We stood leaning on the edge of my apartment, smoking cigarettes. It was getting late and Sodapop and I were starting to get worried. Our parents weren’t back yet and it was dinnertime. Darry hadn’t noticed, he hardly comes out of his room because of all the studying he’s been doing getting ready for midterms. All of a sudden, Two-bit comes up behind me, grabs my shoulders, and screams in my ear.
“Ahhhhhhhh” Two bit screams as I jump sky high. My cigarette drops out of my hand and I stomp on it with the heel of my shoe.
“What was that for?” I asked playfully shoving him to the side as he continued laughing.
“Nothing, you just seamed all tense!” Two-bit remarked nudging me. “You guys wanna play football or something? This is boring—we’re standing here like a bunch a old men.” He said exasperated.
“Maybe in a while Two-bit.” I responded warding off his offer.
Behind him the sun had started setting, which was really making me nervous. By this time, Darry and me would be doing the dishes and Sodapop and Mom would be packing the leftovers into the fridge.
“Don’t worry Ponyboy there’s probubly just some traffic on the main road” Johhny said in an attempt reassure me that everything was all good.
“Yea that’s probubly it.” I said trying to convince myself.
With all the Soc’s drag racing on the main road, accidents there about were as common as rain in the Amazon. But why would the Soc’s race during rush hour? Even they aren’t that stupid. Drag racing in broad daylight is practically begging to be locked up in the slammer.
I finally took up Two Bits offer on the game of football and we played under the dim streetlights, even though the mosquitoes were out and hunger gnawed at my stomach. I fumbled along though the game as my mind created crazy scenarios in my head. What if the bridge broke when they were driving over it? What if the 7 eleven caught on fire when Dad was picking mom up from work? What if, what if, What if’s swam through my head like fish in the sea.
A police siren brought me back into reality. Two-bit and the rest of the guys stopped the game as the siren approached. The siren was coming closer, and closer. And finally appeared at the top of our street. My stomach felt like a rock and I suddenly wasn’t very hunger anymore.
Darry walked out of the building as the police car stopped in font of our house. “What’s going on?” He asked as curious as all of us were.
We all shrugged in return as the police officer approached the apartment with a serious look on his face.
“Can we help you officer?” Darry asked politely
“Is this the Cutis’s residence?” he asked solemnly
“Yea that’s us” Darry responded, wrapping his arm around Sodapop grinning. “Why?”
“Are you the oldest?” The police officer questioned.
“Yea.” Darry said the grin gone from his face.
“I need to speak with you son.” The officer stated.
This was really bad. I could feel it. Police officers don’t call greasers ‘son’ unless they feel sorry for us. There was only one reason that the Police officer would feel sorry for us. I looked over at Darry and the police officer, and Darry had a blank look on his face. I already knew what he was going to tell us.
