AUTHOR'S NOTE-OK, I have some thank you's I want to give out. Starstruck,
thank you for the review, and I love your "Stranger Steve stared" story.
Please continue!! SodasGurl, wow, I'm totally flattered by your review.
Don't worry, in this chapter, you'll find out what Sandy's up to. ;). By
the way, keep up the weirdness! Bega, I took your idea and used it. I had
nearly forgotten that Darry wasn't up to date on Pony's whereabouts. And
thank you, Karlei Shaynner, for the review.
What's with me these days *audience groans as they prepare for long
anecdote*? Well, school's rotting my brain because school just.sucks and I
heard the original rendition of "Lady Marmalade" (hehe, everyone at my
school thinks the lyrics are just made up words. Silly kids). This
chapter's kind of a build-up chapter. I think you can handle Spike's non-
stop cussing. I also realized I needed some sort of theme (at least,
that's what my former language arts teacher pounded into our little
packaged and processed minds) so I decided to pick something about fate.
Clever, huh? If it comes out corny, then I'll probably just delete all
mention of that theme. But, yeah, I'm gonna shut up, but here ya guys go!
CHAPTER EIGHT
PONY
By the time I sneaked back home, it was pretty late. Thankfully, not late enough for Darry to be home, but the others would've noticed my leave of absence. I kept thinking about Sarah. With Randy. Alone. I couldn't stand the thought. Why did she have to say yes to Randy? He was just another Soc. And then it hit me. Sarah was a Soc, and so was Randy. From an outsider looking in, it would make perfect sense for Sarah and Randy to be dating.
Hands hitched in my jean pockets, I kicked up pebbles as I walked up the stairs. Anya and Soda were sitting on the porch, hand in hand, Anya's head resting on Soda's shoulder. Soda was whispering sweet nothings in Anya's ear, and I saw her giggle. Her dark blonde hair was soaking wet, probably because she had just taken a shower. Steve was sitting on the other side of the porch, sighing, his visage dark, clouded and angry. Something had annoyed Steve today, and I wasn't going to go anywhere near him.
"Hey Pony," Anya and Soda said together. Isn't it nauseating when couples speak in unison? "Where ya been?"
"Out," I mumbled bitterly. Why was I acting so sour? I knew why, though. Sarah. Randy. Tonight. Sweat drenched my clammy fists. I shouldn't be taking it out on Soda and Anya though. They were two of the kindest people I had ever met. Selfishly, I didn't want Soda to move away, out into the harsh real world where people would stomp all over the little flowerbed Anya would plant behind their little white picket fences, where they would grow their own food and live happily ever after. The world wasn't meant for people like them. It was meant for people like Dally, cold people who had hardened themselves past sensitivity. It was meant for Spike, who merely skated through life on the fact that his parents had big bucks, which had now been cruelly taken from him.
I wanted to yell this out, to holler at the moon and warn the masses about this. I had seen the world. I had seen what the world had done to others. It left them curled up in a ball on the floor, sobbing, their tongues rough form licking their wounds. I wanted to tell Soda and Anya and Kat and Darry and all the others about this new truth that I had single handedly discovered. But I merely muttered, "Downtown mostly," and stepped inside to get away from all the reality.
Two-Bit was in his usual position of sitting on the floor, cake stuffed in mouth, beer bottle in his hands. In the kitchen, Kat was washing dishes, her hair tied in a tight braid, wisps of hair fighting to mask the cuts and swollen bruises covering her face. She smiled wearily at me, "Hey Pony."
"Hey Kat." She went back to washing dishes with dirt under her fingernails. I stretched myself across the couch and picked up Les Miserables. It was hard to concentrate and focus on since Two-Bit had the TV blasting on full volume. Since I was in a rotten enough mood, I took it out on him and Donald Duck, "You mind turning that fucking TV down?!"
Two-Bit stared up at me, wide eyed and startled. I never swore like that. Two-Bit took a swig of beer before dealing with me, "What the hell is your problem?"
"I'm trying to read here and it's pretty damn hard to focus with you blaring friggin' Mickey Mouse to the whole God damned neighborhood," I hissed.
"Boys, don't fight," begged Kat. Cloud started crying and she hurried in to comfort her. Normally I wouldn't have picked this fight and stopped right there, but I was on a roll now, so I figured I shouldn't back out of this fight.
"Who ever listens to stuff on normal levels?" asked Two-Bit. I think he realized I was pissed. "Hey, hey, this ain't about the TV, ain't it?"
"Shut up," I cursed, burying my face two inches from the paperback copy. Unfortunately, I couldn't recover from that, and Two-Bit caught my stumble.
"It's about a girl, ain't it?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Little Pony's growing up!" shouted Two-Bit. "Lemme guess, it's that Soc, huh? The good lookin' one you rescued earlier, huh?"
"No, it isn't." Liar. I was completely denying it. I don't think I exactly liked Sarah. It's just she made me think and care for others and all this shit that greasers weren't supposed to feel. Was that some sort of twisted form of love?
"Pony likes a Soc!" catcalled Two-Bit, singing a little ditty. I cut in by the second verse.
"We were talking and now she's out having a fucking good time with a god damned Soc, happy?!" I was practically screaming by then, but it went in one ear and out the other for Two-Bit.
"Here, how 'bout this. I'm going out on a date with Bambi tonight. She's got a friend, what's her name, Moonbeam or somethin'? It'll be like a, whadya call it, double date or somethin'."
"What ever happened to Tallulah?"
"Who?" asked Two-Bit. I didn't feel like re-explaining to Two-Bit that he and Tallulah would have a on again, off again relationship, but I continued to argue.
