Hello everyone! Sorry for the wait! Had some personal issues come up. But here's the new chapter! :)
Movies
Johnny and Dallas were waiting for me outside a drug store a few blocks away from Darry and Sodapop's house. Dallas leaned against the building, smoking a cigarette, and as I approached, he held one out to me, lighting it for me and nodding when I thanked him. "You doing okay?" Johnny asked quietly, nudging me with his shoulder and turning his back to Dally a little like he was somehow having a private conversation with me. Dally turned away a little, staring out at the street where a car drove by too slowly, but if they were socs looking to mess with us, they just kept going.
"Fine," I assured him, shrugging a little and scratching the back of my head. The last thing I wanted was for them to think I was a baby or something. Sure, I'd gotten roughed up a little, but they all had. At some point or another, every one of them had told me stories about getting beat up by the rich kids in the area, and once Dallas had even had to go to the hospital after fighting alongside Tim Shepherd, so I wasn't about to whine about a couple of little cuts. Besides, I'd already been beaten up worse than this.
It had been scary, though, not that I wanted to talk about it. I'd just been walking home. It hadn't been like the time before when I'd jumped in the middle of someone else's fight, and they'd retaliated by just about killing me. I hadn't been bugging anybody…just going home. They'd beat me up for fun. That wasn't exactly anything new. Everywhere I went, people seemed to want to beat me up. Aaron. My grandfather. The kids back at my old school. Now the rich kids at this one. The only difference…this time when I called for help, someone came. A lot of someones. A lot of tough, mean someones who, since I'd moved here, always seemed to have my back.
Just like earlier, when that guy, Randy, had shoved Johnny in the hallway, I'd thought there was going to be a fight. And I'd have to help, because Johnny was my friend and I wasn't about to let someone hurt him when I could help, and then I'd get beat up and someone would call Aaron, and I didn't care what Soda and Steve said, there would be consequences for getting kicked out of school for fighting. Painful consequences that would probably leave me bedridden for a while. I thought back to the last time I'd gotten in trouble in school…I'd gotten suspended for a couple of days for defending myself. Of course, no one cared that I hadn't thrown the first punch.
I'd been too sore to move for two days, curled up in the bed and peeing blood. I was pretty sure Aaron had been kind of worried that he'd gone too far and had nearly killed me, because once he stuck his head in and asked if I was gonna make it or something. I'd given a weak nod, too exhausted and sick to get smart, which was likely a good thing. No way he would have gone easy on me had I mouthed off to him.
I was pulled out of that thought when Dallas dropped his cigarette on the ground, putting it out with his heel, and Johnny and I followed suit, ignoring the glare from the guy inside the drugstore who would probably have to clean those up. I felt a twinge of guilt, but not enough to bend down and pick them up myself. Johnny and Dally thought I was weird enough without cleaning up trash on the street. Following Dallas to a burger place down the street, I dug in my pockets, wishing against all hope that I had some money. Even a quarter or something…but of course, my pockets were empty.
I wondered if I'd be able to get a job. Sure, I was only fourteen, but maybe a store needed someone to sweep or something. Or I could work at a movie theater. Sell popcorn. I had time after school, and if it meant earning money, I'd quit track. It wasn't like I could afford the shoes I'd need pretty soon anyway. Mine had holes in the toes and were about to fall apart. But I didn't have the seven or eight dollars to buy a pair of good running shoes, and stealing that much from Aaron all at once was guaranteed to get me killed.
'You could ask Darry.' The thought came out of the blue and nearly had me flushing with shame as Dallas ordered us all cokes. I couldn't imagine a world where I'd ever ask Darrel Curtis for eight dollars. Or one dollar. Or a quarter. Hell, the fact that he'd helped me pay for my groceries was humiliating enough. If I started asking for money, I'd really be a charity case. I couldn't think of a better way to make them start getting tired of me than to ask them for money.
"What do you want, kid?" I blinked at Dally who was looking somewhat impatient, and I felt my stomach drop.
"I, uh…I'm fine, Dally." He rolled his eyes, turning to the girl holding a notepad and chomping on pink bubblegum.
"Give him a cheeseburger and fries. Johnny?"
"Same." He nodded.
"Three cheeseburgers." She nodded, heading back to the kitchen, and I turned to Dally.
"I ain't got any money, Dally," I told him quietly, ashamed and frustrated all at the same time. He looked a little sorry then but rolled his eyes again.
"Don't worry about it, kid. You can pay me back later."
"Think anybody around here would hire a fourteen-year-old?" I wondered. He shrugged.
"If you lied about your age, maybe. Guess could pass for sixteen." He didn't look all that convinced, though. I wasn't offended. I knew I looked young.
"You could get him a job racing horses, Dal," Johnny suggested, and Dally chuckled.
