Chapter 18: Movies and Beer (Darry's Point of View)

Sky comes out of his room with that girlfriend of his following him like a lost puppy. I'm not sure whether or not I like her yet, but something about her puts me on edge.

"Sky, eat something. You too Soda. Chris, you want anything?" I say, not looking at anyone in particular.

"Sky? No one calls him that." Chris says indignantly. I roll my eyes like an annoyed teenager.

"I call him that." I answer, setting Soda's eggs on the table.

"Skywriter, how do you eat your eggs?" I ask, hoping to annoy her even more. Sky can sense this and gives me a mean look.

"I don't eat eggs." He answers, brushing his hair with his fingers. He looks more and more like Soda every time I look at him, but there's no denying that he's Dally's brother too.

"Well, you're not leaving the house until you eat something." I reply. So finishes his breakfast and then changes for work.

"You're leaving late." Sky notices, and it takes a second for Soda to understand what he's saying.

"Oh yeah, the DX doesn't open until later on Sundays. I guess they figure not as many car problems occur during church hours." Soda answers. Sky raises his eyebrows and shrugs his shoulders as if to say, 'they're probably right', then sits down at the kitchen table. Pony comes out a few seconds later and sits beside him.

"Lex, will you just eat something so we can go?" Chris asks, not bothering to be seated.

"Where are you guys going?" Pony asks.

"Yeah, where are you guys going?" I echo.

"Work, thanks for askin'." Steve answers, coming through the front door. "That is, if Soda'll hurry up in there." He says, banging on the bathroom door.

"Hold on Steve. Just gimme a second!" Soda calls.

"You ever heard of bein' on time?" Steve answers, huffing, before coming into the kitchen.

"What, now you have a sister?" He asks, referring to Chris. I'd rather be dead, I can't help but think.

"No, this is Sky's girlfriend." I answer instead.

"It's Le-" She starts.

"Chris, drop it." Sky says impatiently. She rolls her eyes but does as he says. I'm glad too, cause I've about had it with her.

"Okay, I'm ready." Soda says, barging out of the bathroom. "Bye Darry. Bye Pony. Bye Lex." He calls, following Steve to the front door.

"Bye guys! Stay outta trouble. See ya tonight!" I call after them. Soda waves and leaves for work with Steve.

"So, where are you guys going?" I say, brining up the question that still hadn't been answered.

"Oh I don't know. The park. Maybe the library. Just see what there is to do around here." Sky answers.

'Uh huh. The park and the library." I repeat, unconvinced. Chris gives him a worried look that I almost laugh at. Did these guys think I was born yesterday?

"I can show you guys around." Pony volunteers, and I can see Chris cringe.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." I second. Looking for Sky's reaction. To my surprise, he doesn't have one though. He just shrugs and sits back in his chair.

"Okay, cool."

Skywriter's Point of View

Shit. How am I going to get out of this? I know I can't look like I'm up to something, so I calmly eat, put on my shoes, and wait for Pony on the porch.

"Okay, cool?" Chris asks. "Are you kiddin' me?"

"Look what was I supposed to say? 'No Darry we want to go get drunk at Buck's, he can't come'?" I hiss back at her. She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest.

"How are we gonna get rid of him?" She asks. I shrug.

"I'm workin' on it, okay. Just gimme a second to think." I answer. Seriously though, I don't really even care about going to Buck's. Sure I didn't find anything wrong with it last time, but I didn't find it all that interesting either. Besides if she really wanted to get drunk, she could have done that at Kate's. Kate never minded before.

"Well, I don't mean to rush you or anything, but if you don't think of something quick, we're going to spending our day at the library!" She snaps. God she could be annoying sometimes. Just then Pony walks on the from porch, letting the door slam behind him.

"You guys stay outta trouble!" Darry calls from the kitchen. How many times was he gonna say that?

"Alright." Pony answers, giving me a 'I know how you feel' look. Apparently Darry goes through all this with him too.

"So, where do you guys wanna go first?" He asks as we walk towards town.

"Why don't we pick up Johnny, and the four of us can go see a movie?" I suggest. I can feel Chris's eyes eating right through me. Pony seems to like the idea though.

"Okay, that sounds fun." He answers. Sure enough, Johnny was in the lot, and it didn't take much convincing to get him to come with us.

"So, what do you do in the lot all day?" I ask him, since obviously there's nothing even remotely entertaining there.

"Just think." He answers, barely even looking at me. "She your friend?"

"Girlfriend." Chris corrects bitterly. Pony gives me a look, and I in turn, give Chris a look, that of course she ignores.

"So, what's playin?" Chris asks between gritted teeth. Pony looks at her with confusion but answers the question anyway.

"Don't know yet, will find out." He answers.

Once we get there, we settle on some action movie about a deadly virus that's spreading around the world. At least, that's as much ads I got out of it, before Chris and I decided to 'go get popcorn'.

