Chapter 4- The Morning After
Kelly woke, a sweaty male body squishing her into the cushions of a couch. He smelled of beer and smoke and dirt. She rolled over to see Two Bit, arm draped over her, half hanging off the couch with his mouth gaping open and a soft snore escaping him. She rolled her eyes. He was a disgusting human being. She wondered why she ever wanted to sleep with him. She pushed herself up, peering around the living room. It was just them two, though she could hear someone--most likely Darry-- in the kitchen cooking something on a sizzling pan. Kelly stretched and stood on the couch, then hopped over Two Bit's limp body and landed with a thud on the floor. She had to steady herself. Maybe she was a bit more drunk last night than she thought.
She strode into the kitchen and stretched again, her hands high above her head. Darry, as she thought, was emptying plates of pancakes, waffles, toast, eggs and sausage onto the table. They may have always struggled with money, but Darrell always made sure the boys had a full fridge and a full stomach. And he never minded feeding strays like Kelly, either, as long as he trusted them. Even with her terrible reputation, Kelly was still just as loyal and trustworthy as the next greaser in their gang. And although she wasn't technically a part of their gang, they all always made sure to make her feel included at times; probably because she was a girl and they felt bad for her. But a family was a family and Roy and Jan weren't much of one to Kelly. You could tell they were dissatisfied with their life, while Kelly revelled in it.
She grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water from the faucet. "Morning Darry," she said croakily, taking a long drink of her water.
He smiled at her and nodded. "Mornin Kel. How'd you sleep?" He asked, almost jokingly.
She rolled her eyes. "I told Two Bit to stay on the damn floor but he gave me those sad puppy dog eyes and climbed onto the couch next to me. I woulda been tossin and turnin all night if I wasn't squished up so bad."
He laughed, and Soda entered the kitchen, shirtless and scratching the back of his head. "Mornin family," he greeted with a smile. He sat on one of the seats and picked up a piece of toast from one of the various towers of food on the table. He shoved it into his mouth and winked at Kelly, who came to sit by him.
"Where's everyone else?" She asked, peering back into the living room where Two Bit was still hanging halfway off the couch.
Darry flipped a pancake in the pan, and Soda applauded briefly with a laugh. "Uh I think Dally slept on the floor in Pony's room with him and Kate. Steve slept--"
But he couldn't get the words out fast enough. Kelly pushed herself from her seat and stomped off down the hallway, barging into Ponyboy's room. Her ears were red and warm with anger and she scanned the room for her cousin. She saw long blonde hair sprawled across a pillow, and lumps under a comforter. Two other bodies were on the floor; one was Pony's, easily recognizable as he was lying facing the door under his spare blankets and pillows , and the other Dallas, whose hands were folded behind his head and no blanket covering him. His shirt was off and sitting on his face, covering his eyes.
Good. Kate wasn't as big of a skank as she'd thought she was. Kelly kicked Dally's foot, startling him awake, which woke Pony in return as he jerked next to him.
Dally caught sight of the fiery redhead and rolled onto his stomach. "What do y'want broad?" He asked in agony, muffled under his arm. Pony pushed himself upwards and wiped his eyes. He caught the scent of Darry's pancakes and his gurgling stomach wouldn't let him fall back to sleep now.
Kelly scrunched her face. "Breakfast," she told them coldly. Pony stretched and started stumbling to his feet.
"I ain't feelin too good. Musta got maybe three hours of sleep," he said, gripping his hair. He looked over to the body in his bed. "Should let 'er sleep. Surprised she kept up with us all night," he complimented, quietly, trying not to wake her.
"She was sober. Ain't nothin to be proud of," Kelly scoffed. Dally rolled back over and sat upright.
"You are such a bitch, Daton," he scolded. But he didn't go on. He simply got up, grabbed his shirt and tugged it over his head. He pushed past her and went to the kitchen. She remained, angry and annoyed, as Ponyboy too pulled his shirt on over his head.
Kate stirred in the bed and rolled over to face them. Kelly almost spat in her sleeping face. But instead, with some self control, she just shot her a sneer and went back to the kitchen, Pony following close behind.
The gang sat around the table, Two Bit now awake and lively as ever. He could bounce back from a night of drinking faster than any alcoholic they had ever known. He was shoveling eggs into his mouth. Darry was pouring himself some coffee when Kelly entered, and he poured a second cup and offered it to her. She took it and they both pulled up a seat. Steve was there too, now sober but badly bruised from the night before. He didn't even bother to clean the dirt out of his wounds.
"Man, I just don't even remember what started the fight," he began, chomping on a bit of sausage.
Darry shook his head. "Well don't bleed all over the kitchen. Finish up and clean that muck off your face," he said between bites.
"Well, it was a good ol welcome home for Dal, here. Goes to show some things never change," Soda piped in.
"Oh!" Steve exclaimed suddenly. "I do remember why we were fightin." He swallowed the mouthful of food hard, nearly choking so he could start talking sooner. "It was actually about you Kel," he said, beginning it chuckle.
Kelly raised a brow and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Oh yea, pal? What was they sayin about me at the lot last night?" She warned.
Steve laughed a little more, nervously this time. "Uh, well nothin Kel… wasn't important. You know… the usual…" he replied, stuffing more food into his mouth.
Kelly shook her head. "No, I wanna know," she threatened.
The table grew silent for a minute but Steve shrugged. Well, he might as well tell her. She'd hear it sooner or later around town. "Well Jimmy Rodgers said that Shepherd was flapping his gums about why y'all broke up when they were drunk the other night. He said it's because Tim said ya gave him somethin… if you know what I mean…" he trailed off.
