July 1967

It was a week into my summer vacation. It didn't seem like the school year should be over yet, maybe because I had missed so much school during the year. With all the absences, they thought maybe I should just repeat ninth grade. But I couldn't, Darry knew that, and declined. Told them in his own terms that a smart kid like me could catch up. So during the summer they just gave some reading lists, a little bit of homework from each course and such. Wasn't so bad, but I knew I would end up doing all at the last minute. I liked sleeping all day and staying up late at night now that I'm on holidays.

Two-Bit had failed again, but the teachers told him that if he went to summer school for a few courses he might be able to bring his mark up enough to pass. Might the keyword here, and this was under the circumstances that Two-Bit works hard. He hasn't decided what he wants to do yet. He had failed because he missed too much class, just like me. The same thing with Steve, after Johnny and Dally died I guess none of us really wanted to go to school.

Some days when me, Two-Bit and Steve came home we would just sit and do nothing, not even talk or eat. Sometimes have the radio playing in the background while we thought, about Johnny, about Dally, about Socs, about life in general. The odd time we would go and throw the football around, but that wasn't very often, and we could never seem to get our spirits up high enough to play for more than a few minutes.

A lot of the time I spent at home I would write. I would write down everything that came to my head, and when I read it now, I don't really know who I was when I wrote that stuff.

Sodapop and Steve rarely went out anymore; in fact all of us rarely left the house. Steve and Two-Bit would stay over for weeks at a time, but we didn't question them about it. Even though money seemed to be getting tighter, Steve would always give us most of his paycheck, and Two-Bit would often lift some food from the grocery store. We didn't have to ask them either.

And those few months were the hardest months I've gone through since my parents died. It was kind of similar too, in a way. Because I had a hard time keeping my grades up then, but I had it even harder this time around. I found it almost impossible to do my homework when I came home from school because I was already exhausted. I was ecstatic when I got a C on any assignment, which makes me realize why I almost failed.

But things had gotten better, loads better. Darry is going to get promoted soon, and that will mean he'll be able to spend more time at home with us. Sodapop has a new girlfriend, a nice girl named Daisy, with green eyes, and real shiny, lightly curly brown hair. She was pretty, and loved Soda more than anything. I don't know if he loves her yet, I don't know if he even knows. But he's happy, and that's something not much of us saw for a while.

Our house was hot right then. It was one of the hottest months I could remember that June, and I knew July would be hotter. I lay in my bed, the covers all tangled around my feet, and I was sweating something awful.

I ran my hand through my hair, and looked lazily over at Soda, he wasn't there though. And I groaned thinking that meant I would have to do dishes, again.

And as if on cue Two-Bit and Sodapop ran into the room to wake me up.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Two-Bit sang, rolling over top of me. I groaned again.

"Get off'a me T'Bit" I mumbled, and then Sodapop was jumping on the bed too. He started punching Two-Bit, and soon they had started fighting laughing and forgot about me. They rolled on top of me, still fighting and swearing at each other and soon we all ended up on the floor.

"You knuckle heads," Darry laughed from the door "Get up, I made breakfast, and Pony's doing dishes,"

I smiled, and Sodapop clapped me on the shoulder, Two-Bit was already gone and probably shoving food down his throat.

I yawned and followed Soda and Darry out of our room. There was a light knock on the door and I dragged myself over to answer it.

Sodapop's girlfriend Daisy stood there, toying with her long hair which was in braids.

She giggled when she caught sight of me, I was in my track shorts and white t-shirt. She reached out and smoothed the hair on the top of my head down. My face burned.

"Thanks, Daisy..." I mumbled. "You lookin' for Soda?"

"Of course," She smiled. I opened the door wider to let her in. Before she could walk in Sodapop pushed me out of the way and shut the door.

"We don't want any!" Sodapop yelled, laughing.

"Soda!" Daisy yelled from outside.

He smiled again and opened the door. "Oh its you," She looked cute standing there her arms crossed over her chest, lips pressed tightly together.

She had a little smile on her face now as she said "Oh sorry to bother you sir," and turned quickly on her heel. Sodapop launched himself out the door and grabbed her. He tickled her and she shrieked with laughter before he wrapped his arms around her and brought her inside. He put her down, and I shut the door behind them. It was hot enough in here without all that Oklahoma summer humidity taking its toll.

I watched as Sodapop pressed his lips to her forehead before whispering something in her ear.

"Oh I'll bet," She replied. And they collapsed on the couch together. I wondered how they could be all over eachother even when it was this hot.

"Its really hot in here," Daisy stated the obvious.

"Mmm hmmm," Was all Sodapop said before they started kissing.

"Would look at those two?" Two-Bit muttered, bits of eggs flying out of his mouth.

I shrugged and looked back at them. Two-Bit got up and threw himself over the back of the couch.

"Kiss me Soda!" He yelled. Making obsene kissing noises and groans.

"Ugh, don't touch me ya greasy panty waist!" Sodapop exclaimed at the same time as Daisys disgusted "Ew, Two-Bit!"

