"Tell me a bed time story mommy, please?" Ponyboy Curtis gently asked his young, beautiful mother, who sat beside himself and his brother, Sodapop, tucking them in and saying goodnight. On the bunk above young Ponyboy and Sodapop was their older brother, Darrel Curtis. Though he hated to be called a child and was more adult then he should have been for his age, he never had objected to any sort of bedtime story, it helped him sleep. Ponyboy's mother sighed and smiled, glancing toward the doorway where her husband, Michael, was waiting patiently, a sly grin on his face, his eyes dancing just as heavily as Soda's were, but he wasn't just an adventurous man that loved to risk his life for nothing at all, he was a caring father that appreciated when his wife made supper of tucked the boys in and told them stories.
"Remember, Ponyboy, it's not just you I'm telling a bedtime story, your brothers want to hear one to. So tell me, boys, what you want the story to be about?" Mother Curtis asked her children calmly. Ponyboy and Sodapop's voices overlapped each others, Soda asked for an old fashioned cowboy battle and Ponyboy asked for a romantic sailor tail. Darry waited until his brothers were finished and asked for a football story, now it was their mothers job to make all of their themes into one story, they didn't even think to make her life easier by agreeing on one topic, and she didn't ask them to.
"Once upon a time, there was a little boy, who liked to pretend to play pirate as often as possible. He had two older brothers, the oldest was a football star in his high school, the younger brother had dropped out of school and helped pay for their lives by paddling sail boats around beautiful canals and sometimes oceans, it got great tips." Curtis mother paused briefly and was bombarded with questions.
"How come he dropped out?"
"How old were they all exactly?"
"What were their names?"
"Shh children, no questions." Curtis mother continued gingerly. "The youngest boy had light brown hair with blue eyes, he was a scrawny pail boy and his name was Gene. The second eldest's name was Johanna, he had blue eyes and dark brown hair, almost black, he was scrawny and pail as well. The eldest's name was Rogan, he had blue eyes and dark brown hair, he was pail and extremely muscular. The eldest brother, Rogan, was too concerned with his own life to worry about his brothers. He had a job that could have paid for the apartment they lived in, the heat, a car, gas, things that were needed. But Rogan spent most of his money on himself, so instead of paying for all that he decided to pull his younger brother out of school and put him to work because he really was not the brightest in the batch in the first place. Albeit Rogan still paid for the rent, but Johanna, or John as most called him, paid for clothes, food, gas, pretty much all the mandatory things one would need other then a home. They didn't have cable because books were much less money and much better for one, they didn't have hot water, but that was okay because cold water woke one up more thoroughly in the morning. They had enough food, sort of, they could have used more, being growing boys, but they could most certainly live. Even though Rogan was a bit selfish, he loved his baby brothers and all of them were a happy family. The end of the school year was nearing and Rogan would finally be out, he'd gotten a full scholarship to a fancy college and he planned to accept it with great nobility. Gene was going to be going into grade four, he'd be ten years old, to him that was adult enough to do anything. Johanna was in the midst of teenage angst, thought life was horrible, his brother Rogan and his brother Gene loved each other much more then they loved him, or at least in his perspective. In reality Johanna was the glue that held their family together, and he was fuchsia glitter glue, the beautiful kind that you use so much that it runs out fast and you get more, you waist all your money on the fuchsia glitter glue but it's worth it. One day Johanna was pushing a girl in through a beautiful canal, it was surprising such a stunningly beautiful girl was all by her lonesome, usually Johanna always pushed around couples or families, never did singles want to go for a canal ride, never until now, that is. Johanna was fifteen, he guessed the girl was somewhere in her early twenties, she looked about twenty to Johanna, young with no wrinkles but completely filled out and she looked like a mature woman. Johanna noticed the woman was writing something, he had the courage to ask what it was the woman was writing. The woman was friendly enough, she told Johanna it was a poem she was writing, she was a published author but she also had a little hobby for poetry. Johanna asked for the woman's name and age, she was, in fact, twenty one years old and her name was Paisley. She was a single woman and she got inspired by water, so she often road on canals by her lonesome and wrote poetry. She asked for Johanna's name, said she'd ask specifically for him next time she was going on a canal ride. He told her his name was Johanna and he was fifteen, she was surprised, claiming he looked nineteen at least, and then he dropped her off and went to pick up someone else. The next day Rogan finally told his two brothers about his football scholarship, they