The party was takin' place at some big old house just outside Tulsa city limits so it took us a minute to get there thanks to my crappy navigating. I cranked the radio loud to get us in the mood and Pony seemed pretty content in the back seat, rollin' down the window and sticking his hand out like he does. He says he likes to feel the air rushin' through his fingers and pretend it's waves in the ocean which is a-okay with me, though Darry likes to gripe that one day a Mack Truck's gonna come barrelling by and rip his hand clean off.
Just as Steve was starting to bitch that I'd sent us down yet another wrong turn, we caught sight of the house up ahead. It was pretty hard to miss since there were vehicles scattered across the driveway and street like people had just ditched 'em where they pulled up and we could hear the music thumping from three houses back. Our tinny car radio paled in comparison so I clicked it off before turning back to check on Ponyboy.
"Looks like there's gonna be a lot of people here, bub. You stick close to me, ok?" He nodded, looking a little apprehensive since he wasn't a fan of large crowds. I was tryna think of something to distract him when luckily Steve started swearin' a blue streak as he tried to manoeuvre into a small space between two trucks. That perked Ponyboy right up since he loved nothing more than seeing Steve-o hot under the collar!
It was a big house but it looked kind of run down, like maybe it had been part of a farm once upon a time and had suffered through some tough breaks. Kids were milling around outside as we got closer and Steve and I called 'hey' to some people we knew from the neighbourhood, my arm securely around Pony's shoulders. I really hoped this would be a fun experience for him, I sometimes worried that being so close to the gang prevented him from branching out and finding his own buddies to pal around with. He's always been a shy kid and he works real hard to keep on top of his school work, it would be good for him to let his hair down once in a while. Not too much, of course, but a little taste wouldn't hurt!
I knew I'd messed up bringing Ponyboy along to this particular party the second we walked through the door. The air was thick with smoke when I entered the hallway, and not just cigarette smoke if the tangy smell was anything to go by. All the carpets had been rolled back and people were standing in small groups, yelling at each other to be heard over the music. Bottles and cups littered pretty much every available surface and there was already some poor sap passed out on the couch. There seemed to be some sort of scuffle happening in one of the corners and a blur of a person came tearing down the stairs, practically knocking me down as another guy followed hot on his heels, hollerin' that he was gonna beat his face in. I've been to some parties in my time, but this was another level.
"Woah," Pony breathed as he pushed in beside me, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the scene. "It smells weird in here!"
"No. Out. Now." I suddenly came to my senses and immediately began shoving him back out the door. Steve had been bringing up the rear and stumbled back as Ponyboy bumped into him, cursing as he barely managed to keep them both from falling on their asses.
"Jesus, Soda, what the-" He spluttered, quickly shoving Pony away from him.
"No way, Steve, no freakin' way. I can't bring him in there, there's so much skunk in the air his IQ will drop ten points just by breathin'!"
"Well then what're we gonna do? You wanna take him back? By the time you make it out here again the cops will have broken things up for sure!" He was right, dammit, and then this whole charade would've been for nothin'. I looked down at my brother who was twisting to the side, straining to see past me into the party like he was eyein' up the new arrivals section at the library. Shit, this was gonna make me feel like the world's biggest jerk, but it was the only thing for it.
"We'll have to leave him the car," I told Steve, ignoring the way Pony's head shot up at my words. My buddy nodded, like this had been the plan all along (and for him maybe it had, who knows) while Pone looked absolutely outraged at my suggestion. A lifetime of experience told me he was fixin' to pitch a major tantrum but before he could kick off a familiar voice called down from an upstairs window.
"Fellas, you made it! Get your asses up here, you're missin' all the fun!" Two-Bit was half hanging out the window, a sure sign he was already three sheets to the wind. "And you bought Ponykid! Good on ya, 'bout time he got to experience the finer things in life! When Darry's away the little brothers will play, huh?!" He roared with laughter and I didn't have to look at Steve to know his eyes were practically rolling into his head. Drunk Two-Bit was a riot but only if you were half-cut right along side him.
"Yeah well he ain't stayin'!" I called back, annoyed that he was making a scene when the last thing I needed was word to get out that Pony was here. For a guy who basically did nothin' but work, Darry somehow managed to keep his ear to the ground and had a way of findin' out stuff I wished he didn't.
"What?! Sodapop Curtis since when did you become such a stick in the mud? You've bought the kid to his first big boy party, now your not gonna let him enjoy it? That's cold, man!"
"Shut up, Two-Bit! How the hell's Soda meant to have a good time if he has to keep looking over his shoulder to check on the kid? You know the little idiot attracts trouble like a magnet!" Steve jumped in before I could defend myself, always there to back me up whether I needed his help or not. This was one of those times I probably could've done without as Two's next line really got things hoppin'.
"Curly Shepard's here, kid can just hang out with him!" He yelled down, effectively reducing any chance I had of getting Ponyboy to stay in Steve's car without a major meltdown to zero. Kid was yanking on my shirt before he'd even finished speaking.
