Chapter Three

Dally and Johnny were waiting for me and Susie under the streetlight, and since we came early we had time to go to the drugstore in the shopping centre to goof around. We bought drinks and I slumped down in the booth once the guys started blowing the straws at the waitress who happened to be in my science class. She gave me a dirty look like I was the one harassing her. We walked around a bit more and Dally swiped a few things that weren't even 20 cents, but he liked breaking the law just to break the law.

We made our way over to Dingo's. In Tulsa, there were several drive-ins, but The Dingo and Jay's were greaser territory, while The Way Out and Rusty's were reserved for socs only.

Dingo's was a rough type of place, and once I heard a girl got shot here. We leaned against several beat up trucks and cars and talked to every hood we knew there, which was just about everyone. We listened to the greaser drama, who fought who, who was in jail, and who was getting with who. The four of us got out of there though when a greaser and a hitchhiker were hashing it out and one of them pulled out a switchblade. The fuzz would be called soon, and if you were in your right mind you got the hell out of there.

It was dark enough by then that we were able to jump over the back fence to the Nightly Double drive-in movie. It wasn't like we needed to, it was only a quarter to enter, but Dally liked to do things the illegal way.

We went to the rows of seats in front of the concession stand to sit down. Nobody else was there except two girls who were sitting down front. Dally eyed them coolly, then walked down the aisle and sat right behind them. I had a sick feeling that Dally was up to his usual tricks, and I was right. He started talking, loud enough for the two girls to hear. He started out bad and got worse. Dallas could talk awful dirty if he wanted to and I guess he wanted to then. I felt my ears get hot with shame, and as I turned to look at Susie she looked off too. Two-Bit or Steve or even Soda would have gone right along with him, just to see if they could embarrass the girls, but as a girl myself it made my stomach churn. Me and Susie sat there, struck dumb as Johnny hastily left to go get a Coke. I wished I went with him.

The girls looked like they were juniors or maybe seniors, and I think I saw them around school before. One had short black hair and the other had long red hair. I always thought the redhead was real pretty; she was a cheerleader I think. I then realized Jessica was a cheerleader too. I hoped they weren't friends.

The black haired one just ignored Dally, but the redhead started to chew her gum real aggressive; I couldn't tell if it was from nerves or anger. I could tell Dally was starting to become impatient, because he gave me a wink and put his feet on the back of the redheads chair and said something real dirty next to her ear.

"Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap."

Dally merely looked at her and kept his feet where they were. "Who's gonna make me?"
The other one fumed around and watched us. "That's the greaser that jockeys for the Slash J sometime," she said, as if we couldn't hear her.

What are they doing at a drive-in without a car? I thought, and Dallas said, "I know you two. I've seen you around rodeos."

"It's a shame you can't ride bull half as good as you can talk it," the redhead said coolly and turned back around.

That didn't bother Dally in the least. "You two barrel race, huh?"

"You'd better leave us alone," the redhead said in a biting voice, "or I'll call the cops."

"Oh, my, my"— Dally looked bored— "you've got me scared to death. You ought to see my record sometime, baby." He grinned slyly. "Guess what I've been in for?"

"Please leave us alone," she said. "Why don't you be nice and leave us alone?"

Dally grinned roguishly. "I'm never nice. Want a Coke?"

She was mad by then. "I wouldn't drink it if I was starving in the desert. Get lost, hood!"

Dally merely shrugged and strolled off.

The redhead looked at me and Susie sitting there, and I felt a pang of shame hit my chest. "What are you nice looking girls doing hanging around a hood like him for?"

I felt myself stiffen, sure Dally was a hood but he was my friend too. Well, I think so anyway.

"I'm a greaser, same as Dally. He's my buddy." As a greaser, you had to defend your gang, even if they were in the wrong.

She shrugged, "Sorry." I wasn't sure if she meant it, "What's your name?"

"Pony. This is Susie." I braced myself for rhetorical questions like, ' That's your real name?' 'Are you pullin' my leg?'

She didn't say anything like that though, and she offered me a pretty smile, "That's a wonderful, unique name, Pony." I felt my cheeks flush and I preened a bit under her praise.

"My dad was an original person; I got a brother named Sodapop, says so on his birth certificate."

"My name's Sherri Valance, but people call me Cherry 'cause of my hair." She tugged on her red hair for extra effect.

