Prove 'Em Wrong

"Nice for a Soc."

Peggy pulled her hair out of the braid she had tied the night before and brushed out the curls. Her life as a soc was just as average as anyone else. She went to school, did her homework, got fairly good grades, and went to the drive-in. She liked her life okay but she's be lying if she said she wouldn't welcome a bit of adventure. However, she wasn't stupid. She always did her research on people. The last thing she wanted was to be murdered or worse "robbed of her virtue". Peggy sighed and set down her brush on the bathroom counter. She was starting to think like her mother, scared by the unknown, fearful of the life not yet lived. Peggy truly never even wanted to date but now that her friends have boyfriends it's all that's on her mind. She wasn't thinking of anyone in particular. Someone with a sense of humor, who isn't afraid to break a few rules, and most importantly loyal. She had described her taste to her friend Marcia who responded with, "Y'know for a second there you were describing Dallas Winston but that loyal thing pushed his hat out of the ring." Along with a fit of giggles.

'Dallas Winston...' Peggy thought. He was attractive, but not at all what she wanted in a boyfriend. She had met him a few times and he's made it painstakingly clear that he was only interested in short-term physical stuff. Peggy, like most women, needed someone stable who wasn't gonna run off if someone prettier came along. Not that it mattered. Even if Dallas Winston was what she wanted, he was a greaser. And a relationship between a soc and a greaser almost never lasted. And with parents like Peggy's, chances are they'd have her dogs eat him alive if he even looked at her.

As nice as it was to know that your parents loved and cared for you, it was really annoying when it came to dating. Just about everyone's parents had restrictions on dating, but Peggy's parents had unrealistic standards. Straight teeth, neat hair, tall, fit, kind, and rich. Handsome wasn't required but in Peggy's mother's words, "It wouldn't hurt."

"Megara!" Peggy's mother called. "The bus will be here soon, come on down for some breakfast." Peggy slipped on a tank and a yellow skirt before placing her earrings on and heading downstairs. She made her way downstairs and sat down at the dining room table. Alice set a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of her. She ate it quickly before grabbing her bookbag, kissing her mother on the cheek, and exiting the house. Planning on running to school before her mother could stop her.

______________________________✍

Dallas Winston never woke up early. Which is why he was surprised when he heard his name at, he glanced at his clock, 6:25.

"Dal?" He heard someone whisper. Dallas rubbed his eyes and walked to the open the window.

"There better be a good explanation for this," Dallas said sternly. "I'll skin ya alive, man."

"It's us. Ponyboy and Johnny!" They whispered defensively.

"What do you want?"

"I need a ride to school and Johnny needs to get to the grocery mart," Ponyboy explained.

"Why cant Darry take you? Or Soda?"

"Darry already left for work and Soda caught a cold," Johnny said.

"Please, Dal. Schools not that far here." Ponyboy pleaded.

"Ah, alright. But this is the only time I'm doing this for you, ya hear?"

"Yeah."

The two waited for Dallas to come down in silence. Partly because they weren't expecting him to say yes but mostly because he was probably hungover and too much noise might just kill him.

Once they arrived, Dallas parked and followed Pony Boy to the schoolyard. They hadn't been late but the buses hadn't even arrived yet (since they still had the west side to do).

"So now what you just wait or...?" Dallas asked. He really didn't want to leave him alone. If anything happened to Ponyboy Darry would murder Dallas without a second thought. 

"Yeah." Pony Boy said lighting up a cigarette and leaning his back against the wall, "You don't have to stay, Dal. I'll be alright." Dallas simply shook his head and took a drag from his own cigarette.

As it turned 6:40, Peggy jogged into the schoolyard. She spotted three greasers on the wall but tried to keep her distance. She wasn't particularly scared of greasers themselves. She had met a few that were nice enough, it was what they were capable of that scared the living daylights out of her. The three, Johnny, Dallas, and Ponyboy had watched her arrived but didn't stare too hard so they didn't creep her out.

"You know her?" Dallas asked.

"A little bit, she's a senior so I don't see her very often. She lives in that yellow house on the border." Ponyboy explained. "I think her name's Peggy."

"She nice?"

"Nice for a soc," Johnny answered. "She works at the grocery mart and I see her sometimes." Dallas nodded and rubbed his hands on his jeans.

"Think she'd hang out with 'hoods like us'?" He asked. Ponyboy and Johnny looked at each other and shrugged. Before they could answer Dallas had already started making his way over to her. The two boys followed close behind trying to convince him to turn back. Peggy might've been nice but if she has a boyfriend, chances are he won't be. Dallas sat down next to Peggy on the bench, earning a small glance from her, "Hi..." Dallas said with a smirk. Peggy looked up again this time also at Johnny and Ponyboy.