New chapter up. Thanks to everyone else for their reviews. I appreciate them very much! Also, I did enjoy everyone's vague ramblings!
Laughing: I tried to write a longer chapter for you…so I hope this works. ;)
PurpleBlaze: In case you couldn't tell, I too, love PB angsty stories. I guess we're just cruel people. Haha.
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Ponyboy's POV
"Shakes," I whispered to my friend, trying to stifle a laugh. "You know we're gonna get caught don't you?"
Alex Shakes turned to me and shrugged, his blue eyes gleaming with trouble. "Pony, I don't know why you worry. Let me do the worrying. After all it's my plan."
"How big of you," I said wryly, grinning back at my friend.
Shakes and I had met my first year back to school after I had gone over to Vietnam. He had newly moved from Tennessee to Tulsa; both of us having trouble adjusting to school.
They didn't have Socs or Greasers where he came from, but he definitely fit in with us Greasers, as he and I both found out on our first meeting. One day after school, I had caught him smarting off to two angry Socs who had cornered him by his locker. I walked up in time to hear him say, "That's not what your mother said last night."
I had chuckled, impressed at his composed demeanor. "Probably not a smart thing to say in your current situation."
"Come to give me a hand, have you?" he had drawled and shot me a quick grin.
Shrugging, I stuck my hands in my pockets. "I got nothing better to do." The Socs blinked, surprised at our calm dialogue and then one decided to throw a punch. Shakes ducked it, causing the Soc to punch his fist into the metal locker and curse in pain. I barely got a chance to say, "I think you got the hang of it," before ducking the other fist that was thrown my way.
And so, I had come home with a black eye and a new friend.
"Man, it's so going to be worth it," Shakes said now, rubbing his hands together with anticipation. "I can't wait to see the look on everyone's face." He caught my eye. "Especially your brothers."
Plainly put, Darry didn't like him. Shakes knew it and liked to rub it in. I didn't think Soda was too fond of him either. It had surprised me at first that they hadn't liked him, but to Darry Shakes was trouble and I didn't need any more trouble after what I had been through.
Shakes could bea practical joker, but he also reminded everyone too much of Dallas Winston: a little dangerous, a little reckless. But I knew him best, and he wasn't angry, as Dally had been. Shakes just didn't think sometimes.
Shoot, I could live with that, but apparently Darry couldn't.
"What happened?" Darry had asked a few months ago after I had returned home sporting a broken collarbone. At first he was surprisingly calm; we didn't argue as much anymore but when we did they were whoppers.
Then his face had cracked as I said, "Let's just say Shakes and I should stick to riding horses."
Darry's face had paled. "What exactly did you ride?" I could see him clenching his jaw.
I was high on the exhilaration from the day so what flew out of my mouth hadn't mattered at that time. If I had been smart I would have lied. "Bulls." Shake's mom owned a farm a few miles out in the country where they raised any animal under the sun.
"Bulls? Ponyboy Curtis, that kid is gonna get you killed!" Darry had screamed.
"Wouldn't be the first time," I had grinned goofily before getting grounded by my fuming brother. Even Sodapop had seconded that verdict.
The smile fell off my face as Shakes held up his fireworks. "You know that's not the best way to talk me into this."
"Sorry, sorry. I know that," Shakes apologized.
Doubtfully, I shot him a glare and peered out from underneath the bleachers to check out the bleachers opposite us. Up in the stands, my brothers were scanning the football field. Darry was royally pissed. I wasn't in line, waiting to walk for my high school graduation. Instead, I was under the bleachers with Shakes, trying to pull off some dumb stunt he had put together.
"Ok, let's get back," Shakes told me, breaking into my thoughts. He prodded me out into the May sunshine.
"Wait, wait," I said turning around and stopping him. "Just let me get my diploma first. And then set them off. Darry would kill me if he didn't get to see this."
Shakes looked at me seriously. "Of course." Then he grinned broadly and slapped my back. "Come on."
I reached the stage as the announcer called, "Annie Curtis." Annie, a soc, did everything but bow to the crowd as she accepted her thin piece of paper. I snickered and Shakes, out of sight, ducked behind the mock set that decorated the stage.
