"It ain't nothin' Ponyboy. I'm fine." Boy, was I lyin' through my teeth.
"Yes it is somethin'. Now tell me what's wrong." He lit a cancer stick. I sighed. I could never get anything past him.
"C'mon Pony. Let's go for a walk."
"Alright." he said following me down the stairs into the street, "What's on your mind?"
Should I tell him? Maybe it's gonna make him sad or, maybe he wouldn't care. Oh what am I talking about? Of course he'll care. It's Ponyboy Curtis we're talking about here.
"Pony, I'm leaving." I said sadly.
"What?" He asked. He stopped walking.
"Ponyboy I'm leaving. As in going away. Moving. And I ain't comin' back."
He frowned. "What? Where are you going?"
I could detect the hint of sadness in his voice. It was almost too much to bear.
"Aw Pony. We've had a lot of great times growing up and you wouldn't forget me, would you?"
"I'd never forget you Jamie." He smiled.
"See? You're smiling already!"
"I know I'm smiling, but when you leave it's gonna be hard to do that anymore."
I felt a pang in my heart. What was I feeling in my chest? Was it… No. It couldn't be. I couldn't possibly be feeling love for him. Well, I always loved him as a brother and all but I mean I've never felt that kind of love. Like the kind you see in the movies where the girl falls head over heels for the guy of her dreams. Nah, I couldn't be feeling that kind of love. I'm just sad that I'm leaving.
"When are ya headed out?"
"I don't know. I just found out this morning."
We walked for a few more blocks talking and reminiscing until we got back home.
"I better head home. Mom might actually come home today." I said sarcastically, knowing that would never happen.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
I ran in, grabbed my things, and then ran home.
I couldn't love Pony, could I? He's too sweet, too sensitive, too much of a great guy to be dating trash like me. This is all coming too fast! I can't see myself with him, holding hands and kissing. It's just... Not that bad... Man! What is making me think like this? What is triggering these emotions? Snap out of it Jamie. It's Ponyboy we're talking abut here. The guy that is practically your brother. The guy who you talk to about everything. The guy that has the most beautiful eyes anyone has ever- Glory! I need to control my thoughts more.
I saw that the lights of the house were on and a red mustang was in the driveway. "What the hell? Is that mom's car?"
Running inside, I was shocked to see my mother eating lunch and not in a hurry. "Oh Jamie! Come sit down with me! Here, have some spaghetti! Your favorite!" I looked at her confused. This was probably the most awkward moment in my life, actually seeing my mom talking to me. When she first spoke I couldn't recognize it as my mother. "Umm... alright..." I walked over slowly and sat down.
"Your cousin probably told you that we were moving to Dallas right?" If it was one thing she knew about me, she knew me Two-Bit told everything to each other.
"Yeah. When are we leaving?" I asked, not wanting to believe it.
"Next month when we get the money." She noticed my eyes were starting to well up with tears. She looked confused, as if not knowing what to do. I wouldn't be surprised if she really didn't. She isn't the best mother in the world, ya know.
"Look Jamie, don't cry." But that wasn't stopping the stray tears from falling. "Just, I don't know. Go to your friend's house. You've been locked in your room all week." Now it was my turn to look confused.
"What?" I asked, wondering what she meant. I haven't been home all week.
"You haven't come out of your room all week. You have been so quiet and you were so peaceful, we didn't want to disturb you."
My tears of sadness turned into tears of anger. "Maybe I will go to my friend's house because obviously, they care about me more than you and dad do!" And with that I stormed out of my house, leaving her sad and confused.
Was she serious? She had to be kidding. Does she really think that I have been in my room all week without food or water? Even if she did, she didn't even bother to check on me? What kind of a mother is she?
I used my spare key to Two-Bit's house and ran in. "Cousin! You home!" I yelled through the house. No one is home except Two-Bit so I really didn't care how loud I screamed.
"Yeah! Up in my room!"
"Can you come down here please!"
I paced the living room, thinking about how stupid I could be to even think that my mom would actually consider the thought that I was in my room all week. Without knowing it, tears started rolling down my face.
"Jamie? You okay?" Two-Bit asked when he jumped down the stairs.
My face went into an automatic frown and I shook my head. He ran forward and took me in his arms. "I don't want to go back Two-Bit! Don't make me go back! Don't make me go back..."
"Shh… It's alright. I'm here. You can stay here as long as you want." He rocked me back and forth until I fell into a deep sleep.
"Hey, cousin. Time to wake up."
"Is it morning?"
"No stupid. It's dinner time." He set down the tray on the nightstand next to his bed.
