The Golden and the Tarnish

Chapter 17: The Golden, Late Birthday

Dedication to @taminggreasers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You would think, every single birthday, that you would change. I got older by a year, suddenly I would become a new and improved person. That's not true. My sister and mother forgot about my birthday, but repaided it later with a ride to the local Blue Ribbon Dairy.

It was nice. But I wished that night that Ponyboy and Johnny would come back. Than it happened.

You're porbably wondering, why is she bring up this? Her birthday was 2 weeks ago. Well than, it because a had a friend who is as stubborn a horse. Ponyboy.

(No pun intended).

-Annie

July 4th, 1965

I closed the leather notebook and smiled softly at it. Running my fingers through the soft material, I thought of Pony. He was probably the nicest kid on Earth. He remembered my birthday and got it for me today.

"Hey Annie, can ya' come over?" Pony asked over the plastic phone.

Dropping my bag on the counter, I wrapped the cord around my finger. "Yeah, sure."

He made an inaudible 'Goodbye', before hanging up. I wasn't confused, but suspicious about it. Without thinking, I got out of the house, still in my work clothes.

Kicking a few stones with my new sneakers--- a pair of blue PF Flyer, (a present from my Aunt in Stillwater) I walked across the street. Opening the gate, I see Pony standing awkwardly on the porch.

"Hey!" I called out, closing the metal gate behind me.

"Hi," he greets back shielding his eyes from the evening sun. "C'mon inside."

We walked in and quickly greeted Soda and Steve. They were both too engrossed in the football game, Baltimore Colts v.s. Cleveland Browns. The Browns' looked like they were winning.

"What up little M?" Dally calls from the back of the living room. "How's it been?"

"Alright."

It was probably a good day for Dally. Most of the time, he would ignore me or greet me with an inaudible grunt.

"Nice shoes" Two-Bits pointed out. I looked down at my PF Flyers and smiled.

"Thanks." I reply and follow a struggling Ponyboy, up the stairs.

We reach his room, or Sodapop's and his since he moved roomd with his brother, and sat on the bed. I haven't been in his room for quite a while.

"So, what'cha want to talk about?" I asked, patting his knee.

He goes through his drawer, mumbling something under his breath, "Um... I forgot about your birthday."

"Oh, that's it." I wave the comment away. Birthday's weren't important to me. I mean, I'm here and growing older by the day. And from what my cousin, Robin says 'Each Birthday is one step closer to your grave.'

She's a little morbid.

He sits down next to me and bite his bottom lip. He looked really nervous and kept shaking his unbroken leg. I place hand on it and give it a reassuring squeeze.

"Um... I was savin' up for this and I want you to have it." He places a messily wrapped package.

Never being every picky, I give him a big smile and open up the package. The whole time I thought, 'How is he my best friend? Why do I deserve such I nice guy?'