A/n: Long time no see! Hi everyone! How are you all? Hope everyone is good. I'm sorry this is such a belated chapter. Many things have kept me occupied otherwise, and yeah... but now you've got it! I hope you guys like it too.
Disclaimer: We don't own anyone but the Briggs. The setting and plot is ours too.
Dedication: This is to all y'all who have hung in there and are still reading this! And to Rock who is having a hard time and got me motivated to write this. And to Sepi, who will never read it, but deserves it above everyone else right now. God bless her.
Enjoy!
Chapter Seven: Little Shop of Horrors
I've never seen so many brand new, crisp jeans in my life. Blue, white, black, green, even red bootlegged pants dangled off hangers on little metal racks. There were rounds and rounds of them, and the room never ended. On the walls hung every hickish shirt, in all colors imaginable. They splashed the place, looking like an attempted tidy tye-dye job gone horribly wrong. Clothes screamed to be plucked off the shelves and tried on. Even more so, the price tags made them beg to be taken home.
I didn't want anything to do with it.
It was epitome of Socdom. It was in fact the only Soc store I'd ever been to, but that's because it was unnatural for a grease to even have the desire to go in one. Soda went in one once, with a couple buddies of his.... They picked one of every piece of clothing, divided them up amongst themselves, and attempted to buy them -- then "realized" that they were out of cash. When the cashier asked if they wanted them have them be put on hold, they declined, but asked if they could put a broken pencil and a piece of bubble gum on hold instead. Needless to say security was called and they ran for it. Never got caught in the shopping mall, but got a good lecture from Darry when security called, after tracking down the license plate number to a phone number... no charges were pressed, but Soda sure felt stupid after that one.
"Oh, look at this, Ponyboy!" Melanie picked out a cadet blue cowboy shirt. It even had the tubed lining on the chest and brass cufflinks. "This would look absolutely stunning on you!" She held it up to my chest and grinned broadly. "This is definitely going in the cart."
I smiled a forced little toothy grin and sighed when she turned away. This was NOT my thing.
Peering into the cart I noticed the price tag that read '$25.' My jaw nearly dropped. That's more than I've spent on ten shirts collectively. And they were even NEW shirts that that.
"Um... Mrs. Briggs?"
"Melanie, dear. I'm not Jack's mother," she chuckled while scanning the aisle for another shirt or something like that.
"Right... Um... I don't think I can buy that shirt."
"Why not? Is it the wrong size?" She picked it up again and looked at the tag. "Should we get another one to try on, too?"
"No... um... It's just... That's a lot of money. I can't buy that." I could feel my face flush bright red and hated myself for doing that. I knew she didn't expect me to buy those with my own money, but I couldn't let a stranger buy me such expensive things...especially when I wouldn't ever wear them.
"Don't be ridiculous." She smiled softly. "You're worth every cent of this shirt, and I don't care if you like it or not. You're still getting it." It was as if she expected me to think it was an act of motherly duty, while playful kidding. I hope I'd get used to it. But in the meantime I think I could deal. She was too nice. I swear that smile never left her face. It was a wonder her wrinkles weren't like a grandmother's. I hoped they never would be. Such a kind lady shouldn't have to deal with deep wrinkle lines...
I gave her my best grin, which came out lopsided, and followed her slowly behind the shopping cart. It was already piled with red, green, brown, and now blue shirts. Pants were our next stop. I thought my pants were just fine, despite the holes and rips. That's how I liked them. Sure they weren't suitable for a private school, but that didn't matter when all I was going to wear there were my uniforms. For around the ranch, I figured what I had were good. But, I guess Jack and Melanie thought differently. Joe would certainly taunt me if he saw me wearing what I thought was cool. That kid didn't like me. I could tell already.
"Oh, wow." Melanie picked up some dark blue bootlegged pants. "Now, aren't those just adorable?"
Adorable? Try Sociable.
"Yeah. They're nice."
Gasping pleased, she chirped, "You should try them on, too! Oh, I know you'll just look fantastic in them."
Right. Fantastic according to whom? I'd die if Steve or Two-Bit, or even Soda saw me wearing those. They were so...nice. I was beginning to dread the high-water section of the store. I liked my ankels hidden, thank you very much. And slacks weren't so much my thing. I preferred the comfort of worn jeans.
---
Two hours later and not a sign of leaving the store. Melanie was in her glory. There was nothing that made her happier than making me try on an outfit of her liking, doing a forced little spin; and clapping excitedly, cooing things like, "Oh, Ponyboy, you're such a handsome young man... This is just your thing... Oh I can't wait for Jack to see you in these. He'll just love them... You look so stunning... Wow, I love how those pants bring out the green in your eyes!"
