Please enjoy, I do not write for any profit, gain or money. I write simply for the pure bliss of enjoyment. Thank you all for the reviews, I got 21 already! This is getting me excited!
-Stay Gold!
Fly Back to Me.
J. H. M. Lancell
Ponyboy Curtis held a hand on his hips watching four big guys walk out of a ocean blue Mustang. They all snickered at him, approaching him in a manner that made Ponyboy feel uneasy. They all had on Varsity Jackets, tan or brown pants and nice shoes. It was clear that these kids were rich, but why there were even associating themselves with him, he had no idea.
"Hey guys, we got fresh meat!" One claimed.
Fresh meat? Ponyboy thought. He soon figured out what would happen when they surrounded him.
"Leave me alone." He demanded. They just snickered.
"Oh, and let trash like you ruin our clean streets? I don't think so." A blonde crossed his arms. "How about a hair-cut?" Ponyboy gasped seeing a silver blade give off a shine in the sunlight.
They're gonna' kill me! Ponyboy gulped. "No." He replied. He could probably take them if it were one-on-one and a fair fight; however when he saw the switchblade, he knew there would be blood. His blood. Ponyboy tried to walk away, but wound up smacking into a guy and before he knew it he was held to the ground, trying to kick them off.
"Help me!" Ponyboy cried, only for his mouth to be stuffed with a dirty rag.
"Shut him up!"
"How about a hair cut, just above this chin." With that the man with the blade cut along Ponyboy's throat. Ponyboy screamed in pain. Just when he was sure another cut would happen, there was a very loud scream.
"Get off him!" The voice shouted.
One by one the guys ran away from Ponyboy and the auburn felt himself being hauled to his feet. He winced as his fresh cut was touched by tender fingers.
"Are you alright?" The voice belonged to a blonde, with shining brown eyes and a hitch of a southern accent. He wore pants and a blue work shirt with the logo of: DX on the left breast pocket. Ponyboy nodded and the kind stranger bent pulled a clean rag from his pocket.
"You're bleeding' like a struck pig. You sure you're okay?" He asked again.
Ponyboy had never felt more scared in his life. This was worse than when he ran away, at least they wouldn't hurt him. But these guys, they tried to kill him! The blonde stood at least a foot above him and looked sympathetic.
"Need me to walk you home?" He offered.
What home? Ponyboy kept from asking.
"How about you come with me to work? Boss won't be there today and it's a safe place. Just until you feel alright to be walking by your lonesome." The boy smirked. "I work at the DX-hey, do you like cars?"
Ponyboy couldn't believe how energetic this guy was. One minute he's calm and then the next he's like a little kid.
"Er, I guess so." Ponyboy wasn't into cars all that much, but he could tell this guy was probably and auto-head, car-junkie.
The blonde grinned. "GREAT! We've got this Mustang coming in later on, it's a Soc car, but I don't mind. They're tuff."
"How, tough?" Pony asked.
"Pretty Tuff."
"Tuff?"
"Yeah, it means cool, bad-ass, kicking-ass, ya' know?"
Ponyboy followed the boy to his work, wondering what words were 'Soc' and 'Tuff'. He was a bit of a bookworm and he had never heard of those words. He guessed they were slang, or short for something else. It wasn't that long of a walk to The DX and all the way, blondie kept talking about cars. Ponyboy was sure he had learned more about automobiles from this stranger than he ever did any book he's ever read.
"Yo, Sodapop!" Ponyboy looked up seeing Blondie run from him to another male, tackling the male that called him over.
Sodapop? Was that his name? Ponyboy shook his head, like he had the right to judge him, after all his name was weird too. Ponyboy observed the man next to Sodapop. He was tall, but with a good build and had a tattoo on his arm. He wore the same outfit as Sodapop, only his sleeves were rolled off to so off what muscle he had.
"Kid, this is Steve. We're both Greasers."
"Greasers?" Ponyboy mumbled.
"Steve this is. . . ." Sodapop trailed off, "Sorry, what was it?"
This name-thing had to stop. Ponyboy told himself. If he gave out his name to anyone else, than he'd be in trouble, or caught.
"Curtis." He lied. Well, it's not my first name, but it is a normal name.
