I grew up around boys
chapter 9: Food and the fire
Hey People. Thanks for reading this. It means a lot. Thank you. If I could I would give you all cookies.
I woke up to Pony talking. I suppose he was reading that book. I didn't bother getting up. I was still pretty tired. And even if I wasn't I would make myself to back to sleep. There was nothing to do around here. So I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.
I woke up again. I had finally had a dream I could remember. I dreamt that I was home. Home in my bed. Home with Darry, Soda, and Pony too. All of us happy, with the gang by our side. But of course dreams don't last forever. And soon it was gone. As soon as I woke up. I sat up. It was dark and Pony was still reading that damn book. I wrinkled my nose as the smoke hit me in the face.
"Yeah, thanks a lot," I said streaching. Johnny rolled his eyes.
"Those guys remind me of Dally," Johnny said.
"Dally?" Dally. I haven't thought about him much. I wonder how he's doing. I would like to see him soon. Along with everybody else. That would be nice. Get out of this stupid place. I was real hungry. I haven't eaten anything much since I have been here.
"I want some crackers."
"Look over there in the box," Johnny said pointing to his left. I went over and grabbed me a pack. I really loved these things. But I really don't think I could live off of crackers. I took them with me to my bench. The same bench I had since we had been here. Pony started reading again. I really didn't like this book much. So I laid back down and drifted back to sleep.
I woke the next morning. Early. Pony and Johnny were gone. I started to panic. Where did they go. I peaked outside. There they were. I felt my heart calm down and went back inside. Nobody to talk to. No girls and nobody around my age. I sighed. It was only sun rise. I went back outside and walked over to where Pony and Johnny. They were just standing there looking up at the sky. Pony patted my head and Johnny rubbed my back and they left back inside. I stood there. It was real pretty. Gold. Such a pretty color. Made me think of what kings and queens would wear. I sure wish I was a queen. Not a princess. Princesses are for losers. Queens are for powerful people. And I would be a queen. I laughed at myself. I went back in and of course I went back to sleep.
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I woke to people talking. There was a third voice, and not just any voice. It was Dally. I smiled. But I didn't get up. I just listened to them talk.
"The president of The United States of America."
"No. Really."
"It's from your brother. Sodapop." Soda? Now how would he know.
"How did he know I was here?"
"I told him I didn't know where you were. But he didn't believe me. He really wanted me to give that to you, man." It was silent. Only the movement of feet and breathing.
"Hey Dal, Whats going on with the cops," Johnny said breaking the silence. "You hear anything?"
"How come you got hauled it?"
"Those boys at the station know me by know. They really beat it out of me, get this, that you were on your way to Texas." Really. How smart. Dally started laughing. "Look at this guy with his hair."
"I know I look lousy, but don't rub it in."
"So umm, where's the kid," Dally asked. Finally someone thinks of me.
"She's asleep. She's been asleep most of the time we had gotten here. We here her cryin' sometimes, but it's only for a few seconds. She has barley eaten anything." Pony sighed. "I sure hope we can get home soon. She needs to get home and soon." It was quit for a little bit. Then Pony spoke again. "Though she does say your name when she's sleep, Dally." My cheeks grew red. Why would he say something like that. I shot up and stood on the bench.
"I have not," I shouted. "You only got it mixed up with Darry's name, thank you very much coconut head." I could feel all the heat in my cheeks. And even on my arms and neck. But was it because I was embarrassed. My head really did hurt and I felt like I was going to pass out, but I didn't complain.
"You were thinkin' bout me, CeCe," Dally said. I crossed my arms.
"No. Well maybe a little. But only 'cuz I was worried about you and the socs."
"Sure. Whatever you say. You guys wanna get something to eat? I"m starvin'."
"You better believe it," Johnny said. Johnny put his arm around me and laughed. I just had my mean face on. "Lets get out of here."
"Nothing else would make me happier."
