Roses are Red, Greasers are Gold

Chapter 4

Pony P.O.V.

The bell rung through the halls signaling sixth period. I gathered my books and headed out to my locker. 

As I rummaged through my books I stopped at my English book. 

I flipped it in my hands and sighed. Stay gold. I felt the prickling tears well in my eyes. Not here and not now. No way I was going to that class. 

Darry would kill me if he found out I was ditching class, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. 

I put back all my books in my locker and slammed it shut. I hid among the bustling crowds of kids until I reached the bathroom. 

I snuck in and rested against the sink. I turned the faucet and allowed the cold water to pool in my shaking hands. 

Dally had told me to be smart. To not do anything I'll regret. 

Johnny had told me to stay gold. 

How can I live up to them. They were heroes. Me? Not a chance. It seems like everytime I try it just goes wrong. What's the point?

I shut off the faucet and closed my eyes only to find a firm hand on my shoulder. 

And this time it wasn't gentle.

"Hey Greaser! What's a greasy Grease like you doin' outside of class?" A soc in a blue madras shirt said. 

"What's a socy soc like you doin' outside of class?" I shot back. 

"You better watch your mouth greaser. Maybe we should teach you a lesson on shuttin' up," another soc said flipping up his switchblade. 

I swallowed hard and eyed the blade. I could see my reflection shining against its surface. My eyes searched for a way out, but my body made no effort to move.

I stood there stone cold. Time seemed to stop, seconds turned to minutes. Minutes to hours. Every pump of my heart echoed through my chest and even my shaking hands seemed to freeze. 

Before I knew it I was being shoved against the wall and the blade was held under my neck. This was only supposed to happen in movies, not reality. 

I winced as I felt the sharp edge glide against my throat. A stray tear rolled down my cheek, and I tried my best to scream. 

The second soc came over and covered my mouth and kicked me hard in the ribs. "Awe, does little Grease want his mommy?" He laughed and allowed the soc in a blue shirt to have a go at me. 

The soc walked over and grabbed my shirt collar. He pulled me to the point I started choking. "G-get away f-from me!" I said in a barely audible voice. 

"Got somethin' to say?" The madras soc said in a growling tone, running the sharp blade against my neck again. 

I choked back a sob and repeated myself. I knew at that point I was just asking for trouble, but I didn't really care.

Dally would have done the same. Dally would've fought back and beaten them up. He would've shown them. 

"I said get away from me!" I said once more, willing myself for the punch of a lifetime. The soc looked over to his partner and gave a nod before taking his blade and cutting my lip. 

It bled out and filled my mouth with its metallic taste. I spit it out and let it drip down my chin. "Next time if I want your opinion I'll ask!" He said cooly.

 "Your sick, you know that? Sick!" I said full of anger. 

"And your weak, greaser, weak!" The soc said. Before I knew it I felt a strong force strike me in the head, and everything was a haze. 

My vision blurred around the edges and everything started going black. "I'm s-strong!" I said. And everything was still. 

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I heard voices talking as my brain slowly processed the words. 

"How's he gonna pull through?" I heard a voice ask. It sounded kind of familiar. Reminded me of Soda, but the tone of the voice was too nervous and unsure.

"I sure hope so. This is the worst beatin' I've seen him take," another voice said. This one sounded older, more mature. More sure. 

"I knew he was wound up about Johnny and all, but I didn't think anything like this would happen!" A third voice said. 

How'd they know about Johnny? Who were these people? 

I slowly blinked as color flooded my vision. Everything ached and I felt like someone dropped a pound of bricks on top of my head. 

I groaned and shifted, trying to take in my surroundings. T.V., armchair, bookshelf, people. Wait, I knew those people!

"Darry, Soda?" I called. "He's alive!" Someone said rushing toward me. I squinted as I searched for the owner of the voice. 

 Mickey mouse shirt, grey eyes, swirled hair. Two-Bit. "Really Two-Bit, how many times do I gotta tell 'ya. Lay off!" I said jokingly. 

"Feeling better then, Pone?" Darry asked coming over. 

"I guess, but everything hurts," I said.

"I could imagine. You took quite a few hits there," Soda said sitting down next to me. I leaned against his shoulder feeling completely beat.

Even Steve looked sympathetic. "Them socies gotcha good," Steve said. "What were 'ya doin' out there anyway?. It was class time after all." He asked. 

Darry spun to look at me, curious of what my response would be. 

I decided it best not to mention the fact that I deliberately skipped class.

"I was just headin' to the bathroom when all of a sudden they came up on me and before I knew it everything went black." 

I said giving a quick summary so no questions were asked.

"That's just ridiculous! The one place you should be able to feel safe is at school!" Darry said sounding angry.

"I tried to stop 'em Darry, I really did!" I said.

"I know Pony, I know. This ain't your fault." Darry said pulling me into a hug. 

I allowed the embrace and closed my eyes. Before I knew it I drifted off. 

Darry P.O.V

I lifted Pony up from the couch and carried him to his and Soda's Bed. 

I'm so glad the kid's alright. I can't take anymore losses right now. Johnny and Dally were bad enough, but my kid-brother? I would fall apart.

Those socs got him real good in the neck and it must've hurt like hell, the poor kid. He shouldn't have to feel unsafe to go anywhere. None of the gang should. 

It's a miracle Two-bit found him, or else he'd probably still be there now. 

That's another issue. 

The teachers and staff there should be watching to prevent these things from happening. It's gone to far. 

I don't care that it's a part of life. It shouldn't be. Children shouldn't grow up learning to fight. They shouldn't grow up feeling unsafe in school. 

I looked over Pony as he slept. His features smoothed out and relaxed for the first time that day. 

I just want to know that he'll be alright.