Hello, My Name is Crazy.

Moving Day.

Ponyboy's POV

As I pack my last box of clothes, I listen to Darry telling our neighbours goodbye. This is the most idiotic thing I think he's ever decided to do. Mom and Dad died and my brothers did their best to pay for our house and keep up with the bills, but they just can't afford it. We live in a busy part of Toronto, in a big white house with a huge driveway. My parents were very wealthy and we never had to worry about money. I know it's not Darry's fault we can't afford the house. But what I do blame him for is moving us right out of Canada. The minute our house sold, he put half the money down on a new one all the way in New York. Almost ten hours in the car away from here. I begged and I pleaded not to go. Why would I want to move that far away? But he ignored me and did it anyways, he says it's cheaper and he already has job interviews lined up for him and Soda. So here I am packing my damn bags into the back of a moving truck, faking a smile as I wave off my neighbours. They talk to me like I'm an injured puppy ever since our parents have been gone. I can't stand it. I pack the last of my belongings into the truck and we all pile in. Soda, who is an attractive and very well liked person in this neighbourhood, waves everyone goodbye with his arm around my shoulders as we pull away. 

"Don't worry little buddy. It'll be alright. You might like it. Make some friends, okay?"

"I won't like it, Soda."

"I don't want to hear any more complaining Ponyboy. And Soda, you quit talking to him about it. All he's gonna do is bitch."

Sodapop sighs beside me and I can tell he's frustrated. That makes me sigh too and bite my lip. I'm in for a long ride 'home'. Most of the way Darry takes the highway, but sometimes we pass through the country and it's beautiful. The fields of grass and cows and horses, it's so wonderful. We stop at a Tim Hortons and a Mc Donalds and a Starbucks along the way, getting drinks and food and using the bathroom as often as possible. Driving through New York is actually pretty entertaining, it's so busy for the most part. By the time we get across the city, it's starting to grow dim out. The sun is setting as we enter our new neighbourhood; the ghetto. It's run down and full of hoodlums left and right. Gangsters watch our truck drive through and I can't help but stare at the run down houses. We pull up to our street and slowly drive down it. As we pull in the driveway of our new house, I feel more and more frustrated with Darry for thinking this was the right thing to do. But I don't speak. I get out of the car and ignore the hoods staring at us. I walk around the back of the truck to grab my bags and help carry in boxes. Before the trunk opens, I hear gagging and I turn to lock eyes with an angry looking guy in a brown leather jacket, holding someone up by their throat. He stares at me with a menacing look that sends chills down my spine. The man falls from his grasp and runs in the other direction like a mad man as this guy stands motionless and glares my way. I hold my stare, unsure and on edge until he turns away and heads into a run down shack across the street from us. Soon Sodapop joins me and we start bringing all of our things inside. It's a small house and it's empty and needs to be swept and mopped. It's so small that I need to share a room with my brother. And of course Darry gets the other room all to himself. He's so selfish. Me and Soda decorate our room and put our bed frame together and then pull the mattress's in and lay them on our bed. We stay out of Dar's way and just focus on our own room while he curses the day he was born trying to put furniture back together. It's late at night by the time our bedroom is finished and looks decent. We cleaned up most of the house except for the basement. I don't like it down there, it's dark and creepy. Soda agreed that we'd leave it for Darry to clear out.

"So what do you think of this place now Pon?"

"I don't like it Soda...I really..I didn't want to leave Toronto."

"Aw I know little buddy. It's okay though. This place isn't that bad."

"Did you see those weirdos out there Sodapop? It's scary here."

"Kiddo be nice. They could be friendly, you never know."

"That one guy looked like he wanted to eat me for dinner."

"Ponyboy!"

Soda starts to laugh and my stomach flops because his laugh makes me happy unlike anything else in this world. Man do I love Soda. I grin from ear to ear and push my shaggy brunette hair back out of my face. Darry and Soda both have clean cut, professional hair styles. They look presentable and like they could work in a law office. Me, I look almost as grubby as the hoodlums. I dress in sweat pants and hoodies and my hair is long and messy around my face, covering my odd green eyes most of the time. Darry hates it and Soda loves it. I like to tie it back into a little bun up on my head and sometimes Soda straightens it for me. Eventually my brothers fall asleep and I walk to the window of my bedroom to close it. As I look outside someone across the street is staring up at me. The guy in the brown leather jacket.

I close the curtains.