Stronger with You

Peyton's Birthday

well, that's me! i have all these senior pictures and not much to do with them so here we are. ahaha, very sorry if this chapter lacks detail!!

Peyton
July 5, 1965

"Will you guys please go with us to this baseball game." I begged the gang as we sat around eating cake for breakfast and my birthday.

"Sorry, I have houses to roof." Darry smiled apologetically at Two and I, he rubbed my head on his way to the door, "Have fun and be safe!"

"Johnny and I will go," Pony said, after him and Johnny shared a look, I swear those two had like telepathy or something like that.

"Steve is already at work, but today is my day off; I'll tag along," Soda said, I avoided all eye contact, but nodded to at least acknowledge what he said. I had been around Soda very little since he told me him and Sandy broke up. When he told me he loved someone else.

"We'll go." Dallas said for him and Maya. Another person who had been avoiding me since Soda and I had slept together. Dally and Maya were officially an item though, only really I knew this was from Steve.

"Thank you guys. I'm not sure what it's gonna be like, spending an afternoon with them."

It's been two days since Thursday, Two-Bit and I were still trying to wrap our heads around everything that had gone on.

It felt like days, waiting around until it was time that we left. Ellison park was downtown, about a fifteen minute walk and ten minutes to drive.

"Think we can squeeze in my car?" Two-Bit asked, we were getting all of our stuff to leave. Seven of us were going, the car sat five.

"Yeah, course we can." Dallas said, we normally had to squish into cars when we had long ways to go. Typically, we walked everywhere so we wouldn't have to pay for gas or worry about the car breaking down.

The ride to Ellison was quicker than I thought it would've been. When we were crawling out of the car I wondered if we resembled a clown car.

"Peyton! Kieth!"

Michael was running up to us wearing his baseball attire, he had a big grin on his face. "I am so glad you could make it. Happy birthday by the way. I have a birthday present for you."

Frank and Ellie were standing off by the bleachers, Frank was wearing jeans with a light blue button up shirt, his hair was slicked back nicely. I had never realized how much Two looked like our father. Ellie was wearing a nice pair of blue pants, they weren't jeans though they were fancy, with a red shirt with some buttons on the top. Her blonde hair was done perfectly and she wore sunglasses.

I looked down at my own outfit, I was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a big hole in the knee I got from falling. My converse had a hole on the side and weren't their original white color. I was wearing a black t-shirt that I had tucked in my jeans.

I looked behind me to see my friends were wearing pretty much the same thing, Soda had a flannel thrown on and looked handsome as always.

"Are these your friends?" Michael asked, he looked so excited, that kind of excitement and happiness that radiates all around.

"Yes! This is Dallas, Maya, Ponyboy, Johnny, and Sodapop. Darry and Steve couldn't make it thought," Two-Bit said pointing at everyone as he said their name.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Michael, their brother."

"Michael! Get over here it's time to play!"

Michael looked at who I assumed his coach was and shouted okay before he was looking back at us, "I'll see you after the game!" He slipped on a cap and took off.