weren't excited, he had expected them to be and he was rather angry. He kicked Johanna out early, saying it would do him good to work more, and sent Gene to his room, ordering him to do his homework. All his two brothers had wanted was for him to finally be able to support them, but he would have dropped out of high school a long time ago if he was planning to just get a low paying job, no, he was going to school and getting an education to get a good job, or maybe he'd become a football star, all he knew was him and his brothers were going to be able to make it more then they were right now. Johanna met with Paisley that night, in a canal of course, but he told her when he'd first seen her he'd fallen for her, and it seemed she felt the same way about him. He told her about his brothers and his situation, told her he had to be there for them, so she told him he and his brothers should stay with her and her father, there were two spare bedrooms and he could share a bed with Paisley. Seems her father had been trying to get rid of Paisley for awhile now, they moved in with her and Johanna started working two jobs, an attempt to get enough money to get his own house for him and Paisley to live in. Four years later Rogan was making enough money to move into a condo with Gene, he put him in a great private school and Johanna and Paisley moved into a shabby looking house. They were happy, Johanna had found his talent at painting and Paisley had finally written that great book that she'd always wanted to write, it ended up that Gene became an actor when he grew up, he acted in Western Cowboy movies and he was sure good at what he did, but throughout their lives, no matter what happened, the three brothers were always there for each other, they were always a family, even when they made new families, they were brothers, best friends, and they were the first family they ever had, no one could ever forget something like that, the end." The Curtis mother smiled gently at her two children that she could see, Darry was above her head at the moment, she kissed Soda gently on the head and did the same for Ponyboy and Darry, she gave Ponyboy one last hug and met her husband at their door. Her husband muttered something about a rushed ending, blew a kiss to his sons, and they left.
Soda whined a little about how mother based the whole story around Ponyboy's theme and they all fell asleep peacefully, but not for long. Around three in the morning Ponyboy woke up, he was covered in sweat and crying and screaming. He immediately woke Soda up, who told him to shut it and tried to go back to sleep, but once Sodapop realized the depth of Ponyboy's fear, and he comforted him. Darry was down on their bed at once, trying to get Ponyboy to tell him what he'd dreamt about. Ponyboy didn't remember the dream at all, all he knew was he wanted his mother and his father, but they weren't home. They said they'd be home and Ponyboy was worried, but Darry and Soda knew better, their parents probably got drunk and had to sleep somewhere else. Ponyboy went back to sleep after Darry force fed him two aspirin, Ponyboy shouldn't have been able to take two at his age but he could because he got headache's a lot, he thought too much. When Ponyboy woke up next it was early afternoon and Darry and Sodapop were up already, it was a Sunday so there was no school. When Ponyboy walked down those steps, the steps that lead him to a change in life, he wanted to stop and run back upstairs, into his bed and under his covers and have that horrible nightmare role over and over again in his head, because in some strange, weird turn of events Ponyboy knew exactly what he was going to see when he walked that last step and trotted into the living room, he expected it, but it was still the worst thing in his life.
Ponyboy shot up in his bed, or what he thought was his bed until he turned to cuddle into Soda. His eyes met stone cold icy mean blue eyes, the eyes of Dallas Winston. He remembered sleeping in Johnny's bed beside Dally yesterday because he got that vibe from Steve, the one he always get, that made him feel like if he had slept in his own bed he would have been brutally murdered. So waking up to Dallas Winston smiling dangerously at you was probably better then not waking up at all, Ponyboy would have to deal. Really the Greaser's went about taunting the Soc's, saying they might not have money but at least they had friends that were almost like family. Other then Soda and Darry Johnny was the closest to a brother Ponyboy had, Johnny was like his twin who spent every waking second he could with Ponyboy, it was great. Then after that probably Two-bit, the brother that was hasty and immature and hung out with Ponyboy even though they were pretty far apart in age, and even though Two-bit was reckless he could always help Pony out when he really needed it. He couldn't help him with love, or homework, or watch a sunset with him, but he could sure try as hard as possible, and he would if Ponyboy asked him to. After that would be Steve, he hated Ponyboy, yeah, but he was still a brother. Steve was that mean brother that you hate because he beats you up and orders you around and buts into stuff that has nothing at all to do with him. Dallas was the last brothers; Ponyboy wouldn't even call that daunting kid a brother.
