Billie says goodbye to Scott as they reach her house. For the past two days, Scott has been walking home with Billie. At first, Billie was slightly apprehensive, as she doesn't know Scott all that well, but over the past two days, she's come to enjoy walking with somebody else who enjoys the silence as much as she does.
Scott says goodbye in reply, and as Billie runs up the porch steps he adds, "happy birthday, for tomorrow. Tell Curly too if I don't see him tomorrow."
"Thanks," Billie tells him and gives Scott a small smile. She knows that he only remembered because of Curly, but it still felt nice to be remembered nonetheless.
Billie watches as Scott walks down the street before disappearing as he turns onto another street. She turns back around and opens the fly screen door. As she does, she sees Angela lounging on the sofa and Tim and Curly sitting at the table.
"Look who finally decided to come home," Curly teases, giving Billie a playful smile.
Billie looked at the clock on the wall. It was just after three. She really wasn't late at all, considering she was walking.
"Ignore him," Angela tells Billie as she throws a cushion at Curly, who catches it with ease.
"What are you all doing here so early?" Billie asks as she drops her backpack beside the sofa.
"There's a rodeo in tonight. We wanted to come home early so we could good seats," Tim answers.
"We don't even need to get there early. Tim just has to show up and everybody runs," Curly laughs, causing Tim to snatch the cushion out of Curly's hand and throw it in his face.
"So that means you're not going to be home for dinner?" Billie asks, calculating how much food she'll need to make dinner.
Tim frowns. "You're coming with us," he says.
"Consider this as an early birthday present," Angela adds, a smile on her face.
A rodeo was the last place Billie would want to be on her birthday, but she kept that to herself. There was no need to further highlight the differences she had with her siblings.
"I'll quickly have a shower and get changed," Billie informs her siblings before grabbing her backpack and walking down the hallway into her room.
Billie walks out of the house to the sight of an electric blue souped-up car. She has no idea what type of car it is or why her siblings (including Angela, who had never shown an interest in cars before, only the person driving it) were staring at it like it was God's gift on earth.
But she knows one thing: it's not Tim's car. And yet, he's in the driver's seat, his left hand on the wheel as though he had been driving it his whole life.
Curly looks in awe, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping open as though he can't believe the sight in front of his eyes. Tim looks like the cat who got the whipped cream, the trademark Shepard smirk plastered on his face.
"How did you even get this?" Curly asks Tim.
"Won it yesterday. Pickford thought he could beat me in a game of Pass-Out," Tim replies, the smirk still on his face.
"Tim!" Angela admonishes. She has always had a soft spot for Jay Pickford, the wide-eyed seventeen-year-old who's crush on Angela has never faded.
Tim rolls his eyes. "Shut it, Ange. You're only sayin' that 'cause Pickford's been making puppy dog eyes at you since grade school."
Angela rolls her eyes also but doesn't deny what Tim is saying.
"Now I've only got two seats so only one of you can come," Tim says, changing the subject.
Billie doesn't say anything. She usually lets her siblings decide and then goes along with whatever decision has been made.
"Ange can come with you. Billie and I'll walk. Get some quality twin time in. Haven't done that lately," Curly says, nudging Billie in the hip.
"And who's fault is that?" Billie shoots back before she can stop herself.
"You could start skipping school ya know. Then you'll spend every minute of every day with me," Curly says to Billie as Tim and Angela watch on in amusement.
"There's no way in hell that's happening. At least I know my money is going somewhere and not down the drain like you two," Tim interrupts as he points to Curly and Angela.
Angela rolls her eyes as she walks over to the passenger's side of Tim's new car. "Will you ever stop bringing that up?"
"I would if you would actually get your ass to school," Tim shoots back, turning to face his sister as Angela gets into the passenger's seat.
"Maybe you should take your own advice," Billie hears Angela mutter.
"It's too late for me. You know that. Which is why I don't want it happening for you," Tim responds.
Angela sighs loudly. "Spare me the lecture, Tim."
Tim mumbles something under his breath as he starts the car up, and Angela gives Curly the deadliest glare she can muster. Billie is sure she can hear Curly gulp nervously.
Billie watches as Tim drives away and before she knows it, she is left all alone with her twin. She turns back to face Curly.
"Ready to go?" he asks.
Billie nods her head. They start to walk down the sidewalk in the direction of the rodeo. They pass houses with broken windows and broken doors, most likely from drunken escapades or fits of rage. Billie and Curly stay silent as the walk, looking around their troubled neighbourhood.
They pass by Scott's old house and Billie's heart clenches tightly. Who she assumes to be Scott's mother is smoking out on the porch. She narrows her eyes as she sees Billie and Curly walking pass their house.