"Okay, you ready?" I ask her, turning around to make sure Johnny and Pony weren't looking.

"Duh! That movie is a piece of shit." She answers. I smile with a clenched jaw and lead her out of the movie house.

Dally's Point of View

When I see Chris and Lexan walk into Buck's, I tense up a little. Sure, I don't have a problem with Lex being here, and I told his girl they could stop by, but I know how much Darry hates this place. I'm just wonderin' how they managed to get here without someone noticing.

"Hey kids." I call to them. Lexan waves and Chris runs over to greet me with a hug.

"Thank God Dally, Lexan's other brothers are wound so tight it makes me sick!" Chris tells me. I smile, releasing her, knowing what she means. Darry is pretty strict, but he has good reason to be. His brothers are all he has left, and I feel real bad about Lexan being here behind Darry's back.

"So, how are things." I ask him. He shrugs and grabs Chris's hand, looking slightly nervous.

"Got a beer?"

Pony's Point of View

Darry's going to kill me. We go out for one hour, and I've already lost him. I should have known they were up to something, by the way Chris was acting. After Lex and Chris went to 'get popcorn' they never came back. I should have kept an eye on them.

"Darry's going to flip!" I say to Johnny, on our way back to my house. We already went by the park and the library and the lot, and of course they weren't there. I know exactly where they are.

"Look man, it wasn't your fault. Lex planned this out perfectly-" Johnny says, trying to reassure me. It doesn't work though.

"It was that stupid girlfriend of his. He wouldn't have gone if it weren't for her! Man I hate her!" I yell, catching Johnny off guard. I hardly ever yell.

"Sorry Johnny, it's just, Darry's gonna go insane." I explain. He nods.

"Yep, he is."

Darry's Point of View

"He what!" I yell. Damn it that kid! The first whole day I have him and he runs off! What am I going to do with him?

"Darry, calm down. I'm pretty sure I know where he is." Pony says.

"I pretty sure I know where he is too. Him and that girlfriend of his snuck off to Buck's place, after I told him not to set foot there! I knew something was up!" I answer. I grab the keys to the truck and head out the front door.

"Pony, don't leave the house until I get back, ya hear?" I call to him. I'm not mad at him, but I already have one brother missin' and I'm not misplacing another.

"Yeah." He answers, lighting a cigarette. "Just remember that you get jail time for murder!"

Skywriter's Point of view

After about three beers I feel a lot more relaxed. I forgot how great the stuff is. Since my head is hardly spinnin' I head for another one. I wonder if Darry's noticed I'm missin' yet.

"Hey, what the hell?" I scream, coming back into Buck's living room. There's some redneck lookin' guy tryin' to hit on Chris, and buggin' her out.

"Lexan, get him to stop!" She yells. I grab onto his jacket and smash my fist into his face. Boy is he pissed now. He jerks around, slams me up against the wall, and starts punching the hell outta me. Now, I'm not stupid, but sometimes I don't exactly think before I act. See, if I would have thought about it, I would have seen that this guy was at least twice my size and age, and gone to Dally for help. But did I think? No fuckin chance. I just hit em' without thinking, and not I'm back into a wall getting my face rearranged.

"Dally!" Chris screams. Dally comes runnin' into the living room, followed by Buck, and Grabs a hold of the guy. By now there are at least ten guys standin' around watchin' the action. Dally has the guy on the ground no problem, but then comes Redneck's best friend, who grabs Dally from behind and pulls him off of Redneck. I jump on Friend's back and start pulling his hair, with blood running down my face. Another one of my famous mistakes. Redneck's friend runs backwards into the wall, smashing my back and head. Dam does it hurt too! Meanwhile, Buck is fighting Redneck, Chris is cryin', and I'm too drunk to do anything rational.

"Lexan, Lex baby, you okay?" Chris asks me, helping me up off the floor. I wipe the blood from my nose and lip and watch Dally continue to slug Redneck's friend senseless. I honestly don't see how tonight could get any worse.

"Skywriter!" Darry screams. Shit. It just did.

Darry's Point of View

When I walk into Buck's, the first thing I notice is all the commotion coming from the living room. Once I get in there, I can understand why.

Dally is beating the crap out of some guy, and Buck is doing the same to another. Meanwhile, Chris and Lexan are watching on the floor, both covered in blood. I think only Lexan is bleeding, and Chris has just got his blood on her, but I can't be certain.

"Skywriter!" I scream. As soon as he sees me he goes sickly pale. He has good reason to too, because few times in my life have I been more angry. The only thing that holds me back now, is the fact that my little brother is bleeding like crazy.

"Get up! Can you walk?" I yell at him, over the fight and the screaming people. He nods, stands up, and grabs Chris's hand. She could stay here for all I cared. I drag him outta the house, only to be stopped while Sky throws up his insides on Buck's lawn. After he's done, I pull both of them into the truck and head home.