That's where I drew the line. Green eyes... I refused to get those pants. I laid them in a neat pile in the back of the dressing room and left them there, unnoticed by Melanie.
The others were...actually not that bad. I mean, for a Soc. I always wondered what it would be like to wear their clothes... Now I know. And, truthfully, I don't know how I feel about it. It was almost exhilarating to wear clothes that cost more than my entire lifetime's worth of wardrobes combined, and at the same time I knew I was betraying everything I came from. My friends, my family, my neighborhood. I wouldn't sellout for this lifestyle. It was just too... not me. Maybe in a few years ago, when it was on my own account, my own money, and my own choice, but not now when none of that was mine.
"Don't you just love that suit?" Melanie sighed as she placed it on the sales counter. "It's so perfect and sharp on you... oh, you and Joe will look so handsome at the party tomorrow night, with your matching suits and all."
I frozen in my spot. Party? Matching suits? Joe?
"There's a party tomorrow night?" I asked, as innocently as I could, mustering it up so I wouldn't sound like I was scared out of my mind. Forget about my fears of Joe lighting this expensive suit on fire, for being identical to his -- I don't know what I thought about a party.
"Didn't I tell you? I could've sworn we discussed this already." She heaved the thick pile of shirts, that I'd still never wear, on the counter and let the short girl with these four weird braided pigtails ring them up. "We have a party every other Friday night for the guests at the Ranch. It's their end of the vacation square dance, hoe down, shindig, whatever you want to call it. They get to show off everything they've learned how to do, like bull riding, line dancing, all that stuff. There'll be a big dinner too. We like for the family and staff to dress up and we'd like you to do that as well, if you don't mind."
"Oh...okay. Sure..." I don't remember hearing about this, but I guess it wasn't such a bad thing, although I refused to do any line dancing. Just because I was expected to live on a Dude Ranch with a family of the nicest rednecks I've ever met, doesn't mean I'm gonna convert to their ways. "Is Joe gonna mind though? If I have the same suit as him?"
"Oh, that boy is so oblivious to these things, he wouldn't even notice." She shook her head with an air of disapproval on his part. "Don't you worry about him. He might come across rough, but he's as gentle as a baby lamb. You should see him with the kids. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Don't let him intimidate you. He's a good kid."
Right. We'd see about that. I already couldn't touch his horse, Diablo, without worrying that he'll lop my head off with a whip. Watch -- next if I step into his room he'll elbow me in the gut and throw me across the hall.
"Really," she pressed, seeing the concern in my eyes. "I'll talk to him if you're worried about it."
"No!" I said, almost a little too quickly. "I'm not worried. I'm just being paranoid. I'm... I uhm... I'm just not used to this. Sorry."
"Oh, sweetie..." She stopped, ignoring the cashier who was now waiting for money or a card or something for her to pay with. "Don't worry. I'm sorr, too. I know this is rough. I'm sure it has to be hard being down here. I wish there was something I could do. Make things different. Make it so you could be with your brothers... But I can't. I can only give you what I have."
And now I made her feel guilty. What a day this was going to be.
---
"Give me the mustard." A hand was held ubruptly in front of me as I stood at the kitchen counter, timidly making myself a turkey sandwich for an "after school snack," even though I didn't go to school today.
Without saying anything back, I slid the jar to Joe who was generously applying layer upon layer of turkey, tomato, and lettuce to his sandwich. He took the knife out of my hand and scooped up a rather large helping out of the jar, smearing it across his bread, sprinkled with pepper and salt. It disgusted me the way he made that thing.
I looked down at my pathetic snack. It consisted of a single slice of honey smoked turkey, one tomato slice, a bit of lettuce, and a little mustard. Perhaps I wasn't comfortable enough to eat like Joe... then again, perhaps he was just a pig with no regard for his family's budget. Either way I was content sticking to what I had. I picked up my plate and sat down at the table.
"You know you don't live in the hood anymore," Joe commented, while finding a Coke in the fridge.
I didn't say anything. I wasn't exactly sure where he was going with this.
"You CAN eat all you want. You aren't going to starve here. You ain't poor anymore." He slammed the door shut and spun on his heal to get a glass out of the cupboard. "For now anyway. When you go home... well..."
"I was just fine before," I snapped softly. "I never starved."
He just cocked an eyebrow and sat down across from me. "All right. Well, you can eat more than that, I'm just letting you know." He was trying to act offended... I think. I had no idea how to react to him. "My uncle's got more money than he knows what to do with. You ain't gonna run down the food supply. Shoot, you could take out a thou from his account, and he wouldn't even know it."
"Really?" I asked skeptically. He had to be full of it. Ain't no rich man that dumb.
"Yup. Done it before." He was so nonchalant about it, I wasn't sure if I believed him or not.
