Chapter Fourteen
I woke up with Elvis on the radio. "Still a noisy place" I smiled. But Soda and Pony didn't seem to mind the racket, because only Darry was awake, fixing breakfast. It was Sunday, but never in my life I could sleep more than 6 hours.
We started to chat about amenities while I helped him. Then we heard a familiar voice coming from outside:
"Is there anybody up? Why is this door locked? It's the first time in, what, a thousand years?"
Pony once told me they never ever locked their door even when they weren't home, because someone of the gang could use shelter. He explained they hadn't valuables there and even if they did, man, they were the Curtis, who would dare to try to mess with them? And so I thought, sadly, that they had locked the door that night because of me.
"Will you open the door, Susie?" Darry asked.
"Are you sure?" I asked him back.
"You have to get used to it, girl, this is your home now. Besides, it's only Two Bit. Imagine his face when he realize who you are."
I practically ran to the door, I was dying to meet Two Bit again. And, as usual, he was already talking even before the door was completely opened.
"Hey, what's so funny about locking... Wooowww what is this? Holy cow!" he gave me a look from head to toes and smiled, a smile that had been his trademark since I've known him. "is this the wrong house or what?"
I studied him. He was just taller than I imagined he would be but he still looked like the old Two Bit. He hadn't changed much and his habits sure hadn't changed either: he wouldn't stop talking for anything in this world!
"I thought" he went on "that good ole Darry only had time to work! Or maybe Ponyboy is getting too precocious! Oh, and what about Soda dating two broads at the same time?"
It came to my mind that Lisa had written me a letter about Soda and Sandra. It appeared that they were still dating, or at least Soda was dating someone. I decided not to let this detail spoil the moment and laughed out loud:
"What's up, Two bit Matthews?"
"Broad" he lifted his eyebrow, another of his trademarks. "you should've told me before that you knew me. That is *really* good to know." "Cut it out, Keith!" I said, an then he was puzzled. He would never ever introduce himself to a girl using his real name.
"Yeah, what about giving me a good look?" I spoke. "I mean it. I can't believe I don't remind you of somebody"
"Hey.... You really do... you really *are* somebody..." He got serious and then, all of a sudden, he came in my direction as if he was willing to take a piece of me "somebody with whom I'd loooove to have a thing!"
He haven't recognized me at all. I pushed him, he fell and stood there, sitting on the kitchen floor, looking at me.
"You're such a..."
"Wait" he interrupted me "this manners of yours... you remind me of someone that went away a long time ago... but it can't be..."
I smiled and he yelled in amazement:
"Susan! I can't believe it! Holy shit!" he got up and hugged me. "you're so beautiful! I can't believe it!"
"I missed you too, Two bit" I said, and then Soda came in the kitchen, yawning:
"I can see that you discovered the big mystery, Two Bit" he was speaking slowly. "Only you could make less noise"
"I'm just excited, man" Two bit explained, grinning. "and as for the mystery, I bet you liked its coming back *a lot*!"
Saying inconveniences is always Two bit's job. Soda blushed a little and gave him no response. I played dumb. Two bit didn't noticed and kept on talking:
"But Sodapop, whether you like it or not, I say she won't stay here beside you in this beautiful Sunday. Yeah, babe, we're going out, meeting some people... imagine Dally's or Tim's face when they see you." Man, I was getting that line a lot.
"Slow down, Two bit. I can't do it today" I explained. "I need to go look for a job. Hey, there's a thing we could do together, job-searching!"
"Baby" he said, grinning "Never in my life I will stain my good name doing this nasty stuff you all call 'work'. Besides, today is Sunday, not a good day to look for it."
He was right, or at least half-right.
"Well" said Soda "*I* have to go stain my good name today at the DX, so I think I better hurry"
"Too bad" Two bit said, debauched "while you work, I'll hang out with the broad."
It was Sodapop's time to play dumb and it was hard for me not to burst into laughter.
