Heartbreaker in Training

Chapter 5 - Stay Gold, Ponyboy

Chapter 5 - Stay Gold, Ponyboy

Me and Lesley walked across the carnival park a couple more times, grabbed three funnel cakes (one for me, one for Lesley, and one for mom), and called my mom to come get us.

“Okay, but get me funnel cake.” my mom said before hanging up after I’d called her to come get us. Lesley and I both knowing my mom well, had already gotten her one.

She showed up about 10 minutes later because of traffic.

“Hand it over, I don’t want your drool all over mah cake.” my mom said as soon as I opened the passenger side door. I gave it to her, but she hit the plate on the steering wheel, making the cake and powdered sugar fly everywhere. Lesley was sitting behind her, so the powdered sugar was flung onto her face. I wiped my finger across her cheek and licked it, leaving on line indicating where my finger had taken it off.

“I secretly enjoyed that.” she said laughing and wiggling her eyebrows at me. Mom and I joined in the laughter.

“Let’s go home and watch a movie.” I suggested to Les. She knew exactly what I meant.

“Sodapop?” she said. She did a double chin and made the creepiest face, and so did I. So kind of like our conversations on Snapchat. I smiled in reply.

As soon as we got home, I pulled out my favorite movie of all time, The Outsiders. Two gangs, The Greasers and the Socs, have a huge rivalry because the greasers are poor “street rats” and the Socs are stuck up rich kids who have no sense of manners. Two of the Greasers, Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade are jumped by a couple Socs. While Ponyboy is being drowned, Johnny kills one of the guys and the rest run. Both boys run off so they aren’t caught by the cops but they get in a mess of trouble and-

“I just love Johnny!” Lesley says, jumping up and down.

“He dies, ya know.” I say back with a blank look, but smiling a bit when she frowns and stops jumping on the couch. I was crying by this time, because Johnny was dying in the hospital. His last words were “Stay gold, Ponyboy.” He was referring to Ponyboy’s favorite poem by Robert Frost:

Nature’s first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flow’r, but only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief.

And dawn goes down today, nothing gold can stay.

This is also my favorite poem. Lesley threw a pillow at me when I recited every word, crying. “Shhh!” she had yelled at me.

I got up and took the movie out of the DVD player.

“Well then.” Lesley said while wiping her eyes. I was doing the same when I heard a knock on the door outside.

My breath hitched when I saw who it was.

“Hey.” the guy at the door said. His hair was disheveled and his clothes a mess like he hasn’t slept in days. Just like at the carnival.

“Garyn, what are you doing here?” I asked him slyly, trying not to let my emotions take over.

”I just wanted see how you were doing.” he said blatantly.

“Fine. Now leave.” I slam the door hard in his face with as much anger I could.

“Staying here tonight?” I asked Lesley from across the room, making my way to the kitchen.

“You know it!” she answered back. I grabbed a box of Cheez-Itz and went back to sit on the couch.

I opened the box and ate a couple before losing my appetite again.

“Lesley, I’m going to bed. I’m light-headed and don’t feel good.” I said, rubbing my forehead.

“Okay. I’m coming too. I’m whipped!” she laughed, and I laughed with her until my vision went blurry and I couldn’t breathe. I quickly fumbled on the counter for my inhaler and fell to my knees, breathing in the medicine. Lesley caught me on the floor and put me on her lap. She yelled for my mom and she came running in the room.

“Lori!” she screamed. She had the most worried look on her face, which scared me.

“Mom, I’m fine. I just couldn’t breathe. I just need to get some sleep. Help me get there?” I looked up at mom and Les and they took me by my arms and helped me up.

When I got to my bed and let Les in, I immediately fell asleep.

- - -

I wake up at about two A.M. coughing loudly, hurting my chest terribly.

“Lori? Lori!” Lesley yelled. I held my hand to my mouth and tasted blood. Shit.

“Mom!” Lesley yells again and I keep my hand over my mouth, running to the bathroom. I threw up and I started to wheeze. When I was finished, I just layed in Lesley’s lap crying.

“We need to get you to the doctor.” Mom stated quickly. She had already called the ambulance and it was at my house in five minutes.

I satin the back holding Lesley’s hand and telling my mom I would be fine. The paramedics put me on a gurney and hooked me up to an oxygen machine.

“You’re going to have to start carrying an oxygen tank, hon.” they told me. I sighed and my mom cried harder.

“Mom, it’s just an oxygen tank. Calm down.” I said reassuringly. She obviously didn’t believe me. Turning to Lesley, I felt my eyes clothes and I became weary. Sleep.

- - -

When I wake up, I’m in a hospital bed. Mom comes rushing over, taking my hand.

“I’m cold.” I say. My voice is hoarse and it’s dry. “And water, please?” I pleaded. I know I sounded bossy but I needed it. The nurse, Tasha, brought me water and another blanket. “Thank you.” I managed to say.

“how are you feeling?” my mom rushed out. She was so anxious. I put my hand up to my nose when I felt a tickle and noticed I was still hooked to oxygen. “Fine. Better than earlier.” I took a drink of water and felt drowsy again. Lesley came to me when I motioned to her. I was getting more tired by the second.

“Stay gold, Ponyboy.” I laughed out. Lesley did too and said, “Goodnight.” I heard my mom start to cry as my eyes started to close but I was relieved when I heard the nurse tell her I was just sleeping because of the meds.