tied together

rules

I woke up to the bright sunlight shining into the guest room. For a second I was confused about where I was, but then I remembered.

I guess I'm not really dreaming. I noticed. 

Walking over to the mirror, I saw how disgusting I looked. I fixed my hair into yet another messy bun and headed downstairs.

The clock above the door told the time was 10:23. I had slept in it seemed, as the bacon and eggs on the table were cold. Just as I was about to go back to the room, Johnny walked into the house.

"Oh, you're up." He smiled at me and I smiled back. 

"I'm gonna need to be filled in, I just slept in a complete strangers house and now no one is here." He motioned me over to the couch so he could fill me in.

"Well, there's a lot. I could start with the basics. Us boys here, we're greasers. We're seen as the poor and dirty boys, we use a lot of grease in our hair, and live around the bad areas of town. Then there are the socs, which you heard about last night. They're our rivals. They dress all nice but they go around jumping us on the streets and cutting us up. You have to be careful or else you could get beat up pretty badly. They're always lookin' for some sort of fights." He sighed and I noticed he seemed to have some sort of trauma because of them. "If you see a soc while you're alone, you need to run somewhere and hide or go back to the house. But they'll follow you in the stupid mustangs they have. They always travel together, so cutting through alleys will help getaway. We always carry switchblades to protect us, and if you are nasty enough you can scare them away." He blurted it out, which startled me a bit.

"The greasers, there's so many of us. But we all have different gangs. My gang consists of the three Curtis brothers, Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry, aka the owners of the house you're staying in, Dally Winston, Steve Randle, and Two-bit. His real name is Keith, but Two-bit is what sticks for us since he won't shut up."

The name Ponyboy sounded so similar to me, but I couldn't figure out from where. I left it alone and realized I probably didn't know it from anywhere.

"And obviously, I'm Johnny. I may look young, but I'm actually 16 and Ponyboys best friend." He said kinda proudly. "Ponyboy is 14, just a few months older than you. Darry is 20, the oldest brother who works his ass off to keep this house, Soda is 16, Dally is 17, along with Steve, and Two-bit is Eighteen." Johnny filled me in. "I'm also known as the 'kid brother'. I don't like to talk much and I'm easy to boss around and be stomped on." He grinned shyly. "You won't meet Pony till later today, he's been busy with Darry lately building roofs and has to run the errands tonight." 

"Soda and Steve are best friends. They work together at the DX, it's like a car fixing place. I don't have a job, and Darry is caught up in his roofing business. He originally was a football captain for his high school and won a college scholarship, but after their parents died he had to take over for his brothers. I think that's it." Johnny finally finished, and I let out a smile. 

"I can't wait for the rest of the gang to meet you. They're going to adore you." He added. "I have to go, but I'll be back." He left the house and I opened the fridge.

Chocolate cake and chocolate milk were about the only things in there. I sighed, knowing that living in a house full of boys would probably be like this, but if they were all hot, who cared.

I walked over to the couch but then decided I could use a shower.  I finally found the bathroom, overcrowded and a mess. I didn't mind though. I got in the shower and had to borrow the shampoo that was on the rusting shower shelves. 

A few hours later, after I had fixed myself up a bit, Sodapop and Darry came back.

"Hi, Amybeth! How have you been holding up? I see you've found a way to the shower." He messed with my hair, which was still damp in some areas but was to its regular wavy self. I already knew the relationship between Soda and I would be more of a sibling relationship.

"Well Johnny filled me in and from the sounds of it, I'm so excited to meet the rest of the gang!" I smiled.

"They should be here soon, well everyone but Pony. He has grocery duty and I think Johnny tagged along."

Just as he had said that the door slammed open. A tough-looking guy walked through the door. He didn't have as much grease in his hair as the others and I assumed it was Dally. 

"Woah Woah Woah, is this the girl you've been talking about?" He winked and popped a toothpick in his mouth.

"From the sounds of it, you must be Dally. I'm Amybeth." I introduced myself, giving him a little handshake.

"Yes, yes I am. You must be the infamous Amybeth, as you've said. Sodapop won't shut up about how much you remind him of a little sister."

The few boys and I burst into laughter just as Steve strutted through the door. He was very tall, lean, and Johnny had mentioned him as Soda's best friend.

"Steve!" They all cheered. He seemed to be liked.

"Now now, don't be paparazzi." He pushed past them to me. "First name, 'Greatest'. Last name, 'Ever'." He grinned and held out his hand.

"You're so cocky." I laughed and the rest of the gang joined in. "I'm Amybeth."
I ignored his hand. It seemed like it took forever, but I also met Two-Bit. Finally, the door opened for one last time. I knew it was Ponyboy.

Two-bit shoved me next to the couch where he couldn't see me. "Pony!" He went and greeted him. I couldn't see them very well. "I've gotta surprise for you!" 

Soda motioned me to come and stand in front of Pony, while the others turned him around and stood in front of me. I was beyond confused on why this was a big deal on meeting Pony. I assumed maybe it was some age thing and that they thought Pony and I could date, but I wasn't gonna have any of that. He probably wasn't even cute. Johnny filled in the last space after returning with Pony. The boys counted down and moved out of the way. 

Boy was I wrong about him not being cute.

We locked eyes and I believe my heart stopped for a second. He had longer, lighter hair than the rest of the boys. It was greased back and revealed the most perfect greenish-gray eyes.

The man in front of me was breathtaking and everything I had ever dreamed of. We stood there for a few minutes till Soda fake cleared his throat and the gang burst into laughter. "Meet Amybeth, Pony! Isn't she perty?" Sodapop ruffled his hair jokingly.

"Yeah. Pretty. Really pretty." His face was a tomato red and it slowly transferred to mine.

"Amybeth." I smiled and held my hand out, to which he took.

"Ponyboy."

"Alright you two," Darry broke the silence. "Amybeth, here." He handed her a bag of clothes, toothbrush, shampoo, and makeup. "I went out earlier and got you some stuff I think you might need. It's late you all. Pony, go get her situated." He started barking bedtime orders and Two-bit, Dally, Johnny, and Steve left, leaving the three brothers and me. He brought me back to the guest room but helped me situate everything. We didn't speak for a little.

"I'm assumin' you'll be 'round here awhile?" He spoke finally as he folded some clothes into my drawers, reminding me of how neat my sister was.

"I guess so. I don't have anywhere to go." I sighed and he lifted my face in his hands.

"Don't you worry bout' nothin.' You'll have such a good time here and you won't regret it. Our gang really is amazing."

I wanted to stay in that moment forever. His touch made me feel something.

After the last item was put away, I had already passed out on the bed. I felt the bed dip next to me when I was half awake and knew that he too had also passed out.