I am back for chapter 4! Sorry this is a wee bit late! Highschool is hard and my friends are too emotional to function. But in this chapter Dally gets smart and talks to Johnny. My my, won't this be amusing~?
S. is the mama of Outsiders and I am not.
ENJOY~!
~~~~~Johnny P.O.V., The empty lot
School was hectic and this is not surprising in the slightest. Pony somehow managed to pick up like 5 girls without a single pick up line. Like Pony even really need it anyways, he doesn't believe me when I tell him he's a looker. Pony is short sure, but that's what makes him so lovable. He's the one greaser in Tulsa who we all know is gonna go places. College, big house, tuff cars and a cool job. He was what we all wanted to be; smart, handsome, athletic, sweet, caring and brave. He had everything without having much to start with.
His personality attracts people and he radiates 'you can talk to me, its okay.' Once or twice I'd seen a few Greasers talking to him, they'd never talked to him before but that didn't seem to matter. I'd watched Pony nod and smile at them and then when the conversation was done they had all stood up, smiled, and ruffled his hair. Ponyboy had become everyone's kid brother and I sometimes envied him for that. But my want for him to be happy and loved out weighed that envy. On the subject of love, I was pretty positive my buddy Dally was head over heels. The only problem with Dal was that he was too determined to be cold and stone-faced to love. Pony once told me that Dally loved me like a little brother and said that when my heart gave out those months ago Dallas cried. I can't even begin to count how many sorries I gave him after that.
I found out that Pony had been shot down for Dallas from Two-Bit. Darry and Soda wouldn't leave him for a second and Steve was often with Two-Bit to see me. Apparently Dal had exploded and robbed a store, and gotten shot. The cops had seen his unloaded pistol and started shooting at him. Pony had run in front of him and took the bullets for him. Pony took every expression to heart and apparently he chose "I'd take a thousand bullets for you." Why couldn't he have picked something else? I mean seriously, all three of us almost died that night. I can't even imagine how destroyed the gang would have been. Darry and Soda would have gone into deep depressions and I'm pretty sure Steve and Two-Bit would have too. I never would have known love and affection if it hadn't been for the gang. I will always be grateful for that.
When Dally got out of jail he smacked me upside the head saying if I ever pull a stunt like that again he'd kill me himself. I had just smiled at him and told him not to get his hopes up. "Wise-ass." was all he said and he visited Pony. I remembered seeing him stop dead in the doorway and he stiffened. Pony had turned his head and greeted the hood warmly. I think that smile had been what hooked Dallas Winston from the beginning. Those two have dancing around each other for weeks now and its driving me nuts. Ponyboy won't believe Dallas likes him because Pony doesn't hold himself on a good level. Dallas doesn't know how to handle himself neither. Speak of the devil, here he comes.
"Johnny, good your here. Glad I don't gotta go lookin much farther." He says and he sits across from me.
"Hey there Dal, what were you lookin for little old me for?" I ask playfully. I don't usually get mouthy around anyone but Pone but something tells me its alright.
"Wise-ass. Anyways, I gotta ask you about something." He starts and for the first time in my life I see him look nervous. I feel like I'm getting a fucking Oscar right now, the great Dallas Winston is nervous and I get to see it.
"What is it Dallas? What's so important you would seek me out?" I ask trully curious.
"I need you to help me with somethin. " He looks like he wants to be doing anything but talking to me about whatever he's here for. "The kid...Ponyboy, he's fucking with my mind. I just...everytime I look at him with those Shepherds I get angry. I don't get it! Or when he smiles my stomach tightens and shit. Johnny man, what is this?! I ain't got time for this shit, I want to know what's wrong with me. He touched my shoulder last night and it was like an electric surge. " He gasps for breath having ranted about it in one breath. Deja Vu is one tricky bitch huh?
"Well Dally...I'm sorrynotsorry to tell you that you are head over heels for Ponyboy." I try to say this with a straight face but I can't help it. I start to laugh and then I can't stop. Ponyboy had the same opinions about Dallas and neither of them knew what was up with themselves. For Pony it was denial and for Dallas it was a lack of feeling.
"What did you say to me?" He looks pissed off. Probably coz I was laughing and so he thinks I'm teasing him. I was a little so I stopped laughing.