Darry apparently relieved as I stepped out, un-tensed his broad shoulders and smiled at me as Soda waved wildly. I blushed and waved back. A hooted catcall came from behind them and I saw Steve and Two-Bit. Two-Bit raised a beer, Steve his middle finger in jest.
Everything the same.
Shakes' plan was to shoot a few dozen Black Cats off around the stage. Just cause enough chaos to make graduation memorable. He was poised to light them after I walked.
"Ponyboy Curtis," the announcer said, nearly stuttering my odd name. I rolled my eyes and crossed the stage, seeing my brothers applaud happily. Then my eyes darted down to where Shakes should have been.
He was gone.
"Thank y-" And before I could get any further a door was pulled open beneath me and I fell through it and under the stage. Instantly, the crowd above murmured their surprise.
I blinked at Shakes in the dark as he stood over me. "Hmm," he said, looking up at the trapdoor. "I wondered what that did." I snapped my mouth shut against my angry comment and wide-eyed scooted back away from him.
"Shakes," my voice rose cautiously. "The fireworks are lit."
"Oh shoot, I forgot about those." Shakes tentatively approached the lit firecrackers, saw he didn't have a chance to stop them from going off and then yelled at me: "Duck and cover, Ponyboy!" He clapped his hands over his ears.
"Looks like the joke's on us," I yelled back, diving down into the dirt and covering my head as 100 Black Cats went off. I groaned; the sound definitely wasn't muffled down here.
When the dust cleared, we looked at each other in amazement. Shakes was covered in dirt and firecracker powder just as I was. "How's that for a graduation we'll never forget?" he said loudly, his face singed black with dust.
My ears were ringing. "What?" I screamed back.
Shakes threw his head back and laughed. "This summer's going to be awesome."
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Our prank hadn't gone off quite as we had planned.
Barely anyone had heard the fireworks over the murmur of the crowds' confusion and especially since they went off underneath the stage. So instead of creating chaos, all it had created was embarrassment for myself.
I pulled myself out covered in ash, and hastily waved away the concerned teachers. "You really should get that fixed," I tried to joke, pointing at the trap door. They stared perplexedly at my dusty face.
From my place on stage, I shot Darry and Soda a thumbs up; Darry was rubbing his forehead; worry and exasperation clouding his features, and Soda threw me a quizzical glance. The graduation ceremony resumed and I quickly took my diploma, nearly running down the stairs.
Shakes met me at the bottom. "That was humiliating," I hissed at him. He nodded sympathetically.
After the ceremony was over and the crowd clearing, Mr. Syme caught the sleeve of my gown and smiled at me. "You've done well here Ponyboy. Good luck in the future."
"Thank you sir," I mumbled, shamed by how gracious the man had sounded. As I shook his hand, I found it oddly unsettling. I didn't even feel like I was the 14-year old who had written the English theme three years ago.
"He probably just doesn't want the school to get sued for your little mishap," Shakes told me matter-of-factly as we walked into the parking lot.
"My little mishap?" I chuckled good-naturedly. "I seem to remember you having a hand in it." Then I stopped short, seeing Darry, Soda, and Two-Bit standing by the pickup. Steve, chatting with some blonde sophomore, winked at me as we came around the corner.
"Yee-haw!" Two-Bit hooted, shaking up a beer and running up to me. He cracked the lid and drenched me with it. Darry groaned as Shakes and Sodapop laughed. Then smiling, he ruffled my hair affectionately. "Thanks for livening up the ceremony with your little disappearing act."
"Glad you appreciated it," I beamed at Two-Bit, ignoring Darry's famous disapproving scowl. Inwardly I sighed, knowing I was due a lecture when we got home.
Darry laid off me as much as he could; but he just couldn't break some of his big brother habits. He and Soda both, I had to admit.
Soda ran up too, swooping me into a hug. "Congrats, you're done!"
"Glory. It's just high school. No big deal." I told their grinning faces. Hell, they were probably just happy I had made it to 17 after all the crap I had been through.
"It sure is," Darry reprimanded. "You should be proud of yourself."
Inwardly, I wanted to scream but I kept the cheesy smile on my face, just letting Darry have his moment.
Hell, I was just excited for summer vacation. The future seemed so far away and I didn't want to bother with it right now.
Shakes waggled his eyebrows at me. "Ponyboy Curtis, you almost went out with a bang today," he drawled.
