Hi! So thankies to all my reviewers! I adore getting reviews...
Disc: I OWN ALL THE OUTSIDERS! MWAHAHA... Oh wait a minute, I don't. Darn you happy thoughts! (Inside joke)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The rest of the weekend, Melissa acted strange. You'd expect her to act all happy, on account of she just, uhh... you know, withSoda; but she seemed depressed. She moped around the house, ignoring us and cleaning everything she could. That really surprised me, because Melissa hates cleaning.
"Mel? You all right?" Janie, me and Melissa were sitting in the kitchen. I was attempting my homework while Melissa stared at her cup of tea.
"I'm ok." She sighed quietly and continued her concentrated gaze at the cup.
"Umm... Janie? Do you get math?" I was still so confused and it didn't help that Melissa wouldn't help me. This was the only time we had gotten her to talk all day.
"No. I'm still in Algebra at my school." Geez, Janie's 17 and in algebra? I'm 15 and in Geometry.That's normal right?
"Urgh." For the rest of the night I struggled through my homework and thought about Ponyboy. I really like him. More then I've ever liked any other boy, and let me tell you, I've liked boys all right.
"Mel? Time for bed. You too munchkin." Janie took up Melissa's tea and put my math book in my bag. I was so exhausted.
"Mmm." I nodded slowly and crossed the hall into my room. I did not have a good sleep that night. I kept thinking of Melissa and wondering why she's so depressed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up earlier then usual, Monday morning. I shoved the covers off of me and reached under the covers to retrieve my socks. They always fall off in the middle of the night. The reason I woke up so early was presented when I walked out. Melissa was sitting on the couch in the living room, clutching the phone in her hands and sobbing to herself.
"Melissa?" I quietly asked her as I walked slowly over to her. She was still wearing the same clothes she was wearing yesterday. Did she ever go to bed?
"What? Oh, hi." She looked kind of lost, like as if she just woke up.
"What are you doing" I sat down next to her and put my hand on her shoulder.
"What was that? Did the phone ring?" She looked at the phone expectantly and her face brightened. She stared at the phone and didn't change her gaze. "Oh I, uh, guess I was just hearing things." She giggled nervously and laid the phone carefully on her lap.
"Are you going to school today? I can stay home with you if you want." I told her carefully.
"Oh. Yeah, that would be good." She mumbled something that sounded like, 'dropout' and 'didn't call'.
Suddenly, she burst into a heavy flow of tears. I looked at her, shocked, and patted her back.
"Mel? What's wrong? Come on, tell me!" I probed her.
"Promise," she sniffled. "you won't tell Janie?"
"Of course."
"Well, uh, at the movies on Saturday, umm…" She cut off and a new flood of tears spilled out. "Me and Soda weren't really watching the movie, we, uhh…" I knew what she was trying to say, so I helped her finish.
"Don't worry. I know about that, you were right under me and Pony." I smiled gently and motioned for her to continue.
"You were-, oh god. Well anyway, I went to the doctor yesterday cause Soda didn't have any protection and I wondered if I, if I…" She broke off and dropped her head to her knees. Oh shit.
"And, what did the doc say?" I spoke slowly and softly. I feel like I'm talking to a 1st grader.
"He said, he said, he, uh, said… That I was pregnant." She finished with a fresh batch of sobs.
"Oh, Melissa! What about school?" She was an 'A' student and had a very good possibility of going to college.
"I have to drop out." She mumbled into her knees. "And when I told Soda yesterday morning, he just hung up and said he'd call me later. He hasn't."
So that's why she was clutching the phone like it was her life. "But, he can't be mad, can he?" I asked.
"I don't think he's mad, I think that he's just mad at what Darry'll think." Her head dropped even lower.
"Oh. I see." I glanced at the clock and read 6:12. That's not late enough to call Pony. I want him to miss school with me and help me. Also, we need to talk to Soda.
"Wanna call Pony?" She handed me the phone and I grabbed it delicately, holding it between two fingers. It was soaking wet. I took it into the bathroom and dried it gingerly with a towel. I punched in Pony's number and listened to the steady ring.