From the corner of her eye, Billie sees Curly's eyes narrow in resentment at Scott's mother. "Old hag," he mutters as they walk past the house. The woman continues to stare at them, her lips forming an unattractive scowl as the cigarette dangles from her wrinkly fingers.
"Keep walking, Shepard," the woman calls out, her voice croaky from smoking.
"Oh, I will," Curly calls back in disgust. "Anything to get away from this shithole."
"You listen here you punk," the woman raises her voice, the ugly sneer back on her face.
"What you going to do? Kick me out?" Curly sneers, stopping in his tracks to face the woman.
"Fuck off, you Shepard shit. Just like your pathetic parents. How's your father doin' up in Kansas with that broad?" She sneers back.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Curly replies, his eyes flashing icily at this woman.
The woman smirks, knowing she has hit a sore spot with Curly. "Shut your trap before you start talking shit about others," she says, as though she's won this argument she is having with Curly.
"I know our father was shit at being one, but at least he didn't kick out his own son," Billie snaps, taking both the woman and Curly with surprise. Her blue eyes flashed icily at the woman, mirroring Curly's. At this moment, it had never been clearer that the two were twins.
"How pathetic. Getting your sister to stand up for you because you can't do it yourself," the woman sneers, squashing the cigarette butt and throwing it into her button. Billie hopes that she didn't squash it so her house could burst up into flames but soon stops, as she doesn't know where that had come from.
"He doesn't have to get me to do anything," Billie says, as Curly's hand grabs her's and squeezes it.
"Now go back to being a piece of shit," Curly spits at the woman before turning around and dragging Billie with him.
They walk for several minutes before Curly breaks the silence. "Thanks for that," he thanks Billie sincerely.
"As soon as she mentioned Dad I was involved," Billie replies.
"So now you've met Scott's mother. The most horrid person I have ever met," Curly says.
"Even before Mom and Dad?" Billie questions. She knows how angry Curly was at their parents; with their mother and her tendencies to take her anger out of her children whilst drunk and with their father spending most nights tangled in the sheets with different women every night.
Curly nods his head. "Mom and Dad were pretty shitty, but they never kicked out any of us." Curly pauses before adding, "it's not like they would have had an excuse to kick out Scott. He doesn't fuck up like the rest of us. He didn't even tell us why his folks kicked him out."
"I'm sure he has a good reason not to," Billie reasons.
"Yeah, I know that he doesn't have to, but still," Curly replies.
"C'mon Curly. He's probably embarrassed. Imagine how he feels knowing that everybody knows that his folks kicked him out. The least you could do is let him keep it to himself," Billie tells her twin.
Curly sighs. "I know, I know. It's just annoying to not know."
"You'll live, you nosey parker," Billie teases, and Curly nudges her in the side in response.
Billie can't see Tim and Angela as her and Curly arrive at the rodeo. Curly can, apparently, as he starts dragging Billie over to a row of seats. Billie curses the inches of height Curly has over her as she nearly loses her footing due to her twin.
As Billie collapses into her seat beside Curly, she grabs a chip off Curly and eats it. Curly places the chips in between the two of them so that they can share. Billie looks up to see that the rodeo has just started, with Dallas Winston competing. Billie doesn't really understand rodeos, so she just watches in silence as everybody around her cheers and groans in symphony.
Several rows in front of her, Billie notices Liz Cowan seated beside her cousin Cherry Valance and other Soc girls. She sees them giggling and looking back and soon realises they are looking at Sodapop Curtis, who is seated in the row in front of Billie.
Billie can see why they are staring at Sodapop. He's good-looking, just like those movie stars in movies Billie watches at the drive-in and movie house. He's got dreamy dark brown eyes and dark gold hair, combed back effortlessly. Plus, he works at the local DX, which is a tick in most girls' books, Socs and Greasers alike.
Sodapop's also real nice. Billie's only spoken to him a handful of times, but from the times that she has, their conversations haven't left a foul taste in her mouth, unlike other Greasers. He's nice and really loves his Greaser girlfriend, Sandy. He also treats her real nice and respectful which Billie thinks is nice.
Although Sodapop is only just a year older than her, Billie feels as though he is much older than her. Billie knows that the death of their parents has made Sodapop mature slightly, as he's quit school to get a job. Billie understands as she has had to step up when their mother died and their father left them.
Billie looks to see that Angela is engaged in a conversation with Sandy and Steve's girlfriend Evie. Sodapop and Steve are talking to Curly about cars and Tim has disappeared, most likely to find Dallas Winston and give him an earful for slashing the car tires of his gang member.
Billie's brought into the conversation when Sodapop wishes her and Curly a happy birthday. He gives Billie a smile that would send most girls weak in the knees. Soon, Steve, Sandy and Evie wish Billie and Curly a happy birthday.
