THE STRANGERS MEET
LILLY AND DEBRA DECIDED TO HANGOUT AT THE LIBRARY TO STUDY FOR THE FINALS COMING UP, lilly just wanted a reason to not come home as she knew nobody was home. lilly hated going home, even if one of her parents were home. behind closed doors was a whole different dimension of the harmons'. everyone on the outside world saw a perfect family of 4 with a perfect smile on their face, when really, violet harmon had a huge drinking problem when she sips the wine. her mouth becomes abusive towards her husband and daughter.
james harmon was the one who'd say he had a business trip to go to, in really it was just him cheating on his wife every few nights to get away from the crazy. he claimed to himself it's because he hasn't had intercourse with his own wife in forever, not since before she found out she was pregnant with lilly.
the only person who knew about james' affair was his own son, chris, but he wasn't allowed to say anything about it, james promised him a new car which was the red mustang he had now. chris was wanting to tell lilly but the two were never home at right time so he just forgot about it. he felt bad for violet though, he truly loved his mother when he was home or away, he never stopped thinking about her and her health.
violet did have suspicions on her husband, she noticed a change in his schedule. for example, he'd say he had a later dinner with a co-worker at 8 pm but wouldn't come until 11 pm. violet knew he wasn't actually seeing a co-worker because that was the same timespan her and james would go out for dinner every saturday night.
lilly didn't know that world of crazy besides her mom's drinking, it drove her away from her family and made her turn to debra's family who was nothing but kind. debra's family knew about violet's drinking, debra's mother, celia bassett has always wanted to do something about it as she's been a great friend of violet's. she just couldn't because a drunk person could get violent. debra's father, michael bassett, just tells her it's none of their business even though celia will try everything in her power to help out.
lilly was zoned out from her thoughts when she felt debra's pink pencil charging at her, she immediately jumped in shock. debra retrieved the pencil and gestured her eyes over to where ponyboy was entering the library.
"what do you want me to do, kick him out?" lilly sarcastically asks.
"no, you could invite him over here." debra shrugged.
"why should i? people come to the library alone to-" lilly realizes what her friend was implying, "debra, you don't-"
"it's not for me, dimbo." debra rolled her eyes, "you! it's for you!"
lilly looked puzzled, "what do you mean it's for me? i don't like pony."
"ugh, he likes you, lil." debra explained, "i've seen the way he smiles when he sees you and i just feel like you should give him a chance."
"you ain't gonna change my mind about some stupid boy-"
debra stopped looking at lilly when her eyes slipped to who was behind her, lilly stopped talk when she realized what debra was looking at. lilly gave her an unpleasant look before turning around to face ponyboy.
"hey pony." lilly greets.
"hi lilly, you guys mind if i sit here? i saw y'all studying and i just wanted to know if i could study with y'all." ponyboy shrugged.
"it ain't a problem, come sit." lilly said as she patted the chair next to her.
"thanks." ponyboy grins.
when ponyboy wasn't looking at neither one of them, lilly flipped the bird and debra just gave her a devilish smile.
I LEFT THE LIBRARY AFTER DEBRA AND LILLY, they were getting rides from chris harmon, lilly's older brother. that dude never liked me one bit and i didn't like him at all. he never gave me a problem though, never occurred to me why but by looking at the old high school pictures sodapop had before he dropped out, it looked as if they were friends.
darry's truck pulls up to the front of the library, he didn't look happy but he never looks happy after a day of work. i got in the car and it was still silent after darry began driving away.
i huffed to ignore the dead silence, "what's for dinner tonight?"
"glad you asked lil' brother," darry grinned, "dairy queen for the three of us."
"no one's stopping by for dinner?" i questioned.
"hell, i only had enough money on me for you, soda, and i." darry clicked his tongue, "if those goons wanted dairy queen then they can just go to hell with it."
"jeez, i didn't know you were so sensitive." i mumbled.
"what did you say?" darry glared at me when we stopped at the red light.
"nothing. i didn't say anything." i looked away from him to avoid anymore tension.
darry pulled up into the driveway, he got out of the car with his metal lunchbox that squeaks every time it's moved. i walked out with my gone with the wind book in my hand, robert frost's poems never got to me and i feel like i'll never be able to understand them.
i walked in but nobody was home, soda was still at work with steve. it was me and darry for now until soda walks home from work. darry threw his keys onto the dining room table before walking out into the hallway.
i jumped onto the couch to play something on the tv as background noise so i could read, i hated reading in silence, it just made me feel so lonely and unfocused. when two-bit's next to me, i get so much reading done while he's drunk talking his ass off until sunset and mickey mouse is almost over. if no one but johnny was around me, i'd just read out loud to keep the sounds going.
while i skipping to page 23, the door swings open. my head turned to see soda walking in with a letter in his hand. i tried to study the letter but he was already ripping it up into shred.
"letter from the president?" i jokingly asked.
"no, just mind your own business." soda snarled before walking away.
i stood up and placed my hands on my hips, "i was just kidding, you know?!"
"god damn it, i look like darry."
WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG THEY ASSUME YOU KNOW NOTHING
