The next morning, Two-Bit brought me to my place so I could change. Unlike Ponyboy, he was no where near my size. When we got to my house, he offered to come inside with me, but I told him not to. I didn't want him to see the inside of the house. The outside was embarrassing enough.
"Well, if that's what you want," Two-Bit said with a shrug as he sat on the front steps. "I'll wait here for you."
"Alright," I mumbled as I walked inside the house and closed the door behind me.
I quickly went to my room and changed, avoiding the coffee table that was flipped over and the beer bottles that had rolled across the floor in the process. A sight that wasn't unusual at my place. Once I had on clean jeans and a black t-shirt, I went back outside where Two-Bit trying to ride my old bike.
My parents didn't even get me the bike. It had been a gift from a lady that used to live next door to me because she saw that I was feeling left out when Soda and Steve would ride their bikes down the street. Mr. Curtis taught me how to ride the bike while Soda cheered every time I went a little further without falling off.
"When was the last time we rode our bikes?" Two-Bit asked.
"Before we thought we were too cool for them," I suggested.
Two-Bit grinned. "Well, where should we go? We could go see if we can find a blade for you, too,"
"I have one," I reminded him, even though I never have it on me.
"We could go see what the guys are doing," Two-Bit suggested. "Maybe we can play football in the corner lot."
I nodded my agreement and followed him to his car. It was always fun playing football with the guys. Darry, Ponyboy, and I were always a team while Two-Bit, Soda, and Steve were the other team. That's how it always worked out even though Soda always insisted that we were going to pick teams that were different.
"Here we are," Two-Bit announced a few minutes later.
"Well, look who's here," Mr. Curtis said, leaning on a rake. "I could use help raking the lawn."
"I'll help," I said, but Two-Bit pulled me towards the house.
"We want to play football, remember?" Two-Bit asked and Mr. Curtis chuckled.
"Maybe next time, Johnny," Mr. Curtis called after me. "Pepsi Cola's been saying that he wants to play football, too."
Two-Bit and I entered the house to find Soda and Steve tossing the football to each other while Mrs. Curtis shook her head at them. I walked over to Mrs. Curtis and gave her a hug.
"How are you, Johnny?" She asked.
"Okay," I said. "Two-Bit wants to go to the lot to play football."
"Thank goodness," she said with a smile. "Soda and Steve can play without breaking anything now."
"We didn't break anything," Soda said as he caught the football.
"Not yet," Mrs. Curtis told him. She turned to me. "Ponyboy and Darry are in Darry's room. I'm not sure what they're doing, but I think they'd like to play football, too. Why don't you go ask them."
I walked to Darry's room and knocked on the door before entering. Darry was reading a book while Ponyboy was drawing in his sketch book that his father had bought for him.
"Hi Johnny," Darry greeted me.
"Um, we're going to play football in the lot," I said, feeling shy even though I saw them all the time. "Do you want to come?"
Ponyboy stood up. I knew he would. He likes playing football in the lot as much as I did.
"Sounds good to me," Darry said with a grin.
"Did you stay at your place last night?" Ponyboy asked as the three of us returned to the living room.
"No, I ended up at Two-Bit's," I replied.
"You poor thing," Steve said and I knew he was kidding. "Well, let's go get this game started."
"Yes, go outside and play with that thing," Mrs. Curtis said with a laugh. "I have cleaning to do in here."
"Mom, the house is clean," Soda said.
"A home can always use extra cleaning," Mrs. Curtis replied. "And believe it or not, magic fairies don't wash your clothes and put them on your bed for you to put away."
"I know that," Soda said. "We'll be back later."
"Well, aren't I the luckiest mom in the world?" Mrs. Curtis teased. "Bye boys. Don't get hurt."
I walked between Darry and Ponyboy while the other three ran ahead of us. Tossing the football to each other as they ran.
"So, you stayed at Two-Bit's last night?" Ponyboy asked. "How was it?"
"It was alright," I replied. "His sister had Angela Shephard over for the night."
"Curly's little sister?" Ponyboy asked.
"She's only a few months younger than you," Darry pointed out.
"She's still Curly's little sister," Ponyboy said. "Wouldn't she be in the same grade as me if I hadn't been moved up a year back in second grade?"
"I believe so," Darry replied before looking at me. "It's nice to know that you had a place to stay last night. Our mom hates the thought of you sleeping outside in the lot. Especially now that the weather is getting colder. She'd rather have you come to our place than stay outside in the cold."
"I don't want to burden anyone," I said softly.
"Johnny, you are never a burden," Darry told me. "We all care about you."
"Yeah, even though your own parents don't," Ponyboy mumbled.
"Pony," Darry said in a warning tone.
"Sorry," Pony said. "But it's not fair how they treat you, Johnny."
"No," Darry agreed. "Unfortunately, there's a lot of things in life that aren't fair."
Boy, that was true. As a greaser, I was reminded of that all the time. And my home life didn't make that any easier.
"Hurry up you guys!" Soda yelled from the lot. "We'd like to play today!"
"You mean you'd like to lose today?" Darry asked as the three of us jogged towards the others.
"We can beat you," Soda said.
"Okay, little buddy," Darry said. "Let's get this game started. Same teams as last time."
"Sounds good," Two-Bit replied. "You three always play by the rules."
"Someone has to," Ponyboy replied and I saw him look over at Steve. Steve was the only one on the other team that tried to play by the rules while Two-Bit and Soda did everything they could to cheat.
"Well, let's get this game started," Steve said. "Losing team has to treat the other team to sundaes at the tastee freeze."
"Sounds good to me," Darry replied.
"No fair," Two-Bit said in a whiny voice. "You're the only one of us with a job."
"So?" Steve asked. "Darry's the only one on their team with a job."
"Yeah Two-Bit," Ponyboy said and I was almost surprised to see him agree with Steve. "Steve's right. Besides, I've been wanting a hot fudge sundae."
"I'll let you have some of mine since my team is going to win," Soda told him with a wink.
I glanced at Darry who was patiently waiting for the others to line up so we could start the game. Soon, we were playing football and having a good time. We played for an hour or two and my team ended up winning, not that anyone minded.
"You owe me a hot fudge sundae," Ponyboy said to Soda with a grin when the game was over.
"Sure Pony," Soda said.
"What about you Johnny?" Steve asked me. "What would you like to have from the Tastee Freeze?"
I shrugged my shoulders and Steve smiled.
"You don't have to decide now," he said. "I don't even know when we're going."
"Later tonight," Darry spoke up. "That way, you three can't back out of the bet."
Ponyboy and I exchanged a grin. Usually, I don't like taking things from people, but a bet is a bet. Besides, I didn't always get to go to the Tastee Freeze. It would be nice to have a sundae for a change. And it would keep me out of my house longer.