I brushed my hair back into a ponytail then quickly pulled out the rubber band because I couldn't get my hair to look as good as I wanted it. I grew frustrated that no matter what I did I couldn't get anything in my life to go right. Glancing into the mirror I noticed my reflection again. The bruise on the side of my face from fighting with the officers was fading to a light brown, but the bags under my eyes from exhaustion were still dark. I stared at myself with disappointment.
After witnessing Dallas being shot to death I suffered a mental breakdown. The doctors assured my brother's my condition was due to exhaustion and fear from the past year's events. Thankfully, Mr. Ottavi, the City Attorney, was at the scene and convinced the officer I had attacked not to press charges. Instead of going to the juvenile detention facility I spent a day and a half in the hospital for shock and exhaustion, Ponyboy too. It took some arguing, but Darry managed to get the hospital administrator to let my brother and me to share the same hospital room. When I woke up in the hospital my brothers told me how frightened they were when I lost my mind and attack the officers. To add to their problems they learned how sick Ponyboy really was. He had suffered a concussion from the rumble. All of us had come home Monday evening, but Ponyboy hadn't fully recovered yet. Here it was Tuesday morning and he was still sick and delirious in bed. He was in such bad shape that he was going to miss Johnny and Dally's burials this morning.
I picked up the hairbrush and tried to pull it through my unruly hair. Upset with my struggle, I sat down on the edge of the tub and cried. My semi-curly locks needed to be cut, but that cost money my family didn't have. Plus, with winter coming I still needed a winter coat and clothes that were my size. Desperate, I made a decision. I dug through the medicine cabinet and pulled out my mother's scissors. I tried to trim my hair, but I just couldn't get it even. I looked in the mirror at the mess I was making and I cried through my tears. "Nice going stupid! Now it looks worse than before!" Dropping the scissors onto the edge of the sink I buried my face in my hands and cried, but my tears truly had little to do with how my hair looked.
Hearing my cries Sodapop came into the bathroom. He noticed the large chunks of hair in the sink. "Scout! What are you doing?" His tired eyes were confused.
"I'm just trying to get my stupid hair to look nice, but nothing I do seems to work!" I said through my sobs. "It needs to be cut … so I tried to cut it and now it looks even worse."
"Why don't you just go down to the beauty parlor and get it cut this afternoon?" Soda asked and rubbed my back.
I looked at him and failed to understand his simple view on like. He didn't understand my plight. "Sodapop, I don't want to waste money on a hair cut. I am going to need a new winter coat this year and that'll be expensive." I sniffled and grabbed some toilet paper to blow my nose. "Besides, I already started cutting it, but I can't get it straight."
Sodapop cocked his head to the side and looked at me the way my mother often did when I had a problem. "Here, let me try." Sodapop picked up the scissors and worked very hard to trim my curly hair even. When he was finished I looked in the mirror. It was a great improvement and just what I needed. I picked up the hairbrush and pulled my hair back into a barrette.
"Thanks Soda. Sorry for getting so upset."
"No problem," my brother smiled and hugged me, "now get dressed or we are gonna be late."
I went to my room and put on the best looking hand-me-downs that Kathryn had given me. I looked nice wearing a blue sweater and plaid gray skirt. I sat on my bed and pulled on my loafers. They were very tight and I added that to my mental list of things I needed, but was too afraid to ask for. Dressed and ready I quietly tiptoed into Ponyboy's bedroom and looked down at Darry who was sitting in the armchair he had pulled in from the living room.
"You look nice Scout." Darry said. He was still wearing his work clothes from the day before. "Give my regrets to everyone for me, okay?"
"Sure Darry." I said and leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. "I love you."
Darry smiled back. "I love you too Sissy." I leaned across the bed and kissed Ponyboy's hot cheek. I whispered that I loved him and I hope he would get well soon. I stood up and sighed just as a horn honked outside.