The other girl introduced herself as Marcia and we all talked a bit before Dally came back with cokes and settled himself into his seat again. Shortly after, Johnny strolled over too.

I kind of tuned out the rest of their conversation as I immersed myself into the movie playing. It was a sort of teen beach movie, and the storyline wasn't all that great, but I loved fun stupid movies like this. It made me think of how different life could be for anyone, like, what if I was born in Australia instead of Oklahoma? Would there be greasers and socs there too? Would I surf in my freetime like the tanned girls in the movie did?

I heard a small splash and turned to look at Dally with coke dripping down his face, "That might cool you off, greaser. Once you learn to act and talk decent, I might cool off too." I heard Susie gasp softly. No one talked to Dally like that, except Johnny maybe.

Dally gave her a dangerous grin and I knew whatever was about to happen wasn't going to be pretty. I quickly jumped out of my seat and linked arms with Susie, "Me and Susie and gonna go to the washroom." What a tough grease you are, Pony.

If Dally or Johnny heard me, they didn't give any indication that they did. I didn't wait around to see though, as I saw Dally start to put an arm around Cherry I hurried off. If he went too far, I had faith that Johnny would stop him.

I saw Two-Bit out of the corner of my eye a ways away, and figured it was safe to leave since Johnny had Two-Bit for backup now. I exhaled softly and started to walk at a slow pace with Susie at my side. The washrooms weren't too far off, but they were tucked in the back corner of the Nightly Double and tall willow trees blocked people off from seeing the side of it.

Susie whistled low, "That Cherry Valance sure is brave." I hummed.

As we made it to the washrooms at the back of the Nightly Double, I noticed no one was around. The movie playing was in the middle at the moment, and I guessed everyone didn't want to miss anything important. That or couples were too busy making out.

Me and Susie looked in the mirror and she handed me a tube of strawberry lip gloss, "My ma got me a new one," She gestured for me to put it on, "Ain't it a pretty colour? Try it!"

I grinned happily and applied some; it looked real pretty on me. The tube of gloss I had was barely tinted, but this one was a pretty pink that made me look cute.

Susie gasped, "Oh glory, Pony! It looks gorgeous on you!" I blushed and tried to hand it back to her when she furiously shook her head, "No way! Keep it, it looks better on you anyway." She grinned at me and I felt my heart soar.

I smiled at her, "Are you sure? Your mama won't get mad at me, right?" I asked, even though I knew Ms. Matthews loved me like a daughter.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, you don't want it? I'll take it back then." She said, but made no movement to take it back.

I grinned at her and enveloped her into a great hug before we left the bathroom.

"I know, man. I jus' don't know where they are…" I heard a deep, drunken voice slur as we stepped out of the washroom. I felt myself stiffen and my blood ran cold as I saw the socs that were in the red car leaning against the back fence close to us. I could smell the alcohol a mile away. As soon as the fluorescent lights hit us, all of the socs turned to look at and I felt my chest squeeze as I saw Josh.

A hand grasped at my heart as I saw his heavy lidded eyes trail my body once again before grinning like a mad man once he watched my expression of fear. My hand grasped at Susie's tight to make sure she was still beside me. I didn't dare turn around to look at her face.

"Hi, baby." I involuntarily shivered and I felt Susie squeeze my hand in reassurance, "You miss me?"

I barely got my choked words out, "Leave me alone." I inwardly cursed at myself, as I heard how pathetic my words came out. I sounded like a little kid who had her ponytail pulled.

Bob blinked heavily at me, before he slurred his words with a grin, "Befor' we find Marcia n' Cherry let's hav' some fun first." I felt my mind reel as I processed his words. Socs didn't touch greaser girls though. Everyone knew that. I found myself doubting my thoughts as I watched the socs smile themselves stupid and once I saw Josh get up from leaning on the fence I booked it.

I wasn't about to wait and see if my theory still held strong.

I gripped Susie's hand and was about to start running as fast as I could when I heard Susie's pained cry ring in my ears. I turned around and saw Josh's big hand wrap around Susie's forearm. His fingertips turned white with how hard he squeezed her arm.

"Not so fast, buttercup." He whispered, but it was so quiet it practically echoed through the small clearing we were in.

