Nothing Gold Can Stay

Chapter Three

 For the most part, the remainder of the walk home was silent. Not even Two-Bit said a word. We were all thinking the same thing. Why did the Socs have to be so annoying? Johnny was more jittery than ever. Pony obviously noticed but didn't say anything. Not like he would tell him anyway. Only I was allowed to know and I wasn't telling either of them what was wrong. Finally, Two-Bit broke the silence.

"Golly, those were the best-looking girls I've ever seen," he admitted. He picked up a piece of paper and threw it across the grass.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Marsha's number. Don't even know why I bothered asking for it," Two-Bit said as we reached his house. "A phony one probably."

I didn't think it was fake.

Marsha and Cherry seemed so sweet to us. They wouldn't do something like this to us. They seemed.......different. I didn't tell Two-Bit this though. I knew better than anyone that it was best sometimes to just keep my mouth shut. "You guys headin' home?" he asked as we reached the lot.

"Nah. I'll probably stay out here another hour or two," Pony said. I knew he just wanted to make sure Johnny was okay. I wanted to stay out with them too so I figured I would just stay for fifteen minutes or so. It was already getting late and Darry was very strict about curfews and I didn't want to get in trouble with him.
"Probably pretty shortly," I informed him. "Soda probably wants to tell me all about how his date with Sandy went and how I should've gone."

He didn't need to ask Johnny. His answer would most likely be that he was planning on sleeping in the lot. I hated that he didn't even feel comfortable sleeping at home.

"God, Pony. No idea where I didn't just hand Aileen that busted bottle. You'd never use it."

I smiled in agreement. I knew Pony better than anyone, even Soda. He was never the fighting type which surprised me since me, Soda, and Darry were but Darry only when he was fighting for us or in a rumble. Soda fought when he felt like it, like when someone would try and flirt with Sandy or me. Even then, he was surprisingly never too physical.

"Are you going home Two?" I called.

He shook his head.

"Nope. I'm planning on staying out here all night," he admitted. I should've guessed. He was a night owl constantly running around going to parties or playing poker of some sort. We said goodbye to him right after.

"Make sure you're home by curfew Pone, okay?" I called. He took out one of his cigarettes.

"Okay," he said as I went going home. Darry looked like he was just coming home from work. Soda was talking to him. I opened the door carefully. Darry tilted his head towards me.

"Hey Aileen. Where's Ponyboy?" he asked.

"He said he'd be home by curfew," I informed him. "Made him promise."

He smirked and sat down in his chair.

"Do you know where he's going?" he asked.

"Probably somewhere with Johnny," I said, taking a seat on the couch beside Soda. "How was it?" I asked.

"Probably the funnest night I've ever had," he joked, probably making sure I went next time. "Steve was really disappointed you didn't come. We have another one next week if you want to join us."

I didn't know why he kept inviting me to these events. I didn't even have a boyfriend, but Soda and Steve always thought of me as the third of their triangle so I didn't mind.

"Was the movie good?" Darry asked.

"Wasn't too interested," I admitted. I wanted to tell them about Cherry and Marsha but I didn't want them to get scared. Soda would understand though. I knew he would but there was hardly no where we could go where Darry wouldn't hear. It was hard to keep something from him. That's one of the few things he had in common with mom. Of the four of us, I was the most like mom. Mom was a new level of beautiful. Even after a year and a half, it still hurts to think of mom and dad. It hurt for all of us. Even Darry, who normally wasn't too good at expressing his feelings, showed that he wished he didn't have to do this by himself. Heck, I wished he didn't have so much stress on his shoulders. He deserved better. Finally, I turned my attention back to my brothers. "How was work Darry?" I asked just like every night.