The Outsiders: We Can't Move On

Conversation Anticipation

I woke up the next morning to the sound of Darry and Soda arguing in the kitchen. I stumbled into the kitchen and the voices stopped. I rubbed my worn, droopy eyes and sat down at the table. Darry had made breakfast already, even though it was actually real early.

We ate in dead silence. There was only the forks clattering against plates as we wolfed our chocolate cake. Darry glanced at me about every ten seconds, concern and worry filling his icy eyes, making them melt ever so slightly. He took sips of his coffee with his eyes lowered. Soda stared at his plate, not daring to look at either of us as he shoved the food around the plate.

It made me think of the time Darry got a concussion from football. He was my age at the time, which meant Sodapop was ten and I was only eight. Mom had stayed at the hospital and Dad came home to take care of us. He looked exactly like Darry. He had refused to talk as he ate, and didn't tell us about it. Being as little as we were, it would scare us. Soda was old enough to figure out that something was wrong, and he looked just like he did this particular morning.

And I there I was again, confused and silent.

I had refused to tell them what my dream was about, knowing that it would worry them too much. I hadn't gotten much sleep, and they had obviously noticed.

Abruptly, Darry stood up from his empty plate. "C'mon guys, you're gonna be late."

"We're," Soda corrected with a grin.

"Alright, we're," Darry said with a small smile.

As I got ready for school after washing dishes, I thought about my dream. What had it meant? And what was Johnny going to tell me? It was bugging me something awful. I had just gathered up all my books when Two-bit pulled up.

"Hey Curtis household! Long time, no see!" he said with a giant grin. Steve walked in right behind him. He stared at Soda and figured things out real fast. Even if we don't get along, he is smart.

"It was yesterday Two," I say smartly, relieved for him easing the tension.

"Your point being?"

"Y'all better get to school," Darry said, addressing me more than Two-bit. "And we need to get to work," he continued, Soda acknowledged this and started to say something, but Darry stopped him, "ah, I'm driving."

Soda, looking like a pouting child, sulked outside. "Darry, don't carry more than two piles of roofing at a time, you hear?" I said.

He stared at me and then smiled. "Sure little buddy. Keep those grades up," and he studied me with a soft gaze for a few more seconds before walking out the door. We all drove off, me and Two-bit in his car off to school.

The day went slowly, and I mean painfully slow. I kept turning the dream over and over in my head, but I couldn't understand it. The thing that concerned me wasn't exactly the fountain part; it was the part that I couldn't remember.

"Hey, quick looking so down, kid," Two-bit had said. "Y'know, I think we're having a rumble tomorrow. Lord, who knows why, it's crazy! It's against Shepard's gang. See, one of them has this real tuff car, and it got busted up. And since we were there at that particular time..."

"Great," I said blankly, which earned me getting my hair messed up.

I could have sworn I almost forgot my books about five times that day, and Mr. Syme picked up on this quickly in English.

"...William?"

"Here!"

"Ponyboy? Ponyboy!"

"What?" I respond. "Oh, here," earning some giggles.

"...Renae?"

"Here."

"Elizabeth?"

"Present!"

"Ryan?"

"Here."

"Danielle?"

"Here."

"Abigail?"

"Here."

"Lea?"

"Here."

I stared at the composition work, not even thinking about what to do. I noticed him watching me, so I picked up my pencil and started writing.

"Hey there grease," I hear a voice snarl above my head.

I look up to see the one and only, David. I'm not sure if it was the fact that he tried to drown me, or that he was a cold blooded Soc, but my expression turned hard fast. I tried to look as tough as I could at that time.

"What is it?"

"Woah, I'd rather not get an attitude. You don't want to end up like your friends, do you?" he replied smirking.

"Lay off, would you?!" someone said dangerously. He paid no attention to the comment.

"I mean, he decided to get too brave. He got himself into a lot of trouble. And now where is he?" he said mockingly.

My blood boiled and I could almost hear my heartbeat pounding in my head. "At least he had the sense not to become a drunk."

"What was that you little ----?"

"You heard me," I say calmly with a lot of force. I was glaring, and that probably wasn't such a good idea. A lot of people were staring and whispering.

"You really think that-"

"Sit down, David," Mr. Syme said in a stern tone. He walked away sneering. I was suddenly very grateful for people like Randy.

Thank the Lord, within a few minutes the bell rang.

"Ponyboy?" Mr. Syme said as I walked out of class.

"Yessir?"

"May I talk to you at the end of the day?"

"Yes sir," I say, barely hiding the hint of dread in my voice.

As I walked down the hallway, the burden on my shoulders seemed...unbalanced. I didn't like of the idea of talking to Mr. Syme about this, but somehow something told me I should.

I was lost in thought staring at my feet and bam! I ran straight into something. Rather, someone.

I waited to get my head bashed in or cussed out, or just called a filthy grease, but I hear a girl's voice say, "Oh, um, hi Ponyboy."

I look up and see Cherry Valance.