(Darry's POV)
After my shift ended on a Friday evening, I went home to shower and change clothes before going to the diner to pick up Kate and the guys. Everyone wanted to see Soda compete in the rodeo, and it was a rare occurrence that I didn't work on Saturday, so I was more than happy to stay out late that night. Granted, there's nothing that would have made me miss my brother competing again.
After giving Soda the cowboy boots and hat for Christmas, I knew he'd want to jump back into riding saddle bronc as soon as possible. He and I had a few conversations about it, which included under what circumstances I'd let him compete and what would make it so he needed to stop again. I wasn't sure he paid much attention to the latter since he was so excited, but I got his word that he'd stop if I told him to, and that's all I really needed.
As soon as I stepped into the diner, I spotted Dally and Ponyboy sitting on stools next to each other at the counter while Johnny and Kate were on the other side, talking with them. Two-Bit was supposed to be there too, but I figured he must've found some girl in the diner to pester.
While I walked towards the counter where everyone else was sitting, I looked around for Two-Bit, and I wasn't too surprised to see him leaning against the wall a short distance away from the others while he talked with a girl. It took me a moment to realize that it wasn't just some random girl either; it was Rachel. Two-Bit was grinning and slouching a little, which instantly told me he was flirting, and by the smile on her face, I figured Rachel was flirting back.
Two-Bit had been talking about Rachel for a few weeks by then, and whenever he was at the diner, he always wanted to get her attention by either talking with her like a normal person, or in true Two-Bit fashion, by being obnoxious. I asked him about it once, and my buddy just shrugged and said Rachel was nice and good-looking, but the odd shyness he displayed when he said it told me he was starting to really like her. Then when I asked him about the Soc girl that gave him her number at the movies a few months back, he grimaced and said she probably did it as a joke, and he didn't want to go out with a girl that handed out her number to other guys when she had a boyfriend anyways.
That's probably a good idea– save yourself heartbreak down the road.
The sudden idea of Kate cheating on me or breaking my heart popped into my head, and it instantly made me upset, but I tried to keep a straight face as I kept walking towards the group of people awaiting my arrival. Kate was the first to notice me, and the moment she spotted me approaching, she beamed. With just a flash of her smile, I was suddenly and silently reassured that she'd never cheat on me, even though I had noticed a number of guys look at her like they wished she would.
I loved spending time with Kate, no matter what we were doing, even if that meant I'd just sit at the diner while she was working. The thing I really disliked was when I'd watch her walk around and smile at other people, specifically other men, while she worked. It drove some primal part of me insane with jealousy, even though logically I knew she had to be polite to everyone that came into the diner, including the guys that were possibly single and wanting to ask her out.
Kate was easily the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, and I still questioned if she believed that, but I wished she would. It was obvious that I wasn't the only one who knew how attractive she was too. Guys would frequently watch Kate walk away from their table for too long, or their eyes would wander where they shouldn't, and my blood would boil, then I'd instantly feel extra protective over her. Most of the time, I wished that I could physically force those guys to look somewhere else, but instead, I had to pretend that nothing was bothering me by smiling at Kate whenever she saw me. On more than one occasion, when Kate wasn't looking, I found myself glaring at the guys who dared to look at her the same way I did. Especially that Peter kid from the other day.
I struggled to shake the negative thoughts and emotions away, so I focused on my beautiful girlfriend that was hanging out with my friends and smiling at me. She's with you, Darry. She's dating you, the guys all like her, and we're all going to the rodeo together. Forget about everything else.
"Hey sweetie," Kate said before she walked around the end of the counter. She had already changed out of her work clothes and into jeans and a flannel top, reminding me of the first time we went to the rodeo together. As soon as I reached the group, my girlfriend kissed my cheek and looked up at me with her bright eyes. "Perfect timing, we just clocked out."
The way she said it made it sound like Johnny was also working there with a time card and everything. It was nice to hear Kate include Johnny because the kid had been at the diner pretty much every weekday for a month, and he seemed to enjoy it, but it was just for him to do something he liked and to learn from professionals, not for getting a paycheck. Right?
I looked at Johnny. "Clocked out? They got you a timecard or something, Johnny?" I jokingly asked.
He shrugged, but I saw a hint of a smile on his face. "Connie told me to keep track of the hours I was here. Didn't say why though."
