Chapter 5: Bad Acting (Soda's Point of View)
Darry had left a note saying he was going to be late. I'm not sure how late, late is, but he normally gets off work at six, and now it's six thirty. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have left a note if he wasn't going to be out as late as ten or so. I can't help but wonder where he is. Maybe he met a girl and doesn't want to tell us about it. I almost laugh at the thought.
"Let's go to the lot. Play some football." Two-bit says from the couch. The gang is all over, like always, and Two-bit has been trying to get us to do something for the past hour. Really though, we're all too tired to do anything. I go to school, then go to work, and by the time I get off, I'm wiped. I'm seriously considering dropping out of high school though, since I'm not any good at it, but I'll wait until things have settled down a bit. I think Darry could use the help anyways.
"Nah, too tired." I answer from the kitchen, where I'm boiling noodles for spaghetti.
"You guys are boring." Two-bit announces, sighing with disappointment. Dally rolls his eyes and flips through the TV channels, for at least the forth time.
"I would play with you, but we can't play football with two people." Pony tells him.
"Thanks buddy. At least there's one person here that isn't a couch potato." Two-bit answers, glaring at the rest if the guys.
"Would you guys shut up. You're giving me a headache." Steve yells.
"Well, maybe you should try not getting drunk some time. Then you won't have to worry about hangovers." I call from the kitchen.
"Nah, not worth it." Two-bit tells me. I shake my head and drain the pasta.
"You guys eatin' here tonight?" I ask. I really don't need to ask, since I know they are, but I always do anyways.
"Yep." Dally and Steve call.
"Johnny, Two-bit?" I call. They both nod.
"You guys are a lively bunch." I mutter.
"So, about that kid-" Two-bit starts. I huff with annoyance.
"Can we not talk about that?" I interrupt.
"Why don't you ever want to talk about it?" Steve asks, looking semi-concerned. I shrug, trying to seem casual.
"It's just…maybe everyone's making a bigger deal out of it, then it actually is. He's just a kid." I answer. I honestly don't know why it bugs me so much.
"He's out brother." Pony states without looking at me. "I think it's kind of cool."
"Well I think it's kind of nuts." Dally answers. "Your parents seemed like the last people to keep something like this from their kids."
"Okay, dinner's ready!" I call, hoping to end the conversation. Somehow though, I don't think I'll be that lucky.
Darry's Point of View
It's nearly seven and I'm still sitting in this truck, thinking about what I should do. God, how pathetic is that? He's a kid. He's in that house. Why not just walk right up to the door and knock? Then, what? What would I say? I don't want to come right out and tell him everything. He'll think I'm crazy for sure. I'll think I'm crazy. Slowly, I get out of the truck, making sure it's locked, and walk across the street to the sickly ranch house. I pause at the drive way, look back over my shoulder, then make my way up to the front stairs. It's ridiculous how scared I am. I wasn't even this scared when out parents died. I hope Pony and Soda are in the house. I shake my head, trying to stay focused.
The lights are on in the house, as well as loud music. Really loud music. It reminds me of our house in Tulsa. Always loud and obnoxious. I can hear people's voices too. More than one. Maybe three or four. I slowly knock on the door. I shove my hands in my pockets and wait, then knock again when no one answers.
"Hold the fuck on!" I hear someone scream. "I'm comin'!" The door swings open and a kid about Pony's age, with jet black hair, stands staring at me. His hair is parted down the middle, and brushed over to each side. His eyes are really brown, which clashes with his pale skin.
"What?" He asks. Man is he ever rude.
"I'm a uh…a friend of your-" Of their what, I think. "Mother. I was wondering if I could" I tell him.
"Yeah, get in. But listen I don't know how long she'll be. She's in a bitchy mood." He informs me, standing back to let me in. I'm so surprised that it takes me a second to follow him in.
"She's not my mother either. Luckily, no kid has gotta say she's their mother. Fuckin' slut." He mutters as an after thought. "You sleepin' with her?" He asks. I follow him through the cluttered living room and into the kitchen that's practically clouded with cigarette smoke.
"Uh…no. Just a friend." I answer after a moments hesitation.
"She thinks she can just run everyone's life to her own goddamned satisfaction." Skywriter vents to a cute, blond girl. She's not as blond as him by any means, and I don't even think it's her natural color, but she's pretty nonetheless. He doesn't even seem to notice me. As a matter of fact, none of the five kids in the room seem to notice me much, besides an odd glance or glare.
"Who the hell are you? Another lover?" A red-headed boy of about sixteen asks. He has more freckles than anyone I've ever seen before.
"Naw, he's just a friend." The dark-haired kid says sarcastically. Man what I would give to knock them both out.
"And who are you guys?" I ask. I can't believe how quite and scared I sound. I'm at least twice the size of everyone in this room. Skywriter walks to the fridge and takes out a beer, chugging it in a matter of seconds.
"The kids that are stuck with er'." Skywriter answers. "God only knows why she decided to be a foster parent." He adds.
"Naw, some other people know as well." The dark-haired kid answers. Skywriter gives a half smile and then reaches for another beer, lighting up a cigarette at the same time. I can't believe this kid.
"Aren't you kind of young to be drinkin'?" I dare to ask. He only looks at me like I'm crazy, and keeps on chugging. Apparently it was a stupid question, but I'm not even old enough to legally drink. He's only twelve.
"So uh…you guys have names?" I ask.
"I'm Danny, you're lovely co-host." The dark-haired kid answers. "That's Charlie." He says pointing to the blond girl. "That's Lexan." He says, referring to Skywriter. "And that's Morgan and Sean." He finishes, pointing out the red-head as Sean, and a skinny, quite girl, as Morgan.
"Lexan. Is that short for something?" I ask, dying to have a conversation with him.
"Nope." He answers quickly. "Just Lexan."
"Or Sky." Charlie adds, which earns her a mean glare from Lexan.
"It's Lexan." He states.
"Lexan Sky?" I ask.
"Skywriter Lexan." Charlie corrects, this time giving Lexan a cocky smile. I can't help but smile with her.
"I don't go by my first name." He informs me, as if I didn't already know.
"How old are you guys?" I ask, trying to seem uninterested.
"Fourteen, fifteen, fourteen, sixteen, fifteen, and twelve." Danny answers, obviously the talkative one of the gang. He kind of gives a smile at Lexan when he mentions his age.
"He's little." He adds, proving my assumption.
"Am not." Lexan sneers, sounding like his age for the first time. I look at the clock to realize that it's already eight, which would make me home by about nine-thirty if I left now. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I couldn't stay here all night. Pony and Soda would get suspicious.
"Look um, I gotta be goin'. You think I could have your number?" I ask. I got on when they give me a confused look. "So I can call you're um…guardian when she gets back." They continue staring at me funny, but reach for a pencil and paper to write the number down on anyways. I feel weird calling her 'guardian' but she obviously isn't their mother, and I don't know her name.
"It's Kate, by the way." Lexan tells me, handing me the paper and really looking at me good for the first time that night. "Maybe you should find out people's names first before you go and sleep with em'."