AN: Apologizes if anyone seems OOC. It's been ages since I've read the book!
September 3, 1965
The first time Abby Matthews realizes Ponyboy Curtis is cute, she's twelve and he's thirteen. They're sitting on the floor of her kitchen with him holding a washcloth to her forehead to try to stop the bleeding.
"Well, this day isn't going how I thought it would." She breaks the silence and Ponyboy's grey-green eyes meet her blue ones. He gives her that infamous Curtis smirk.
"Really? You didn't plan for your brother to throw a plate at your head?"
She grins back at him, though she feels silly for feeling happy after what just happened.
"Believe it or not, I didn't."
He stares at her for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips before it disappears as he presses a little too hard on the washcloth and winces when she does. She lets out a shuttering breath, feeling tired and on edge at the same time. She feels a drop of blood escape the washcloth and move down her face. It feels weird, sitting there amongst the destruction of their kitchen with Ponyboy Curtis. It's not that they're not friends, they are – sort of. He's been around as long as Abby can remember, but she can't for the life of her think of a full conversation she's had with him in the past few months.
"Abby? You okay?" He brings her back to the present and she hesitantly says she's fine, but has to swallow to keep herself from passing out. She's never been great with blood, even if she can't see it, she can feel it. It's slimy and gross and- Pony wipes it away with the washcloth before returning it to her forehead. What had they been talking about? Oh yeah, the incident of her just walking into the kitchen to find Two-Bit destroying the place, or doing his best, anyway.
"In his defense, he was throwing it at the wall, not me. He'd never do that." Abby says, swallowing as she pictures her normally happy-go-lucky brother being so…angry. It's been a few months now since their father left and she thought things were becoming more normal. Well, as normal as they can be when you have a mother that refuses to leave her bedroom, with the exception of work.
She'd never been so wrong.
Abby had entered the kitchen with the purpose of refilling a glass of water when she had heard him cussing up a storm right as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. She should've walked away, but it'd been too late. By the time she made it to the doorway, a plate nearly took her head off. She'd let out a yelp and fallen to the floor, the glass falling from her hands and shattering on the ground next to her. She looks up in shock with an awful pain in her head, shakily reaching up to touch it. When she pulls her hand away, there's a little blood on her fingertips. Ponyboy had been walking up the steps when he'd heard her scream and rushed to her aid. Two-Bit merely stared down at her in stunned silence.
"What the hell happened?" Ponyboy asked, glaring up at Two-Bit briefly. Two-Bit had merely shook his head before storming out of the kitchen. Sighing, Ponyboy quickly ran to get something to stop the bleeding, finding a washcloth in an unfolded basket of laundry in the living room and coming back to her side.
It's strange, she thinks. How she feels the need to come to her brother's defense even if it's to one of his best friends.
"I know." Pony says gently. She looks away from the shattered plates scattered over their blue and white checkered flooring and looks up at him, a look of understanding crosses his face. In that moment, Ponyboy Curtis is the cutest boy she's ever seen.
The spell is broken when Two-bit marches back in the kitchen, hovering in the doorway. She's not sure where he'd gone, but it hadn't seemed to calm him down any. He's still jittery with anger, but it's not just that. Abby looks up at him, the washcloth slipping a little from her forehead as she turns her head, but she doesn't care. Her brother looks as lost as she's ever seen him. She briefly wonders what had made him so mad before remembering he'd been reading something…a letter. She looks around the room, searching for it, but she can't immediately find it.
She gives up when Two-Bit starts, shakily, "Abs, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"
To her surprise, when she looks back at him, he's on the verge of tears and it scares her down to her core. She can count on one hand the number of times she's seen him cry. Their grandparents funeral. The day after their father left. And…now, apparently. She swallows back her fear and throws on a smile she doesn't really feel. She's been practicing it a lot lately – smiling, that is. Maybe today's the day she'll be good at it.
"I'm okay, Two." She says gently, hoping she sounds more reassuring than she feels, "I promise. Your aim ain't that great."
She snickers a little, hoping he'll do the same to ease the tension, but he doesn't. Two-Bit doesn't acknowledge what she's said and looks to Ponyboy, for confirmation. It should annoy her, the way he just glosses over her, but she'll give him a break considering whatever the hell was in that letter. For tonight, anyway. Tomorrow, however, you can bet your ass that she'll be getting answers.
Pony shrugs a little, gently pulling the washcloth away and looks relieved. Abby doesn't dare glance at it and is thankful that he doesn't show her. "It's finally stopped bleeding." He holds up the washcloth for proof and Two-Bit relaxes a little, though he does pale at the sight of her forehead. Now's a good a time as any, Abby thinks, and puts a shaking hand on the ground to stand, carefully avoiding the broken glass around her. She only makes it halfway before she wobbles, trying to find her balance. Luckily, her brother catches her before she can fall back down. She gives him a shaky smile and his eyebrows furrow.
"Woah, maybe wait on standing, kiddo."
Abby shakes her head, swallowing back the bile that arose. "No. No. I-I need to get off the floor. My butt's falling asleep. Couch?"
Instead of a witty response, her brother just nods and gives her a tight-lipped smile. A knock on the door makes her eyebrows furrow, wondering who that could be. It's nearly 9 at night and a school night at that.
"Pony, can you-"
"Sure thing."
With Two-Bit's help, she makes it to the couch in time to see Ponyboy open the door and Darry, Soda and Steve walk in. It's surreal to say the least - they don't usually hang out at their house. Not since before their father left. Two-Bit's done a real good job of keeping them away after their dad left.
