"Of course Bells."
"Umm…I-I think I'm in love."
"With?"
"P-Ponyboy."
As I said this I saw Johnny's face turn to a look of hurt. I knew this would hurt him but it was the right thing to do. Not telling him would probably hurt him more in the long run so I might as well get it over with now.
"Okay."
Wow. That was it? I tell him I'm choosing his best friend over him and all he says is okay? Is he emotionally brain-dead or what?
"Well I think we should get back to the house." I said quietly. "It's gettin' pretty dark."
"Yeah, I guess so."
We got up and brushed off the dirt left on us from the ground.
"Man I'm tired." I said, yawning.
"Me too." Said Johnny.
"What time is it?"
"I'm not sure."
"I should start packing." I said.
"Oh yeah, I forgot you were leaving tomorrow." He replied.
"Yeah. I'm gonna miss stayin' here though." I said with a bleak grin. "Me and Andy plan on gettin' jobs so we can get a small apartment or somethin'."
"Oh. I guess we better get goin' then."
And as we walked back I had the feeling that maybe everything was going to be okay.
Andy POV
It had been a couple of months since we first met the guys. Everyone was now on Christmas break. Me and Two-Bit broke up a while back. It just wasn't working. Steve now barely talks to me. I wouldn't let anyone see but I cry at least 5 times a week over it. Maybe Christmas will bring a miracle. Oh, did I forget to mention? Darry got a girlfriend. She works at a grocery store and she's really nice. Her name's Emily. We all like her and she fits right in, she makes Darry happy too. I wish I had that.
Lori POV
I woke up and rubbed my eyes it was Christmas Eve and everyone had to work. (A.K.A. Soda and Darry) It was too early for any of the gang to be here. Me and Andy ended up staying at the Curtis house after copious amounts of begging from Sodapop and Ponyboy. That meant that it was just me and Ponyboy at home. So far nothing had happened between us and I was pretty sure nothing would. So far he had treated me as nothing but a sister. That's what brought me down over the holidays. The one thing I wanted most was for him to love me back. Some wishes don't come true.
I decided that since it was Christmas Eve I'd make pancakes. I went to the kitchen and mixed the batter. Ponyboy wasn't awake yet and I planned to keep it that way. Once they were all done I placed them on a plate on the table. Then I had an idea.
I looked through the fridge until I found the whipped cream. Perfect. I grinned evilly as I tip-toed down the hall and into Ponyboy's room. I found him sprawled across the bed. I quietly crept over and sprayed the whipped cream all over his hand. I leaned over and blew on his face and then…backfire. I screamed as he took his hand and smeared the whipped cream all over my arm.
"Trying to trick me huh?" he laughed. It's was the evil laugh, the one I recognized as my queue to run. I slowly backed up towards the door.
"I think you need to learn a few things." He grinned again. As soon as he lunged for me I made a dash to the living room, laughing and screaming all the way there. He came after me as I ran into the kitchen. I grabbed a handful of the first thing I saw and threw it at his face. The thing I saw first just happened to be flour so that Ponyboy's face was now completely white.
"Oh, you'll pay for that!" he yelled and ran towards me. Unfortunately I am very light so he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.
"No fair! This is cheating!" I shrieked.
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
"Alright then." He dropped me on the floor which caused a loud thump. At least he carried me to the living room first so I landed on carpet. As he walked away I grabbed his ankle and he also fell over. We just stared at each other for a minute then started laughing. We laughed for about five minutes until I thought I would throw up. After we settled down we walked into the kitchen to eat breakfast.
"Hey Pony?" I asked.
"Uh-huh."
"What do you want more than anything else in the world for Christmas?"
He paused for a minute, thinking. "I wish I had my parents back."
"That's a good wish." It kind of made me feel like my wish was a little stupid. He got up to put his plate in the sink. As soon as he turned around I gave him a hug. He was shocked at first.
"What's this for?" He asked.
"You deserve it."
He gave me an odd look. "Okay, thanks…I think." That made me laugh.
"So what do you want more than anything this Christmas?" He asked. I bit my lip nervously.
"I can't say."
"Why not?"
"You'll either think I'm stupid or be angry."
"Why would I do that? Come on tell me." He pleaded. "What do you want more than anything else?"
"I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you at exactly midnight. Not a minute before, but you're not allowed to ask for the rest of the day."
He thought for a minute. "Fine."
This should be fun.
