Chapter 3 : Pony, Partying...

Two-Bit's P.O.V.

I opened the front door of the Curtis's home, Christina still in tow. Soda and Steve had obviously both just gotten back from work at the DX but Darry was working still and Ponyboy was no where in sight. Steve and Sodapop looked up at me from the television when I walked in. "Hey Two-Bit! Who's the broad?" Sodapop asked me with a grin, looking Christina over.

"This is Christina Braxton." I said with a smile myself. I had picked up a classy soc after all, and I was gonna flaunt my stuff and show her off. "And she ain't no chick. She is a highly sophisticated soc." I turned to Christina with a smile, ignoring Steve and Soda's silent laughs. "This is Sodapop Curtis," I said, jerking a thumb in Soda's direction. "And that there greasy hood is Steve Randle." I added, pointing to Steve.

"It's nice to meet you both." Christina said with one of her fake smiles. She was actually checking Sodapop out though, and if you wanna know the truth, I was getting pretty jealous. And to think! I was getting jealous over some brown-headed soc! But all the same, it wasn't love. The all famous Two-Bit Mathews, in love? Nope...

"I told ya not all greasers are bad! I mean, look at the way Sodapop is gettin' ya to grin!" I said to Christina, who had sat down on the couch next to Soda. "Well, hell! You're grinning ear from ear!" I said to Sodapop, plopping down in the armchair and turning to Mickey Mouse on the television.

"Aren't you a little too old to be drooling over Mickey Mouse?" Steve asked me, and to my surprise, I was leaning forward in the armchair, my eyes fixed solidly on Mickey... And I was drooling. I know that definitely sounds childish, but what could I say? No one could separate me from my Mickey.

"Shut your mouth Randle." I said sharply. More sharply than I meant to in fact. But I knew I had to continue with my threat, as not to sound corny, "And at least I don't goggle about American Bandstand like all you low lives." I know that sounded even more stupid than any 'sorry' ever could, I mean, I'm about the biggest low life here on the East Side.

"American Bandstand is rather silly." Christina said in my defense, knowing that what I had said was SO unbelievably stupid! I just didn't see anything in American Bandstand like the others did. Me and Ponyboy (and I guess Christina too) were the only ones who flinched when Bandstand came on. It was sheer torture!

I decided to change the subject as I saw Steve blushing about the fact that he watched a 'silly' show. So I asked, "Hey, where's Pony?" Steve smirked and then pretended to cough but Soda just glared at him with anger. "He went to some party with a girl named Dana in tow." Steve answered with a smirk.

I knew exactly what he was smirking about too. "You mean? He's going to a party with a girl and you're not going to do anything about it?" I asked Soda, rather surprised. Soda always looked after Ponyboy, no matter how mad it made Pony.

"I could not find him when I went looking for him, thank you very much. He just wrote a note that said, 'went out to a party at Buck's with Dana. I know you and Darryl warned me about Buck's, but don't worry!" Soda answered me sharply. He definitely seemed mad about Pony and rather sad at that. I didn't blame him. Who knew what Ponyboy was up to!

"I'd better get home." Christina said, standing up. "I have a job interview in an hour." she added, proudly. She had seemed like an over-achiever to me, but geesh!

"I'll walk ya there." I offered, happily. I turned Mickey off and offered my arm to her. She gallantly accepted and we went strutting out of the Curtis's front door. I waved to Steve and Sodapop and yelled over my shoulder, "Don't worry! I'll go out lookin' for Pony!"

We had been walking for about fifteen minutes before we said anything. There just wasn't anything to say, but she piped up, "Your friends are really nice. I never expected that from a greaser, ya know?" she asked of me.

"Yeah, I dig. But like I said, 'a lot of greasers are mean, and a lot of greasers are nice.' Goes same with soc's too!" I told her, grinning my comical grin. Oh, me and my charm. Oh, yeah. I could be a real sweet-talker when I wanted to be, but right now, I wasn't exactly in the mood. If you wanna know the truth, I was worried about Ponyboy. I know he's not my responsibility, but I do care about him. He's like a kid brother to me or sumthin'. I dunno...

"Are you okay?" Christina said, seeing passed my false grin, deep into my worries. Oh, she was good. Too good for my liking, actually. I hated it when people saw the pain in me. I mean, I was a real happy guy, but I wouldn't give my life to a damn stray dog. No, not even a doggie deserved to get landed with my boring life.

"I'm just worried about Ponykid." I said, using my nickname for Ponyboy. He was just a kid after all. Only fifteen. But then again, I myself had been a bad-ass hoodlum at about ten, and that was sayin' something.

"Ya know Keith Mathews," (I winced at the use of my real name. If someone called out to me, 'Keith!' on the streets, I wouldn't turn around because I'd have no clue that they were talkin' to me.) "Ya know, you're a real nice guy." I couldn't help but smile at this. She thought me, Two-Bit Mathews, as caring? Well, I thought to myself with a grin, I'm a real good charmer...

Banana4422: Thanks for reviewing! It is pretty dorky to review our own stories, but we're not dorks, I don't think... Sorry! Anyway, thanks for reviewing all of my stories! I read your story and it is GREAT!

MrsHoldenCaulfield: Thanks for your review! I know what you mean. I love stories from Ponyboy's point of view or from Dally's view (oh, I love Dally!) But I was in a wise-cracking mood for awhile so I guess I'm going to write a story about a wise-cracker, and who better than Two-Bit? Ponyboy will be doing something fun in the next chapter. ::) So you might like it! You might not...

Thanks for the reviews! I hate flames, but I will accept them and I'm glad I haven't gotten any yet. But I did get some for my other story. I'm going to be multi-tasking with a load of The Outsiders stories, so please review for them too! There'll be Wrong Side of the Tracks and Broken Homes coming out, so please review them! I'll add a chapter or two everyday and I promise for sequels, even if just one person asks me to write it. Well, that's it!

Love ya!,

Street Panther1