Intoxicated | Ponyboy Curtis

4

unedited

Ponyboy

At school today, we had an assembly. Darry got a letter in the mail and a call, so he asked Addie if she could take me out and buy me some nicer clothes than what I owned.

The assembly was very boring, might I add. Layla fell asleep on my shoulder while they droned on about the 'problems they have noticed on campus'.

It's not like anybody was paying attention anyway. Our social statuses would always keep us separated, always causing problems. Even later on in life.

I got more compliments than usual today on how I looked. I was wearing a black button up tucked into the nicest pair of jeans I could find, and my hair didn't have any 'nasty grease' in it, so it was fluffed up like how the Soc's keep theirs, but I still had my sneakers on. I dare anybody to try and get me out of those.

Layla wore her nicest blouse and tight leather pants. The teachers had told us we had to dress our 'Sunday best' , although the whole time we were just sitting down. It's a waste of money I tell you.

It most likely wasn't a 'go out of my way to buy a new shirt' problem for the Soc's though, they always dress nice.

Darry almost cried when he saw me before I left to school. He said I looked just like Soda (I'm always getting compared to him, what's new?) and that when he saw me he remembered how dad used to make us dress when we actually did go to church. Darry and Addie go every once in a while. I used to go with Johnny and Two, but we always caused problems and distracted the other church-goers, so we stopped.

When I saw Layla, my heart almost lept out of my chest. She looked beautiful, and sexy -not that she doesn't always - but all I could think about was the things I wanted to do. But, of course I'd have to save that for the rare moment we'd have some privacy. That's not very gentleman-like, I could picture Darry saying.

Layla's friend -Tabby, I had learned her name-is the one who gushes over me and always makes Layla jealous. I could've sworn I was going to see my girlfriend in her first fight with somebody that isn't a Soc.

"She couldn't stop looking at you!" Layla complained as we walked home, her hand tightening around mine with every sentence.

"She was practically undressing you with her eyes! I was gonna poke 'em out." she said. I threw my head back in laughter.

I only ever seem to be able to smile, and to laugh around Layla. I love her so much, I don't think she knows anywhere near how much. She might never understand, actually.

"You're mine, forever, right Pony?" she asked, her voice quiet this time. I looked at her, stammering on my words. Her light blue eyes were starting to tear up, and I had no idea why.

"Of course." I said, as we stopped walking. I grabbed her face with my hands, kissing her desperately. Just kissing her could never satisfy me enough. "Of course."

"Okay. " she said. She sounded weak and vulnerable, and it broke my heart. She is a part of me, and without her I wouldn't be able to go on with myself. Sounds crazy, I know. But with the life I live, it's so hard to find somebody that you can love and who will love you back. Nobody to turn to when things get hard, and it's so easy to fall apart. I can't take that chance, not again.

I lost Johnny, and I can't lose somebody close to me anymore. I wouldn't be able to take it.