Chapter 16

Katelyn's POV

"This is our stop." Two-Bit remarked as he got up, dragging me with him. We hopped off the bus and I wondered how he had ever managed to talk me into this.

He'd met me as soon as school was over and next thing I knew he'd convinced me to get on the bus with him. Where he got the money for the bus fare I had no idea, and probably didn't want to know. Dad would really give it to me when I got home, but it was too late to worry about that now.

A big, burly man was helping unload some luggage. Somehow he seemed out of place, but I wasn't sure how.

"Where to now?"

"Now we're off to find Ponyboy."

At the mention of Pony's name the man seemed to pause and look over at us. I told myself it was nothing and replied sarcastically. "I know that much. But I don't suppose you bothered finding out where he's staying."

"For you're information, Ms. Smartypants, I DID happen to find out where he's staying…..I just don't know how to get there." He mumbled the last part and I almost didn't catch it.

"Two-Bit." I sat down on a bench exasperated, expecting him to follow but he didn't.

Instead he walked up to a lady. "Excuse me Ma'am. Could you please tell us where 361 Henderson Blvd is?"

The lady was well-dressed and didn't look pleased with having a strange greaser-looking guy approaching her. She pointed to the left "That way."

"How far that way?" Two-Bit started to ask but the lady turned and started to hurry off.

Two-Bit called out after her. "I wouldn't bother you Ma'am except my little sister here."

She stopped and turned back towards us, spurring Two-Bit to continue.

"She's uh, got a bum leg and can't walk too good."

I took that as my cue and limped over pathetically. He could make up a good story when he needed to, but he still wasn't a great actor and he could use some help.

"Is it very much farther Keith?" I asked in my most pathetic voice.

"Not too much Katie. I'm just getting final directions from this kind lady here."

This "kind lady" saved him from my wrath. He knew how much I hated to be called Katie.

"Do you know someone there?" She asked us sweetly.

"Yes. Our dear Grandmother. She just moved here and took a nasty turn for the worse. We're going to visit her."

I covered my mouth and sniffed in effort to hide my grin.

"Oh dear. You poor things. Well, I suppose I could give you a ride, it is quite a ways to walk."

The lady's car was a tuff, red mustang. Wouldn't Two-Bit have something to tell the boys when we got back. None of us said much during the ten minute drive.

When we arrived Two-Bit started up again. "We really appreciated that. Our parents, bless them, couldn't afford for all of us to come out here so they just sent us and…" I squeezed Two-Bits arm and shot him a glance. He was going a bit overboard.

"Thank you Ma'am." I said and nudged Two-Bit out of the car. As soon as she was out of sight I slugged him in the arm "Don't you ever call me Katie again."

Unfazed, he pulled out a cigarette and headed for the house. "That was some tuff car huh kid? Wait till I tell Steve about that. This is some nice house too."

I pushed in the doorbell and we waited. When no one answered Two-Bit began pounding and then tried the knob to see if it was locked.

"This ain't the Curtis house stupid." I looked around for a car but didn't see one. "I don't think anybody's home."

Apparently that didn't bother him any. "I'm going to try the back door." He headed around the side, trying every window along the way.

"Two-Bit, what are you thinking? You can't just walk into her house. Two-Bit!" He was going to get us in trouble for sure. I hurried around after him.

"No luck Katelyn. You'd think they were worried about people stealing from them or something."

"Come one, let's go wait out front." I really didn't want to get caught in this lady's backyard.

As I turned a man stepped into my path. The same big man I had seen at the bus stop. He stood with his arms folded across his chest.

"Ya'll waiting on someone?" His voice was low and gravely.

Two-Bit was calm. "Yeah, our grandmother."

"Sure. And you're sister here's got a bum leg too."

Shoot. He must have heard us, but why had he followed us here? He took a few steps towards us and I wanted to bolt, but Two-Bit just took another drag on his cigarette. If he could act cool, then so could I, but I sure was scared.

"You want to tell me what business you got with Ponyboy?"

"He's a friend of ours." I could see Two-Bits hand on his back pocket, ready to pull his blade.

The man saw it too and grabbed Two-Bit's arm, twisting it around his back. "I don't like it when strangers come sneaking around and making up stories. Don't sound right to me."

"Katelyn? Two-Bit?" I had never been more relieved to see Ponyboy in my life. "What are you two doing here?"

"You know these guys?" The man still had a grip on Two-Bit.

"Sure Jasper. They're good friends of mine."

"Well then." A grin broke over Jasper's face and he pulled Two-Bit and I into a bear hug. "Any friend of Pony's is a friend of mine.

Jasper's POV

I stood back and listened as the three caught up on how people were doing. As I had figured, there was more to Pony's story than just helping out his aunt. It sounded like he had brothers and friends who cared about him a lot, but he must not have seen it that way.

Who was I to talk though. Hadn't I gone through the same thing when I was young. Running off when I was nine and getting into all sorts of trouble. It wasn't until recently that I realized my parent's really had cared about me, I just couldn't see it then.

"Dally's in jail again." I heard Two-Bit pronounce. "Got into a pretty big fight the day after you left."

"Really?" All three turned to look at me. Those were the first words I'd spoken since I let go of Two-Bit and I think they'd forgotten I was there.

I'd first met Dally in New York City when I was thirteen and he was nine; his first time in juvenile hall. Normally I didn't take to new kids but he was a tough, reminded me a lot of myself, so I'd given him a few pointers.

"That kid's gotta learn not to get caught." Shoot, I got into every bit as much trouble as he did, but I hadn't been in the cooler in five years. He could have avoided it too. Maybe he just didn't care.

"How do you know Dally?" Two-bit's question was a bit defensive, just as Pony's had been. Loyalty was high with this group, that was good.

"Oh, I get around." It was all they really needed to know. If Dally wanted them to know more, he could fill them in.

Two-Bit must not have been one to stick to a subject because he dropped the matter and turned to Ponyboy, "So, how's it feel to be living with the Soc? You might oughta give Katelyn a few lessons."

"You just can't let me forget about that can you?" Sounded like a pretty touchy subject.

"What?" Ponyboy looked shocked. "But I thought you were just moving across town."

Katelyn kicked her toe against the ground and mumbled, "Yeah well, things change sometimes."

The air got pretty tense so I piped in, "Coming to The City?"

"No, just the west side of Tulsa." Katelyn's eyes were lowered to the ground and I could tell she wasn't too happy with the situation.

"Well then, I'll check in on you sometime."

"But I don't know exactly where yet."

"I'll find you."

Poor kid. She looked really worried. I thought back to when I had first decided to live in a rich neighborhood. I'd done it just to prove that I could. It was definitely a change, but it could be managed.

"Don't worry. The west side ain't so bad once you get used to it. You just gotta know how to act and from what I've seen so far, you can do that pretty well. You'll make it ok."

That boosted her confidence a little any way. "Pony, I'll catch you later." I hitched my thumbs in my belt loops and sauntered off. I had someone else I needed to check on before the night was over.