Chapter 1: Gloria Love Curtis
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
A/n : Hey guys I'm reposting this minus lyrics cause apparently that's not allowed
Love
Taking one last drag from the cigarette I had clutched in my hand I tossed it to the ground putting it out with my tennis shoe. After a year, it was good to be back in Tulsa. Brushing back my red hair, I started the long walk from the bus station. My brothers had no ideal I was coming home, and I knew it would lighten their mood at least a little bit to see the Curtis family back together again. Gloria Love Curtis had finally returned home. After our parents died, I'd been shipped of to a home, with them claming Darry wasn't fit to Father a girl, and it wouldn't be right me living there with all the boys and their friends in and out all the time.
Pony and Soda had written me like clock work every week, and occasionally I got a letter from Johnny and Dally. Everyone thought Dallas Winston was nothing more than a cold-hearted hood, but I knew better. We all knew he had a soft spot for me, and Johnny, so when I got wind of what was going on down here I hopped on a bus. It was only a few months till my 18th birthday, so I knew the fuzz wouldn't waste their time trying to get me back to the home. Now Johnny was dead, and Dallas was in the cooler. Fighting back tears I forced myself not to think about Johnny. He had been my best friend since we were kids, and my sweetheart from the time we were eleven and thirteen. Pulling the leather jacket closer for warmth I picked up the pace.
Hearing footsteps behind me when I hit the stretch of "neutral" territory before crossing over to the East Side I swore under my breath. The last thing I needed right now was to get the shit beat out of me.
"I don't want no trouble, savvy?" I said pulling out my blade as I turned to face my stalkers.
"Oh shit Shep!" I said quickly putting away my blade before throwing myself in to his waiting arms.
" Love," he whispered holding my close as the sobs came.
" I'm sorry baby," he said setting aside the tough guy façade as he stroked my hair.
We had always been close, with me tagging behind Dallas all the time, and Angela being my only girl friend.
"They know you here?" He asked pulling away to look at my tear streaked face.
"N- No I ditched the girl's home, I'll be eighteen in a couple of months, they won't bother looking."
"Come on, we'll get you home," He said gesturing to Curly who stood beside him.
"Hey LC," he said smiling as waved weakly , staying close to Tim's side.
"Here you go doll, I'll let Ang know you're back."
Nodding numbly I starred at the door gathering my courage before I walked in. I had no ideal what to expect, especially since Johnny's funeral had been just two days ago. I was still pissed at myself for having missed it. Taking a deep breath I walked in smiling at what I saw. Two bit was sprawled across the couch half asleep with the television on, an empty six pack on the floor beside him.
" Hey Matthews," I said laughing when he jumped.
"Glory! Love!" He said letting out a whoop as he jumped from the couch, and swung me around.
" They let you out early for good behavior?" he asked suddenly suspicious when he realized just where I had come from.
"Gloria!" Pony cried stumbling from the bedroom where he'd been sleeping.
"Pony!" I said fighting back tears I embarrassed the youngest of the Curtis clan. Despite the age difference we had always been the closest.
" I am so sorry baby, I should have been here," I whispered stroking his hair as he held me close.
"Well I'll be, look what the cat drug in ," Soda said smiling at us when he came in to the living room , still half asleep.
" My turn, my turn," He said urging pony to put me down so he could crush me in a bear hug.
" I missed you too Pepsi Cola," I whispered breathing in the scent that was just Sodapop.
He had always been my protector over the years, there every time something went wrong to make it all better, but for the first time there was something he couldn't fix.
" Oh Soda," I whispered knowing I could let my guard down with him.
" I know baby, I know," He whispered meeting my eyes and seeing the pain that was tearing me apart.
" If only I had been here, Darry and Pony never fight as much when I'm here, and Dally ,he listens to me, and Johnny …" I whispered trailing off. They had all told me he had never really been the same after I left, and the few phone conversations we managed to have once a month didn't so much.
"Don't you even think like that , Gloria Love Curtis!" Darry said having come out to see what the hell all the commotion was about.
"Dar!" I said scrambling from Soda to crawl up the massive form of the eldest Curtis.
"Welcome back baby girl," he said in a tone that told me he wasn't going to give me a hard time about coming home before my time was up. The past month had changed everyone, him included. He understood now that there was hell of a lot more gray in the world than black, and white.
Pony
Having my sister back home was a godsend and a curse at the same time. She was like my other half, more like a twin than a big sister, I needed her now, but she made things harder. She had loved Johnny more than any of us; hell she'd loved him more than his parents, and even more than Dallas Winston. Shaking my head I wrapped an arm around her waist as I led her to the bedroom Soda, and I were currently sharing.
"Let's get some rest," I said noting the fact that she looked like she hadn't slept in twenty- four hours.
