Ten:
A few days later I Eric and I moved into the frat house, although I was still a little bit apprehensive. I didn't think I was the type to fit into the place, but Eric told me I didn't have to be like everyone else to fit in. "Pony it's not always about money," He explained. "People can be the same when one has money and the other doesn't." I looked at him strangely when he said that- sometimes Eric really surprised me with the things he came out with. I shrugged and continued with my unpacking. Eric left in order to go and check whether we had any mail, and to make sure that any mail we'd get in the future would be sent here instead of the dorms. I hadn't had any mail in the few weeks I'd been there, but it didn't surprise me- somehow I couldn't see any of the gang writing me a letter.
There was a knock on the door and Randy poked his head in. "Hey Pony, just thought I'd let you know I've got a date with the very gorgeous Candy tonight." He told me with a grin. I knew he'd been planning on asking her out after the cheerleading tryouts the other day, but hadn't seen him since to hear how it went.
"Good luck buddy." I replied, and he gave me the thumbs up and left the room. I was almost done with my unpacking when I came across something I hadn't even realised that I'd brought to college with me: it was a photo from a few years before. In the photo Johnny was staring into the camera, trying his best to look tough, although the expression just didn't suit him. I thought about how sometimes we think people are tough, but they're not always, how they sometimes are vulnerable no matter how much they try to hide it. Take Dally for example. We always thought he was tough, and he was in the fact that he was a typical hood, but Johnny's death had affected him like nobody could have imagined. Even Dally Winston was human. I didn't realise how long I'd been sitting there looking at the photo and thinking until Eric came bounding back into the room to throw an envelope at me. I hastily put the photo away, and took the envelope a little surprised. After all who would write to me? I turned it over and saw Darryl Curtis written on the back. It was from Darry! I opened it quickly, and to my surprise two return airline tickets fell out. I looked at them for a moment before turning back to the letter. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Eric screw up his letter and throw it at the bin muttering something under his breath before storming out of the room. The letter was not exactly long, but then Darry wouldn't have the time to sit down and write a long letter.
'Dear Pony,
I guess you noticed the two tickets enclosed by the time you read this. They're for you and Mandy to come for my wedding. I know the timing's probably not the best for you and all, but I'd really like my little brother to be there. As you may, or may not know, we're kind of rushing the whole wedding thing because my fiancée is pregnant and we want to be married by the time the baby comes. As you can tell by the dates on the tickets the wedding will take place next weekend. Again sorry about the short notice. Another thing Pony, I was hoping that you would be my best man along with Soda. I know it's not exactly traditional to have two best men, but I wanted both my brothers to be standing up there with me. The wedding isn't going to be huge, but my fiancée has a fairly large family, so they'll make the numbers up a bit. Anyway, I better close because I've got a few things to do, including posting this. I hope to see you next weekend as well as Mandy.
Darry.'
I shook my head in surprise and checked the dates on the tickets- sure enough they were for next Friday afternoon, and returning on the Sunday afternoon. I decided I had better go and tell Mandy the news, but as I started out the room the letter Eric had thrown towards the bin caught my eye. I picked it up to put it in the bin when the words "a disgrace to the entire family" caught my eye, and despite myself I began to read it. The letter was from Eric's Mom and it dealt with the fact that he was joining the fraternity. Normally, she explained, the fact that he was joining the very frat his father had been in would be a source of some pride to both her and his father. However whilst shopping on Rodeo Drive the other day she'd run into someone who told her that the President of the frat was none other than "that no good ex-friend of yours". She demanded to know had Eric forgotten his promise to them? "I know you think what you did for him was the right thing, and maybe it was for him, but you are perfectly aware of the repercussions it had on our families reputation" She wrote, the pen practically digging into the paper. "and therefore I expect nothing less than for you to leave the fraternity at once. If anyone here got wind of the fact that the two of you were associating again, albeit in a limited capacity, tongues would start wagging." She went on to explain that even though some of the rumours about him had never been completely proven both she and his father thought that by some of his other actions they were entirely possible and the sooner he was away from the fraternity the better. She ended with the fact that once there was a new President they would be quite happy for him to rejoin the fraternity.
"Do you often read other people's mail?" Eric's voice enquired from the door, and I felt my face begin to burn.
"I wasn't exactly reading it-" I began, but Eric snorted. He came over to rip the letter from my hands and stuff it in his pocket.
"Funny Pony, because it certainly looked to me like you were reading it." He said.
"It was on the floor, so I picked it up to put it back in the bin, and sorry Eric, I didn't mean to read it, it just sort of happened." I said, not really sure how to explain to him that it had not been an intentional act.
