Sarah126: yeah, really? I'm glad to hear that :)
thanks for your review


4. A risked step

So Pony walked up to the house, what actually was Mike's brothel.
He noticed that Johnny didn't follow him any more.
That's why he turned around.

"What's now? Are ya gonna come with me or wanna stay here?"

"I'd rather stay here..." Johnny answered. "And ya should do that, too..." he added.

"Well, all right. Then just wait here." Ponyboy meant, shrugged and turned around towards the house again.

At first he looked at it, then he breathed out once more and then he stepped forward the door.
When he reached for the door handle, it came to his mind that the door also could be locked and he would have to knock or ring to enter.
What should he do then in this case?
But when he turned round the doorknob it opened without difficulties.

So he stepped in and closed the door behind himself again.
Inside the house he stayed a moment at the door and considered where he probably should find Selena now.
It seemed that it wouldn't remain anything else to him, than to search for her.
So he set off to search for her.
He always was anxious that nobody would see him.

When he turned round a corner he saw Mike coming out of one of the rooms.
Ponyboy hid behind a niche and he hoped that he wouldn't be discovered.
But Mike didn't pay attention to his surroundings; he counted money with a satisfied look.

I suppose he's gonna gamble that away again, Pony thought, while he watched Mike out of his hiding place.

When Pony was sure that Mike was gone he came out of his hiding place and walked towards the room Mike came out, because he expected Selena in it.
He walked to the door a bit excited and nervous and knocked politely.
When he didn't receive an answer, though, he just entered.
He opened the door and peered into carefully.

Selena really was in this room.
She was sitting on her bed and placed tarot-cards for herself.
She was exposing a card that showed 'The lovers', when Ponyboy entered.
Selena turned around surprised.

"Oh, hey, who are ya? Perhaps a suitor?" she asked and smiled at Ponyboy.

Pony was charmed from this smile right now.
Pony shook his head.

"Nope. I... I just saw ya on the street and... also that this man has beaten ya and... I... would like to get to know ya..." Ponyboy finally brought out.

Selena cocked an eyebrow, the same way Two-Bit did sometimes.

"Ya wanna get to know me? Well, ya know what I am, don't ya?" she asked after a while.

Ponyboy nodded and answered, "Yeah, I know it. But I don't care!"

"Oh dear, boy, how old are ya? 12? 13?"

"12."

"And a boy in your age shouldn't be in such a place, ya understand? Besides, I could already be your mother!"

At the mentioning of 'mother' Ponyboy's eyes flashed up; a sad, even though a hopeful, shining.

"What's ya name actually? I'm Selena."

Pony nodded and answered, "Ponyboy. Ponyboy Curtis."

"Oh, a beautiful name. Very original. I like it." Selena said smiling.

"Yeah, my dad was also an original person." Pony replied and became sad.

"Do your parents know that you're here?"

"My... my parents are... dead... they died in a crash a few weeks ago." Ponyboy answered and suppressed the arising tears at the thought of his parents.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Selena said sympathetic.

Pony nodded and came closer a bit.
He would like so much to tell Selena what he felt for her, whom she reminded him and he would hug her the way his mother always hugged him.
But he didn't know how he should do that and how Selena would react to it.
So he waited in the first place.

"Well, now while you're here ya also may stay a little, if ya like. I ain't gonna send ya away again right now. Come here."

Ponyboy liked to follow this request. He sat beside her on the bed.

"What ya doin' there?" he asked curious and pointed at the tarot-cards.

"Oh, these are my tarot-cards. Ya know such a thin'? They forecast the future." Selena explained.

Ponyboy nodded apprehending.
He didn't believe in such a thing, but when he cast a glance at the uncovered card 'The lovers' he had to smile.
Maybe they really could forecast the future!

Selena smiled at him.