Curly and Billie thank them.
"Fifteen, hey?" Sodapop asks Billie. "I remember when I was fifteen." He has a wistful look in his eye.
"That was only a year ago, buddy," Steve jokes, thumping Sodapop on the shoulder. Billie understands what Sodapop means. A year ago, things were slightly easier for the Curtis family. Sodapop was at school and their parents were still alive.
Billie knows the feeling. A year ago, things were easier for her too.
The conversation changes and Billie zones out, not knowing what they were talking about. She opts to look around and in the corner of her eye, she can see Liz Cowan and the rest of the Soc girls staring at Billie with something that resembles jealousy. Billie doesn't understand why they would be jealous of her. They had the nice house, the nice clothes, the perfect boyfriends, the perfect life. If anything, Billie should be jealous of them.
But then Billie realises why. They were jealous because Sodapop was talking to her. A nobody in their eyes. Sodapop only wished her a happy birthday, he didn't declare his undying love for her. She doesn't see why they are jealous.
Billie shifts down in her seat, just wanting to go home.
Billie groans as Angela shakes her. She slaps Angela's hands away before rubbing her eyes, full of sleep. Angela envelops her in a tight hug as she cries out, "happy birthday!" into her ear. From Tim and Curly's room beside them, she hears Tim gruffly wishing Curly a happy birthday.
"I can't believe my baby sister is fifteen today!" Angela cries out as she hugs Billie again.
"What about me?" Curly asks as he and Tim stand in the doorway of the bedroom. Angela rushes out of bed and over to Curly, enveloping him in a tight hug also.
"Happy birthday, Bil," Tim gruffly tells Billie before walking out of the room. Billie doesn't feel disheartened by Tim's attitude.
Angela leaves the room also, and soon Billie is left alone with her twin. "Happy birthday, Billie," Curly tells her, a smile on his face.
Billie smiles back. "Happy birthday, Curly."
The twins walk out of Billie and Angela's bedroom and down the hallway into the kitchen, where Tim is making pancakes under Angela's watchful eye. As soon as the twins walk into the kitchen, Angela ushers them to the table and forces them to sit down. As Billie watches Tim roll his eyes whenever Angela told him that he was going to burn the pancakes, her heart swells. It was times like these that she was grateful for her siblings. After all that they had been through, they were still together and in one piece. Something that was quite rare on this side of town.
Angela drops two hastily wrapped present in front of Billie and Curly. In Angela's scrawl, Billie could see their names written on one present. She takes the one with her name on it as Curly takes the one for him.
"Open it," Angela tells Billie and Curly. Curly rips open his present whilst Billie takes her time. Curly's eyes light up as he raises his present in the air. Billie sees that Curly has gotten a leather jacket, almost identical to Tim's.
"Look, Tim!" Curly says, still holding the leather jacket in the air. Tim looks up from the stove before looking back down again. "You and I can be matching now," Curly continues. Billie hears Tim scoffs over the sound of the stove.
Billie finally unwraps her own present to see a copy of Robinson Crusoe. She smiles and looks at Angela.
"I remember you saying how you were reading it in class," Angela mumbles as her way of explaining.
"Thank you," Billie tells Angela sincerely, holding the book to her chest.
Angela places a plate of pancakes in front of Billie and Curly. "After this, we are going to the movie house," Angela says.
"What? Why?" Curly groans as he stuffs his face with pancakes.
Angela gives Curly a poisonous glare that would have most people quaking in their boots. "We're going to the movie house for Billie and after dinner, we're going to a drag race for you," Angela tells Curly.
"There's a drag race in my name?" Curly asks cheekily.
"You wish," Angela replies cooly, as Tim hands her a plate of pancakes for herself.
"One can dream," Curly agrees, taking another bite out of his pancakes.
Billie closes the fly screen door behind her. Her siblings are waiting at the bottom of the porch for her so they can start walking to the movie house. Tim's car doesn't have enough seats for all of them, and Angela and Tim say that it isn't fair that they drive and Billie and Curly walk since it is their birthday.
So they agreed to walk with Billie and Curly. Billie can't remember Tim ever walking. He has always gotten a ride with someone, never having a car of his own. When their father left, he left a stack of cash behind. There was enough money for Tim to buy a car for himself, but he chose not to, using it to pay for school fees for his younger siblings.
A soft wind picks up around Billie, rustling underneath her clothes and cooling her skin. The weather was turning cooler for the cooler seasons, summer nearly drawing to an end. Billie didn't particularly enjoy the heat, preferring to stay cooped up reading a book in bed when the weather was cooler. The cold weather wouldn't deter her siblings from going out though, and Billie would spend her nights tending to her siblings as they got sick from being out as the nights grew longer and colder.