I raised my eyebrows, having not anticipated that answer at all. To add to my surprise, Kate winked at me. With her back to the rest of the guys, nobody else saw the wink, nor the impish grin on her face. I decided to keep my mouth shut for the time being and ask Kate about it later.
Connie's voice suddenly sounded over everyone else's. "What are you kids still doing here?"
We all turned to face the diner owner, who had appeared and was standing across the counter from us with a mock scornful expression on her face. She reminded me of a mom that was disciplining her kids, but not actually being mad.
"Go on! Go have fun!" Connie said, shooing us away with her hands as she smiled. When she turned to look towards Two-Bit and Rachel, she put her hands on her hips. "Mathews, are you gonna let her work at all tonight? Or are you just gonna keep yapping?"
The guys quietly laughed at Connie's remark, while Two-Bit at least had the sense to stop flirting with Rachel and look at the older woman. "Sorry ma'am," he said in the polite tone that I rarely heard from him.
He only ever sounded like that with my parents or his own mother when the situation called for seriousness rather than his typical rowdy behavior.
Connie pointed a finger at him then. "You know by now not to call me that." I could tell Two-Bit was flustered and about to apologize again, but then Connie dropped her facade. "Just ask her out already and get out of here."
Two-Bit's eyes widened and I could see a hint of pink appear on his cheeks. Interestingly enough, Rachel had a similar reaction. Dally, Johnny, and Pony all snickered at our buddy's expense, and at least one of them let out a wolf whistle.
For a moment, our corner of the diner was quiet, but thankfully, Kate broke the silence with her casual attitude and easy grin. "Just ask her, Two-Bit. She'll say yes." When Two-Bit and Rachel both looked at her with stunned expressions, Kate laughed lightly. "All you two talk about lately is each other. It's about time you two actually go on a date."
It took a moment for the shock to wear off, but Two-Bit leaned close to Rachel's ear and whispered something that caused her to smile at him and nod her head.
I guess he got himself a date.
"Great, now that that's settled, all of you kids out! Go have fun," Connie ordered. "And I expect to hear how our favorite cowboy did the next time I see y'all."
Our group started moving together, and when Rachel started walking towards the counter to resume her shift, Connie gave her a strange look. "Honey, what did I just say?"
"I still have two hours-" Rachel started, but her boss wasn't going to hear it.
"Don't worry about it," Connie interrupted. "You're young. Go, have fun."
It looked like Rachel was hesitant, and I didn't blame her. She hadn't hung out with the gang like Kate had, and I remembered that she avoided greasers as much as possible during high school. There's no way she-
"Thanks Connie!" Rachel said excitedly.
I stand corrected.
Two-Bit drove Rachel separately while I drove everyone else. Kate sat in the front seat while Dally, Johnny, and Pony all sat in the bed of the truck. Normally, I wouldn't let Pony or Johnny sit back there if I could help it, but the drive wasn't long, and I still wanted to ask Kate something.
"So what was all that stuff about with Johnny keeping track of his hours?" I asked her when we were just a few blocks away from the diner.
With my peripheral vision, I saw that she gave me another grin. "You can't tell him."
That got my attention, and I wasn't sure if it was good or not. I looked at her and tried not to appear as worried as I felt. "What are you talking about? What can't I tell him?"
"Connie wants to offer Johnny a job so she can pay him," Kate explained slowly and carefully.
I had to look forward again to prevent us from going off the road, but it was hard not to keep looking at her to make sure she was being serious. "What? I thought he was just going to shadow or be like an intern or something."
"That was the original plan, but we all think he's got a natural gift. Connie and Captain both don't want him to leave or for him to keep working without being paid," Kate explained. Even without looking at her, I knew she was smiling.
"So they want him to work there?" I asked, trying to clarify what I was hearing.
"Yes," Kate said simply. "Connie wants to talk with you about it first though. She knows you're his guardian and she wants to make sure that she's not overstepping or causing any issues, so we aren't supposed to say anything until you two talk first."
I was flattered, and honestly grateful, that the diner owner wanted to talk to me before offering Johnny the job. It wasn't that I didn't want the kid to work or earn money, but I wanted to make sure he was really up for it. It had only been a few months since Johnny almost died, and it was still hard to believe the teenager that had been lying in a hospital bed, barely clinging onto life, was already walking around with just the help of some crutches. All those doctors told us to accept that he'd either die, or at the very least, he'd never walk again, but Johnny proved them all wrong.
Johnny was tough, that was for sure, but I didn't want him to push himself too much.
