Two-Bit pulled his rusty car up to the curb in front of our house.
"You gotta work at the grocery store tonight?" Ponyboy asked as he opened his car door.
"Yeah, I've been pickin' up some extra hours since Simon quit." Two-Bit shook his head remembering the ex-employee. "Man, that kid was a goober." All of us laughed, remembering Simon's nerdy appearance and the way he would constantly talk about his bottle cap collection.
"Alright, see you in the morning." Ponyboy climbed out of the car and headed up the sidewalk into the house.
I scooted across the vinyl seat to get out of the car. Two-bit grabbed my wrist. "Wait a second Scout." I turned and noticed his round eyes capturing my attention. "Can I talk to you a second?"
I glanced down at his grip and then back to his face. Inside, my stomach fluttered and I braced myself that Two-Bit would want to talk about me and him. I twitched my lip like Ponyboy sometimes does and answered apprehensively. "What's up?"
Two-Bit turned his body towards me, let go of my wrist and laid his arm on the top of the bench seat. His fingers rested dangerously close to my cheek. "I've got to ask you something, and I want you to tell me the truth." My nerves jumped. Two-Bit shifted a little in his seat. "I went to see the school guidance counselor today. He wanted to talk to me about getting out of his school by taking a test of some type."
I exhaled in relief that the topic wasn't about him and I. "You mean the G.E.D.?"
"That's the one." Two-Bit smiled. "I knew you'd know about it. See, the counselor guy says that he doesn't think I'll ever really be able to graduate from high school because I don't have enough time to pass all the classes I need. He told me to try taking this test in a few weeks. If I pass, I'm done. If I don't pass I can keep coming to school and keep trying to pass the test till I do."
I laughed and was glad things between Two-Bit and I seemed to be getting back to normal. Just good friends. "I hear that G.E.D. test is super simple!"
"For you maybe, but we aint all geniuses like you and Pony."
"Two-Bit, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that I think you are smarter than you give yourself credit for. I know if you put your mind to it you'd be able to pass that test. You put your mind to getting the shift leader position at the grocery store and you accomplished that."
"So you think I should take it?"
"Sure I do. You can't stay in high school forever. You should take the test. Then if you do, maybe Sodapop will too."
My friend nodded his head while he considered the idea a little harder. "I think I will. "Plus the next test aint for a few weeks so I can still be around to be sure James keeps his distance from you."
I smiled at the gesture. "Don't worry about him. He won't be a bother."
"He better not, if he knows what's good for him!" Two-Bit threatened as a familiar car pulled up in front of us.
"Jeepers. What's Darry doing home?" I asked and climbed out of the car as Darry stepped out of our black sedan. I shut Two-Bit's car door and walked towards my brother.
Darry walked between the two cars and waved to our friend. "Hey, Two-Bit!"
"See ya, Darry!" Two-Bit yelled as he put his car into gear and pulled away.
I looked up at my brother. "Darry, is everything alright?"
"Yeah," Darry replied absently, "Is Ponyboy home?"
"Yeah, he's home."
"Come here." Darry grabbed my shoulder with his hand and pulled me along with him to the porch steps where he sat down and patted the porch floor asking me to sit with him.
I sat down and slowly spoke. "Did I do something wrong?"
My brother laughed a little. "Do you ever?"
"I suppose not, but that look on your face has sure got me worried."
Darry looked straight out into the street as he thought of his next words. "Something's come up and I've got to make… we've got to make a decision."
I raised an eyebrow and didn't know how to take the comment. "What are you talking about?"
Darry paused a long time, struggling to find his words. His face grew thoughtful and a little grin formed at the corner of his mouth when he thought he knew what to say. "Remember when I got my football scholarship letter in the mail?"
"Not really."
Darry leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Do you remember how sad mom and dad were when they realized that even with my scholarship they were never going to be able to afford to send me to college?'
"I remember mom crying in her room about it." I recalled the helplessness I felt every time my mother would hide herself in her room and cry away her worries. "That night I took her my piggy bank, and told her I would give you ever penny I had. She liked the gesture, but it still wasn't enough."
"See, that's my point." Darry said, confusing me even further because I hadn't figured out his point. "You were willing to do what ever you could to help me get to college. I'm in the same position now." A look of perplexity clouded my face. Not knowing the right words to say, Darry reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. He handed it to me. "I had a meeting with Principal Leary and your Social Worker today about that letter. Principal Leary said that more than half of the girls who attend get full scholarships to college. He told me that if you were to attend and do as well as you do at Tulsa High, you would too."
I took the letter out of the envelope and read,
Dear Mr. Darryl Curtis,
Here at Ashford Academy for Young Women we pride ourselves in educating the brightest young women in Oklahoma. Our school curriculum is one of the most advanced in the state. It has come to our attention that Scout Curtis is an extremely talented and gifted student who would greatly benefit from the prestigious opportunities and education we can offer.
Each semester we contact high schools in Oklahoma searching for intelligent young women who exhibit educational promise. This semester, the administration at Tulsa High School has selected Scout Curtis as a possible school recruit. It was also brought to our attention that your family's financial situation likely cannot afford to give her the opportunity to attend Ashford Academy. Due to Scout's outstanding academic ability, Ashford Academy is offering Scout Curtis a full scholarship including room and board for the remainder of her secondary school years. Our Academy welcomes Scout to join our school year for the next academic quarter, beginning soon.
