Chapter Seven - Busted

I promised myself I wouldn't do this anymore.

It was risky and could very well destroy all the progress I'd made being here with the Curtis brothers. But money was tight and no one would give a job to a fourteen year old girl known for getting into trouble. Pony was already talking about getting a part-time job after or before school. I knew I had to bring some cash into the house one way or another, and this was the only way I knew how.

Dally had taught me how to present myself to ensure all went well. He said I should dress nice and pack some heat. A gun was out of the question, but a blade would work just as nicely as any gun. I'd gone with Dallas a couple of times to make trades and figured I knew enough to do this one job. When a deal went bad last year with Dallas, I promised myself I wouldn't result to this. I wasn't cut out for this line of business and didn't want to keep that kind of company. But what's a girl to do when she's low on money?

I told the others I was going to bed early. Then I waited for them all to drop off and hit the hay as well. It would all go a lot smoother if they didn't know where I was going or what I had planned.

I put a bandage on my cut so that no one would see how gross it looked before working my way into the one nice piece of clothing I owned. The dress, despite having it for over two years, fit like a charm and still looked nearly brand new. It was a deep red, made from cheap silk and looked nothing like a girl my age should own. It was strapless and fell to just above my knees and showed off more than it's far share of my back. A pair of Mrs. Curtis's heels matched nicely, even if they were a half-size too big.

The night held a cruel chill and the sky was a charcoal black. I decided the window was my best escape, just in case someone was a light sleeper. Pony's jean jacket would have been welcomed, but it would have thrown off my look and the bandage did that enough.

My heels clicked down the sidewalk. The small purse I set aside for these kind of events smacked against my legs as I walked. At this time of night the lot seemed like a good place to visit. The closer I got to the hang out, the more often I checked for the blade I'd slipped into my bra before leaving. Pulling a knife on someone instead of fighting fair wouldn't be my finest hour, but it was better than ending up dead on the pavement because of a deal gone bad.

Low voices greeted me when I reached the lot. I spotted Angela shoving her tongue down some guys throat and relaxed a little. If Angel was here it couldn't be all that bad, right?

Unlike my friend, I found myself having to talk to the shadiest looking characters at the lot tonight. I put on a fierce face to show them I wasn't one to be messed with, knowing all the while my dress threw that off. But, if Dally said this is how I should be dressed, then I would dress this way. Dead brother or no dead brother.

"What can I do ya for?" I think the man who spoke owned the name Will, but I couldn't be sure. He'd been the one to deal with Dallas though, I was positive about that.

"Looking to buy."

He continued to regard me with a board expression. "Buy?" He repeated innocently.

I rolled my eyes without meaning too. "You are still in the business, aren't you?" He didn't answer. "Fine. I'll take my money somewhere else." I turned to walk away, and he caught me on the elbow.

"Whatca want?"

I twisted my arm out of his greasy hold and held my tongue. "Pills."

Ten minutes later I was leaving a couple twenties shorter than when I came, but my purse had a new occupant. Will had no idea the kind of money I could get for these little blue babies at the party going on at Tony's. His lose, my gain.

The party was in full swing. Several people danced, most of them well past drunk at this point. I pushed my way through the crowd until reaching the back. A door sat in wait for me, slightly ajar. Strong smells of pot slapped me in the face when I opened the door enough to step inside. The five people taking up the room looked up when I entered. Smiles crept across faces and eyes light up, as well as they could in the fog settling over most of their gazes.

"Marie!" Tony shouted a little too loudly for the room. He leap off the chair I'd claimed not too many nights ago, stumbled over and tossed an arm around my shoulder. "Got anything good for us?"

I side stepped and his arm fell away. "Depends on how much you're willing to pay."

I tugged the purse over my head as I sat down in the chair Tony had just gotten up from. He frowned when I took his seat, but said nothing. Good choice too. Best keep his mouth shut and the money flowing if he wants a hit at what I've got to offer. The plastic bag with the blue pills I'd basically stolen from a dealer earlier tonight came out of my purse and hands shot out instantly. I held the bag tightly as to not give any of them any ideas. The pills bounced in the bag when I shook them in a teasing manner.

"How much?" Some kid I surprisingly didn't know asked in an off-balance voice. His eyes were alight and glazed over at the same time, gaze locked on the pills like they held the answer to life. If only.

"How much you got?"

The kid dug deep in his pockets only to come up with a hand full of one dollar bills. He looked up at me hopefully. I returned his look with a glare. He sighed, shrugged and fell back into his seat. Obviously he wasn't gonna be much of a payday for me, so I turned my attention to the others gathered in the room.

Soon, I had a purse full of money that was now void of pills. Little did any of them know, I'd paid less than a third of what I'd gotten them to pay.

Tony tried to talk me into staying, but I'd done what I needed to and knew it was time to leave before something went wrong or my wrong deeds took an even worse turn. I did agree to have one beer with him before I left. Having laid off the sauce as of late, the beer went straight to my head. I left the party with my world tipping from side to side and my stomach flip-flopping. Normally I could hold my liquor better; it was almost sad the effect the one beer was having on me.

I took my heels off on my way back because they were really starting to bug me. The bandage on my back itched and my dress was uncomfortable. I was beginning to wish I hadn't had anything to drink.

"Late night?" The voice, though familiar, startled me nonetheless. I turned around quickly to put a face to the voice. At first I thought my mind was playing tricks on me and then I realized it must have been the beer causing me to see things.

"You're dead," I called to my brother who stood a few paces behind me. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his jacket was pulled tight around him as if he were fighting off the cold. I didn't know dead people got cold.

Dallas half smiled at me. "Dead men don't talk to their sisters."

