California Runaway

chapter two

              I was peacefully sleeping, however that was shortly ended as Ponyboy ran into my bedroom. "Harley, get up! You know how Darry feels about us sleeping passed 11!" He basically yelled in my ear. I threw a pillow at him, but I was too fed up to say anything. I pushed myself off of the bed tiredly even though I probably got more than 8 hours. Pony left and I really didn't want to be awake. I am not a morning person in the slightest.  I looked at the clock that read 11:22. Great, another day to do what? Nothing but my job. It's honestly super boring. Sulking all day wastes my time. I get dressed and put on some jeans, a belt, white tank, and a flannel that I think might be Sodas. I have no idea. I go into the bathroom and surprisingly nobody is in it. It is Friday, so everyone must be at work and doing who knows what. I just know Pony is here. Anyway I brush my teeth and wash my face. I look up into the mirror as I pat down my face and realize I look so drained. I sighed, and just decided to forget about it.

           After I did everything I went into my room to put on my nice pair of converse. I looked in the mirror and thought I looked pretty decent. I have a job at the dingo as a waitress. Everyone knows I work there, but what they don't know I also pet sit for Ms. Jones cats when shes at work. It's a good schedule in my opinion. I grab my bad with my waitress uniform in it and as I was about to leave, Twobit and Johnny show up as I open the door. "Oh why thank you m'lady." Twobit then bows down and I just stared at him and Johnny snickered. I glared at them and then I went beyond my day.

          Walking to the dingo doesn't take too long. It's just a 15 minute walk. When I'm about 5 minutes away I walk passes a group of socs. What are they doing here? I hid my fear and tried to stroll on passed them. That didn't work out.  "Oh, hello there pretty" one said while the others were whistling at me. I tried to ignore them, but one of them pushed me against the brick wall of a building. I looked up at him and I grinned. "Get the hell off of me you-" I was cut off with him saying, "Don't tell me what to do pretty one." His smile looked dirty and I pushed him off of me. He scoffed, and the rest of his friends just told him to let it go. They did, for now anyway. I finally made my way into the dingo and I got dressed, and I left my bag in my locker.

       It was a normal shift. However when I was midway through my shift it was around 3:30. I get off at 5. I noticed after I served a young couple, Dally was sitting at the counter. I decided I was brave enough to encounter my used to be favorite dick head. I walked to the other side of the counter and casually questioned, "can I help you with anything, Dallas?" He looked at me like I was a ghost or something. "Eh, no thanks doll. I ain't here for you." I looked at him strangely, but then remembered some new girl started a job here. I rolled my eyes and questioned myself 'why do I even bother'.

         At the end of my shift it was almost dark out. I decided to stay another hour, because I know damn well I don't get paid enough. I was back into the clothes I started out with and I began on my walk home.  My curfew is 8:30 and since it is only 6 I needed to get home quickly as I wanted to hang out with Mary Jane later. Mary Jane is this girl that I had become friends with over the summer. She's a soc, and my brothers don't know about her. I feel like they'll want to control me and judge the fact that she has money, so obviously shes a stuck up. 

      When I got home, I rushed into the house. I soon realize that all the gang is there, I accidentally bumped into someone. "Oh sorry." I said in a sympathetic tone. I didn't mean to.  It was Johnny. The gang nor my brothers know about what happened between us. They don't know that we were practically in love. My selfishness ruined that, and it's something I'll always regret. "It's okay Harley." He smiled at me and he looked in the eye and it almost ruined me. I love him to this day, but I know that he'll never truly forgive me. I mean I wouldn't either. Only if he knew why I broke up with him. That night will probably haunt me for the rest of my life.

     Anyway, I rushed into my bedroom, and I put all my stuff down. I brushed through my hair, and I tidied up my room just in case Darry might come in there. I get my side bag, and I walk out of my room. Once I go where everyone else is I notice Johnny was looking at me, but then looked off to whatever Ponyboy was doing. "Pony, tell Dar I'm going out." Pony just scoffed. "You goin' on a date or somethin'?" Pony asked as if it was a joke. I ignored him as I know the gang was in giggles as I left the house.  When the fresh air hit my face I got a sense of being free. The walk to Mary Jane's is not the most easy. Especially since it is soc territory where I clearly do not belong. However Mary Jane always meets up with me, so I usually don't have a problem.

     "Heyyy Harley!!" Mary Jane hugged me and I got a whiff of her strawberry shampoo. I hugged her back, and I smiled. "Hey girl." We let go and Mary Jane's ice blue eyes looked at me with excitement. 'Oh no' I wonder. I look at her skeptical and she then announced, "I know the perfect thing we should do today!" "And what could that be?" I asked curiously. "We must go to the party Peter Gordon is throwing! It will be the best- oh my god, you'll meet new people! Maybe even a b-" I cut her off. "A party? Emmie- I. If Darry ever finds out I went to a party. Well let me rephrase that. A socs party?! He will flip and he will probably ground me for a century." I said stressed out and walking back to her house.

She follows me and pleads, "Oh please, Ley. It would be so fun and plus you need to live a little. You act all depressed and this is what you need. A party." I look at her and I consider it. Darry would have a cow if he even knew I was friends with a soc. Let alone me going to a soc party. But, what he doesn't know can't hurt him. "Fine. But I'll have to wear something else or I'll be terrorized." I chuckle. Mary Jane squeals and starts to hug me and jump all over the place. "Yayyyy!! Oh my chickens! You'll have a great time. I promise. Oh- and you can wear something of mine." I don't know if I regret my decision already or what.