Then he tossed me a Black Cat, which was thankfully unlit.
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We all went back to the house for dinner. Darry started making a chocolate cake and as usual we all began milling around. "You want to stay for dinner?" I asked Shakes, thumbing through a book I had been meaning to finish: The Great Gatsby. He shuffled his feet and looked out the window.
"I'd better not. Mom wants me home for my 'graduation feast'. Although, if I know her it'll be a six-pack and bucket of chicken." Sheila, Shakes' mom, was a good woman. She just didn't have a clue as to how to raise a son. She was more friend than parent. But in the end, Shakes was lucky; she loved him and she didn't hit him. Two hard things to come by in our neighborhood.
Two-Bit, lounging in Darry's recliner, grunted, "Sounds good to me." His eyes took on a glazed look as he began to think about beer.
Even Darry had a heart. "Are you sure Alex?" he asked. "We'll have plenty." Soda nodded in agreement as he divided poker chips up between Steve and himself. He wore his DX cap and had dollar bills sticking out the sides.
"Thanks but no thanks." Shakes told us. "I'll take you up on it next time though."
As I walked Shakes to the door, we ran into Dana. We both stopped in our tracks as she barged in. "I brought some potato salad."
From across the room I flashed Soda a knowing look; Dana hadn't been invited. Darry stifled a groan, the rest of the room their laughter.
"Miss Susie Homemaker strikes again," Shakes whispered before he left.
"Congrats sweetie," she said, setting the salad on the kitchen table. She came up to me and pecked my cheek. "Sorry I couldn't be there."
"Not a problem," I mumbled, embarrassed. Two-Bit mouthed sweetie at me and puckered his lips, ignoring my glare. Steve and Soda, turning red from holding in their laughter, hastily tried chugging water to detract attention. Darry's expression warned them they better quit it or else.
To Dana, I was now 'sweetie' or 'honey', first name not important. The problem with Dana was that she just didn't get things. If someone told her something she usually ignored it.
"Darry," she was now saying doubtfully, "I don't think the cake is supposed to have that much sugar."
"You should let me make it," Soda said as Darry whipped the bowl; annoyed that now two people were ordering him around, although Soda was doing it just for fun. "It'll put you in a coma."
Two-Bit nodded. "Sounds good to me," he repeated.
Steve tossed a poker chip at Two-Bit. "You're a big mooch you know that right?"
"Well, the only reason I come over here is to reap the benefits," Two-Bit replied flipping the chip back and turning on the TV.
Dana sniffed and settled herself at the table half-heartedly with Soda and Steve. Instantly, the poker game was shot. Steve sighed and shuffled the cards.
I could see Dana waiting to make a move to help Darry out. Dana was a nurse at St. Joseph's and she constantly took it upon herself to nag anyone and everyone about their health.
However, on the plus side, she did have Darry watching how much lumber he carried at work.
Needing a break from the festivities I walked to the door and lit a smoke before going outside. Dana, seeing me from the kitchen, yelled out across the room, "Those things are going to kill you one of these days." She pursed her lips in annoyance.
"I'll make a note," I said rudely and stepped outside, slamming the door shut behind me. I didn't care if Darry yelled at me. That woman was the most over-bearing, pretentious-
"Glory, help us," Two-Bit exclaimed, joining me outside. The screen door rattled as he slammed it shut.
"I think I'm going to sit out here and chain-smoke the rest of the day. Just to piss her off." I told him. "Want one?" I held up the pack and grinned slyly.
"No, but Darry might after the rip-roaring fight they're going to be having. I recommended everyone evacuate the house as soon as possible, but I think Soda and Steve want to catch the show."
"What happened?"
"She told Darry that chocolate wasn't one of the four food groups and she didn't know how growing boys could exist on that alone."
Groaning, I blew smoke out of my nose. Challenging Darry's authority on how he had raised Soda and me wasn't her best tactic.
The front door swung open and Soda and Steve flew out of the house laughing. Behind them I could hear Dana's high-pitched voice explaining herself over Darry's lower, reprimanding one. "C'mon," Soda said grabbing me. He threw an arm around my shoulders as we trotted down the street. "I'll take you for your first post-high school drink. We definitely won't be eating here tonight."
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