Chapter # 11: Nothing but Trouble
It took a lot of prompting from Sodapop, and a threat from Darry for Ponyboy to finally get out of bed the next morning.
He really didn't feel like facing the day ahead of him. Ponyboy wondered if Two-Bit had just been joking with him about all of them being in class with him. You could never tell about Two-Bit. Well, he was sure to find out that day.
Like clockwork, as soon as the bell rang to begin fifth period Math, Two-Bit and Steve straggled into the classroom behind a quiet Johnny.
Johnny took an empty seat next to Ponyboy as Mr. Lawman checked his attendance sheet for their names. He didn't say anything or try to draw any attention to himself. Ponyboy wondered why Two-Bit couldn't be like that.
Two-Bit took a seat behind Ponyboy, and Steve sat behind Johnny. That's when the trouble began.
"Hey Pony, I forgot to do last night's homework," Two-Bit whispered behind the younger greaser. "Give me yours so I can copy down the answers real quick."
"You never do your homework, or anything else," Ponyboy whispered back.
"So I thought I might start."
"No," Ponyboy replied.
"C'mon, Pony. Not even for your bet buddy. I'll introduce you to this really hot blond."
"I said 'NO."
"Is there a problem, Mr. Curtis?" Mr. Lawman asked in a stern stone. He had stopped class, and everyone had turned to their attention to them. Two-Bit waved at them with a silly grin on plastered on his face, and Pony felt mortified.
"No sir," Ponyboy answered.
"Wow! Listen to how polite he is."
"Knock it off Two-Bit," Steve hissed across from him. "If you get Ponyboy in trouble Darry will skin him first, and then he'll do the same to you."
"Class, please turn in your books to pages 157 and 158," Mr. Lawman instructed. The sounds of pages flipping could be heard throughout the quiet room. Two-Bit did the same. Picking up the book, he fumbled through the pages until he came to the right ones, and then with a loud thud, Two-Bit dropped the book on top of his desk causing both Ponyboy and Johnny to jump.
Mr. Lawman stopped scribbling down numbers and equations on the black board. Without a word he walked down the isles to where the four greasers were seated.
"Mr. Mathews, hold out your hand," he ordered.
With a questioning and confused look, Two-Bit did what he was told. Ponyboy thought it was probably the first time he had ever seen Two-Bit do something a teacher asked him to.
"Why?" Two-Bit asked. "Are you gonna give me money? I could really use some. I have this kid sister, and she might get pregnant by her boyfriend because she…"
"WHACK!"
Mr. Lawman slapped the ruler down on Two-Bit's outstretched hand. Two-Bit looked shocked, and for once in a very rare moment he was speechless.
"My students are here to learn," Mr. Lawman began in a stern voice. "This class is not a playground. I suggest that you stop pestering Mr. Curtis, and attend to the assigned task. If you are incapable of reading the board, then I will tell you know that the assignment is due when the bell rings."
Normally Ponyboy would have been almost finished, but because of Two-Bit he was just a little more than half way through with his work. He kept his head down and tried to hurry as best he could without making to many careless mistakes as Mr. Lawman walked past him back to the front of the room.
The ringing of the bell had never sounded so sweet. Ponyboy quickly gathered his things, and turned in his completed work on the way out. He walked as fast as he could, wanting to get away from Two-Bit as soon as possible.
Ponyboy felt very thankful that his last period was track. Athletics was something that only he and Darry took seriously. The rest of the gang gave their support, but none of them really understood the importance of it.
Ponyboy walked into the locker room. He put away his stuff and started to change clothes. That's when his day went from a little aggravating to down right annoying.
"Hey Pony, you'll never…whoa." Ponyboy looked up from where he was sitting on the bench near his locker, tying his shoes. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Steve, Two-Bit, and Johnny were standing right there in front of him. They were there again. Ponyboy was confused. How could that be? Then he remembered that when he had transferred into Mr. Lawman's class, his schedule had changed. That meant that their schedules had changed too. Still, they weren't in track.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Shoot kid, we go to this awful place you call a school too you now," Two-Bit stated the obvious.
"Don't say that man, the kid loves school. It was like made for him or something," Steve commented.
Ponyboy was taken aback. Steve had tried to pry Two-Bit off his back in Mr. Lawman's class, yet he was making fun of him now.
"We have gym now for sixth period. Schedule change," Johnny informed him.
Just then the coach marched in looking not all that happy.
"Curtis, you're two minutes late. Everyone else in waiting on you. Now get out there, and give me ten laps," he yelled.
"Sorry Ponyboy," Johnny said in a quiet voice.
"Yes sir," was all that Pony said as he turned to follow his track coach out the door he. He turned his head back around just before the door closed to glare at Steve and Two-Bit.
"Wow! The kid can just about match Darry with that mean look," Two-Bit said.
AN: A special chapter by request to update soon. Sorry it took so long before, but work gets in the way you know. Please review. Oh, and I want to thank all my readers who have added me to their favorites and alerts. Thank you very much.
