Chapter 37

For the rest of the week, Matty and I would have lunch with Ben. The more we talked to him, the more we got to know him. By Friday, it felt like we've known him our whole lives. He always had the plain looking cookies with him. One Friday he let me and Matty try one. They may look like nothing but -damn! - they sure are good. They taste like a mix of cinnamon and vanilla. Ben told us his mom makes them.

We also walked home with him everyday too. Sometimes we'd run into on the way to work, but not always. Now that I considered myself friends with Ben, the more upset I got about rules that seperate us. There's really nothing wrong with him, why should he have to drink from a different fountain, use a different bathroom, or sit in a different section of a resturant.

I told Soda this, and he said he remembered back a few years ago, this man named Martin Luthur King made this speech and they aired it on TV. He talked about his dream of having no seperations between blacks and whites. I hope his dream becomes fully true soon.

...

When walking home with Ben on Friday, he brought up meeting Ell soon. "Hope ya don't mind I told her bout you two. She says ya sound tuff and would like to hang out soon." He told us. "We don't mind, and we would like to meet her too." Said Matty. "Cool, so do you guys wanna out this weekend?" Ben offered.

"Sure, how bout the drive-in tomorrow night?" I said. "Sounds great, me and Ell will meet ya 'round 5:00." Ben said. "Great." Said Matty. "Well, I gotta go, but I'll tell Ell about tomorrow night. She'll excitied about meeting you, she was pretty upset 'bout leaving all her friends." Ben said once we got to his house."Alright, we'll see ya'll later." I said.

...

Sure enough around 5:00, Matty and I met up with Ben and his sister Ell at the drugstore. Ell was short, shoter then Matty. Not like her brother at all, whose an inch or two taller then me. Ell had skin that was the color of cinnamon, like Ben. Her hair was curly and crazy, she had a red handband in it. It matched her tight red shirt she had on under her leather jacket was a little big on her. She was standing next to Ben kinda close, you would've thought they were a couple. But Ben told us they've always been close growing up.

"Hey," I greeted her, trying to be friendly. "What's happenin'?" She said back. "Um, I'm Matty." Said Matty introducing herself. "Ell, Ben told me 'bout ya." She said. "Really?" I asked. "Yeah, he said you were tuff."

"Oh, cool." Said Matty. "Sooo, I'm just gonna get this outta the way. Are ya'll like... going together?" Ell asked us. "Ellen, what the hell?" Ben yelled at her. "It's ok Ben, really. And yeah we are." Matty told them. "Oh cool, well you two seem like a good couple." Ell complemented. "Thanks." I said. "Um, we better get going to the movie if we don't wanna be late." Ben said, so we all started heading to the drive-in.

Ben already knew me and Matty were together, but he always changed the subject whenever anything couple related came up. I wonder why, but I never ask, it's none of my busniess. If he wants to tell me someday he can.

We got to the drive-in in time for the cartoons they play before the actual movie starts. Since we all had money, we all bought some Cokes and popcorn before the line got too long. While in line, some Socs spotted Ben and Ell. One made a comment about their skin color I'd rather not say, but neither one reacted. Later when we got out, Matty asked 'em if they were offended by what that Soc said back there.

"Sure we did, but not too badly. We've gotten use to bein' called stupid names by whites. Kinda like how ya get use to Socs picking on greasers." Ell explained. "Sides, we know they're just words." Ben added. I still couldn't imagine what it's like for them. They get turned down a lot of things cause of their skin color. It kinda makes sense that they've gotten use to it, since they've probably ben through it their wholes lives, but it still must bother them.

Once we got some seats it was dark enough for them to start the movie. It was one of those murder mystrey movies when a bunch of people could be the killer and ya have to find out who it is. I like these kind of movies, it's fun trying to figure out whose the murderer along with the dectective. I use to wanna be one when I was younger, Darry and Soda did too. But I'm pretty sure by now we've all given up hope on that.

Although we all paid attention to the movie, we also joked around a little too. Ben kept putting popcorn into Ell's hair, she'd kept trying to give him wet willies. They were just being brother and sisters. Matty started getting frisky too. At one point, this lady in the movie tries to sudece the dectective, and they end up in a bedroom together. Matty whispered in my ear, "That could be us soon." and kissed my neck. A chill went down my spine.