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"Where did you get this car?" Dally didn't answer. Instead he was swerving on the road. And I felt like I was going to throw up. I felt so sick. "Dally, don't."
"Dally watch it," Pony shouted holding me in place. Dally swerved into the Dairy Queen parking lot. We went through the drive way. "Burger and fries," Pony and Johnny said.
"Chicken strips meal," I said. After he ordered he food he parked so we could eat.
"You guys really are hungry." Dally had his gun out but quickly put it away when two kids came up along the side.
"Hey mister. You got 15 cents," she asked.
"Naw, naw. I don't have any money, man."
"You sure? You don't have a dime." Gee. If we say we don't have money, we don't have any. Gosh. People could be so slow.
"Can you go, we're kind of busy here. Can you go away." She turned around but came right back with the same question.
"Do you have a dime." I don't usually yell at anybody, but this girl was getting on my nerves.
"Look girl, we don't got no dime. so get gone," I yelled mean mugging her. She left and looked like she was going to cry. Haha. Looks like my work here is done.
"You didn't have to be so mean," Pony said. I rolled my eyes. I just looked at him. Dally went on about having a fight with the socs and making them pay. I wasn't hungry anymore. I put away my chicken and fries back into the bag and laid my head back. Dally was talking about that Cheery girl, which made me mad. He doesn't need her.
"What about you," the voice in my head started talking.
"All I need is a few more years and I'll be set. Duh." My mind could be so dumb.
"I think she's kind of cute," Dally said. Cute? I'm what you call cute. And as god would have it Johnny said....
"We're going back to turn our selves in."
"What. What did you say?"
" I got a good chance of being let go easy. You just said it was self defence. Cherry can testify to that."
"No, no. "
"And I wont say that you helped us. I'll give you back your gun. So you wont get to any trouble, Dal." I shook my head. But I would like to go back home.
"Are you sure. This is what you wanna do?"
"Yes. It aint fair for Darry and sodapop to be worried about Pony and Cookie. Cookie really needs to go home, before she gets sick or something. I mean my folks aint worried about me."
"Did you know that Twobit wanted to go to Texas to go look for you."
"Dal, I asked if my parents asked about me."
"No they didn't ask about you, so what. You think my old man gives a damn about me," Dally yelled. "If i'm dead in a car wreak, or, or drunk, or in jail. He doesn't care. But that doesn't bother me none." I sighed and Pony threw his burger out. "Your not going any where. I get you a hideout, man. And now you wanna split. Lets just go." Dally started up the car and we were off to.... that place.
Dally kept on nagging to Johnny about nothing and I was getting tired of it. We got to the church. It was no fire. I heard kids yelling. My eyes went wide. Dally drove closer to the church and Pony jumped out. "Pony," I yelled. He stood there while Dally and Johnny were on their toes. Pony ran toward the church and Johnny got out and ran after I'm. Dally tried to grab I'm, but that was a lost cause. Me and Dally stayed around the car. I couldn't take it anymore. Te rushing of my heart and brain made me get out of the car. I heard Dally yell after me and I knew he was behind me. I knew I was taking a big risk since I was an asthmatic.
I ran into the spot were Pony and Johnny had broke through. There was fire and smoke everywhere and my eyes started to water. I was coughing, but I didn't care. I wanted to help. There were at least six or seven kids huddled together. "Pony," I yelled.
"Jesus," Pony yelled at me. "What are you doing in here. Get out!"
"To late for that." Dally broke a place in the wall and we started handing kids to him. One of them bit Pony. I was coughing real bad and the smoke was blinding my eyes. But I did see Dally grab Pony and dragged him out. Then I heard the scream of Johnny. The wood that was falling had hit him and knocked him down. I felt water come out of my eyes. Not because the smoke was making them that way, but because I was scared. I was trapped. Maybe I should have just stayed outside. I'm just a kid. The coughing was making my throat sore and I felt. I couldn't stand to stand any more. I closed my eyes and waited for my death.