Then there was a thump, and another thump, and Sodapop tried to sound sympathetic while he laughed, "Sorry baby,"

Daisy got up from the floor and looked around. Her eyes locked with mine and I looked back down at my eggs.

Two-Bit and Sodapop got to wrestling again, leaving an awkward silence between me and Daisy at the table, where she just sat across from me.

"Ponyboy?" She asked softly, "Could I borrow a cigarette from you?"

I hated when people said that. You don't borrow a cigarette unless you're planning on giving it back when your done. But I pulled out my ragged pack and passed her my second last one. That meant I would have to go and get some after breakfast. She lit her cigarette, and I darted my eyes back at her briefly. She even looked classy while she inhaled tar.

"Hey Two-Bit?" I said, hoping to bum a ride to the corner store off him. "What are you up to today?"

Sodapop and he continued to roll around on the ground, looking like they were in an intimate embrace rather than trying to beat the snot out of eachother. "Ma wants me to go pick up my cousin." He managed to gasp out from underneath Soda.

"What cousin?" I asked curiously.

"My girl cousin, the only girl cousin I got. The only one I know on my dad's side anyhow." He said thoughtfully sitting up before Soda pushed him back down and tried to get him in a head lock. But Two-Bit twisted his arm behind his back and flipped him onto his stomach. "She's from South Carolina,"

"Whats'er name?"

"Shelby...Shelby Roxanne Matthews." Two-Bit said, letting go of Soda as he reluctantly bellowed Uncle. "She spent a few summers down here when she was little. I ain't seen her since Thanksgiving now, though."

"If I go with ya can you stop off at the dime store? I need smokes." I said, looking longingly at the cigarette Daisy ground into the ashtray. And I wished for a second that Daisy wasn't a girl so that I could tell her to get her own damn cigarettes.

"Sure thing. I ain't paying for yours though."

"I know you ain't paying. Although ya should, I'm pretty sure we smoke my packs 50-50." I said grabbing my plate along with Soda's and Two-Bit's into the kitchen. I filled the sink and tried to remember what Shelby looked like.

I remembered that she wore a navy blue baseball cap when we were really young. A hand-me-down compliments to Two-Bit. And I remember she had stick straight brown hair, and wore a lot of dresses.

"I'm leaving at three, her trains comin' at 3:25." Two-Bit stuck his head into the kitchen, where I was washing the dishes and left before I asked him to help.

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"Hey Ponyboy?" Darry yelled from the kitchen.

"What?"

"Can you walk over to the store and get some milk?"

"I can't" I started and I heard Darry start to protest but I cut him off. "I'm going to the train station with Two-Bit."

"The train station? What the hell are ya going there for? Trying to pick up chicks is my best guess." Darry said, coming out of the doorway and into his bedroom.

"You'd be guessin' right." I said, and I knew that would catch Darry's attention. He came out of the room and looked at me. "Not like that," I smirked, "We're picking up his cousin Shelby,"

"Oh yeah? She comin' down for the summer again?"

"I suppose so," I said and cleared my throat, "If ya want I'm getting Two-Bit to stop at the dime store for smokes. I can run across the street and get the milk."

"If you do that, you tell Shelby and Two-Bit they can come over to eat if Two-Bits' mom is working tonight." Darry said, he always invited Two-Bit over for supper now. And he came even if he wasn't invited.

"Alright. Hey, what time is it?" I said looking outside. I knew it was sweltering.

"It's five after three,"

"Aw hell," I said and pulled my high tops on lazily. I grabbed the money Darry left on the table for me.

"Watch your mouth," I heard Darry grumble, as the screen door shut behind me. I took a deep breath of the thick, humid air and then jumped off the porch and sprinted off down the street.

I was sweating bullets by the time I saw Two-Bits car roaring up the street. It could use a new muffler soon. I practically threw myself on the road to make sure he would stop and then I bent over, hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath.

I looked up when I could feel the heat of the car closer to me.

"Hurry up! Get in, Ponyboy!" Two-Bit yelled and honked his horn.

"Alright, Alright. I'm right here!" I said jogging over to the door, and throwing myself in before Two-Bit sped forward.

"I said three o'clock," Two-Bit said, checking out a few girls standing outside the dime store.

"I ran as fast as I could," I panted. "Darrel was hollerin' at me again anyways." I lied. I knew it would shut him up. And it did too. He took out a cigarette, and lit it quickly before throwing his lighter on the dashboard.

"I don't really know where I'm supposed to go when I get there, I ain't ever been to the train station before." Two-Bit smiled. "Have you?"

I shrugged and shook my head.

"Was I supposed to make a sign with her name on it or somethin'?" He asked cocking his eyebrow.

"No, I think she's seen you before," I looked out the window, smirking.

"I'm a changed man now," Two-Bit laughed.

I snorted, "Yeah right," attempting at cocking an eyebrow. But I was thinking that beneath the jokes, we both knew that was the truth. We were all a little different.

"But you sure do look ugly when you try to pull that off," He said, talking about my failed attempts at cocking my eyebrows. I swear, some people are just born with that talent.

"You don't look so hunky yourself," I said, and Two-Bit punched me in the shoulder and then passed me his cigarette. I took a nice long pull.