"I wanna stay home--"
"No!" yelled Two-Bit, jumping on the couch, "you're comin' with me and Bambi. I'm calling her now and telling her to bring Moonbeam--" Two-Bit ran to the phone, and I dashed to beat him. I was back on the track team, but he had the head start and beat me. He was already dialing his latest girl's number, "Hey, Bambi? Yeah, my friend wants to tag along with us, bring another one of your girls. Okay? Great. Pick ya up." Two-Bit hung up, and I was slamming my head against the wall. I had no choice but to go now. Sighing, I walked into the bathroom and put as much hair grease on as physically possible. Soda and I had the tuffest hair in the 'hood, so I was real proud of mine.
Two-Bit literally had to drag me from the bathroom when it was time to pick up the girls. I wanted no part of this. I wanted to stay home and read and mourn for the fact that Sarah was out having a good time with Randy Adderson and I was stuck with some greasy broad. Trenches from where my fingernails were firmly emplaced furrowed deeply into the walls.
"Have fun, Pony!" called Soda. How sick of him. I finally began walking on my own, but I trudged behind Two-Bit. We walked to the drive-in after chasing two freshmen around.
"There they are," Two-Bit said, raking a comb through his hair. "Be nice, 'kay?" I sighed. Did I have a choice in the matter? Two-Bit was wearing his members only jacket. He loved that jacket, and told me that all the ladies loved it as well. I found that hard to believe, but I wasn't in the mood to question his beliefs.
I could tell exactly which one was Bambi and which one was Moonbeam. Like most of Two-Bit's harem of blondes, Bambi had long dyed blonde hair with sticks for legs. She could count her brain cells on her fingers. Her pink bubble popped as she dashed to Two-Bit and threw her arms around him. The two didn't take much time to cut formalities and start making out.
Moonbeam was actually kind of pretty. A beaded headband covered a bit of her midnight black hair. She was wearing one hoop earring and a T-shirt splashed with various colors. Flip flops were on her feet and she was carrying a bouquet of daisies.
"You must be Moonbeam," I stated rather then asked.
Moonbeam nodded, "I go by that name now, fellow brother." By now, Two-Bit and Bambi were very preoccupied, lips pressed against one another in futile attempt to find something meaningful. Tongues slithered across one another's lips, but nothing was there. Just pure physical contact. I sighed and shook my head. Sitting in the last row of a Nightly Double watching your buddy make out with a bimbo wasn't exactly the highlight of my evening. Moonbeam was sitting there, picking the petals off of her daisies and watching them flutter to the ground. She seemed off in left field, but I figured it was better then nothing.
"So.Moonbeam, what do you do in your spare time?" There. Safe question. Boy, was I wrong.
"I rebel against anything the elderly believe," Moonbeam said, her voice misty. "Never trust anyone over thirty is what I say! They don't understand what we go through these days!
"I protest against the evil government. I live in a commune. I promote peace and love to all non believers," insisted Moonbeam. She dug in her beaded purse and pulled out a piece of paper. I saw her nimble fingers shaking as she took out a small vial and let its contents bleed through the paper. I watched her tongue lick the liquid sacredly, as if to savor it all. I'd seen Chris and the other Socs taking it down at the drugstore. It was a hallucinogenic drug, LSD to be specific.
"Make love, not war," murmured Moonbeam. She began to shut down and let the drug run its course. I slouched, cross-armed. I could smell its scent, taunting me to take a try. Two-Bit and Bambi were still making out, and now Moonbeam was entering some alternate dimension. At that moment I was thinking only how could this get worse.
It did. Knowing my luck, of course. It happened that just as "Beach Blanket Bingo" ended, I saw Sarah and Randy sneak in. Biting the side of my mouth, I felt tears swell at the corners of my eyes. Sarah seemed to be having a good time. With Randy. I could see her laughing, her dark blonde hair lifted in the gentle summer breeze. The moon's glow illuminated her olive green eyes.
I hated my life. I wanted to take a shovel and bury myself six feet underground. Away from Sarah and Randy and Moonbeam and Bambi and even ol' Two-Bit. Away from it all.
"I gotta go," I told Moonbeam. She didn't notice. She probably didn't care. She was too busy blowing her life by having violent hallucinations. I tapped Two-Bit's shoulder. He didn't notice until I snatched the shoulder of his members only jacket and said firmly, "We need to go, Two- Bit."
"Yeah, yeah," Two-Bit grumbled. He said a quick goodbye to Bambi, who was happily compensated by taking Moonbeam's LSD. Two-Bit didn't seem mad. He skipped along with me, humming an ol' Elvis tune. That was Two-Bit for you.
The image of Sarah and Randy burned in my mind's eye, tattooing it permanently. As nice of guy as Randy was, I didn't think he would fully understand someone has deep as Sarah. I spent the rest of the walk home imagining ways for Randy to humiliate himself. Call me immature.
"Hey Two-Bit?" I asked.
"Yeah.?"
"Do you believe in fate?" It was a nagging question that had bothered me for a long time. Earlier I had been thinking about how if I had never skipped out of the dance with Two-Bit and went to the 7-11 I would've never met Sarah, and that disturbed me a little. What annoyed me more was Sarah was supposed to be with me, not Randy Adderson. I sighed and kicked a moderately sized pebble out of my way.
"I guess," Two-Bit said. He laughed, half crocked, "Tallulah and I met through fate. I got a funny story to tell you about that. One day, at Buck's, I walked back to the 'fridge to get some beer. Well, guess who was waiting there to get beer as well? Tallulah Beckett. So we were standing there, but there was only one Heineken left. It turned out it was her beer- of-choice as well!"