"You alright, Darry?" Kate's voice suddenly brought me back to the present. Her previously-excited voice had gotten quiet and dejected, and I hated that it was my reaction that caused it. "I know it's a lot, and you don't have to decide now or even say yes, but Connie just want-"
"No, it's okay," I was quick to say. I gave her a quick glance and tried to flash her a grin before looking at the road again. "If Johnny wants a job, I'd love for him to have one. I just don't want him to feel pressured into it or push himself too much. He's still recovering from the fire and everything. Plus, I want him to go back to school in the fall, and if he gets a job, it's going to be harder to convince him to go back." I didn't even realize that was a worry I had until I said it, but after the words left my mouth, I immediately thought about Sodapop. I let Soda drop out so he could work full-time, and he'd never even think about going back to school ever again.
We sat in silence for a few moments, with only the sounds of the road and the voices of the three boys in the truck bed creating background noises. I was worried I had the exact opposite reaction that Kate was looking for, but she spoke before I could apologize.
"I understand. What you all went through was traumatic, especially for Johnny," she said patiently. We had talked about happened in the fall a few times, so even though we weren't dating yet when all of that happened, I had a feeling she really did understand as much as she could.
"I promise that if you talk with her, Connie will understand your concerns. You guys can even come up with rules or something to make sure he's okay," Kate suggested. Then her voice got lighter, almost like she was holding back a laugh. "Plus, all of this only matters if he says yes. Maybe he doesn't want the job and he'll say no."
"Are you kidding? He loves being there," I said with a genuine smile. "He comes home every day telling us about things he made or what Captain showed him. Honestly, I think he likes having a hobby that the other guys aren't really into. I know he likes it when we stop by to visit, though."
"Yeah, he does," Kate agreed easily. Then, after a beat, her tone changed again, almost making her sound mischievous. "Is there any other reason you visit the diner?"
I fought back my grin as I decided to join in the playful banter.
"The food's pretty good," I said with a shrug of my shoulders. I let my words hang in the air for a second before briefly looking over at Kate. She was obviously waiting for me to say something else, but I let the silence extend a beat or two longer than normal; just long enough to make her teasing expression shift to slight annoyance. Then I added, "Some of the workers are kind of cute too."
She smirked at that, then she responded with a bit of sass. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," I said, looking forward again. I was thinking about joking with her some more, but I couldn't. I had to be serious, but without being too serious, when I got some of my thoughts and feelings off my chest. "There's this one girl who works there… she's gorgeous, but I don't think she believes it. Her hair is a really pretty auburn color, and when the light hits it just right, the red in it stands out even more. And she has these beautiful green eyes, but when you look at them closely, there's some other colors mixed in them too. I find myself getting lost in them all the time."
I suddenly realized how much I had said, and it was far more than I anticipated admitting at the time, especially when we had just been joking around. I know I wanted to tell her all of these things at some point because they're all true, but glory, I sound like a creep or something.
Silence fell over us again, and I dared to look at Kate again. Her eyes were wide and her lips were parted slightly, like she was stunned. I didn't even think before I reached towards her with my right hand, and she immediately accepted it and held it tight.
Maybe I hang out with Two-Bit and Soda too much, but I couldn't resist saying what I said next: "Do you know her?"
Her stunned expression temporarily morphed into the world's brightest smile, then she barked out a laugh, making me smile and laugh with her as I returned my focus on driving.
"Yeah, I know her," she eventually said after her laughter died down. Then, to my surprise, she kept going along with the joke. "But if you think she's pretty, you should see her boyfriend. He sure is one handsome, strong, and smart guy. He can get a little protective when other guys look at her, or heaven forbid talk to her, but I think she secretly likes it."
I didn't hide my shock from her. Does she see me give dirty looks at other guys when they look at her? I didn't think she ever noticed. Am I that obvious?
"Hey," Kate said seriously, dropping the act suddenly and entirely as she squeezed my hand. "I said I liked it. I'm not used to knowing that someone is in my corner, willing to jump in and protect me from anything, but it's been a nice change. Even if I can still hold my own."
That got me to grin again. "I know you can."
But I'll be dammed if I let anything happen to you.
When we got to the rodeo, all of us met up with Steve and Evie, who had already found some seats. Both of them grinned when they saw us, and even when they spotted Rachel walking with Two-Bit, they were obviously surprised, but neither of them said anything or even looked angry about Rachel's presence.