Now don't get me wrong, Ponyboy didn't not like Dallas, Dallas was a cool guy despite the fact he scared the living day lights out of Ponyboy and pretty much everyone else in the world. Dallas just didn't feel like family, Ponyboy and him weren't close, but even if they were Ponyboy still wouldn't think of Dallas Winston as a brother, more a best friend.
Ponyboy then noticed he was falling, he discovered later Dallas had rudely enough pushed him off the bed and spread himself out to take up more room then necessary. Ponyboy frowned and without further ado, jumped on top of Dallas, not a great idea but not the worst one he'd ever had. Dallas's face went through a pained expression and he coughed, Ponyboy felt pompous that he'd knocked the wind out of Dallas Winston.
"Kid you better get off of me before I beat the living tar outta you!" Dally threatened seriously, Ponyboy smirked and pressed harder on Dallas's stomach. "Alright kid if your brothers get mad at me at least they know it was your fault…" Dallas unexpectedly, clubbed Ponyboy right in the face. Ponyboy went flying off of him, into the wall. That just wasn't fair, Johnny was in bed right beside Dallas and all Dally did to Johnny was cuddle him and make him feel loved, it was Ponyboy's house yet he had absolutely no where to go, even if that'd been a joke it hurt Ponyboy, he finally realized there was pretty much no where for him. Ponyboy stood up and walked toward the door, he would have slammed it to piss Dallas off but in all truth he didn't want to disturb Johnny, so he inaudibly shut the door and tip toed out of the house. Ponyboy went up to his roof and lay down, it's not like the roof of his house could strike him in the face or violently push him off, or swear at him… Or cuddle up to him, read him a bedtime story, tuck him in at night… Ponyboy hated self pity, he didn't want to wallow in his own self pity, it was just so erroneous.
Ponyboy drifted into a light sleep but woke up an hour later because he was nippy. It had started raining, which didn't make much sense because it was summer… He was soaking and developing a cold rather quickly, he felt the house shake a bit and realized everyone had woken up and Two-bit was on the roof again. Ponyboy didn't know everyone was awake, but if Two-bit was awake everyone was probably awake, Two-bit didn't come to life until someone kicked his ass out of bed, or couch. Ponyboy decided if he got into the house and got some dry clothes on before Darry saw him he'd be fine. He would probably need a few aspirin to make sure no one noticed that Ponyboy was shivering, because after sleeping in the rain he'd probably be shivering. Ponyboy's safest stake was through his own bedroom window, as long as he made sure no one was in there. Ponyboy stood up, his knees bent to make so he didn't tumble off the roof just like that, and he slowly sauntered over so he was over top of his bedroom. Grabbing onto the gutter tightly, Ponyboy swung so he was looking directly into his own bedroom. What he saw was much unexpected, it was Steve, and Sodapop, doing something… That he didn't expect to ever see them doing together. Steve had Soda against the wall and they were kissing passionately, Ponyboy noticed he was gaping and looked away quickly. Ponyboy then noticed he had no way to get out of his position and just bagged the gods for Soda and Steve to leave before either of them looked toward the window. It was a silly request because Soda was already looking directly at the window, his eyes were simply closed.
Ponyboy honestly had no idea what to do, before to long Sodapop would open his eyes and Ponyboy would be in a lot of trouble plus he'd probably be murdered by Steve. Sodapop's eyes fluttered half way open, then closed again, but as Ponyboy saw them flicker open again, he let go. Luckily he landed in a bush so he didn't get to badly hurt, and it's not like his house was that high off the ground in the first place. Ponyboy heard the door opening and he hid himself in the bush. Dallas Winston waved at the door, Ponyboy couldn't see who was there but he could hear from the voice it was his brother Darry.
"So you'll be here tonight to plan for the big surprise?" Darry attempted to confirm.