"Yeah. Right. Kid, you ever been on a horse?" He wondered. I shook my head.
"Never even been in the same room as a horse," I told him, and his eyes widened.
"Shoot, kid. We can fix that, at least." Nervously, I tore apart a napkin on the table, worrying it between my fingers.
"Nah, that's alright."
"They ain't nothing to be scared of." He told me, mouth turned up a little like he was teasing, but not being mean or nothing. "They're big, but they won't hurt you long as you treat 'em right. I'll take you over there sometime and you can try." It was nice of him to offer, but I was too nervous about offending him to turn him down, so I just nodded.
"Sure. Thanks, Dal." The nickname, an even shorter one than the one I usually used, just slipped out, but he didn't even seem to notice, despite how I tensed, waiting for him to tell me off. Instead, he grabbed a coke from the waitress who brought the glasses over, draining half his glass grinning at the girl.
"Keep 'em coming, will ya?" She nodded, turning and dodging the hand he shot out, presumably to pat her on the butt or something. Apparently, she knew him. Most people around town seemed to. Heck, most people around town seemed kind of scared of him, which I understood. He had a short temper and a mean, cunning look in his eyes most of the time. But he'd always been nice to me. I couldn't help waiting for the day he wouldn't, though, and wondered if that would be the thing that led to me getting kicked out of this gang. I hoped not. Meanwhile, I'd be on my best behavior and try not to piss him off.
We wolfed down the burgers, then the cokes that the girl kept bringing us, rolling her eyes at Dally's blatant attempts at flirting all the while. When we were done, and Dally had paid the bill, we all headed over to the movie house that was only about four blocks away. Greasers drove by in their busted up cars, sometimes honking and waving at Dally, or giving me looks I didn't understand. We passed a few guys that stopped Dally to talk to us, throwing a greeting at me and Johnny, then going back to Dallas. They were rougher looking guys most of the time, but they seemed friendly enough to me. One asked about me like I wasn't even there, and Dally leaned an elbow onto my shoulder, grinning.
"This here's Ponyboy Davis. Lives next door to Darry and Sodapop. He's practically family." There was something in his voice that made me shiver a little. The way he said it…like a threat. He might as well have said, 'don't mess with this kid or else.' The greaser nodded, grinning down at me.
"Yeah, I dig. I thought Tim said something about those two taking in some kid." He crossed his arms, and I felt a twinge of annoyance when I realized he was maybe only a year older than me. He was mean looking though, with slick hair and a scar on his forehead. "Where you from?"
"Kansas," I told him simply, and he hummed, nodding.
"We got family down there." He told me, then turned abruptly back to Dally, the two of them going back to talking about socs or something, and I moved to stand by Johnny who was watching everyone warily.
"What's up with these guys?" I wondered, keeping my voice pitched low.
"That's Curly Shepherd, Tim's brother. These guys are all friends of Dally's. Darry don't like 'em much, but we all fight together if we need backup. They're good guys to have on your side, but they'll get you into trouble if you let them."
Vowing to keep away from Tim Shepherd's friends, despite the fact that he'd been nice to me, I waited for Dally to finish his conversation, and then we all entered the movie house, Dally paying for us and even buying popcorn that Johnny held and I took a few bites out of. We sat in the middle since it was practically empty…except for two girls sitting in the very front row.
Dally was quiet for a little while, watching the movie for a bit and reaching over me for popcorn. I tried to focus on the movie, which wasn't great but wasn't bad either. Just some beach flick with pretty girls and a couple of songs, but just as I was starting to lose myself in the movie, Dally stood up, making his way up a few rows and sitting in the chair right behind the red-headed girl.
I couldn't make out everything he was saying, but I caught enough, feeling my cheeks turn red. I stared down at my popcorn, suddenly wishing I hadn't come, or that Sodapop had come. Would he sit and listen while Dally talked that way to some girls who were getting real stiff, leaning forward as though to block him out.
The redhead turned then, looking upset. "Leave us alone. Please? Please, just be nice and leave us alone." She practically begged, and I wanted to beg too. Johnny glanced over at me, grimacing and nudging my shoulder. I tried to smile and look back at the movie, but it wasn't so interesting anymore. Not with those girls so upset and Dally bugging them. I hated to see a girl upset.
"He always do this?" I asked while Dally told the girls he was never nice. I didn't believe that. He was nice to me. He was nice to Johnny. He looked out for us. But now he was different. Kind of…kind of an asshole. The girls wanted him to leave him alone. They hadn't been doing anything. They were trying to watch a movie. Just like I hadn't been doing anything, just walking home.
"Sometimes." He told me with a shrug, looking uncomfortable. "Usually when him and his girl break up. I think she was two-timing him or something." I nodded, grabbing some popcorn and wondering fi I should just split. I could probably hang out with Sodapop. It was possible that Steve had come back to drag him off somewhere, but maybe we could find something to do if he was still around. Or maybe Darry had come back. Either way, I was getting more and more uncomfortable, until the redhead girl whirled around in her seat.