When we reached the couple, Two-Bit threw his arm across Rachel's shoulders and spoke in his typical, obnoxious way. "Rachel, this is our pal, Steve. If you need help with anything to do with cars, he's your guy," Two-Bit said proudly. "And this is his girl, Evie. We're not sure what she sees in him, but she's cool."
I was surprised and proud of my buddy for properly introducing his… date? Are they calling this a date, or just hanging out?
At Two-Bit's remark, Steve jumped up and tried to get him in a headlock, and while the two of them were roughhousing, Kate guided Rachel to sit next to Evie so the three of them could talk without the risk of being taken out by one of the greasers.
The rest of us sat down, and after their wrestling match, Steve and Two-Bit sat down next to Evie and Rachel respectively. I noticed that Rachel gave Two-Bit a questioning look, probably because she wasn't used to being around rowdy greasers, but then Two-Bit said something to her that made her laugh and relax a little.
"You think she's going to be able to handle the entire gang for a whole night?" I whispered to Kate, nodding my head in Rachel's direction.
Kate nodded her head. "She's not entirely a Soc, Darry. She's tough, and as long as there's not a real fight, I don't think she's going anywhere. She likes Two-Bit too much to do that." Then, after looking at her friend, she looked back at me with a smirk. "Plus, she kind of owes he since he held her hair back when she was drunk."
Without taking her attention away from Two-Bit or even looking in her direction, Rachel smacked Kate's arm, causing my girlfriend to laugh.
We all watched the rodeo events together, eagerly waiting for the saddle bronc competition to begin. With all of us sitting in one big group, it felt like Soda really had a lot of fans, and I hoped he did well and managed to not get hurt on his first day back. If we all have to sit here and watch my brother get hurt...
"Hey, what are you thinking so hard about?" Kate asked quietly. She was sitting between me and Rachel, but with her friend being distracted by Two-Bit's antics, nobody else had heard Kate's query. Good, I don't need anyone worrying about me.
"Nothing," I lied quickly.
She gave me a disbelieving look. "You're worried about something. I can tell."
I wished she couldn't read my emotions so well because it would've been so much easier to act like I was fine. "Just wondering if it's a good idea for him to compete again," I admitted quietly. Everyone else was excited when they heard Soda would be back in the rodeo, but it just made it feel like my gut was being twisted. "I don't want him to get hurt."
Kate nodded in understanding, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she just held my hand.
Before I knew it, it was Soda's turn to ride. Everyone in the group was excited; the guys were hollering and whistling, the girls were cheering, all while I sat there completely still, staring at my brother sitting atop a horse in the chute. He was wearing his new boots and hat.
It's been years since he's competed. What was I thinking letting him just jump back into it?
Kate still didn't say anything to me about how worried I was, but there really wasn't much to say. She can't tell me everything's going to be fine or that Soda's going to do great because there's no way for any of us to know that. In a weird way, her silent support was exactly what I needed. It was like she was telling me we didn't know what was going to happen, but we'd get through it. It was always strict logic that got me through stressful times and ignore my emotions, and somehow, Kate understood.
Suddenly, the chute opened, and a feral horse was trying to buck Soda off its back.
It felt like eight hours had passed instead of eight seconds, but my kid brother held onto that bronco, and he was smiling the whole time. When the buzzer sounded, the crowd cheered wildly, our group especially, but it wasn't until Soda got off the horse and landed on his two feet that I exhaled.
I felt Kate's hand squeeze mine before she made a move to pull it away, but I quickly turned my hand so I could grab hers and squeeze it back.
"Thanks," I said breathlessly. When I glanced sideways at her, she gave me a tiny grin and slight nod of her head, obviously trying to keep our exchange hidden from the group like I had been attempting.
Apparently though, I didn't do a good enough job.
"Relax man," Dally said with a harsh slap of his hand on my shoulder. He was sitting behind me, but leaned forward so his face was closer than I anticipated. "You really think I'd let Soda jump on a horse without some practice first?"
I turned to face him entirely. "What are you talking about Dallas?"
Dally smirked, then leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking smug. "Buck and I let him practice a few times this week, just to make sure he still had some cowboy left in him. I think he only fell like once or twice."
I felt both relieved and angry that nobody had told me about Soda practicing beforehand, but I knew I didn't like hearing that he fell at all.
