Losing Grip: Chapter 6
A/N: Sorry for the long wait.
7:00pm
Twiddling my thumbs while I sat on the couch, and pretended to look busy was much harder than I thought it would be. Tonight was the night, or at least it was planned to be. I hadn't gone to pick up Cherry yet, since the house was still packed with my two brothers and the rest of the Greasers. I didn't want any of them seeing a Soc like Cherry Valance here, and begin asking questions. But knowing Dally and Two-Bit, they'd just plot themselves down in a seat and start making crude comments towards her. Of course, she'd get mad or upset, and then leave which wasn't going to happen. She was beginning to be my only hope in this whole makeover crap that was going to, please God, transform Jara from the little nerdy girl she is and into…I don't know, something better than what she already looks like now.
Luckily, Steve, who is sitting next to me while talking on the phone with his girlfriend, Evie, had pointed out to the guys earlier that their was a carnival coming into town. It's last day here in Tulsa, was today. I had rushed Ponyboy to do his homework when he got home just for this reason, and Darry, after giving him two backrubs, finally agreed to go. Knowing the other guys, wherever the majority of the gang was, they were. It took a lot to get Darry out of the house after work; this was also a good time for them to see his lighter side, which isn't the cold, hard guy Pony is always saying he is.
"Evie, for the last time, I cannot go to your grandma's funeral tonight…. Yes, I know, she died a lonely old lady…. come on! Do you really think me being there is going to make her rest in peace? She's dead for Pete's sake!…..Aw, Baby, don't cry, I didn't mean that…..Oh, you're not crying, you're sneezing. I don't know, I think you care more about your grandma's death than you think…..Fine! You're a tough Greaser girl and you care about nothing but your man. Got it. Bye!"
I stared at my best friend as he hung up the phone, back on the receiver. "I'm guessin' Evie there wasn't to fond of you missing her grandma's funeral." I commented, giving him a grin while he laid his head back. Geez, if talking to Evie gets him exhausted, imagine being with her in person!
"Yeah, and I don't even know the lady!" He replied, his hand flying up into the air.
"You're whipped, man" Two-Bit's voice suddenly added his infamous two-cents in. He had been lying in front of the television set the entire time; I had forgotten he was there, with the hood being quiet and all, it was almost creepy.
"I'm not whipped. It's just hard to tell Evie no sometimes" Steve said, looking down at the 18-year-old jokester's form on the wooden floor.
"……Stevie's whipped, Stevie's whipped!" Two-Bit and I burst out saying at the same time, our teasing voices singsong.
Steve suddenly leaped forward, taking me right along with him as he attacked the JD watching "The Johnny Cash Show". He had me in a tight headlock and while I tried getting out of it, my non-stop laughter almost suffocated me; words could barely be heard from my mouth.
Two-Bit knew exactly how to stop my case of the giggles. His jean-clad knee came up to my side, and clashed sharply into my rib cage. I grunted loudly, letting out an exasperated bellow.
"Come on, you guys, stop it" Our quarrel was separated instantly before those words of warning were even heard. I was lifted up to my feet, maybe even a little off the floor by strong hands.
Darry let go of my red-flannel shirt and I hurriedly passed a hand through my disheveled hair. Thank the lord for grease!
"Hey, Dar, you have any grease left?" I asked, while my brother lectured Steve and Two-Bit about not starting fights like those in the house. He shouldn't bother though, since they always play around like that.
"In my room, I brought some today" He casually answered, glancing at me and grinning when he saw my hair.
"It's not that bad…." I grumbled, quickly disappearing into his room.
Just as I stepped into Darrel's bedroom, I took hold of the time on his nightstand clock. My eyes widened. It's was already seven o' five! And Jara Pagan was going to be here in only twenty-five minutes.
Things had to be sped up and fast, were my main priorities that very moment. Practically leaping out of the room, I ran about the place. "OK, guys! You better get going before the carnival is over!" I said, pushing Darry toward the door and taking Two-Bit by the arm, at the same time.
"Hey, I forgot my jacket" The Mickey-mouse loving Greaser was saying.
"We can't leave yet, Pony is still getting ready." My brother added, stopping to walk further into the house.
I sighed frustrated, and looked at Steve to find he too, had the same expression as me. "How long does it take to get ready for a damn carnival!" I accidentally let the irritation which crept up on my like a cat in the night, out and I instantly regretted it.