"And then."
Two-Bit continued, glass eyed, "Well, here's the deal. It was a choice between beer and a real nice looking chick. So Tallulah stood there, licking her lips, practically begging for me to give her the cold beer in my hands..."
"So what'd you do?" I asked.
"What'd you think I did? I took the beer and ran!" Two-Bit cackled. He sighed, "Tallulah Beckett, whadya think? She the one for me?"
"Bambi's a prize piece, isn't she?" I asked sarcastically.
Two-Bit shrugged, "One date material." I was a little shocked. He and Bambi had practically spent the entire date making out. It was nothing more then physical contact, searching for something meaningful. As for Tallulah, he had just forgotten her name just an hour ago. Shrugging, I continued to trot beside him. My head ached from all the thinking I had done today. I needed a rest. A nice, long rest.
SPIKE
Miserable God damned bastards, I thought, bitterly downing my twelfth shot glass. I glared angrily at my fellow patrons. What the hell were they doing in my bar? I hated them. All of them. I hated him and her and him and him and him and her and oh fuck, that whore looks like Adrienne, who I so dearly remember taking the news of my parents' bankruptcy by taking off with my best friend, Chris, who also took the news wonderfully by ousting me from my social clique. Bastard. Bitch.
I blame my parents for this. Why hadn't they said no when I demanded a new car or whatever latest possession I desperately needed to have? Neither of them understood why I stormed out of the house-oh, that's right, I don't live in a house anymore, I live in a crummy fucking apartment. Where the water is brown and the sheets aren't made of imported silk. It's their entire God damned fault I'm here at Charlie's fucking bar drinking fucking cheap alcohol that the Socs I'd hang with would have spat in before drinking.
I saw some fucking Hispanic with his blonde whore stride towards me. What the hell did they want? To laugh and mock at me because I was one of them, white trash? Fuck them. The Hispanic, who's nose looked uneven and was wearing a white bandana, sat down beside me, his blonde bitch sitting comfortably in his lap. Fucking greasers.
I saw the Hispanic's mouth moving, but I was so drunk it felt like I was watching a bad Asian kung-fu movie. My brain felt like it was trying to split out of my skull and run around screaming. I heard the Hispanic, who was talking to his ho, say, "This the Soc?"
"Positive," the blonde said, her lips no longer moving. God, I'd been shitfaced before, but I don't ever remember being it this bad. "Julio, how is this going to help me get back at Soda?"
"Watch, my pet," the Hispanic hood, Julio, told her. He turned to me, "You the Soc they called Spike?"
"Used to be," I slurred. Charlie, the bartender, walked by and I snapped my fingers, demanding another beer. He sighed and poured another glass. I downed it and turned back to the Hispanic, "What the hell do you want?"
"You hate those greaser hoods, the Curtis'," Julio asked, looking to his broad for confirmation. She nodded. She was actually pretty hot. I'd like to take her home some time.
"Yeah," I muttered. I then went on cheerfully naming them every expletive under the sun. Is that what they were called, the Curtis'? Burn in hell, all of them. Especially that young smartass, Ponykid or something. He took away the best broad I ever had. Sarah. Or was it Sasha?
"Well, me and my woman here got a grudge against them also," Julio said, his hand clamping on his broad's bony hip. From how shitfaced I was, his mouth was higher then his face.
"That's great for you."
Julio smile charismatically, "I got a way we can strike back at all of 'em."
"That's just peachy." I stood to leave, get away from these hoods. I was nothing like them. I had class, I had style, and I had just tripped over my feet and fell face first into the ground. The Hispanic's woman, Sandy, caught me and helped me up. She didn't look healthy enough to hold up her own body, let alone someone else's. I noticed as she helped me up that her left eye was a dark blackish blue. So her man beat her. Big fucking deal.
"Willing to listen?" asked Julio.
This guy was just another hood. I could easily take him and his hooker down. What did I have to lose? I shrugged and mumbled, "What do you have?"
DARRY
"Where is that kid?" I asked. Wonderland was over. Kat and I had slogged back to the house. We hadn't been gone for very long, which seemed even shorter then it actually was. Anya and Soda were still on the unofficial honeymoon. Anya was now sitting on the porch railing, her tan legs dangling off the ground, sucking on a lollipop and giggling at Soda's natural charm. Steve had grown bored and was now in the living room, lying fast asleep in the armchair.
"Hey Soda, has Pony showed up?" I asked.
Soda looked up from Anya and shrugged, "He left an hour ago."
"Yeah," Anya said. "Two-Bit wanted to take him out on a double date because he seemed lonely since that Soc turned him down and I wasn't supposed to tell that, huh?" Soda nodded. Anya blushed bashfully. It wasn't her fault she was too trusting. She was a good kid.
"Wait, who's this Soc?" I asked.
Soda shrugged, "Some girl he met. I think it was the one at the DX that her ex got all mad at Pony for talking to her or something." He looked to Anya to verify details. She shrugged indifferently.
"He should be home then," I said, shifting into parental mode. "Remember the last time a Soc had a grudge against Pony?"
"Relax, Darry. It's summer, so you can't say he needs to be home studying," Soda argued. I understood how he felt about our kid brother; they were close, closer then I could ever hope to achieve. In some ways I envied him for that.
"Yeah, but if you haven't forgotten, staying up late is why Johnny and Dally ended up dead," I said.
"Pony!" shouted Anya, waving her hand. Realizing what she had done, she clasped her hands over her mouth, "Oops." I saw Pony and Two-Bit walking home, taking their time.
