de facto 〖 ponyboy curtis 〗

four.

Ponyboy

The two had very little interaction since the conversations in the grocery store. It was back to the usual smile in the hallways and hello in first period. Neither of them liked it much but they also had no idea how to talk to one another again. They were nervous for completely different reasons yet, both wanted to talk more every time they shared a timid look or sheepish smile.

Ponyboy found his mind wandering every once in a while when he was meant to be doing his Chemistry work. Sometimes Darry'd come in and end up snapping him out of it. It wasn't like he was thinking of anything that mattered at all.

Sometimes Jo-Lynn would briefly occupy his mind. It was like how you had one conversation with someone and now they're the only person you think about. Or not even a conversation, just a look. Lord knows it happens to Ponyboy all the time but that was simply because he was a romantic and felt more than he probably should've over every little thing.

Through every brief moment of her entering his mind, he'd wonder something new: what her parents were like, what kind of friends she had, what kind of things she liked. A part of him slapped himself in the face every time he thought of her, though, because it felt absolutely ridiculous.

He wondered if she liked to read. That was one of Ponyboy's main interests, reading and movies. That would be one of his fee commonplaces with most people his age. He wondered what her favorite book would be. Maybe classics, or poetry. She seemed like a poetry type of girl. He wondered if she hated mainstream rock and roll, knowing that a lot of it was borrowed from black artists and repackaged to fit the interests of white teenagers. He kinda liked rock and roll himself, maybe she wouldn't like him because of it, he thought. He wondered if maybe she didn't talk to him further because he was white.

He decided he was going to talk to her. It was '68 now, why should he worry so much about talking to a girl. That's all she was, just a girl. She talked like him, breathed the same air, went to the same school.

So he never finished his Chemistry. The moment after he decided to talk to her, he got nervous all over again. He wasn't sure why, the only time a girl had gotten him this way was Cherry, three years ago; his first real crush. He was wondering what to say.

How come you stopped talking to me?

What have you been up to?

How have you been?

Hello?

The next day, he walked up to her locker when he knew he should've been at his. She didn't notice him, he was behind the door. When she shut it, she was surprised to see him there. "Oh, hi, Ponyboy." she greeted.

Everything he thought he should've said went out the window and he stood there for a moment before finally questioning, "Do you like poetry?"

She was taken aback by the question and took a moment to answer, "Yeah, sure. Why?"

"I was just wondering," he stammered over his words and she found it adorable. "I, uh, I gotta go. To my locker. See you later."

"In class, in about five minutes," she chuckled, biting her lip.

"Exactly." He backed away and bumped into a locker, and turned away before he could catch her laughing at him. He cursed to himself before going to his locker and couldn't believe he'd have to see her in less than two minutes after that embarrassing display.

ponyboy is such a cute little thing like wow