"I said Dallas, that you are in love with Ponyboy. I'm sorry for laughing but you were just so cinfused it was funny. Look, you like him and that's obvious to everyone but maybe Darry and Steve. You get jealous of the Shepherds and their gangs because you see them as a threat. You don't gotta worry about Angela and her girls, they get the memo. But the others won't be so courteous. That Tray kid looks like he's pretty interested in Pone so I suggest you get your act together." I tell him with a serious face. I needed him to understand before some one gets hurt.
"You're kidding me right?" From the look on my face he knows I'm not. "Well shit, but now what do I do? I can't tell him not to hang with the dipshits because he'll do the ooposite but I don't want to encourage it neither." He has his chin in his hand and his leg bounces up and down in impatience.
"Dal, you just gotta convince him that you are for real. I assure you that if you make your intentions known he would hang woth you more. " I tell him. I'm serious, if Dallas could convince Pone that he genuinly meant his feelings then Pony would hang around less with the Shepherd gangs. Angela was unavoidable, Tim wasn't much of a problem and Curly wasn't any danger. I didn't like him truthfull because he was some one that would get Pony into some pretty shady situations.
"Johnny I don't get this, what would he see in me huh?" He sounds fragile and seeing the vulnerability in his eyes is like a wake up call for me. Dally had a rep sure, but a rep was a mask he hid behind. I was seeing a true side of my hero, my idol, my savior.
"There are loads of things he'd go for in you Dal. He's not some greasy girl or a soc girl. He's not gonna walk all over your heart. You gotta make a move Dallas or your going to miss your chance. "
"Well how am I supposed to go about getting him? He ain't some stupid broad..." Dallas looks up at the cloudy sky like he expects the answer to form in the clouds.
"Act like a gentleman, jeez. Instead of harrassing some broad or chattin one up stick with Pone. I promise you Dallas, if you keep you eyes on him and him only he'll come around. " I tell him. Honestly Ponyboy was one those people that expects full faithfulness and trust in a relationship. If Dally can't control his flirting and sleazy habits then Pone will never go for him. They've got each other hooked but if one screws up then the line will break and there'll a broken heart in the water.
"Gentleman? You mean like openin the doors for him and shit? No, fuck that." Dallas sounds irriatated, my god was he even trying?
"No you dumb hood, he means act like not an asshole for once." A voice says from behind me and I look up to see Two-Bit. He's grinning.
"How long you been there Two-bit?" I ask.
"Bout a minute." He looks at Dal and winks.
Dallas looks ready to kill Two-Bit but Two-Bit just holds his hands up in a surrender pose. "Whoa ole Dally calm down, I ain't heard your dark secrets! I just got here, Pony sent me to find y'all. "
"Why?" I ask. Why would he send Two-Bit out for us if he was supposed to go with Curly and Angela gangs to the movies.
"Well he told me to ask y'all if you wanted to come to the nightly double with him. He ain't goin with the Shepherds till tommorrow because apprently one of his boys got arrested and he's trying to bail him out. Troy...Bay..Brad..I don't know." Two-Bit explains.
"Tray got arrested?" Dallas looks pleased by this. I roll my eyes and just stand up.
"Sure we'll come Two-Bit. Where's he at?" I look past Two to look for Pone.
"He's at the house, Darry won't let him go nowhere until at least two of us go with him. I'm babysittin and Steve and Soda are at the races. Darry doesn't want to go to a movie and Pony does. " He elaborates.
"Well let's get going." I say and we all go to the Curtis household. When we get there Pony is on the steps and we watch as Darry's truck pulls away. I see Darry's face and he looks really frustarted. Pony's sitting with his face in his knee's and he's got his arms around his legs. As we approach I hear him mumbling.
"Stupid Darry and his stupid rules. Stupid stupid stupid...I ain't no baby." He sounds really upset and I know they were fighting. They haven't fought bad in ages and I guess Pony wasn't ready for one. I already know what they fought about.
"Hey Ponyboy...what's happenin'?" Two-Bit asks sitting in front of him.
Pomy wipes his face on his shoulders and says, "Nothin."
"Aw come on Pone, its obviously not nothing. What'd superman say this time?" Two-Bit asks in a gentle voice. I'd never heard him talk so softly in my life.
