Chocolate Cake and Beer for Breakfast

Forty Three

“And I’m so lucky to have such a deep guy as…my boyfriend.” I smiled down, looking at our entwined hands. After making out in his room for a little while, we volunteered to walk to the store to grab lunch.  Darry made him bring a blade, which made me really nervous. But it wasn’t too late, and we were together, so it was okay.  When we walked under a tree, Pony pulled me into him by our hands.  I bit my lip and he nuzzled into my neck.

“I like it when you call me your boyfriend.” I blushed and backed up a little. “It means you’re my girlfriend.”

I snorted as I nuzzled into his neck, giggling and insisting that that is what the whole boyfriend-girlfriend term usually means.  This teasing resulted in some more tickling, until he realized that he was late for school.  We grabbed his book and started walking; he said it was so I could stop by the store for groceries on my way back, but I started to think that it was just that he didn’t want to say goodbye just yet.  Not a problem on my account.  

Once we reached the school, I gave him a peck on the nose and he kissed my forehead before I turned.  I thought that was goodbye, so I turned around to leave.

“And where do you think you’re going?” He grinned at me, yanking me back into his arms as he backed us into a tree.  I giggled some more as he started to kiss all over my face.

“Ponyboy! You’re already late enough as it is!”

“I know! That’s why I’m spending the rest of the time of this block with you,” he smiled as I rolled my eyes. “Hey, did you happen to notice that it’s Soda’s birthday next week? I was thinking maybe you could make an extra big cake, or maybe a few, so that way he could get his own, and the rest of us could still get some.”

“If the rest of you ever wanted any, you’d have to tie Two-Bit up and throw him across the country first!” We laughed some more and he gave me one last peck before the bell rang.  He squeezed my hand as I walked away, urgent to get off campus before all the others came around.

I made sure to avoid eye contact with anyone else as I walked off; I was worried I’d see Cherry and go into a jealous pit of rage and anger if I did.  Good news is that I didn’t see Cherry, bad news is that I did see a lot of Socs.  I urged my legs to move as fast as I could, since the boys wouldn’t let me carry a blade or anything, I had nothing to protect myself.

“Ow ow! Ey hey hey girlie! Look here!” A group of Socs yelled at me, about a block away. I kept looking forward, desperately hoping that if I ignored them, they’d go back.

“Where’d you come from, sweetie-pie?” One Soc, a red-head with a long face, had run up beside me.  I looked the other direction and tried to walk even faster. “Hey, hey! I don’t mean no harm, honey! C’mon, I ain’t gonna hurt ya!”

“Please leave me alone,” I insisted, closing my eyes in frustration.

“Hey ey hey! She can talk! Atta girl!” I squeezed my eyes shut a little harder. “Hey, why aren’t you in school right now honey? You can’t be much older than I am…what are you, 16? 15?”

“I’m 15 and a dropout, alright? Can you please let me be now?” I opened my eyes and scanned around to see if I recognized where I was.  Absolutely no idea.  I was in such a hurry that I headed in the wrong direction of the grocery store and the Curtis home.  I stopped in my tracks, starting to freak out.  The redheaded Soc kept talking, but I tuned him out.  If I headed back in the other direction, I’d run into the bigger group of Soc guys.  If I kept going forward, I’d get even more lost.  I started to tear up as he group circled around me, catching up.  It felt as if my family had come back to get me.

But this time, I wouldn’t let them.  I now got the support that I needed to be strong from the Curtises, so I could stand for myself.  I was a greaser, and I didn’t need to take any heat from these jerks. So I pushed through, shoving a little harder on one of the shorter Soc’s shoulders.  

“Ooh! Feisty! Me likey!”

“Ay ay ay! Woo! What a kitty kat!”

“Let’s go, little greasy gal!”

I ignored all the cat calls and insults, forging back towards the Curtis house.  I figured I could find Two-Bit or something to join me to the store.  

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” One Soc grabbed my arm and yanked me so hard that I stumbled back into the group center.  I stumbled into a area with a bunch of broken glass, so I ended up stepping on a few bits.  I guess I didn’t think about putting on shoes before Ponyboy and I left, and now I was paying the price for it.  I hissed with pain, but noticed half a broken bottle next to my bloody foot.  I snatched the bottle, swung it around me for protection, and charged out of the circle yet again.  Except this time I was determined not to let them get me.