"Just so long as Patricia don't want me with her, that bitch hasn't given me any in awhile I'll take every opportunity I can get." Dally informed Darry and with that said, he sauntered tuffly away. Darry shut the door and Ponyboy let out a much awaited groan, he got up and half limped over to the empty lot which was a couple blocks away if not more. Ponyboy was feeling awful lonely, he wasn't sure why, maybe it was his bad luck but in all truth, Pony always had atrocious luck. Ponyboy was slumped against the park bench, checking his injuries. He'd sprained his ankle by landing the wrong way. He'd hit his head against the side of their house so it was bleeding a bit, and he had scrapes all over him because he'd been sleeping in a t-shirt and his briefs and everything that was showing got cut up by the bush. It really wasn't a big deal, he was simply worried about what he would have looked like if he hadn't let go, Steve was one idiot but he could pack a hard punch, you better believe that.
Ponyboy was also vexed about how he'd get into his house soaked in rain and blood. Once Ponyboy saw the red corvair that was parked not to far by, he decided any punishment from Darry was better then dead. Ponyboy was strangely relieved, though, because he was looking at that corvair instead of a blue mustang, the blue mustang that got Johnny landed in a wheel chair, killed a kid, drove Dally off his rocker, and beat Ponyboy up literally every time he saw it.
Ponyboy walked to his house solemnly; once he got there he was less willing to waltz in. But Ponyboy noticed Darry's pick up truck was gone and noted that Soda, Steve and Darry were probably all at work. The only people in that house of his were Two-bit Mathews and Johnny Cade, two people Ponyboy wasn't afraid to confront looking like how he was. Ponyboy waltzed happily into his own house, he walked into the kitchen, where Johnny and Two-bit were, and sat down at the table in the seat beside Two-bit.
"Boy howdy, what in gods name happened to you Pony?" Two-bit asked gaily, Johnny silently agreed with Two-bit's questioning. Ponyboy slyly explained the whole situation to his two closest friends, by the end Johnny was officially pissed at Dallas and Two-bit was laughing his ass off, saying he knew Steve and Soda were gay together since the beginning of time! Ponyboy washed himself up and made lunch. He was still not too hungry but forced some of it down his throat. He took six aspirin for his pains and went to talk to Johnny; sadly he only spoke with him for about three minutes before he practically fainted from the aspirin. Ponyboy woke up sometime later, how long he'd been asleep for he had no idea. But Johnny was asleep beside him and Ponyboy heard no ruckus from downstairs, so he fell back asleep.
When Ponyboy woke up next Johnny was sitting up beside him talking to someone, Ponyboy's vision cleared and he saw that it was Dallas. Johnny and Dallas seemed to be fighting about something; Ponyboy decided it was probably based off of Dallas clubbing Pony earlier. Ponyboy sat upright and yawned loudly, purposely catching the attention of both his best friend and this violent man he felt like he barely knew.
"Johnny please don't fight with Dallas, he didn't mean nothin'. It was a harmless joke and he don't want your heck." Ponyboy lightly informed Johnny lightly. Johnny furrowed his eyebrows, he was sure Pony had been complaining to him earlier, but maybe Ponyboy just needed someone he could talk to about his horrid luck.
"Yeah Johnny, what's the big deal? You know I wasn't meaning nothing, plus I mean Pony asked for it." Dallas tried to convince Johnny, Johnny and Ponyboy glared at him and he looked temporarily pissed. Johnny let it go though, because if Pony had gotten over it there was no reason for Johnny to still be angry with Dally.
Eventually Johnny and Ponyboy fell back asleep and Dallas sat there, just staring at them in aw. It was a wonder why two young, innocent kind boys like Ponyboy and Johnny ended up in a group like their group. Ponyboy was a bit of a given because of his brothers, and Johnny didn't have a great home, so it wasn't all to surprising but because Pony was smart and stuff, he could be a Soc. Dallas knew Ponyboy was one deep guy and would never ditch his friends or brothers, he was a really loving guy, really accepting also. Dallas like Ponyboy fiercely, he just treated him bad because somewhere in his mind he thought it was Ponyboy's fault his little brother, Johnny, was paralyzed. Dallas knew it really had nothing to do with Ponyboy, but somewhere in him, he wanted to hate the kid. Dallas wasn't spectacular to any of the gang, he was cold and snappy but he knew he was the worst to Ponyboy. As Dallas watched Ponyboy sleep he felt bad, he decided if he just hung out with Pony less it would be less troublesome.
