This Greaser's Got My Heart

Trouble

Chapter 5

I walk behind Ponyboy being pretty quiet. Dallas is messin' with Ponyboy and Johnny while Two-bit kicks a rock walking along.

"So, how about that dream you had?"As soon as the words escape Dallas's lips I groan I groan.

"You heard 'bout that?" 

He laughs his everlasting chuckle. "Well,yeah. Nobody's told Pony about it though." 

I sigh and shake my head. "Nobody better tell'im. It ain't a big deal or nothing."

He grins at me."Oh really?" He sounds almost disappointed. " 'Cause, y'know, Ponyboy ain't never had a girl, not even a fling like the rest 'a us." 

My eyes light up and I fall into his trap instantly. "Yeah?" 

He erupts into laughter. "Can you imagine Ponyboy Curtis with a girl? He's too sensitive. Angela Shephard made a play for him once." 

I wrinkle my eyebrows. "Like, as in Shephards gang?" I vaguely recognize the name; Tim and Curly Shephard are known throughout the state.

He nods. "He didn't dig her one bit though, ignored her actually." 

I'm stunned,she was probably the prettiest girl around with her long curly, dark hair and all. "Wow." We gt to the movie house and silence falls on us when we sneak in through a hole under the fence. I'm the last one under and my shirt gets caught. "Shit," I curse quietly.

Ponyboy's the only one who waits with me and bends down to help. His ears burning like fire as his hands graze my stomach, it feels different than when he was tendin' to me. I get untangled, but get a hole in my shirt, revealin' my battle wound. Ponyboy and I walk over to join Dallas and Johnny.

Dallas is on an end, Pony beside him, me, then Johnny. Dallas is hassling the girls in front of us. Ponyboy is shivering.

"Why didn't you bring a jacket?" I ask him. 

He gives me a glare and replies,"I forgot."

I feel my brows furrow together, why'd that earn me a dirty look? I stare straight ahead, not watching the dumb movie. I wonder if somebody had told him about my dream and that he thinks I'm some kind of creep now, which is a real possibility. The girl with red hair yells at Dallas. Ponyboy looks really pissed and him and Johnny tell Dal to leave the girl alone. He ends up stomping off after the girl throws a drink into his face.

The girl turns around, looking angry, "You boys gonna give us a hard time too?" She sees my face and looks at me funny for a minute. "There's a girl with y'all and he's talkin' like that?" She shakes her head.

"No, ma'am, we ain't gonna bother ya'." Johnny stays quiet and I shrug. 

"What's your names?" 

I bite my lip. "Andy." 

"My name's Ponyboy and he's Johnny." She raises her eyebrows. 

"Ponyboy? That's original." He shrugs and shivers some more. "Why don't you guys sit up here with us?"

Pony smiles at Johnny, who replies, "Why not?" I stay where I am, a little jealous as Ponyboy takes a seat beside the red-head. 

"I'm Sherri,but everyone calls me Cherry 'cause of my hair." She smiles, the other girl introduces herself as Marsha, but I stop listening. I stare blankly into the distance trying not to focus on them, only coming back to reality when Tim comes looking for Dallas. We say we didn't see him.

"He got a blade?" Two asks. Pony says he don 't. "That's good, he'll fight fair." 

It's weird to see Two-bit that focused, considering how silly he was being with that girl— Marsha was her name. Eventually, Ponyboy gets up with Cherry and Johnny moves back next to me. I hold back a sigh start talking to Johnny, "Two-bit took your girl,huh?" 

He shrugs."I wasn't much into it anyway. It's nice ta have a pretty girl wanna sit by you though, you dig?" I nod and offer him a soft smile.

I get it, she' a soc at that. Fairly nice, too. "What about you?" He asks, making me stutter out a response.

"Whaddya mean?" He smiles. 

"That Cherry took your boy,huh?" I feel my face go red. 

"He's not MY boy. He's just..Ponyboy. He's his own boy." My brow furrowes as Johnny Cades rare, soft, laughter comes out.

"You're so easy ta see through, even I can tell ya' like him, but he can't y'know."  I bite my lip. "She's just some Soc. I wouldn't worry."

I smile and after Pony and Two get back, we start walkin'. I stick with Johnny and Two-bit and Ponyboy's with the girls. I just have my eyes on the pavement and then a Soc car pulls up, it's the guy with the rings. Johnny tenses beside me, but Two-bit busts a bottle and hands it to Pony. I see Johnny finger his blade in his pocket. Cherry yells at us, saying we shouldn't fight and agrees to leave with this guy, Bob. She takes Pony aside as Bob gets in his car waitin'. I ball my hand up into a fist a give the fence a good whack, bustin' up my knuckles. Two-bit looks back to see what causes the metallic clanking. He touches my shoulder."Don't worry 'bout it."

A car door slams and Bob drives off recklessly. 

"Hope they wreck.." I mumble. 

Two chuckles, "Man don't know why I gave ya' that bottle. You wouldn'ta used it." 

Ponyboy looks up defensively as we walk. "Would too've." 

"Shucks kid, you wouldn't hurt a soul." I put my hand on Ponyboys back. He gives me a soft smile. My face flushed in the dull yellow the street light.

We stop by Johnny's and he shuts the door runnin' back to us. "Man,I hate when they fight." 

I can hear the yelling and slamming that was no doubt lamps breaking and objects being thrown. We sit out in the lot, leaning on one another with a small fire in front of us. Johnny curls up in a helpless ball. "I don't know how much longer I can take it." His hands lay behind his head, I scoot close to him. "I might kill myself or somethin'." 

I touch his shoulder. "Johnny, you can't do that. Ya' just can't." I've never been real good with makin' people feel better.

Ponyboy looks at Johnny skeptically. "You gotta whole life ta get away from them." Pony says.

"I don't know man, I don't know if I ever will." I feel like I'm invadin' something private as the two boys speak. Ponyboy barely says much, but it's enough for Johnny. We huddle close and I'm sleepy with Ponyboy talking about livin' in the country. I fall asleep after him, with a faint smile.