"Soda," Steve snorted. "The kid looks like a pip-squeak!"
"Rude." Ponyboy muttered.
"And he's a smart-ass! Aw, Sodapop, don't let him come in." Steve whined.
Sodapop patted his friend's back, "Aw, Stevie, he looks okay. Besides, he might turn out to be your best buddy, like me!"
Steve rolled his eyes, "He's got as much of a chance of becoming my best-friend, which you've already won that title, than he's got being your long-lost brother."
Sodapop's smile stayed on his face, but Ponyboy saw a glimmer of light fade from his brown eyes. "Well, come inside. I'll show ya' around."
Ponyboy followed Sodapop, ignoring Steve's annoyed glance he was given. "Rude." He muttered once more.
"Shut up." He received.
Sodapop opened the garage door and Ponyboy was given a wonderful view of the DX Auto-Shop. "My safe haven." The auto-junkie nicknamed it. Ponyboy looked upon the different tools laid about in boxes, on tables and even scattered on the floor by a car that was hoisted off the ground. Sodapop hurried to a small fridge where inside he pulled out two Cokes, handing one to Ponyboy.
"So, Curtis, wanna' help me today?" He offered kindly.
Ponyboy shrugged, "Sure." Who knows, it might be fun.
X x X
"DAMMIT!" Darry Curtis screamed, slamming his hands on the steering wheel. He had drove around for a good two mile radius and he hadn't spotted Ponyboy.
Ponyboy, his little brother, had been in his house! And he didn't even notice him!
Darry had never felt more awful in his whole life. Maybe he met Dallas, or Johnny, or Two-bit and followed them to the house. That means, for probably a good twelve hours Ponyboy was under his roof.
And he didn't fucking notice him!
Darry hadn't cried in years. Growing up on the streets, you don't cry. He stopped crying at the age of ten when he realized if he did good in school, got a good job, then he could find and have his brothers back. The man may not have cried in ages, but today he let tears fall as he sat hopelessly in his driveway. He had left after a phone call from his boss asked him if he could show up for work today; and if he did, he'd get paid overtime.
He forgot his keys when he saw the note.
The damn note. . . .
Darry called in lying to his boss that on his way his tire blew a flat. He knew it was stupid to pass off an opportunity such as over-time, but at the moment, he felt awful.
He sat in the kitchen, gently stroking his fingers over the written text. It was neatly written, perfect grammar and spelling. His kid-brother must have been very smart. He found it in his heart to smirk, of course his little brother was smart. Ever since he was a baby Ponyboy had progressed faster than most children; from walking at the tender age of seven-months, to speaking before he was one.
"Hey, Darry." Darry looked up seeing Johnny walk into the kitchen.
"Hey Johnnycake; Hungry?" He offered.
"I could eat."
Darry started up a batch of eggs before asking Johnny a question. "Hey, Johnny. Did you know who was laying next to you on the floor last night?" Darry asked.
Johnny turned to look into the living room and was both upset and a bit curious as to know where Ponyboy went. The tan boy just assumed he left to continue running away.
"Yeah, said his name was Ponyboy," Johnny admitted. "He was running away from Oklahoma City."
"Running away?" Darry breathed. He sat down slowly and ran his fingers through his dark hair. How the hell was he going to find him now? "Did he say why?" Darry continued.
Johnny shook his head. "No. And I don't know where he's going."
Darry nodded. "Johnny. . . .Ponyboy is the name of my youngest brother."
Johnny's eyes got really wide, fearing he had done something wrong, but Darry reassured him that it wasn't his fault. But he did ask him for a favor:
"Johnny. I'm going to go look around for him today. I need you and Dally's help. Can you find him? And if you do, please bring him back." Darry was desperate. He would give anything to have Ponyboy back. He'd search the ends of the world for Sodapop as well; however knowing Ponyboy was probably still in the area, that's where his main focus was.
Johnny nodded, "No problem. I'm sure Dally won't mind."
"Don't tell him I'm his brother though," Darry added quickly. Johnny looked at Darry in a baffled manner. "I need to tell him myself. It needs to be done easily and slowly, ya' dig?"
"Yeah, I dig."