Before I could say anything to Dally, the rest of the gang started getting loud again. When I turned to see what everyone was so excited about, I spotted Soda sauntering towards us with the world's biggest smile on his face. He sat down next to Pony and took our brother's Pepsi for a quick swig before Pony snatched it back.
"How'd I look out there?" Soda asked, his smile never fading. After everyone told him how great he did or how amazing he looked, (thanks girls for making his ego get even bigger,) he looked at me, then to my surprise, he looked over at Dally. "So did you tell him?"
"You mean about you riding before tonight?" I questioned, my voice sounding somewhere between harsh and amused.
Soda's eyes got a little wider, making him seem even younger and more innocent with those big brown orbs staring at me. That's when I realized I couldn't really be upset with him or Dally, especially considering it was my idea for Christmas to get Soda the boots and hat so we could talk about him competing again. At least he thought ahead and practiced before the real thing.
I let out a breath and managed a small smirk. "Thanks for not telling me. I think I would've been worried all week if you did." Soda was stunned by my reaction, then he was relieved and even started laughing. "I'm not thrilled to hear you fell and I didn't know about it though," I added.
Soda shrugged, but his grin was still stuck on his face, like he didn't have a care in the world. "It wasn't a big deal or nothin'. Just got a nice bruise on my hip, but it doesn't bother me."
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. "Yeah, thanks for not telling me." Then I looked at him seriously. "But from now on, I need to know everything, you dig?"
"Yeah, I savvy," Soda muttered.
Once the excitement from Soda's ride died down a little, we watched the rest of the saddle bronc riders take their turns. After the last rider finished, it was determined that Soda got third place. We all congratulated him on a job well done, and his proud smile never left his face, but he still pretended like it was nothing. "Not bad after taking a few years off, but I gotta get back to how good I used to be."
I rolled my eyes at his antics, but I found myself smiling too.
While the arena was getting set up for the next event, the three girls decided to get some drinks and snacks. With only the gang around, the guys quickly interrogated Two-Bit about him and Rachel. When Soda and Steve asked him how Rachel ended up coming to the rodeo, Two-Bit told them what happened earlier at the diner.
"Sure we've been talkin' and everything, but I didn't think she'd be up to tag along with little ol' me," Two-Bit said. "I wasn't sure she'd ever want to go out with me."
"Of course she wanted to go out with you," Johnny said like it was the most obvious thing ever. "She's always talking about you."
We all looked at him, varying levels of surprise on everyone's faces.
"What?" Two-Bit stammered. "Johnny Cade, you gossiper! Why have you been holdin' out on me?"
"Because I told Rachel and Kate that I wouldn't say anything," he said defensively. "Just like I told you I wouldn't say nothin' about how much you talk about her or what happened that night after the bar-"
Two-Bit jumped up and quickly got Johnny in a loose headlock to ruffle his hair. "Oh yeah? Then why'd you just tell all of these people then?"
"I thought nothing happened," I stated apprehensively. I knew Two-Bit wasn't the kind of guy to take advantage of a girl, especially when she was drunk, but Johnny's words had me a little confused and even more concerned.
"Don't go worryin' about it Darry, nothing like that happened," Two-Bit said while he kept his grip on the struggling teen. "
"So what did happen that night?" I asked suspiciously as Dally finally shoved Two-Bit off of Johnny.
Two-Bit sat back and grinned in a way that wasn't normal for him. Instead of goofing around or cracking jokes, he was being serious and happy at the same time. "She was drunk and upset about her ex, so when she wasn't throwin' up, she told me everything that happened between the two of 'em. I didn't think she'd remember much from that night, but she must've remembered some since she was real shy when she'd see me at the diner. She chilled out once I told her I'm quite familiar with alcohol and the porcelain throne."
Understatement of the year.
"After that, we finally got to talking for real. She's real fun to talk to, and nice to look at too." That was Two-Bit's way of saying she's a pretty blonde, which was always his type. "To tell y'all the truth, I was kinda nervous asking her out, since she ain't like me at all."
"To be fair, you technically didn't ask her out," Ponyboy pointed out. "Connie did for you, in front of everyone."
That made us all laugh, and Two-Bit lightly punched my kid brother in the arm. "Yeah well at least I'll be bringing her on a proper date some other time. Where's your girl at, huh Pony?"
"He's fourteen, he doesn't need one," I said, not able to bite back the protectiveness I felt for my brother. Pony groaned and rolled his eyes, but I saw him smile a little afterwards, so I kept on going. "He needs to focus on school and track. That's it."
