Soda glanced passed me. "Chris and Gary are here for the next shift, you ready to get outta here Steve?"
"Yeah, I'll fill them in on what needs doing, hold on." Steve said, walking over to them.
"Alright. I'm gonna go sign out, just wait here Pony." Soda said, as he started toward the shop door.
A few minutes passed, as I stood there waiting.
"Where's Soda?" Steve asked, coming out from the garage and started towards his car.
"He said he's signing out." I followed him to his car, climbing into the backseat.
Soda came over to the car and jumped in the passenger seat, as soon as he closed the door Steve sped off.
"So Steve, you still right to drop me an' Pony off?"
"Yeah, it's fine." Steve answered, while watching the road in front.
"Thanks buddy, we'll just walk home after it."
"No probs."
Steve idled the car at our front gate, as we got out. Soda wanted to take a shower before we went out, and Steve said he needed to do the same before he picked up Evie. He told us he'd be back soon, so to be ready.
Not long after twenty minutes, we heard Steve's car fly up our drive, along with a slamming door.
"You guys ready?" He called, poking his head in through the fly screen.
"Yeah. Pony... come on, where leaving." Soda sang out.
"I'm comin', I'm comin'." I mumbled, coming into the lounge. I threw my sneakers back on, then we headed out to Steve's car again.
The guys didn't stop talking the whole way there. Steve putting into descriptive detail of what him and Evie had planned for the night... dinner along with other situations - but I don't think I need to spell it out - you can probably guess.
He was making me sick to my stomach. Normally Soda doesn't let me hear talk like that, not that I hadn't heard it before - I've sat though many of the guys bull sessions, some of Dally's past stories were enough to make just about anyone sick. Both Darry and Soda don't think I am old enough to be listening to that, and as much as it pains me to admit it, I agree with them.
I was starting to think maybe they forgot I was here - I was being awfully quiet. But was glad when the topic changed... with Soda talking about the races instead.
"You excited Pony?" Soda turned in his seat looking over the front seats, showing a huge grin.
"Yeah, should be good." I mumbled from the backseat; still scarred from their previous subject.
"Not should be, will be." He smirked at me.
Steve dropped us off at The Ribbon, then left straight away to go pick up Evie for their date. We arrived early, so for the meantime cars were just cruising up and down the strip, a Mustang with a couple of good lookin' blond girls were coming in the opposite direction. Soda watched as they drove past letting out a long low whistle.
"Geez, they were some good lookin' girls if I've ever seen any." He said, with his head still turned, seeing if he could still see 'em.
He turned back to me, "You wanna go grab a bite, before it starts gettin' dark?"
"Yeah, sure."
As we were walking along the strip trying to figure out what we wanted to eat, we past a group of girls hanging out in front a burger joint. I noticed one with long sandy blond hair turn and look at us, she was wearing a very short, yellow sundress. She surprised me when she called out.
"Hey Soda." She said, coming over to us, "Who's the other cute one?" She asked, looking at me.
"Hey doll, this is my little brother, Ponyboy." He said, giving her a famous Sodapop smile.
The other girls seemed to notice us now coming over as well. I guess he must of known them from the DX - Soda certainly attracted the attention of girls like bees to honey. I think they just melted once they saw his movie star looks, along with that smile he gave.
"Hey Soda, wanna go out with me later, maybe we can grab a milkshake?" One asked, placing her hand on Soda's bicep, she had little golden curls running down her back, she wore too much make up, and her baby blue skirt was far too short.
"Sorry doll, can't do, you see I've already made plans for tonight." She gave him a small pout, fluttering her eye lashes.
"C'mon by the DX, maybe we can do a double date with Steve an' Evie." He said, with a grin. She smiled, seeming happy with that plan.
Then she turned to me, "Hi sweetie, what's your name?" She asked in a cute voice.
"Ponyboy." I answered, not sure I wanted to start a conversation.
"Your really cute, you'll look just like your big brother when your older." I wasn't sure if she was referring to Soda or Darry; I figured it was most likely Soda, cause I didn't even know if she knew Darry.
I wasn't sure how to answer that, so I just gave her a nod. I think Soda could tell I was getting a bit uncomfortable.
"You ready to get some food, kiddo?" Soda asked me.
