Under His Influence||Dallas Winston

002/Old Faces

There was only a few people I hadn't greeted after getting back and the day was close to an end. I had to go visit my childhood best friend. I hadn't seen him in forever. With all the excitement of the thought, I picked up some anxiety.

What if he didn't recognize me? Or worse--what if he had changed? What if he didn't want to see me after I left for five years? I kept asking myself but there was only one way to find out. I couldn't live without knowing whether or not he wanted to see me all summer.

What if I didn't go see him and he did want to see me? I would spend all summer alone even if I didn't have to be. I threw on a pair of sneakers and raced downstairs.

"I'm going out!" I called to the living room where Orion and my Mom were.

"Where are you going? The sun will set any minute now," Orion glanced out the window at the sky.

"I'm going to go see Soda. I haven't seen him in forever!" I exclaimed. He didn't seem as happy about it as I did though.

"He? As in a 'him' A boy?" he asked. He wasn't used to the idea of being a father to a girl who hangs out with boys. Or even mildly having to worry about his daughter with boys.

"Relax, I have a boyfriend back home. Nothing is going to happen," I smiled brightly and innocently. 

"Soda Curtis? Maya there's something you might want to know before you go over there..." my mother had started but I just skipped out the door. I didn't mean to cut her off, I was just excited.

I walked the streets as if I had never left. I knew exactly where the Curtis house was. I half expected to get jumped walking around on my lonesome but nobody seemed to be out at the moment.

I turned that final street and was met at the gate to the Curtis house. I had to prepare with a deep breath before opening the gate and walking up to the door. I took another deep breath before knocking.

I was met with a few stammering feet racing for the door. A boy almost the same height as me answered. He barely cracked the door so I couldn't see past him although I tried. He had dark hair and eyes, an angry expression, and he was wearing a DX shirt covered in chocolate.

"Can I help you?" he grunted at me. I knitted my eyebrows in return.

"You aren't the most friendly person, are you?" I recoiled confused. "I thought the Curtis's lived here..."

"Oh-they do," I smiled with relief. "Wanna come in?" he rolled his eyes at my blank stare. I walked into the house and it was as if nothing changed. Other than the amount of boys in the room, only one of which I recognized other than the boy with the DX shirt. I knew Steve when we were younger but obviously he didn't recognize me.

"Who's the girl in the pj's, Steve?" a boy with fluffy and tusked brown hair asked. He had dark eyes and an elvish face, sharp. 

Ponyboy stood up in shock and embraced me quickly, "Oh my god! Mayalynn Elise! Where have you been?! We thought you died! You dissipated into thin air and left without saying goodbye! No calls and no notes!" he continued to scold me while squeezing my limbs off.

"I know, I'm sorry Ponyboy," I knew I missed him just as much.

"Oh--Maya?" Steve finally recalled who I was.

"Yes, Steve. It's me, Maya. I haven't changed that much," I sarcastically rolled my eyes at him. "Hey, do you now where I could find Soda?"

"What's all this commotion?" a deep voice called from the kitchen. He came around the corner and froze when he saw me. "Maya..."

"Darry?! Hi... Surprise?" I giggled sheepishly.

He didn't waste a second before running up and hugging me. "Surprise??? It's been five years! Where were you? We missed you, kid! You look so different but so similar."