♢ROSE GOLD♢

Chapter 03~Rose Gold

"Dally didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Sodapop sat next to me on the grass.

"I ain't no kid, he didn't hurt my feelings." I picked at the grass, bunching it up in my hand.

Soda put his arm around my shoulder. "You are a kid." Soda said. "You're 14 and you're gonna have to understand that it's not gonna be your way all the time."

"But Soda, I wanna be independent!" I pushed Soda's arm off of me and stood up.

"You can be independent!" Soda got up. "You just have to try and keep down the roughin'."

"I'm sorry for hollerin' at ya, Soda." I looked at the grass in my hands. A small caterpillar had found its way on my wrist.

"I'm sorry for hollerin' too." Soda held his arms out. "Gimme a hug."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around Soda's torso and he returned the hug. We stood like that for a few seconds then pulled away.

"I better 'pologize to Darry for what I said." I stuffed my hands in my pockets and went back into the house. Darry was on the couch. "Hey Darry, can we talk?"

"Of course." Darry stood up.

"First off, I'd like to 'pologize for what I said earlier." I made sure to look Darry in the eyes as I told him. "I know we ain't got along since we met, but I don't wanna offend you or anything."

"It's alright." Darry said. "I shouldn't have been so harsh with ya."

"Rose, I need help with somethin' in here." Pony poked his head from out behind his door.

"Okay." I smiled. I hugged Darry. "Let's not get that mad at each other again, yeah?"

"Alright." Darry smiled.

I went into Pony and Darry's shared room. Pony locked the door and I sat at his desk. He sat on hie bed.

"What's this?" I picked up a piece of paper that I found interesting. "'Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower, but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.' Ponyboy, that's a beautiful poem."

"You read poems?" Ponyboy smiled.

"Of course." I picked up another paper. "Poems are beautiful. This one says, 'eyes like bright blue gems, from the depths of the earth, a smile so entrancing, no amount is worth, pale skin like a porcelain mug, my feelings, though, are under the rug'."

Pony looked at his hands. "I actually wrote that one." He slightly laughed and smiled up at me.

"Aw, that's sweet." I smiled.

"It's actually about you." He blushed.

"Pony!" I jumped up and ran to Pony.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist. I nuzzled my face in to his neck. When I pulled away, he left a hand on my side.

"You really are a doll." Pony used his free hand to push a piece of hair out of my face. "From your beautiful blue eyes all the way to your lovely personality."

"Aww, you're so sweet, Ponyboy." I giggled.

"Hey-" Johnny stopped in his tracks at the sight of Ponyboy and I. "I'll come back later "

"No, get in here." Pony stood up.

I stood up with Ponyboy and Johnny hesitantly came back in. "Dally wants us to meet up with him." He said.

"We'll go." Pony crossed his arms. "But you can't tell the gang about what you saw. They'll say we're just kids and tell us to stop bein' together."

"I'm fine with all of yuns, but Soda knowin'." I said.
_

"Hey, what's goin' on Dal?" Ponyboy slapped Dally lightly on the shoulder.

"You're early." Dally lit a cigarette and took a puff.

"What do you wanna do?" Pony stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Nothin' legal, man." Dally threw his cigarette down. "Let's get outta here."

I don't like Dally at all, but we have fun if one of the other guys is there. In this case, Pony and Johnny is here, so it's fun.

We went down to the Pines restaurant and noticed some fellow greasers attacking a Mexican. When he pulled out his knife, we got outta there because the cops came.

We went down to the DX to see Soda and Steve. "I'm gonna get a candy bar." I skipped into the store and picked up a Hershey bar for me and some skittles for Pony.

We went down an alley and saw three kids from the daycare. "Hey, did I say you guys could play in my grass." The kids muttered a quiet, 'no'. "What are you doin' here? Give me those cards, will you?"

Pony pulled out a cigarette and offered me one. I denied and watched the scene unfolding in front of me.

"You guys ever play fifty-two card pickup?" Dally asked.

"Yeah." One of the kids nodded.

"What?" Dally asked, obviously annoyed. "Don't get- don't get wilds. I don't like little kids- I don't like them- I just-"

Dally flipped the cards all over the place. "Get outta here before I kill you!" He shouted.

Pony grabbed my hand and we chased the kids down the field. When they were gone Dally looked up.

"The sky's getting darker." He said.
_

The boys let me go under the fence to the drive-in first. I helped them get under and we sat at the back where the chairs were. Two girls arguing with their boyfriends came and sat in front of us.

Of course, Dally being Dally tried to dirty talk the red head who introduced herself as Cherry. "I hate him." I mumbled to Pony. "Can't he just go on somewhere?"

"That's Dally for ya." Johnny said. "Just let him be."

"You missed it, this morning, she went off on Dally." Pony snickered.

"Yeah, I also went off on Darry, but that's a different story for a different time." I grabbed Pony's hand and intertwined our fingers.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to know?" Pony whispered.

"I don't see Soda." I smiled.

"Get lost, hood!" Cherry made us jump.

"I'm sorry." Dally chuckled. "I'm didn't know you had this problem of yelling in my face. Alright I'll go. I know when I'm not wanted."

Dally got up and walked away. When he came back, he handed Cherry a coke. We laughed when she splashed it in his face.

"Maybe that'll cool you off greaser!" She yelled. "When you learn to talk and act decent, I might cool off too!"

Dally kept trying to get her, but Johnny jumped up. "Leave her alone Dal!" He said.

"What'd you say?" Dally asked.

"Leave her alone." Johnny said a bit quieter.

"What'd you say you little shit?" Dally raised his voice. "What'd you say to me?"

"Come on." Johnny begged.

Dally finally got up and left. "Thank you, that had me scared to death." Cherry said.

"You sure didn't show it." Johnny said. "Ain't nobody talk to Dal like that."

I glared at Johnny. They kept talking, but I didn't pay attention 'cause I was pissed at Johnny. The boys moved down to sit next to Cherry and her friend.

"I have some homework to finish up." I stood up and wiped my hands on my jeans, hoping Pony wouldn't realize I stopped going to school a year ago.

Before Pony could get up to ask why, I left. I went the quick way to the Curtis house to find Soda on the porch. I sat with him and we talked while having some chocolate cake.