Chapter 1 Parks and Sweet Greasers
I finally started to breath normally again. This might sound stupid but, it felt real good. You know when you were a kid and used to play hide and seek, and that you finally find a place tohide but youre so pumped that you breath real loud and you have to stop so the others wont hear ya. Anyway thats how I felt.
I had just finished unpacking my stuff , 'coz i just moved in Tulsa, and went downstairs where my parents were arguing again and I really didn't want them to hear me. So I decided to take a walk and explore my new neighborhood. Its not like the fancy neighborhoods you see in most movies with perfect houses and clean sidewalks. It was a poor neighborhood where greasers and hoods lived. It was tuff. As I kept walking I came across a small park with some benches, trees, swings and in the middle, a fountain with crystal clear water. I couldn't help but go near it . The water seemed good to me then. Calming. So when I got to the fountain I put my hands in. Suddenly a small rippled formed, but I could still see reflection real well in it. I couldn't help but notice that my curly brown hair was in a mess. Probably 'cause of the wind. After all it was fall. My eyes started to feel dry so I closed them and stayed like that for a while; sitting beside the fountain hands in the water, eyes closed. When I opened my eyes again I could see a boy behind me in the water's reflection. He looked comfortable, like he'd been standing there for a while. I turned around to face and saw that he was no more than seventeen or eighteen, about six foot tall. With his golden hair and his matching eyes he was quite handsome. He was dressed like a rich kid a soc.
"Hey doll, what ya doin'?" He asked. I'm really shy around people at first so I simply replied that I was going home. I got up and started for my house.
"Then i guess you're not busy.." He said so calmly it gave me chills. Before I knew it he had me tackled to the ground. 2 or 3 other socs surrounded us now; the hell they came from?! They started kicking me; in the sides on the legs in the face... I felt weak and numb. I guess I was in luck they suddenly they all got oof of me and slowly headed where a couple of other boys stood fists in their pockets and angry looks on their faces. There were four of them, they were greasers I think... Well their hair was greased back, unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, after all they were pretty far. Not that much but any who... One of them was real tall, he like towered the other three. He seemed to be whispering something to the tanned guy on his right. That guy looked a bit hesitant? I dont now. But he walked towards me with another boy that looked a bit younger with his somwhat reddish brownish hair... i think... I couldn't see clearly my vision was blurred by tears I didn't even notice were there. I'm not a cry baby it just hurt bad. The brown/red haired one knelt down beside me.
"You feeling alright?" His words almost failed to prosess through my brain as he was helping me up, making me feel then times dizzier than I already was. I kept a hand on his arm to keep balance. He held up a price of cloth to my face and started drying the tears and apparently blood off my face. Every time he pressed the cloth just even just a bit, I could feel a burning sensation.
I opened my eyes to reply to him but no words came out, it sorta made me feel stupid. So I just looked away. My eyes went to the other boy, the tanned one, who came to me. He was awkwardly standing to the side. Usually I would of found that funny but you know... I was in pain. I herd a bit of yelling, then next thing I knew the socs were cowerding back to their mustang and drove off. The boy who was keeping me from falling, gently shook me. I guess I looked a bit lost."I'm O.K." i informed him. The boy looked a bit received.
"I'm glad. You're lucky we were passing by when we did; before it got any worst. Oh! Um.. My name's Ponyboy." He said. I still had no words coming out of my mouth. I also realized that I had a gash on my arm and it was bleeding bad. They'd cut right through my only jacket!
"I need to get home." I said as calm as possible. I diverted my eyes from Ponyboy and his friend, and took a step back, but my shoe got stuck and I fell on my butt, the quick movement making my head spin. Again Ponyboy helped me up.
"Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea if I helped you home." He said making a face, which if I may was one of a kind... From the corner of my eye I could see that the guys from earlier joined us and the tall one lit a cigarette.
"You're gonna help her home uh? And what's Darry gonna think about that ? You know he don't want you walking alone! I ain't taking the crap kid!" He was looking angrily at Ponyboy as he took another drag.
"Don't worry Johnny's gonna come with ." he was mentioning to the boy who was still standing awkwardly to the side with his head. "Besides we don't wanna let her go on her own she can barely stand up by herself, for all we know the socs are still around!" Ponyboy had a point getting jump once is enough for one day. "Aww why so protective? She just some broad who got beat up! Already whipped Curtis?" The other guy which I noticed had a crooked teeth taunted.
"Back off Steve!" Ponyboy was slowly heading for the street with me practically Leaning on him, a potatoe sack on a wall, and Johnny behing us with his hands in his pockets. When we got the street we Steve and the other tall boy went their we and Ponyboy, Johnny and i headed for my house. The rest of the way consisted of Ponyboy asking me general questions like what's my name and stuff, which I was a bit ashamed to tell him it was Lora-Leigh (i dont really like my name it's weird), and some directions at every street corner and Johnny quietly mumbleing to himself once in a while. On my doorstep we said goodbye, the boys went on their way and i went inside leaning on the doorframe so i wouldnt fall. As soon as i closed the door i was bombarded with tons of questions and worried looks. But the only thing on my mind were those boys... Those hot boys.