Golden Greaser

- 21 -

    "I've got to get to work." Darry mumbled. 

     It was always that same old phrase. 

    My stomach dropped slightly as I heard him slam the bedroom door. 

     The cops had stayed a long and dragging two hours, which had drained the two brothers of almost all energy they had possessed before. 

    Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. 

     I glanced over at Sodapop. He was staring blankly and distantly, as if he didn't know what to think or feel. 

    "Do you want me to fix you anything for breakfast, Soda?" I asked quietly, although I already had an idea as to what the answer would be. 

    He just shook his head, his eyes tracking to meet mine very slowly. 

    I walked to the guest bedroom where I was staying and gathered my things, which wasn't much. 

   I decided that I would also head over to Jay's and get some work done. If the gang needed help, I was going to help them. Plus, I don't think that a few extra dollars would hurt the Curtis'.

    As I rounded the hallway's corridor, I saw Darry shrugging on his work uniform over his t-shirt and then bent over to tie his boots.  

   "Darry, what time do you gotta leave?" 

   He looked up. "In about ten minutes..." 

   "Okay," I began.

   "Why..." 

   "Because I was wonderin' if it'd be a burden to ya' if you could drive me to Jay's." I shifted my weight on my feet. "All I'd need to do is take a quick shower and change...we don't have to wear uniforms on the weekends..." 

   "Alright, fine." He sighed. "Hurry up." 

   I ran to the bathroom and yanked on the hot water. My hair needed a good wash but as I looked in the shower there wasn't anything but a bar of soap. 

    I guess that'd have to do for now. 

    I made sure the door was locked and stepped in, constantly telling myself to go faster as my ten-minute time limit seemed to fly by. 

   By the time I was done and looked in the mirror, I arrived at the conclusion that I looked like I had just rolled out of bed. No trusty eyeliner and no hair control. 

   Great. 

   "Diana, are you almost done in there?" Darry called from outside the door. "We've got to get goin' in a minute!" 

   "Yep." I opened the door. "All ready." 

    He stopped for a moment and looked me over, removing his hand from the door frame where it had been before. 

   A small smile crept up his lips. 

   "Oh, would you stop it..." I laughed, sheepishly. "I look like one of them monkeys at the zoo."  

  "Nah," he reached up and touched one of my curls. "I think you're much prettier than they are."

  "Just drive me to Jay's, will ya'?" I pushed past him with another laugh. 

  He grabbed his coat and I shrugged on his old football jacket he insisted I keep, and we left. 

  "Call me if you need anything Soda, alright?" Darry called back into the house before closing the door. "I'll be back at five."