Begin [Ponyboy Curtis]

Uncomfortable

POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: Toxic Family Dynamic, Dissociation 

Playlist: Creep - Stone Temple Pilots

I dipped back into my mom's clothes, getting ready for my first day at my new school. I didn't plan to dress up every day, especially since some days I would be leaving school and going straight to work. But my first day felt like a dress-up occasion though.

I put on a black skirt and a sweater with a tank top underneath. I stuffed a pair of shorts into my bookbag to change into before I went to the DX after school.

I left my bedroom and was pleasantly surprised by the smell of coffee wafting up the stairs. I made my way to the kitchen to find my dad sitting there, picking at a pack of cigarettes.

"You're up early," I sat my book bag on the kitchen table and grabbed myself a cup of coffee.

"I thought I'd offer to drive you to school. We haven't talked once since the move."

"Ah," I nodded and sat with him, "when'd you start smoking again."

"I haven't."

"But you're going to?"

We made eye contact for the first time in weeks, I suddenly realized how beaten down he looked. He wasn't just tired, he had bags under his eyes from weeks of exhaustion.

I never thought we looked alike before, but now I don't even recognize him.

"I think so," he nodded, "I miss the routine."

"Do you miss home?"

He pressed his lips together. I feel like he was just now realizing Stacey couldn't hear him. Couldn't edit each word as it dropped from his mouth, "I miss a lot of things, but we've got some real potential here."

I nodded, "Care if I drink this on the way there? I want to get there early and set up my locker."

"Yeah, sure." He grabbed his jacket and his keys, "let's get going."

We sat in silence, a mutual disagreement since he and Stacey started being them and I started being me. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to cope with the feeling of sitting next to someone who used to be family. The interaction had me zoned out for most of the morning, only coming out of my own world to introduce myself to each class.

"Hi, I'm Dorthy. Most people call me Dot. I moved here from DC, and no I've never met the president. I like to skateboard and I have an aunt that lives in California. I plan to go visit her this summer."

Randy and I held good terms, we passed each other in the hallway and he smiled at me with a wave.

I had English right before Lunch. This class would make or break my year. I love English, but only with a good teacher.

"Miss Annafellows I presume?" My English teacher, Mr.Symes, looked up from a binder and smiled. He looked like an English teacher. I don't know how to explain that, but he just had a certain style.

"You'd be correct," I held my books down by my side.

"Ponyboy," He called to the back of the room, where a boy with brown hair in a t-shirt was talking to a blond in a jean jacket, "could you show Miss Anafellows the empty desk next to yours?"

"Yeah sure," he smiled over at us.

I could really tell he was Soda's brother, especially from that grin. I joined him at the back of the room.

"Hey, you're Sodapop's little brother right?"

He looked a tad confused but smiled and nodded, "Yeah. You know Soda?"