Chapter Text
“You can put your bags in the room to the left. Ponyboy has to sleep with Soda ‘cus of nightmares now. If you hear screaming in the middle of the night, there’s only a ten percent chance someone’s getting killed.” I exhaled, my chest felt shallower, and the static ends of my hair stuck and danced around on the edges of my face. “Darry!” I heard a voice shriek, “I’m only being honest Pony!” I heard- well the older boy laughed, I think his name was Darrel, or Darry? I'd never met him before. Pony was my buddy and well- Soda was too now, after a few mishaps. I did put my bags down. That was a small run-down. The whole house was but it was- nice, plus I ain't oughta be in no place to complain. Most people don't fuck up enough to get kicked out and disowned, and most people don't generously let them stay at their house no fee, huh?
The room has some run-down posters left in it, I’d never cared for Elvis or Paul Newman- I was always more of a Beatles fan anyway. I threw my suitcase down beside the little childish older drawings of horses on the bottom of the wall. I smiled a little before sitting down. Golly, my head was killin’ me in! Plus this neighborhood man- it was- I wasn’t used to it. It was run-down, and you could hear kids screaming and even arguing outside from here! Don’t get me wrong man, I’m more grateful than anything but- the West would never have had a single house even slightly run down. Much less than half the houses on the way here are being abandoned and graffitied! I just ain’t used to it.
The door slammed open so loud I thought it woulda fallen off its (quite frankly hardly useful) hinges! It crept back gently and I heard laughter and voices erupt!
“Well well well! If it ain’t the best damn Pollo-Pony in all of Tulsa!”
“Hiyya Two!”
I hung my coat on top of the beaten-down, falling-apart dresser in the room. My clothes felt- pretty out of place in here, even more out of place with the loud laughter and clatter outside of the room, I mean it man! Socs could be loud but not as loud as the Greasers! I stretched out and peeked my head out, the ginger boy raised an eyebrow and whispered something in Pony’s ear. I was kinda sweet, looking at it, you don’t see much- well, friendly affection on the west side, and I reckon here either. “That’s Randy, Two-bit, he’s staying with us for a while.” Pony smile and ‘Two-bit’ (What an odd name) ruffled his hair a little. He didn’t seem amused but I stepped out a little more anyway.
“Hey.” I greeted and he cocked a brow, “What’s cookin’ fat cat?” He mummbled, “excuse you?” I gaseous, fat cat? What a dickhead. “Fat cat means rich, big time Soc.” He just rolled his eyes and moved his fingers to crawl up Pony’s neck- “this ain't usually a well heeled neborhood, I dunno…you might get mugged by this awfully scary J.D ‘round here…let me tell you, that Ponyboy guy, he’s real scary man…” Pony swerved his head to look him dead in the eyes, laughing harder than I’d ever seen “Oh bug off, you bum!”
They oughta remind me of me and Bob and me, Soda and Steve that was. I mean it was might different- Bob and I would never act- as childish, I’d never seen Soda act so much like a child! “You’re just jealous! Oh Stevie you’re so jealous!!” Soda teased Steve Pushed him back “I am not! I am not jealous I just don’t think letting Mister big time Soc in yer’ house for months is a great idea!” He snapped, and I rolled my eyes. Nobody seemed to notice though, “no I think you’re jealous! I think you wanna wann- be in Randy’s place so bad!! Dont’t you Steve?”
“You settle in alright love child?” I heard from behind me “Uh, sure. Whatca need?” I asked, god I really ain’t sure why he was in my room all of a sudden. He shot me a funny glance. “Well this room ain’t in yer’ soc mansion or nothin’, I oughta grab the rest of my brothers' stuff, huh? Think he’d be able to remember to do this himself at fourteen.” He dug a switchblade and stuffed it under the bedding covers, “lord knows he’s not supposed to keep a switchblade in his room.” He muttered, rolling his eyes and pocketing the switchblade. I relaxed a little, maybe Pony was too hard on him; he seemed nice enough. “Uh yeah, thanks for letting me stay.” I stumbled out, “yeah, open door policy ya’ know?” He smiled a little or, awkwardly tried to smile. “Yeah.”
“Oh hey Randy! You settled in ok man?” I smiled, the familiar blond boy embraced me into a hug, Steve just glared at me with anger and confusion, I don't reckon neither him or Two-bit (which he'd told me to call him Keith, not Two-bit.) “Randy’s staying with us for a while Stevie-” Soda introduced and Steve smiled at him. “I can see that Pepsi.” he just grumbled and Soda smiled “aw c'mon Stevie, he's a nice guy!!” I just stood and stared at Steve he just kept glaring at me, or maybe he just had a resting bitch face, I couldn't tell- god I can't even believe that Pony though he hated him- Jesus! I mean it, I'm sure this guy hated me but he treated Pony like nothing, just like an annoyed older brother. I think Pony bad caught on though because he was being really snappy to Steve, and I mean it man, I might not be an angel but I'd never seen a kid with so much back talk to someone. Steve didn't even seem to mind, he just shot it back! “Don't mind that turkey, he's just bein’ an ass Randy!” he spat out, smirking “Am not you clod!” Steve stuck his tongue out, “It's too!”
“You got a pretty ok house,” I mumbled out, Pony picked at his dinner, pulling apart his chicken but not eating it. Soda put his head on his shoulder and whispered something to him. Pony just rolled his eyes but took a bite finally. “…Thanks?” Darry mumbled out- “I mean nice, you gotta nice house, real friendly and all!” I corrected. “Thanks man.” I chewed and swallowed another chunk of dinner, it was really good honest to god, better than most food I'd honestly had at home. Maybe this was a pretty alright stay, huh?