Johnny and i slept in the lot again, he had started a little fire to make the camp a little warmer. i couldn't fall asleep, my ma had hit me so hard i felt like i was still spinning. She got mad this time because i had decided to get a septum piercing. people ask why i got it and i usually just say it's to look scarier, but the real reason was to see if i would even feel it. if the pain would still be there, which it wasn't. Johnny said i looked tough with it, and now with the black eye i looked even tougher. i didn't believe it.
soon enough the sun was rising, i sat up and put more wood on the fire. i looked over at johnny and he was fast asleep. i decided to walk over to the curtis's house, i figured the boys would be up and making breakfast. i was cold, i was still wearing the skirt and long sleeved shirt that i wore everyday. i wish i had more clothes, i probably wouldn't be picked on so much.
i walked in to see darry making eggs and toast, he waved to me and i nodded back. pony walked out with no shirt on and soda walked out in his dx shirt. no one noticed me, which is good, i sat down on the couch and curled up.
i hadn't noticed i was falling asleep when johnny woke me up.
"you couldn't have told me you were leavin'?" he asked, he had a scared tone in his voice.
"sorry john," i yawned, "you were sleepin' and i didn't want to wake you up."
"shoot i don't care, i thought someone grabbed you," he sat down next to me.
Johnny was always protective of me but to afraid to do anything about it. when i found a boy i liked he never spoke to him, he just told me he's watching us. but dally sure did say something, he was like my older brother too, he never let me be alone with a boy, not even ponyboy. i would never mess around with a boy like him, he's too sweet.
Darry set out a plate for johnny and i, which we happily ate. Darry sure did care for us, he made it like we actually had a home. but i knew we couldn't stay there forever.
i took our plates and put them in the sink and grabbed my bag and pony, johnny and i headed to school.
i didn't do well in school, i didn't have friends and the teachers there didn't like me. i got called into the principals office weekly and the counselors probably daily, as did johnny. they always told us the same thing, cps is going to help, home matters shouldn't affect school, and telling us that it's going to be okay and that our parents still love us. it's all fake, i don't believe a single thing they say. they ain't trying to help us greasers, hell the only reason their doing this is so they don't get fired.
school days went by pretty fast, usually pony, johnny and i just walked to dairy queen after school. we were walking to the dq when we got stopped by a red mustang, i didn't even care about the beating. it just became such a regular thing that i just let it happen, it's not like it hurts.
"whatta ya want soc?" pony complained.
"to beat your asses!" they exclaimed as they all piled out of the car.
they came for each of us, pony and johnny held up a pretty good fight. i didn't want to seem pathetic so i had to throw a few punches before i let them beat the shit out of me. after they were done they hopped back into the car and pulled off.
i stood up and continued walking, wiping the blood from my nose. it probably affects the hoop i have in my nose but i didn't care. the boys followed behind me, fixing themselves up, brushing out their hair and wiping their face.
"you okay B?" johnny asked me.
"i'm cool," i shrugged.
Johnny called me B, he's the only one, i'd let dally call me but i honestly don't feel that close enough to him.
we walked into the dq and sat down at the table we always do, to the left and the table under a window with the jukebox right behind it. we chose it when i was in 7th grade, that year was a horrible one, when the parents started beatin' on johnny and i. i wasnt going to get anything, just eat off ponyboys french fries. johnny got a soda though, i took my dollar and split it into quarters to use the jukebox.
i was searching through the songs and decided on cant help falling in love by Elvis Presley. i sat back down and grabbed some of pony's fries and he glared at me. i smiled and ate the fries, then taking johnny's soda and drinking half of it. i always said i wasn't hungry so i could take the boys food and piss them off.
it was time to walk back and the sun had started setting, pony was worried that he wasn't going to make it back to his house in time.
"man darry's going to be pissed at me if i don't make it back," He groaned, picking up his pace.
"we'll make it back, pony," johnny tried to calm him down.
"yeah, don't worry 'bout it ponyboy," i laughed, he was always so worried.
Johnny and i wanted to separate from pony so we could try and grab something from the house. we snuck into the house and into our rooms and grabbed a bag of clothes, we were about to slip out when our old man called our names.
we turned around to see a drunk man, i no longer saw him as my father. ugly unshaven chin, receding hairline, an ugly snarled face, and a large beer belly.
"run beatrice," johnny called out.
me and him bolted down the hall and out of the house and ran into my ma outide. she picked up the rake and hit johnny and i with it.
"hey!" someone shouted, "stop it! leave them alone!"
it was two-bit. for some reason he was always around when this happened, which i'm so grateful for. she turned around and argued with him and left us enough time to get the hell out of there. we ran all the way to pony's house and two eventually showed up.
"hey kids," he said warmly and messed up mine and johnny's hair.
i went to the bathroom and changed.
"fuck," i said, i started my period and i had no money.
i just put my clothes on and walked out and found darry.
"uh h-hey darry, could i.. could i borrow some money?" i asked quietly.
"what for?" he asked.
"uh um.. lady stuff," i smiled awkwardly.
he handed me a twenty.
"i-i only need 10," i tried handing it back.
"just take it," he smiled.
i stuck the money in my pocket and put a sweater on and walked to the store and bought what i need. 12 dollars for next month, i need to put it somewhere.
i walked in sheepishly and sat down on the couch, sticking the plastic bag in my backpack.
"whatta get?" steve asked.
"n-nothing," i said real quiet. i didn't know steve very well, so i wasn't that comfortable around him.
my stomach hurt because of the cramps so held my head in my hands that were propped up on my knees.
"you feelin okay?" dally asked me.
"i'm okay dal," i looked up.
he rubbed my back, most people called dallas a dick but he's real sweet when you get to know him.