"Get lost, hood!" She all but screamed, and I watched him jerk back, worried he was gonna hit her or something. Surely then I'd have to leave…I couldn't sit around while he hurt some girl. But could I stand up to him? I doubted it.
He said something I didn't quite hear over the movie, but I watched him get up, hands shoved in his pockets, ambling down the aisle and nodding to us as he passed down the aisle. Johnny handed me the bucket of popcorn, taking a drink of his coke, and then the redhead turned around, glaring back at us. "Are you going to start in on us too?" She snapped, and I blinked, putting the handful of popcorn back into the bucket.
"No," I told her, blinking and glancing over at Johnny.
She hummed, then nodded. "No…you don't really look the type." She seemed to soften, smiling a little back at us. I wondered what that meant...what this girl was getting at.
"Why don't you come sit with us?" Her friend asked, smiling too. "You can protect us." I glanced over at Johnny who shrugged, grinning.
"Sure, might as well." He told them, both of us standing and moving to sit beside them, me beside the redhead and Johnny on my other side. I had to admit, I wasn't super comfortable around girls. They never talked to me and I avoided them whenever possible. Back in my old school, I'd hear them whispering about me in the hallways, sometimes laughing at me for wearing old crappy clothes or getting called on in class or whatever they could think of to ridicule me for. But these girls were smiling, seeming at ease with us.
After introductions were made, and they asked how old we were, the four of us making a little small talk, we went back to watching the movie. It was only a few minutes later that Dallas came back, carrying sodas and handing one to Marcia, the brown haired girl, and Cherry, the redhead. Marcia took a drink of hers immediately, while Cherry considered her drink of a minute before turning and throwing it into his face.
Dally spluttered for a minute, then put a hand on her chair, eyes narrow, when Johnny caught my eye. I found myself shrinking back, jaw tight as I stared down at the ground. He was mad. He was going to hurt her. And I was too much of a coward to do anything about it.
"Leave her alone, Dal." I jumped, looking up to find Dallas staring at Johnny, jaw dropping.
"What?" He asked, speaking slowly and carefully. "What did you say to me, you little shit?"
"Just…leave her alone." He told him, voice soft and weak, but still there. I stared up at Dally, feeling my eyes go wide. For a minute, I thought he was going to hit him. Or her. Or all of us. Instead, he scoffed, rolling his eyes and storming away.
Cherry thanked him, her voice soft, and then we watched the movie, me passing them the popcorn. It was quiet for a while between us, all of us staring at the screen. Then someone put their hand on my shoulder and one on Johnny's. "Hey, greaser!" We all jumped, me and Johnny both going real pale, and I felt my throat close up. Johnny had his eyes shut, mouth open as he gasped for breath. I was stiff, about to jerk away, when the person leaned in, grinning at us, and I realized it was Two-Bit.
"Sorry, kids." He ruffled my hair and patted Johnny on the shoulder. He grinned at the girls then, asking for an introduction, and Johnny took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair and giving a shaky grin of his own.
"Hey, Two-Bit. This is Cherry and Marcia. Dally was bugging them, so we came up and sat with them." He nodded to the girls.
"Yeah? Where is Dally?" He wondered.
"That's what I'd like to know." We all turned to find Tim Shepherd standing in the aisle of the movie house. Wondering if we'd ever get to watch the movie, I decided to let Two-Bit take care of this conversation. Tim had been nice to me, but I had no hopes that would last if he was mad at Dally and I tried getting involved. Johnny was slumping in his seat beside me, and I glanced at the girls who also looked worried.
Two-Bit took care of Tim, assuring him that Dally wasn't there anymore, and then the movie was pretty much over. I didn't mind. It hadn't been great anywhere, and I was ready to go home. Or…to Sodapop and Darry's house. I was tired and there had been too much yelling and threatening for a while. I was ready for a nap. Or a talk with Sodapop.
Since the girls had only come to the movies because their boyfriends had gotten drunk, Two-Bit suggested we walk them to his place and then drive them home. Two-Bit ended up walking with Marcia in front of us while Johnny and I somehow ended up hanging back with Cherry. We were both pretty quiet, and she carried most of the conversation, asking us questions and stuff even though we all went to school together and surely she would have had other opportunities to get to know us. Still, I tried not to hold it against her. She was probably rich and hung out with her rich, socy friends. But she kind of reminded me of those girls at my old school…the ones that pointed and laughed at me in the halls and refused to be at the same table as me at lunch.
"So, Ponyboy, what's your family like?" Cherry asked suddenly, turning to me, her smile curious. I shoved my hands into my pockets, shrugging defensively.