"What're they doing here?" Abby asks, looking up at Two-Bit in confusion.
"Well, hello to you too, Ms. Abby." Steve jokes, but his jaw clenches when he sees her forehead. She rolls her eyes and sticks out her tongue at him. Steve may act all tough and unbothered, but he's always had a sort of soft spot for her and she knows it, he knows it, hell, everyone knows it, but Steve would never admit it. Abby would never make him.
"I told you when I left the kitchen that I was calling for backup. Darry's pretty good at patching us up after-well, don't you worry about that." It's comforting, actually, listening to him ramble. It's normal and she can't help the smile which quickly disappears when she realizes Two's just staring at her, worrying at his bottom lip with his arms folded across his chest, "Don't you remember? Maybe we should go to the hospital."
"Nah, she'll be fine," Soda chimes in, "she's tuff."
Abby shoots him a grateful look and he gives her a wink. Man, if Rachel was here, she would flip just from that alone, she thinks.
"I'll check her out, Two. Don't you worry." Darry reassures. "Why don't you start by telling us what the hell happened?"
Abby knows he's not asking her, but she frowns anyway. She hears Two- Bit hastily start explaining what happened to the gang. Too tired to care about the recap, she closes her eyes and leans back against the sofa.
"Woah, there, kiddo, don't go to sleep." Two-bit stops his story, but doesn't move any closer. The idiot probably thinks she's scared of him or something, she realizes, but can't seem to focus on why that is. Her mind feels jumbled, like once a thought comes to her, it won't stay for very long. She wonders if she'll have a scar. If her friends will laugh if she does.
What Pony would think if she does. Not that it matters, she tries to convince herself.
"Yeah, you might miss Two-Bit's story time. He'll add in 15 side stories before he gets to the point so…it's doubtful, but you might." Pony jokes and Abby lets out a surprised laugh, reopening her eyes. He's always been pretty quiet around her so it catches her off guard. He's not just cute, but he's funny, too, she realizes and catches his eyes. She briefly wonders why the tips of his ears turn red when she does. Soda slaps Pony on the back, grinning a little. Pony shuffles a little on his feet and ducks his head at the unspoken praise, seemingly embarrassed.
"Hardy-har," Two-bit says sarcastically, looking at Darry expectantly, "Darry?"
They can all hear the anxiousness in his voice and Darry puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'll take a look."
"Hey there, Abby girl." Darry pulls up the ottoman with a white box with a red cross on it – a first-aid kit - in his hand. He sees her looking and gives her a gentle smile, which she returns. A lot of people in Tulsa are scared of the oldest Curtis and it's with good reason. He's over six feet tall and his handsome face with his piercing blue eyes can be…intimidating to say the least. Except, she's never felt that way. Mostly because he'd always sneak her a piece of candy whenever he saw her, if he had it.
"So, I hear you ran into a dish?" He asks a smile tugging at his lips as he opens the box on his leg.
"Yeah, I'm going to start ducking when I go to the kitchen," She jokes.
"Jesus," Two-Bit exclaims, running a hand down his face as he turns around. Soda puts a hand on his shoulder as they mutter under their breath. Abby tries, but she can't hear a word they're saying. Darry touches her chin and gently tilts her head to get a better look at her forehead.
"I think you do need a few stiches" He finally surmises with a slight frown, "and you might scar a little, kiddo."
"Meh, scars are tuff," She fakes the bravado and thinks everyone in the room knows it, but they all give her a small smile regardless. Steve snorts and remarks, "You would think that, kid."
She tenses when Darry starts treading the needle. She hates herself for it. Here she is in a room full of her brother's friends, tough boys who get in fights all the time that Two-Bit thinks she doesn't know about and she can't stand the sight of a needle.
"Hey, why don't I tell you about this book I've been reading. I think you'd really like it," Pony suggests, moving to sit by her on the couch, much to everyone's surprise. Soda's eyebrows shoot up in surprise and gives Steve a look, nudging him with his elbow. Steve rolls his eyes, but there's a smirk playing on his lips. Two-Bit's too in his own head to realize what's happening, he's turned around now and he just keeps looking at her forehead and biting his lip, tapping his fingers on his elbow anxiously.
"You read?" She jokes, her hands clenching and unclenching in her lap as Darry gives her a look. This is going to hurt. She nods as Pony pretends to be offended before telling her about the book. He's a real good story teller because she finds herself wanting to know more about this Paul Atreides and his adventures and barely notices Darry's stitching, with the exception of a few times as it pulls at her skin.
"Sorry, kiddo," Darry mutters and she just shoots him a soft smile, letting him know she's fine.
"Well, it looks like you better watch out for the youngest Curtis, Two-Bit." Steve drawls with a smirk, out of earshot of Pony, Darry and Abby. Two-Bit finally comes back to reality and looks at his friend skeptically. Sometimes, there ain't no telling what's about to come out of Steve's mouth and he braces for it.
"Yeah? Why's that?"
"Looks like you might already have a brother in law." Steve nods to the couch and Sofa huffs a laugh when they see Abby clutching Pony's hand as Darry stiches her up. Pony's ears are a little red, but he just keeps talking. Every now and then he'll share a look with Abby and the two just smile at each other.
"Oh shut up," Two-Bit laughs, but makes a note to tell Abby the skinny on boys – how they're no good, not worth her time for at least…well, 30 years, if he can manage it. He'd be perfectly fine if she remained a spinster as long as he was alive, but it hits him that she's not exactly a kid anymore when he catches the way she's looking at Soda and Darry's kid brother and realizes he may already be out of luck.