I DREAMT OF NIRVANA | JOHNNYBOY (JOHNNY CADE X PONYBOY CURTIS)

'' TWO

Ponyboy Curtis
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TWO

'The Only Friends I Need'

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My body slams against the brick wall and I feel a crack at the back of my head, just where my neck ends and my scalp begins. I groan out a pained cry as thick blood oozes from my face and the world lags in a delayed spin. Staggered laughter fills the air around me and I husk out an angry whine, stumbling up on my feet and wiping the blood that gushes from my forehead. My head stings and screams out incoherent rings as I grab for my pocket. I pull my lighter from my pocket and opt for a smoke to blur the staggering anger pent up in my lungs. I take a drag from my weed and sigh, slinging my head up to the sky as I watch my skateboard tumble away to the railing.

"Quite the fall you took there, huh?" Two-Bit laughs, gripping his palm onto my shouler. Two-Bit, otherwise known as 'Two', or, If I'm really pissed off, 'Keith', is a lean man. He clutches his skateboard onto the side of his waist as he pokes fun to my fall. His board is all cut up, like mine, used time after time again. Two wears his hair slicked back in gel, says it's 'to charm the women', and he wears a thin lip that cannot hold a secret for the life of them. "Couldn't tell me twice, Keith." I husk, dusting off my knees. As I do so, I watch a splotch of my own blood thwap onto the hard cement. "Shit, man! You're dripping blood everywhere!" Two-Bit hushes, all wide-eyed crazy as he bites his lip. He grabs for my head and tries to stop the bleeding, failing to do so as I slap my palm against his wrist in despite. "I'm fine." I cough, feeling the blood cool the air. "It's just another dart to the dartboard." I utter, slipping back onto my board and pushing my feet against the cement, the skateboard guiding me to my class.

—

Class hadn't started for twenty minutes, but I had decided that because of the blood gushing from my head it wouldn't be too cold of an idea to stop by the nurses quarters before class had begun. I ring into the small, pale, rubbing alcohol scented room and watch as Mrs. Ashford rolls my way on her small rolling chair (the type you would see in a doctors office or something; perhaps in the office).

"What is it this time, Ponyboy?" She scoffs, smiling. The blood doesnt phase her— me stopping by is of routine for her. Before school, you can find me skating the campus, usually with Two-Bit, or, on the rare occasion, my good friend Dally, otherwise known as Dallas, will show. But that is rare. Because of this, I get pretty scrambled on the regular.

"This is the fourth time this week!" Mrs. Ashford croaks as she leans down to the cabinet under the sink and grabs for the cotton pads. "I might need to start calling home. I'm sure Sodapop would love to hear about your endeavors." She states, ushering me to the small leather-lined bed in the corner of the room. I feel shivers shutter down my body as she does so, not because of the touch, but because of the idea she threatened.

I tell Mrs. Ashford about my brother, Sodapop, a whole lot. How he and my brother, Darry, holds me up to a standard and how he is my admiration. Soda works at the Derby and has been for the past couple years. He takes care of the horses stationed at the track, but he also sometimes competes in the Derbies, too. He had only raced in one a couple times, and had only won once or twice, but he sure was a kicker in the tracks— A handsome one, at that.

My parents had died years ago. I was no older than ten at the time, and since then, my brothers Sodapop and Darry had been watching over me instead of putting me in some boys home ways away. Darry works as a cop, like he always wanted to as a kid, and is one total badass. The two of them are tough on me, Sodapop and Darry— but I am glad I have them. I wouldn't have anyone if not.

Mrs. Ashford cleans me all up, bandages, alcohol, pain killer and all, and before she sends me off to class, she gives me one final word. "I'll spare you this one last time. But I don't want to see you like this again." She threatens with a wicked cock of an eyebrow, ushering me out the door.

—

After school ends I stop by the Derby. Soda stands outside the fence having a smoke.
My brother is movie-star handsome. Slicked back auburn hair, oceanic blue eyes, icey and cold, and a tall, broad build. He wears an orange flannel, rolled up to above his elbows as his large boots rest against the dust and debris. I trot his way, my boots wobbling against the uneven ground. The sun is falling, the sky a pale firey yellow. "Ponyboy," Soda husks his greeting, blowing smoke from his chapped lips. I lean against the fence, distancing myself a foot away as I pull my lighter and go for a smoke. Soda watches me light my weed and scoffs a shuttery laugh. "Huh?" I hum, accusingly, as I cock my brow. "You look tough." Soda replies, raising his brows with a conditioned grin. I roll my eyes, taking one last drag from my stick and flicking it by my boot, crushing it with the bottom of the shoe. "Dallas came by," Soda spoke, grabbing a folded up, crumpled, piece of paper. I furrowed my brows, leaning in to see the paper. He hands it to me, continuing to speak. "Told me to give this to you." He says curiosly, recieving no response as I unravel the paper.

Ponyboy,
My friend, Steve Randle, you might know him?
He's having a late Halloween party at his friends flat . . Bucks? You should really come. Some of my other friends are going to be there, too. You should invite Keith— I think this party would be his scene.
It's tonight, 8:00PM, so don't be late, man.
— your friend Dally

I smile at the offer, crumpling the invitation and putting it in my pocket with my switchblade and the rest of my smokes.

"Hey Soda," I ask, watching as he perks his head up. "Yeah?" "Think you can give me a ride to Two-Bit's?" "Sure could," Soda replies, stepping away from the fence and throwing his smoke as he wipes the dirt from his jeans. "Grab my keys."

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Words: 1143