"It's just me and my uncle," I told him simply. I had no idea who this girl was...I didn't want to give her my whole life story. Or any of it really. I didn't trust her. She was pretty and seemed nice enough, but plenty of pretty, nice seeming girls had tormented me back in Kansas.
"Oh…" She got quiet, then moved a little closer. I felt myself stiffen, and Johnny gave me a look, probably looking at me worried or something. "What's he like?"
"He's fine." I muttered, wishing I could go home. I didn't want to make small talk with two random girls. I didn't want to go with Two-Bit while he walked two random girls home, despite the fact that they seemed kind of nice. I wanted to go home.
"Cherry!" We all stopped when Marcia did, and for a moment, I was grateful that I wouldn't have to keep trying to hold a conversation with a girl I didn't know. Then she kept talking. "Look what's coming."
A blue Mustang was coming toward us, and Johnny went stiff beside me. "What are we going to do?" Marcia murmured.
Cherry sighed, crossing her arms. "Stand here. There isn't much else we can do."
"Who is it, the FBI?" Two-Bit asked, chuckling, but neither of the girls so much as smiled.
"No. Randy and Bob." She told him, her voice bleak. Briefly, I wondered why she was dating this guy if she didn't even seem to like him. My brain flashed back to Sandy and Sodapop and I wondered if Sandy liked Soda. I knew he wasn't like the asshole socs we'd met at school…he didn't seem mean like Dally apparently could be either. Why would she want to cheat on him? He seemed like the nicest guy around.
"Your boyfriends?" Johnny asked softly.
"Maybe they don't see us." Marcia offered, but that hope was dashed as soon as the car rolled to a stop, the two front doors opening and two socs, one familiar and one not, climbed out. Surprisingly, they didn't even seem to notice us and instead started talking to the girls, trying to assure them that they weren't all that drunk or something. I glanced over at Johnny, taking a step back and wishing I could just leave while the girls argued with them.
It wasn't until Two-Bit spoke up that I realized they'd apparently made some kind of reference to us. "Hey! Who you calling bums, pal?" He snapped, taking an aggressive step forward, grabbing the cigarette from his mouth and dropping it on the ground.
"Listen, greasers, we got four more of us in the back seat..." The soc…not Randy, so Bob, I guess, told him.
"Then pity the back seat." I could hear the smirk in Two-Bit's voice, and I hoped this wasn't about to turn into another fight.
"If you're looking for a fight..." The soc snapped, leaning in. So much for that. My stomach dropped, jaw clenching. I didn't want to fight. Not again. Not after the last time I'd jumped into a fight that had nothing to do with me.
"You mean if I'm looking for a good jumping, you outnumber us, so you'll give it to us? Well..." Two-Bit leaned down, grabbing an empty beer bottle, busting it on the ground, then turned and tossed it to me. Catching it by the neck, I gripped it too tightly, feeling my hands shake. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to cut anyone. But I also didn't want to end up beat all to hell again, barely conscious on Darry Curtis's couch. So Johnny reached into his back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife, and Two-Bit pulled out his switchblade, flipping it open and pointing it at the soc. "Try it, pal."
Before anyone could make a move, Cherry was jumping between us. "No! Stop! Just…wait a minute. We'll go with you, okay?" She practically begged, almost like she had with Dally, and I wondered if this guy treated her any different. If I weren't such a coward, I might have felt bad for her. Honestly, though, I had enough problems of my own without worrying about some random soc girl.
"Why?" Two-Bit scoffed. "We ain't scared of them."
"I can't stand fights... I can't stand them..." I guess we kind of had that in common. For a moment, she looked at me, eyes sad and almost worried, and I wondered what she wanted me to say? That I wouldn't use this bottle? That she didn't have any reason to be scared of us? Because that would be a lie. I remembered how it felt to have someone hitting me over and over…how it felt to have Darry carry me, only half conscious and feeling nothing but pain, and if using a broken bottle to protect myself could stop that from happening again, then I'd use the broken bottle.
The girls climbed into the car with their boyfriends, somehow fitting despite the four other people in the backseat, and Johnny put a hand on my shoulder. "You alright, Pone?" He asked quietly. I nodded, throwing the broken bottle into the bushes by the sidewalk.
"Yeah." I lied, hands shoved into my pockets, stomach still turning.
"Alright, kids." Two-Bit reached out, ruffling my hair, but paused when I flinched. I'd thought I was getting better…but one encounter with a couple of assholes like the ones that had nearly killed me had me undone. I wanted to go home. I wanted to go to bed and hide and never look at another soc again. If it weren't for the friends I'd made here, I'd hate this place more than Kansas. "Pony?" He asked, looking concerned for the first time.
"Let's just go." Johnny offered, patting me on the back, and together we headed back towards Darry's house.
Thank you for reading!