One Step At A Time
Summary: When he was only two, a car accident took his leg, and his mother. Now, Ponyboy must learn to deal with life as a fourteen year old with only one leg. With the help six brothers and dad, he's just going to have to take it one step at a time. (Mr. Curtis is alive!)
Disclaimer: No, silly, I never have nor will I ever own The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders. *sighs* :( I simply borrow them for my own creative enjoyment purposes.
White collar black wolf: Thank you!
Kas3y: Thank you so much. I'm glad that you thought so!
HappierThanMost: Always one to bring a smile to my face. You're reviews are so long and helpful. I love reading them. I'm glad I made your heart melt, heartwarming is a life change from dark and depressing like I normally write lol. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your heartwarming words, they mean so much to me and a lot of other authors on this site.
Amanda (Guest): I love writing him! And Two-Bit, my favorite. I love him too. :) I'm okay, thank you, and right! Clumsy me. Thank you so much for your review love.
Candymouse22: I love writing him as a cool older brother! It's been a lot of fun writing this story, because the characters are in such different scenarios. And in my head, Ponyboy's lower leg, right below the knee, was shattered and ran over by the drunk driver. Being that he was young when it happened, he's learned how to participate in activities with his prosthetic. Thank you so much for your review!
KT (Guest): Thank you so much for your review! And it does, but I don't think I'll be out longer than a week, and if I am, I'll probably run anyways, so it'll be okay. I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter.
Chapter 3: Movies and Mistakes
~ Saturday, August 26, is 1966 ~
Ponyboy decided that next time he wanted to go to the movies, he would go alone. Going to the movies with Two-Bit was too much of a headache, and when he tried to watch whatever movie was playing, it was like someone was looking over his shoulder. It was something he had always thought when it came to the gang and movies, and he should have stuck to it. It would have saved him so much trouble.
He would have even gone to the movies that night if he knew what he was in for.
"Ready for a night of fun?" Two-Bit called out happily, a beer in his left hand. Mr. Curtis wasn't home, so he was able to drink in the house without getting a disappointed look. The boy's father figure never forbid Two-Bit from drinking, but he could tell that the older man preferred that he didn't drink.
"Sure," Ponyboy responded, rolling his eyes at Two-Bit's already slurring speech. How Two-Bit thought he was finally going to pass the junior year by showing up to his first day of school hungover Ponyboy didn't know, but what he did know was Two-Bit had offered him a reprieve from his uneventful, mundane summer days and he was going to take it, even if it meant babysitting a drunk Two-Bit.
"Let's party!"
OoOoOoO
Ponyboy and Two-Bit arrived outside the gate just as "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" began playing. Two-Bit slipped under first, offering a hand to help Ponyboy slip through. The front half of the younger boy made it through easily, until he tried to slide his bottom half under and sit up. The top of his prosthetic got caught in the chain link, digging a broken chain link deep into his leg. He hissed, a few cuss words slipping from his mouth.
"Crap, kid, you alright?" Two-Bit asked, looking concerned as he helped adjust the younger boy's prosthetic so that he could get through.
"Yeah, just bleeding a little," Ponyboy assured him, wiping away the small spot of blood that dotted his leg.
As the two greasers began walking away, Ponyboy glanced back at the link that had cut him, relieved that getting a tetanus shot wouldn't make the list of things he had to do.
"Dee Dee's hot," Two-Bit commented after a minute or so into the movie, giving a quick, low whistle, sticking his feet up on the unoccupied seat in front of them.
"I thought that you liked blondes, Two-Bit."
"Well, I can appreciate women with a darker hair color, on occasion."
Ponyboy rolled his eyes at the older man's response. "Mmhm. You just like her tits."
"And I'm not ashamed! You'll understand when you're older, Ponyboy. Just you wait."
Before the auburn haired greaser could even respond, a cold voice interrupted their lighthearted banter.
"Well, well, well, look what we got here. A couple pieces of trash sitting in our seats."
"Last time I checked your names aren't on these seats, pal. And I've got about five buddies around here packing worse things than your liquid courage, so I'd watch it," Two-Bit replied coldly, standing up to reach their height.
"I'd watch yourself, pal. I can smell the cheap beer comin' off your breath all the way from over here."
There were four of them, dressed in white pants and Madras shirts. They were all bigger than Ponyboy and although he would never admit it, his hands shook with nerves at his side as he stood behind Two-Bit.
"Boys, you better take it outside," a worker warned in a serious voice. Ponyboy saw the man stand up, giving the six a once over.
Two-Bit gave the Socs a cheeky grin, the alcohol in his system giving him a dangerous sense of calm.
"See you, boys," Two-Bit called as the left. Ponyboy hushed him, glancing back over his shoulder nervously.
"Shoot, Ponyboy, I think we just barely escaped that one," Two-Bit declared once they were outside. Ponyboy opened his mouth to respond, a slight chuckle escaping through, but the sound of a distant yet distinctive engine took the words right out of his mouth.
"I wouldn't speak so fast," Ponyboy warned, picking up his pace to a fast, but awkwardly stiff walk. He didn't turn around when he heard the engine shut off and footsteps behind him. He just kept walking, hoping that the farther they led the Socs into greaser territory, the more likely it was that backup would arrive.
No one showed up.
Ponyboy felt an arm grab him from behind, grabbing him tightly around the neck, closing off his airways. He coughed, gasping for breath, but none came in. He saw Two-Bit go wide-eyed as the older man was punched in the face, ensuing a fight.
With a surge of adrenaline Ponyboy kicked his foot back, but he couldn't hit anything besides step on the guy's foot. He finally threw his head back, his head making contact with the Soc's nose.
With one Soc with a broken nose and another on the ground after his tussle with Two-Bit, the four took off towards their vehicle. Ponyboy took in a few deep breaths, greedily enjoying being able to breath again.
"You alright, kid?"
"Yeah, I'm good. Are you good?"
"Yeah, I'm good," Two-Bit decided, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That was fun. We should do this more often, you know, as like a last day of summer tradition or something."
"You're crazy, Two-Bit, you know that?"
"I sure do, Ponyboy Curtis."
A/N: I know I've had Ponyboy get jumped twice in three chapters, I promise that won't happen throughout the rest of the story.
Stay Gold,
~ Alee XxX