Chapter Four: Ponyboy Caulfield

Featuring:

Cherry Valance*

Bob Sheldon/

Dallas Winston*

Buck Merrill

Tim Shepard

* = featured character narrates part or all of the chapter

/ = character isn't ever physically present in chapter but is still featured

Cherry Valance:

"These greasers got nothing on me right Cherry?"

"Just stop Bob! I don't want to talk about this."

"Look, Soc girls like you ain't supposed to be putting up a fight. So just calm down and shut it."

"I'm not going to calm down! I don't even know why I'm with you! You jump greasers and you can't respect your girlfriend. I mean you think I didn't see you with Beverly last week? At least that greaser Dallas Winston was loyal to his girl!"

"You ain't bringing that hood into this!" He pulled me closer than I would've liked to be, and tightened his grip. It was the only time I've ever been scared of Bob

That was my very last encounter with him before he was dead.

Dallas Winston:

Buck wasn't having a rodeo today. It was Wednesday, which is when them Curtis brothers like to work late. It's not just them who are busy either. Pony's out at the library to read and do homework. Steve also got his work. And Two-Bit's probably anywhere a blonde broad is right now. Plus Johnny sure ain't leavin' the cooler anytime soon.

I loned the day, pickin' up extra bucks by doin' work at Buck's place. There's always some kinda party 'round here, and it had finally died down. All's left is either Buck's friends, Shepard's gang, or people too damn drunken to function right, you don't wanna get mixed up with any of them. All the broads are gone by now, even the bartender, who's surely not paid enough to stay and doesn't even have a proper bar.

I had just finished fixin' up the sink. I took my shirt off cause it was gettin' all sorts of dirt on it, Buck's bathroom ain't ever in shape. I tossed the rag at Buck, "Get your shit together, that bathroom smells like blasted roadkill." He just laughed, it was no shocker he was drunk at this hour. I would've been too if I wasn't fixing the sink.

I dragged the nearly broken rag full of tools out of the room to put back. All the metal was makin' sounds on the wooded floors. As I washed the dirt off my hands I heard a creak at the door. I got closer tryna not let anyone see I was lookin'.

It was Cherry Valance. This was no time n' place for that broad. She peaked her pretty little face through the door. "Wouldya look at that? Why don't come on in girly girl?" Tim Shepard said with a full grin on his face.

She was awful hesitant, can't blame her none. Shepard ain't ever tame on pretty girls. I searched my pocket for a box of cancer sticks. Dammit. I must've used 'em up. I checked 'round Buck's messy kitchen since there's always some cigarettes 'round here.

I made sure to stay close enough to hear the happenins at the door. "I..well, have you seen Dallas Winston?" I could tell she was nervous, she makes it so damn obvious. Not a good instinct 'round here, but I like it.

I considered makin' it easy for her and goin' over, but I haven't ever made anything easy for anyone, so why start? I stayed put, I never really do use my head, but who does 'round here anyways?

Tim chuckled loudly, in that drunken way that you always catch him doing at this time of night. Tim ain't even drunk, he's been off it since he got out the cooler for running kids over while drunk drivin' or sum.

"Sure you wanna be lookin' for that guy so late at night? Your rich ol' daddy must be worried sick. Girls like you are way too prissy to be so far East." Now, Cherry's a feisty broad. Everyone knew that, and she don't just let people call her prissy. But she didn't say nothin' bout it this time. She wasn't lettin' Shepard get a kick outta her. I'll never know why she let shit slide just this night, but it never happened again.

"Won't you just show me where Dallas is?" Shepard chuckled again. I'd rather listen to a car break down than have him make that sound again. "Yeah sure, I'll tell ya. Why don't you follow me upstairs, darlin'?" Ya see, Cherry don't know how to use her head in times like these. 'Cause Socs ain't ever indecent enough to move in on her like that.

So she said yes. And this was when I realized I shoulda used my head too, if I'd just come over when I heard she wanted me.

I stopped, wonderin' how messed up I look havin' my shirt off n' all but thought there wasn't gon' be enough time to put one on once Tim gets her in a bedroom.

