wish i were ⇾ p.c

5- i know a place

  "Oh, I know a place we could go... far from the highways, far from our home."
-conan gray

Over the next few weeks, things only got worse for me.

Cherry and Ponyboy became really close. Like, really close. They were always together. She and him had every class together. She was everywhere. She eats lunch with us now. They'd be lab partners in science instead of us.

That's crazy. Pony has always been my lab partner.

He tells me all of this is because all of her Soc friends dropped her, and we're the only people who will hang out with her at school. But that's not true. She still talks to Randy, Bob's best friend, and any greaser would happily be friends with her since she's a Soc who stands up for us greasers.

Today was just another boring Wednesday night. Ponyboy has been having practice for indoor track season every day, because the winter sports have just begun. The weather in Tulsa went from chilly mornings and warm afternoons to cold temperatures that last all day.

Because of this, I have been driving home from school with Steve every day. Steve's a junior, he wanted to drop out and work full time at the DX but his mom wouldn't let him. His trucks only got two seats, and usually one is saved for Two Bit when he did decide to go to school. But since I can't walk home anymore Steve takes me.

But today was different. Ponyboy's practice was cancelled, so he rode home with us. It was very awkward trying to get all three of us in Steve's tiny truck.

Steve dropped us off at my house, and drove away. "You got any homework?" Pony asked me.

I racked my brain real quick. I went through each class trying to remember if I did or not. I smiled. "No, actually."

He grinned. "Me either. You wanna hang out for a bit? Like old times. It's been a while, you know."

My heart skipped a beat. So he noticed we haven't spent as much time together lately.

"Sure," I said. We decided to go to my house because usually we're always at his. I unlocked the door and it was empty inside. My mom was still working.

We went into my room and slung off our backpacks, tossing them in the corner. I flipped down on my bed, and Ponyboy sat on a bean bag. He reached over and grabbed my guitar, very gingerly. He knew how much I cared about that thing.

"You haven't played in a while," he stated, not asked. I don't know how he could tell. But he was right.

I shrugged in response. "No inspiration."

He nodded, and held it out to me. "Play something for me. And sing."

I frowned. "Now?"

He chuckled. "When else? You can play something old."

I looked at him, then my guitar, then my notebook full of the songs I've written.

"Oh, come on. Please? I love your songs." He looked at me expectantly.

I smiled. "Okay, fine." I grabbed my notebook and sat down across from him on the floor.

"And besides," he started as he handed me my guitar, "Its been way too long. I haven't heard your beautiful singing voice in a while."

I felt myself blush, so I looked down and pretended to tune the guitar as a distraction. He didn't mean it that way. Get over it.

I chose a song to play for him. It's called "I Know a Place". I wrote it when I was thinking about escaping. Escaping Tulsa.