CHARLOTTE BLARAKO
june 5th, 1963
tulsa oklahoma
to make a long story short, my life really sucks. my family hates me, and so did everyone at my old school. except for kimmie. but now that we've moved to tulsa, i had to leave kimmie forever. i'll probably make no friends when i start school in september, or just this summer in general. it's gonna be a long summer.
"CHARLOTTE, GET YOUR UGLY ASS AWAY FROM ME!" my dad yelled at me. this was gonna be a long night. i quickly ran out of the house trying my best not to burden him any more, and walked the run down streets of tulsa. there was no way under the sun that i was going to be going back there tonight.
i walked a couple of blocks when i saw the sun was starting to set. i had no idea where i was going to sleep tonight, but i'd probably just find some place in the woods. hopefully i'd be able to find my way back. i eventually came across this empty lot with an old couch. i guess this would have to do. i sat down on the couch carefully, and watched as colors of pink, purple, and gold swirled through the sky. it was beautiful. it was sort of a bittersweet moment, if you will. gorgeous one moment, sad the next knowing i never will be. i pulled my sketchbook out of my bag and decided to sketch my feelings away.
i sat in stillness for a few moments, unsure of where to start. and the next thing i knew, a tear drop landed on my page. i sighed and shut the sketchbook, fixating my gaze onto the sunset.
"are you o-okay?" a boy stuttered from beside me. i jumped a bit, completely startled.
"i'm sorry, i didn't mean to scare you." he said.
"it's okay, and yeah i'll be okay." i gave him a fake smile.
"i can leave, if you want me to." i told him.
"no, it's nice having someone else here. why are you here? i've never seen you around." he asked.
"i could ask you the same question."
"my parents couldn't give two craps about me. they're always beatin' on me and such." he sighed.
"really? me too, my dad just kicked me out." i gave him an understanding smile. i was glad i found someone i could relate to.
"what's your name?" he asked, making eye contact.
"charlotte blarako. you?"
"johnny cade. why would a soc like you talk to me?"
"what's a soc?" i furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. he laughed slightly.
"socs are the rich people. they beat and kill greasers for no reason. you could just be walking to the gas station, and you see that mustang come up. they get off easy. they don't care. but greasers, we're the poor people. we like hair grease, and we don't jump innocent people. we actually care for our friends." he explained.
"well if that's what a soc is, then i am most definitely not a soc. i would rather be a greaser." i grinned.
"what do ya got in your hand, charlotte?" he said referring to my sketchbook.
"it's my sketchbook."
"can i see some of your drawings?" he asked, carefully reaching towards the book. i nodded and opened it up, showing him some of my work. he looked through almost the whole book, a new expression painting his face every time he flipped the page. he was gorgeous, i couldn't deny it.
"you're extremely talented, charlotte." he whispered in complete awe.
"thank you, nobody's ever told me that before." i trailed off.
"they should, it's true. you like sunsets?" i nodded.
"you'd like my friend, ponyboy. he loves art, sunsets, books, you name it. he's a dreamer. he's special.
you seem to be like him." he smiled, thinking of his friend.
"i'm sure i would like him, i like mostly everyone who's kind to me."
we talked for an hour or two more, and at this point it was completely pitch black outside. i completely admired the stars, especially shooting stars. they were bright, gold, unique. i wanted to be like a shooting star. they were beautiful.
"i think i'm gonna hit the hay," he started. i giggled.
"sorry, i've just never heard that term before. i like it." i smiled, he quickly returned the favor.
"i don't wanna burden you more than i already have, so i'll just go find somewhere to sleep. maybe i'll go home, i don't know. i'll see you around, johnny." i started to walk away, but he stopped me.
"no, it's too dangerous to walk around by yourself, especially at night. you can just stay with me, you haven't burdened me at all. besides, i like your company. you dig okay." he told me. i nodded my head with a small smile and laid down on the couch next to him.
———
i woke up with my head on johnny's chest and i smiled, recollecting all of the memories from last night. johnny was still asleep, so i decided to draw him. i know, it sounds weird, but it's like a memory book. i want to remember last night forever, the first person who made me feel special in tulsa. i have many drawings of kimmie and of my beautiful mom, but that's about it. my mom doesn't know my dad abuses me, and i haven't come to telling her yet so i guess it's all my fault she doesn't know, and that's okay. she doesn't need to know.
i worked on my drawing of him for about 30 minutes, until he started to wake up. at this point i had a pretty good start, and i could easily draw the rest by looking at his features.
"good morning johnny!" i smiled. he smiled back.
"good morning charlotte, what are you drawing?" he asked. i quickly pressed the book to my chest and smirked.
"i got really bored, so i decided to draw you. it sounds kind of creepy but it's like a photograph to me, a memory. i want to always remember the first person who made me feel welcomed in tulsa." i smiled before showing him the unfinished product.
"it's not done yet," i started, but he cut me off.
"it's amazing so far." he raised his eyebrows in shock. "promise to show me it when your done?" he asked, raising his pinky closer to me. i giggled and raised my own, interlocking them and squeezing, making a promise.
"that's one major thing you should know about me, i never break a promise." i smiled proudly.
"you sure do smile a lot for someone like me." he sighed.
"i try to be positive for other people i guess." i shrugged.
"you'd love my gang. do you wanna meet them later?" he asked. my eyes widened at the thought of a gang and i guess he noticed, because he laughed at bit.
"it's not really a gang, more like a huge family. they'd love you!" he said, trying to convince me. i eventually gave in, and agreed to meet him back here in an hour or two.
i finally made a friend.
chapter uno! i hope y'all like it, give me some feedback! honestly idk if anyone even reads my stories but like i said, i write for personal enjoyment so i don't really mind. if anyone is reading this, hi!!
- adriana <3