"Watch your mouth, kiddo" Darrel only warned, in a low voice. He eyed me carefully and nodded his head.
"Sorry" I apologized, "Where is Pony anyway?"
"Wasn't Johnny and Dallas here too?" Steve added, scratching his head and looking about.
I realized the bathroom door had been mysteriously closed the whole time of being here and only now, were the remaining Greasers noticing it. I was the first to react, and as I approached the door. I could hear faint voices inside.
"Pony, ya' in there?" I asked, knocking softly on the door. There was a sudden clamor of something, followed by "Shit! Johnny watch where you put that thing!". It was without a doubt Dally's voice.
"Sorry, Dal" I heard Johnny respond. Pony's voice soon piped in with a, "Oh gosh, I think it's bigger than before….Look at it! It practically has a pulse!"
I scrunched up my nose slightly, and leaned my ear against
the door to hear more of the conversation. What were those three up to in
there?
"You call that puny-little thing big?…." Dally said, a haughty chuckle followed and believe me, it was one of those "I'm laughing at you, not with you" kinds of laughs
"Are you blind? It's huge!!" Pony replied, his tone vivid and frantic. "Pon, everyone has one…I mean, look at mine…." Johnny's reassuring voice added.
My eyes must have looked like saucers at this point, and I jumped back from the door. "What is it?" Darry asked, suspicious.
"…..I THINK THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG IN THERE!" I burst out loud. Immediately, Darry launched forward.
"What are you talking abo-.." He barely finished his sentence, before opening the door and revealing the…..horrible visual that laid before us.
"OH MY LORD!" Two-Bit yelled, the loudest and longest express of amusement ever known to mankind erupting from his body. The force sent him falling down onto the floor again.
Steve stood there looking like a statue in one of those musty museums. His mouth hanged open, so wide that a bird could probably fly in there and nest its eggs, without him ever realizing it.
Me on the other hand, I could only stare, my initial reaction hadn't kicked in yet.
Dally sat on the toilet-seat cover, his chest was exposed but there was a reason. Johnny stood behind him, one of Darry's blue razors in his small hand. Their was shaving cream everywhere on Dallas' back and it didn't take me long to realize what it was for.
I had gotten the idea Ponyboy would have his pant's off and be measuring his…….
Ok! Bad thought…..*shudders*
My youngest brother was only leaning over the sink, his face close to the mirror, so he could pop a pimple. I didn't know why he was making such a big fuss over it.
Until he turned around of course, and it was like I was blinded by the monstrosity that was my kid brother's face. "Woah! What the hell is that!?"" Steve voiced out my thought, and pointed.
Pony's face reddened as if on cue or like a light switch turned on, I started thinking the redness especially around his ears could magically disappear if I'd turn the switch off….maybe even that……FREAKIN' PIMPLE WHICH IS ALREADY DRIVING ME CRAZY WILL GO JUST AS WELL.
"It isn't that bad!" Pony yelled, breaking my trance from that huge monster on his chin.
"Uh, of course it's not" Darry said, trying to sound like he meant it but the look on his face was as bad as mines. He kept doing the legendary "Darrel Curtis" move, which he took from our father. It's where he would look at anything in the room except what he was trying to avoid, and then put a hand up to the side of his wide neck while he….Lied through his teeth!! Not bad? Who was he kidding?
I would follow Ponyboy till' the end of the world, but even I couldn't bring myself to tell him it looked fine when it actually didn't. I'm doing him a favor by telling him the truth….
"Are ya' blind, Darry? Look at it, it's like staring straight at the sun…..sooner or later, ya' gotta' look away!" Steve commented yet again, if Pony was going to receive any cracks like that about his skin care, or in this case, lack of it. What better person than from Steve Randle? Those two never quite got along even though; they've seen each other's faces for so long I can hardly remember.
"Shut-up, Steve!" Pony retorted, glaring daggers, no, maces with spikes all over them, at my best friend. Before I could even blink, Pony lung forward at him, knocking him down onto the floor. The two started wrestling, and for a moment, I watched how Ponyboy had actually improved. I use to be able to beat him-up(playfully, of course) without even breaking a sweat, but as I look at Steve's reddened face under Pony's punches, I can only break loose one of my smirks.
