circa. 1965 (The Outsiders)

two - habitat

habitat :ˈhabɪtat/ : noun :
the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

*BAMBIS POV*

Callie's car finally came to a spluttering stop as she pulled into my Aunt Pearl's driveway, the bonnet sizzled and the engine cut out. She looked across at me as she rested her head against the car seat. Her eyes were smaller than mine, green and almond shaped. I swung myself out from the passenger seat, feeling my heart race and how clammy I'd been, I hadn't realised I'd been holding my breath since the DX station. Callie pulled the keys from the ignition and sat back once more, watching me walk away with side puppy-dog eyes. I wasn't going to give into her and her abandonment issues. She knew I was mad at her for buying booze and a packet of smokes, she knew it was a lost cause trying to be sweet with me. I stood in the driveway, the slight breeze blew my yellow skirt, a gift from Aunt Pearl, up against my knees. I held my hand to my eyes, squinting through sun up to the porch, where my Aunty Pearl waved her red-stiletto nails down to us.

'Coo-eee!' She screeched. A red apron was wrapped around her small figure, red hair tucked into neat ringlets upon her head. 'Coo-ee! Hello down there!' I waved back, hitching my dress up between my legs so I could run up to her, taking two steps at a time. Callie had only just shut the car door by the time I was already consumed in my Aunt's buxom breasts. She petted my head like I were still a two year old, then kneeled down on the ground and grabbed my shoulders, looking me dead in the eye. She had the same black beetle eyes like my mother. Demonic almost. 'Are you okay sunshine?' She whispered, tucking my wispy blonde bangs behind my ears. 'Gosh you look just like Mandy,' she exhales sadly, 'you two have had a hell of a year, haven't yall?' She dropped her sweaty hands from my shoulders and stood up to give Callie a hung. I glanced back to the car, where my suitcase sat. My sister was the laziest person you'll ever meet. I slipped past them and climbed back down to my sisters car that sat defeated in the driveway, its red paint chipped from all the accidents my clumsy sister always got herself into. The street my Aunt lived on was lined with many other picture perfect houses, all with lush green lawns and tall poles topped with the American Flag blowing in the breeze.

Aunt Pearl lived in a big old house on Pleasant Avenue. It was bought for her by her late husband Lennard. They'd lived there since Callie and I were young. They had two children, Henry who went off to become a successful Lawyer and Mandy, who would've been the same age as Callie, if she hadn't of died in a car accident 5 years ago. Every-time Aunty Pearl looks at me she cringes, because she's looking at her little girl. Mandy was going to be an actress, and everybody knew it. She had strawberry blonde hair and big blue eyes. My mother used to say that the beauty even rivalled mine. I wasn't allowed to go the funeral, but Callie said the casket was blue, Mandy's favourite colour.

A man and what I could only assume was his wife stood in the front lawn in the house across the road. The man, whom was wearing a polo top and matching golf shorts, was watering the flowers that grew in neat rows around his house. His wife, in a bashful pink summer dress and small white kitten heels, who'd probably just been to a lunch with her friends, sat sunning herself on a lounge. Two kids chased each other on bicycles up and down their long driveway, while a tall and slender girl leant on the balcony, watching me. I immediately felt threatened. The girl was tall and her black hair was tied into a high pony tail fashioned with a green ribbon to match her floral skirt. She pursed her lips as she watched me grab my heavy suit case from the ground and struggle as I pulled it back up the steps to get inside and out of the sun.

*SODAPOP'S POV*

The five of us walked down the street, we moved amongst the shadows cast by tall trees. The street was empty besides stray cats that slinked behind dumpsters. I'm not the first person to say this. We don't live in nice area. But it's our home. Where else would we live? With the Socs? Not a chance. We wouldn't survive. My ma and pa died a few months back, so my older brother Darry takes care of me and Ponyboy. A regular mother-hen he is, always clucking on about how we ain't' eatin' enough or we eatin' too much. He never seems to be happy, but I reckon its just cause' he cares. There are five of us now, but there are usually seven. Steve, he's a good guy – I've known him for what seems like forever, he's just always been there. You'd think Ponyboy and Steve would get along, but they don't. I think Steve's jealous, and Ponyboy just don't understand Steve. They're just too different. Two-Bit's good though, good to Ponyboy – he's a real card though, always fightin' someone or stealin' somethin'. His ma's real sweet and she's always fussin' over us, a bit like Darry. We're all roughly the same height, the gang, except Johnny. Johnny bout the same height as my baby brother Ponyboy, and I think that's what gets Johnny. Everyone assumes he's a kid, and so they take advantage. Even if we rough house him, just for fun, he flinches. He's scared of everyone. I think his dad has somethin' to do with it. But I won't say anything. I don' wanna embarrass him. And then there's Dallas. Dallas is tough, and not the good kinda tough, not like me and Ponyboy, we're the good kinda tough. He's the bad tough, the rough tough. He's the kind that'd stick ya' up in the back of an alley without thinkin' twice. I've become sort of immune to his antics, but I know he scares Ponyboy and Johnny. I think he scares Steve but he won't let on.

