Before the Fall

|| Afternoons ||

Three PM was slowly coming closer; the Curtis house would be once again lively, with teenagers coming in and studying and having a jolly old time before dinner was ready; a house where there was life and joy and family - something that everyone and everything deserved: to be loved.

Mrs. Curtis had already tidied up the house and had began on supper right away, not wanting to make too little food for the extra four teenage boys who were coming over.

In seconds, the door slammed open, and instantly talk filled the house.

About three different conversations could be heard just in those few seconds; someone was talking about how school was, another about a broad, and another telling funny jokes.

"Good afternoon boys!" She called out, not moving from her spot in the kitchen; her husband would be getting back from work soon.

"Hiya Ma!" Sodapop exclaimed, walking over to give his mother a hug.

"Mama's boy!" Steve teased as Soda chuckles, scrunching up his nose and jokingly rolling his eyes.

"Haha, very funny!" He said, cracking a grin before heading over to the living room, plopping down next to his best friend as they turned the T.V. on.

"Ay, Two-Bit! Mickey's back on!" Soda shouted, and in seconds the other entered the living room from the front porch, staring intently at the screen with a beer in his hand.

"That gosh darn mouse," Two grinned as he took a swig of beer.

"Hey little man, how was school today?" Darry asked Soda who shrugged.

"Was alright. Nothin' new," he chuckles as Darry nodded.

"What about you Pone? How was school today?" He asked as Soda's attention went back onto Mickey Mouse, startin' up a conversation about some kid he saw at school.

"Just fine," he sighed, taking out his books from his bag and starting on his homework.

"Oh, you boys are just like your father, getting started on homework and focusing on your studies," Mrs. Curtis grinned as the two boys looked at each other, grinning.

"Sodapop! You got any homework?!" She exclaimed as the boy yelled back a response.

"Oh lay off, Ma! I'll do it tomorrow!! It's Friday, after all," Soda said light heartedly as Mrs. C smiled.

"He takes after me," she said, popping a grin as Darry and Pony sighed.

"Got a cancer stick, Johnnycake?" Dallas asked as the other threw one at him.

"Thanks man," Dally replied, taking out a lighter and heading out for front porch; after all, he didn't still respect the Curtis Household Rules.

"Afternoon, Dal," Mr. Curtis said as he met him walking up the stairs.

"Afternoon to you too man," he huffed, taking a drag on his cigarette.

"Don't be smoking too much there, son," the older said softly before entering the house.

Dallas nodded in response as Johnny headed outside too.

"What's up Johnnyman?" Dallas asked as the other shrugged.

"Got nothing better to do. Pone's doing homework and I don't really wanna play cards right now," Johnny said as Dally huffed in response, exhaling smoke.

The two stood there in silence, and for the first time in forever, Johnny realized that Dally was watching the sunset; this tough boy who was arrested at ten and grew up in the streets of New York was watching the sunset; this boy who had no parents that cared about him and a careless, cold heart.

"Sure is something, ain't it Dal?" Johnny whispered, clearing his throat as Dally grunted in response.

"You know, I never liked sunsets man," he began, talking Johnny by surprise; Dally never spoke about anything that wasn't about the Socs, broads, or how tough you gotta be as a Greaser.

"They always reminded me of myself, man. The way it starts of so bright full of life before eventually fading to darkness, lifeless. I just don't get why you kids like it so much man," he took a quick drag on his cigarette before continuing.

"Dumbest sh*t I've ever heard, man."

Johnny chuckled softly as he shook his head.

"I dunno Dal. I guess it's because of the way the sky looks when it happened. All the colors," Johnny whispered.

"Yeah, you do you Johnnykid," Dallas muttered, dropped his cigarette and crushed it with the heel of his shoe.

"I'm heading back inside man," he said, turnning his back to the other.

"You dig sunrises then, Dal?" Johnny said, surprising himself by the question; he never spoke to things like this to Dal.

"Huh?" The older responded, turning around.

"Sunsets. You dig?"

"Yeah," Dally muttered before opening the door and slamming it shut.

'Prolly because it's the opposite of sunsets,' Johnny thinks to himself.

'It brings light from darkness, life to the soulless...'

And with that, he himself headed inside, too.