I ran till I got to the next turn, I started to turn right until I saw him standing there, I bolted to the left.
I'm not supposed to be on this side of town, this is the awful side of town.
I could hear his footsteps behind me, I sped up.
I stopped because the sound of his footsteps had disappeared. Every bit of comfort that gave me was gone when he jumped out in front of me. I screamed a short scream and jumped.
"There you are beautiful!"
I knew better than to talk unless given permission.
"Say somethins why don't ya'!"
He was drunk, I could smell it.
Meekly I asked, "who... who are you?"
"I don't know, who are you?"
Before I could answer I was pulled out of the way and into a house by an unknown man.
He set me down on the carpet and then bolted back out the door.
I looked around the room, taking everything in. I had never been in a greasers house before, I had never even been on this side of town before.
I saw a young boy sitting on the couch, I had seen him before in class.
I thought about the last thirty minutes, I had been dumped, and then my ex dropped me off on the bad side of town because he was mad and then a greaser came after me and now I'm in some greaser's house.
The boy on the couch looked up from his book, "'ey, you alright?"
I shook my head yes. This wasn't what I was expecting, I expected him to be on me already.
He got up off the couch and walked over, he put his hand out to help me up. I stared at it before tentatively taking it. Now that I was standing I realized that he almost towered over me, yes I'm short.
"Ponyboy Curtis," he put his hand out for me to shake.
I nodded my head politely and blinked my eyes hard.
The other one that had pulled me in from outside came in the door now.
"Ponyboy, you make our guest feel at home?"
"She don't talk Soda."
His name is Soda? And I guess his name really is... Ponyboy?
"I'm Sodapop and this is my brother Ponyboy," I nodded my head. "You want somethin' ta drink or eat?"
I slightly shook my head no.
I hadn't said a word because I knew better than that, my ex had taught me, you don't speak to a guy unless asked to. When I accidentally did he would slap me, so eventually I learned to not speak to my superior unless asked too.
"You okay? I know Tim Shepherd can be a real meany," Sodapop smiled.
This was a question, I was allowed to talk. "Yes, I'm alright."
"Good," smiled Ponyboy.
I gave a small smile back to them. All I wanted right now was to be dismissed to go home before they got any ideas.
A man appeared in a doorway he looked like the other two, except bigger, in muscles and height.
"Soda, Pony, who's this?"
"Actually I don't know Darry."
So his name is Darry. He's the only one with a normal name, but I like Ponyboy, it's a nice name.
"What's your name?"
"Bexley."
"You from this side of town," Sodapop asked.
"No, no, I'm not supposed to be here," that was brave of me.
"I'll walk ya' home."
I laughed inside my head, him on my side of town! That was a hilarious idea.
He walked out of the room and came back in what looked like his nicest outfit and no grease in his hair. Ponyboy looked like a genuine soc.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Be careful Ponyboy."
"Alright Darry, come on let's go."
I followed him out the door and down the sidewalk. It's very pleasant out and the sunset is beautiful. The evening air is warm, it wasn't quite summer and it isn't quite fall yet.
I stared at the sunset as we walked and out of the corner of my eye I saw Ponyboy glance from me and then back to the sunset.
"You watchin' the sunset?"
"Yes."
"It sure is pretty."
He waited for me to talk and when I didn't he looked back at the sky.
I wondered if he was just watching the sunset because I was. He's a greaser and a guy there's no way he would watch it on his own.
"How come you don't talk and I really want ya' to tell me."
"My boyfr.... ex taught me not to speak to guys, my superior, unless I'm asked to speak."
He looked at me like the concept was crazy.
"Well shoot, ya' gotta talk to us, that's just stupid."
