Heart Breaker

Chapter 31

A guy with a madras shirt stepped up. "Let's get the rules straight--- nothing but our fist, and the first to run lose. Right?"

Tim flipped away his beer can. "You savvy real good."

There was an uneasy silence, then Darry stepped forward under the circle of light made by the street lamp. Then Darry said, "I'll take on anyone."

He stood there, tall, broad-shouldered, his muscles taut under his T-shirt and his eyes glittering like ice. For a second it looked like there wasn't anyone brave enough to take him on. Then there was a slight stir in the faceless mob of Socs, and husky blond guy stepped forward. He looked at Darry and said quietly, "Hello Darrel."

Something flickered behind Darry's eyes and then they were ice again. "Hello, Paul."

Then Paul said, "I'll take you," and something like a smile crossed Darry's face.

They moved in a circle under the light, counterclockwise, eyeing each other, sizing each other up. The moment either one swung a punch, the rumble would be on.

The silence grew heavier, and I could hear the harsh breeathing of the boys aroound me. Still Darry and the Soc walked slowly in a circle. Even I could feel their hatred.

"Hold up!" a familiar voice yelled. "Hold it!" Darry turned to see who it was, and Paul swung--- a hard right to the jaw that would have felled anyone but Darry. The rumble was on. Dallas Winston ran to join us.

I couldn't find a Soc about my size, so I took the next-best size and jumped on him. Dallas was right beside me, already on top of someone.

"I thought you were in the hospital," I yelled as I knocked to Soc to the ground and started punching him in the face.

"I was," Dally said having a hard time because his left arm was still in bad shape. "I ain't now."

"How?" I managed to ask as the Soc I was fighting rolled us over near Dally.

"Talked the nurse into it with Two-Bit's switch. Don't you know a rumble ain't a rumble unleass i'm in it?"

"Of course Winston. We know you wouldn't miss a rumble one way or the other." I said.

I decided it would be fair for me to Dally since he could use only one arm. They were slugging it out, but Dallas was getting the worst of it, so I jumped on his Soc's back, pulling his hair and pounding him. I tried my best the strangle him While he was prying my fingers loose, Dally knocked him backward, so that all three of us rolled on the ground, gasping, cussing, and punching.

Somebody kicked Pony in the ribs and he yelped. Pony had his arms wrapped around a the other Soc's neck and refused to let go. Dally was slugging him, and Pony hung on desperately. Pony was kicked in the head so hard it stunned him, and he layed limp.

"They're running!" I heard a voice yell joyfully. "Look at the dirty--- run!"

The voice belonged to Two-Bit. Steve lay doubled up and groaning about ten feet from Pony. Sodapop was beside him, talking in a low steady voice. I did a double take when I saw Two-Bit--- blood was streaming down one side of his face and one hand was busted wide open; but he was grinning happily because the Socs were running.

"We won," Darry announced in a tired voice. He was going to have a black eye and there was a cut across his forehead. "We beat the Socs."

I had a cut on my cheek and bruises starting to form along my body.

Dally stood beside Pony and I quietly for a minute, trying to grasp that we had really beaten the Socs, Then Dally, grabbed Pony's shirt and hauled him to his feet. "Come on!" He said talking to Pony and I, half gragging Pony down the street. "We're goin' to see Johnny."