This chapter took me forever! I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: All rights go to S.E. Hinton. I own Carmen.
And a special thank you to: EternalBookworm823
The days continued like this: The gang would show up at my place for breakfast.
We would go to the movies sometime in the afternoon and end up at Casa de la Curtis for dinner and episodes of Mickey Mouse. I would leave at around eleven, but I kept coming home later and later. Finally on the Friday before school started my mom said something that made me drop the dish I had been washing at the time.
"Stay out as late as you want. No curfew tonight. Just be safe." The dish clattered back into the sink and shattered.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me correctly. Just be back before dawn," She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and started to pick up the remains of the ceramic blue plate.
"What brought this on?" I asked.
"Well I trust you. And your friends. Not Dallas but, the others I do." I starred open-mouthed before remembering how to talk.
"Thank you. So much Mom."
I called up the boys.
"Hellloooo!"
"Sodapop?"
"Yeah, Carmen, what's going on?"
"You guys have plans tonight?" I twirled the phone cord around my wrist in anticipation.
"No, might go to a party at Shepard's though…Why?"
"Can I come too?"
It was quiet for a minute before a new voice answered.
"We'll pick you up in an hour!"
"See you then Dally."
Dear Diary,
In ten minutes the gang will pick me up and we'll be off to the party. I showered and let my hair curl out. It makes me look kinda wild. Combined with dark eye make-up and a black v-neck shirt and an old (extremely short) skirt, I look very different to say the least. My mom let me borrow a pair of knee-high boots too, so I don't look thirteen. I'm scared of what might happen tonight. I made Sodapop promise I would not be left alone under any circumstances. I will not drink anything given to me. I will not put anything into my mouth period. I will not go off with anyone besides one of the gang. I'll be fine. I think.
The door bell rang impatiently for me. "Carmen, your friends are here!"
"Get your ass out here Carmen!"
"I'm coming!" I called. I hid my diary back under my mattress and clomped into the hallway.
"Holy…" Dallas trailed off when I came into sight.
"Um, uh…what are you wearing?" Steve stuttered.
"Clothes." I replied.
"Those ain't clothes." Two-Bit said pointing at my bare legs.
"What am I naked again?" I smirked and sauntered past them out the door, and towards the truck.
I hopped into the truck next to a surprised and blushing Johnny and Ponyboy. They didn't get too dressed-up for parties.
When we arrived the party was in full swing. Music blared from the two-story house and guys stood on the porch, smoking. One winked as I passed by. I could tell this was going to be a long night.
Turns out, boys get distracted easily. Two-Bit was doing shots at the make-shift bar with a bunch of girls. Dallas had disappeared up stairs with a girl. Sodapop and Steve were playing pool in the other room and Johnny had gone home. That left Ponyboy.
We leaned against the far wall and just watched the people. We got bits of other's conversations, which were quiet funny when put together.
"Did you hear-"
"Yeah, she's-"
"Like such a guy-"
"Who-"
"Can't even wear high-heels-"
"In bed!"
Ponyboy and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. "This is fun," I said but it came out like a question.
"You wanna ditch?" he asked, looking at me from under his eyelashes. I noticed he had the dark, long kind that girls kill for.
I grinned and he led me out the door.
We ended up sitting in a clearing by a park. It was fairly secluded which made me nervous…but we just lay down on our backs and starred at the sky.
"See that group of stars there?" Ponyboy pointed to a small cluster of stars.
"Yeah."
"That's Orion's Belt."
"Really?"
"I don't know, it could be," He smiled at me and shrugged. I giggled girlishly.
"So, you and Sodapop are really close huh?" I asked trying to start a conversation.
"Yeah, he's like my brother and my best friend. I mean, we tell each other everything!" he said.
"That's like my brother and me! Well, before we used to be closer. Once he started his junior year, we grew a bit apart. Now it's like we're total strangers," I explained. We both sat up at the same time.
"That's my relationship with Darry. Once our parents died and he became the parental figure of the house…" Ponyboy sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry, 'bout your parents." I put my hand on his arm.
He looked away and shrugged. "What can ya do?"
It was quiet for a moment before he said something that caught me entirely off guard.
"What happened to your sister?"
"Um, my sister?" My mouth had hit the grassy ground.
"Yeah. I saw a stuffed bear in your living room. It was pink and said 'In loving memory: Logan Emma Rose, October 20, 1955'. I figured it was your sister. What happened?"
I sighed. I made the hasty decision to tell him. I had kept this to myself for too long. And he did ask…twice.
"I was five years old. Just turned actually. Dad came home from work with a big smile on his face and told me I was going to be a big sister," I began, talking fast.
"It was a normal pregnancy, until the end.
On October 19, Austin, my father, and I drove Mom to the hospital. She was in labor when the baby was a little over eight months old. Which is not supposed to happen," I added. I had to take a deep breathe.
"Go on." Ponyboy encouraged.
"I was in the room when she was born. She wasn't screaming like most babies are supposed to. Everyone was panicking. I remember my dad screaming at the doctor to save her…We each got to hold her for maybe two minutes each. I had to say good-bye to a sister-" I sobbed lightly"-who was alive for eleven minutes" I might have been over dramatic, but in truth, I never talked about Logan. Never. I'd only cried the night she was born. Ponyboy put his arms slowly around me. I laid my head against his shoulder and sobbed harder. I missed her. I never got to know what it was like to be an older, responsible sibling. Never got to pass down my clothes or wisdom, however limited it was.
Ponyboy spoke soothingly. "I'm sorry."
When I finally calmed down I looked up and he chuckled. "You look like a drowned raccoon."
I scowled and he helped me to my feet.
"Let's get you home so you can clean up."
I slipped into my pajamas with a clean face and messy hair. Ponyboy was right. I did look like a raccoon. Ponyboy was relaxing on my bed, his head on my pillow. My window was open so we could see the stars and the moon. In its' light, Ponyboy's skin glowed and his eyes shinned. I realized something that night. Under the star-studded Tulsa sky, I had fallen in love with Ponyboy Curtis.
How'd you like the ending? What's next for Carmen and her new-found crush? Find out next time on 'Young Love Under the Stars'! Hm...5 more updates before the next chapter? That's sounds good to me! I love hearing your opinions (if they are good) and can't wait to hear what you have to say about this chapter...