Stronger with You

Rodeo Fun

Dallas*
June 5th, 1965

"Everyone's off lets all go to the rodeo!" Peyton said looking a little too excited when she ran in the living room. Her cheeks were flushed, with swollen puffy eyes. It was obvious to me that she had just finished crying, not that I would say anything about it.

Soda slowly walked in after she had, but I couldn't read the expression his face.

"It's perfect, everyone's off, it's Two-Bits birthday, and it's an open so if any of us wanted to do something we could," Peyton said.

I was already planning on bull riding for some extra cash, so I was against the idea, but I wasn't gonna speak up first either.

All of us in the gang grew up around rodeos. Well, I had when I left New York, so it was a little new to me, but all in all we all knew our ways around.

"Please, please, please!" Peyton begged.

"Yeah, sure. We can go," Darry said standing in the doorway. Since the Gang got Darry's approval the house bursted with energy.

Everyone stood and shouted abut wanting to attend the rodeo. Soda wanted to ride as did Steve, Johnny, Two-Bit, Pony were fine with watching, Peyton and Maya wanted to barrel race. We all had been around Buck long enough we had trained on his horses.

"Okay, well, let's get going." Darry nodded and we all ran out to the truck, Johnny, Pony, and Darry were in the cab and all the rest of us sat in the bed.

It took us a few minutes to get to the arena and once we did, we found our way to the registration booth. After that, those of us participating found Buck and the others found a place to sit.

"I don't care what I place as long as I beat Cherry Valence." Peyton scowled as we walked to the trailers of horses.

"Man, is she attractive," I said smirking. She was one good lookin' Soc, but Maya was even better looking. I would be the first to admit that Peyton and Maya were hot, but Soda could have Peyton, Maya was the one on my mind.

"I'm just here for a good time," Maya spoke up with a soft grin, she held a special glint in her eyes, maybe I was the only one who noticed it.

"I just want to beat ole Steve-o here!" Soda hollered, giving Steve a nice shove. Steve rolled his eyes and remarked, "We'll see about that, buddy."

"Hey, Buck. We were wondering if we could borrow the horses we've been training on." Peyton spoke once we approached the older Greaser.

"Well I would hope so since you've been training on them," Buck grunted and nodded to the horses the girls know well.

Soda hadn't bull ridden in awhile so I wasn't sure how it would go, but then I remembered just how often Soda hung around rodeos, jumping on any horse he could. Even when Mr. Curtis told him to stop after getting hurt after being bucked off.

Peyton was rubbing on a paint horse named Dixie. The two were a mighty combo, running a barrel pattern their fastest time was a 18.50.

Maya was saddling a grey quarter horse named Jersey. The two were also a nice duo, fastest time was 20.32. Maya raced for more fun, she enjoyed the competition, but as long as she beat socs she didn't mind being slower than Peyton.

Peyton on the other hand, could not stand losing, to anyone, if she lost she stayed away from everyone and drank. She was way to competitive for her own good, and for not going to rodeos across the country.

The girls got all saddled up and started warming up in the warm up ring.

Soda, Steve and I stood around with Buck waiting for bull riding to start.

"Soda, literally just break up with Sandy and go for Peyton already! I can speak for the rest of the gang, we are so tired of y'alls games." I came back to reality and looked at Soda, digging his boot in the dirt.

"Steve, if you don't stop. Im going to punch you every time you even think of her." Soda threw his elbow into Steves stomach, shutting him right up.

"Up next is Maya Curtis and Jersey!" The announcer yelled out. The three of us jogged over to the fence to see Maya bolting through starting her run. We all cheered loudly as she rounded her first barrel, then her second and then her last. The run was clean, the second barrel she got a little too close, but overall it was good.

"And that was Maya Curtis with a time of.... 19.36!"

"THAT'S OUR GIRL!" Soda screamed throwing his arm up. The rest of the gang was sitting in the stands on the first row where they could see the arena.

"And Next is Peyton Matthews and Dixie!"

Peyton took off and into the ring going around the first barrel tightly. Then cut to the second going a little wider. Finally, when she went around the third barrel she slammed her knee against it before shooting out.

The barrel wobbled but didn't fall leading to no reductions.

"Peyton Matthews with a time of..... 18.14!"

We all whooped and hollered once again. Once all the barrel racers went it was announced that Peyton was first and Maya was second.

"How's your knee?" Soda asked a limping Peyton when they walked up.

"Nothing a little ice won't help." She laughed looking down at her swollen knee.

"Way to kick some ass!" Two-Bit yelled stumbling over to us. He was a lot happier than earlier today, thanks to the help of alcohol.

Peyton caught her brother after he tripped over himself, "Lets go sit down, yeah? Support the boys bull riding." Maya grabbed Two's other arm and they drug him to the stands.

"You boys ready for this?" I ask turning to Steve and Soda. I lit up my cig to start my adrenaline pumping.

"Hell yeah I am. Are you?" Steve grinned also smoking on a cig. Soda was pumped with out anything, he thrived on the energy of others.

I nodded and the conversation was over as we all prepared ourselves for what was about to happen, but really none us would be prepared for anything that the rest of the day brought us.

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very sorry the crappy chapter. its kinda lacking detail, this is my first time writing something in Dallas' point of view so it was definitely something to get used to. see you at rodeo part two!

-Avery