Part 7 – Movies and a challenge

"So anyone up for the movies tonight", Two-Bit asked as they ate lunch. Steve was now sitting with them and no one complained. Well Dallas wasn't too happy about it but he didn't say anything.

"I'll go", Darry said and looked at Soda. "We can bring Johnny and Pony too."

"Yeah that would be awesome", Soda beamed.

"How about you Dally", Two-Bit asked.

"Why not, I'm dying for some action", Dallas answered.

"Ya wanna come Steve", Soda asked his friend.

"I dunno", Steve said and looked at his hands. "I have to take care of my lil' sis and make sure she and the ol' man gets some decent food."

"Hey why don't we go earlier", Two-Bit said. "School will finish early today and we can go directly after last class!"

"Two-Bit all of us quits before you today", Darry said.

"So", Two-Bit asked. "I can skip."

"See Steve", Soda whispered. "We're all okay guys that can adjust to our friends."

"Yeah, yeah…" Steve answered.

"How'd you get that", Darry suddenly asked sitting opposite Steve at the table. Steve jumped and so did Soda as they were not prepared.

"Who, what", Soda asked confused.

"Steve how'd ya get that ugly bruise on your neck", Darry asked and Steve flipped up his collar.

"Little accident at home…"

"Uh hu sure and soon the socs won't jump us."

"Tell me when they don't and I break the news to a paper or some'."

"Very funny. Now how'd ya get it?"

"I told you", Steve looked straight into Darry's eyes. "An accident at home. Miley was helping me switch a bulb and I told her to hand it to me. But the sneaky little girl pulled it away and both of us nearly fell over the rail to the staircase. I hit the rail with my neck."

Darry stared into Steve's eyes but didn't see anything that could prove that Steve was lying.

"If you say so man", Darry said and turned away his gaze. But Soda eyed his friend suspiciously. He knew that Steve was keeping something from them. He didn't know what it was with Steve that was off, but something was and that made Soda nervous.

"So after next class we head to the movies", Two-Bit summered.

"Yes", the others chorused.

The guys went in Darry's truck. Darry, Johnny and Pony went inside the truck and the others in the truck bed.

"Hey Steve", Two-Bit called and the boy from Chicago opened his eyes. He'd been dozing off in the warm sun.

"What'ya want?"

"There in Chicago, you were from the rough parts right?"

"Yeah…"

"Do ya know anything about that league of kids that robbed and committed crimes?"

"Can't say I do", Steve said and closed his eyes again.

"Aw shoot I've been thinking about it."

"Why", Dallas asked.

"I heard it on the news this morning that the cops caught one of them. He was called Fox."

"Was", Soda asked and saw Steve tense as he listened.

"Yeah he was shot down by the cops. But before they shot him he yelled… eh Vixen DBC."

Steve shot up from his place and stared at Two-Bit.

"What did he say you said?" he asked.

"Vixen DBC."

"Aw crap…"

"What", Dallas asked. "Ya know what it means?"

"Well in the neighborhood I grew up DBC stands for death by choice… suicide."

"So this Fox told someone called Vixen that he committed suicide", Soda asked and Steve nodded. Then the truck came to a stop outside of the movies. Since it was only 13.00 there were almost no people around and the movies were pretty deserted.

After the movie Dallas was bored and wanted to have a fight with someone. He figured he'd take Steve on, since he hadn't got revenge for the last time. So while the others walked past him towards Darry's truck he waited for Steve to come out from the movies. When this did Dally put out his foot and Steve tripped on it.

"Aw is Tulsa so small that ya can't see where ya going eh", Dally taunted.

"You're right", Steve said and rose. He brushed off his clothes. "Ya foot is so small I didn't see it."

"Hey!"

"What it's the truth and ya said so yourself."

"Why you little…"

"Dallas", Darry called. "Stop trying to pick fights." Steve looked at Dallas and shrugged and went over to the truck and jumped into the bed between Two-Bit and Soda. Two-Bit flicked out the switch he'd lifted.

"Ya like", he asked Steve smiling bright.

"Sure it's a nice blade", Steve said. "How'd ya get it?"

"Shop lifting of course", Two-Bit told him and flung an arm around Steve's shoulders. "I'm the best shoplifter in this town."

"Yeah sure ya are", Dallas said and jumped into the bed.

"I've never seen ya do better", Two-Bit said.

"Is shoplifting really something to be proud of", Darry said as he tried to start the truck.

"Yes", Steve and Two-Bit said in unison.

"Hey great minds think alike huh Steve-o", Two-Bit said and gave Steve a friendly shake with the arm he still held draped across Steve's shoulders.

"I don't know about that."

"Ya any good at lifting things?"

"Two-Bit ya saw him at the races", Johnny said and leaned out the window.

"Yeah but that was hubcaps and ya don't hide them so easily."

"Oh really", Steve said and Soda saw a smirk enter his face.

"Yeah, the funniest thing with lifting is acting all innocent", Two-Bit continued. "Then just walk out."

"Tsk it much more fun making people confused and blaming each other."

"That's hard."

"No it's a kid's game", Steve looked around the street and saw a bunch of socs leave their car and enter a music shop.

"Oh if it's a kid's game", Dallas said and smirked. "Then why don't ya go and play with those socs?"

"Sure", Steve jumped out the bed and cracked his knuckles. "Watch and learn newbies."

"Steve", Darry called and came out of his car. "Don't do anything stupid!"

"Don't worry 'bout him", Two-Bit said. "Let's just see the show."