"That's Steve and Two-Bit. You and Soda better get going." Darry directed. I walked out of the room and followed Sodapop out the front door. The two of us rode together in the backseat of Steve's car on the way to the cemetery. Two-Bit, Evie and Steve rode in the front seat, no one spoke.
At the cemetery I climbed out of the car, took hold of Sodapop's hand, and started across the lawn toward the area where two caskets were laid out, ready for burial. Sadly, both Dallas and Johnny would be given a direct funeral, or as it is sometimes known, a poor man's funeral. This meant the coffins would be simply buried with no visitation and no funeral service.
When we arrived a small crowd had already gathered. According to Steve, Dallas's father was nowhere to be found. Steve was the only one who had ever met Dally's dad, but Johnny's parents were present. Let me tell you, it sure bothered all of us that Johnny's mother was crying for him. She sure had some nerve.
A line of men in black suits stood near the caskets. At first I didn't pay them any attention. Then a taller, older man stepped forward to say a few words to lay our friends to rest. He spoke kind words about Dallas and Johnny as if he had known them himself. Minutes later the remaining three men stepped forward. It was then I noticed Owen Jasper. He was dressed in a black suit to match all the others. He was with the men from the cemetery who collected the ropes from the ground, and slowly lowered Dallas into the ground. When the first casket was steady below the men lowered Johnny to the ground as well. Watching the event pulled at my heart and I held my breath as often as I could to keep from sobbing uncontrollably.
In less than ten minutes the burials were over and the crowd began to disperse. Sodapop grabbed my hand. We turned to follow Steve and Evie back to the car when Buck Merrill somberly called out. "In honor of Dally, the first round's on me at my place!"
"Sounds good to me!" Two-Bit remarked solemnly.
"Evie and I are with you," Steve said then he looked to Sodapop hoping he would come and be with the boys.
My brother shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." Sodapop never drank, but I wondered if he wanted to be around his friends.
"Scout!"
I heard my name called and turned my head to see who it was.
"Scout," Owen Jasper walked towards me. "I am sorry about your friends."
I let go of Soda and Two-Bit's hands and turned to looked at Owen with confusion. "Owen… aren't you suppose to be in school?"
Owen stopped in front of me. He looked even more handsome then before. "I begged my parents to let me help out today. I figured you would be here." The boy nervously licked his lips and quickly looked at the greasers who were listening in to the conversation. "I know this sounds strange, but I was wondering if… if you felt like it, maybe going over to Rusty's for a Coke or something." Owen then looked toward the boys for approval.
I frowned a little and turned my head to try and hide the remnants of the bruise on my face. "I'm not sure. My brother, Ponyboy is still really sick and I should get home to help take care of him."
Now it was Sodapop's turn to frown at me. "Nah Sissy. You go ahead, Pony'll be fine. Darry and I will be looking over him." I looked up to Sodapop and felt pressured a little, but Sodapop knew what was best for me.
"I don't know?" I whispered to Sodapop.
Sodapop let go of my hand. "Well I do, and I think you should go. Besides, it'd do you some good to get out of the house for awhile."
Owen smiled at Soda's wisdom. I looked back at the blond haired boy with nervousness in my stomach. "Okay, I'll go, but if you don't mind I'd like to get home soon."
"Don't worry Owen, you two stay out as long as you want." Sodapop said like a father. Then he questioned himself, "well … actually, have her home by dinner."
"I will," The smile on Owen's face grew wide. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her." Owen gently grabbed my hand with his and led me in the opposite direction of my friends.
I walked away thinking of how excited I should be that this beautiful boy was holding my hand, but all I felt was fear and sorrow. I glanced back over my shoulder and noticed Sodapop and Two-Bit still watching me walk away. I wondered what they were thinking. Perhaps the two of them were wondering if I would be fine on my own. Maybe they were happy to get rid of me. What I missed was the fact that as I strolled away with Owen Jasper, Junior class president of our high school, I was entering a new society. One the boys in my gang were never invited into. For the first time in my life I, Scout Marie Curtis, was leaving the only friends I had ever known, and crossing alone, into a new social class.