"Alright, before I gotta hear Muscles start lecturing the kid, Soda and I are gonna go get his winnings," Steve said as he stood up.
Soda stood up too, giving me a look. "Relax Darry, I don't think we gotta worry about him gettin' with a girl just yet." Then he took his hat off and put it on Pony's head, smiling down at our brother. "But when that time comes, you come to me honey. I'll give ya all sorts of good advice."
I could only imagine all the things Soda would tell our kid brother.
"I don't know, Soda. Darry's the one with the girlfriend," Pony quipped, a wicked grin on his face.
Soda put his hand on his chest, pretending to be hurt. "You'd really go to Darry for advice about girls over me?" Then, before Pony could reply, Soda snatched his Pepsi and walked away with Steve, causing Pony to yell at him to buy him another drink.
The rest of us laughed for a moment, then Johnny's voice cut us off. "Hey Darry, I think that's the guy from the diner that has a thing for Kate."
Our group suddenly got very quiet as we followed Johnny's line of sight to spot familiar figures in the crowd. It didn't take long to find Kate, Evie, and Rachel standing with snacks in their hands, assumingly trying to get back to us, but there were two guys standing in their way.
One definitely looked like that Peter guy from the diner, and the other-
"Is that Paul?" Two-Bit spat.
Yeah, it was Paul.
Before the whole group could storm over there, I grabbed Two-Bit's arm and pulled him up to his feet. Then I looked at Dally. "Stay here, and keep them out of trouble."
I knew he was going to be pissed at me for giving him what he'd call "babysitting duties for full-grown boys" but I didn't need Dallas Winston to make something violent if it didn't need to be. I also knew I could trust him to keep an eye on the two youngest members of our gang.
Two-Bit and I weaved through people in our rush to get to the girls' side. When we got close, I could hear the voice of my former best friend.
"-ome on honey, just one date with him won't hurt you."
"I said no, Paul," Kate said angrily. "Apparently neither of you can hear well."
"Take a hike," Evie said casually but angrily. She wasn't the kind of girl who thought relentless flirting or pestering was a good way to get a girl to like you. She also wasn't the type of girl most guys would mess with when she used that tone.
I walked up to Kate and put my arm around her waist, pulling her close to my side. Ignoring the two Socs for a moment, I looked at my girlfriend and spoke calmly. "You alright?"
She nodded, but when she replied, her voice was tense and she also seemed a bit guarded. "Yeah, we're alright. Just catching up with Paul here."
Neither Kate nor Rachel were ever friends with Paul, so there wasn't really a reason for them to catch up and talk to him. I studied my girlfriend for a second, just in case I was missing any other cues or even a red mark of some kind– I swear if either of those two Socs touched her I'm going to pummel them– but finding nothing amiss, I looked at Paul and Peter. While Peter at least looked a little more wary than before, Paul grinned in a way that strangely reminded me of Tim Shepard.
"You didn't tell me the girl you've been trying to get with is dating Darrel Curtis," Paul snarked as he elbowed the other Soc.
"I've told him that multiple times," Kate said simply, but I could sense the irritation behind those words.
"He's practically harassing her at this point," Rachel added bitterly, earning a glare from both Peter and Paul. "She isn't interested, so get over it."
I immediately put myself in front of Kate and Two-Bit did the same with Rachel and Evie, just in case the Socs in front of us got any funny ideas about swinging on any of the girls.
"Maybe he doesn't speak English," Two-Bit offered, although his voice was missing its typical humorous tone. I wondered if he was trying to make a joke and it fell flat, or if he was just trying to make the Socs focus on him, but since both Paul and Peter looked at my buddy with irritable expressions, I figured it was the latter.
"What are you doing here, Paul?" I asked, trying not to sound angry or irritated because I knew that would just make him happy. Then I put on my best smug grin and crossed my arms in front of my chest. "Don't you remember what happened the last time we were in the same place?"
At the mention of the rumble, Paul's face darkened. He hated losing and he's not used to being embarrassed, so when we walloped the Socs in the fall, he was humiliated. Considering he held grudges easier than anyone else I've ever met, I knew he could lash out at any time.
Paul seemed to consider my words and actions carefully, then after a beat, he threw his arm around Peter's shoulders and tried to look casual. "I'm just showing my cousin around. He hasn't been to a rodeo since he moved here a few months ago, so we figured it was about time to see one."
Cousin? Peter is Paul's cousin?