"Ponyboy Michael Curtis!" Frankly, I was glad he was back safe and alive, and Soda and Anya had managed to forget to tell me that Two-Bit was with him. "Mind explaining about this little grudge you've got against some Soc, what's his name?"
"Spike," blurted Soda. He looked sheepishly over at an angry Pony.
"Spike, mind 'splaining to the class 'bout this?" I asked.
"I think I'm going to go in and check up on Cloud." Kat said, making a swift exit. She kissed me on the cheek before hurrying inside.
Pony shrugged, "It's no big deal."
"No big deal?" I asked, hands on hips. "Remember Bob--" He never let me finish. I wanted to paste duct tape across my mouth. That whole subject was a touchy one, especially around Pony.
"Of course I remember Bob!" he shouted. "I remember it all! It's been burned in my memory since the day it happened!"
"I didn't mean to--"
"You never mean to!" Pony shouted back. This irritated me. Pony always would try playing the guilt trip. And it always worked.
"You're grounded," I muttered under my breath. I pointed to Soda and Anya, "And don't stick up for him. This is just till things clear up."
Strangely, Pony nodded grudgingly, "Yeah, yeah, I understand." That was a first. I was fully expecting him to argue with me. Anya must've been right; he must've felt real lousy to not argue with me.
"Hey Darry?" I turned back to see Pony. He DID look lousy.
"Yeah?"
"Do you believe in fate?" I thought about that for a moment. My eyes glazed over the kitchen window, where I saw Kat bouncing a moaning Cloud on her hip. I thought of that day when Crick had offered a ride home. What if I had never met Kat? Soft lullabies filled my ears. And as I stood there, eyes affixed upon a maternally Kat, I realized that I wanted to be with Kat, and that there was a such thing as fate. It worked out real well in my case.
"Darry.?"
"No," I lied stiffly, and then hurried inside.
SODA
How the hell was I supposed to scrape up fifty more dollars? That next morning I had stopped by the church (hard to imagine, me inside an actual church) and asked the local minister how much money it would take for Anya and I had to be married. I think he recognized me from the last time we showed up, where Steve ended up dropping the Bible and the whole entire mass turned to stare at us and Two-Bit waved back at them. It was actually pretty funny, but I don't think Pony found it as amusing as the rest of us.
I wasn't sure if the minister was going to die of shock over two greasers marrying, or that I was asking His Holiness to allow us to wed. Either way, I think he purposely upped the price. I knew I didn't go to church for a reason.
Work was going by slower then ever. Two-Bit and Steve, now single, were trying to pick up on girls, who didn't seem to mind being showered with the extra attention. I think part of the reason Steve had joined in with Two-Bit was because he was taking Evie's departure harder then he was letting on. Pony was sitting off to the side with his composition book, writing away. Anya looked depressed and tired, and had cloaked herself in a black leather trench coat. I tried cheering her up, and she would occasionally smile, mostly because she didn't like me being sad. Sometimes it hurt me when Anya would shut me out because we told one another everything. We'd spend hours just talking over everything. When she'd get moody and depressed there was nothing I could do but wait it out.
"Hey Soda?" It was Pony.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Do you believe in fate?" Great. Now Pony was in one of his deep moods. He'd asked Darry this question last night. I looked to Anya, arms wrapped around her knees, which she kept close to her chest. I had known Anya a good portion of my life; she would always come down and visit Steve. When Dally was-alive--he'd always make sure to watch his cussing around her. I don't know if having Anya move in with Steve would be considered fate, because her parents were always bums, but still, I liked to think it was.
"Yeah, why?"
"Just curious." Pony went back to writing. I saw Anya sigh heavily, stand up and make a beeline towards me. Her face was set and determined. Rarely she had this look, and I wasn't sure what to make of it.
"Soda, I'm going to head to work," Anya said quickly, kissing me on the lips. She turned and was about to make a swift exit, her black trench coat covering her curves.
"Anya?" I asked. I saw her stop and then turn around slowly, "Yes?"
"How are we going to get the money?" I asked.
Anya walked over to me and placed a delicate hand on my cheek. She stared lovingly into my eyes and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll take care of everything, okay, Soda?"
I nodded, "That summer job, right?"
"Right," Anya said, her face darkening. She covered her emotions immediately thereafter. Apparently, she'd gotten a job at the 7-11 Larry used to work at. I still didn't understand how she'd made all that money, but apparently she'd been saving up.
"I love you," she whispered back at me, and kissed me on the forehead, "Don't you ever forget that." And as quickly as she had stepped into my life, she disappeared out the door. I sighed and hung my head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kat carrying little Cloud stroll by. I guess she had become one of the gang, for Two-Bit and Steve ran up to her like little kids running to their mother. When Steve had told Kat about breaking up with Evie, she baked him cookies. Cookies! With the bittersweet chocolate chips! I don't think his own mother had ever baked cookies for him in his entire life. Then again, if your mother were getting shoved around so much I don't think she'd have time to sit around baking cookies.
I walked out to join the gang. Kat seemed real ecstatic and was waving a folded letter around. She called my name, "Soda, come here! I got a job!" I ran over to the gang. Kat needed a job desperately. Her kid didn't look too healthy, and I don't think she could pay for a doctor's visit, so this job coming along was perfect.
"Where is it?" asked Steve.
Kat beamed, "7-11! Yeah, I know it isn't the best place to work, but I just need to get enough money to get Cloud here some medicine, buy some food and then hopefully rent out an apartment--"
"Ah, don't move out!" Two-Bit begged.
