Young Blood ⏤ Ponyboy Curtis | ✓

02 | reputation

Billie's the first to arrive to class. 

She didn't plan to be the first person to class, but she couldn't spend a second longer in homeroom. For twenty minutes, she was met with questioning stares and hushed whispers. Billie knows what they were talking about without hearing their conversations. They were gossiping about why she was in school when her older siblings were hoods, and hoods were notorious for skipping school and causing trouble.

Billie wishes that her every move won't have to be scrutinised. It was a false hope that she would be able to go to school unnoticed. But she is a Shepard, and Shepards have a reputation in Tulsa. And for as long as she is in Tulsa, her every move will be scrutinised.

Billie feels the eyes of students as they walk past her in the corridors. She ducks her head, trying to avoid meeting the gaze of curious students with the same question on all their lips. She focuses her gaze on her mud-stained Doc Martens. Curly had gotten mud on them when he came home one night covered in mud from being pushed into a ditch by Lloyd and Billie hasn't been able to clean the mud stains since.

Billie hears a voice calling her name, and she looks up from her shoes to see Curly standing in front of her, flanked by Dean and Lloyd.

"We're gonna skip school now, you okay?" Curly asks, pointing to Dean and Lloyd beside him. Billie notices that Curly's other friend Scott is not with them, which surprises her. Usually, the four of them are inseparable.

Billie nods her head. "Yeah," she says softly.

Curly flashes her a smile that Billie hasn't seen all summer. The smile that Billie was used to seeing had been quickly replaced with a smirk or scowl that mirrored Tim's. It was unnerving how similar Tim and Curly really were.

Lloyd nudges Curly roughly. "Come on! The broads are waiting for us," he says impatiently to Curly.

Billie bites down on her bottom lip at Lloyd's comment. Offensive terms and profanity were quite common in the vocabulary of people on the East Side, and her siblings aren't an exception. Billie, on the other hand, is. She can't get used to the frequent swearing around her, leaving a foul taste on her tongue if she used the rare cuss word.

Dean snorts at Lloyd's comment. "You're the last person a broad would want."

Lloyd turns to Dean. "Fuck off, will ya," he cusses crossly. Under his rude demeanour, Billie can see how his cheeks flush slightly, hinting embarrassment. It's no secret that out of the four boys, Lloyd was the last one girls would turn to. Billie understands why. His offensive comments and unpleasant attitude was a turnoff and were one of the reasons why Billie steers clear of him.

"See ya, Bil." Curly waves to Billie before walking down the corridor. Dean gives Billie a small smile before walking off, whilst Lloyd walks away, ignoring Billie completely. Billie doesn't mind; the feeling is mutual.

During the exchange, students have started to arrive to class. Billie recognises some students from homeroom, others from around town and the rest are unfamiliar faces. Billie recognises Ponyboy Curtis, a fourteen-year-old Greaser whose brothers Tim is circumstantial friends with.

Like his brothers, Ponyboy also has a reputation around town. Ponyboy is known as being a bright kid, his marks above average. Billie remembers Curly telling her that Ponyboy was put up a year in school because of how smart he was. Billie didn't know if that was true or not, as Curly was closer to Ponyboy than she was. She's lost count of how many times Curly has raved on about the youngest Curtis brother, saying that he was a good kid.

Billie's eyes focus on the youngest Curtis brother, with his hands tucked in his jean pockets. He's slouching up against the wall, his head lowered, gaze directed to his ratty tennis shoes, the white of the shoe turning an ugly brown from lack of care.