Chapter Eight

I tried to ignore the sound of the ringing telephone and stay engulfed in the moment, but the thought of Ponyboy calling home passed through my mind. The phone rang again and I sat up straight in bed. Not sure of exactly where I was I looked over to my left side to find Two-Bit asleep in my side. The romance was all a dream.

I scampered over top of him and ran to the living room. The phone rang one more time before I lifted the receiver. "Hello?" No one responded. "Hello?" This time I stayed silent and listened for any response or noise to tell me who had called. Nothing, then the line went dead as the caller hung up. I held the receiver and worried about who the caller may have been. Was is Duke Dobbins out of jail and hoping to find me home alone? Was it a group of socs looking to harass my family or was it Ponyboy? Was he in so much trouble that he couldn't even speak to us?

"Who was that?" Two-Bit's voice startled me and I spun around to face him. He walked toward me combing back his greasy hair that had been messed up by sleep. "Anyone I know?"

I looked at the received clutched tightly in my hand. "Uh… no… no one was on the line." I said and felt my face getting flush as I recalled the dream. For a moment I worried he had known my inner thoughts and I swallowed hard hoping I hadn't talked in my sleep.

"You better get busy making the beef stew if it's gonna be ready in time for dinner." He said and I hung up the receiver and looked at the clock, it was almost 3 o'clock!

"Oh goodness, we sure must have been tired." I said as I headed to the kitchen and began dinner. I pulled the potatoes and carrots out of the pantry.

"Want me to help you out?" Two-Bit wandered in behind me.

"Sure, why don't you start by peeling the potatoes?" Two-Bit was never one to complain in the kitchen. Many times my mother had assigned him to help cook dinner whenever he wanted to eat at our house. Peeling the potatoes and carrots was his specialty.

Uneasily I began a conversation. "Um … maybe we shouldn't tell my brother's about us napping together. They might get the wrong idea."

Two-Bit's whole body bounced with laughter. "Come on… doesn't Soda sleep in the same bed with Ponyboy?" His voice grew more serious just for fun and he sighed. "Alright, I won't tell no one."

I stopped cutting the meat into cubes and looked at Two-Bit who didn't care who knew about our nap. To him it was just sleep. "You're gonna tell'em, aren't you?"

The greaser grinned, "I aint makin no promises." In one quick move he flipped open his switchblade and diced a potato. I closed my eyes and shook my head in disbelief, Two-Bit sure was a character!

The meat and vegetables were in the pot when the phone rang again. I walked out and picked up the phone. "Hello?" Again no answer, so I held my breath to listen. I didn't hear anything other than the click of the line being disconnected. Hesitantly I hung up the receiver and walked back into the kitchen.

"Another hang up?" Two-Bit asked then pulled open the door to the refrigerator.

I looked out the window at Casey's old house and answered quietly. "yeah… no one was there." I wanted to ask Two-Bit who he thought it was but his mind was on other things.

"What no beer?" He yelled out and slammed the refrigerator door shut. "That just won't do! I'm going to the store to get some."

I looked to the boy and the fear of being alone flooded my mind. "Why do you have to go now to get the beer…? I mean couldn't you just wait and drive to the store after Soda gets home?"

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell you my car aint working?" I shook my head no and Two-Bit's voice roared with laughter. "Oh Scout you should have been there. Me and this blond Kathy were cruisin' Harrison Boulevard. She was sitting by my side having a fine time when all of a sudden I couldn't stop." Two-Bit took a moment to laugh at his memory. "So I yell, look out baby we got no brakes! Well she screams and practically jumps into my lap then I can't see. I end up running the red light, popped my car up on the curb and it hit a parking meter."

"You hit a parking meter?" Two-Bit shook his head in confirmation. I looked back at him in astonishment. "What did the cops say when they got there?"

With a sly grin he spoke again. "No one called the fuzz. After me and some of the Brumly boys picked up all the coins that spilled on the ground we pushed the car about five blocks away." Two-Bit winked. "Best part is I got half the money to fix the brakes from the sidewalk!"

I shook my head in concern. "Keith Matthews you are going to end up in prison!"

Two-Bit laughed and pulled on his leather jacket. "Nah, I'm too smooth to ever get caught!" He turned toward the front door and yelled. "See you in an hour or so!" With that he was out the door and gone. I laughed at the character then noticed the silence in the house. I needed something to do to distract me from the disturbing phone calls so I let the stew simmer and set the table for six. My heart ached as I wished I could have set it for two more.

The phone rang again. This time I looked behind me first and glanced out the windows. Slowly I walked through the house to the living room as the bell sounds rang loudly. I picked up the phone and paused before speaking. "Hello?" I held my breath and waited for a response that didn't come. "Who is this?" I yelled. "Ponyboy is this you?" I asked and an eerie voiced growled low.

"Noooo."

Startled, I slammed the phone down and looked behind me a second time. My heart began to race as I sprinted down the hall to my room. I had planned to hide in my closet until Darry came home but the shotgun sound of a car backfiring reminded me of Duke Dobbins. Terrified I slipped on my tennis shoes, tied them tight and bolted out the front door. I could feel my pulse throbbing in my head as I ran full speed through the vacant lot. Soon my breath began to draw heavy and I was forced to slow down a bit. I passed through the park staying far away from the fountain. Breathlessly I crossed the street and headed down the street in the direction of the DX gas station.

