Iwatchsunsets2-Thank you so much for your long review! Once again I was rewarded with a extra-long review with very helpful tips and reminders. I do like my own spin I put into the story, you'll see that more often than not, as well as meeting everyone. . . well, let's just say not everyone is excited someone new has come to town. HM, I wonder who that might be? *scarcasm* anyway, thank you, thank you!
Please enjoy, I do not write for any profit, gain or money. I write simply for the pure bliss of enjoyment.
-Stay Gold!
Fly Back to Me.
J. H. M. Lancell
Darryl Shayne Curtis, or known as Darry, was up at the crack of dawn, like everyday. His body ached from yesterday still and he had a pounding headache.
Darry yawned, stretching his back and slipped from the comforts of his bed; he put on some sweatpants and didn't bother with a shirt. He could barely see in front of him as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he yelped when he tripped over something-or rather someone, in the living room.
"Two-bit!" Darry screamed, "What the hell!?"
There was no response from the boy that laid on the floor, except for a drunken burp. Darry growled before helping himself up and wandering to the kitchen to make some coffee. He sat at the table, waiting for the coffee to finish as he gazed at a black and white picture.
It was taken long ago, and was the only one he had. It was back when times were simple, loving and fun. That's when he had his brother, Sodapop and Ponyboy. The photo had Darry holding Sodapop and Sodapop was holding Ponyboy.
"I miss you. . . " Darry sighed. Ever since he turned eighteen, Darry Curtis made it his main priority to save up money to buy his brothers back and gain custody. He saved up all he had and even worked two jobs, one in construction, the other in roofing. He wanted to go to college, but he wanted his brothers even more.
Two-bit Matthews woke up and slugged into the kitchen.
"What? No breakfast, Darry?" He smirked.
"Make it yourself." the older man just muttered. Two-bit Matthews wasn't a problem most of the time, but he sure was annoying. Darry met Two-bit when he was a teenager in a street fight, ever since then the boy had practically latched himself on to Darry, looking up to him like an older brother. Darry didn't mind, Two-bit was a good laugh every now and then.
Two-bit yawned, "Well, today's another lazy day: carefree in the sunshine, watching children grow and babies laugh."
Darry slowly looked up with wide eyes. "What the hell?"
Two-bit smirked, "Got any beer, Dare'?"
Darry shook his head, turning his attention back to the photos. "You'll find them." He heard Two-bit remark, opening a can of booze. "I know you will, Darry."
"I don't where they are, Two-bit. Last I've heard of them, Ponyboy was being taken away to Oklahoma City and Sodapop to a shelter in Tulsa. That was nearly ten years ago."
Two-bit shrugged, "They might remember where you are."
"Sodapop was six when this happened, and Ponyboy was four, I highly doubt they remember-well, Sodapop might, but not Ponyboy. I don't want to give up, but it sometimes seems impossible."
"Don't give up hope, Darry," Two-bit soft replied, tapping Darry's hand. "Miraculous things happen on their own sometimes."
Darry just sighed, "I'm going to work." He replied. He stood up, took one last look at the black and white, and continued to get ready for work.
X x X
"He's so-o-o cute!" One girl with brown hair squealed.
"I know! He's looking right at us!"
A cocky-grin was placed on the Greek-god-look'a'like beholder's face as he approached the ladies. He was built nicely as his blue worker's shirt tightly gripped each muscle in his arm and his dusty pants left much imagination to the infacuated teenagers admiring him.
"Filler up, ladies?" He grinned, showing off his pearly-white teeth. To add extra blushes from the girls, he swished back his greasy-dirty-blonde hair.
The girls giggled and the driver nodded. After the car was filled, the girls tipped him and waved goodbye, not without screaming: 'He's so hot!'.
Fixing his cap on his head, and straightening his name tag, Sodapop walked back into the gas station he currently worked at: The DX. Counting his five dollar tip, he nearly yelped as he was pounced on. "Get off me!" He laughed, pushing off the only person who had the gall to do something like that, his best friend: Steve Randle.
"Damn, those girls were pretty lookers." Steve smirked, watching the red olds-mobile drive away.
"Yeah," Soda mumbled, not too interested. His friend cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean, 'yeah'? They're perfect! Man, wish I had your looks, Sodapop. I could get any girl I wanted to."
Sodapop chuckled, it wasn't the first time someone had said that to him.
"She's out there, Steve. She's waitin' for ya' too." Sodapop's smiled turned into a frown. as much as he liked talking about girls, cars and everything else a boy liked, there was still something always on his mind: His brothers.
"Still thinking about them?" Steve asked, pulling out a wrench from his toolbox. The two of them were working on a Impala and normally Soda was excited, jumpy and hard to shut up when working on cars like these. Sodapop nodded, Steve was one of the very few that knew about his past life, and of his brothers.
