The Other Side

Chapter 3

Scout had learned to knock before she entered in the Curtis house on any given morning. The boys were often neglectful of their pants and after catching Soda fresh out of the shower one morning, Scout had decided knocking was for the best. Because Scout was the only one of the gang to knock before she came in, Darry invented a special knock for her, that way she wouldn't send them into a panic every time she knocked, thinking the state worker had popped in for a surprise visit. After doing her special, one loud tap and three soft taps, Scout waited for one them to yell for her to c'mon on in. Checking her hair in the reflection on the front window, she wet her fingers and smoothed down her bangs. In her rush to leave the house before her dad woke up, Scout had forgotten to run a comb through her hair. She was also pretty sure her jeans had a stain on them from the day before. Not that appearances mattered to her anyway, she wasn't some old prissy soc girl. She was a greaser.

Tired of standing on the porch, Scout cupped her hands around her eyes, and peered through the screen door. No sign of life. The coffee pot wasn't even on the stove, which meant Darry hadn't even been in the kitchen yet. Scout rolled her eyes, she swore she had to wake them up at least once a week. Flinging open the screen door, she stuck her head in and yelled.

"Rise and shine you skuzzballs!"

Startled Two-Bit flopped off the couch with a loud thunk. Wide-eyed, he tried to pop up to his feet, not realizing the blanket was entangled around his ankles. With a muffled curse, he fell again.

"Sonuva-"he hollered as he jerked the blanket off him. Darry's door flew open, as he came stumbling out, his jeans undone.

"What in god's name are you doing Two-Bit?" he asked as he reached down to help Two-Bit up.

Whatever Two-Bit was going to say, was drowned out by the sound of Scout's laughter. Jerking his arm free of Darry, Two-Bit lurched towards the door. The sight of his scowling face only made Scout laugh harder. Holding her sides, she leaned against the door and tried to catch her breath.

"I'm going to pound you within an inch of your life Scout!" Two-Bit growled over Scout's hiccupping cackles.

Her eyes shining amusement, she scanned him up and down, "Yeah?" she taunted. "You and your little two-bits down there?" she said, pointing between his legs as she broke out into fresh peals of laughter.

Darry had to pull Two-Bit away from the door and shove him in the bathroom, throwing his pants in after him. Even with the bathroom door closed, Two-Bit's voice carried through the house as he cursed Scout. Wishing for a huge mug coffee, Darry went to his room to grab a t-shirt before joining Scout in the kitchen. Looking up from a half-eaten bowl of cereal, she shot Darry a smug grin as he walked in. Shaking his finger at her, Darry opened the cupboard to pull down his tin of coffee.

"I don't think you have time for that," Scout cautioned him, as she pointedly stared at the clock on the wall.

Squinting over his shoulder, Darry's gut clenched as he realized he had overslept by at least twenty minutes. He must've forgot to turn his alarm on before he went to bed last night. His head had been all in a muddle after he had said goodnight to the guys and went in his room. Ponyboy's words had gotten under his skin and it took Darry forever to fall asleep. Slamming the coffee tin on the counter, he darted over to Soda's and Pony's room.

"Get up! We're late!" He bellowed as he snatched the door open.

Soda bounced out of bed first, yanking his clothes on. Pony was a little slower to move, until Darry strode across the room and jerked the covers off him.

"Move it now Ponyboy. Scout's waiting on you."

Satisfied his two brothers were up and moving about, Darry went back to the kitchen to throw some lunches together. Soda was the first one out of the room and Darry tossed his lunch to him. Catching it in mid-air, Soda ran out the front door.