Chapter 2: Are we There Yet?
Ponyboy was up at 5:30 the next morning. But Soda was still asleep. When Ponyboy got out of the shower he saw Darry trying to wake him. Soda just groaned and turned over.
Darry looked at Pony and smiled.
"You can't say I tried to warn him," he said.
Darry dragged Soda to the restroom. On the way up the hall, Ponyboy heard Soda scream. Darry had thrown Sodapop into the shower and turned on the cold water. Ponyboy just laughed and went into the kitchen. Darry had already made the chocolate cake.
When Soda was finally dressed they started putting the bags into the truck. At that moment, Steve and Two-Bit came running up to the house. They both had been late. It was 6:10.
"You better be lucky Sodapop overslept," said Darry looking at them.
They were both panting. Ponyboy threw the last bag into the back, while Soda locked up the house. Two-Bit and Steve threw their bags in the back and jumped in the back of the truck. Darry sat in the driver's seat, Pony in the middle, and Soda in the passenger side.
They took off towards the city.
2 hours and 10 minutes later…
"Are we there yet?"
"Two-Bit. If you start that I'll jam your mouth!" said Darry raising up his fist.
Ponyboy was asleep on Soda, who was barely awake. Steve was asleep with his head leaning back on the seat. Soda reached for the radio, but Darry stopped him by saying,
"Don't worry. It's right there."
Soda looked up and saw the city up ahead. It was a lot bigger than his hometown. Darry pulled up to the front of a hotel. The owner was a friend of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, so he let them stay there every once in a while. Darry went to the front desk.
"Hello. Reservation for the Curtis family?"
The lady looked up at Darry. She was around his age and pretty.
"May I see your I.D."
"Sure."
Darry smiled and she smiled back. He thought he might like her.
Meanwhile, back in the truck. Soda was trying to wake up his brother.
"C'mon Pony. We're here."
"Alright, alright," said Ponyboy sleepily. He sat up and looked around.
"Have I been here before?"
"Yeah. But you were only four. Two-Bit wake up Steve. That snoring is getting annoying!"
Two-Bit smiled.
"Okay."
Two-Bit slapped Steve on his head and Steve jumped up and looked at him.
"What did you do that for!" he yelled rubbing his head.
"Sodapop told me to," said Two-Bit smiling.
Steve looked at Soda.
"I told you to wake him up. Not to start a slap boxing competition!" defended Soda.
Back in the lobby.
"Here you go."
The lady at the front desk passed Darry his I.D., the room key and a sheet of paper. Darry picked up the paper and looked at it. It had a phone number on it. Darry looked up and the lady was walking to the back. She turned around and smiled at him before she went through the door. Darry just smiled.
He was still smiling when he walked out to the truck. He was looking at the number. It had her name on it. Her name was Mary.
"What's that?" asked Two-Bit breaking into his thoughts.
"Probably a love letter," said Soda.
"No it's not."
"It's a phone number!" pointed out Ponyboy.
"Hey, hey!" yelled out Two-Bit.
"Shut-Up," said Darry laughing.
"I hope you don't talk to your girls this way," teased Two-Bit. Darry drove to the parking lot.
They found their room and put their stuff in. Two-Bit and Soda had to bring sleeping bags to sleep on the floor.
"Is this anyway to treat your guests?" commented Steve as he threw his sleeping bag on the floor.
"If anybody rolls off of the bed and falls on me, I'll beat the crap out of them."
Darry looked at Steve and he looked down.
"Never mind," he said.