Suddenly, the fear that was instilled in my body vanished as soon as I saw Susie's crumpled, pained face. He was hurting her. A burning hot emotion so foreign to me bubbled and boiled in my chest, and the heat made my face feel hot.

"Get your filthy hands off of her, you asshole!" I swore loudly and slapped his face as hard as I could, which successfully made him let go of my friend. I quickly shoved Susie behind me and before I had time to even think about what I saw going to do next a force so powerful sent me stumbling back.

I willed my knees not to buckle beneath me as my vision swam and white lights danced and flashed around. I barely heard Susie gasp before she screamed. Loud.

Her yell left me more delirious than before as I struggled to understand what just happened.

I think he punched me. Holy crap.

I barely registered the blinding white pain that exploded on my jaw as I watched several of the socs approach Susie, probably to shut her up. They were all a head taller than me, which terrified me, but the horrified look Susie had on her face was more than enough to fuel me.

I quickly got up but struggled to move further as 2 socs held me back by the arms. "Get off of me!" I screamed and kicked at one of the socs balls, which left him doubled over. With my free arm I curled my hand just like Dally taught me once and punched the other one as hard as I could in the throat. I quickly escaped his grasp as his hands flew to clutch at his throat.

I looked at all the other socs and felt my heart drop to my stomach as I quickly realized there were at least triple more socs than me and Susie. As I watched a soc handle Susie I quickly made to jump on his back. He yelled and tried to throw me off his back as I pushed my knuckles into his eyes, hard. His hands gripped my own but I just pushed my hands in further. He thrashed around and let go of Susie.

I yelled as loud as I could while I kept pushing my knuckles into his eyes, "Help! Soda! Darry!" I suddenly realized Dally, Two-Bit and Johnny were around. "Dally! Two-!"

My shouts were cut off as someone's hands grabbed a hold of my shoulders and threw me onto the ground, knocking the wind out of my chest. I gasped and sputtered for breath. Suddenly, I felt a strange sense of deja vu as I recalled Soda body slamming into the bed this morning. It felt like a distant memory.

The soc was on me as soon as my back touched the ground, and his knees tightened around my torso, leaving me to thrash wildly. His knees dug hard into the sides of my ribs as I choked out a sob, it hurt so bad. I lay flat on my back as I blearily watched a face swim in and out of view as a fist careened towards my face. I shouted as I felt my left cheek explode with pain, but I barely heard my own shout as several other screams and yells mixed with my own. I could only hope that Susie was okay.

"Hey! You get the hell off her!" I heard a booming voice echo.

Suddenly, the cage the soc had me in was removed and I sucked in a breath of air. I coughed and rolled over as I emptied my stomach onto the grass. I dry heaved for a few more seconds as anxiety and fear grasped at my chest, leaving me breathless.

I felt tears cascade down my surely bruised cheeks and looked up to see Dally socking the soc that was on me repeatedly. I couldn't even bring myself to worry if the soc was dead or not as his body lay scarily still on the ground. Not when I still hadn't seen Susie.

I was slightly aware of Two-Bit and Johnny here as well as I heard their shouts distantly. My eyes searched for Susie, and when I finally saw her standing off to the side looking scared, but not too badly hurt I breathed a sigh of relief. We made eye contact and her hands flew to her mouth in what I guessed was shock. I cringed, I probably didn't look too hot at the moment.

I tried to stand up but fell to the ground again once my knees buckled beneath me. I groaned and decided just to sit against the fence with my head leaning back. I breathed out a heavy sigh and forced myself not to look at the fight going on in front of me. Just the sounds of fists slamming against flesh and the yelps of pain were more than enough to make my stomach churn once again.

"Oh glory, Pony!" I heard Susie's voice as she appeared beside me.

I lolled my head over to the side and saw her pale face. Her eyes were wide with fear as she observed me. The overhead lamp shadowed her face, but I could still recognize some cuts and bruises on her face.

She brought a shaky hand up to my face and carefully turned it to the side. Her breath hitched before she dropped it. "I'm so sorry, Pony." Her voice cracked as I heard a soft sob.

My eyes went wide, "Don't. Don't you say that." My voice was hard and I thought I kind of sounded like Darry. However that train of thought crashed when my voice started to tremble, "Not for a second did I regret protecting you." I told her, and I heard myself sob after. She just sobbed with me before pulling me into a side hug.

Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, I was made painfully aware of the bruises and cuts I suffered from the socs. The left side of my jaw where Josh had socked it throbbed under my skin and I felt my cheeks burn hot with the sting of a punch. My torso where the soc had me caged was starting to hurt too, and I didn't doubt it would be sore for the next couple of days.

I let a whine escape my lips, not caring if anyone heard. Everything hurt, and I wanted my brothers to hold and comfort me. I let out a sob for my brothers' lack of presence.

Suddenly, I felt my body go numb, and I quickly realized all I wanted to do was sleep. My limbs felt strangely heavy as I let my eyes blink heavily, before I let them close.

I felt like I had just closed my eyes when someone brought me to my feet, my right arm over their shoulder and their arm wrapped around my bruised side. My eyes flew open as I shouted in pain. "Stop! Stop!"

"Shit! Let her down, Two-Bit!" I heard Dally's abrasive voice tell Two-Bit, who I supposed was holding me. I gasped in pain as Two-Bit let me back down onto the grass, a bit too harshly for my liking.

I wrapped my arms around my sides and hunched over. The side where Two-Bit had pressed into throbbed with a hot white pain. I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a shaky breath.

"Where's Darry?" I managed to sob out, "I want Soda and Darry."

I heard a heavy sigh, "Darry's at home and I think Soda might be too." Dally's voice echoed through my head as I fought to process what he said.

I whined, "Bring me home."

"Well, we were."

I threw my head back in relief as the pain had started to subside. I looked up at the dark sky and my eyes traced the millions of stars up there. Stars are cool. I wish I was a star, I thought absent-mindedly.

"Alright, c'mon tell me where it hurts, Baby." I heard Two-Bit's surprisingly comforting voice ask as I turned my head to look ahead. Dally was leaning against the building of the washroom, and his face looked a bit cut up. He had a strange expression on his face, kind of angry but also a bit confused looking. He was smoking a weed. I saw Johnny standing near Dally with his hands shoved in his pockets, and he looked like a hood with his face bruised, otherwise he looked fine. I could tell he was shaken though, with his eyes wide and shaky. Two-Bit was crouched in front of me, and I was surprised to see his face free of any smile. He just looked plain worried. I turned to see Susie and gasped when I saw her face. It was cut and bruised like Johnny's, but it looked worse on her.

"Susie!" I exclaimed, but regretted it once my ribs throbbed in retaliation, "Are you okay?" I asked. She gave me a funny look, but nodded her head nonetheless. "I'm fine, it's you we have to worry about."

I frowned and squeezed my eyes shut. What happened again? Why did my ribs hurt and why does my body feel so heavy?

Something warm dripped down my temple, and when I brought my hand out after wiping it away and saw the sticky blood I realized.

I got jumped.

I struggled to remember the bits and pieces of everything, but once Josh's dangerous grin flashed in my mind I choked on my breath and gripped Two-Bit's arm. I barely felt his hand rub my own before he asked, "We're here now, ain't nobody gonna hurt you."

I gasped and struggled to catch my breath, but I managed to squeeze out, "I wanna go home."

Two-Bit smiled rather strangely, "Sure, Ponykid. Tell me where it hurts though, so I don't hurt you more." His voice was like taking a hot shower in the middle of winter.

I nodded, "Um, my sides." I bit back a groan as a particularly painful throb entered my body, "I think my ribs are messed up." I said before I blinked heavily once again. Talking made me even more tired.

Two-Bit said something to me, but I didn't get to hear it as my mind fuzzed over. One of his arms hoisted me up, this time underneath my armpit, and I leaned heavily on him. My knees felt strangely weak as I struggled to place one foot in front of the other, leaving Two-Bit to practically drag me out of the Nightly Double. I think Dally, Johnny, and Susie were behind us but I couldn't be bothered to turn around and look. I don't think I'd ever been so tired before.

My eyes kept shutting for what felt like hours before opening back up again just to see we only traveled a few steps ahead. At this point, Two-Bit was practically carrying me as my feet dragged against the concrete of the sidewalk.

I figured since I seemed to be walking while my eyes closed I might as well keep them closed. It was a real challenge to keep my eyelids that wanted nothing more than to close, open.

I promptly fell asleep to the sound of Two-Bit's voice saying something to me.