Chap 7
Notes- I'm moving up to the story plot...be patient, I know things are sort of dragging...This one will be in Sodapop's POV. I am trying out POVs...tell me whether I should keep them and trade off every chapter or what. I'm thinking either stick with one POV or none...
"CURTIS!" A voice bellowed in my ear from where I had been leaning against a pump with my arms crossed, eyes closed, fully awake. The little encounter had sure taken a lot out of me, but it was just ole Dally, again with that blank heater that had scared me and therefore exhausted me. Well, mostly.
"Clock out." He said to me shortly, and I sighed with relief. I had thought I was for sure gonna get an hours dock. I clocked out, got me and Steve a Pepsi, met him outside the garage and handed it to him, laughing a little at his hair and forehead which were both covered in grease. He laughed mockingly and pointed at myself and I glanced at my arms, which were covered in gasoline from the one tank that had leaked. I ran a hand through my hair with a sigh and froze. Now my hair, forehead, and arms were dirty.
We both shrugged and continued home, swapping stories about our shifts. I told him about the old lady and he said some not so nice words. I defended her and he launched into a lecture on senile women as we entered the house. It was quiet and we split up, Steve flopping onto the couch and grabbing the newspaper and me heading off to take a shower.
As I was showering I heard the door slam and something dropped onto the table and I figured it was Pony or even Darry. We had worked later than usual, so he should be home soon anyway. I stepped out and dried off, wrapping a towel around me and walking into the kitchen bare-chested. I set about to fixing myself a glass of chocolate milk and maybe some cake when who else but Sammy came in, lecturing Steve over her shoulder about getting his dirty self all over the house she cleaned.
She froze. I froze. A pink flush started at her collarbones and she started smiling. I grinned. "Hey Sammy," I said calmly while inside I was a bit upset. Idiot. "Hey Soda," She managed; her eyes flicking at the towel around my waist then back up at me. "Just got out of the shower?" She asked politely. "Going to get dressed right now," I said with a nod. And I did just that, walking out of the room with slow, measured steps and into my room where I promptly got dressed and came back out, looking for my drink.
"Fridge," Sammy said, coming in with her hair in a ponytail and her face still pink.
Two-Bit came in behind her. "Y'all had a bit of a run in, didn'tcha?" He asked with feigned innocent curiosity.
Sammy smacked him in the back of the head and he rubbed it, walking out without an answer.
"I didn't say anything, he was watching...or heard, or something. He said something about the window." Sammy explained pointing at the window over the sink.
"You weren't listening to him when he was talking?" I asked with mock admonishment.
Sammy missed the mocking tone and said, "Well, no...but he talks all the time and I thought maybe it wouldn't matter and it seems like everyone else does and so I ignored him and-"
I cut her off with a grin. "What?" Sammy asked with the beginnings of a smile. "I was just kidding." I replied with an even bigger grin and Sammy had to smile.
She stole my drink and sauntered off, drinking it empty as she entered the living room. I sighed quietly and went in too, flopping onto the couch beside her.
"Mickey again, Two-Bit?" I complained good-naturedly. "What he means is 'Sure Two-Bit let's watch Mickey again.'" A voice said and the door slammed. Pony and Johnny came in, smelling faintly of cigarette smoke, and then a lanky, hard eyed figure came in.
"Well hey Dal." I greeted him, placing an arm around Sammy. She stiffened and I willed her to relax. Dal didn't look to good and Pony and Johnny looked a little shaken up.
"Well hey Soda." Dally mocked me, eyes red and speech slurred. When had this happened? I wondered briefly before nearly jumping out of my skin when Darry boomed, "And you're here drunk because?"
I hadn't even noticed he was home but there he was, in his chair with the newspaper in his lap.
Pony came rushing in to Dal's defense. "It's nothing Darry, Dal got upset 'cause we was at the drive-in and this red-head turned him down."
Johnny followed after in his timid way with a nod and paused, glancing from Sammy to Dally to me. I realized my arm was still on her shoulder and I quickly took it off resting it uneasily in my lap.
Darry shook his head, "One rejection and you go off and get totally soused?" Two-Bit finally glanced up, "Come on, Dal, rejection ain't that bad." He said as he stood and readied himself to get out.
Steve stood too and I could tell they were about to split. Dally looked dangerous.
Sammy swallowed nervously and I could feel her shift her weight. "I'm going for a walk." She announced, and Steve and Two-Bit muttered vague somethings about going too.
Dally turned a dangerous glance at Sammy and she offered a grin, and then walked out, slamming the door. It was kind of funny, actually, especially since Steve and Two-Bit followed after like puppies or maybe ducklings.
Everybody, including Dally, stared out the window. Johnny suddenly said, "She hates drunks...Mom and Dad scared her." And followed after her, Steve, and Two-Bit.
Darry and I nodded, and Ponyboy timidly poked Dally to the door. Nobody even came near Dal when he was like this without something happening. And sure enough, something happened.
Dally left. He just walked out. Staggered is more like it, but he left. Then Darry, of course, exploded. "PONYBOY how many times do I have to tell you? Leave Dal alone when he's like that."
"What else could I do? He didn't know what to do. He's so out of it, Darry, I bet he forgot where he was!" Pony retorted.
I chuckled and mused, "Since when does he ever?"
The two of them shot me a glare that quieted me but didn't chase the grin away. "I'm going to find Sammy." I told them indifferently and wandered out, accidentally-on-purpose forgetting my shoes, not heading home till I noticed it was almost 8.
Note- Ugh that was pretty bad, wasn't it? It's taken me a month so I'm just going to leave it as is. I want to continue with the story and maybe I'll revise it eventually.