Of course he is.
Does the universe just hate me or something?
"We're not looking for trouble," Paul continued, but the sneer on his face made me think otherwise. His eyes briefly glanced in the direction of where the rest of our group was sitting before he looked back at me. "We better go, Peter. Wouldn't want to get stabbed by a greaser or anything."
It felt like the insides of my mind and body were on fire with the amount of fury I felt so suddenly, but my muscles locked up tight, like they were made of ice.
I knew he was trying to bait me, to get me to throw the first punch, but I wouldn't. I couldn't. Not in public. Not with the girls or my brothers around. If Paul wanted a fight, I'd give him one, but at another time and another place.
I uncrossed my arms and let them hang at my sides as I took a step towards the Socs. "I think it would be best if you and your cousin stay away from us. All of us," I said slowly in the most threatening voice I could manage. I wanted him to know I wasn't scared to fight him, but I had more important things to worry about than dumb grudges. If I got caught fighting in public, I would basically be signing my brothers over to the state.
Paul raised an eyebrow at me, trying to look more entertained than anything, but I knew him better than anyone. I saw the corner of his mouth drop slightly and a flash of concern in his eyes. He knew I could beat him in a fair fight, and it seemed like he wasn't eager to prove me right either.
"Come on, Peter. I feel dirty just from standing next to these people," Paul finally said, turning Peter away from us. While they walked away, I heard Paul mention something about finding a better girl that isn't interested in trash, and as the words came out of his mouth, he glanced back at me momentarily before turning away again.
I could hear murmuring voices around me, but I stayed frozen where I was, glaring at the back of Paul's head until he disappeared into the crowd.
How dare he talk about Kate like that, or even mention what happened in the fall. Ponyboy and Johnny were proven innocent, and they barely survived that week.
My hands were balled up into shaking fists, but before I knew it, my right hand was unclenched and was being held by Kate's hand.
"Darry," she said calmly. "They're gone. We're fine."
The rest of the world came back to me as my muscles thawed and my temper simmered. I was suddenly aware that Two-Bit, Rachel, and Evie were talking next to us, but I didn't bother to pay attention to their conversation.
Just looking at Kate's patient smile immediately made me feel calmer. "Sorry," I said with a sigh.
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about," she replied easily, then she gave my hand a squeeze. "I told you earlier that it's nice to know you'd have my back."
I grinned at that. Sure it's probably old school or misogynistic, but I like being able to protect my girlfriend. She's not fragile and she can definitely handle herself, but I need to be needed. If I couldn't defend my girl, then what kind of boyfriend would I be?
"Do you guys deal with that a lot?" I heard Rachel ask. I turned to look at her, and to her credit, she did seem genuinely surprised and worried.
"Yeah," Two-Bit said casually with a shrug of his shoulders. "Socs don't like greasers, but Paul especially likes to pick a fight with us."
"Why?" Rachel asked, almost looking upset by the news. Then it must've clicked in her mind, because she looked at me. "Just because you two were friends in high school and aren't anymore?"
"That, and Darry kicked his ass in the last rumble we had with them," Two-Bit said with a huge grin on his face. "Boy howdy, Mr. Tough Soc was practically crawling away."
I was proud of my muscles and the fact that I never lost a fight, but Rachel was staring at me like I was an alien or something.
"But you guys are so nice," Rachel said slowly, looking between me and Two-Bit like she was trying to figure something out. "Do you really fight that often?"
"Not really-" I only got a couple words in before my friend cut me off.
"Just when we need to," Two-Bit said proudly. "Like when they jump us, or go after one of the gang or-"
"Or when one of us girls gets messed with," Evie concluded. Two-Bit gave her a look of surprise before she continued speaking. "I heard about what happened at the bar, how that creep wouldn't leave you alone until the guys showed up. That's what they're always like with their girls. Hell, if a guy even looks at me a certain way, Steve threatens to break his teeth."
Rachel's eyebrows shot up. "Really? I think my last boyfriend actually liked it when guys looked at me… made him feel like he won something or whatever. He still cheated on me though, so it didn't really do much good."
I shifted uncomfortably and Kate looked upset, but Rachel's statement had a bigger effect on Two-Bit. His upper lip curled slightly, giving away his disgust at Rachel's ex-boyfriend. Then he glared at the floor, probably picturing something unfortunate happening to the other guy.