Dallas noticed the cuts all over Pony, like, everywhere. They were probably his fault, he suspected after he kicked Ponyboy out he went and did something stupid, he always did something stupid.
Dallas marched downstairs; Darry was preparing dinner and asked Dally if he'd seen Ponyboy. When Darry couldn't find Ponyboy in the morning he became concerned and that he hadn't heard from him at all yet freaked him out.
"Him and Johnny are upstairs taking a nap, probably got a lot of exercise being out so early, I was just up there." Dallas notified Darry bluntly. Darry's expression changed at once, he looked relieved and he turned around and continued cooking dinner. "Where's the rest of the gang?" Dallas asked nonchalantly.
"Two-bit's out reeking havoc and Steve and Soda went to the Nightly Double to see a movie, they've been spending a lot of time in each other's company lately, and I know they're best buddies but it's weird, you get my drift?" Darry asked, turning to look at Dallas dubiously.
"Yeah well maybe they're bonding or something, it's not like I'd know though I'm about as deep as a wading pool." Dallas joked dryly, Darryl didn't happen to laugh. "Ponyboy's been keeping to himself a lot lately, what's the deal with that? He's got to get buddies other then Johnny, because until Johnny's legs are recovered Ponyboy will stay inside." Dallas told Darry, he was concerned because what if Ponyboy got sick, always being inside, or maybe fat, that would get major bullying.
"Yeah well I'll bring that up at dinner maybe." Darry said, he sounded as if the issue had been resolved and Dallas informed him he was going out to buy a pack of smokes, he'd buy Ponyboy one because he knew the kid would pay him back if he really wanted the smokes, if not Dally would have an extra pack of smokes, no major concern there.
By the time Dallas got back Ponyboy and Johnny were awake and at the dinner table, Johnny looked fresh and adorable but Ponyboy looked dreadful, he looked tired and in general gloomy. They had waited for him, they were having hamburgers and Kraft Dinner, cheap but delicious. Ponyboy took the pack of smokes fervently; he paid Dallas back and thanked him about three times. Darry brought up the topic of friends, or people he could hang out with outside of the house, but Ponyboy told Darry the only people his age that talked to him were Soc's, and that was when they were thrashing the tar out of him. Darry suggested Curly Sheppard, Ponyboy didn't agree but Darry decided that tomorrow Ponyboy would go over to the Sheppard's and hang out with Curly. Dinner continued normally, Dallas noticed Pony didn't eat much, he moved it around on his plate with his fork, he ate about half of it but usually the Curtis's had huge appetites. Dallas never really paid a lot of attention to Pony but he'd always assumed Ponyboy wolfed down his food like his brothers, guess he had calculated that one wrong. After supper instead of going back to sleep with Johnny Ponyboy went into the front yard and sat there smoking. Darry came out once Ponyboy had about half the pack smoked and ordered Ponyboy to go for a bike ride to keep him healthy. Ponyboy took his bicycle out of the shed and got on it. It was to petite so he grabbed Soda's and rode off. Ponyboy rode around town, or the Greaser part, he went to the store to buy some aspirin, more smokes, and toilette paper because they were running out and Ponyboy didn't feel to well. Ponyboy peddled to the empty lot and smoked the other pack of the cigarettes and biked home, it was rather surprising no Soc's bothered him along the way but he wasn't complaining whatsoever.
Ponyboy went home and practically ran into the washroom, well after putting the bicycle away, and vomited up his evening meal. He had to have expected that, he couldn't smoke on a virtually empty stomach and then exercise without expecting to get sick. He checked his weight and frowned upon the small number, he needed to bulk up before the beginning of school or else he'd be pushed around to much to tolerate. He reckoned gaining ten lbs would shove the bullies off him enough for him to at least do well in school and live long, well he didn't know how long he'd live smoking that much but he hoped a long time, and he didn't want to die.
