NEFARIOUS // Ponyboy Curtis

TWO

TILLY

darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

—

yet again, the sound of sirens filled my small ears as i ran out of the grocery store, my hands full with a coke, a candy bar, and two packs of camels. the police officers stepped out of their vehicles as i raised my hands in surrender. i had let go of the items i'd stolen, the glass coke bottle shattering at my feet.

"oops!", i smirked, shrugging, before being shoved in a cop car.

—

about two hours later, my older brother had shown up to the jail, i'm assuming to bail me out like he usually does. he didn't look happy at all, and although i'm never too happy to see him either, i was quite relieved to have at least one family member there with me.

"who the hell do you think you are, tilly?", dallas asked me, anger filling his accented voice.
i rolled my eyes. "dont you ask me who the hell i think i am, dally. you get into trouble all the time-"
"yeah, but you're not the one who has to scavenge for money to bail me out!", dally shouted, cutting me off and causing me to wince. "the curtis brothers at least have a nice amount of money to bail me out. i on the other hand, do not have a great amount of money, and i'm sick of wasting it on you!"
i felt hot tears sting my eyes. "wasting it on me? are you kidding? you never spend money on me! that's why i have to steal most of the time, dally! because you're too fucked up to take care of me. i can't take wandering around in the streets anymore. i'm just a kid. you've never given a single shit about me, don't deny it!"

my older brother just stood there, a mix of anger and sadness on his face. he wouldn't deny it, and he didn't deny it. we never cared for each other, and we probably never will. the thought made me burst into tears. my black eye makeup began to drip and smear down my cheeks.

"please. just get me out of here. i'll stop getting into trouble. just as long as you stop neglecting me!"

it was about time i stood up to him. i was malnourished and dirty, and i definitely looked it. i was bonier than a normal fourteen year old should be, and my face and clothes were smeared with dirt and grime.

dallas then turned away, leaving me alone in my cell for about ten minutes. an officer had unlocked my cell and handcuffs, and i was let go.

—

the car ride to buck merrill's country bar, where dallas and i lived, even though i never stayed there, was super awkward. none of us spoke. i looked like i'd just gone through an intense divorce. i didn't want to be with dallas, but at least i'd finally have a home again.

we pulled up to the bar, and just as i was about to open my door, dally stopped me.
"listen to me, and listen closely."
i nodded, leaning back in my seat.
"this may not really be my house, but these are my rules. as long as you're living under this roof, you need to get your act together. we both need to. we need to stop getting into so much trouble. i would send you back to school, but i don't have enough money. you've got three strikes. when you've hit strike three, you're out. got it, kid?"
i nodded, wiping the makeup streaks from under my eyes. "got it."
"good. let's go."

—

just before going to bed the night before, i had taken a nice warm shower, which i hadn't had one in a while. and i actually had clothes to change into now. when i woke up, i immediately ran to dallas's room to see if he was awake. my brother was not in the room, but there was a note that took his place on his bed.

went out to the curtis's.
i left money for you to go out and get breakfast.
-D.W

the curtis's. the gang of boys he usually hung out with, but never wanted to introduce them to me. i never had a clue why.

i walked to the dingo, ordering two pancakes to go with the money dallas had given me. i didn't want to eat alone in the restaurant. it was too risky, and i didn't want to get involved in any of the intense fights that took place there.

after i'd finished eating breakfast alone in my bedroom, i decided to go out and walk around for a while. that is, until i'd heard a mustang trailing behind me.

i sure as hell wasn't afraid. i could easily get myself out of situations like this. i always did.

bob sheldon and randy adderson both got out of the blue mustang, the stench of alcohol filling my nose. the two goons must've been hung over, or decided to drink at 10:30 in the morning.

"tilly winston", bob said with a smirk, shaking his head softly.
my face remained emotionless. "robert. randall. good morning."
"that's not my name, princess", randy sassed. he seemed overly angry about something, something i didn't know, nor cared about.
"who pissed in your cheerios?", i asked.
"listen here, you little shit!", bob snapped. "we both know you slashed randy's tires yesterday!"
i laughed loudly. "are you two dingbats out of your minds? i was in the cooler yesterday, how could i have slashed your tires? it was probably my brother-"

i was pulled to the concrete sidewalk, my left arm held painfully behind my back. a cigarette was raised to my face, just inches away from my lightly tanned skin.

"admit that you did it!", bob demanded.

"no!", i refused, screaming as the cigarette end was placed against my neck. "stop it!"

i was then forced to turn onto my back, and the more i squirmed, the more i was burnt.

three slugs to the face was all it took to knock me out cold.

—

word count: 1,033 words