Kat didn't notice his comment, and instead noticed my face darken, "What's wrong, Soda?"
"7-11? Where?" I asked.
"The north side of town. Thankfully, I managed to escape graveyard shift, but the pay's good!" replied Kat. "Why?"
"Anya said she was working at 7-11," I told her.
"That's impossible," Kat argued. "There was only one job opening left, and that was because Larry left. I asked the boss and he said no one had even applied."
"Then Anya's been lying to me about where she got that money," I said coldly. I bit my lip, and the group's mood was crushed. Leave it to me to ruin everyone's mood. "And I'm going to find out tonight."
CHAPTER EIGHT
PONY
By the time I sneaked back home, it was pretty late. Thankfully, not late enough for Darry to be home, but the others would've noticed my leave of absence. I kept thinking about Sarah. With Randy. Alone. I couldn't stand the thought. Why did she have to say yes to Randy? He was just another Soc. And then it hit me. Sarah was a Soc, and so was Randy. From an outsider looking in, it would make perfect sense for Sarah and Randy to be dating.
Hands hitched in my jean pockets, I kicked up pebbles as I walked up the stairs. Anya and Soda were sitting on the porch, hand in hand, Anya's head resting on Soda's shoulder. Soda was whispering sweet nothings in Anya's ear, and I saw her giggle. Her dark blonde hair was soaking wet, probably because she had just taken a shower. Steve was sitting on the other side of the porch, sighing, his visage dark, clouded and angry. Something had annoyed Steve today, and I wasn't going to go anywhere near him.
"Hey Pony," Anya and Soda said together. Isn't it nauseating when couples speak in unison? "Where ya been?"
"Out," I mumbled bitterly. Why was I acting so sour? I knew why, though. Sarah. Randy. Tonight. Sweat drenched my clammy fists. I shouldn't be taking it out on Soda and Anya though. They were two of the kindest people I had ever met. Selfishly, I didn't want Soda to move away, out into the harsh real world where people would stomp all over the little flowerbed Anya would plant behind their little white picket fences, where they would grow their own food and live happily ever after. The world wasn't meant for people like them. It was meant for people like Dally, cold people who had hardened themselves past sensitivity. It was meant for Spike, who merely skated through life on the fact that his parents had big bucks, which had now been cruelly taken from him.
I wanted to yell this out, to holler at the moon and warn the masses about this. I had seen the world. I had seen what the world had done to others. It left them curled up in a ball on the floor, sobbing, their tongues rough form licking their wounds. I wanted to tell Soda and Anya and Kat and Darry and all the others about this new truth that I had single handedly discovered. But I merely muttered, "Downtown mostly," and stepped inside to get away from all the reality.
Two-Bit was in his usual position of sitting on the floor, cake stuffed in mouth, beer bottle in his hands. In the kitchen, Kat was washing dishes, her hair tied in a tight braid, wisps of hair fighting to mask the cuts and swollen bruises covering her face. She smiled wearily at me, "Hey Pony."
"Hey Kat." She went back to washing dishes with dirt under her fingernails. I stretched myself across the couch and picked up Les Miserables. It was hard to concentrate and focus on since Two-Bit had the TV blasting on full volume. Since I was in a rotten enough mood, I took it out on him and Donald Duck, "You mind turning that fucking TV down?!"
Two-Bit stared up at me, wide eyed and startled. I never swore like that. Two-Bit took a swig of beer before dealing with me, "What the hell is your problem?"
"I'm trying to read here and it's pretty damn hard to focus with you blaring friggin' Mickey Mouse to the whole God damned neighborhood," I hissed.
"Boys, don't fight," begged Kat. Cloud started crying and she hurried in to comfort her. Normally I wouldn't have picked this fight and stopped right there, but I was on a roll now, so I figured I shouldn't back out of this fight.
"Who ever listens to stuff on normal levels?" asked Two-Bit. I think he realized I was pissed. "Hey, hey, this ain't about the TV, ain't it?"
"Shut up," I cursed, burying my face two inches from the paperback copy. Unfortunately, I couldn't recover from that, and Two-Bit caught my stumble.
"It's about a girl, ain't it?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Little Pony's growing up!" shouted Two-Bit. "Lemme guess, it's that Soc, huh? The good lookin' one you rescued earlier, huh?"
"No, it isn't." Liar. I was completely denying it. I don't think I exactly liked Sarah. It's just she made me think and care for others and all this shit that greasers weren't supposed to feel. Was that some sort of twisted form of love?
"Pony likes a Soc!" catcalled Two-Bit, singing a little ditty. I cut in by the second verse.
"We were talking and now she's out having a fucking good time with a god damned Soc, happy?!" I was practically screaming by then, but it went in one ear and out the other for Two-Bit.
"Here, how 'bout this. I'm going out on a date with Bambi tonight. She's got a friend, what's her name, Moonbeam or somethin'? It'll be like a, whadya call it, double date or somethin'."
"What ever happened to Tallulah?"
"Who?" asked Two-Bit. I didn't feel like re-explaining to Two-Bit that he and Tallulah would have a on again, off again relationship, but I continued to argue.
"I wanna stay home--"
"No!" yelled Two-Bit, jumping on the couch, "you're comin' with me and Bambi. I'm calling her now and telling her to bring Moonbeam--" Two-Bit ran to the phone, and I dashed to beat him. I was back on the track team, but he had the head start and beat me. He was already dialing his latest girl's number, "Hey, Bambi? Yeah, my friend wants to tag along with us, bring another one of your girls. Okay? Great. Pick ya up." Two-Bit hung up, and I was slamming my head against the wall. I had no choice but to go now. Sighing, I walked into the bathroom and put as much hair grease on as physically possible. Soda and I had the tuffest hair in the 'hood, so I was real proud of mine.
