Note: In this chapter, it's mainly surrounded around Tobe and Two-Bit. Sorry, Dally/Pony/Soda/Johnny fans. Everyone will come back next chapter.
Nothing really happened after that. At least, for an entire week, everything became routine. It was still fun and all, but I wanted some action. The gang gets into fights every now and then, and maybe I want to get into a fight, too. I've been in a few, but I'm a girl, so I guess I can't. Unless I pick a fight with a Socy girl, now that would be funny.
The winter formal was coming up, and I laughed at the thought of everyone dressing up. What they consider 'formal' is probably something along the lines of a nicer leather jacket, and more grease in their hair than normal. I wouldn't have a date if I went, so I didn't give it too much thought of me going, but daydreaming was nice.
"Winter Formal -- No casual wear! No weapons, no fights! Breaking these rules will result in maximum consequences." Two-Bit read aloud, mockingly, as he danced around the lunch table. No casual wear? Fuck that. "Who's goin'?" Two-Bit asked.
"I don't know.. I might go." Pony stated between bites of his school wondermeat sandwich. For such a slender kid, he can eat like a horse.
"What about you, Johnnycake?"
"I don't know, Two-Bit.. I don't got any nice clothes." His lip was still cut a little from last week's incident.
"Aw, come on, guys. It'll be fun! Something always goes down at our formals; a fight, maybe meeting some new girls, or just dancing and hangin'." Two-Bit looked to me, almost pleadingly. He wanted some company there, but there was going to be a million people there, so I don't see why.
"C'mon, Tobe, I'd love to see you in a pink, frilly dress." Two-Bit waggled his eyebrows. Ponyboy snorted while sucking on his chocolate milk through a straw, and coughed. I flipped Two-Bit a friendly finger.
"She'd be a spicy lil' mama in a fiery red, huh Johnny?" He was grinning wildly. He knew I hated it, and my face was on fire. "What about blue? A sky blue dress, and maybe she should dye her hair blonde to be a Cinderella in the works." He burst out laughing himself, and continued. "Hey, where's your evil stepsisters?! Can't wait to see you arrive in your pumpkinmobile!" He fell out of his seat, rolling. I felt challenged with all of his jokes. I can clean up nice, if I really wanted to!
"You think it's so funny? Fine, Two-Bit, if you give me money for a dress, I'll go." Everyone stopped laughing. Johnny and Pony stared at me, now, and I felt the heat slowly draining from my face, as a grin danced upon my lips. Two-Bit arose from his position and stared, too.
"..Alright, but only if you'll be my date!"
"You're out of your mind. No deal."
"Aww, alright..." He surrendered. "A dance?"
I paused real long. "I uh.. don't know how to dance." I stared at the plain wooden table.
"Ah, that's alright, I'll teach ya'!" When I looked up, he was winking at me.
"Fine, deal. After school, we'll go to some dress place." I didn't think that Two-Bit would be able to afford to buy me a dress. He'd probably just steal it. "You have the money, right?"
"Of course I have the money."
"You said you had the money!" He cupped his hand over my mouth; apparently I had said that a little too loud. We were in the fanciest dress wear place in town, and he had absolutely no money. I should have known..
"Sh, keep it quiet. Pick out a small dress, nothing too big and frilly, or else I won't be able to fit it." He whispered, and grinned at me, walking around the store in aisles close to the ones I was in. Forcing a fake voice, his grin remained as he spoke. "Oh, honey! Take a gander at this little number; it's quite exquisite." He held up some ridiculous fur-shouldered dress; quite hideous, more like it.
I snickered out loud, and fingered through the dresses. Most of them were all sparkly and flashy, and pink. The owner of the store was eyeing us oddly since we came in, but since we were taking so long, he stepped away from the counter and acted like he was checking the stocks to get closer and make sure we weren't getting away with a five-finger discount.
It was blue. The dress, I mean. I wasn't about to dye my hair blonde like Two-Bit had suggested, but it seemed fitting. It wasn't very flashy, but it was tight, long, and strapless. I motioned for Two-Bit to come over, and I pointed to the dress I wanted silently. He then unzipped his jacket, and picked out a big, frilly dress, and held it up in front of him, as if to show it to me. This hid his free hand, which was his opening his jacket, and his eyes were motioning for me to roll it up and shove it in there. So I did, while he blabbered on as a distraction.
"What about this dress, honey?! It's very.. chic." I laughed out loud, and he grinned. Maybe I should have said yes to that date, Two-Bit would keep me in stitches. I zipped up his jacket, most of the way, and he then put the dress back and almost doubled over.
"Ugh.. that caviar is really hitting me. Gotta run!" He paced out of the door, and I followed. The owner was yelling at us suddenly, so we knew we were caught. We made a run for it the second we heard his voice.
"Hey! HEY!! Come back here!"
Me and Two-Bit were sure that we had gotten away with it. We were running as fast as we could, so I didn't look back. I was confident. But, suddenly, Two-Bit sounded worried.
"Keep going! Hurry!" I dry gulped. We probably wouldn't get caught, right? The last thing I need is another mark on my record. I was running as hard and as fast as I could, now, but suddenly was jerked by a firm grip on my right arm in the opposite direction, which was tugged so hard I felt as if it were pulled out of socket.
"Over here!" It was Two-Bit, but I almost fell over when he yanked me so hard along with the momentum of me running so fast. We turned quick into an alley, and my flimsy sneakers got stuck in a muddy puddle. All that, along with the whole stumbling thing did not mix well, and I close to face-planted onto the ground, my side smashing an already broken bottle. I felt many sharp pains.
"Tobe! Are you okay?! We gotta get up, they're coming!" He, now much more gently, yanked me. I felt so embarrassed, but I couldn't get up. My ankle felt twisted, and there was a sharp pain in my side. I rolled over and got up on my knees, and coughed, noticing the mud not even made from water and dirt, but old gasoline and practical nuclear waste, and felt disgusting. With that aside, and the situation at hand, I looked up at him.
"I can't get up, I think my ankles busted. You go. Make a run for it!" I heard the footsteps of more than one person coming towards us now, and they were coming fast. I knew Two-Bit was hesitant, but he kneeled down next to me, and grabbed me up by my arm and slung it over his shoulder, making me stand. My ankle was limp, but I started off on a slow run with him, and I kept shaking my head.
"No, just go, you have the dress, I don't, I'll meet up with you later. Go!" He ignored me. But by then, it was too late. I heard them directly behind us, and I didn't bother in looking back.
Two-Bit was halfway tackled, but neither of them fell. The fuzz sure showed up quick, one must have been around when we started running. With Two-Bit being shoved and captured, though, and me not being able to stand very well, I suddenly lost my balance, and that sharp pain in my side got real bad before I felt heavy and slipped into an impenetrable darkness.