Darry breathed slowly, "I just. . . I just can't believe he was here. Here! and I bypassed him." Darry was beating himself up for such an action and he didn't know how to deal with it. It wasn't until Johnny place one hand on Darry's arm that Darry looked up at the timid boy.
"You're not a bad brother, Darry. I mean, you're a great guy. I don't know too many people who would do what you do."
Darry's heart melted at the sweet words from Johnny.
"Thanks Johnnycake."
Johnny smiled. "Well, I think I should ask Dallas where we should look first. I mean, he likes reading, told me himself, he might be at the library."
"With my luck he's probably doing hurt, or in trouble, or doing something stupid." Darry rolled his eyes.
X x X
"Lets drink all the soda in the fridge and whoever passes out from sugar-high first owes everyone else five dollars." Sodapop announced, holding up a case of cold Cola-bottles.
Ponyboy laughed softly and Steve rolled his eyes.
"Last time you did that, I had to calm you down while you rocked yourself in the corner, begging for God to let you sleep cause you hadn't slept in two days."
Steve had rolled out from under a car. The DX was slow on Sundays. A perfect time for goofing off, or flirting with girls. However it seemed like there was no one outside at all today and the three boys had decided to stay indoors.
"Aw, it'll be fun Stevie." Sodapop slapped his best friend's back.
"Whatever, don't include me."
"Hey,Curtis, wha'cha got there?" Sodapop looked over at Ponyboy who was reading more of Gone With The Wind. Ponyboy looked up from the large book.
"It's a book I got from a friend." He answered, going back to reading.
"What's it about?"
"The Civil War, really. And about a girl who-"
"So it's porn?" Came Steve interrupting.
Ponyboy narrowed his eyes. "No. It is not Porn. It's got a childbirth scene, but nothing too bad." Steve and Sodapop's faces dropped at Ponyboy's words and the auburn just continued to read. "Besides, it's not what the book is about that intrigues me. I just like reading." It wasn't until Ponyboy heard something very interesting from Sodapop, did he look up from his book.
"I used to read to my little brother all the time."
Ponyboy looked at Steve who seemed to be patting his best friend on the back. "It's okay, buddy." Steve reassured.
"Who's your little brother?" Ponyboy had to ask.
"None of your damn business, kid." Steve snapped. Ponyboy had seen what his words had done to affect Sodapop. The cherry blonde-fellow was gone, replaced by the shallow, lost look of a stranger Ponyboy knew was not the real blonde he met earlier.
"You don't have to tell me. I get it." Ponyboy offered politely. He didn't want to see the blonde upset anymore. So, as to make Sodapop happy again, he opened a bottle of Coke and began chugging. When he was finished, he let out an obnoxious belch and smirked. "I'll bet I'm up till three this morning."
Sodapop's grin was shown on his face once more and that made Ponyboy happy.
"Com'on, Stevie, it'll be fun." Sodapop handed him a bottle.
Steve just sighed. "What are we? Twelve?"
". . . .Just your sex knowledge." Ponyboy remarked, earning a loud laugh from Sodapop and yet another glare from Steve.
"I hate this kid."
X x X
"Have a place to stay?" Sodapop asked Ponyboy as they walked from The DX. It was closing time and Ponyboy had completely forgot all about the library. Surly it was closed by now.
"Erm." He muttered. He didn't know if this Darry-Guy would let him spend the night, and had no idea where Johnny was to ask.
"It's okay. You can bunk with us." Sodapop grinned. "You seem like an okay person."
Steve halted in his footstep.
"What?" the Greaser sneered.
Sodapop turned back to Steve, "Why not Stevie? I can't think of one reason as to why Curtis can't join us." Sodapop gave Ponyboy a grin.
"I'm not letting that brat stay at my place!"
"Why not, Steve?"
"Because he's insulted me, ridiculed me!-"
"And proved you wrong." Ponyboy couldn't help but smile.
"He's a smart-ass and I don't like em'!"
Sodapop couldn't help but chuckle at his thoughts. "You argue like a married couple." Ponyboy and Steve's faces went red as Steve stormed off. Ponyboy smiled softly at Sodapop's laughter. It sounded contagious and it made him never want to be angry with the blonde.
"Hey, it's gonna' be dark soon, wanna' see a movie?" Sodapop offered. "I'm warning you now, I can't sit for very long but my girlfriend is busy with her parents, Steve's got school and his Dad wants him home and there's no one else around doing anything that I know of."
