again- typing on laptop! please excuse any major mistakes!
I walked up the steps of the school with Candy, Ponyboy, Evie and Suzie. Suzie's parents had decided to let her start walking to school with us. Mostly cause Ponyboy would be there and they liked him. Although, I kinda felt bad for him. Now when we would walk to school, he would be the only boy- unless Sodapop would come to walk Candy, or Steve with Evie, though they probably wouldn't considering their boss had changed the hours and wanted the two of them to get there earlier. Pony would be the only boy walking with us- no pun intended with his name. Anyway, he'd be the only boy and I really hoped he wouldn't get teased for walking around with a bunch of girls other than his girlfriend.
"Why does it have to get so damn cold?" Evie complained when we got inside the school.
Ponyboy started to answer to answer her question.
"Pony, if you give me one of those literal science answers you learned in class, you'll never be able to give another one again,' Evie snapped at him and he quickly shut his mouth.
"Ok, what bit you in the behind?" I asked, confused by her hostility.
"Nothing..." she snapped again and walked off, more like stormed off.
We all gave each other weird looks. "What's her problem?" Ponyboy asked quietly, making sure she wasn't around to hear him.
Candy sighed a bit,"Your brother told me that her and Steve were having problems."
"Them?!" Suzie nearly yelled, shocked by the answer,"I thought those two would always be together and never have problems!"
The bell rang saying it was time for everyone to head to their first class. Ponyboy and Suzie waved goodbye as they headed to their homeroom. "Soda told me what's really going on between them," Candy said as we headed to homeroom.
"How does he know?" I asked her.
"Steve's his best friend and tells him everything... the problem they're having is that Evie might be pregnant." Her voice was quiet and she gave a worried look.
My eyes widened a bit. "Is she sure she is? And is it Steve's?"
She shook her head,"She's not one-hundred percent sure, but it would be his even if she is."
"Why doesn't she just take a pregnancy test?"
"Well, she's coming over my house this weekend and I was gonna suggest that to her... maybe you should come too."
I nodded. "Yeah, of course. Will she be mad you told me?"
She shrugged as we got into the classroom,"We'll find that out then."
The school day went by slowly. So slow that I couldn't wait to get to work. Rusty and I worked out a schedule that after school during the week, I would be at the bodyshop working the fromnt desk from 3:30 to 5:30, and on the weekends it would be from 10 in the morning till 12:30 in the afternoon. I didn't have as many hours as everyone else who worked there cause I was still in school at seventeen, while the second youngest person working there was nineteen yaers old and didn't go to college.
I didn't have a jumpsuit type uniform like everyone else who worked there. Rusty had bought a blue button up shirt with the emblem of the garage on the right-hand side, a pocket on the left and "Rain" stitched onto the pocket with red letters. I tied the edges a little under the top edge of my jeans since it was too big. Rusty said since he forgot to ask my shirt size when he was buying stuff for the shop, he "bought a real big one" as he said.
I was straightening out the paers scattered all over the desk. it looked like a tornado hit thorugh the desk since no one really worked the desk. The bell hooked up to the door rang and a guy with greased-back dirty blonde hair, brown eyes and broad shoulders walked in. Obviously another Greaser. He was nearly Darry's height. I'd be lying if I didn't find the guy somewhat attractive, but he did nothing for me. Nothing like how most girls would "get butterflies" when they first saw hime or whatever, I didn't find him appealing in any way, shape or form.
He leaned over the desk. "Hey dollface," he smirked at me.
I held back an eyeroll along with a scoff and put on a fake smile,"What can I do for you?"
His smirk diminished a bit but it was still somewhat present. "My uncle wanted me to come by here to give me a job. He's the manager."
"you're related to Rusty?"
Before he could answer, Rusty came out from the side office. "Rain, who's- oh! James, you actually showed up! Didn't think you would... Rain, this is my nephew, James. James, this is my new worker, Rain."
"That answer your question?" James smirked and this time I did roll my eyes.
"Wait here while I get you a uniform," Rusty commanded his nephew then disappeared to the garage.
"So, Rain's your real name?"
"It's a nickname for Raina," I answered, looking back down at the papers I went through. He held the heart locket on the chain around my neck from Two-Bit in his fingertips and inspected it. I backed up a bit, far enough where it slipped out from his fingers and fell back against my neck. "Please don't touch that," I said sternly as he moved his hand toward mine. I pulled my hand away,"Or me."
"Why not?"
"I'm with someone and the necklace is from my boyfriend, he gave it to me before he left for Vietnam."
"Volunteer or draft?"
"None of your business," I snapped. He leaned closer to me and I backed up again,"Can you not do that?" I raised my voice a bit.
"Who's gonna stop me?"
I leaned my hands on the desk. "Hey, ever hear of a Greaser who died last year... Dallas Winston?"
He chuckled,"Damn everybody knew who Dallas Winston was. Why?"
"He was a friend of mine..."
"What's your point?"
"My point is: I beat him up three times since I knew him, and let's just say two of those times, he couldn't walk properly... if I can do that to him, I sure as hell can do that to you," I growled,"Ya dig?"
Rusty came back in and handed him one of the uniforms, then signaled James to follow him to the garage. Before James went in, he leaned and whispered in my ear,"Feisty one, huh?... I like it." He smirked at me and winked as I glared at him and he followed his uncle into the garage.
I never thought I would have such a strong hatred for another Greaser so much. I didn't even hate the Shepard's this much, at least them I got along with somewhat. James though, he was another story.