Pony's lip trembles and Pony responds quietly, "Darry wouldn't let me go to the Dingo on my own and when I asked why he said 'because I said so' and then he said I couldn't go alone. Then he asked to see my homework from yesterday and I showed it to him. I got a B and he started telling me to try harder. It's a god damn 86! That's the best score in my class! What am I supposed to do huh?! I can't get 100's on everything, I ain;t that smart! Everything I do isn't good enough and I'm too weak to do anything on my own! I can't do anything right.." Pony started to cry half-way through and puts his face back into his knee's again.
I don't understand why Darry pushes so hard, well that's a lie because I do. I don't actually get why he doesn't relax a little bit. Pony has 2 more years of highschool, a good 2 years. He deserves a little fun and slack. He was turning 15 soon and he was a 14 year old Sophomore! He was a fucking genious! Pony's crying is muffled and I see Dally shaking. His fists are balled and I knw he has a few choice words he wats to say. I'm mad too, Darry needed to control his temper better and learn not to let things slip. I know Pony better than anyone, even better than Soda. That's not all Darry said and I know it. He probably let some stuff slip and now Pony is back to questioning whether or not Darry wants him anymore.
"Aw don't worry Ponyboy! He's just mad coz you're so smart he's all brawn and no brains!" Two-Bit comforts with a small smile. Pony giggles and smiles a watery smile at him. Dally is glaring holes into Two-Bit's head, so he was jealous of Two-Bit too. Oh that was going to make things even more of a race! Dallas is the jealous type and I know Pony has his work cut out for him. "And besides, you got those two hoods behind me to go with ya! So yyaayyy movies!" He smiles at Pone who looks up at us to comfirm this. Then it hits me, Two-Bit had heard everything and Pony had never asked for us at all. Who knew Two-Bit was so devious and caring. He got us so that Pony could go have fun and relax after his fight with Darry and listened to Dally's problems to try and understand if Dal was for real. Go Two-Bit!
~~~~Dallas P.O.V
I want to punch myself in the face, this is ridiculous! In love with Ponyboy?! That ridiculous but the more Johnny tells me that I'm going to have to step up to the plate the more I relaize i could very well lose him. That Tray kid and a few others are gunnin for Tulsa's sweetest greaser. I know a lot of people that would love to take that sweet innocence from him and posses him. Not love him but possess him, use him and destroy that innocent wonder for him. I don't want that and when I realized this I know that I'm going to have to be the kind of guy Pony wants. But what does Pony want? When we came to the Curtis house to go with Pone to the movies I see him sitting on the steps. Darry speeds off looking pissed and frustrated.
Pony explains to Two-Bit what's wrong and I feel envy. How come Pony responds to that clown?! But then it's not like I made any move to try and comfort him. Guess that's something I need to start doing. Ugh this is going to be a pain, getting my act together that is. When Two-Bit cracks a joke Pony giggles and hearing it gives me the jitters. Then I see him smile and the tension and anger I feel melts away. Then Two-Bit tells him that johnnycakes and I are taking him to the Nightly Double. Which I intend to do fully and I'll even buy him in legally if he wants. Whatever he wants he can have it, all he has to do is keep smiling.
"Really guys?" Pony asks sniffling slightly.
"Go clean your face and we'll go." I tell him and he spings up and into the house. He's back in 1 minute exactly and he's smiling at me. Two-Bit waves and goes home to babysit and Pony looks up at me and Johnny with excitement. "Okay then, let's go." We walk to the movies and it's started already. Pony tales a seat and johnny and I sit on either side. Pony's eyes light up as he watches and the movie has his full attention. Tim Shepherd comes and sits next to me.
"So, you get littlest Curtis yet?" He asks cooly.
"What the hell you want Tim?" I growl eying him suspiciously.
"No need to get all bent outta shape Dally was just wonderin."
"Well go wander off." I snap at him. He just laughs and leaves. Johnny is watching the movie too and neither of them seem to be aware of their surroundings. They were lucky I was here or some one prolly would'a jumped em by now. When the movies end Pony and Johnny stand and look at me. Pony stretches and his t-shirt goes up mid-way. I can see the lightly tones abs there. Pony works out it seems and I always figured he just ran. He yawns and then looks at Johnny.
