BAM!
Danny shot up out of his bed. He saw Soda at the door smiling at him.
"Time for school."
Soda then closed the door. Houston slowly got out of his bed. Danny looked at him.
"That noise didn't scare you?"
"I'm used to it," said Houston walking past Danny and into the hallway.
Danny went to his suitcase and picked out his clothes. He didn't feel like putting his clothes into the dresser yesterday. While he was putting his shirt on, Jack stuck his head into the door and tossed a plastic container into Danny's hands.
"Represent your territory," said Jack smiling and he left.
Danny looked at the container. It was grease. Danny smiled and slid some on his hair. He walked into the kitchen and everyone was digging into some chocolate cake.
"Chocolate Cake?"
Everyone looked at him. Danny felt very uncomfortable. Soda spoke up,
"Your mom didn't give any in the morning? I thought your dad would get her into the habit."
"We had some every once in a while."
Cathy smiled and said,
"We have it every morning here. A Curtis family tradition."
The teenagers all left for school. Danny then asked Jack,
"I thought you were nineteen."
"Held back," he answered lighting up a ciggarette.
"Hey. Back up a little. Don't let the kid inhale your bad habit," said Rachel pushing back Houston."
"Sorry."
When they reached the high school, Jack put the ciggarette out.
"Where do I go?" asked Danny.
"Just head to the office," answered Jack. "They can help you out from there."
"Alright. I'll see you later."
Danny walked into the office and went towards the receptionist.
"Hi. I'm new to this school. I need a schedule for my classes."
The receptionist was an old lady with her glasses pushed up to her nose. Danny could tell she was a snoody old lady.
"Your name please."
"Danny Curtis."
"Okay. Just sit down for a moment. We'll be right back with you."
Danny went and sat down in one of the chairs. He then thought. He wondered what Alex would be doing. He had called him the morning before he left. Alex couldn't believe what was happening. They decided to just mail each other. Danny knew he couldn't make any long distance calls. He decided he would write a letter during one of his classes. He then saw a girl in the hallway. She was cute. Jennifer had nothing on this chick. Jennifer was a crazy chick. He didn't miss her at all. He felt he was gonna break up with her soon anyway. Alex heard that she had been with many other boys. They had done more to her than just kiss.
"Danny Curtis."
The receptionist broke into his thoughts. He walked up to the desk and she gave him his schedule. He quickly went into the hallway. He wanted to talk to this girl. She was just about to leave when Danny went up to her and started spitting a little game.
"Hey."
She turned around and replied.
"Hi. Are you new here?"
"Yeah. My name's Danny Curtis."
"Maria."
"Well, if I need someone to show me around. Can I come to you."
"Uhh. Maybe. Look I need to get to class. I'll see you around."
She left Danny standing there. No problem, he thought. She was playing hard to get. He went to the class he was assigned to first. When he walked in, the teacher asked,
"New student?"
"Yeah. Name's Danny Curtis."
She seemed pretty cool. She looked like she was in her twenties.
"I'm Ms. Richardson. Why don't you tell us a little something about yourself."
Dang! He thought. He thought teachers didn't do this anymore. Oh well.
"Um. I'm from Atlanta. I have three cousins here and um… that's about it."
He sat down in an empty desk in the back. This was gonna be a long day at school.
The rest of the day went along okay. One teacher yelled at him for writing his letter during the lecture. When the teacher asked him what he was writing about, Danny told him it was none of his buissiness. The teacher let him off with a warning because he was new. After school he went looking for his cousins. They told them they catch a ride home from Two-Bit. He walked out to the front and saw four socs surrounding something. He looked around them and saw that they were surrounding Houston.
Danny ran to the crowd and stood in front of Houston.
"Is there a problem here?"
He recognized one of the socs as Rachel's ex.
"You again," said the soc.
"Yeah. You got a problem with me or my cousin."
At that moment, Rachel and Jack ran up behind Danny. They had four more greasers with them. The socs just turned around went to their car. Danny couldn't help but smile. Danny then saw Maria looking at him. She waved him over.
"I'll catch up with you guys when you find Two-Bit." He ran over to Maria.
"I saw what you did. That's was pretty cool standing up for that little kid."
"It's nothing. He's my cousin."
"Doesn't matter. I've seen people who let their family members get hurt. The socs love to pick on him. What's his name?"
"Houston. Are you a greaser? You don't dress like it."
"I'm neither. I'm sorta in the middle. I'll see you at school tomorrow."
"Alright."
Danny walked over to Two-Bit's car. When he got in, Two-Bit said out,
"Picking up ladies?"
"Shut-up and drive," said Danny laughing.
Two-Bit just laughed and drove them home. They all went up to the porch and Two-Bit then remembered something before he drove off.
"I almost forgot. Cathy told me to tell you guys. Ponyboy is going to be coming home tonight. She went to go pick him up from the airport."
Houston was very happy, so was Rachel but she hid it by saying,
"About time!"
"Dad's coming home. Yes!" rejoiced Houston. He ran into the house then.
All day, Houston sat next to the window, waiting for his dad to arrive. Everyone else was watching television. Except Jack, he was stuck on a math problem. Soon Houston jumped up.
"Dad's here!"
He ran out of the door. Everyone came outside to see Soda, Cathy, and Ponyboy lifting bags out of the trunk of the car.
"Dad!" yelled Houston.
"Hey, Houston."
Houston ran and hugged his father. Ponyboy then looked at Danny.
"Are you Danny?"
Danny nodded.
"Well you've grown since the baby picture your mother sent us."
Danny looked at him for a while and said aloud,
"Did anyone ever say you look like C. Thomas Howell?"
Everyone had a good laugh and Soda joined in,
"If he's C. Thomas Howell, then I'm Rob Lowe."
Everyone went inside. Now there was one more Curtis father needed to complete the puzzle.