Chapter 6
I woke to find myself lying on my stomach. I looked at Shelby; she was curled up in a ball her face buried in her arms. I sat up slowly and winced. Head rush. I felt detached from my body. I could remember every detail from last night, but if was as if I was watching it in a movie. I looked around me. Sodapop and Darry were hurriedly running past me, shoving cake into their mouths. I sat up a bit farther. Nobody had noticed that I had woken up yet. I looked at Two-Bit he was eating chocolate cake and beer. Yes for breakfast. Although this is normal for him the thought of it made me sick. I looked for a clock; it was 1:30 in the afternoon. Why weren't Darry and Soda at work yet? Suddenly Two-Bit spun around and yelled,
"Hey Ponyboy! You're up finally!" Two-Bit screamed. I winced and he stood up and walked over to mess up my hair.
"Aw cut it out! I think I am going to be sick!" I exclaimed trying to say it in the least amount of words, in hurt to talk. Two-Bit and Soda laughed.
"Hells bells Pony! I think you got a hangover!" He exclaimed loudly again. Sodapop laughed but I didn't. I was looking at Shelby. Suddenly she sat up slowly, dazedly looking ahead at me and then at Two-Bit. I couldn't help but laugh. She looked so out of it. But I instantly stopped as she closed her eyes to reveal her thick black and purple make-up and fell back asleep on the couch. I stopped because she probably felt exactly how I felt.
"Good Pony your up," Sodapop said while he grabbed his coat and turned to face our bedroom.
"Dar!! Darry he is up come on lets go!" Soda yelled. I looked around to see Darry. Darry ran past but then stopped to look at me. I felt this icy glare as he drank his coffee and I got up to get an aspirin. I was surprised he hadn't asked me about the whole mess last night. I decided I had spoken too soon as I stepped out of the bathroom running right into Darry's chest.
"How much did you drink last night?" He asked coldly. My mouth felt dry and my tongue felt too big for my mouth.
"I-I...we..." I managed to stammer out. Darry held up a hand.
"Well, Pony if ya drank a lot your gonna regret it. You'll be hurtin' today." He said. "Just lye down and take ONE aspirin. You can go out later if ya want." He said. He grabbed Sodapop by the arm. "Oh Wait!" Soda said grabbing the door frame to pull himself back in. Darry came back in too.
"Hey, Shelby is supposed to start work at the DX today. Tell her to show up if she can...If not I'll cover for her." Soda said and with that the door slammed closed.
"Hey...Shelby didn't tell me she had a job." Two-Bit said. "I'll be right back; I just ran outta cancer sticks." He said cheerfully as he ran out the door. I sighed wishing Shelby would wake up so I wasn't alone. I looked over at her. Her long hair was all across her face and she was no longer in a ball, but sprawled onto her back. I sat there bored and decided to take a shower.
When I got out Two-Bit was sitting at the table opening a pack of Kools. Shelby was still asleep but as I sat down at the table to light up Shelby bolted up looking around at her surroundings. Then as if she had the slowest reflexes ever, she grasped her forehead and rocked back and forth.
"Hey Shelby Sugarcane, I reckon you got a hangover like Pony here huh?" Two- Bit yelled a little too loud for my liking.
"Yeah I do! Now shut up your voice makes me wanna hurl." Shelby said as she stood up shakily. Two-Bit practically fell off his chair in laughter at the sight of Shelby grasping onto the chair for balance. She was a mess. Her make-up was smudged on her right eye and her hair was a mess. Her skirt was crooked and extremely short as it had ridden up in her restless sleep. She stumbled to the table and lit up a smoke. Then as if an idea had struck her body straightened and she put out her smoke.
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" She shrieked. Me and Two-Bit looked at her bewildered.
"I start work at the DX today!" She yelled. "Two-Bit, tell me you brought my bag!" "Yeah, yeah I brought it. It's in there. But Soda said him and Steve will cover for you until you get there." Two-Bit said casually. Shelby's jaw dropped.
