Cut My Lip

Fourteen

Finally, it was Christmas Eve. Everyone in the gang always made a huge deal about Christmas Eve. Decorating the tree, watching Christmas movies, all that.

We had 'Grease-mas' on Christmas Eve, since Two-Bit, Steve, and Johnny usually stayed at home for Christmas Day.

Usually, that was when everyone exchanged gifts. Dally and I never bought each other anything- we just decided that our birthdays were close enough to Christmas to mash them both into one.

"How come you and Dally never get anything for each other?" Johnny asked me.

"Our birthday is close enough to Christmas that we just mash them together." I replied.

"So, when is your birthday?"

"I ain't telling you. All you need to know is that we're nineteen now. I'll let you try and figure it out from there."

Johnny's POV

"Ponyboy, Annie gave me a big hint to when her and Dally's birthday is, and I need your help to figure it out." I said.

And so that's what we spent the whole day doing.

"You two still aren't stuck on this whole birthday thing, are ya?" Annie asked, standing in the doorway of Pony's bedroom.

"Yes." We chorused.

She rolled her eyes. "Dinner's ready, anyways."

Everyone was all crowded around the kitchen table. "Dally, when's your birthday?" I asked him, hoping he'd tell me.

"February 30th." He deadpanned, and I gave him my best, 'you have to be kidding me' look. "Hey, Annie told me about your ploy. Y'all ain't ever gonna figure it out."

"You saying that only encourages us more!" Pony said, and we fistbumped across the table.

"You know, I just had an idea." Dally said.

"It's the end of the world." Two-Bit said and Annie laughed.

"If you're every angry, just punch an orphan. What are they gonna do? Tell their parents? Fuckin' unlikely."

Everyone stared at him.

"Dallas, what in the everloving hell is wrong with you?" Annie asked.

"Depends. How much is wrong with you?" He asked her.

I assumed that he meant since they were twins that they had a similar amount of trauma, but with those two, you just never know.

Ponyboy seemed to be deep in thought. "NOVEMBER 26TH!" He yelled suddenly, standing up.

Everyone jumped, and Annie and Dally looked impressed. "Nice job, it only took ya nine hours." Dally said.

"I was right?" Pony grinned.

"You were right." She nodded.

"Wait, so your birthday is November 26th?" I asked.

"November 26th." Annie confirmed.

Annie's POV

"Annie, phone!" I heard Pony yell. I was sure I already knew who it was.

Darry seemed to know, too, and he gave me a sad look.

I sighed as I went into the living room to get the phone.

"Winston, you gotta come into the restaurant tomorrow." It was my boss.

Dally made eye contact with me and I rolled my eyes and mimed shooting myself. He smirked slightly. "I ain't goin' in tomorrow. I got plans."

"Good for you. Get your ass to work tomorrow or you're fired."

"Then fire me."

"Quit."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to quit. I'm either not showing up at work tomorrow or you're going to fire me."

"I can't fire you if you quit!"

"I'm not quitting."

"Then you'd better be at work tomorrow, or I'll kill you."

"Bold of you to assume I want to live."

"What the hell?" I heard someone say in the kitchen.

"I have your address, Winston."

"Yeah, and I've been to prison for arson, what's your point?" I shrugged.

"YOU'RE FIRED!"

"Alright. Bye." I hung up and went back into the kitchen. "My boss threatened to kill me, and then he fired me. Merry Christmas, we're never going to Charlie's Diner again."

"I see your boss really got into the holiday spirit, huh?" Two-Bit joked.

"Tell me about it."

Darry's POV

"Alright, Soda, Pony, I'm askin' you two right now- please don't mess tomorrow up." I said to them outside after everyone had left.

"We won't," Soda said, and I gave him a weary look. "Darry. We promise that we won't mess tomorrow up."

"Yeah, we'll be good kids. Scouts honor." Pony said, raising his right hand and putting his left hand over his heart.

"Yeah, scouts honor!" Soda said, copying Pony's actions. "No, but seriously, we promise, Darry. No ones said anything to ruin it, and there's only a day until you do it."

"Can we see the ring?" Pony asked, and I fished the small box out of my pocket to show them.

It wasn't very flashy, and the diamond was small, but none of that really mattered. All that mattered was that we were in love. "You think she'll say yes?"

"Darry, we know she'll say yes." Soda rolled his eyes. "She loves you, man. It's obvious."

I smiled. "Thanks, little buddy."

.

The next morning, we all exchanged gifts. At about four that afternoon, me and Annie started getting ready to go out.

When she was already out the door, Soda, Pony, Steve, and Johnny (Johnny and Steve had come over since they didn't feel like dealing with their families) all gave me encouraging smiles and thumbs-ups.

Our favorite place to go when we went out together was the cliff. Annie liked the serenity of it. I didn't really care for any of that, but she liked it, so I liked it.

"Look at all the stars out here." She said. Her face was rosy pink with cold, even in her coat and scarf. She'd gotten her hair cut a while ago, and now she styled it like Elizabeth Taylor. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the sky, and I could see the reflection of the stars in her pupils.

My breath caught in my throat and I knew that it was time, right now. I took the ring out of my pocket and got down on one knee.

"Annie..." I started, and she turned to look at me. When she saw that I was kneeling her eyes widened. "I know we've only been datin' for a few months, but I've known you for almost five years. When I first met you, I asked myself, 'what the hell am I gonna have to do to make that girl mine?'. I guess all I needed to do was man up and tell you I've loved you since the second we first met. Annie Winston, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, and I'll never ever stop saying it; I love you. Will you marry me?"

My heart sank when I realized she was crying.

"Yes!" She sobbed, and I shakily slid the ring on her finger and stood up. I kissed her and she wrapped her arms around my neck. "I love you, Darry Curtis."

"And I love you, Annie Winston. Or rather- Annie Curtis."

She laughed, but she was still crying. "Look at me, I'm a mess."

I laughed this time, and I just realized that I was crying, too. "Glory, both of us are crying now."

"In a good way."

"In a good way," I agreed.

I kissed her again before I noticed how late it was. "C'mon, let's get home. The boys'll be wantin' to know if you said yes."