Two-Bit literally had to drag me from the bathroom when it was time to pick up the girls. I wanted no part of this. I wanted to stay home and read and mourn for the fact that Sarah was out having a good time with Randy Adderson and I was stuck with some greasy broad. Trenches from where my fingernails were firmly emplaced furrowed deeply into the walls.
"Have fun, Pony!" called Soda. How sick of him. I finally began walking on my own, but I trudged behind Two-Bit. We walked to the drive-in after chasing two freshmen around.
"There they are," Two-Bit said, raking a comb through his hair. "Be nice, 'kay?" I sighed. Did I have a choice in the matter? Two-Bit was wearing his members only jacket. He loved that jacket, and told me that all the ladies loved it as well. I found that hard to believe, but I wasn't in the mood to question his beliefs.
I could tell exactly which one was Bambi and which one was Moonbeam. Like most of Two-Bit's harem of blondes, Bambi had long dyed blonde hair with sticks for legs. She could count her brain cells on her fingers. Her pink bubble popped as she dashed to Two-Bit and threw her arms around him. The two didn't take much time to cut formalities and start making out.
Moonbeam was actually kind of pretty. A beaded headband covered a bit of her midnight black hair. She was wearing one hoop earring and a T-shirt splashed with various colors. Flip flops were on her feet and she was carrying a bouquet of daisies.
"You must be Moonbeam," I stated rather then asked.
Moonbeam nodded, "I go by that name now, fellow brother." By now, Two-Bit and Bambi were very preoccupied, lips pressed against one another in futile attempt to find something meaningful. Tongues slithered across one another's lips, but nothing was there. Just pure physical contact. I sighed and shook my head. Sitting in the last row of a Nightly Double watching your buddy make out with a bimbo wasn't exactly the highlight of my evening. Moonbeam was sitting there, picking the petals off of her daisies and watching them flutter to the ground. She seemed off in left field, but I figured it was better then nothing.
"So.Moonbeam, what do you do in your spare time?" There. Safe question. Boy, was I wrong.
"I rebel against anything the elderly believe," Moonbeam said, her voice misty. "Never trust anyone over thirty is what I say! They don't understand what we go through these days!
"I protest against the evil government. I live in a commune. I promote peace and love to all non believers," insisted Moonbeam. She dug in her beaded purse and pulled out a piece of paper. I saw her nimble fingers shaking as she took out a small vial and let its contents bleed through the paper. I watched her tongue lick the liquid sacredly, as if to savor it all. I'd seen Chris and the other Socs taking it down at the drugstore. It was a hallucinogenic drug, LSD to be specific.
"Make love, not war," murmured Moonbeam. She began to shut down and let the drug run its course. I slouched, cross-armed. I could smell its scent, taunting me to take a try. Two-Bit and Bambi were still making out, and now Moonbeam was entering some alternate dimension. At that moment I was thinking only how could this get worse.
It did. Knowing my luck, of course. It happened that just as "Beach Blanket Bingo" ended, I saw Sarah and Randy sneak in. Biting the side of my mouth, I felt tears swell at the corners of my eyes. Sarah seemed to be having a good time. With Randy. I could see her laughing, her dark blonde hair lifted in the gentle summer breeze. The moon's glow illuminated her olive green eyes.
I hated my life. I wanted to take a shovel and bury myself six feet underground. Away from Sarah and Randy and Moonbeam and Bambi and even ol' Two-Bit. Away from it all.
"I gotta go," I told Moonbeam. She didn't notice. She probably didn't care. She was too busy blowing her life by having violent hallucinations. I tapped Two-Bit's shoulder. He didn't notice until I snatched the shoulder of his members only jacket and said firmly, "We need to go, Two- Bit."
"Yeah, yeah," Two-Bit grumbled. He said a quick goodbye to Bambi, who was happily compensated by taking Moonbeam's LSD. Two-Bit didn't seem mad. He skipped along with me, humming an ol' Elvis tune. That was Two-Bit for you.
The image of Sarah and Randy burned in my mind's eye, tattooing it permanently. As nice of guy as Randy was, I didn't think he would fully understand someone has deep as Sarah. I spent the rest of the walk home imagining ways for Randy to humiliate himself. Call me immature.
"Hey Two-Bit?" I asked.
"Yeah.?"
"Do you believe in fate?" It was a nagging question that had bothered me for a long time. Earlier I had been thinking about how if I had never skipped out of the dance with Two-Bit and went to the 7-11 I would've never met Sarah, and that disturbed me a little. What annoyed me more was Sarah was supposed to be with me, not Randy Adderson. I sighed and kicked a moderately sized pebble out of my way.
"I guess," Two-Bit said. He laughed, half crocked, "Tallulah and I met through fate. I got a funny story to tell you about that. One day, at Buck's, I walked back to the 'fridge to get some beer. Well, guess who was waiting there to get beer as well? Tallulah Beckett. So we were standing there, but there was only one Heineken left. It turned out it was her beer- of-choice as well!"
"And then."
Two-Bit continued, glass eyed, "Well, here's the deal. It was a choice between beer and a real nice looking chick. So Tallulah stood there, licking her lips, practically begging for me to give her the cold beer in my hands..."
"So what'd you do?" I asked.
"What'd you think I did? I took the beer and ran!" Two-Bit cackled. He sighed, "Tallulah Beckett, whadya think? She the one for me?"
"Bambi's a prize piece, isn't she?" I asked sarcastically.