"Yeah," I answered, glad to get away from there.
"Well, it was nice chattin' to you ladies. Maybe you'll can stop by the DX next time." Soda said, slinging his arm over my shoulders.
"Yeah, sure Soda. I'll see ya later," said the sandy blond girl.
Then the rest followed with their goodbyes.
Soda pulled me away, with his arm still around my shoulder. We walked a little further down the strip, heading into another burger joint. We found a booth and sat down.
The waitress come over bringing us some menus, sitting them down on our table.
"Would you boys like something to drink, to start off with?" She asked, with a cute but somewhat flirty smile. Her long silky brown hair, pulled back in a ponytail. She wore a blue summer dress, inches above her knees, with a frilly white apron covering the front. I noticed she didn't look much older than 15.
"We'll take two Pepsi's, thanks." Soda answered for the both of us, giving her a grin.
She returned his grin, "Ok, I'll be right back with them. Let me know when your ready to order." She said, before heading back to the kitchen.
When she returned with our drinks, we were ready to order. She placed the tall glasses of Pepsi with a straw, on the table in front of us, then took out a little notebook and pencil.
"Pony would like the burger and fries without pickles, and I'll take the burger with the lot and fries." She wrote it down, then headed back to the kitchen.
"She's kinda cute, don't you think, Pony?" Soda said, referring to the waitress.
"I guess so." I answered, sliding my glass towards me and taking a long drink from the straw, accidentally let out a loud belch.
Half the restaurant turned and looked with discussed faces. I glanced over at the waitress and she give a chuckle, making me blush. I turned my eyes down towards the table embarrassed. Soda was however nearly falling off his chair laughing at me.
Nice to know he found my embarrassment amusing.
"Well, that's definitely not the way to get a girl, kiddo." Soda said, still laughing.
The waitress brought our food over to us, giving me a wink as she placed my burger and fries in front of me. I hung my head low, to humiliated to look at her. She leaned over, whispering in my ear, "I found it kinda cute." Then she made her way back into the kitchen.
"What she say?" Soda asked, wanting to know.
"Nothin'." I mumbled, still blushing.
"She likes ya, doesn't she?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
I didn't answer, just concentrated on my burger. After our plates were clean, and glasses empty, we got up to leave. I noticed the waitress walk quickly to the counter, writing something down. She then came over to us, and grabbed my hand shoving something in it, then walked away.
After exiting the restaurant, I opened my hand to see what she'd gave me - a note. I unfolded the small piece of paper.
Call me - Annette, then there was a phone number.
"Told you she likes ya, give her a call little bro." Soda said, looking at the note I held in my hand.
I folded the paper back up, shoving it in my pocket. It was starting to get dark out now. There were now very few cars cruising and most were already starting to park, lined up along both sides of the nature strip, with people gathered around them.
We strolled towards a small group of greasers, I assumed were from the Shepard's gang. They were lean, hard guys, their eyes like pale ice. I'd bet they didn't play fare in a fight... not that I'd ever be stupid enough to mess with them. I know better then to do that.
"Hi Mark." Soda said, walking up to one of the guys.
"Hi Soda." He said, then to me, "Hi kid."
"Hey." I replied.
I heard revving from behind me, turning around I saw eight tough looking cars come down the strip in pairs, they lined up down at the starting line that someone had drawn with chalk. They started revving up their engines to get the crowd pumping with excitement.
A Mustang and a 396 Chevelle were to start the race off, a girl about Soda's age walked out in front and stood between the two cars, she raised her arms in the air then brought them down.
The Mustang screamed off to a start, while the 396 Chevelle spun it's tyres into smoke before it finally took off, but once it took off it was bloody quick it caught up to the Mustang in no time at all.
The crowd was going crazy screaming and waving their arms, then in a flash the cars shot past were we where standing with a loud roar. I felt the wind hit me as they flew past, then zoomed through the finish mark, with the 396 Chevelle winning by a few seconds, the crowd went wild, cheering and running towards them to congratulate the winner.
The drivers climbed back in their cars to remove them off the track, to make way for the next race.
Next up was a Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac GTO, they revved up their engines with a grumble, the girl walked out again raising her arms then dropping them. Both cars took off fast with a squeal of their tyres, they flew down the track past us with a loud growl throwing the wind at me again, then flew through the finish line with the Camaro just beating the Pontiac. The crowd cheered again.