For one hour Ponyboy sat in his own room, which was unfamiliar because he hadn't slept there for so long, and read. After that Two-bit got in, hammered out of his mind, and ordered Ponyboy to watch Mickey Mouse with him, Ponyboy obliged delightedly. Darry came in asking if Soda had arrived but trusting Soda to be safe, Darry went to bed. Dally had left to go find a lonely lady or such and Johnny was passed out in his room by now. Two-bit was also asleep beside Ponyboy; Ponyboy just continued watching the happy go lucky cartoons, immune to his life outside of the box shaped heaven. Awhile later Soda and Steve arrived; they pretty much fell through the door, kissing dramatically. Ponyboy pretended to be asleep and waited for them to go upstairs. Once he hard nothing he shut off the TV and went to bed. Dally would be back later and Ponyboy didn't want a smack in the face so he decided he'd crash with Two-bit, Two-bit wouldn't mind. There wasn't much room and Ponyboy ended up literally sleeping on top of Two-bit.
When Ponyboy woke up next it was around four o'clock and he was really still half asleep. Dally was there, he was lying on the ground in front of Ponyboy. There was a girl with Dally and he was getting some major action, that's when Ponyboy realized how attractive Dallas as. Not to bulk, not to scrawny, the perfect size really. Ponyboy decided he wanted to be that exact muscular, he fell asleep after, he had decided Dallas would kick the little broad out before Darry awoke if he was smart, which he was. Ponyboy drifted off to sleep once again, intent on having a horrible time with Curly Sheppard the next day, no matter how much fun it would most likely be.
Ponyboy woke up early, his brother Darry was shaking him, telling him to get ready to go to Curly's house. Ponyboy sat up, he was sprawled out on the living room floor, and Two-bit had pushed him off in his sleep probably. Ponyboy noticed Dally was no longer having sex on the floor, which was fine with Ponyboy. Ponyboy took an extra long shower, Darry and Steve and Soda had left for work right before he got in and no one would be awake for at least another hour. Making sure to use up all the hot water incase Dallas woke up anytime soon, by the time Ponyboy got out of the shower he smelled like strawberries and it was delicious. Ponyboy looked in the mirror, flexing the arm muscles he no longer had, but he knew he would re-develop. Ponyboy noticed he had a couple hairs in his under arms and his facial hair was growing in. He looked kind of gruff, he facial hair was late coming in compared to Darry and Sodapop but it was finally there, albeit only a modest amount.
Ponyboy dressed in a black muscle shirt that he took out of Johnny's drawer, recently they'd been trading clothes because Johnny was bulking up from the exercise he was doing with his arms and also his workouts in the hospital to develop himself so he wouldn't be paralyzed. Ponyboy wore his own jeans but used a belt because they were still a tad big. The jeans were dark fading blue, originally skinny jeans but now a little loose. The belt was plain black but the buckle was cool, it was a door, Ponyboy didn't get the sexual indication but he thought it was hip so he bought it. His underwear, like always, were black boxer briefs, he was incapable of buying any other kind. Ponyboy took the bottle of hair grease and using just a very small amount greased his hair back. Usually Ponyboy would use a lot of hair grease when he was going out but he didn't want Curly to think he'd tried to look tuff, or tough, for him. Ponyboy checked on Johnny before he left, Johnny was taking up only a tiny quantity of the bed; Dally was sprawled out across the remaining space. Ponyboy slipped on his shoes without socks, he could find any in the laundry, the ones in Darry's room were to big, and he dared not enter his own room. Ponyboy ate a piece of chocolate cake before he left, seemed he could only stomach the appetizing type of food nowadays. Ponyboy took six aspirin before he left and smoked four smokes on his front steps. By the time he was ready to leave Dally walked outside half naked.
"Gee Dal', your half naked, what's the deal?" Ponyboy asked dumbly.
"Little broad took my top last night, decided she'd make me see her again, but she didn't know it wouldn't be pleasant." Dallas grumbled impatiently. "Where you off to, by now I thought you were unable to go outside of your house except when Darry is making you." Dallas joked uncouthly.
