𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐜 | 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 58 - Movies

We sat down in our seats right as the movie was starting. I still didn't know exactly what we were going to watch but I sat back in the chair and placed my eyes on the screen as Pony did the same. The movie started playing and I sat silently as I watched it. I didn't pay much attention to the movie and spaced out most of the time. All I gathered from it was that Paul Newman was in the movie.

I occasionally looked over to Pony who was fully invested in it, watching every detail on the screen and paying close attention to the dialogue. I kept in my laughter as I watched his eyes widen at certain scenes. It was fun watching Pony when he was intrigued by something, he was like a six year old in a candy shop.

Whenever he'd read a poem, book, or anything that caught his interest in the slightest, his eyes would light up with excitement. Especially "Gone With The Wind". Man did he love that book. Me and Johnny couldn't help but smile every time we'd watch him flip through the pages in astonishment. Pony was pretty great and different from the rest of the gang in that way.

Soon enough the movie had ended and everyone started leaving the theater. Me and Pony got up after a few people left and started heading out of the building. After a few minutes of stepping on the popcorn filled ground and the sticky residue of soda, we made it out the doors. We got out and the light of the day had shined bright. It was so dark in the theater that my eyes took awhile to adjust to the light outside.

We went on walking along the side of the road for awhile in silence, smoking as usual. It was a nice day out and the fresh air refreshed me. The breeze would blow my hair back and it felt good to be out for once. I guess the only time I was ever outside was in Matilda's car, when we'd drive to and from school. Other than that though, I mostly just sat in the room that Soda offered to me , thinking or drawing, or both. Or I'd be watching the television with the gang.

When I'd draw at my desk, I kept looking at that one picture I drew of Pony awhile back. It was in my drawer on the side of my desk and every time I took out my pencil, I would see it. I always wondered why I drew Pony. I guess it represented something, maybe friendship. He was practically my first friend, other than Matilda and Cherry Valence. I always thought about the time we met, in English class. I'd see him every day but wouldn't talk to him, I wondered why he decided to talk to me that day.

Maybe that's what the drawing was more about, him reaching out to me. No one ever seemed to want to talk to me, Pony had been the only one to ever want to. Cherry was forced on me and Matilda is my sister, so we kind of had to talk. It's just the fact that Pony decided that I'd be the one he'd talk to, a lonely soc girl, bored and lost. I decided that's what the drawing meant to me. Pony was my first real friend and he wanted to talk to me, unlike most people.

Just as I had been getting lost in my thoughts Pony nudged my shoulder. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked to him with confusion. He darted his eyes far to the side, gesturing to something behind us. I quickly looked behind and caught a glimpse of a shiny red Corvair trailing behind us. I looked ahead in fear, I felt the blood drain from my face as I grew paler by the second.

Pony grabbed my arm and quickly sped up. We were about two blocks from the house, trying our best to get there before anything bad happened. As the car kept trailing us I grew cold. I felt goosebumps up and down my arms. The thought of Johnny's cut up bruised face came to my mind, it burned into my brain.

I felt my breathing become unsteady as I heard car doors slam. Pony gripped my arm tightly as we stood still. Five socs dressed in bright madras clothing began surrounding us. I gulped as they got closer and closer. They smiled daringly while they circled us like sharks. The image of Bob flashed in my mind as I grew colder. He had given me the same smile before he started beating Johnny. The image of Johnny came to mind again, and suddenly I felt rage grow inside of me.

I was still scared to death but rage filled my mind. I wasn't going to let it happen again. I wasn't gonna stand by while the socs grab Pony and beat him half to death. I clenched my fists as I heard their mocking voices. "Hey greasers." One of them said in an overly friendly voice. My fist grew tighter at every word they spoke. "Looks like one of you needs a haircut." Another spoke. I tightened my fist more before realizing what had come over me. If my anger grew more intense I wouldn't be able to control it. I quickly tried to stay calm as they grew closer, I didn't wanna end up like Dally.