My Greaser Girl

Three

The rough hands of Soc met my chest, sending me tumbling back onto the concrete. I rolled to the side to avoid his foot that was aimed at my side.

Blood was running down my face from a cut on my forehead, getting in my mouth. I wasn't usually this weak, I don't know what's gotten into me. Maybe it was the fact that this Soc was fucking strong, way rougher than the other ones.

"Stupid Greaser!" He shouted, taking a swing and my jaw. I jerked backwards, holding my jaw with one hand.

I brought my foot up and kicked him where the sun don't shine. "White trash!"

He bent over and groaned in pain, quickly reacting and reaching out to pull my leg out from under me. I landed on my tailbone and arched my back in pain.

"Ow!" I screamed out, "you bastard!"

"What are you gonna do?" He asked. "Your mommy or daddy ain't here to help you."

My face turned red with anger and I threw myself at him. "Ain't nobody talk about my parents!" He landed on the ground and I jumped on him, one foot hitting his throat and the other on his chest. He gasped for air and pushed me off of him. I flew backwards and hit my head on the concrete, sending everything into a blurry haze.

-

P o n y b o y

My mind was on Amanda the whole day, she wouldn't leave my head. When I woke up Saturday I was holding her hand, it felt so right, or maybe that's just me. I don't know if I did it in my sleep, or she did, but I liked it.

I didn't see her leave school, which had me kinda worried, she would always wait for me at the doors. I started walking to the ice cream parlor, which was her favorite place to go. It was getting dark out so I walked faster.

Halfway there I started hearing shouts and cussing. I followed where it was coming from, seeing a Soc and Amanda punching at each other. She never got in fights, and if she did it was caused by the other person.

"Your mommy and daddy ain't here to help you." The Soc said, and I knew that would cause Amanda to snap.

Her face turned red and she screamed as she threw herself at the Soc. "Ain't nobody talk about my parents!" He flew to the ground and she stomped on his neck and chest. He pushed her legs and she flew backwards, hitting her head on the concrete.

"Amanda!" I started running her way, throwing my book bag and book down by her. The Soc crawled backwards and started running away.

She had a cut on her forehead, blood seeping down into her mouth and smearing on her cheek. Her bright blue eyes, that were usually happy and cheerful, were faded and darker, showing anger and annoyance.

Her shirt had a rip in the stomach, showing her pale skin.

"Oh, glory," I put my book bag back on my back and picked up Amanda, being surprisingly lighter than I thought she'd be.

She groaned when I picked her up, holding her chest and stomach with her hands.

"Sh, it'll be okay," I told her, heading down the road to my house, "stay awake."

She reached up and put her arms around my neck, pulling herself closer to me. The scent of her usual perfume hit me, the smell of vanilla and roses.

"He was talkin' about my parents, Pony," she said quietly, "they know not to do that."

"I know," I pulled her closer so she wouldn't fall, "they'll get it."

Amanda's weak side had been showing a lot, and I was getting a little worried. She hadn't let it show in a long time, not since Darry brought up her parents when we first met her.

Dally still won't tell me what happened the night he found her, what she said about her parents and what happened to them. He treated her like his little sister, which she technically was. I had always thought of her as a sister, to ignore the fact that I really thought of her as more. I pushed it back in my mind because I knew "we" would never happen.

I pushed open the front door with my foot and set Amanda down on the couch, running to get the cotton and alcohol and bandages.

She closed her eyes while I cleaned her cuts, wincing every so often. I placed a bandaid on her forehead and then remembered her shirt.

"Do you want a new shirt?" I asked.

She nodded, probably too hazed and tired to realize that she would probably wear one of my shirts and that we weren't at Dally's place where her clothes were.

I stood up and went into the bedroom, being greeted by Sodapop.

"Hey Pony," he set down his book, "where's Manda?"

"On the couch," I said, digging around for a T-shirt, "she was jumped."

"Her?" He sat up straight. "She never gets jumped."

"They were talkin' about her parents," I explained, "she lost it."

"Poor girl," he frowned and stood up, "I'm gonna go see her and call Dally."

I grabbed a black shirt and followed Soda back into the room, seeing that Amanda already had her shirt off. I froze for a second and swallowed.

"Here," I stuttered, handing her the shirt. She grabbed it and slipped it over her head lazily. I'm pretty sure it was backwards and inside out but she probably didn't care at the moment.

A few minutes later Dally ran in and sat at the end of the couch in a panic. "What happened?"

"She was jumped," I said, scooting over so Dally had more room to sit, "they were talkin' about her parents."

Dally's eyes filled with rage and he kissed her forehead before running out, slamming the door extra hard. I knew what he was doing, so I didn't even try to stop him.

"Ponyboy," Amanda's weak voice said. I looked at her and raised my eyebrows, "lay with me."

Did I hear her correctly?

She scooted over and put her arms out. I laid down beside her and kept my distance, not sure if she was okay with letting me hold her or anything. She turned on her side and put her arm lazily across my torso, pulling herself closer. I wrapped one arm around her waist and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Aw, her soft side is coming out," Sodapop said, leaning over to look at us.

I told him to shut up with my eyes and he turned off the lights, and I couldn't imagine a better way to fall asleep.