Two-Bit shrugged, "One date material." I was a little shocked. He and Bambi had practically spent the entire date making out. It was nothing more then physical contact, searching for something meaningful. As for Tallulah, he had just forgotten her name just an hour ago. Shrugging, I continued to trot beside him. My head ached from all the thinking I had done today. I needed a rest. A nice, long rest.
SPIKE
Miserable God damned bastards, I thought, bitterly downing my twelfth shot glass. I glared angrily at my fellow patrons. What the hell were they doing in my bar? I hated them. All of them. I hated him and her and him and him and him and her and oh fuck, that whore looks like Adrienne, who I so dearly remember taking the news of my parents' bankruptcy by taking off with my best friend, Chris, who also took the news wonderfully by ousting me from my social clique. Bastard. Bitch.
I blame my parents for this. Why hadn't they said no when I demanded a new car or whatever latest possession I desperately needed to have? Neither of them understood why I stormed out of the house-oh, that's right, I don't live in a house anymore, I live in a crummy fucking apartment. Where the water is brown and the sheets aren't made of imported silk. It's their entire God damned fault I'm here at Charlie's fucking bar drinking fucking cheap alcohol that the Socs I'd hang with would have spat in before drinking.
I saw some fucking Hispanic with his blonde whore stride towards me. What the hell did they want? To laugh and mock at me because I was one of them, white trash? Fuck them. The Hispanic, who's nose looked uneven and was wearing a white bandana, sat down beside me, his blonde bitch sitting comfortably in his lap. Fucking greasers.
I saw the Hispanic's mouth moving, but I was so drunk it felt like I was watching a bad Asian kung-fu movie. My brain felt like it was trying to split out of my skull and run around screaming. I heard the Hispanic, who was talking to his ho, say, "This the Soc?"
"Positive," the blonde said, her lips no longer moving. God, I'd been shitfaced before, but I don't ever remember being it this bad. "Julio, how is this going to help me get back at Soda?"
"Watch, my pet," the Hispanic hood, Julio, told her. He turned to me, "You the Soc they called Spike?"
"Used to be," I slurred. Charlie, the bartender, walked by and I snapped my fingers, demanding another beer. He sighed and poured another glass. I downed it and turned back to the Hispanic, "What the hell do you want?"
"You hate those greaser hoods, the Curtis'," Julio asked, looking to his broad for confirmation. She nodded. She was actually pretty hot. I'd like to take her home some time.
"Yeah," I muttered. I then went on cheerfully naming them every expletive under the sun. Is that what they were called, the Curtis'? Burn in hell, all of them. Especially that young smartass, Ponykid or something. He took away the best broad I ever had. Sarah. Or was it Sasha?
"Well, me and my woman here got a grudge against them also," Julio said, his hand clamping on his broad's bony hip. From how shitfaced I was, his mouth was higher then his face.
"That's great for you."
Julio smile charismatically, "I got a way we can strike back at all of 'em."
"That's just peachy." I stood to leave, get away from these hoods. I was nothing like them. I had class, I had style, and I had just tripped over my feet and fell face first into the ground. The Hispanic's woman, Sandy, caught me and helped me up. She didn't look healthy enough to hold up her own body, let alone someone else's. I noticed as she helped me up that her left eye was a dark blackish blue. So her man beat her. Big fucking deal.
"Willing to listen?" asked Julio.
This guy was just another hood. I could easily take him and his hooker down. What did I have to lose? I shrugged and mumbled, "What do you have?"
DARRY
"Where is that kid?" I asked. Wonderland was over. Kat and I had slogged back to the house. We hadn't been gone for very long, which seemed even shorter then it actually was. Anya and Soda were still on the unofficial honeymoon. Anya was now sitting on the porch railing, her tan legs dangling off the ground, sucking on a lollipop and giggling at Soda's natural charm. Steve had grown bored and was now in the living room, lying fast asleep in the armchair.
"Hey Soda, has Pony showed up?" I asked.
Soda looked up from Anya and shrugged, "He left an hour ago."
"Yeah," Anya said. "Two-Bit wanted to take him out on a double date because he seemed lonely since that Soc turned him down and I wasn't supposed to tell that, huh?" Soda nodded. Anya blushed bashfully. It wasn't her fault she was too trusting. She was a good kid.
"Wait, who's this Soc?" I asked.
Soda shrugged, "Some girl he met. I think it was the one at the DX that her ex got all mad at Pony for talking to her or something." He looked to Anya to verify details. She shrugged indifferently.
"He should be home then," I said, shifting into parental mode. "Remember the last time a Soc had a grudge against Pony?"
"Relax, Darry. It's summer, so you can't say he needs to be home studying," Soda argued. I understood how he felt about our kid brother; they were close, closer then I could ever hope to achieve. In some ways I envied him for that.
"Yeah, but if you haven't forgotten, staying up late is why Johnny and Dally ended up dead," I said.
"Pony!" shouted Anya, waving her hand. Realizing what she had done, she clasped her hands over her mouth, "Oops." I saw Pony and Two-Bit walking home, taking their time.
"Ponyboy Michael Curtis!" Frankly, I was glad he was back safe and alive, and Soda and Anya had managed to forget to tell me that Two-Bit was with him. "Mind explaining about this little grudge you've got against some Soc, what's his name?"
"Spike," blurted Soda. He looked sheepishly over at an angry Pony.
"Spike, mind 'splaining to the class 'bout this?" I asked.
"I think I'm going to go in and check up on Cloud." Kat said, making a swift exit. She kissed me on the cheek before hurrying inside.
Pony shrugged, "It's no big deal."
