East West Sunset - A Darry Curtis Fanfiction

Chapter Eighteen

The next afternoon, I left Ponyboy standing at our locker and strode straight to the parking lot. If Darry didn't approve of my new business venture, then I couldn't expect to get a ride from him. I'd have to see if maybe Two-Bit or Steve could take me, but honestly, at that point I would've walked downtown myself. I needed to get that job in order to discover what I needed to about my family's past. I heard Pony's footsteps quicken behind me as he tried to catch up, and he even called out to me a couple times to wait up, but I ignored him. I was on a mission.

Eventually I reached the parking lot, and there was Darry's car, right in the front row, so that it was the first thing that I saw when I walked out the door. His eyes met mine through the windshield, but I looked away and walked determinedly out of the parking lot. 

"Hey! Diana! Get in the car!" I heard Pony yell behind me.

"I'm going downtown," I responded hotly. "Unless Darry plans on driving me there, I won't be getting in his car."

There was no response, and I pressed on, my chin rising higher with every step. I heard the engine of Darry's car rumble up next to me. I ignored it.

"Hey, Diana, just get in the car," Darry growled at me. I ignored him.

"Diana, come on," Pony begged. I ignored him, too.

"You are not going downtown alone." Darry's growl was menacing and determined. I couldn't stop the shivers from racing up and down my spine, even though my jaw was set angrily and a vein was popping in my temple.

"Will you take me, then?" I asked him challengingly, tossing my hair back and continuing to walk.

Darry huffed in frustration. "No. You can't go down there."

"I can and I will, Darrel Curtis. I'm going to that interview no matter what," I growled just as menacingly. "So will you come with me, or will you let me go alone?"

Both of them sighed at the same time. "I guess you gotta take her, Darry," Ponyboy admitted after a pause. I gave him a sharp glance through the car window, unsure if he was joking or actually serious, but his expression looked sincere. My heart leaped in gratitude for his support of my decision.

"Either that, or I will walk," I said seriously. "I'm not kidding."

I halted in my tracks as Darry stopped the car from slowly inching forward. He gave another annoyed sigh and looked up at the rusting ceiling of his car. Finally, after a long and awkward silence, he threw his hands down on the wheel and said, "Alright, get in" very resignedly.

I struggled to hide my smile; I knew I'd win him over eventually! I slipped inside the old car cheerfully enough and ignored the glower Darry gave me in the rearview mirror. I knew he didn't like being outmaneuvered like that, but what could I do? I was desperate to get that job, and without his support I supposed I didn't have a chance. I was still angry with him, though. It was extremely frustrating that he thought he could control everything I did, when he had only known me for a week or so. I didn't think there was that much of a connection between us.

The ride was stonily silent. Neither Darry nor I looked at or spoke to each other; we were both equally stubborn and proud. Pony looked between us worridley but said nothing. We would both just have to wait and let the anger simmer out before attempting to speak to each other, or I was certain I would snarl at him, and he at me.

When we reached the address the woman over the phone had given me, Darry parked at the curb. It was, admittedly, a very seedy-looking place, with a dreary facade: soot-blackened brick surrounding a worn wooden door with no window. An old sign swung from a single chain above it, supposedly reading "McNamara's Housecleaning Services," but a couple of the letters were extremely faded so that all that could be read was "McNa's secleaning Serces."