Soon Billie and her siblings cross the line that divides the East and West. They make the transition from the East Side to the West Side, with sports cars parked in the driveway beside immaculate lawns, green and lush from being tended to.
Billie couldn't help but feel resentful towards the Socs. They treated Greasers horribly, flaunted their wealth and status in Greasers' faces and never had to work for anything in their lives. And yet, the Greasers had to suffer, being born into poverty and hardship with no way out.
Eventually the Shepard siblings arrive at the movie house. They all let Billie decide which movie to choose. Billie doesn't have many choices, but she goes with Paul Newman's The Long Hot Summer. Billie sees Curly wrinkle his nose at this, but is soon shut down by an icy glare from Tim and a sharp nudge from Angela.
After the movie ends, the siblings make their way to the Dingo. Billie doesn't feel comfortable, preferring to to Jay's, but it's not just her birthday, and she knows how much Curly loves the Dingo.
As the walk up to the Dingo, they see Wesley in the carpark, sitting on the truck of his car spectating a fight between two gang members. Tim approaches Wesley and the two embrace in a tight hug before Wesley hops off the trunk of his car and walks over to the rest of the siblings. Angela and Wesley exchange pleasantries before Wesley focuses his gaze on Billie and Curly.
"Happy birthday you two," he tells the twins with a smile. "Fifteen and still in one piece. Pretty good in a place like this."
"With the way Curly's going he won't be for much longer," Angela mutters under her breath. If anybody hears it, nobody acknowledges it.
Wesley lets them go and they walk into the Dingo, which is just as rowdy as the last time Billie was here. The place is a mess, with food and drink staining the floors and booths, the workers not having the chance to clean it up. Drunks of all ages are sitting at the bar, alcoholic beverages in their hands, chatting animatedly with each other. Billie wonders how long the conversation will last before it turns into a fight.
A waitress begins to walk up to them to get them seated, but as soon as she recognises them she turns around and walks away. Billie recognises her as the Greaser girl that gave Tim the scar on his face after she threw a broken beer bottle at his face after he ended things with her. Tim curses when he sees her, but slightly relaxes when she leaves.
"She better not poison me food," Tim mutters.
"I don't think you can get poison as easily as you can get alcohol and drugs, Tim, so I think you're fine," Angela whispers. Angela's attempt to reassure him was futile as Tim doesn't look reassured in the slightest.
Another waitress comes up to the siblings. Her eyes light up in recognition as she sees Angela. "Hey, Angela! What's the special occasion?"
"Hey Sylvia, it's Billie and Curly's birthday today," Angela replies.
Sylvia gives Billie and Curly a kind smile. "Happy birthday to you two." They both thank Sylvia politely.
As Sylvia directs them to their booth, her and Angela converse.
"How have you been?" Angela asks.
The waitress shrugs. She looks to be Angela's age, if not a year older. She has blonde shoulder-length hair and sea coloured eyes. "I've been better. Dally's got himself thrown in the cooler again," she answers.
"Again? He was only out two weeks ago," Tim scoffs.
Sylvia sighs. "I keep tellin' him to take a leaf out of your book, but he doesn't want to hear a bar of it," Sylvia says to Tim as she grabs her notepad to take down their orders.
"One day he'll learn," Angela tells Sylvia.
"I hope so. But he's so thick headed it's hard to believe that he ever will. I know his upbringing did him no good - New York's a wild place, worse than we could ever imagine. It's a miracle he escaped from there," Sylvia replies.
"All you can do is be there for him," Angela says.
Sylvia nods her head but doesn't say anymore. She changes the subject by asking for their orders and leaves once they have all ordered.
Billie notices that Curly is watching Sylvia as she walks away and it seems as though Tim and Angela have picked up on it too.
"What? You still keen on Sylvia?" Tim asks Curly, full well knowing the answer.
Curly's cheeks flush in embarrassment. "What? No?" he denied.
"I know you did a while back, but I didn't know you still did," Tim continued, enjoying making his brother uncomfortable.
"Slim it, Tim," Curly says, his cheeks turning a deep red.
Tim doesn't say anymore but smiles, getting a laugh out of Curly's embarrassment.
"So, do I have to warn Dally that he has competition or is he fine?"
"Oh not you too, Angela!"
"Just checking."
a/n: here's another Thursday update as promised! I hope you enjoyed this longer chapter for Billie and Curly's birthday! I hope you got to see more of Billie's relationships with her siblings and the relationship that the Shepard siblings have with each other. I have enjoyed writing them so far and hope you have enjoyed reading my take on them! if you enjoyed this chapter, please give it a vote and a comment. I'll see you next Thursday with another update!