Chapter 16: Getting Along (Pony's Point of View)
Lexan gets back home at five, which is an hour before Darry gets off work. Soda and I help him with his bags, while Kate tries to make small talk that does nothing more than annoy us. Especially since we're carryin' in stuff, so it's hard to answer the questions.
"So, are you guys going to be in the same school?" She asks, twiddling her fingers. I think she knows her attempts at being friendly aren't being well responded to.
"No Kate, they're in high school. I'm not." Lexan answers so I don't have to. He seems the most annoyed out of us all.
"Well, um, I'm gonna go then and get back home. I gotta get up early to go to work tomorrow. I'll come check on your tomorrow afternoon, Lex. I'll bring Chris too. I'm sure she'll wanna come." Kate tells him.
"Okay, that'll be cool." He answers happily, though it kinda bugs me. Can't she leave us alone for a day?
"Okay, see ya." Kate says smiling and waving. I think she kinda wants to give Lexan a hug or something, but he's not the touchy-feely type and doesn't offer, so she finally leaves.
"What's all this?" I ask, pulling out papers from one of the boxes.
"You always make it your job to go through other people's things?" Lexan asks, but it's obvious he's not angry. I feel embarrassed anyway.
"Hey, never mind, it doesn't matter." Lexan says quickly. "Just drawings."
"Oh, you drew them?" I ask.
"Yeah, I drew em'." Lexan confirms, setting down another box in the corner of the room. He takes out his clothes and shoves them into the dresser drawers.
"You okay?" Soda asks, looking at him strangely.
"Yeah, just fine. Anything to do around here?" He asks.
"Uh…well, Darry'll be home soon. You know, I'm sure he-" Soda starts.
"What about that lot you were talkin' about Pony. Wanna go there?" He asks me. I shrug my shoulders.
"Why not?"
Skywriter's Point of View
I know this may come as a surprise to some of you, but the lot was just what it sounded like. A lot. A piece of land that the guys played football on and stuff. Not really that much to see. But I guess in a city where going to the movies, or visiting the public library, are fun things to do, the lot was important. Anyways, it was better than staying inside the house. Johnny is already here, and according to Soda and Pony, he spends a great deal of time in the lot because of his parents. They didn't feel like elaborating, but I think I get the picture.
"Hey kid, how was the move?" Johnny asks. It seems weird being called 'kid' by anyone, but especially by Johnny, who seems more like Pony's age than sixteen. I'm not going to say anything about it though.
"It was…boring." I answer, after carefully considering all my other options. Lame, stupid, disastrous…
"How'd your friends take it?" Soda asks.
"My friends, well, they uh…you know. Didn't like it." I manage. They all nod like they were there and they know exactly what it must be like to move in with people they don't even know. Hell, maybe they do know. This neighborhood seems weird enough.
"Hey guys!" Two-bit calls, joining us in the lot. "Have some kinda reunion goin' on?"
"Somethin' like that." Pony answers.
"Yeah, I just got back from Buck's place. Dally's bein' Dally." Two-bit answers. He's obviously been drinkin'.
"Well, you guys wanna go?" I ask. They look at me questioningly.
"To Buck's?" I clarify.
"No. You heard what Darry said last night. We aint allowed there." Pony answers. I feel like hitting him.
"God do you always do what you're told?" I mutter.
"Aw, aint much to see now anyhow. Everyone is packin' up till tomorrow. Some rodeo or somethin' Buck has goin' on tonight. You know him." Two-bit says. Actually, I don't know him. But I figure might as well go along with it.
"Well, we better be getting back. Darry'll be home in a few minutes. I gotta start dinner." Soda says. So, the two of them start for the house, and everyone follows. Apparently, their house is the one to stay at.
"Oh, your transcript is at the house." Pony tells me.
"For school?" I ask, even though I know it is. God I'm not lookin' forward to it.
"Yep. Luckily you didn't get no horrible teachers." he tells me. I nod, not really caring what teachers I got. They were all horrible to me.
Darry's Point of View
When I walk into the house, Soda is cookin' dinner, and Pony and Sky are talkin' in Sky's room. I'm glad the two of them seem to be getting along.
"When'd he get home?" I ask Soda, coming into the kitchen to go through the mail. Since I don't work tomorrow, I'll probably spend most of my time doing bills.
"Would you guys knock it off!" I yell to Two-bit and Steve, who are wrestling on the living room floor.
"He started it." Two-bit claims, dodging a playful punch throw my Steve. I Shake my head, and go back to the mail.
"About five. We just went to the lot for about thirty minutes or so." Soda answers, throwing in some purple food coloring with the green beans. I'll have to remember to explain that to Sky.
"Man, the green beans mixed with the purple food coloring, turns out brown." Soda states with disappointment. I roll my eyes and listen to Two-bit and Steve arguing over some girl they met at a club.
"Kate's comin' over tomorrow though. Bringin' Lexan's girlfriend or something over to visit." Soda goes on. I'm glad she's coming over though, cause I need to talk to her about what classes Sky has already had and stuff. If there are any that he's actually passed this year.
"Alright. You workin' tomorrow?" I ask him. Sometimes Soda works on Sunday, and sometimes he doesn't. It's the only day of the week I don't work.
"Um…Yeah. I plan on it at least." Soda answers.
"Johnny you stayin' over tonight?" I call to Johnny in the living room. Like always, he's hardly making any noise at all. Just sitting on the couch watching Steve and Two-bit dish it out.
"Yeah, if that's okay with you." He answers.
"Of course it is." I answer back quickly. If you hesitate at all with him, he'll think he's not wanted.
"This'll be done in about ten minutes." Soda tells me, referring to the dinner.
"Okay, I'm gonna go check on Pony and Sky." I tell him, leaving the kitchen and standing at the doorway to Sky's room. Boxes are everywhere. It's obvious he's made no attempt to put anything away, cept' maybe his clothes. Their both sitting with their backs to the door, leaning on the side of the bed, hovered over some papers.
"What are you guys lookin' at?" I ask, starling both of them.
"Nothing." Sky says hurriedly. If that doesn't make me curious…
"Just things we drew. Things you won't get." Pony explains. I give him one of my looks and he turns away before laughing.
"Oh I see. Things I won't get huh?" I ask sarcastically.
"Well, you never liked art and stuff Darry-" Pony offends, not looking at me, but obviously amused.
"Well, maybe I won't get that stuff, but you two better get me when I say-" I start.
"We'll stay outta trouble tomorrow." Pony interrupts before I can say anything.
"Yeah, Chris'll probably want to go to a movie or something." Sky says, though I can't tell if he's actually agreeing or not.
"Well, if you do, Pony is going with you." I tell him. I can tell, even without seeing his face, that he rolls his eyes and makes a face at Pony.
"We don't need a babysitter." He says indignantly. " Besides, Chris is fifteen, so she's older than Pony anyways." That doesn't kind of surprise me, that a fifteen year old would date a twelve year old, but I don't say anything.
"I don't care. He's gonna keep an eye on you." I answer. Pony gives Sky an authorial look, and Sky shoves him playfully. I can't help but laugh. I only hope they get along this good tomorrow.
"Damn it Two-bit, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Steve yells from the living room. There's no hope for those two, I think smiling.