An Unlikely Allie

Chapter 53

Ponyboy's POV

It was my turn to do my first deal, of course Phaedra came along.  I was still chuckling at the irony of the code word being Roshambo.  "Isn't it ironic?" I asked my twin.

"What is?"

"Roshambo..."

"Isn't it like the game rock, paper, scissors?" Phae looked at me, confused.

"Well, that's one meaning of it...but there was french general name Romchambeau.  He helped Washington fight in the Revolutionary War." 

Phae continued to stare at me, "seriously?" She muttered unimpressed at my knowledge.

I laughed, "it's ironic that Wallace uses that word.  He fought for independence.  Wallace, on the other hand, is basically getting people dependent on his drugs."

"Pone..." she shook her head, "you think way too much about things...Wallace is too big of an idiot to know that."

I shrugged, "I found it funny."

She elbowed me in the ribs, "you're such a nerd."
We rounded the corner and were just outside soc territory.  I got a knot in my stomach as we approached Wallace. I hated that man with a hatred that scared me, just seeing him made my blood boil. Phae must have sensed this cause she squeezed my hand, "you and me against the world."

Wallace grinned as we approached, "woman over by the blue mustang."  He handed me the baggy, "I don't wanna see anything suspicious." 

I slipped the drugs in my pocket.   My hands were sweating as my mind went through all the scenarios that this could go wrong.  "Roshambo," I whispered to the lady. 

The woman dropped her purse on the ground, "yes."  I knelt down to pick it up.  I transferred the drugs  into her purse as I pulled out the envelope of money.  I slipped the money up my sleeve and handed her back the purse, "thanks Sugar!" She said as I handed her purse back.

I headed back toward wear Wallace was waiting.  I winked quick at Phaedra so she'd know I was ok.  I handed the envelope to Wallace.  He hand me $50, "not bad," Wallace smirked as he clapped me on the back, "you two are naturals."

I held back a shudder...this is exactly what I wanna be good at...I thought bitterly.

Phaedra let out a dark snicker, "naturals? Ain't no harder than passing notes or picking up a purse."

I shot her a look, one that said, "shut your goddamn mouth."

But it's Phaedra we're talking about, "it's not fuckin' rocket science.  You gotta be a fuckin' idiot if ya can't pull of something so simple," she scoffed.

Miller glared daggers at her, "you better watch your fuckin' mouth, ya stupid bitch."  She definitely hit a sore spot there, " I can paralyze the other half of your face!"

A quick look of fear flashed in her eyes, but she recovered quickly, "and I'd still better than you."

Miller wanted to say more, but I grabbed Phae's elbow, "see ya'll later."  I wait until we were out of ear shot, "what the hell, Phae?!"

"He pissed me off!" She defended herself, "ya shoulda heard the shit he was saying!"

I raised my eyebrows, "bout me?"

"Naw, about Darry, Dal, and Tim.  How incompetent they are.  How Wallace could take them out one by one.  Just a bunch a shit."

"He's got no idea what's he talkin' bout.  You know as well as I do that our gangs could take them down in a heartbeat."

"I know, just fuckin' pisses me off."

I threw my arm around her, "this will all be over soon enough, ok?"

"God I hope so."  I couldn't agree more.