CHAPTER 4
I awoke with a start early the next morning - the sting from last night's whippin' obviously bein' the reason.
Soda was streched out beside me, his arm flung across my body as if he were tryin' to protect me.
Why the hell didn't he protect me last night...I thought bitterly.
I slowly slid out from under his arm - I had no desire to wake him. I was humiliated. I couldn't face him...or Darry...yet.
I grabbed some clothes and hurried myself into the bathroom - there was no way I wanted to change in my room...
I wanted to inspect the damage in private.
After stripping for the shower, I hesitantly turned around to look...
No wonder I was so sore... Darry had tanned me two shades of blister blue.
BASTARD.
I quickly showered, dressed, grabbed my backpack, scribbled a quick note to Darry and Soda that I was walkin' to school and beat it outta there.
I couldn't concentrate in any of my classes. I couldn't sit still. For a brief moment it crossed my mind to cut school, but the burning in my backside quickly reminded me that I didn't wanna do anything to make Darry any madder.
So...I stayed at school and tried, unsuccessfully, to quit fidgeting.
Curly caught up with me at lunch as I was standing under a tree, smoking a cigarette,
and drinkin' a pepsi - in my rush to get outta the house this morning, I forgot to pack
myself a lunch.
"Hey Pone!" Boy howdy, he was the last person I wanted to see right then.
"What's goin' on, Curly?"
"Was Darry real pissed, man? Cuz he sure looked mighty pissed when he was draggin'
you outta Buck's party last night.", he snickered.
"Yeah", I answered, not wanting Curly to get any ideas about what actually took place after Darry got me home. "Darry and Soda both - I'm grounded for two weeks."
"Man, that sucks!" He shook his head and sighed. "Guess I'll hafta let Missy know that you won't be takin' her up to one of Buck's bedrooms for awhile... Man, Pone, she was hot for you...you coulda had that..."
I cut him off.
"I'll meet ya at the lot at 11:30 Saturday night - just tell Missy I'll see her at Buck's bu midnight."
What the hell was I thinkin'?
"But I thought Darry grounded ya for two weeks...ain't he gonna have somethin' to say about you goin' out Saturday night?"
"Darry ain't gonna say nothin'...cause Darry ain't gonna find out"
Man, that was tuff.
When I got home from track practice, Soda was wrestling with Steve on the living room floor, Two-Bit was glued to the tv watchin' Mickey Mouse, a beer in one hand, and Darry was in the kitchen cookin' dinner.
I just walked in quietly without sayin' a word.
I wondered if Two-Bit and Steve knew what happened last night. I hoped not. I couldn't face 'em if they did.
I went into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of chocolate milk.
"Hey, Pony. You OK there, little brother?" Darry questioned.
Bastard, I thought. And I shrugged.
He stepped in front of my and took me by the shoulders.
Oh great...just what I needed...another lecture.
"Look, Pone...I know you're upset..." Darry started.
He doesn't know anything my mind screamed! He doesn't know how bad that belt hurts...he
doesn't know that I can't sit down...he doesn't know how I hated bein' across his knees.
he doesn't know that I'm humiliated!
"but you really gotta understand why I needed to spank you last night. Pony..." he said gently, "I'm just so damn scared of los..."
But I cut him off as I snapped at him "I understand!"
I pulled away.
"I got homework", I said and I left for my room.
Laying on my stomach, on my bed, I was trying to concentrate on my homework...but i had only two things on my mind...the immense sting in my backside and how the hell I was gonna get outta my house to meet Missy Saturday night.