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"Do you remember what she looks like?" I asked, we were standing outside of the station. Watching all the people milling around aimlessly. A tramp was sitting beside us begging for money. He made me a little uneasy, and I paced around to the other side of the Two-Bit.

"Of course I remember what she looks like," He spat, and stamped his cigarette out. I could see the beads of sweat on his forehead an upperlip. I could feel the sweat too, and I wondered if I had ever been this hot before in my life.

Then I remembered the church with Johnny. I had the same kind of feeling I did on my back when I leaned again the backrest of the bench. That burning, sickly feeling. The sun shone in my eyes, and I put my head down, looking at my shoes. I wondered vaguely if they would melt if the pavement got hot enough.

"Ponyboy!" I snapped out of my day dreaming.

"What?"

"God almighty, I've been calling you for 10 minutes. I think that's her train over there." He said, pointing to the big green steam engine that had come to a screeching halt a few minutes ago. People seemed to be piling out, but no sign of a teenage girl.

"That's her right there," He exclaimed pointing to a lady in her thirties with her hair pulled into a tight bun.

"Not unless Shelby is a thirty-year-old mother of eight, Two-Bit." I said sarcastically, and looked again. I didn't need the smack on the head, Two-Bit gave me. I saw her now. Standing there, looking around anxiously. Bags at her feet.

Two-Bit was pulling me over by the arm. I jerked it away when we got close enough and I thought I could see with the sun in my eyes.

"If it isn't Shelby Mustang," Two-Bit said, but Shelby had seen him first and already had him around the neck, a wide smile on her face.

She had a blue sundress on, with lace on the trim and neck. She wore a pair of heels that clicked loudly when Two-Bit set her back on the ground. She was still short. She must only be a little over five feet tall. But the heels gave her some height. Her hair was longer than most girls wore it anymore, perfectly straight, it shone down to her ribs. She turned to me, and smiled. Her lips looked glossy and parted perfectly exposing her white teeth. Slightly higher on the left, just like Two-Bits. Her eyes were brown. Or they might have been green. But they danced like Soda's and Two-Bit's and were surrounded by long, black eyelashes that she fluttered at me.

"Hi Ponyboy," She said and stuck out her hand. I was still taking in her appearance. Her accent was slightly different than ours, but she had the same sort of grace that nice girls had. I knew she'd be no soc, Two-Bit'd never accept her if she was. But she had class none the less. Class, like Sodapop's girlfriends Sandy and Daisy had class. Natural class.

Two-Bit nudged me in the ribs, and Shelby laughed nervously. I took her hand, aware of how sweaty mine was. "You probably don't remember me, it's been a long time."

"No-it's... well that dress is really...looks...pretty." I said, not knowing it was possible to make such an idiot of yourself within one minute.

"Aw, thanks, I knew it would be hot down here. It always is." She pushed her hair out of her face.

I wanted to say something witty, about how she hasn't seen nothing yet. But my throat was thick, and I had to swallow. But even when I did my mind was swimming and it seemed as though I forgot how to process the english language. Damn Southern heat.

"Ponyboy, could ya close your mouth and grab one of these bags?" Two-Bit laughed. I bent down and picked up one of her three bags.

"Oh, sorry I brought so much stuff Two-Bit. You know how girls are." Shelby smiled, while Two-Bit took one bag and she took another.

Two-Bit waved his hand, "Don't worry about it. Just make sure you don't leave your panties lying around my room. I got enough in there as it is." He said cockily with a wink. Shelby laughed and smacked his arm.

"I never took you for one to kiss and tell, Two-Bit" Shelby laughed as we turned into the parking lot.

"Who said anything about kissin'?" Two-Bit cocked his eyebrow, which Shelby mimicked back at him. It looked as though she, too, was also graced with that talent.

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"Hey, Two-Bit? You said you'd stop at the dime store," I yelled. He was speeding along the main street telling Shelby some of his infamous stories that made her laugh, and gasp, and sometimes hit him playfully.

"Oh yeah!" Two-Bit exclaimed. "Hold on, Pone." He said, and jerked the wheel and I watched Shelby grip the door handle nervously while Two-Bit pulled a horse shoe. Cars honked, and he nearly missed a girl walking her dog.

He pulled up crookedly in front of the store.

"Here, get me a pack too." Two-Bit said, and passed me a few dollars. "You need smokes, Shelby? Or if you need some girly stuff, Ponyboy's the only one who'll get it for ya."

"Shut up, Two-Bit" I said, and Shelby looked at me and giggled.

"No, I don't think I need anything."

I was about to shut the door when Two-Bit said "Do ya mind walking back Pony? I just want Ma to see Shelby before she leaves for work."

"Yeah, that's okay. You guys should come over for supper though. Dar said to if your mom ain't home."

"We'll be there," Two-Bit smiled, and I shut the door. Waving as he honked at me before speeding away.

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3 Thank-you to my reviewers. This chapter is dedicated to crazee4ya260 & lady rose 05!

Please review for me. Eternal thanks and love, Mercedes