"No big deal?" I asked, hands on hips. "Remember Bob--" He never let me finish. I wanted to paste duct tape across my mouth. That whole subject was a touchy one, especially around Pony.
"Of course I remember Bob!" he shouted. "I remember it all! It's been burned in my memory since the day it happened!"
"I didn't mean to--"
"You never mean to!" Pony shouted back. This irritated me. Pony always would try playing the guilt trip. And it always worked.
"You're grounded," I muttered under my breath. I pointed to Soda and Anya, "And don't stick up for him. This is just till things clear up."
Strangely, Pony nodded grudgingly, "Yeah, yeah, I understand." That was a first. I was fully expecting him to argue with me. Anya must've been right; he must've felt real lousy to not argue with me.
"Hey Darry?" I turned back to see Pony. He DID look lousy.
"Yeah?"
"Do you believe in fate?" I thought about that for a moment. My eyes glazed over the kitchen window, where I saw Kat bouncing a moaning Cloud on her hip. I thought of that day when Crick had offered a ride home. What if I had never met Kat? Soft lullabies filled my ears. And as I stood there, eyes affixed upon a maternally Kat, I realized that I wanted to be with Kat, and that there was a such thing as fate. It worked out real well in my case.
"Darry.?"
"No," I lied stiffly, and then hurried inside.
SODA
How the hell was I supposed to scrape up fifty more dollars? That next morning I had stopped by the church (hard to imagine, me inside an actual church) and asked the local minister how much money it would take for Anya and I had to be married. I think he recognized me from the last time we showed up, where Steve ended up dropping the Bible and the whole entire mass turned to stare at us and Two-Bit waved back at them. It was actually pretty funny, but I don't think Pony found it as amusing as the rest of us.
I wasn't sure if the minister was going to die of shock over two greasers marrying, or that I was asking His Holiness to allow us to wed. Either way, I think he purposely upped the price. I knew I didn't go to church for a reason.
Work was going by slower then ever. Two-Bit and Steve, now single, were trying to pick up on girls, who didn't seem to mind being showered with the extra attention. I think part of the reason Steve had joined in with Two-Bit was because he was taking Evie's departure harder then he was letting on. Pony was sitting off to the side with his composition book, writing away. Anya looked depressed and tired, and had cloaked herself in a black leather trench coat. I tried cheering her up, and she would occasionally smile, mostly because she didn't like me being sad. Sometimes it hurt me when Anya would shut me out because we told one another everything. We'd spend hours just talking over everything. When she'd get moody and depressed there was nothing I could do but wait it out.
"Hey Soda?" It was Pony.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Do you believe in fate?" Great. Now Pony was in one of his deep moods. He'd asked Darry this question last night. I looked to Anya, arms wrapped around her knees, which she kept close to her chest. I had known Anya a good portion of my life; she would always come down and visit Steve. When Dally was-alive--he'd always make sure to watch his cussing around her. I don't know if having Anya move in with Steve would be considered fate, because her parents were always bums, but still, I liked to think it was.
"Yeah, why?"
"Just curious." Pony went back to writing. I saw Anya sigh heavily, stand up and make a beeline towards me. Her face was set and determined. Rarely she had this look, and I wasn't sure what to make of it.
"Soda, I'm going to head to work," Anya said quickly, kissing me on the lips. She turned and was about to make a swift exit, her black trench coat covering her curves.
"Anya?" I asked. I saw her stop and then turn around slowly, "Yes?"
"How are we going to get the money?" I asked.
Anya walked over to me and placed a delicate hand on my cheek. She stared lovingly into my eyes and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll take care of everything, okay, Soda?"
I nodded, "That summer job, right?"
"Right," Anya said, her face darkening. She covered her emotions immediately thereafter. Apparently, she'd gotten a job at the 7-11 Larry used to work at. I still didn't understand how she'd made all that money, but apparently she'd been saving up.
"I love you," she whispered back at me, and kissed me on the forehead, "Don't you ever forget that." And as quickly as she had stepped into my life, she disappeared out the door. I sighed and hung my head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kat carrying little Cloud stroll by. I guess she had become one of the gang, for Two-Bit and Steve ran up to her like little kids running to their mother. When Steve had told Kat about breaking up with Evie, she baked him cookies. Cookies! With the bittersweet chocolate chips! I don't think his own mother had ever baked cookies for him in his entire life. Then again, if your mother were getting shoved around so much I don't think she'd have time to sit around baking cookies.
I walked out to join the gang. Kat seemed real ecstatic and was waving a folded letter around. She called my name, "Soda, come here! I got a job!" I ran over to the gang. Kat needed a job desperately. Her kid didn't look too healthy, and I don't think she could pay for a doctor's visit, so this job coming along was perfect.
"Where is it?" asked Steve.
Kat beamed, "7-11! Yeah, I know it isn't the best place to work, but I just need to get enough money to get Cloud here some medicine, buy some food and then hopefully rent out an apartment--"
"Ah, don't move out!" Two-Bit begged.
Kat didn't notice his comment, and instead noticed my face darken, "What's wrong, Soda?"
"7-11? Where?" I asked.
"The north side of town. Thankfully, I managed to escape graveyard shift, but the pay's good!" replied Kat. "Why?"
"Anya said she was working at 7-11," I told her.
"That's impossible," Kat argued. "There was only one job opening left, and that was because Larry left. I asked the boss and he said no one had even applied."
"Then Anya's been lying to me about where she got that money," I said coldly. I bit my lip, and the group's mood was crushed. Leave it to me to ruin everyone's mood. "And I'm going to find out tonight."