I woke up with Elvis on the radio. "Still a noisy place" I smiled. But Soda and Pony didn't seem to mind the racket, because only Darry was awake, fixing breakfast. It was Sunday, but never in my life I could sleep more than 6 hours.
We started to chat about amenities while I helped him. Then we heard a familiar voice coming from outside:
"Is there anybody up? Why is this door locked? It's the first time in, what, a thousand years?"
Pony once told me they never ever locked their door even when they weren't home, because someone of the gang could use shelter. He explained they hadn't valuables there and even if they did, man, they were the Curtis, who would dare to try to mess with them? And so I thought, sadly, that they had locked the door that night because of me.
"Will you open the door, Susie?" Darry asked.
"Are you sure?" I asked him back.
"You have to get used to it, girl, this is your home now. Besides, it's only Two Bit. Imagine his face when he realize who you are."
I practically ran to the door, I was dying to meet Two Bit again. And, as usual, he was already talking even before the door was completely opened.
"Hey, what's so funny about locking... Wooowww what is this? Holy cow!" he gave me a look from head to toes and smiled, a smile that had been his trademark since I've known him. "is this the wrong house or what?"
I studied him. He was just taller than I imagined he would be but he still looked like the old Two Bit. He hadn't changed much and his habits sure hadn't changed either: he wouldn't stop talking for anything in this world!
"I thought" he went on "that good ole Darry only had time to work! Or maybe Ponyboy is getting too precocious! Oh, and what about Soda dating two broads at the same time?"
It came to my mind that Lisa had written me a letter about Soda and Sandra. It appeared that they were still dating, or at least Soda was dating someone. I decided not to let this detail spoil the moment and laughed out loud:
"What's up, Two bit Matthews?"
"Broad" he lifted his eyebrow, another of his trademarks. "you should've told me before that you knew me. That is *really* good to know." "Cut it out, Keith!" I said, an then he was puzzled. He would never ever introduce himself to a girl using his real name.
"Yeah, what about giving me a good look?" I spoke. "I mean it. I can't believe I don't remind you of somebody"
"Hey.... You really do... you really *are* somebody..." He got serious and then, all of a sudden, he came in my direction as if he was willing to take a piece of me "somebody with whom I'd loooove to have a thing!"
He haven't recognized me at all. I pushed him, he fell and stood there, sitting on the kitchen floor, looking at me.
"You're such a..."
"Wait" he interrupted me "this manners of yours... you remind me of someone that went away a long time ago... but it can't be..."
I smiled and he yelled in amazement:
"Susan! I can't believe it! Holy shit!" he got up and hugged me. "you're so beautiful! I can't believe it!"
"I missed you too, Two bit" I said, and then Soda came in the kitchen, yawning:
"I can see that you discovered the big mystery, Two Bit" he was speaking slowly. "Only you could make less noise"
"I'm just excited, man" Two bit explained, grinning. "and as for the mystery, I bet you liked its coming back *a lot*!"
Saying inconveniences is always Two bit's job. Soda blushed a little and gave him no response. I played dumb. Two bit didn't noticed and kept on talking:
"But Sodapop, whether you like it or not, I say she won't stay here beside you in this beautiful Sunday. Yeah, babe, we're going out, meeting some people... imagine Dally's or Tim's face when they see you." Man, I was getting that line a lot.
"Slow down, Two bit. I can't do it today" I explained. "I need to go look for a job. Hey, there's a thing we could do together, job-searching!"
"Baby" he said, grinning "Never in my life I will stain my good name doing this nasty stuff you all call 'work'. Besides, today is Sunday, not a good day to look for it."
He was right, or at least half-right.
"Well" said Soda "*I* have to go stain my good name today at the DX, so I think I better hurry"
"Too bad" Two bit said, debauched "while you work, I'll hang out with the broad."
It was Sodapop's time to play dumb and it was hard for me not to burst into laughter.