We hope you and your family will take the time to consider this generous offer. We know that Scout will be a great asset to our school, and Ashford Academy will be able to greatly expand the educational opportunities of which Scout can take advantage.
Sincerely,
Steve Donaldsen
Dean of Students
Ashford Academy for Young Women
I blinked my eyes and reread the portion of the letter that said 'room and board'. I scanned the letterhead and noticed the name of a city in southern Oklahoma. My jaw dropped. Darry noticed my shocked expression. "Scout, I think it's a chance of a lifetime, especially for someone from this neighborhood."
"But it's so far away."
"I know, and this is your choice. I'm not going to make you go." My brother turned towards me. "Listen, you don't have to make a decision now. Take a few days and think about it, but remember Scout, this is an awfully big jar of pennies." Darry patted me on the back and stood up to enter the house, but he paused at the door. "Sometimes in life we have to do what is best, even when it's not exactly what we want."
I looked at my brother and knew he spoke of his own commitment to our family. He went inside, but I stayed in shock on the front steps. I began to re-read the letter when Ponyboy's voice in the house broke my concentration. "Darry, why are you home early?"
Darry's voice followed, "I had to go to the high school." My ears perked up but Darry's voice grew soft as if he was being sure that I couldn't hear him.
I looked again at the far away address of Ashford Academy. My nerves grew anxious and I dreaded the idea that Ponyboy would come outside wanting to talk about the Academy. My throat grew tight with sadness. Of all the people I would miss, I would miss Ponyboy the most. I knew I wasn't ready to talk to him. I laid my schoolbooks on the front porch, folded my letter into my hand and briskly walked out of the front gate and down the street. Before I could turn the corner by Johnny's house, I heard Ponyboy call my name from the front porch. I didn't look back, but I was sure he had seen me. I considered running, but it would be useless in my skirt and loafers. Besides, Ponyboy was the fastest runner in the family. I closed my eyes and made a wish that he would stay home and give me time alone to think about everything. When my vision grew dark my ears picked up the fast approaching sound of worn out Converse tennis shoes. There was no escape. Ponyboy would be by my side in seconds. I inhaled deeply to steady my emotions.
"Scout! Wait up! Where are you going?"
"I am… I am headed to the restaurant to see if Casey is working." Really I hadn't been, but now I was.
"Wait up. I'll walk with you." Ponyboy said in a soothing voice.
I didn't tell him no and I didn't tell him yes. I just kept walking and he joined me. The two of us went three blocks without saying a word to each other. That was the unique thing about Ponyboy and me. We rarely had to speak to understand how the other one was feeling and silence never bothered us. By the fourth block, Ponyboy braved to say a few words. "Darry said you might be needing someone to talk to."
I sassed to my brother, "That's why I am going looking for Casey."
Ponyboy shrugged off my rudeness because he could tell something was eating at me. "I'll listen to you."
I squeezed the folded letter concealed in my hand. "I know that. I just don't think this is something I am ready to talk to you about just now."
"Is it a problem with Owen?"
"No, Owen is fine. We're fine." I yelled at my brother, but in the short time I had to think about my future I hadn't remembered to consider Owen. What would happen to us if I left?
"Geez Scout! You don't have to be snappy with me. I'm just here because Darry told me you were going to need to talk, but if he's wrong I've got better things to do then have you mad at me." With that, Pony stopped his stride.
I heard his absence and turned to see him standing his ground. He was staring at me, thumbs hitched inside his beltloops. I sized up my brother with his long hair greased back and his tattered blue jeans. He was the farthest thing from Ashford I could think of and the closest thing to home. My heart sank before I spoke. "I'm sorry, Pon. I'm not meaning to snap at you. It's just ….I got a ton of bad news and a ton of great news all rolled into one and I don't know what to do about it."
Pony walked towards me and gave me a big brother hug. "You could start by telling me what it is, so I can try to help you figure it all out." Suddenly, I felt like Darry. I didn't know the words to say to explain the opportunity, so I handed over the folded envelope and letter for Ponyboy to read.
"What's this?" Ponyboy took the envelope and read the return address. "Ashford Academy? Is this a school or something?"
I frowned. "Just read the letter and you'll see." He took his time reading to himself. When he didn't respond I begged for conversation.
"Well?"
"Well, I don't know. I don't want you to go, but I don't want you to stay either."
His response made me want to half cry and half laugh. "Ponyboy Michael! You are absolutely no help!"
"I realize that." Ponyboy sighed.
"Darry said I don't have to go if I don't want to, but he also said that if I do I'm almost assured a college scholarship. Pony… I'm not ready to leave home, but this might be the one and only chance I have to go to college."
Pony put his arm around my shoulder and pulled the two of us forward walking in the direction we were headed. "Maybe you're right. Let's go find Casey and talk to her about this. She has a way of making tough decisions seem so easy."
"Yeah. I miss her simple way of looking at things. Heck, I just miss her. I think it's been a few days since I've seen or talked to her. You don't think she and Sodapop are having trouble do you?"
"Nah, he was just babbling in bed last night about saving money to buy her a ring."
"A ring! You mean a wedding ring?"
"I don't' know. He didn't say for sure, but I suppose. All he ever talks about is her."
"Who would have ever thought the two of them would have fallen so hard for each other?"