Eric sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I guess you're wondering what's going on then aren't you? You know I did him a favour which was the catalyst for him letting you join the frat right, but now you're probably wondering why my parents are so vehemently opposed to any association between the two of us?" He asked.
I shrugged, even though I was curious.
"My parents have different opinions on most things to me in case you hadn't already noticed. They take the fact that they're one of the more important members of society back home very, very seriously. When I was younger I was a bit of a rebel, as most teenagers are, but I was more rebelling against the fact that I was who I was than anything. My entire life was laid out for me the day I was born Pony, do you have any idea what that's like?" I shook my head. "Well it's rotten. It makes you think you're nothing, not even an individual person. I started hanging around with the wrong crowd, and when our esteemed President here was accused of doing something that I actually did rather than let him take the blame, which would have been so easy, I stood up and admitted that it was me. My parents were horrified of course, claiming I was lying because I was under pressure or some other crap, but I stuck to my story, not giving a damn whether it made people talk about them or not. They made me promise that I wouldn't ever speak to "that person" again, and I promised. But for heavens sake that was three years ago now and you'd think they had gotten over it. I'm not leaving the frat for something so stupid no matter what they say." Eric finished and then he looked at me waiting for me to speak.
"What were the other things he was accused of?" I asked Eric, but he shook his head.
"Just stupid lies made up by stupid people. I'm not saying he's perfect-not that anyone ever is- but they were spiteful allegations and it's not worth even speaking about them." Eric replied. And then he changed the subject. "So a bunch of us are going to go and play a game of ball? I came back to see whether you wanted to come as well. It'd be a good chance for you to get to know some of your new frat brothers."
"Sorry, but I've got to go over and see Mandy." I replied.
Eric rolled his eyes. "You've GOT to go see her have you?" He asked sarcastically.
I held up the airline tickets. "Darry's getting married next weekend and he sent these for Mandy and I, so I thought I'd better let her know since it's only nine days away."
"Okay, well another time then?" Eric asked, and he started out of the room, but stopped when I called to him.
"Eric, I just want you to know that I didn't intentionally read that letter. I'd never invade your privacy like that. The words just caught my eyes as I picked it up to put in the bin." I told him.
He looked at me for a moment and then nodded. "I know you'd never do anything like that on purpose Pony, don't worry about it buddy." And then he went to play ball, and I went over to see Mandy to tell her about our trip for the wedding.
A few days later I Eric and I moved into the frat house, although I was still a little bit apprehensive. I didn't think I was the type to fit into the place, but Eric told me I didn't have to be like everyone else to fit in. "Pony it's not always about money," He explained. "People can be the same when one has money and the other doesn't." I looked at him strangely when he said that- sometimes Eric really surprised me with the things he came out with. I shrugged and continued with my unpacking. Eric left in order to go and check whether we had any mail, and to make sure that any mail we'd get in the future would be sent here instead of the dorms. I hadn't had any mail in the few weeks I'd been there, but it didn't surprise me- somehow I couldn't see any of the gang writing me a letter.
There was a knock on the door and Randy poked his head in. "Hey Pony, just thought I'd let you know I've got a date with the very gorgeous Candy tonight." He told me with a grin. I knew he'd been planning on asking her out after the cheerleading tryouts the other day, but hadn't seen him since to hear how it went.
"Good luck buddy." I replied, and he gave me the thumbs up and left the room. I was almost done with my unpacking when I came across something I hadn't even realised that I'd brought to college with me: it was a photo from a few years before. In the photo Johnny was staring into the camera, trying his best to look tough, although the expression just didn't suit him. I thought about how sometimes we think people are tough, but they're not always, how they sometimes are vulnerable no matter how much they try to hide it. Take Dally for example. We always thought he was tough, and he was in the fact that he was a typical hood, but Johnny's death had affected him like nobody could have imagined. Even Dally Winston was human. I didn't realise how long I'd been sitting there looking at the photo and thinking until Eric came bounding back into the room to throw an envelope at me. I hastily put the photo away, and took the envelope a little surprised. After all who would write to me? I turned it over and saw Darryl Curtis written on the back. It was from Darry! I opened it quickly, and to my surprise two return airline tickets fell out. I looked at them for a moment before turning back to the letter. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Eric screw up his letter and throw it at the bin muttering something under his breath before storming out of the room. The letter was not exactly long, but then Darry wouldn't have the time to sit down and write a long letter.