"I'm sorry," I started, "I didn't mean to just barge in on y'all. I just couldn't take it at home. I don't think they love me anymore."
"Who? Uncle Tim and Auntie Linda? Of course they love you. They just aren't home a whole lot."
"That's the point though." I said a frown on my face, "They're never home; they never pay attention to me. What did I do? I've been good I do my chores, I clean my room, I do the dishes, I never speak back, what did I do? What do I do to make them drift away from me like that? How stupid could I get?"
"Look Jamie, you're the best daughter and cousin anyone could ask for. Just don't think that way." He sat down next to me and hugged me. "Thanks Two-Bit. I love you." He smiled. "I know you do." I laughed at his childish ways and we started talking about everything that happened that day while I ate my T.V dinner.
Waking up the next morning, I saw Two-Bit sleeping next to me snoring. I shook my head and walked across the hall to the bathroom. It didn't seem like anyone was awake so I kept quiet. I splashed my face, trying to rid any sleepiness from my face.
"Jamie?" I heard from the hallway. Turning around, I saw my aunt was in the hallway, looking rather sleepy, "How are you dear?"
"Fine, and you?"
"I'm good," she paused for a minute and walked into the bathroom, "I heard about the situation between you and your mom. She told me last night."
"Really?" I said with an attitude. She's my auntie and all, but I don't feel like talking about it this morning. "What'd she say? I was stupid? Arrogant? Irresponsible? Tell me I'd really like to know."
"Of course not!" She said seriously, "She misses you and she's confused. She wants you home."
I paused. "She's confused? What is so confusing about this? She makes me leave my home town, my friends, and my favorite cousin without ever letting me see them again. There really ain't no brainwork there."
"She said she tried to explain that she was gone at work trying to make money to pay the bills and you got mad and stormed out."
Fury was coursing through my veins, "Anything else she claimed she did?"
"She also said she tried being a good mother but you didn't appreciate her enou-"
"A good mother? HER? Are you kidding me? This is the woman who didn't even have enough decency to check on her child when she was gone late! The woman who would ignore her daughter for no good reason! You call that a good mother?" I pushed past her and thrashed open the door.
"Jamie?" I heard Two-Bit call from his room. I answered by slamming the front door shut, hoping to get my things later.
One thing hit me when I was walking down that street. Where would I go? What would I do? Where would I stay?
First stop, the Curtis' house. Then again I thought. They have a hard enough time feeding three boys who eat like horses, but a girl who eats just as much? That is a big hassle for them. I'd feel real bad if I had to stay there. No where else I can think of though.
I walked in and was sure no one was awake yet. Walking into the kitchen, I opened the fridge and saw there was barely any food. I dug around in my pockets to try and find at least some money. The most I could get from my pockets was twenty dollars. I was supposed to use that to get new clothes but, whatever. I could always get new clothes later.
Ponyboy's P.O.V.
When I woke up and headed into the kitchen, something was different. It was clean. Real clean. No dirty dishes, the floor was swept, and I could swear someone took out the garbage. And to be any weirder, the fridge was full. There was chocolate milk, juice, eggs, beer, vegetables, and fruits. This was too good to be true. I looked up in the freezer and there was ice cream and frozen meats that would last us a month! This is crazy! What smells so good?
I walked to the dining table and there was a freshly baked chocolate cake with eggs, just the way we like them, and there were sausages and ham too! The plates and silverware were set for three of us and there was another pitcher of juice on the table.
"Whoa, what happened?" I heard Darry say from the doorway.
"I don't know." I said confused.
"I do," Said Soda pointing to the other room, "Look over there."
We all looked at the couch and saw Jamie fast asleep with a rag in her hand and a spoon in the other.
Soda opened the fridge and looked like he could dance. "We're loaded!"
Darry walked over to the couch and shook Jamie. "Jamie, time to wake up," he said. She grunted and slowly sat up and looked at us weird. "What time is it?"
"Umm.. Looks like it's ten." Darry said looking at his watch.
"I'm going back to bed."
"Why? It's already late."
"Darry, I went to sleep twenty minutes ago. I'm going back to bed."
"Yeah. Alright. But I wanna talk to you when I get back home today." He walked out of the door and she collapsed back on the couch, throwing the rag on the floor.
Jamie's P.O.V
Do you know how tired I am? Do you know how absolutely exhausted I am? I have been up trying to fix their house? You are all probably thinking, "Well, you decided to!" That's right. I did decide to. But I never thought it would be that hard. Mmm.. Soft pillows...
Soda's P.O.V.
WE'RE LOADED!