Really weird chapter in my opinion, not really sure if I like it or not. Review if you like, and thanks for all the reviews I've received so far. I really appreciate it. :)
"Have they found anything out yet?" Two-Bit asked hesitantly as he approached the group of boys standing in front of the Curtis' yard. He was not his usual cocky, humorous self. His shoulders slumped, and a deep frown was on his face. There was no hop in his step, no light in his eyes, no punch line to throw at anyone. It was the same for all of the boys. They were deeply worried about the three members of their tight knit 'family' that had suddenly just disappeared.
"I think they're assuming they all ran off somewhere." Dally replied bitterly, flicking away a cigarette butt. He was well aware that the boys wouldn't break the law, but they were poor, and the police believed that all people who were less fortunate than themselves were thieves. Or so he thought anyway. Dallas Winston had a quite a dislike for the cops.
"You know as well as I do that they wouldn't do that." Two-Bit said.
"Yeah well, what are we gonna do about it, huh? We're greasers." Dally shot a glare at the usually comedic boy who was strangely solemn.
"We have to do something." Johnny uttered. Their disappearances had seriously unnerved him. Not only was he worried sick about his missing friends, he was scared at what could happen to the ones that were still present.
"He's right; they wouldn't just go off like that. They'd tell someone first. I know this isn't the work of the socs, but I just…" Steve began rambling.
"Can't wrap your mind around it?" Two-Bit finished. "It's been bugging me too. How does someone take three boys out and not leave a trace behind them?"
"You think they're dead?" Dally asked, staring at the ground.
"There's no blood though." Johnny offered up when the rest of them shrugged helplessly.
"Let's get out of here. We're not doing any good just standing here." Dally said after a silence. They walked off together, not sure of their destination. They just wanted to go somewhere away from that shabby little house that was crowded with policemen and reporters. It's not that policemen and reporters would've kept them out if they'd wanted to stay, but it was hard looking at the place they'd last seen the Curtis brothers at.
"You wasted your chance."
"I couldn't do it." Sodapop whined.
"She'll be back down in a bit, don't blow it. You're our only ticket out."
As much as Ponyboy wanted to argue with Darry for putting too much pressure on Sodapop, he didn't. He was more fatigued than he'd been in his life.
Upstairs Angie was fixing up. She curled her hair and did her makeup all while eating a warmed over dinner. She felt energetic for the first time in awhile, and she wasn't about to waste it.
Habitually, she checked the porch for the newspaper. She found the one she'd neglected to pick up this morning and read the headlines. Angie's signature wicked smile appeared and then she giggled.
When she returned to the boys she wore a sundress, her eyes were dark with make up, and her lips were a bright red. In her hand she held a newspaper.
"I think you boys ought to hear this." She announced. She unfolded the newspaper and held it out for each of them to see.
"Three boys have gone missing. Police have no leads. 'It seems,' says Officer Black, 'that they disappeared into thin air. There's no blood, no signs of foul play, not a thing out of place.' The police are considering the possibility that the boys have run off, but neighbors say this is impossible." Angie stopped. "I think you get the gist." She then folded up the newspaper and threw it to the ground.
Sodapop could no longer tolerate Darry's eyes drilling into his skull. He finally spoke up.
"You look real good, you going out on a date or something?"
"Actually, no. I just like to dress up sometimes." Angie sat down and crossed her legs, giving Soda a sweet smile.
Sodapop licked his lips nervously, then he drew in a quick breath.
"Well, you're really pretty. I don't see how you don't have a date."
That was all it took. Angie sprung up from her seat and rushed to take her place in front of Sodapop.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Of course," Soda replied.
She then leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"I can let you have a little fun tonight, if you promise not to run away."
Sodapop tried to look eager as he accepted her request, but the moment she began unchaining him from the wall with her keys, he cringed.
"You even try anything stupid and I'll use this." She threatened, pulling a small gun out of her bra. Sodapop wanted to jump out of his skin, but he remained calm.
"I won't." he swore, and he meant it.
Darry watched as Sodapop was led upstairs by the nutty girl that had held them captive for this short while that seemed like a year and wanted to slap himself. What if he got hurt?
Stepping outside of that basement for the first time in awhile made Soda wonder what it was like stepping out of jail for the first time, and he figured it would feel something similar to this. For once he felt like he shared something in common with Dally, the darkest character of the gang. He realized how frustrating it was to be pent up in a place with no sunlight, and could almost sympathize with Dally.
He observed the house, which was filled to the brim with expensive things – expensive furniture, expensive vases, expensive portraits lining the walls. The ceilings were high, there was a grand and ornate fireplace in the living room, and he saw a huge tub when he passed the bathroom. What he noticed more than anything though, was the thick film of dust that covered almost everything. The place looked haunted.
Upon seeing her bedroom, a dizzy sensation came over him, and something icky was working its way under his sticky skin. His face -although not drawn by an experienced hand, it was very apparent that it was his- was plastered everywhere. But he couldn't concentrate on it for too long. Angie was ripping off his shirt.
He could feel the passion surging out of her as she crushed her lips to his, and he couldn't return anything adequate to it. It didn't matter. Any hesitation on his part was taken as shyness by Angie.
Soda had to do very little. Angie knew what she was doing, though she swore she was still a virgin, by her standards anyway.
"I've never done anything with anyone, well, I might've, but I don't remember it. It doesn't count if you're intoxicated, does it?"
Sodapop hadn't needed to reply to that. She was too caught up to care about a word he said anyway.
Even when it was over, it was still not over. Sodapop had hoped that by some wild luck she would fall asleep, but she didn't. She was wired. She laid next to him, gripping his sweaty hand, still out of breath as she began to speak.
"I'm so glad you're here Sodapop, I love you, I really do. I've never said that to anyone, except my sister, but she's dead, and Soda, I just knew we were meant for each other when I saw you. Oh, let's run away together. That's what I want more than anything! Let's run away and get married and forget this shit place! We can forget everything."
If the physical part wasn't bad enough, listening to her ramble on and on was not only annoying, but heart wrenching.
"What do you say?" she asked finally, looking over at him with glowing, sparkling eyes through the dark. She was so damned beautiful, but so insane that she was repulsive. He knew he could never love her, even if he forced himself.
"I can't Angie, I can't…"
"Why not?" she screeched, sitting up. Her hand slipped from his.
"I like it here."
It only took three little murmured words to set her off.
Angie threw the covers off, rushed over to her dresser and put on a gown.
"Come over here," she commanded, "but get dressed first."
Soda obeyed, his head hanging the whole time. He looked like a repentant dog that had been whipped repeatedly. He grimaced as she chained him to the wall again. He'd been so close to freedom. He'd given her all he could, and it was for nothing.
"You can stay there till you change your mind." Angie growled before returning up the stairs.