'Dear Pony,
I guess you noticed the two tickets enclosed by the time you read this. They're for you and Mandy to come for my wedding. I know the timing's probably not the best for you and all, but I'd really like my little brother to be there. As you may, or may not know, we're kind of rushing the whole wedding thing because my fiancée is pregnant and we want to be married by the time the baby comes. As you can tell by the dates on the tickets the wedding will take place next weekend. Again sorry about the short notice. Another thing Pony, I was hoping that you would be my best man along with Soda. I know it's not exactly traditional to have two best men, but I wanted both my brothers to be standing up there with me. The wedding isn't going to be huge, but my fiancée has a fairly large family, so they'll make the numbers up a bit. Anyway, I better close because I've got a few things to do, including posting this. I hope to see you next weekend as well as Mandy.
Darry.'
I shook my head in surprise and checked the dates on the tickets- sure enough they were for next Friday afternoon, and returning on the Sunday afternoon. I decided I had better go and tell Mandy the news, but as I started out the room the letter Eric had thrown towards the bin caught my eye. I picked it up to put it in the bin when the words "a disgrace to the entire family" caught my eye, and despite myself I began to read it. The letter was from Eric's Mom and it dealt with the fact that he was joining the fraternity. Normally, she explained, the fact that he was joining the very frat his father had been in would be a source of some pride to both her and his father. However whilst shopping on Rodeo Drive the other day she'd run into someone who told her that the President of the frat was none other than "that no good ex-friend of yours". She demanded to know had Eric forgotten his promise to them? "I know you think what you did for him was the right thing, and maybe it was for him, but you are perfectly aware of the repercussions it had on our families reputation" She wrote, the pen practically digging into the paper. "and therefore I expect nothing less than for you to leave the fraternity at once. If anyone here got wind of the fact that the two of you were associating again, albeit in a limited capacity, tongues would start wagging." She went on to explain that even though some of the rumours about him had never been completely proven both she and his father thought that by some of his other actions they were entirely possible and the sooner he was away from the fraternity the better. She ended with the fact that once there was a new President they would be quite happy for him to rejoin the fraternity.
"Do you often read other people's mail?" Eric's voice enquired from the door, and I felt my face begin to burn.
"I wasn't exactly reading it-" I began, but Eric snorted. He came over to rip the letter from my hands and stuff it in his pocket.
"Funny Pony, because it certainly looked to me like you were reading it." He said.
"It was on the floor, so I picked it up to put it back in the bin, and sorry Eric, I didn't mean to read it, it just sort of happened." I said, not really sure how to explain to him that it had not been an intentional act.
Eric sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I guess you're wondering what's going on then aren't you? You know I did him a favour which was the catalyst for him letting you join the frat right, but now you're probably wondering why my parents are so vehemently opposed to any association between the two of us?" He asked.
I shrugged, even though I was curious.
"My parents have different opinions on most things to me in case you hadn't already noticed. They take the fact that they're one of the more important members of society back home very, very seriously. When I was younger I was a bit of a rebel, as most teenagers are, but I was more rebelling against the fact that I was who I was than anything. My entire life was laid out for me the day I was born Pony, do you have any idea what that's like?" I shook my head. "Well it's rotten. It makes you think you're nothing, not even an individual person. I started hanging around with the wrong crowd, and when our esteemed President here was accused of doing something that I actually did rather than let him take the blame, which would have been so easy, I stood up and admitted that it was me. My parents were horrified of course, claiming I was lying because I was under pressure or some other crap, but I stuck to my story, not giving a damn whether it made people talk about them or not. They made me promise that I wouldn't ever speak to "that person" again, and I promised. But for heavens sake that was three years ago now and you'd think they had gotten over it. I'm not leaving the frat for something so stupid no matter what they say." Eric finished and then he looked at me waiting for me to speak.
"What were the other things he was accused of?" I asked Eric, but he shook his head.
"Just stupid lies made up by stupid people. I'm not saying he's perfect-not that anyone ever is- but they were spiteful allegations and it's not worth even speaking about them." Eric replied. And then he changed the subject. "So a bunch of us are going to go and play a game of ball? I came back to see whether you wanted to come as well. It'd be a good chance for you to get to know some of your new frat brothers."
"Sorry, but I've got to go over and see Mandy." I replied.
Eric rolled his eyes. "You've GOT to go see her have you?" He asked sarcastically.
I held up the airline tickets. "Darry's getting married next weekend and he sent these for Mandy and I, so I thought I'd better let her know since it's only nine days away."
"Okay, well another time then?" Eric asked, and he started out of the room, but stopped when I called to him.
"Eric, I just want you to know that I didn't intentionally read that letter. I'd never invade your privacy like that. The words just caught my eyes as I picked it up to put in the bin." I told him.
He looked at me for a moment and then nodded. "I know you'd never do anything like that on purpose Pony, don't worry about it buddy." And then he went to play ball, and I went over to see Mandy to tell her about our trip for the wedding.