"Yeah well my brother is forcing me, he pretty much arranged a play date with Curly Sheppard, and I feel like a looser." Ponyboy was ranting by now, and instead of answer Dallas decided to just walk away. "Okay bye I guess." Ponyboy grumbled heatedly, really he hadn't expected Dallas to just walk away.
Ponyboy decided Curly probably wouldn't be awake this early, it was only about eleven o'clock and Tim was a late riser, Curly probably followed after his brother. Ponyboy thought of things to do, eventually he decided to find a place to sleep. He knew exactly where it would be, too. There was an attic filled with dust and spiders and gross oddments like that. If Ponyboy cleared it out he could take the extra mattress a Soc family had thrown onto the side of the road, as if to say they no longer needed it and some street rat could take it. Ponyboy was a bit embarrassed when he took it but in the end he knew it would be worth it because he really had nowhere else to sleep, even though it was his house.
Some Socs pushed him around on his way back from retrieving the mattress but in the long run he only had a couple bruises, they let him go without a big fight. Ponyboy took a broom to the ugly room and dusted out the bugs and dust and the extra cotton.
Ponyboy came across a box filled with old stuff and decided to open it. As he peeled open the tape the lid to the box sprung open, revealing a couple of picture books and old knickknacks. Ponyboy opened the first picture book which was full of pictures of Soda, Darry and him. They weren't complex or interesting just embarrassing pictures of little boys naked, a lot of them Ponyboy and Soda was wearing their mothers clothes, Darry looked muscular in every picture, though. Each page was its own tender memory, beautiful and important to Ponyboy's childhood, making him laugh and frown. The other picture book had pictures of Ponyboys parents, he then realized how much Sodapop looked like his mother and how Darry looked like his father. Ponyboy was a mix in between; he was closer to his mother because of his scrawny structure but other then that it was pretty well balanced.
Ponyboy shoved the box into a corner and continued; hoping to god Darry would be all right with this. Ponyboy got a mattress spring from Sodapop's room, which up until now had been his room. Ponyboy set the mattress spring on the floor partially underneath and beside of the large window. He then put the new mattress on top of the mattress spring and washed the dusty dirty window. Ponyboy made his bed, he wanted to look tough so he never told anyone this, but Ponyboy loved to have bright bed sheets and blankets otherwise he got frightened at night. Ponyboy made his bed with vibrant red sheets, intense red pillows and a vivid red comforter.
Ponyboy maneuvered his dresser up into the attic; there was a ladder that fell from an opening in the roof, that's how he got up. It was hard because the opening barely fit the dresser at all.
Ponyboy brought a wall mirror in and nailed it to the wall, it was fairly big, about half the size of Ponyboy. Ponyboy wasn't much fond of looking at himself in the mirror, Sodapop enjoyed it the most and then Darry, Ponyboy always saw himself in his reflection, he wanted to see a handsome tough looking man, not an ugly scrawny looking kid. But mirrors were mandatory in Ponyboy's opinion, so he brought it in. Ponyboy polished the wood floor and put some old posters on the wall to make it look more familiar and like it was assigned to Ponyboy; without the posters it looked like a guest room. Ponyboy brought up all his junk like his cd player, teddy bears, and most of all books. Ponyboy also brought up the desk he did his homework on because even though it was also Soda's Ponyboy was the only one who used it.
By the time Ponyboy was done it was one o'clock and he decided he better get a move on before Curly assumed Pony decided to skip the play date. Ponyboy walked over because it wasn't too far and it was all Greaser territory, any Soc that beat him up was an idiot, they might push him around a bit but nothing that anyone would notice, probably no visible injuries. Ponyboy bought a pack of smokes for Curly on the way, it was guiding principle to bring a gift when going over to someone's house because Curly would probably feed Ponyboy dinner and let him play his videogames, that's what Ponyboy thought they'd be doing.
Ponyboy did get pushed around a bit, but only a single punch and a push to the ground, nothing special, nothing to complain about. As Ponyboy knocked on the Sheppard's door he felt suddenly nervous, thinking maybe Curly would judge him because of his slouchy hiding posture or his scrawniness. But Curly answered the door, one eye was slightly closed and his clothes were all handy me downs, which meant way too big. He was pretty muscular but he wasn't a body builder or anything. Curly had curly short blondish red hair and, imagine, green eyes. Ponyboy thought of Cherry before he judged Curly to be a bad guy, Darry thought he was okay, so Ponyboy trusted he'd live through the day. The most peculiar thing about Curly was that he was holding a large bottle of alcohol in his left hand and he looked not all there.