I turned to look at Soda, he was talking to some guy next to him about the race.
"Soda?"
He paused his conversation midway through, looking at me. "Yeah, kiddo?" He asked.
"I'm gonna take a walk, I should be back before the next race starts."
"Alright, don't go too far and be back soon." He said, with a stern look.
I strolled back down the strip the same way we had come.
I could hear a fight with punches being thrown coming from somewhere near by. I stopped to look around, then noticed three guys in the ally way beside me - one against two; the guy on his own was holding up not too bad. I wasn't about to get involved... Soda would kill me.
I continued walking, while kicking a pop bottle along the street. I looked back realising I had wandered along way from where the street racing was.
I stopped in my tracks, looking around me; the sky was now a deep dark nightly black, not a lot of cars cruising down this part of the strip at this time. I'd had to at least walked a good half hour. If any Soc's happened to drive by me now, I'd be an easy target to jump, wandering on my lonesome at this time at night.
I gave the pop bottle a swift kick and watched as it skidded across the pavement, before bouncing off the edge of the gutter and spinning to a stop on the side of the road. I hurriedly spun on my feet turning back the way I'd just come, making fast tracks back towards the races.
What's Soda gonna say... he's gonna be awful mad I took off for as long as I did.
It was eerie quiet. The only sounds being the fast paced slapping from my runners on the pavement. I could now make out the line of headlights; before the races had begun they'd parked a row of cars along the strip - as the night set in - the headlights were turned on, they lite up the nights sky like a luminous fireball.
As I was nearing where the races took place; I noticed people were no longer standing on the sidelines, but instead now gathered in a rather large crowd.
I took off in a fast sprint towards the mass of people - some were screaming, some cheering, and some were shoving through the throng, and getting away as fast as they could in the opposite direction.
I ran as fast as I could up to the crowd, grabbing for the first person that came into my sight. "What's going on?" I yelled over the screaming noise.
"Haven't you heard," the guy yelled, turning to face me, "one of the boys got caught out slashing his opponents tyres, now there's a brawl out." I knew he was one of the Shepard's boys, he had that tough as nails look. I was silently thankful he hadn't swung around landing a punch at me instead.
"Thanks." I said, then took off running around the mass of people, seeing if I could find Soda. It was useless there were hundreds of people.
"Soda." I yelled, hoping he might somehow hear me.
"Soda." I called again.
I started shoving through the crowd, in hopes that I might find him.
"Hey, watch it kid!" Someone yelled at me, as I pushed past them.
As I was making my way through, someone accidentally jabbed me in my ribs with their elbow, causing me to yelp. I eventually pushed my way through to the front - my blood turning cold, at the sight in front of me.
Two guys were going at each other with knives - not switch blades - black handled knives; pointed with a slight curve to the top, and jagged. Another guy lay on the ground not even two foot in front of me, unmoving, with blood spilling out from under him, making a small pool of red. Another held a chain, as his opponent took a swing at him with a piece of pipe.
Shit... this is not something I need to get in the middle of. As I turned around needing to get back through the mass of people, I heard someone shouting.
"No, no wait, we can sort this out."
I turned back to see the guy that had held the pipe, was now holding a loaded heater, with it pointed right at the guy holding the chain. I couldn't tell if he was still holding the chain or not, as he was standing almost directly in front of me.
I could tell people were now moving away from the crowd, but I didn't move. I kept my eyes firmly placed on that gun, that was being held pointed my way... except it hadn't been loaded for me.
"Please, don't shoot." He begged.
"Shut up." The gunman yelled.
There was a sudden gunshot... but it hadn't come from the shooters gun. Another shot was fired - it was coming from somewhere nearby. Then everything stood deathly quiet - almost like time had stopped - but within a split second, time unfroze and people now scattered, running scared, trying to get away.
As the shots rang out, it... for a split second, distracted the person holding the gun. The other guy tried to make an escape, but he wasn't quick enough. The gun was aimed, and fired - putting a bullet right through his chest, a second shot was fired as the body collapsed towards the ground, missing it's target - but not completely...
...
Bella Lilac
A/N - Thank you everyone that is following this story, and for all your lovely reviews. Bella.