"Until I get there!! Its 2:00 I only work until five!!" She screamed. Then she stomped off into my room to get changed. Me and Two-Bit sat there looking at each other. Then Two-Bit mumbled quietly
"Chicks..." I just looked at him and laughed. Then five minutes later Shelby walked out of my room looking respectful. She had on the same blue DX shirt that Soda and Steve wore. Underneath she had on a black fitted t-shirt and a plaid pleated short skirt with knee socks on and black shoes.
"Uh Two-Bit..." She said grabbing her purse from under the couch. Two-Bit nodded, "Wha?" He asked.
"I need a ride to the DX." Shelby said sheepishly. Two-Bit rolled his eyes; he could be so lazy sometimes and walked out the door. I decided to follow. I had nothing better to do anyways. We walked out the door and into Two- Bit's car.
"I can't believe I have to go to work today...Jesus Christ I shouldn't have drunk yesterday." Shelby mumbled.
"How come you got a job anyways?" I asked, I wondered how she got one so quick. She must have asked Two-Bits mom to ask Sodapop to get her one before she got here.
"Well, Aunt Sherri's workin hard and we are still short on money. This bum sure as hell aint gonna get a job so I gotta." Shelby said jerking her thumb towards Two-Bit. "By the way, aint you ever considered working for a living? Don't ya think ya might need a job someday?" Shelby asked annoyed.
"Nup, I got you for cash now." Two-Bit smirked. Shelby in return gave him a serious look. He yelped with laughter as he turned into the DX parking lot.
"Have fun Shelby Sugarcane!" Two-Bit yelped. Shelby gave him a mean look. "Pony, you wanna meet me at the Diner to get something to eat for supper? You too Two-Bit?" She asked with the door open. I nodded my head in agreement and Two-Bit shook his head.
"Naw, I'm going out with Cathy I think. I'll meet y'all at Dairy Queen though at 6:00." He said. Shelby nodded and then flashed a quick smile at me before slamming the car door and walking off.
"Hey Shelbycakes!" I heard Soda exclaim.
"Hey Sodapop, hey Steve!" She said. "Sorry I'm late!" She said running over to the garage where Soda and Steve were working on an old T-Bird. That's the last thing I heard as we backed out of the parking lot.
I woke to find myself lying on my stomach. I looked at Shelby; she was curled up in a ball her face buried in her arms. I sat up slowly and winced. Head rush. I felt detached from my body. I could remember every detail from last night, but if was as if I was watching it in a movie. I looked around me. Sodapop and Darry were hurriedly running past me, shoving cake into their mouths. I sat up a bit farther. Nobody had noticed that I had woken up yet. I looked at Two-Bit he was eating chocolate cake and beer. Yes for breakfast. Although this is normal for him the thought of it made me sick. I looked for a clock; it was 1:30 in the afternoon. Why weren't Darry and Soda at work yet? Suddenly Two-Bit spun around and yelled,
"Hey Ponyboy! You're up finally!" Two-Bit screamed. I winced and he stood up and walked over to mess up my hair.
"Aw cut it out! I think I am going to be sick!" I exclaimed trying to say it in the least amount of words, in hurt to talk. Two-Bit and Soda laughed.
"Hells bells Pony! I think you got a hangover!" He exclaimed loudly again. Sodapop laughed but I didn't. I was looking at Shelby. Suddenly she sat up slowly, dazedly looking ahead at me and then at Two-Bit. I couldn't help but laugh. She looked so out of it. But I instantly stopped as she closed her eyes to reveal her thick black and purple make-up and fell back asleep on the couch. I stopped because she probably felt exactly how I felt.
"Good Pony your up," Sodapop said while he grabbed his coat and turned to face our bedroom.
"Dar!! Darry he is up come on lets go!" Soda yelled. I looked around to see Darry. Darry ran past but then stopped to look at me. I felt this icy glare as he drank his coffee and I got up to get an aspirin. I was surprised he hadn't asked me about the whole mess last night. I decided I had spoken too soon as I stepped out of the bathroom running right into Darry's chest.
"How much did you drink last night?" He asked coldly. My mouth felt dry and my tongue felt too big for my mouth.
"I-I...we..." I managed to stammer out. Darry held up a hand.
