The Curtis Sister

Redmont Diner

       The diner was called The Redmont Diner across the street from the high school. It had a red hue to the inside of it. There were white marble tables with red cushioned booths. The bar was about the same, a long table stretched in a rectangle in the corner of the room with red cushioned bar stools. The floors were decorated with a checkerboard pattern. People were laughing and yelling and you could hear the clashing of beer bottles. Dally would like this place, I thought to myself. There weren't little kids around, probably because it was early in the morning and they'd be at school. Two-Bits mother came walking up to me with arms wide. She was a sweet woman, short, and similar to Two-Bit humor-wise. She hugged me.
      "Y/N! How are you sweetheart?", she asked.
      "I'm good. How are you Mrs. Matthews?"
      "Great! What are you here for?"
      "Two said you were looking for a new bartender.", I said.
      "We are. Are you interested?", she questioned.
      "Yes. Very."
      She laughed.
      "I don't do interviews, maybe I'll ask a few questions but I already know you're the best fit.", she said.
      She put her hand under my chin and stroked it.
     "Oh okay. When do I start?", I asked.
     "I'll have Gloria teach you how to make the drinks tomorrow. Okay?"
     "Yep.", I answered.
     "Do you want to work at night?"
     "Yes."
    "Okay. How does 5 to 11 sound?", she asked.
    "Sounds good."
    I turned to find Two-Bit, he was basically chugging a strawberry milkshake at the bar. I laughed, then hugged his mom one last time and walked over to try and get him to put the milkshake down.
    "Two, you're gonna get a brain freeze."
    He was breathing heavily when he put the milkshake down.
    "So be it."
    A woman walked up to Two.
    "You drink those too fast, I swear boy, those are not healthy for you.", she said.
     She was middle-aged, maybe in her late 30's. She had blonde pin-up hair and bright red lipstick on. She was almost skeletal as well.
     "Y/N, this is my mom's best friend, Gloria. Gloria, this is my best friend, Y/N.", he introduced us.
    I shook her hand.
    "I'm the new bartender."
    "Oh thank god. I thought we were gonna have to take him back.", she sighed with relief, "Our old bartender couldn't stay awake even if he was thrown onto a bull near a speeding fire truck."
       I laughed at the remark and she laughed with me.
      "We have to go, my dates in like 10 minutes.", Two said.
      "Okay."
      We got up from the bar and walked towards to the door.
      "See you tomorrow, hun!", Gloria yelled to me.
     "See you tomorrow, Gloria!", I called back.
Once we were outside again I had to squint my eyes because of how dark it was in there.
Two walked me to the DX and then walked away to his date. I saw Steve stocking the shelves, his back turned to me. I ran through the DX quickly so that by the time he looked over to see why the bell on the door rang, I had jumped on his back.
"What are you doing!?", he yelled.
"I got a job!", I said.
I got off his back and grabbed a bag of chips off the shelf.
"Where are you working?"
"I'm a bartender at Redmont."
      "Isn't that where Two's mom works?", Soda asked, walking out from the back room.
      "Yep. They're teaching me how to make the drinks tomorrow.", I said, opening the bag and eating a chip.
Soda wiped the sweat of his face with a towel and grabbed the keys.
"Is it time already?", I asked with a muffled voice from the chips in my mouth.
"Yeah. It's 3:30.", Steve said.
      It didn't seem like a few hours. The day felt like 15 minutes. I even looked at the clock to see if they were right, and they were. I wanted to get back home with Dally before anyone had come home, but that was wasted.
I drove home with Steve and Soda. It was still cold outside so we kept the windows up the whole time. I laid my head on the back of the seat and closed my eyes. Tomorrow was not only the first day of my new job, but the first day going back to school after the incident, which would most likely mean lots of homework and missed assignments. I started to get a headache. I was not mentally prepared for tomorrow.
Once we got home, I walked sluggishly into the house and plopped down on the couch next to Dally, who looked angry. He turned his head to me and raised his eyebrows. I yawned.
"I know I'm sorry. I went to get a new job.", I whispered to him.
Two-Bit slyly giggled at us and Dally flipped him off.
"How was your date?", I asked Two-Bit.
"Awful. She wouldn't stop comparing me to her ex."
"Not good. Huge red flag.", I warned.
"I know. That's why I'm not calling her back."
He got up from the chair and walked out, leaving me and Dally alone in the living room.
I laughed and then tried to go back to sleep again. Maybe if I went to bed all the stress about school would go away.
"You tired?", Dally asked me.
"No. I'm anxious."
"For what?"
"I got homework to be done and tests to be completed and assignments to be turned in and notes to catch up on. So many things with so little energy."
"Are you kidding me? You have that much?"
"I missed a lot of days, Dal.", I replied.
"Why don't you just...not do them."
"I can't afford to do that right now."
I put my cold hand on my burning forehead. Then I remembered yesterday with Johnny. I forgot to tell Ponyboy about Johnny! I got up from the couch, but when I stood up straight I realized I got up a little too quickly. I sat back down on the couch and held my head in my hands.
"Are you okay?", Dallas leaned forward and put his hand on my back.
"Yeah. I just got up too fast.", I said.
He stroked my back lightly as I breathed slowly to help the dizziness.
"I think you should stay home again tomorrow."
"I can't do that, Dal. I have to go tomorrow, they've given me a 5 day break from unexcused absences because of the hospital, but I still have to get there tomorrow or else we'll be fined."
I slowly got up this time, and I felt better. I walked into the kitchen to see Johnny, and the rest of the gang. The only person I didn't see was Ponyboy.

P.S. The Redmont Diner doesn't exist I just didn't feel like looking up 'Diners in Tulsa, Oklahoma during the 60s' so I made one up.