"Yeah right." I started to woof down my food, hungry from the long day. Who knew that shopping could be so tedious? Man, if I had Two-Bit here, we would've had a blast trying to sneak all the junk out. But, instead Melanie, against my will, paid well over three hundred dollars in clothes that I doubt I'll wear unless forced.
"Hey, man. I ain't shitting you." He held his hands up in defense. "I'll show you sometime if ya want."
What was I supposed to say to that? He wanted me to come on an escapade to steal money from my foster father, one day into my arrival? I don't think so... That sounded like the worst possible plan he could come up with... and I don't even know him yet.
"Maybe..." I wasn't gonna say no. I didn't want to lose the one potential friend I had, nor did I want to side with the potential enemy; but I wasn't going to agree. I wasn't going to do anything, until I knew for sure.
"Well, whatever. It's up to you. But I'm just saying it doesn't matter and it goes unnoticed. Anyway..." He shoved the rest of his partially eaten sandwich in his mouth. "Whe...yooof...staut...skoo?"
"When do I start school?" I repeated, just to made sure I understood him.
"Fa...wha...ah...seh..." He gulped his food harshly. "You deaf or what?"
"Um... on Monday I think." I didn't bother with the second half of that statement, feeling stupid enough already that he thought he was cooler than me and acted like it too.
"Cool 'nough." He brushed the crumbs off his hands, sprinkling them on the clean table top. "Jack say's I'm showing you the ropes of the place."
"Oh... Good." That was a relief -- to know that SOMEONE was.
"I guess." He shrugged, seemingly not too thrilled by the idea. He sighed exasperated, trying to win me over with sympathy. "Got nothing else better to do. He tells me I skip school again and he'll kick my ass, so I guess I gotta listen..."
That was by far the most unconvincing thing I've ever heard. And I would know. I've tried to use tell people one thing, when I meant another, and I'm sure I'd know what it sounds like to be a recepiant.
Joe pushed his chair back and reached into his pockets, feeling around for something. He apparently found it, because he looked satisfied, pulled out a set of keys, and said, "I'm going into town to meet up with some buddies. You wanna come?"
---
Coming from town to Fisk had been a half an hour trip...but to get back to town, Joe made it a point to get there in ten minutes or less. He drove like the devil was on his tail and I was holding onto the edge of my seat with a grip like I was dangling from a cliff. I don't think he noticed, but even if he had, he didn't seem to care. He was enjoying it.
"It bugs the hell out of me when Mel and Jack take this road like it's a neighborhood. It's not like there's anyone else around..." He smiled bitterly.
The way he talked about them, I wasn't so sure he liked them. But, at the same time it sounded like he respected them highly. I didn't get it. Either you liked someone and respected them....or you didn't. Right?
"Hey, can I ask ya somethin'?"
"What?" he gritted while taking a sharp turn on two wheels.
"Do you like living with the Briggs?" They seemed cool enough, I just wanted an insider's point of view.
"They're all right." He shrugged, like it wasn't much of anything. "They're better than my father, that's for sure. I'd rather live in luxury with sweetness and rules up every alley than in a dump with a drunk who thinks beating on his son is a sport."
"Oh..." I felt bad for having brought it up. It struck me hard and painful, with memories of Johnny. Damn, I missed him... Two years later, and I still didn't have a new best friend. Johnny just wasn't someone you could replace. Not only that, but I didn't know how much it hurt Joe to talk about it. He came across being relaxed and uncaring, but so do a lot of people. It was like being at home still -- needing to figure out what's beneath the thick aloofness.
"They felt bad for you," he continued, sounding a little more pitiful that I would've preferred. "Guess they thought they were doing something good by bringing you here."
"Like what?"
"Like they think you'll 'keep me out of trouble' and 'be a good example' for me." He took a turn off that led to the town. I didn't recognize it in the daylight. Then again, I didn't really recognize anything here yet. "But, I'm telling ya kid," -- kid? Hell, we were the same age -- "I'll do whatever the hell I feel like. You can be my friend, or not, but you'd better not try and move in on my space. I've got a rep to keep up."
"Hey, I ain't got no intentions of nothing," I defended myself. "It's not like it was my choice to come here. If I had my way, I'd just live at home by myself or with a buddy's family or somethin', but the state don't give a shit what you want, so they do what they want. They thought Jack and Melanie were good for me, I ain't got no other choice in the matter than to come here. Don't you go thinkin' I WANTED to be a Soc..."
"What the fuck is a Soc?" He took a rough hill and we bounced over it like a racket ball, me holding onto the dash board, afraid we'd flip over and tumble down the hill.
"...Y-- Y-- You know," I stuttered, trying to talk and breathe at the same time, "like the richest of the rich kids."
