Why couldn't I just enjoy a hook up like every girl was beyond me. It would have solved so many problems. I sure as hell wouldn't be in the car with Tim driving me home like he caught me breaking the rules. I guess I was breaking the rules. Is that why I felt so bad? Was I in trouble?
"You don't need to be coming around Buck's, and you certainly don't need to be listening to Angela! Shit Curtis, if I hadn't been there think about what could have happened!" As he talked he went from concerned to angry. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what I was thinking. I just kept looking out the window.
"You ain't crying are you? I hate when chicks cry." I could tell I flustered him. "I ain't going to tell Darry or anything."
"I'm not crying," I looked over at him to prove I wasn't crying. I hadn't thought about what would happen if Darry found.
"What?" He asked me, I guess he could tell I was thinking about something deeply.
"I ain't a kid, I'll be 18 in a month," I shrugged my shoulders. He looked like he was surprised I was that old. I was a year ahead of Angela.
"Still, you're a Curtis, stay out of Buck's until you can handle yourself." I wondered what that meant, to be a Curtis? What did that have to do with where I went. He did have a point, I didn't belong there tonight, but he also didn't realize that Angela was right about one thing too. I did need to cut loose too. I'd have to figure out a way.
"This ain't the way to feel better," Tim said as if he reads my mind. For some reason his comment rubbed me wrong.
"How do you know that Tim? Have you been here?" I asked him opening the door to the truck.
"No, but I know your parents, and they raised you better than this." His words stung. I wished I was angry like Dallas so I could tell him to fuck off. I wished I was as easy going as Two-bit and I could simply not care. But I wasn't. I did care, because he was right, and I didn't want him to be. They did raise me better than to run from my problems. He was wrong about one thing though, this was the way to feel better. Neither of us knew it yet, but this was about to become a common occurrence.
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I should know better by now that Angela is a dumb broad. I shouldn't be surprised that she just took Mary to Buck's. I probably would be able to forget about it too if it wasn't for the look on Mary's face. Greasers have to be tough or they won't survive, I'm the first one to admit that, but shit she's little Mary Curtis. Her dad's little angel. When he coached little league he'd light up like a God damn Christmas tree when she would come. She wasn't but about 5, it use to piss me off brining a little girl to football, but I never said much about it. Now, I'm glad I didn't.
I was thrown off by her being 18 soon. She sure don't look it. She doesn't look a day over 16. But then again, Angela is 16 looks more like 30 with all the make up crap she puts on her face. As a greaser it was a big deal to make it your 18th birthday alive and not locked up. Not that I'd expect her to celebrate that.
"Has Curly bothering you, Curtis?" I said her last name exaggeratedly. She jumped like I scared her. She sure as hell didn't belong in Buck's.
She looked at me like she didn't know what to say, "don't lie to me, kid." I gritted my teeth.
"No," she responded. She was lying. Shit.
"You think I'm stupid?" I didn't know why I was angry at her. She didn't respond. "I know he was screwing with you, if I hadn't come out what was he planning on doing?"
"He's your brother, why don't you ask him?" She started to get sassy, I felt a small grin form at the corner of my lips. These were the kinds of girls I was use to.
"You can bet your ass I'm going to ask him! The difference is, he'll lie to me, are you?" I looked at her hard.
"Christ Tim, I'm fine!" She was starting to get annoyed.
"The hell you are fine! I just rescued your ass from Bucks, if you think that kid Angela tried to get with you just wanted to talk then you are off your rocker. Then Curly, hell that's a whole different story. You ain't fine."
"You don't know shit," She told me as I pulled in front of her house. She turned to open the door but I reached over and pulled it shut.
"Just so I know, what were you trying to accomplish tonight? Were you looking for booze, a hook up, because pretty thing like you wouldn't be hard to get either of those."
"What do you want me to say and I'll say it." She had a blank look on her face.
"How about the truth, or is that too damn hard?" I was inches away from her face and I could tell she was uncomfortable, but she was trying to deny.
"If you're trying to scare me, it ain't working. Tell Darry, do whatever you want Tim. I didn't ask you drive me home."
"This would crush Darry, this would demolish the little bit of family you got in there, don't you see it? Even you ain't so dense that you can't see how badly they need you. So think twice before you go making decision dumb ass decisions, and that, was a dumb ass decision."
"Tim let me out," she said clamly.
"No," I really didn't have anything else to say, now I was just screwing with her.
"You think I'm holding it together in there? You think I've got some magical powers that can keep us together? Your wrong. Darry and Soda are already fighting about school. Pony never stops crying. Darry's back is already hurting from working two jobs, but he's too damn prideful to admit it. I can't replace my parents, shame on you for thinking I can. Now get you fucking hand off the door." She was mad. More than mad. I had successful made Mary Curtis furious. She was right where I wanted her.
"So what, you think by going to Buck's you can solve that how? By living a little and forgetting the shit that's at home? News flash honey, it'll still be there when you get home."
"Who are you to talk? You ever think that if you were around more maybe your sister wouldn't drink until she passed out or brother wouldn't have just tried had to have sex with me? You ever think what you're family would be like if you were around?" Bold statement. It made me freeze slightly.
"You're damn right I do. I regret it too. It's too late for me, but it ain't for you. So quit feeling sorry for your self and get tuff kid." I had stumped her she didn't know what to say. I knew she wasn't the kid of person to hit people where it hurt. I asked for it. "You tell anyone and I'll deny it." I got a laugh of out her for that.
"Thanks for the ride, Tim." She looked me in the eye as I let go of the handle.
"Hey, next time you decide to show up to Buck's be prepaired to handle yourself, because I ain't blowing an other poker game to come save you."
"Go to hell Tim." I knew she wanted to be angry, but she just looked broken to me. I knew she needed someone to yell and fight with. What can I say, I don't mind a good fight. A heartless guy like me even felt bad for her.