"Hey you're Ponyboy!" Curly laughed and caressed Ponyboy's face shakily. "You look exactly like Sodapop 'cept prettier." Curly laughed again. "Yeah I was saving the alcohol for when you got here but I woke up nice and early and you got here so late so I had a few sips. But come in, please, there's plenty more where that came from." Curly said in a slur, Ponyboy laughed nervously.
"I thought you wouldn't wake up early so I occupied myself until I thought you'd be up, I brought you a pack of cools." Ponyboy threw the pack at Curly, who caught it even though he was smashed. Curly shut the door behind Ponyboy and Ponyboy removed his shoes and followed Curly to his bedroom.
"Do you have a flame?" Curly asked tuffly, or tuffly in Ponyboy's opinion anyhow, it wasn't too hard to impress a little kid, though. Ponyboy handed Curly his lighter and Curly lit two smokes, passing one to Ponyboy and shoving one in his own mouth. Curly offered Ponyboy the alcohol, Ponyboy didn't want to be rude but he never really drank. Nonetheless Darry had forced Ponyboy over here and if that meant having a good time was to get totally hammered out of his mind; Ponyboy was sort of okay with that. Ponyboy opened the bottle and to a swagger, it was foul tasting but it made Ponyboy feel a good kind of funny and he took another three gulps, he gagged a bit but it all went down, burned the whole way actually. Ponyboy smoked two cigarettes before finishing the remainder of the bottle which was around, let's say two cups.
By the time the bottle was empty Ponyboy and Curly were reasonably plastered and a lot more familiar. Curly was telling Ponyboy a stupid story about one time in the reformatory, Ponyboy wasn't actually interested in the crap Curly was spitting out so he told him.
"This stories stupid let's play video games." Ponyboy ordered and Curly happily obliged. Curly, even though he was poor, had the newest Nintendo; he'd gotten it for Christmas but stolen all the games.
For one full hour Pony and Curly played Duck Hunt and Mario but in due course they stopped from boredom.
"What should we do now?" Ponyboy asked standing on Curly's bed and jumping up and down. Curly pondered the question and then quickly left the room. Ponyboy stopped jumping and fell onto the bed, taking another weed out and smoking it delightedly. Curly came back a second later with two sandwiches.
"Here." Curly handed Ponyboy one, "It has whole wheat bread, margarine, chicken breast, tomatoes, lettuce, honey mustard, pepper and cheese." Ponyboy took a bite of the sandwich and was surprised when his taste buds were happy with the mouth watering taste of this healthy sandwich, Ponyboy was actually able to eat it all, but that might have been because he was under the influence.
Ponyboy clumsily wobbled off Curly's bed and ran out of his apartment, jumping merrily with every step, skipping and prancing down the stairs and onto the mean streets of Tulsa. Looking at the oil drench sidewalks, the broken windows and graffiti's walls, Ponyboy knew he wouldn't want to be anywhere but here in this crappy excuse for a town. Ponyboy ran fast down the street, bashing shoulders with civilians and not caring, swinging on street lights and giving quick hugs to every odd Soc. Ponyboy began singing merrily, singing like there was no tomorrow, which there might not be if he wasn't to careful. Ponyboy jolted to a stop, finally realizing what Darry meant when he said Ponyboy never used his head. Because Ponyboy didn't think that as he hugged that Soc that hated him, was he possibly going to pull a switchblade and stab Pony for getting to close. Or was Ponyboy going to be hit by a speedy car with a person in a hurry in it, his brothers wouldn't even get money because it wasn't a cross walk. Ponyboy then noticed he was happier not using his head, which then meant that Darry didn't want Ponyboy to be happy.
This thought upset and disturbed Ponyboy, and as speedily as he could he continued prancing and singing home, content on letting Darry know how he felt about how Darry felt about Ponyboy's happiness.