"Well, Pony if ya drank a lot your gonna regret it. You'll be hurtin' today." He said. "Just lye down and take ONE aspirin. You can go out later if ya want." He said. He grabbed Sodapop by the arm. "Oh Wait!" Soda said grabbing the door frame to pull himself back in. Darry came back in too.
"Hey, Shelby is supposed to start work at the DX today. Tell her to show up if she can...If not I'll cover for her." Soda said and with that the door slammed closed.
"Hey...Shelby didn't tell me she had a job." Two-Bit said. "I'll be right back; I just ran outta cancer sticks." He said cheerfully as he ran out the door. I sighed wishing Shelby would wake up so I wasn't alone. I looked over at her. Her long hair was all across her face and she was no longer in a ball, but sprawled onto her back. I sat there bored and decided to take a shower.
When I got out Two-Bit was sitting at the table opening a pack of Kools. Shelby was still asleep but as I sat down at the table to light up Shelby bolted up looking around at her surroundings. Then as if she had the slowest reflexes ever, she grasped her forehead and rocked back and forth.
"Hey Shelby Sugarcane, I reckon you got a hangover like Pony here huh?" Two- Bit yelled a little too loud for my liking.
"Yeah I do! Now shut up your voice makes me wanna hurl." Shelby said as she stood up shakily. Two-Bit practically fell off his chair in laughter at the sight of Shelby grasping onto the chair for balance. She was a mess. Her make-up was smudged on her right eye and her hair was a mess. Her skirt was crooked and extremely short as it had ridden up in her restless sleep. She stumbled to the table and lit up a smoke. Then as if an idea had struck her body straightened and she put out her smoke.
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" She shrieked. Me and Two-Bit looked at her bewildered.
"I start work at the DX today!" She yelled. "Two-Bit, tell me you brought my bag!" "Yeah, yeah I brought it. It's in there. But Soda said him and Steve will cover for you until you get there." Two-Bit said casually. Shelby's jaw dropped.
"Until I get there!! Its 2:00 I only work until five!!" She screamed. Then she stomped off into my room to get changed. Me and Two-Bit sat there looking at each other. Then Two-Bit mumbled quietly
"Chicks..." I just looked at him and laughed. Then five minutes later Shelby walked out of my room looking respectful. She had on the same blue DX shirt that Soda and Steve wore. Underneath she had on a black fitted t-shirt and a plaid pleated short skirt with knee socks on and black shoes.
"Uh Two-Bit..." She said grabbing her purse from under the couch. Two-Bit nodded, "Wha?" He asked.
"I need a ride to the DX." Shelby said sheepishly. Two-Bit rolled his eyes; he could be so lazy sometimes and walked out the door. I decided to follow. I had nothing better to do anyways. We walked out the door and into Two- Bit's car.
"I can't believe I have to go to work today...Jesus Christ I shouldn't have drunk yesterday." Shelby mumbled.
"How come you got a job anyways?" I asked, I wondered how she got one so quick. She must have asked Two-Bits mom to ask Sodapop to get her one before she got here.
"Well, Aunt Sherri's workin hard and we are still short on money. This bum sure as hell aint gonna get a job so I gotta." Shelby said jerking her thumb towards Two-Bit. "By the way, aint you ever considered working for a living? Don't ya think ya might need a job someday?" Shelby asked annoyed.
"Nup, I got you for cash now." Two-Bit smirked. Shelby in return gave him a serious look. He yelped with laughter as he turned into the DX parking lot.
"Have fun Shelby Sugarcane!" Two-Bit yelped. Shelby gave him a mean look. "Pony, you wanna meet me at the Diner to get something to eat for supper? You too Two-Bit?" She asked with the door open. I nodded my head in agreement and Two-Bit shook his head.
"Naw, I'm going out with Cathy I think. I'll meet y'all at Dairy Queen though at 6:00." He said. Shelby nodded and then flashed a quick smile at me before slamming the car door and walking off.
"Hey Shelbycakes!" I heard Soda exclaim.
"Hey Sodapop, hey Steve!" She said. "Sorry I'm late!" She said running over to the garage where Soda and Steve were working on an old T-Bird. That's the last thing I heard as we backed out of the parking lot.