I shrugged largely. "Never much pegged you for much of a man, Dal," I teased before turning back to my original direction.

"Watch it," He snapped and I could picture the glare crossing his face. I pressed my lips together, fighting back giggles.

Quiet footsteps followed behind me now. It took him no time at all to fall into shorter strides right next to me. He use to do that a lot when he was alive, always changing small things about himself to match things of my own. I hadn't thought anything of it when I was little, but as I got older it started to bug me. How could I live up to being just like my brother if he took himself to lower levels to be like me?

I turned my head to stare at him. Dallas looked much like he had the last time I'd seen him. I hated that my last memory of him was of him dead instead of alive and wished I hadn't been there to see him shot. Damn cops and their trigger happy selves.

"What you looking for?" He asked suddenly, glancing at me.

One of my shoulders lifted then fell. "Nothing. What is it you want?"

His head dropped a little and he looked much younger than he was. It was times like these that I felt special. Johnny might have been Dally's favorite, but my brother had never trusted him like he did me. I was the one person on this planet that ever managed to see Dallas vulnerable. He could open up to me and let his guard down a little - two things he never, ever did around anyone else.

"I'm lonely, Marie." There was a pause and then he asked, "Why don't you join me?"

I stopped walking. The heels nearly fell out of my hand. I stared long and hard at my brother and wondered if I'd heard him wrong. Dallas stopped walking as well and stood in front of me now. It wasn't until then that I noticed I could see right through him. His skin, body and clothes, were all foggy and transparent. The sight was unnerving and scared me more than a little.

"I - I can't do that, Dal," I stammered. "You're d - dead."

His expression shifted and he looked like I'd slapped him. "But it's your fault I'm dead. You owe me, little sister."

I took a step back, hurt. "It's not my fault!" I protested, knowing that wasn't true.

"Like hell it isn't," He snapped, face changing again to glare harshly at me. This was the Dallas most people saw.

Dallas opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. At first I didn't know why, until I saw a familiar figure coming my way. Dallas hung around a moment longer, but disappeared just before Ponyboy walked right throw his transparent self. I stood there like an idiot, glancing around, expecting Dally to reappear somewhere else.

Pony stared at me expectantly and I realized he must have said something I hadn't heard. I shook my head, as if to clear it, but nothing became any more clear to me then before the action. Instead, it just made my world spin. My feet lost their balance, causing me to sway.

"What are you doing?" Ponyboy repeated his question.

My mouth scrambled for an answer. "There was a party. Not that I went to the party - well, I did go. But not to party. I wasn't doing anything wrong - not exactly." Pony stared at me with a completely lost expression. I didn't blame him, I wasn't sure of what to make of what I'd just said either. I tried again. "I was just there to see Tony, and he happened to be having a party."

"Yeah. Right," Pony deadpanned, eyes moving up and down to take in the exposed skin and dress. I wrapped my arms around myself in a very sad and late attempt to hide myself. My arms couldn't hide how much leg this dress showed off, nor any of my bare back or shoulders. I suddenly felt more exposed standing there in front of Pony than I had all night. "You wanna tell me the truth this time?"

I decided to play off my emotions, only doing the opposite of what I felt. I placed my hands on my hips. "Since when do I have to explain myself to you, Ponyboy Curtis?"

Pony closed the distance between us. He placed a hand under my chin, pulled my face to his and kissed me. "Since I started doing that," He whispered.

For a moment I forgot about my dead brother, the beer I had, my uncomfortable dress and the cold air around me. How was it Pony had the effect to make my whole world center around him, and him alone?

I smiled. "Feel free to do that any time you want."

He nodded, took a step to the side and took my hand in his. "On one condition."

"Name it."

"You tell me what you were really doing tonight."

"Name anything but that."

"Marie."

"Pony."

He sighed loudly. I mocked him and gained myself an eye roll. Pony started walking and tugged me along with him. The rest of our walk was done in silence seeing as I wasn't willing to spill about what I'd been up too. When we reached the gate of the house, a new thought hit me rather late.

"Wait." Pony stopped and looked at me with raised brows. "What were you doing?"

He suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Just getting some fresh air." That was a lie. Pony started towards the house again, but I pulled him back.

"Yeah, a whole block away from the house. Seriously, what were you doing?" I pushed. Ponyboy just didn't go out and party like other guys. He went to school, got good grades. The boy had a good head on his shoulders. Taking a late night stroll was about as likely as him spending all night at a party on a school night. It just wasn't his way.

He leveled his stony gaze with mine. "I asked you first."

He wouldn't like my answer. He'd have a huge issue with my answer. If he wanted me to be honest, he'd have to deal with the answer I gave him. Pony wasn't ready for the honest answer, so I wasn't going to give him one at all. I dropped his hand, pushed past him and stomped up to the porch. Ponyboy trotted right behind me.

"It's a simple question, Marie," Pony whispered once on the porch. I suppose he figured he might be over heard if he spoke at normal volumes.

I opened the screen door. "With a not so simple answer, Pony."

We were both inside now. Pony was shrugging out of his jacket I should have grabbed earlier and I was slipping the purse from around me.

"Just give me a hint," He urged in a hushed voice.

"I was making money." Pony came up short, his eyes darting over my dress again. I knew what he was thinking just by the look on his face. "Not like that, you idiot!" I punched him on the shoulder and considered never wearing this dress again.

Ponyboy started to say something, but was cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Both our heads snapped to the left and we saw Sodapop standing against the fridge. Pony and I exchanged glances, thinking the same thing: busted.


Well it only took a year, but here's chapter seven. So, so sorry it took so long! Review please? :)