"Well, man, you came to the wrong place."
Just as he said that, a few buildings started to come into sight. The first one we came to looked like a little pub saloon sort of thing, except it had several teenage kids standing around outside, and I knew it was no strip club from that. To think that I'd been in and out of one city, several times, in a matter of hours. At least this time wasn't for clothes shopping.
Joe made a sharp forty-five degree turn and parked in next to a couple of motorbikes and hideous trucks, that actually reminded me of my own back at home... I'd later learn that those bikes and trucks belonged to the guys standing outside the doors which turned out to be...
"Those are my friends. Act tough and they ain't gonna touch ya," Joe whispered, while smiling towards his friends, that hi-I'm-here sort of way. "Be a pansy and you won't stand a chance."
Me a pansy? This boy had SO much to learn...
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Review Responses!
Skye Renegarde: Thanks. We had lots of fun! Still are, not to fret. - Rock
- Thanks a lot! Hope you're still around to read! - Kiks
Sodapop02: Thanks. I guess you'll have to keep reading to see if its happy or not. But thanks for the comments! - Rock
- Yeah, it can be tough, as I've seen. Can't exactly promise it won't be sad, but everything will be all right in the end. Thanks for reading! - Kiks
MissLKid: Thanks. We aren't mean by nature, don't worry too much there. Wow, Chicago huh? Never been there. But I'm a city girl myself. Well, anyhow, glad you are enjoying it. - Rock
- Yeah, we're city girls, but I grew up around the farm/ranch type of places because of my grandparents. I love those types of places SO much. Much of this little town is based off of my secret little town here. Thanks for reading and enjoying! - Kiks
Amygirl: Well here is your update, late but here. Thanks for the complements. And next chapter will be an update on Soda and Darry, Occasionally we will do that. But most the time we wont tell you when. - Rock
- Yeah, what Rock said... Just wait. She'll be writing those parts, for the most part, I think. She knows a lot of what she's talking about. Thanks for reading! - Kiks
Tensleep: HAHA. Bows, Thank you, Thank you. Jk. I hope we make your day again! LOL. And tell Jhon I will CONSIDER his ideas…in the future possibly. But we cant kill him off. I mean, he IS the story. Sorry. Anyhow, have fun! - Rock
- Ah, I remember that review... Lol. And the whole Muppets From Space phase... you two make me laugh. And I agree with Alli... Can't kill Pon, but we can hurt him. Ponybrat, as you two so well put it, won't enjoy is stay all the time, that's for sure. Thanks for reading you two. It really means a lot to us, for reals. I hope you like this...even though I think you've already read most of it, Tens, lol. - Kiks
Oblivious Misconception: I love it when we get a readers mind turning. So, for that reason, I cant tell you much. But keep reading and everything will come out of the woodwork. Hope you enjoy! And thanks! - Rock
- Nice observation, Oblivious! (That's what we call you, hehe, even though it's the exact opposite of true). Yeah, we've got an idea in mind of how Ponyboy will take this life style of the rich... But, we'll see. Things can always change. The story writes itself. Just because we plan one thing doesn't mean it'll stay that way. Thanks for reading! - Kiks
Tessie: Yeah, that was the appeal for us too, How would Pony deal? So we did it. Well, I'm glad that you find it intriguing. And next chapter will show Darry and Soda. We will do that every once in a while, although I wont normally tell you when. Enjoy and thanks! - Rock
- Thanks! (For both this and Against the Fates, which I wrote, hehe). Yeah, those bongs are pretty tight, and we hate to break them apart for the time being... but it's also SO much fun :D Thanks for reading! - Kiks
ShyXshortieXbabe: Nah, not too late. No worries. Anyway, yes, they are a very cute couple, designed that way for a reason as Oblivious Misconception pointed out. So I hope you enjoy the next chapters! - Rock
- You think your review was late? Lol. Nah, you're just fine. Besides... you see how long it took me to write this dang thing? I was bugged for MONTHS by Rock and other people... Finally I got two things pumped out (this and another story) and yeah.. I really hope you like it! Thanks for reading! - Kiks
sodipop5: You did sound German, but not now. Glad you like it! You are worthy. Read anytime! - Rock
- I'm so out of the loop, lol. But I agree with Rock. You aren't unworthy, no worries there. I hope you enjoyed! - Kiks
me: Wish I knew who this was... I have an idea, but then again, I don't... I'm glad you're reading though! Thanks! - Kiks
patly: New comer? Thanks for reading! Here's more! - Kiks
tya: Fun name you've got goin' on there. Thanks for reading! - Kiks
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A/n: Well, that's it for now. I really do hope you guys liked it. Much fun is planned for the next few chapters. Until then... see you around!
Kiks, A.K.A.: Keira