Ponyboy's eyes widened. The Movies? He liked movies, but was always denied one due to 'behavior issues'. Not to mention he never got to go to The Movies. He never had any money to go.
"S-Sure. Are you okay with paying?" Ponyboy asked. "I don't have any money."
"Neither do I." Sodapop beamed.
Then. . . how are we getting in? Ponyboy wanted to ask. He kept quiet, trusting Sodapop as he followed the Greaser to the movie house. However, Sodapop walked right past, neer the drive-in section. Ponyboy was confused but watched as Sodapop rolled under a gap in the fence. Ponyboy followed and had a little help from Sodapop at the end. Sodapop and Ponyboy found seats and the movie began.
"What's it about?" Ponyboy asked.
"It's a beach movie." Sodapop replied, tapping his foot on the floor. He looked like he wanted to hop off the chair and move around.
Ponyboy smiled sweetly. He felt bad in not telling Sodapop his real name. But it was a safety reason. He can't leak his name out anymore, what if a cop found out and took him back? Ponyboy knew he had no future, or any hope of striving at The Boy's Home. He wanted to explore the world and maybe find his family.
"You okay?" Sodapop asked, tapping the auburn's arm.
"Hm? Oh, I'm fine." Ponyboy whispered, he had forgotten what the movie was about and was lost in his thoughts. Sodapop at least deserved to know that he wouldn't be around long. He hadn't planned on staying in Tulsa for very long; just until something sparked his memory, or he was old enough to have a job.
"You look lost." Sodapop replied.
"How do you know?"
"I just do. It's because I sort of look like that when I'm lost."
Ponyboy bit his bottom lip. "Well, I do have to tell you something." Ponyboy and Sodapop kept their voices down as to not disturb anyone wanting to watch the black and white movie.
"I'm not from Tulsa. I'm running away." Ponyboy admitted.
"Really, Curtis? Why?" Sodapop asked, worried about his new friend.
"Well. There's nothing for me where I'm from. And I want to explore the area." Ponyboy replied. Sodapop smirked, sinking into his seat so he was slouching, allowing his long legs to stretch.
"Where are you from?"
"Oklahoma City."
"That far? Damn."
"I wasn't alone for most part," Ponyboy couldn't help but smile, thinking of Joshua. "I had a friend, but he left for his own route."
Sodapop began fidgeting with his DX shirt and adverted his eyes to the Movie Screen. "Where is your destination?" He asked Ponyboy.
Ponyboy couldn't answer. Because Ponyboy didn't know.
To whoever wants me to fly back to them, he told himself. "Maybe New York, or Los Angeles."
Sodapop chuckled. "Kid, you can't handle Tulsa. What makes you think you can handle a big city?" Ponyboy's eyebrows narrowed and he didn't like Sodapop's teasing.
It wasn't until there was a light in their faces from a flashlight, belonging to an Outdoor Usher that Sodapop cursed.
"Shit."
They were caught.
X x X
"Curtis, I hope that wherever you go, you find what you're looking for." Sodapop and Ponyboy were standing outside the Movie House, prepared to leave in oppisite directions.
"You too, Sodapop. I'll never forget you. And thank you for saving me." Ponyboy shook the blonde's hand.
"No problem, kid. It's what Greasers do."
There's that word again: Greaser. "Sodapop, before you leave, can you tell me what a Greaser is? And that other word. . . . the Socks."
"Socs." Sodapop corrected. "And Greasers are people like you and me, a little rough on the edges with a hard life, but wild and loyal. And Socs are rich kids who think jumping us is fun."
Ponyboy nodded. "I'll be on the lookout for them." And he was serious.
Sodapop flashed Ponyboy a mighty grin. "Well, See ya' Curtis."
"I hope you find your brother!" Ponyboy called out as Sodapop walked away.
"And you Curtis, I hope you find what you're looking for."
Ponyboy waited until he could no longer see Sodapop before he started walking away himself. He regretted not telling Sodapop his true identity; and hoped that he could repay both Darry and Sodapop for their kindness.
Sodapop. Soda.
"What a weird name." Ponyboy muttered, walking into the cold night.
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