"Hey Shepard, ya had your fun. Bring her down will ya?" I could tell by the way Cherry flinched that she could tell it was me, there's somethin' 'bout that action that I liked. "There you are." She said, and as her mouth opened I noticed the smile forming, it stopped as soon as she pulled herself together. There was something about that I had also liked.

Tim shrugged and kept going upstairs, payin' no mind to the girl he just tried to pick up. "Let's git" I said, nodding at the open door that never had the opportunity to be closed. She followed suit and walked awful gracefully. She knew she didn't have to, she was on the East side and no one cared how delicate she walked. But there was somethin' about her pride that made her do it anyways.

I sat on the curb of Buck's place waitin' for her to sit by me rather than looking back. "You're just makin' it obvious you're lookin' for me, doll." She scoffed, but still sat beside me. "Teacher wanted Johnny to have this when he gets back, he's gotta read it and do a little essay. Give it to him once he's out will you?"

"Will do." I said, grabbing the book roughly, it wasn't like I cared 'bout readin'. I could do it surprisingly well, for a hood like me at least, but I just didn't. The book was called 'The Catcher and the Rye' and it looked kinda interesting. Maybe I woulda picked it up if I was anythin' like Pony, but I'm not. "Pony reminds me of Caulfield you know, maybe if he was more careless the way you are." She said.

A/N: I've never actually read The Catcher and the Rye. Pony and Holden just seemed to be kinda similar, I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense to the people who have read the book.

"This what you're reading?" She was lookin' at me weird, like she couldn't pay attention. She shook her head awfully uncomfortable for my likin' "uh- no it's not. We aren't reading anything from school right now, I'm reading my own book."

I could tell she didn't want to talk 'bout it, she just kept givin' me that same ol' look.

Cherry Valance:

I'm not calm enough to have a conversation with Dallas. I'm just not. I can't pay attention and I always get nervous. I don't even know why I'm here.

I volunteered to bring that stupid book. Teacher said she'd give it to Johnny once he's back. I told her I knew where to bring it. I'm such a fool, I should've used my head.

He was shirtless, sitting on the curb, smoking a stupid cigarette. It's like he's tryna rub it in my face. Rubbing in the fact that I'm absolutely obsessed with a greaser. But I was, because you bet I was lookin'. I can't tell if he does this stuff particularly to get into my head or if he's just like that.

Dallas Winston:

Her eyes traveled from my chest to my mouth over and over again. I didn't think nothin' of it, 'least I tried not to. "Wanna try?" I took the cigarette out of my mouth and offered it to her. Normally I'd be sittin' here with Two-Bit and he always wants to smoke.

She got that hesitant look again.

Cherry Valance:

Was I looking at his mouth too much, is that why he's asking? "Oh, I don't really know how." I don't know how much I'd like smoking, I just liked to see him do it. "Cmon, it's easy." He brought the cancer stick closer to his mouth, "Ya suck it," he put it in, sucked it, then he took it out of his mouth, smoke came out as he spoke. "Then ya blow." And he blew.

"Got it?" I tilted my head. Hoping he'd let me see him do it again. Instead, he held the same cigarette up to my mouth, "Suck," he kept his hand on the cigarette as I did what I was told and I tried not to blush because when I do I turn redder than my hair. And when I nodded, he took the cigarette out. "Blow." And I blew. It was cooler than I thought, the feeling convinced me I could really be a greaser. I could really have Dallas Winston. And that's all I really wanted in that moment.

That's when I knew I had to leave, I can concentrate here. There's something about the East Side that ruins me. And I can't let that happen to me. I cant ruin my reputation for a hood. But I can't live without him anymore, not now, now that I've seen the other side so well. How will I ever go back?

Dallas Winston:

She just ran. I could tell she wasn't in her head. She was messed up some. She got up and left. I wondered if she'd come back.

I wished she would, cause I was gettin' attached. These kinda things always happen to me. I get attached without meanin' to. It always comes back to get me. Dammit.

Still, Two-Bit's got nothin' on her. And she's sure better than any blonde broad 'round here. There ain't no one like her. There ain't nothin' like us.

A/N: ok this chapter kinda fell off a bit sorryyy. And I'm sorry for the constant POV changes it's realllyyyy hard to write from Dally's perspective. Anyway I think the next chapter should be better.