Steve walked over to the car where four socs were now standing. He saw one of them stuck out his foot to trip him. Steve smirked and tripped on the guy's foot with purpose. The socs laughed and Steve got onto all fours, then to his knees. He turned slightly towards the car and the guys saw him fix his sleeveless jeans jacket.

"Funny", Steve told the socs as he rose and Steve's friends saw that the hubcap was gone.

"Holy shit, how'd he do that", Two-Bit said in awe.

"Ya better watch where ya go greaser", a soc told Steve as this was brushing of the front of his jacket.

"Ya better check out your car", Steve said. "Something's missing."

"What?!" The soc, a big guy with a Beatles haircut that was blonde, with a red madras jacket, white sweater and khaki pants said and pushed Steve aside to stare at his wheel. "Where's the hubcap!"

"Maybe ya dropped it when we went over that bump Hank", another one said. "Or your dad did it before and put it in the trunk."

"Yeah maybe", Hank hurried over and Steve followed him. As Hank started digging through the trunk Steve smirked at him.

"Finding anything?"

"Shut up greaser. It's not here!" He rose and closed the trunk again. But on its way down the guys noted Steve stood with his back against it and he fixed with his jacket again.

"Damn!" Hank yelled and kicked the wheel.

"Ya know", Steve said and leaned against the car. "At the gasoline station where I work we got a lot of hubcaps. Maybe someone fits your car."

"Which station", Hank demanded. "Wait you're that car wiz at the east DX!"

"I take that as a compliment", Steve said happily. "Well it's better than aka new kid or the guy that kicked Dallas' ass."

"Shut up. Are ya sure ya got hubcaps like these?"

"Don't know mate", Steve said and slung his arm around the soc. "Maybe, we got a lot of 'em."

"Get off me ya filthy greaser!" He pushed Steve's hand away.

"Geez relax", Steve said and stepped backwards. "Ya better hurry up if ya want to find that hubcap."

"Just shut up or I'll slug you." Hank started to dig in his pockets. "Where's my keys?!"

The greasers laughed.

"Help me look", Hank yelled to his friends and they looked everywhere. Behind the car, underneath it, inside it.

"Maybe ya dropped them in the shop", Steve said and leaned against the car again.

The socs hurried inside and Steve looked over at his friends and they saw him put his left hand on his right shoulder and that keys stuck out, just barley between his fingers.

"How'd he do that", Johnny asked stunned.

The socs came out and Hank looked desperate.

"Aw don't ya worry", Steve sympathized and walked over to him. He slung his arm around the guy's shoulder again. "Some friendly soul might find them and give 'em back to ya."

He patted the guys shoulder and a small clattering was heard from the chest pocket on the guy's jacket.

"What the..:" Hank felt inside it and there were his keys. "How the hell did they get there?"

"Apparently ya put them there", Steve said.

"No I never do, I've never lost anything since I was eight! And I felt that pocket three times!"

"Well ya missed it. Well it's been a blast fellas see ya."

Steve walked away and the socs hurried into their car and drove off.

"Nice job Steve-o", Two-Bit said.

"Thanks but I'm not done yet. Darry hurry over to the DX!"

"Sure but why?"

"You'll see."

At the DX they arrived at the same time as the socs.

"Ah Steve Soda", Goodman said. "Can one of ya check if we have these kinds of hubcaps in the storage?"

"Sure", Steve walked over to the car and sank down to check out the hubcaps. "How many do ya need?"

"Just one."

"Sure I'll have a look."

Steve walked towards the garage and his friends noticed that the car was missing another hubcap. But Steve had his hands in his pockets.

"Well let's see", Goodman said. "And you are sure ya don't have it with ya?"

"Yes I checked the trunk and everything", Hank said.

"Really", Goodman was looking in the trunk and pulled out the first missing hubcap. "Then what's this?"

"What the hell?!"

"How could ya miss it buddy", a soc that had been standing beside Goodman said. "It was lying right in the middle fully visible."

"But… but I… I…" Hank was very confused.

"I found one Goody", Steve called as he came out from the garage. "I think someone has dropped it, it looks a bit used."

"Don't worry Steve we found the missing hubcap", Goodman said and put it back. "There now the back left wheel matches."

"Back left", Steve said and looked at the car. "But there is no one on the right."

"What", Hank yelled and ran around and Goodman scratched his head.

"Well I'll be damn… Seems like you guys dropped one on your way here. Steve get over here with that one."

"Sure Goodman", Steve put the hubcap back. "There ya go."

"That's five bucks", Goodman said and took the money.

When the socs left Steve walked over to his friends and smirked.

"What ya think?" He asked.

"How the hell did ya do it", Darry asked. "Wait don't answer I don't want to know."

Steve laughed and jumped into the bed and sunk down beside Soda.

"I see the Dodger is out for some air", Soda hissed at him.

"Chill Soda it was just a bit of fun. It won't happen again."

"It better not."

"Hey Darry can ya drop me off at my house?" Steve called.

"Sure buddy."

At Steve's house they saw a little girl coming running out in fear.

"Miley", Steve called and jumped out of the truck bed and she ran into him and buried her face in his legs.

"Steve!" she cried between sobs.

"Sh sweetheart", Steve said and kneeled so she could put her small arms around his neck. "What's up?"

"Dad's home."

Steve's eyebrows shot up in shock.

"Aw shit, honey I'm sorry."

"H-he a-asked me w-where you were and t-told me t-that if h-he couldn't find you home in t-ten minutes he would k-kill me."

Steve's grip on her hardened and his eyes turned stormy.

"Steve what's going on", Soda asked.

"Nothing Soda", Steve said and picked up his crying sister. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

TBC