My feet dragged from exhaustion then my ear noticed the rumble of a tuff car. Cautiously I turned to look behind me and noticed a white and turquoise Chevy Bel-Aire stopped in the intersection at the end of the street. Inside the car sat a handful of socs. Inside my head was complete terror that I was their next target of aggression. Adrenaline from my fear shot through my body and without looking back I sprinted the final few blocks the DX station.

Steve watched the customer pull away from the gas pumps then spotted me running up the street. He could tell that something was wrong. "Sodapop!" Steve yelled then looked to be sure his friend had heard him.

Soda had heard him and seen me. My brother sprinted across the DX parking lot. I darted across the street towards him and he grabbed me to stop my momentum. "Scout! Scout what's wrong? Are you ok? " His questions rolled out as I stood trying to catch my breath. "What happened?"

"We … we …" I stood up and looked around for the socs. "…should go inside… where… where it's safe." Steve and Soda followed my visual trail but didn't see what was bothering me. I yanked repeatedly on Sodapop's shirt sleeve trying to pull him into the station. "Come on." I pleaded with him and with one last look he and Steve followed me in.

"What's the matter Sissy?" Soda asked again as I rounded the corner of the service counter. I worriedly looked out the window then sat behind the counter, on the floor in the corner. I pulled my knees up to my chest and held them tight to my body for security. Steve leaned across the counter staring down at me with concern. Sodapop knelt before me and grabbed both of my shoulders to calm my trembling. "It's ok now Sissy! Just tell me what happened."

I looked up at my brother. "Someone was calling the house and when I would answer they didn't say anything, they'd just stay quiet and then hang up. After a few calls I finally asked if it was Ponyboy and an angry voice groaned 'no'." I looked up with tears of shame brewing in my eyes. "Soda I was so scared, I didn't want to stay home alone. What if it was Duke Dobbins? What if he is out of jail and looking for me?"

"He aint out Scout," Soda tried to comfort me, "Darry said they gotta tell us if he got out."

"What if they forgot?" I sniffled and wiped my eyes on my blue jean covered knees.

"They didn't!" Soda said then tried to believe himself. Outside a customer's car rolled across the air hose and rang the bell inside the station.

The sound startled me. "Who is it?" My eyes were wide with concern.

Soda looked up at Steve who was looking out the window before he looked back at my brother. "It's Darry." Soda stood up and checked to be sure Steve was right. It was a little early for Darry to be off work. Sodapop grabbed my hand. He pulled hard and forced me to stand. "Come on Sissy."

For a short second I refused to stand, but Soda's persistence in pulling changed my mind and we followed Steve out of the station.

"Hey Steve!" Darry said as he walked to the back of his truck. "Hey there little buddy…" Our brother caught his eye on me trailing Sodapop and smiled. "Scout what are you doing here?"

Sodapop spoke up for me, minimizing my fear. "She was getting some prank phone calls at home and she got a little spooked."

"What kind of prank calls?" Darry's frown mimicked my own.

"Someone kept calling and wouldn't speak when I answered. On the third or fourth call I asked if it was Ponyboy and this deep voice on the other line said no." I stood close to Sodapop and shivered. "What if it was Duke? What if he is out?"

Darry walked over and squeezed my shoulder with his strong hand. "It isn't Duke. He didn't get out."

"What if he did?" I argued and interrupted. "What if he got out and they forgot to call?" I looked up with my pleading blue eyes.

Darry cracked a quick smile to help sooth my nerves. "Tell you what. Let's go inside the station and I'll call the jail and ask." I shook my head in agreement and the four of us walked inside.

Soda looked over at our brother. "What are you doing off work early?"

Darry shrugged and rubbed the back of my head with his hand. "There wasn't enough work for everyone so I decided to take off early." Darry looked through the phone directory for the number to the county jail, then placed the call. I listened to Darry's half of the conversation trying to figure out what was being said on the other end. After answering a lot of questions and a long wait Darry was able to confirm that Mr. Dobbins was still locked up in jail. My brother hung up the phone and looked down at me. "That oughtta make you feel better, right?"

I looked up. "Then who was making the calls?"

Darry shook his head. "I don't know Scout, it could have been anyone just messing around or trying to scare us. Don't let it bother you." Darry paused, "I thought Two-Bit was with you."

I looked away hoping the boys wouldn't read my embarrassment about napping with Two-Bit and dreaming about the kiss. "He was there for most of the day, but he left awhile ago to get some beer money from his mom and go to the store."

Darry looked out the station window at his truck then turned to me. "Listen Sissy, I called Dally and he said he's ready for me to come and get him so hop in the truck, you're going with me." Darry looked over to Sodapop. "Little buddy you got five bucks in your pocket for gas?"

Soda half frown and half smiled. "Nah, I gave fifty bucks to Dally this morning to give to Ponyboy if he sees him." Darry didn't care that Soda had handed over so much money to Dallas. Instead he opened his wallet and handed a five dollar bill over to Soda for the gas. I climbed into the passenger's side of the truck. Soda pumped the gas and Steve cleaned the windows. When the boys were finished Darry said "we'll see you at home," and we pulled away from the station. I felt safe next to Darry in the truck, but I was not happy to have to go with to pick up Dallas Winston.