Golden Greaser

- 22 -

     At six, Darry was outside of Jay's waiting.

     I could already tell by the way the light of the headlights reflected off the building and onto his expression, he knew. 

    My stomach seemed to awaken with a sickening fire as I walked to the passenger side.

   I force a happy tone. "Hey."

   "Hey." He seemed calm. "Day go well?"

    "It was fine." I twiddled my fingers nervously. "Yours?"

    "About the same as it always is..."

    I nodded. 

    The air in the truck cabin suddenly felt as if it had been frozen with tension.

    "Found out why the cops came in so early this morning." His voice got low, and his tone was somewhat cynical. "My kid-brother and his best buddy are murderers."

    I turned my head slowly to look at him. The bright red hue of the stoplight painted his face with an unusual glow.

   "I heard." I said, simply.

    "So has everybody else."

    "It'll die down in a few days..." I quickly realized that what I was saying wasn't exactly gonna help the matter. "News never sticks around for too long 'round here..."

   He just shrugged. 

   By the expression on his face, I knew I'd better tread lightly with my words.

    We arrived at the Curtis house, and the pickup shook as Darry slammed the door behind him. 

   I took a few extra moments in the truck's cabin to give him some space, but I don't think he noticed. 

   I walked up the front steps slowly, cautiously wrapping my fingers around the doorknob. I could hear the boys talking inside. They must've known too.

   As soon as I walked in, I looked around the room. 

   Two-Bit and Steve had come over and were sitting near Sodapop in the living room. Darry stood behind the recliner with his arms crossed.

   "Diana, check it out..." Soda tossed me the evening post.

    My eyes scanned the page, stopping at the dreaded part at the bottom of the article.

   "The two teenagers known as Johnny Cade and Ponyboy Curtis are reportedly heading towards Texas, after the murder of Robert "Bob" Sheldon just this past week."

    "Texas?" I said, softly. "They're headed towards Texas?"

     The boys apparently hadn't read that part, because they all shot up from where they were sitting and ran to me.

    "Let me see that." Steve snatched it from my hand.

     They passed it around to each other.

     "I'm going to Texas." Two-Bit announced, already walking towards the door.

     "Hold it." Darry threw his hands up. "Nobody's headed anywhere."

     "But I ain't just gonna sit around when we know where they are!"

     "We don't know nothin' for sure yet." Darry eyed Two. "You're not going to Texas."

     Two-Bit rolled his eyes and glared at Darry, kicking the ground a little with his shoe.

     The room was quiet for a moment, everybody just seemed to be finally taking in the information.