1…2…3…4
"Hello?" A slow, slurred voice answered.
"Hey Two-bit. Pony up yet?"
"Um. No. Ya wanme to go getim?" he was obviously drunk.
"Yeah."
I waited about 5 minutes before I hung up again. I figured that Two-Bit passed out on the way or something. I redialed and listened to the ring again.
"Hello? Ha ha, Hello. That's a funny word." It was Steve, who was also drunk, I could tell.
"Steve? Can you go get Ponyboy for me? This is Sam."
"Ooh, Sam! Pony's been talking about ya all night. Are you guys gonna get married anytime soon?" He laughed and I heard someone say in the background, "Gimme the phone Steve." It was Pony.
"Pony?" I asked, hoping it was him.
"Mmhmm." He sounded like he was still asleep.
"Can you come over today? Melissa's in a real state."
"Whadda bout school?" I heard someone scream with laughter in the background.
"Can you miss today? Seriously I need your help." I fingered the towel that I hung on the counter.
"Mm. See ya." He hung up and I hurried back to Melissa, who was now joined by Janie.
"Come on Melissa! Tell me what's wrong!" Janie was yelling at her.
"Nothing!" She shot me a nasty look, as though daring me to say something.
"Ohhh." I moaned and put on a sick face. "Janie, I don't feel good. I'm gonna stay home today. Melissa, why don't you stay home with me?"
"Yeah. I will." Melissa answered before Janie could say anything.
"Ugh!" Janie threw up her hands in surrender and strode outside before I could tell her it was only 6:45.
"Thanks Sam." Melissa stood up and turned to me. "I heard you talking in the bathroom."
"Oh. Yeah." I stared out the window. When was Pony coming?
Pony didn't come until 7:58. By the time he arrived, Melissa was lying on the couch with a cool cloth on her forehead and I was sitting next to her, stroking her head.
The door opened quietly. "Sam? Mel?"
"In here, Pony." He walked in the living room, carrying his school work.
"Hey. Hi Melissa. What's going on?" He looked at her blank face confusedly.
"I'll fill ya in." I led him in my room and told him everything. "What are we gonna do?"
"Well, I guess the first thing we should do is get Soda over here." Pony said. I gave him the phone and said, "Get him over here now."
In a while, Soda showed up.
"Honey. You ok?" He ran over to Melissa and softly kissed her on the lips.
"No. Soda I'm pregnant!" She wailed.
"I know, and that's ok. I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl." Soda held Melissa's hands in his and gazed at her.
"Uhh, we'll be going now." I nodded at Pony and we walked out the door.
"Geez. Poor Melissa." Pony said as we walked nowhere in particular.
"I know." We sat on a bench and looked at each other.
I just realized how tired I was. I had about 3 hours of sleep last night.
"Pony, I'm real tired." I lie down on the bench and put my head in Pony's lap. Soon, I was asleep.
I woke up in Pony's bedroom, feeling groggy.
"Hey sleepyhead!" Pony opened the door and jumped onto the bed.
"Ah! What time is it? What day is it?" How long had I been asleep?
"Don't worry. You've only been asleep for a few hours. We weren't very far from my house, so I just carried you back." Pony looked pleased with himself. Man, if only I had been awake.
"Oh. Okay... Uh, I better get home soon. Is Soda still with Melissa?"
"Yep. Do you wanta ride home?" Pony asked. "Cuz Darry's here."
"Sure." So I found myself sitting in the backseat of the truck with Pony. "Hey Darry." I said as he climbed in.
"Hi Sam. Why do you need a ride to your house? Don't you live next door?" Ooh. Awkward question.
"Oh, uh, I moved in with Janie and Melissa." I glanced at my house as we started moving and noticed Mac standing in the doorway, looking at me.
"Hey! HEY! SAM!" Mac yelled from the doorway.
"Keep driving Darry. Keep driving, please." I silently begged that Mac wouldn't chase after us. Unfortunately, he did. I watched him hop into our car and drive behind us. Oh no. Oh no. Oh shit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So.. let's pretend that Melissa would've been able to find out if she was pregnant the next day ok? Chap 9 should be up by Sunday... Ok bye.