Letting out a lung-full of air from my chest, I opened my mouth to say something. It was like I had been holding my breath all this time. "Break it up," I said, quickly moving to Pony and taking him by the arms. Two-Bit immediately blocked Steve from getting up and starting another attack. "You little-…" I've never heard Steve curse so much, than the time Evie scratched his car on purpose than right now.
"Calm down, chill, just chill" Two-Bit was repeating, and holding Steve back by his chest.
"Alright, I think we better leave. Now" Darrel's deadly tone of voice filled the room, like an earthquake making us Greasers stop in our tracks. We stared at the oldest Greaser's face, his jaw line clenching and the temple on his forehead beating rapidly. There goes my theory about everyone seeing the lighter side of Darry I had mentioned earlier.
"Don't let it get to you, Pon…. I know how it feels" I whispered to Ponyboy as the trio left the house, he turned and slowly revealed a smile to me. "Really, Soda?" He asked, his big grey/green eyes he got from our mother standing out. "'Course" I replied, not having the heart to say the only skin crises I've ever had was when I thought I had a huge zit on my face at fifteen, but it ended up being Two-Bit who marked me with a red marker while I was taking a nap.
It's takes work to get a reputation I have with the ladies!
"That little shit, I'm going to get him, ya'll see" I turned back to Steve while he continued threatening, as I closed the door.
"Watch it, he's still my own flesh and blood. I think it's required by law not to let my little brother get an ass-kicking from my best friend" I said, trudging over to pick up the magazines the two had scatter onto the floor while they were trying to rip each other's heads off.
The door flung open then, and in came a running Two-Bit Matthews, not another one like him on the face of the planet. He ran pass me, almost sending me sprawling, and jumped in front of the open bathroom doorway.
Without saying a real word, he pointed and squeezed his sides before letting out a long(and don't forget loud) laugh once more. I rolled my eyes, but then realized what he was laughing at and quickly ran to his side, looking into the small bathroom that's manage to keep running even though it's being used by 3 brothers and their 5 friends.
"You fucker's tell anyone about this, and you won't be living long enough to lose your virginities!" Dallas growled, buttoning up his blue over-sized shirt. The whole time everyone was out in the living room, dealing with Pony's pimple trauma, Dally and Johnny were in here. I could tell that the blonde hood had just finished wiping off the shaving cream he had on his…..ugh, gorilla back.
I grinned, staring at Johnny still holding the blue razor,
he noticed me looking and quickly dropped it into the sink. A fierce blush
appearing on his tanned face. Wow, true friendship that was. If Steve asked me
to help shave his back, I think I would die before answering since even the
image of doing something like that, scared and disgusted the be-jesus out of
me!
"We won't, we won't" Two-Bit enquired, managing to utter a word from his laughter. After a pause, he stopped chuckling and frowned abruptly. "Hey! I'm not a virgen!" He said, being late(like always) to figuring out the insult in Dally's treat. Boy, there was a lot of threatening going on!
"I didn't think they'd ever leave" Steve said, grunting a dissatisfied sigh and dropping into the beat-up armchair like a sack of potatoes.
"Give me your keys," I openly ordered unexpectedly, but don't forget, I was good-hearted at the same time. There was no time to beat around the bush. Cherry must be already waiting behind the Nightly Double, and Jara would be here any minute. If this whole ordeal with Pony and Dallas' hairy-ass back hadn't happened, I might have saved a good 10 to 15 minutes there.
"What for?" Steve decided he was going to be a stubborn idiot tonight. Fine, I'll play along….Later that is and after he's let me borrow the car he had saved his father's pity money for!
"Stevie, just give me the damn keys, you already know why" I answered, stomping my foot impatiently and extending my hand out to him. I towered over his sitting form where I stood before him.
"Yeah, yeah" He muttered, taking the keys from his pocket and dropping them into my palm. I looked down at the key-chain, and read out-loud "Keep on Truckin'"
I gave Steve a "are you for real" face, and found the time to say, "You don't have a truck…"
"Yea, Well….." The Greaser started, his mouth left opened from trying to form a good comeback. I rolled my eyes and turned to leave.
_________
"…YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET A DATE WITH TRACY SHELDON!" was Steve's comeback, but Sodapop didn't hear since he had already jumped off the porch. He was determined to win this bet, his friends support or not, Soda would get Tracy even though he was in for a rude awakening……
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I made a mistake's on Bob's last name which in this chapter, I fixed. I hope you guys can review.