"Was the movie better now that you've read the book?" Pony asks.
"I guess I get it better. Boy it sure is different now. " He smiles at Pony who looks pretty proud.
As we walk some Soc cars pass by us and yell snide comments. I yell bacl at em and Johnny and Pony keep their heads low. I guess they're both not feeling too hot. Pony wraps his arms around his arms and looks at Johnny and says, "Least we didn't pick no girls up this time."
"That's what got us in that mess in the first place." Johnny responds feeling his switchblade in his pocket.
"I ain't itchin to get into anymore trouble Johnnycakes. " Pony watches a yellow sting ray pull up beside him. Pony tenses and Johnny takes out his blade. I walk in front of the two almost like a shield and look at the 5 or so Socs getting out. One looks at Pony and motions for him to come forward. Pony moves past me and I gran his arm.
"The hell are you doing kid?" I hiss. he just shakes his head and I slacken my grip. He stands in front of the one with the striped shirt calmly.
"What do you want Travis?" He's eying them all.
"Was wonderin if you wanted to come to the party. The rest of the team is there, so are the girls teams. Figured you'd wanna come instead of hanging with trash like that." Travis said smiling at him and glaring at us. I'm ready for a fight and so is Johnnycakes. Pony shakes his head.
"Travis I ain't going to a party, y'know I can't be out past 11. I got 30 minutes to get home before my brothers. " Pony tells him backing up towards us.
"Come on Curtis, there are better places to be then at home like a good boy." Travis insists. He's starting to get on my nerves.
"I said NO." Pony responds firmly. "You're drunk and a lot of people at that party of yours are gonna be drinkin too! I don't want to be around you or anyone else when y'all are drunk. I learned my lesson last year." Travis scowls and slaps Pony across the face.
"Don't sass me underclassmen. I am your senior superior, you better watch your mouth next time." He growls and they leave in their car. Pony is shaking and he has his hand on his face.
I feel anger boiling inside me and Johnny looks livid. No one hurts the baby, especially in front our own. I pull his chin up so I can see into his eyes, there's fear in them. Unfiltered, raw and wild fear in them. "Who was that son of a bitch and why did you let him hit and insult you like that?"
"He's...he's the captain of my team. He's drunk, he's not thinkin straight..." Pony defends weakly. He's shaking still.
"I don't give two shits if he's captain, don't let him knock you around!" I scold and Ponyboy looks helpless.
"If I say anything he'll kick me off! I won't get a scholarship if I don't stay on the team. I'd rather him hit me then lose something that could lessen my college bills." Pony gets quiet towards the end.
"Pony...does he hit you often." Johnny asks seriously.
"N-not often...only when he's been drinkin or he's hung over and angry..." He then mumbles,"Which is alot..."
I feel raw anger take hold of me and I punched the fence next to me. My fist comes back bloody. Ponyboy gasps and grabs ahold of my hand. he rips off a piece of his shirt and ties it around my knuckles. Our hands are touching, holy shit our hands are touching. Wait, I'm not some school girl! But then again it's not like anyone can hear my thoughts so I guess its okay. His hands are cold but where he touches I feel warm. I look at his arms and I see goosebumbs, shit he's cold. Fall is almost over and Winter is on its way. Cursing I pull my jacket off and put it around him. He looks at me surprised and then smiles. My stomach does a fuckin back flip. He's still holding my hand and then Johnny clears his throat. Pony blushes bright red and starts walking with Johnny. Darry's truck is still gone and the house is dark when we arrive. Pony hands me my jacket and smiles. Johnny flops on the couch and I make myself a palet on the floor.
About an hour later I feel some one move in close to my chest. I sniff the air and I know the smell. Ponyboy has crawled in with me. My heart is racing and I wish it would calm its shit. Pony's breathing evens out eventually and I know he's asleep. He has a hand where my heart is and I finally get why Soda still sleeps with Pony. I just place my chin on top of his head and fall asleep. What I never knew was that when his brothers walked in I was gonna get one hell of a wake up call.
Ohhh what's gonna happen? Oh Dally my dear you have finally realized it? Why did Pony crawl in with Dally? And wasn't that just sweet moment between the two?
Love you guys,
R&R
FFQ123