As soon as we made it to the front porch we were kicking our shoes off. My feet ached when I'd been on them all day. Two-bit flopped down onto the deck, puffing and wheezing as he stretched out. 'Pshhhh... I'm exhausted.' He groaned, the four of us looking down at him with amused smirks.

'Geez Two-Bit, it's only a short walk from the DX to here.' Steve propped a cigarette up between his lips and struck a match, threatening to burn Ponyboy 'cause he'd beaten him home. Two-Bit leaned up onto his elbows, glancing over his chest which moved up and down with every slow breath, gazing across to the street. He sat up as he spoke.

'It's like a decent- ... ', he tried to catch his breath before he continued,'10 miles or...', he dropped his head back onto the porch with a loud thud, giving up, 'it's a long-way-away...', his eyes rolled back into his head.

'You've gotta' be the biggest sack of shit I've ever met.' I teased playfully, lining my converses up against the wall.

'Yeah, Two-Bit!' Ponyboy chimed in. Two-Bit rolled over and grabbed Ponyboys leg in the process, slamming him down onto the porch with a sickening crunch. Ponyboy let out a shrill scream in pain as Two-Bit backed away.

'Oh shit man- Ponyboy, are you okay?'

'Fuckn' hell man, you tryna' kill my Kid brother or somethin', what'd you do that for?' I approached Two-Bit, tightening my hands into fists. Johnny leant down by Ponyboys side, helping him sit back up, rubbing his back, asking if he were okay.

'Shit Sodapop, I didn' mean to hurt him that bad, I'm sorry!' Two-Bit was well and truly awake now, sliding his boots back on and treading carefully down the front steps, his hands on the banister. Darry flicked on the porch light and stood in the doorframe, glancing out to the scene in his front yard.

'What the heck is goin' on out here, whys he cryin?' Darry gestured to Ponyboy with his thumb, his forehead broken in a scowl.

'Two-Bit here is beatin' on Ponyboy.' I say, with a little too much gusto.

'Oh is he now? Darry crosses his thick, muscly arms across his broad chest, veins popping out from his skin.

'N-No! No Darry, we was just playin' I-I- I didn' mean to hurt him that much, only to rough 'em up for giving me shit! Honest, I swear!' Two-Bit pleaded his case, as if he were in court.

'Well shoot Darry, you should've heard the crack that came from the poor kid.' Steve clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth before he exhaled his cigarette.

'Since when do you care about me, Steve?' Ponyboy sneered, clearing away the tears that had left streaks down his face.

'Quiet now, Ponyboy.' I interjected, I hated it when Steve and Ponyboy fought, and I'm so sick and tired of having to play favourites.

'Fuck off Steve, you were giving Ponyboy shit all night, you do it all the dang time – don't you start now!' Two-Bit was getting riled up, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows and cracking his knuckles. 'I'll put you back in your place Steve, don't you worry.'

'C'mon then, do it then. You wanna brawl? Let's brawl.' Steve stepped down to match Two-Bit on the patch of dirt just in front of the porch, where many rumbles went down.

'Guys, c'mon – can't you just calm down-', Johnny began pleading.

'Shut up Johnny!' Both of them said in chorus.

'Alright, ALRIGHT! Both of you can fuck off. I've seen enough of you already! Johnny,' Darry looked to the smallest of the gang, who was still crouched next to Ponyboy, 'do you wanna stay the night?' Johnny's eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. Two-Bit and Steve splits ways, Steve legged it down the corner, probably off to booze it at the pub, and Two-Bit headed home, probably to a home-cooked meal. I envied them both.