As much I love Matty with every single part of me, I'm not sure I'm ready for that. We both agreed a while ago we'd wait until both of us were ready, so I didn't have much to worry 'bout. But I kept wondering what it would be like. Would I hurt her? How long would it last? But I can't really

think bout it too much. Darry and Laura would probably kill us if they ever found out.

Matty and Ell also talked a little bit. I could tell Matty was having a good time with Ell. Her and Laura are close, but now that her and Darry are married things are a little different. And she's really the only girl in the gang, since we don't see much of Two-Bit and Steve's girlfriends. We see a little bit more of Kathy after what happened to Two-Bit, bit things haven't really changed. So I think it's good for Matty to make a new girl friend.

Halfway through the movie, out of the corner of my eye I saw some Soc guys walking out of the refreshment building with a bunch of Cokes of popcorn. They all had at least two of each. Probably used the money their parents gave 'em to buy all it. Just then, they spotted me, Matty, Ben and Ell. One whispered something in another's ear and they started laughing. Oh no, what were they gonna do?

One with with dark blonde hair and a stuble that looked stupid walked quitely behind Ell. He took the straw out of his Coke and handed it to his friend. He slowly raised the Coke above Ell's head. He was gonna pour it on her! I couldn't let him do that.

"What do you think you're doing?" I yelled at him standing up. Ell looked over at me, then above to see what I was looking at. When she saw that the Soc was gonna dump soda on her head she stood up. "What the hell?" She yelled at him.

"Relax, greasy girl, no one would notice cause of your skin color." He told her with an evil grin. "Hey, watch your mouth, rich boy." Ben said standing up too. "Whose gonna stop him? You, nigger?" One of the Socs' friends said. I couldn't believe he actually said that. It's one of the most insulting things you can call someone whose African-American, if you ask me.

Ben didn't look happy. His expression got angry, mean even. I've never seen him look like this before. He looked like he was ready to kill. He then threw his popcorn on the ground and stomped his way over to the Socs. The Socs began to laugh, like they weren't gonna take him seriously. If he tried doing anything to him they'll do it back only ten times worse. I couldn't let that happen to him.

"Hey, hey Ben, calm down. They're not worth it." I said putting my hand on his shoulder to stop him. He looked down at him and started to calm down. "Fine." He said to me, and then looked over at the Socs. "Just stay away from my sisters and watch what you say, you f- candyasses!" He said and stomped off. The rest of us followed him. We wouldn't find out who the killer was, but that didn't really matter anymore.

We were finally able to catch up with Ben. "Ben, it's ok. Calm down." Ell told him. "I know, I just hate it when people bother you, for being black and a greaser. And I just hate that word! Hate it!" Ben explained.
"It's ok Ben, they're just trying to get to ya." Said Matty. "Yeah I guess you're right." We stopped for a little while to let Ben relax 'fore starting back home. We then walked him and Ell home after that.

"Even with that little incident, I had a good time." Ell said before going into their house. "Yeah me too." I said. "So did yeah." Added Matty. "Yeah I did too." Ben said. "We should hang out again soon." Ell commented.

"Sure thing, just call us." Matty told her. "I will. 'Night."

"Night." The rest of us said and Ell and Ben went inside. Me and Matty headed home. "I like them both, they're real nice." Matty said. "Yeah me too." I repiled. "Ell's pretty tuff."

"Yeah, I think it's good that you have a friend that's a girl." I told her. "You're right, I spend too much time with you." She said poking me. "What does that mean?" I asked.

"You're bad for me." She said joking. "Oh really, well ya better watch out cause I'm gonna get ya cause I'm a bad boy!" I said and started chasing her. We ended up in the lot, I playfully pushed her onto the ground and landed next to her, she was laughing. She then rolled on top of me.

We began to kiss right there on the ground in the lot. We didn't care. After a while Matty stopped and I looked at her in the eyes. She looked sexy, but innocent at the same time. She then began to suck on my neck. It felt a little weird at first, but kinda nice, so I let her. She then kissed my earlobe.

We stayed out in the lot for a little while before finally going home. When we walked inside, Laura Darry and Soda didn't look too happy. Uh-oh, were we in trouble. "What's wrong?" Matty asked them. Darry answered.

"Sheapard called. Someone in his gang got beat up by some Socs and is in the hospital for some serious head injuries. Tim says he doesn't know if he'll make it."