Placing her between Soda, and myself I met his eyes over her head. We had someone else to watch over beside ourselves again, and we were going to have to make sure she didn't do anything stupid while she was grieving. She was like Darry in that way, real short temper, and combined with the habit of not thinking like me sometimes things got ugly. Wrapping an arm around my sister, I wondered what had made her green gaze turn so cold. I had kept in close contact over the past years, and she never had much to say about what went on at the home. Her malnourished body, and cold eyes told me the story she had to tell would not be a pleasant one.
Love
I woke that morning to the obnoxious sound of my name being called.
"I'm up!" I screamed noticing Pony and Soda were long gone.
"You always were grumpy in the morning!" Angela said making me laugh as she burst in and threw herself on the bed.
"Ang!"
" I missed you Glory ," she said making me smile, very few people could get away with calling me by my first name.
" I missed you too Ang, none of the girls at the home were tough like you," I said hugging her close.
She was more a sister than a friend, and we didn't have to be greaser girls around each other , we could just be ourselves.
"It was hard not having you to watch my back," She said unconsciously rubbing the ne w scar that ran down her neck. Angela wasn't one you wanted to mess with, but her and me together were unstoppable. We'd been in many a fight and a rumble in out time.
"I'm sorry Ang, I would have stayed if I could have," I said shivering as I thought of the home.
" I know, now get up, so we can get ready, Bucks' throwing a party in your honor, cause you're back," She said grinning.
"Now that's tuff,' I said knowing we would be bombed out of our minds before the clock hit midnight.
"I'm sorry about Johnny and Dall," She said suddenly serious.
" Me too," I said still not ready to talk about what had gone down.
" So how's pony taking it?" I asked laughing as I changed the subject quickly. She had always been wild about Pony and I couldn't help but be amused by her predicament. I mean come on it was Pony boy Michael Curtis we were talking about. The one who barley cracked 5'8 and was thin as a rail. My brother was a great guy and one of the nicest greasers you would met hands down, but Ang was such a damn hood it was hard to picture them together.
"Not too good, I try to stop by at least once a day, but you know how he is when he doesn't want to talk about something," She said shrugging her shoulders.
"You tell him how you feel yet?"
"No, but I been thinking, life's to short to keep the important stuff in, thought I might get trashed tonight, and let it slip out," She said eyeing me pointedly.
"All right, I'll get him to come tonight," I said laughing as I slipped on a ratty pair of Soda's old jeans and a wife beater.
Making our way to the living room I glanced at the clock, remembering it was a school day for Pony. Hell one of us had to graduate and go to college.
"Come on Ang let's meet Pony at school," I said knowing she would never object.
There was only a few weeks left of school, and I was looking forward to having Pony around all the time. We had a lot of catching up to do, and I was worried about the kid. He'd always been really sensitive like, the dreamer of the family, the only person in the gang I really saw doing something with their life. I had been like him once, dreaming about getting out of this town, and being somebody, but things had changed now. Shaking my head I grabbed my blade and shoved it in my back pocket.
Pony Pov
Ignoring the hate filled glances being thrown my way I walked through the halls with my head held high. Smiling at the sight of my sister, and Angel Shepard standing near the gate as I walked outside I smiled. There was safety in numbers, and though I'd never say it out loud Angie was mighty fine these days. She might drink like a fish, and cuss like a sailor, but she was a good listener, and sweet as honey when she had a mind to be. Taking in her tight capris, and pink shirt tied just above her belly button I smiled, yea she was tuff enough all right.
"Well, what are you two greasy girls doing here!" Two Bit asked laughing as his arms around them both.
" Picking up my lil bro," Love said smiling as she mussed my hair.
"How school?" She asked ignoring Two Bit as he ran his newest joked by Angie.
"All right, I'll be glad when its over for the year, things have been pretty tense," I admitted as we headed home.
Two Bit's car had broken down so we were on foot till the boys at DX got it up and running again.
" They been giving you a hard time?" She asked arching her eyebrow.
"Nah, just words, and looks," I said honestly. I could always talk to Love. She was never one to judge you or lecture.
"Went through Soda's stuff huh?" I asked laughing when she grinned and nodded.
" So Bucks' having a party tonight in honor of lil ole me," She said with a half small.
"You wanna come?"
"You know Darry will never let me go."
"Let me handle him," She said rolling her eyes as she lit another weed.
"I'll go," I said glad to have something to take my mind of Johnny for a while.
"You and Angel been hanging since I left?" She asked suddenly making my throat dry.
"Uhh, yea a little bit," I said not wanting to let on that I liked the Shepard girl.
Dally, and Tim were barley on friendly terms as it was, and I had no desire to be ruthlessly teased by the guys if they ever found out.
The rest of the walk home was filled with laughter as Two Bit did what came naturally, and amused us with his foolish antics.
Love
:Oh yea: My brother was definitely interested in Ang: Smirking I smiled as I formed a plan. Tonight I would be cupid. Just because I didn't believe in love any more, didn't mean I couldn't play matchmaker for others. Ang would be good for Pony, she might have been a little lose back in the day, and have hoods for brothers, but she had always been a one man woman.