"Yeah, a little. Today will be the tenth year we've been separated," Soda mumbled. "I mean, I dropped out of school to get this job and all to work full time so that way I could save up and find them. But I'm a little worried they wouldn't want me as a brother."
Steve cocked his eyebrow. "Why you say that?"
Cause I'm dumb. "I mean, my little brother may not even remember me. He was four when it happened." Steve winced at Soda's truthful words. "And I have no idea where my older brother is, but he's got to be an adult by now. He's already started his life."
Sodapop sighed sadly, sitting on the cold, concrete work shop floor next to Steve and Steve slung his arm around his buddy.
"Listen, Soda. If you do find your brothers, which I hope you do, then they'll love you. I know they will. You're the best friend and guy could ask for."
There was no trace of a lie in Steve's tone of voice. He was right, Sodapop was loyal, kind and understanding. "And if they don't like you, then there's something wrong with them."
Soda grinned, "Got me all teary, you jerk." He and Steve turned back to the Impala. "I do wonder though, what kind of people are my brothers, Ya' know?"
"No doubt about it, Soda. The youngest is probably a runt."
"Don't say that." Soda rolled his eyes.
"It's true! All the youngest kid-brothers I know, are always tag-along, smart-mouthed little brats!" Steve was dead serious. Being an only child made him re-think his life and he was happy he didn't have siblings.
Sodapop laughed. "Well, what if he's like me? Who fancies cars, blondes and a good fight every now and then?" Steve thought for a moment.
"Well, one of you is bad enough, two of you I guess could be useful in a rumble-" Steve was met with a hammer nearly colliding with his face"-you dick!" He laughed, tossing aside his wrench to tackle Soda and the two continued to wrestle.
Soda couldn't stop laughing. Steve and he had to stop before their boss walked in and saw them goofing off, so they worked on the car with no interruptions.
I hope I find them. . .
X x X
It was getting dark. Already Ponyboy had explored some parts of the town, even witnessing a fight on the street. He wasn't too interested in that, but found a library and helped himself to many of the books. It was nearing eight o' clock and it was going to be dark soon.
He tried looking for a place to sleep and settled with a small lot he found with an old junker of a car and a half-way-torn mattress. It felt like a palace to him. The night was coming closer and closer and already Ponyboy had made a fire for warmth. He had a bed, a fire and a few books he swiped that he just couldn't put away after the crabby librarian told him to.
There was just one problem.
Ponyboy moaned in pain when his stomach growled. "Man. . . I'm starving." He almost whined. He hadn't had anything to eat since a large berry bush he and Joshua came across. He shook his head, he couldn't think about him right now. It was still too painful.
Ponyboy looked up at the night's sky. He wondered where Joshua was right now. Was he still on the run? Did he make it to his destination? Or, heaven forbid, was he caught and brought back to the Boy's Home?
The auburn shook his head, trying to rid of any sad thoughts.
"Uh, h-hey." a meek voice called.
Ponyboy looked up and flinched at the sight in front of him. This kid, looked like a puppy that had been kicked too much. He had a scar on his cheek and a visible black bruise on the top of his head by his hairline. The kid looked as malnourished as Ponyboy felt.
"Hi." Ponyboy replied, then he looked around him. Did the kid live here? "Oh, I'm sorry, this your spot?"
"It's fine." The boy replied.
"I'm Ponyboy." Ponyboy greeted.
"Johnny."
Ponyboy moved over a bit to allow the boy to sit next to him. Ponyboy then gasped in delight seeing Johnny had cigarettes. "Mind if I bum one off ya'?" Ponyboy asked. Johnny nodded and handed Ponyboy the pack. Ponyboy thanked him and the two sat in silence.
"Where ya' from?" Johnny asked, starting the conversation. Normally he'd be scared out of his wits seeing someone else at the lot other than Dallas Winston.
"Oklahoma City." Ponyboy replied, but he bit his lip, realizing that wasn't the smartest thing to say. What if this boy turned him into the cops?
"Running away?" Johnny answered, not looking at Ponyboy. Ponyboy didn't answer and Johnny knew his answer. "I do that too. But I never leave the neighborhood."
"Why?" Ponyboy asked, curious.
". . . There's always a reason for me to go back."
Ponyboy and Johnny sat in silence before Johnny shivered, standing up. The fire wouldn't keep them warm the whole night, so that meant it was time to head some place warm. And Johnny knew just where to go.
"Com'on, it's freezing. I'm gonna' head over to Darry's."
Ponyboy was confused. "Who's Darry?" It would be another dumb move to go into a stranger's house, but this Johnny guy seemed to trust him. Then again, Ponyboy only knew Johnny for maybe an hour.
"He's a nice guy. He won't mind. You coming?"
Ponyboy nodded and followed Johnny.
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