Gave HIM something?! Tim Shepherd was a pile of shit and a liar. If anything, he would've been the skurvy one to give her a disease. He acted like they both didn't cheat on each other and that Kelly was the unfaithful one. But now he was gonna blame some nasty disease he caught from some other trash on her? Kelly's nails dug into her arms. The boys looked around at each other, waiting for her to explode, as she had a tendency to do as a hot head. But she stayed calm, though inside her anger was building and building and building.
A shuffle came from the hallway and Kate emerged with her hair in a long straight ponytail, the large tshirt Kelly had given her, and a pair of sweatpants--most likely Pony's gift to her. The room turned to look at her and she halted, feeling awkwardly like she had walked in at a bad time. "Mornin Kate," Pony said, standing up and offering her his seat. "Hope my bed was okay. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Makes me restless some nights," he apologized.
She touched his arm with a tired grin. "It was fine Ponyboy. I slept well. Thank you," she said to him reassuringly. She sat down in his chair as he left the room momentarily to drag in a spare from the porch. There were only two matching chairs in the whole kitchen, ironically the ones that Kate and Dally had been sitting in. That's what happens when you have rowdy boys fighting in the house all the time. Furniture starts to break left and right. She looked over the table and began making herself a plate. "Looks good," she complimented.
Kelly was still fuming, watching her cousin smile idiotically and selfishly. Her nails dug deeper into her arms. Soda noticed and tried to lay a sympathetic hand on hers to stop her digging, but she retracted from him. Steve noticed too, and so he tried to calm her.
"Now don't get ya panties in a twist girly. You know them boys ain't no good. Besides, I told em you just made it with Two Bit and he didn't have anythin of the sorts that they were talkin about," he said nonchalantly.
Kate cocked her head to the side, taking note of the conversation. She swallowed a piece of pancake and leaned forward, her eyes worriedly on her cousin who looked like she was fighting back tears.
"What's going on, Kel, are you okay?" She asked, concerned.
That about did it. Kelly was like a match instantly struck. She slammed her hands down on the table, her arms red where her nails had been. She pushed herself up and leaned over to come eye to eye with Kate. "You know it all little spoiled square… can't ya mind ya own damn business? This ain't got nothin to do with you and you don't know nothin about my life!" She yelled, finally exploding like the gang knew was inevitable. Soda tried to grab Kelly in comfort, to stop her tirade, but again, she retracted from his touch.
She jabbed a finger into Kate's face. "You shouldn't even be here! This table ain't a place for you! This town ain't a place for you! Get the fuck out of here and leave me alone. I don't need a pet draggin ass behind me!"
"Hey Kelly, knock it off, man!" Pony objected angrily.
She ignored him. "If you think you can judge me and put on that innocent act and fool these greasers you're wrong sista! Because ain't nobody foolin me, especially not an entitled, rich bitch, goody two shoes, prudey, 'I have nothin because my daddy left me' whiney little--"
"Kelly would you shut the fuck up, you bitch!" Dally yelled, suddenly on his feet. "What kind of trash are you thinkin you can come in this house and talk like that? You're a bitch! I don't know why Johnnycakes ever liked you. You're trash, girl, TRASH."
He stormed toward the hallway, leaving the kitchen in awe. They were all surprised to see Dally in such a fit. He never cared about anyone that much to cause a stink of some name calling. Hell, he was usually the first to join in. Kate sat, silently and seemingly unbothered by it all. Her face had a blank expression and she didn't look at anyone, though everyone was stealing glances at her. They never liked to see a girl cry, but it seemed she wouldn't.
Dallas returned with the girls denim shorts and her tennis shoes. She dropped them roughly in her lap. "Put them on, let's go," he ordered, then walked out the front door, the screen slamming and bouncing off the frame. Kate stood from the table and walked back to Pony's room to change.
Soda looked disappointed. He took Kelly by the shoulder and shoved her back into her seat without another word. She was embarrassed by Soda's reaction to her. He usually gave her unconditional love, even when she was being a monster. Two Bit and Steve giggled a bit, somewhat in shock of what just happened. Darry cleaned up Kate and Dally's plates when he saw her pass the kitchen and head out the door as well.
When he sat back down, he shook his head. "Kel, that girl ain't tuff like you. You gotta give her a break. I don't think she was tryina be funny by askin you what's wrong."
"She ain't like the girls from school," Pony spoke up, angry now. He never met many girls he could get along with, and now, Kelly was ruining his only chance of having a female friend that he could actually talk to without losing his cool.
Kelly glared at Pony. "You don't know her like I do," she retorted. "What she tell ya Pony? That you're special? She ain't that smart. She ain't that nice or different either." She drank from her now cold, black coffee cup. "And she ain't that accepting. She's a Soc through and through. She's got no reason to be here…"
Darry sighed as the table regained life, and another conversation started thanks to Steve. It was like the whole first half of the morning never happened. Soda wasn't gloomy or disappointed any longer, and even Pony eased up, even with all his resentment toward Kelly. They discussed going into the countryside to a watering hole to swim later that day, to celebrate more of Dally's return, when he came back to the house. Darry would let Pony skip school and wouldn't give Kelly a headache about it. And by then, tempers should be simmered and the morning fight forgotten. They'd bring beers and their swim suits and balls to kick around.
Kelly thought to herself about her favorite suit; high waisted and all black. When she wore it she really looked like a pin up. It showed her curves in all the right places, and she couldn't wait to show herself off. And this was something she knew Kate wouldn't be a part of, because she knew they weren't the same bathing suit size, and she probably hadn't bought one for herself yet.
Dally was really ballsy to talk to her like that. She wondered where he was taking Kate--probably home--and wondered when he'd be back. She couldn't wait to show him her suit and really make him regret what he said. But then she remembered something else he said, about Johnny, and suddenly she didn't feel like much of a party anymore.