ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ:
Tomorrow is a Long Time- Elvis Presley
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ : ▮▮▮▮▮▮▯▯▯
The walk home from the Dingo wasn't bad -only about 10 minutes- but the heat made it unbearable. Beads of sweat dripped down my face as my feet dragged along the pavement. Typically it wouldn't be smart for a young girl to walk home on her own, even in broad daylight, but I didn't care, I needed a break from my house and the dingo was my go-to spot.
My family lives on the east side of the tracks, so we're all greasers. I don't think it's a bad thing though, I would rather be poor and have fun than be rich and stuck-up like some of the socs I've met. I'm not saying that all socs are bad, but I would choose to be a grease over a soc any day.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard footsteps behind me. The town was busy, being a weekend, but these footsteps were heavy and approaching me quickly. My hand reached for the rusty switchblade in my back pocket, but before I could grab it I was shoved against the shop next to me, and an arm pressed me against the old brick wall.
"Well, look what we have here," a voice jeered. I looked up and I saw a man with greasy hair and a leather jacket, with a few of his buddies sporting the same attire behind him. I would have been more nervous if I hadn't recognized him, but he was famous in my town for all the wrong reasons.
"C'mon Tim, can't you find someone else to pick on? I'm busy here," I pleaded, looking at the man as if we were old friends.
He looked at me for a minute, studying my face.
"You're Glenn Thomas' sister, ain't you?" He asked, referring to my brother. Of course he had some problem with my brother.
"Yeah, what's it to you?" I sneered, waiting for a chance to break away. His arm pushed me further into the wall, and he got up in my face.
"Little hood keyed my car. I know it was him because his broad left him for me." He growled.
"Do I look like my brother to you? I don't give a shit about what he did to your car. If you care so much, take it up with him, but I've got places to be. Besides, i don't know who in their right mind would want you anyways." I pushed his arm back and started quickly walking away. I only had about three minutes until I got home, and if I sprinted I should be able to make it back in a minute.
I heard yelling from behind me, but I didn't hesitate. I sprinted as fast as I could home, but luckily I lost the footsteps pretty quickly.
My house was just around the corner, and then I could hide away from the world in my room. I turned the corner but collided with something, sending me flying down to the pavement. I closed my eyes as I braced myself to hit the ground.
My head hit the pavement and I felt the sharp pieces of rock stab my back. I just layed on the ground with my eyes closed, dreading to come to face with what I knocked into.
But I heard a groan and opened my eyes. Sprawled out on the ground was a boy fit in a sleeveless sweater and faded jeans, holding his head covered in slicked-back hair.
Realizing that he wasn't dangerous, I hopped to my feet and held out my hand for the boy, and that's when I recognized who he was; Ponyboy Curtis, the boy who lived across the street.
He grabbed my hand and I pulled him up, and it took him a minute to get steady. When he balanced himself out, he looked at me and his eyes widened.
"Loraine? What are you doin' in such a rush?" He asked.
"Just trying to escape Tim Shepard, you know, the usual," I replied. "Where you headed anyways?"
"Just the DX. Was goin' to see Soda." He looked around and tapped his foot as if he was in a hurry.
"Oh that's cool," I replied as I kept my head down, looking at my feet. "I'm real sorry for knockin' into you, I feel real bad."
"Its no problem, really. But I gotta get going, I guess I'll see you later." He said as he started to walk away. I just nodded my head and started off in the opposite direction, when suddenly I turned back around.
"Are you in a rush?" I asked
"No," he said, "I just wanted to get there before they ran out of red Slurpee."
"Can I come with you?" I asked, still looking at the ground.
"Yeah that's cool."
"Thanks."
The walk to the DX was quiet, the only sounds being our feet hitting the pavement, and the other people on the street. A group of teens were smoking outside a barber shop, and women with strollers were going in and out of the shops.
Me and Pony had some faint small talk, but despite living across the street all our lives, we had never really talked together. Not unless you include asking how each other are when we're getting the mail or bringing in the trash barrels. In school we only smile and nod, acknowledging each other's existence.