"Curly's here!" He yelped indignantly, clearly having jumped to the incorrect conclusion that this would mean he should be allowed to stick around. Since him and Curly are somewhat close in age, Pony often uses him as a benchmark to argue with Darry and me when he thinks he should be allowed to do something. Little does he know the words "but Curly's gonna be there" had almost the exact opposite effect to what he was going for. Tim was raisin' his brother up the best way he knew how but it sure as shootin' weren't the path we wanted for Pony.
"Thanks a lot, Keith!" I yelled back sarcastically before turning to address my brother. "Pone, come on now, you ain't gonna like it in there anyhow!" He opened his mouth to protest but I kept talking over him. "I wouldn't be lookin' after you right if I were to let you inside when things are crazy like that and don't I always do right by you?"
He scowled back at my sneaky logic, angrily digging the toe of his sneaker into the dirt. "It's not fair, I hate stayin' in the car!" He whined and I heard Steve sigh loudly to my right. "You might as well have just left me at home!"
"Nope, because this way I can come out and check on you," I snapped back, grabbing his arm and starting to tug him back towards Steve's car before we started making a scene. If Pony'd been like most other kid brothers, he would've just turned around and said he'd tell Darry unless I took him inside with me, but we've never done each other that way so he let me drag him across the yard, Steve shaking his head as he followed behind. Darry once said we could never arrive anywhere in a dignified way and I have to admit I could see what he meant. "I bought your book along for you so you won't get bored and we probably won't stay long anyway."
Ponyboy stayed mutinously silent despite my efforts to cajole him. He might not go in for blackmail but my brother could hold a grudge like no one I've ever met and I was in no doubt he'd make me pay later, but I really had no other choice. Once we'd reached Steve's car he yanked open the door and threw himself into the passenger seat, glowering through the windshield as if daring one of us to say something.
Steve has this stupid thing where he never lets Ponyboy ride shotgun, even if they're the only two in the car. He pretends it was because he don't want the kid messin' with his radio but it was basically just a massive powerplay to remind Pony that he was only there because he was my kid brother. It was an asshole move and we all knew it, including Steve, but with Two-Bit's old junker constantly on the fritz and Darry needin' the truck for work there wasn't really another option so Pone just had to suck it up. But he definitely knew what he was doin' when he slammed the passenger side door and crossed his arms. Steve stiffened beside me and I placed a placating hand on his shoulder, hoping to convey the need to pick our battles right now.
"Your books in the footwell, kiddo," I chirped, hoping to diffuse some of the tension.
"It's too dark to read," Pony griped straight back, turning his head away from us to stare furiously out the driver's side window. Steve raised his eyebrows at me, no doubt alluding to the fact that Darry would never let Ponyboy get away with snapping at him like that, like I didn't already know! I shook my head, silently telling him to let it go and he scoffed.
"Bullshit, the moon's shinin' like the top of the Chrysler Building so you can just quit your belly-achin' and be grateful your brother bought you somethin' to do!" Stevie was clearly getting to the end of his rope and Ponyboy purposefully ignoring us certainly wasn't helping his temper none. "And I swear to god if you put your feet on my dashboard I'll beat the everlovin' tar out of you!"
"He's poutin', let's just leave him, Steve. He'll come around once he calms down a little," I quickly decided to call time on this mess before things started gettin' too heated.
"Kid's got a shitty attitude," Steve muttered but allowed me to turn him away from the car. Ponyboy was still makin' a big deal out of ignoring us and I knew it was gettin' under my buddy's skin. "You think we should lock him in? I don't trust the little shit one bit."
"Nah, he knows better than to pull something like that but just to make sure… Hey!" I rapped my knuckles smartly against the window to get my brother's attention. He eventually deigned to look at me, at least knowing better than to blank me completely. "You stay put, you here me?"
I waited until he begrudgingly nodded yes before turning away and smirking at Steve, confident I'd gotten the message across.
"He ain't goin' nowhere. Besides what if he needs to pee?!" My comment helped lighten the atmosphere as we made our way back toward the house. I was still feelin' a little guilty about Ponyboy but I knew he'd get over it. Heck I might even bring him out a Pepsi to help sweeten him up a little!
Just as we were approaching the doorway for the second time, it flew open and Two-Bit spilled out, clutching multiple beers in his arms and laughing like a loon.
"There you guys are! I knew you wouldn't have snuck off without tellin' Ol' Two-Bit!" He began handing out his stash, looking around in confusion when he was left holding two bottles. "But where's Ponykid? I got him one too, put some hair on that skinny chest of his!"
"Jesus, Two-Bit…" I muttered, quickly opening mine with my lighter and taking a big gulp, hoping it would put me more in the party mood.
"I'll take his," Steve grouched, swiping it from Two's grasp and fixin' me with a long look. "For my trouble."
"Geez, what'd I miss? You guys are killin' my buzz, man, I'mma head back inside an' find myself some new friends!" Two-Bit slurred, before barging unsteadily back into the house. Steve and I watched him go, confident he'd have forgotten this conversation even happened in about twenty seconds.
"Drink up, Stevie-boy, we got some catchin' up to do!" I joked, nodding towards his bottle. He rolled his eyes but grinned and held out his Bud to clink with mine.
"Here's to not lettin' your little brother ruin your social life," he wisecracked and lord have mercy I drank to it.