"You've seen how Darry gets when guys are looking at me at the diner," Kate said to Rachel. Not this again. "I haven't known them as long as Evie has, but right away I kind of got the feeling they're all like that. I think all good guys are like that," she added, pulling my arm a little to get my attention, then smiling at me. I tried to stop myself from blushing.
"And it's just… normal for them to start a fight about it?" Rachel asked, her disbelief obvious.
"Of course!" Two-Bit shouted before throwing his arm around her and pulling her closer. "Anything to protect our women, right Muscles?"
I rolled my eyes at his antics, but I was smiling and nodding before I even had to think. "Right."
"See? Even Darry knows when to step in and go a few rounds," Evie said to Rachel with an easy grin as she nudged her. What's that supposed to mean? "You'll get used to it. It comes with dating a greaser."
Two-Bit's head towards her at the statement.
"Cool it, Evie. We haven't talked about dating yet," Two-Bit said, poorly suppressing a shy grin. He liked Rachel a lot, and between Connie earlier and suddenly Evie too, everyone was calling him out on it.
Evie rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. "Whatever." Then she looked back at Rachel. "The guys are tough, and sure they get bloodied up a little, but they're all a bunch of softies."
"Wait until I tell Steve what you just said," Two-Bit warned playfully.
"Go ahead. If anything, he'll pummel you into the ground for saying it," Evie said with a shrug. Then a mischievous grin crossed her face. "I've said it to his face before, and let's just say I didn't regret it. He wasn't soft for very long after that."
I was used to bull sessions with the guys, but it was a little jarring to hear a girl talk like that. It seemed to surprise Two-Bit a little too, but he recovered quickly and pressed his hands against his ears. "My ears are bleeding! I do not need to hear about Steve Randle's-"
A smack to the back of his head stopped him before he could finish whatever he was about to say.
"Talkin' about me over here?" Steve said while he easily slipped his arm around Evie's waist and kissed her cheek. "Anyone gonna tell me what y'all said?"
Evie looked at us in a way that was almost challenging.
Surprisingly, Rachel took that challenge.
"Evie was just telling me how like the rest of the guys, you're tough, but also a bit of a softie." For being new to the group and never spending time with us before, Rachel said it with such confidence, I think she managed to stun even Steve.
Everyone was shocked and silent, except Evie; she sort of looked proud. "You know, I think us girls should spend some more quality time together without the guys. What do you say?"
It wasn't until then that I noticed how stark the differences between Evie and Rachel were. Evie was maybe a little nicer than the typical greaser girl, but she was just as tough as the rest; that's probably one of the reasons she and Steve can put up with each other so well. On the other hand, Rachel wasn't quite a Soc, but I always got the impression that she wasn't fond of greasers, yet she somehow ended up liking Two-Bit Mathews, who was one of the greasiest in our gang. The two girls were very different, but they were talking and getting along like they had been friends for years.
Then there was Kate. She didn't fall into any category; she was just herself and got along with almost anybody, no matter where they grew up or how much money they had. She had been friends with Rachel for years, and she had gotten along with Evie immediately after meeting her.
Kate was smart, caring, funny, and beautiful in every sense of the word.
Kate was perfect, and I had accepted the fact I was in love with her.
Moments later, when I snapped back to the present, I saw the three girls walking away with their food and drinks, talking about when they were going to get their nails done or something.
"What just happened?" Two-Bit asked once he realized they weren't coming back.
"We all got girls, and now they're gonna gang up on us," Steve answered.
"So basically… we're screwed," Two-Bit said.
Steve chuckled, and I knew what he was going to say before he even opened his big mouth. "No, but they will be."
I slapped the back of his head and walked back to our seats, ignoring the laughter behind me.
While the last event was going on, the crowd started to thin. I had no idea what time it was, but it was late enough for me to start feeling exhausted.
I was just thinking about asking the group if they were all planning on staying much later or if anyone else was ready to go home, but then Kate put her chin on my shoulder and looked at me with pleading eyes. I raised my eyebrows, silently questioning her actions.
"Can we go to the barn before we leave?" Kate asked softly, her eyes dancing with hope and excitement.
Before I could answer, Soda overheard Kate's request and shouted "Absolutely!" as he jumped to his feet. Then he grabbed Kate's hand and pulled her in the direction of the exit, apparently bringing her to the barn himself.
I internally groaned, knowing that it could be hours before I wrangled those two away from the horses. Still, I couldn't stop a smile from forming on my face as the rest of us followed them.