Our awkward small talk had been cut short by a mustang filled with two pretty socs pulling out of the DX, almost running in to us.
Pony just grabbed my hand and pulled me away, and the soc just glanced at us and giggled with her friend, driving away.
"She could have hit us and continued driving on, without a care." Ponyboy mumbled.
"She's so snobby her biggest concern would be that our blood got her car all dirty." I groaned, and Ponyboy just laughed and shook his head.
We walked in to the gas station and were greeted by a smiling man behind the counter, in a blue DX shirt and a trucker hat over his greased hair.
"Hey Soda." Pony said, walking over and leaning against the counter.
"Hey Pone, brought a friend?" he asked, referring to me awkwardly standing in the doorway.
Ponyboy looked at me. "Yeah this is Loraine, you know from across the street? I ran into her fleeing from Tim Shepard."
Soda looked at me. "Well howdy, miss Loraine. I would introduce myself if we hadn't been so well familiar already. Grab what you want, it's on the house." he said, topped off with a wink.
"Hey thanks, Sodapop," I said.
Ponyboy made his way to the back where they kept the slushie machine, and I followed suit. He filled up a red slushie, and I grabbed blue.
"You like the blue ones?" Pony asked, in utter disgust.
"You don't?" I asked back. He looked at me like I was crazy.
"When was the last time you actually had a blue one?" I pressed.
"Well, my buddy bought one and I tried a little and it was revolting" he responded.
"And how long ago was that?"
"...A few years" he looked down at his feet.
"You dont like something you havent had in YEARS?" I gawked. He just looked around sheepeshly.
"You have to try it" I said, and I pushed the cup towards him.
"What! I can't!" Pony argued.
"Just quit your fussing and try the damn slushie!"
I shook the slurpee in his face, and he reluctantly took it. He held his breath and took a sip, and we just sat there in silence, waiting to see if he liked it.
"Spit it out already, how is it?"
Ponyboy looked up at me, and just took another sip of the drink.
"It's not half bad" he confessed.
"SEE I TOLD YOU!" I yelled. Sodapop just looked over, and he smiled at the two of us. Pony didn't notice, but I smiled and waved back.
I looked back to Ponyboy, and he already had drinken half of my drink.
"Wow I didn't know it was THAT good" I laughed and walked up to the register. Despite Soda saying it was on the house, i threw a few quarters on the counter. His family were greasers like mine, and we couldn't afford to be that generous.
We sat there having small talk for a few minutes, talking about our families, school, and Pony's newfound love for blue slurpees.
Eventually we decided that we had been there for a while, and it was time to go before my family and Darry wondered where their siblings were.
As we were walking out of the DX, Soda yelled "use protection!", and pony just shook his head and I laughed, despite the feeling of my face heating up.
***
Our walk home (which I was surprised to find myself enjoying) was sadly cut short. Before I knew it, Pony was walking me up to my front door.
"It was real nice hanging with you today" Pony said.
"Yeah I agree. We should do it again sometime!" I agreed.
Ponyboy once again looked down at his feet. "I was wondering if you would like to come over for dinner tonight? The gang would love to have you." He asked. He looked back up at me, awaiting an answer.
I just smiled at him. "Yeah of course! I'll have to go in and ask my parents, but if I can I'll come over and tell ya." I said.
His face seemed to brighten up. "That's great! I guess I'll get going then, but you come on over when you find out. Dinners at 6:30 but you can come earlier if you want."
"Well thanks Ponyboy. I guess I'll see you later" I smiled.
"See you later." He turned to walk down the walkway, but turned back around. "Oh and by the way, you can just call me Pony."
"Oh, well then I'll see you later Pony." I waved at him, and he smiled and waved back as I went through the door. I shut the door and smiled, but when I turned around i was greeted by an angry older brother.
"Where have you been?" Glenn.
1758 words
A/N
What did you think? I haven't written in a while and even then the quality was not that good. Any suggestions?
Well I'm already writing a new chapter, so stay tuned!