......that weekend......
Candy had told EVie that she told me about her problem. Right then and there, she broke down into tears saying how scared she was about it. I'd never thought I would see Evie cry, but there she was right in front of me, crying on my shouler. As long as I'd known her, she was one of those tuff, tough Greaser girls. But she kept saying that if she was pregnant that her parents would kick her out, she wouldn't be able to take care of the babt when it was born, and she was mostly scared that Steve would leave her since he was nervous too about the whole situation. Now I know Steve is a jerk, but when it came to Evie, he cared about her and he wouldn't do that to her, or his kid if she was. I felt bad for herm though. Seeing her so scared worried me, and I didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Candy and I would be there for her though, whether she was or wasn't pregnant.
James had tried to hit on me a couple other times, and I would be lying if I said he wasn't starting to really piss me off. I kept telling him I had a boyfriend but he wouldn't listen. He was one of those Greasers apparently like Dallas or Curly. Now I'm not saying Dallas was horrible, but ya had to get used to him. He had hit on me when I was fourteen, and that was one of the times I beat him up and hurt him so bad that he couldn't walk or do anything really for a week... the flirting stopped.
I got to Candy's house at about 6:30. Evie was already there, sitting on Candy's bed hugging a pillow and biting her nails. "You're gonna take the test, right?" Candy asked her, and EVie nodded slowly. CAndy nodded, went to her bag, took out the small box and handed it to Evie, who went to the bathroom. "How were you able to sneak that past your parents?" I asked Candy sitting down on her bed.
She sat down next to me and scoffed,"Please... my mom was easy, it was Soda who I had the trouble passing it by."
"Really? How?"
"He saw me paying for it when I was paying for it for Evie and he freaked. We haven't... ya know... so he got worried."
I forgot she didn't know the whole story with Sandy but chose not to mention it. "Well, how'd you calm him down?"
"I told hinm about Evie. He already knew about their problems, considering he's the one who told me. But when he saw me with it, he forgot about her for a sec."
I was about to say something when we heard Evie scream from the bathroom. Candy and I looked at each other then rushed to the bathroom. "What happened?!" I asked when we reached the bathroom. She smiled wide and held up the test,"I'm not pregnant!" Candy and I both relaxed and EVie went to call Steve. "Think we'll ever have to deal with this again?" Candy asked. I chuckled lightly,"Let's just say, I wouldn't be shocked if we ever did."
......the next day......
"Letter for a Miss Raina Johnson, all the way from Vietnam!" Sodapop called, coming back into the house from getting the mail. I smiled and jumped up from the dining room table, nearly knocking over my breakfast onto the floor. Sodapop handed me the envelope and I sat on the couch and opened the letter:
"Dear Rain,
I finally got a chance to write to you! I know it's been a week since I left, but they had us all in boot camp for the whole week. Did you go to see Rusty? Maybe you got a job there instead of working at the DIngo in those uniforms we all love so much? Anyways, how ya doing? I'm ok over here, pretty tired from the boot camp but I'm ok. Suzie's big brother and Curly are both in my unit, probably cause we're all from Tulsa, I don't know. Her brother digs ok, but him and Curly butt heads. Now that I think about it, maybe being with Curly ain't such a hot thing. Anyways, I miss ya. A lot. One of the other guys caught me looking at a picture of the two of us from Christmas I brought with me and yelled that broad yours?! I ain't gonna lie, she sure is pretty! I know you don't like the word broad, but still, I get bragging rights since I told you in the note that was gonna happen. Anyway's, how's everybody else over there? Tell 'em I said hey. I love you, Rain.
- Two-Bit"
I ran to my room to write back:
"Two-Bit,
I miss you so much! I hope they didn't treat ya too bad. And with Curly, that could be good or bad- just watch out for him, now he's a hood. The kind that gives Greasers a bad name and gets us all dirty looks. Anyway, I did go to see Rusty, and thank you SO MUCH for getting me a job there instead of working at the Dingo! I don't have to wear a uniform where I show! And everyone's ok here, missing you. Steve and Evie were having problems this week but I'm pretty sure they're ok now. Don't tell anyone yo know and that I told you, but they thought Evie was pregnant, but turns out she isn't (thankfully!). Anyway, I miss you and can't wait till you get back! I love you too!
P.S. your car is working fine, thank you for letting me use it
-Rain"
I out the letter in an envelope and raced to the door."Hold up, Rain! Where're ya going?" Darry called before I got out the door. "Post office! I gotta mail this letter!" I called back then ran to the post office.
ooooh we saw tough, sassy Rain! yes I had that she beat up Dallas a few times, that's how tough she is... told you in another author's note of mine that she was tough! did you believe me? I don't know, maybe you did, maybe you didn't. anyway, wasn't that letter cute!? c'mon admit it, you know it was somewhat, admit it, you know you want to.
anyway, I don't know how much I'll be able to update next week- I has exams next week that I don't wanna take but unfortunately I have to (*cue tears and emotional breakdown*)
anyways, if you couldn't tell from the last chapter, these characters are getting into the time where hippies were coming around and such. all these charcters are gonna hate the hippies as much as they hate Socs and you'll see that soon inupcoming chapters. (but i'm still using my hippie sign off!)
with that being said... PEACE FROM ALL THE HIPPIES OF THE WORLD! =^-^= -RambosDaughter (aka; Sarah Fusaro)