Simply a Greaser

Chapter 58

I woke up to the sound of snoring. Looking over at the armchair, I saw Johnny asleep. I grinned, standing up and stretching. He looked fine, with no scratches or bruises I hadn't seen the day before. I hoped that meeting Emily had gone well. 

I got a glass of orange juice from the kitchen and went outside, checking to see who's cars were there. No cars were in their driveway, meaning only Johnny and maybe Ponyboy was here. I figured everyone else was at home or work. I went back in and took a quick shower. 

I didn't want to bother Johnny, so I decided to walk over to Buck's and see what Dally was doing. 

When I got there, he was on the phone with somebody. I hoped it wasn't mom. He chased me off, so I left and started walking to Two-Bit's house. 

His mom answered and let me in, telling me that he had just woken up and was showering. I sat on the couch, watching TV until she left for work. 

After she left, I walked up to the bathroom door and screamed, "Get your dumbass outta the shower and watch TV with me!" 

"What the- who's here?!" 

"Who do you think?!" I rolled my eyes. 

The water turned off, and after a minute or two, Two-Bit stepped out of the bathroom. He was just pulling his shirt over his head. He grinned and said, "The door wasn't locked, you know." 

"So?" 

"You coulda joined me in there," he joked, winking. I smiled and rolled my eyes again, walking to the couch. He followed me and sat next to me. He threw an arm around me and grabbed the remote, finding a show we could watch. 

"Where's Katie?" I asked, leaning into him. 

"A birthday sleepover." He looked at the time. "I have to go get her in... three hours."

"That's three hours of an empty house." I smiled, almost kidding.

He looked at me with one eyebrow cocked up. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" 

"I'm only 'bout, uhh, half-serious? Let's just keep watchin' this show." 

"No, I'm interested in what you were sayin' befo-" 

To get him to shut up, I kissed him. 

Three hours later, I was in Two-Bit's car on the way to pick Katie up. I was brushing my hair, trying to fix it. It had gotten a little messy at Two-Bit's house. 

Two-Bit pulled up to some house with a bunch of little girls running around out in front of it. I saw Katie just as she saw us. She ran up to our car and started yelling at Two-Bit about something or another. I giggled into my hand, trying not to let her see. 

Suddenly, I heard my name. I looked at her just as she moved to my side of the car. She threw the door open and grabbed my hand, talking rapidly about how her friends wanted to meet me. 

"Let me unbuckle my seat-belt," I laughed, trying to get out of the car fast enough. I got out and followed her, my pace a little slower than it would be normally. 

I looked back at Two-Bit as I walked in, going too slow for Katie's pace. He shrugged and mouthed 'sorry'. 

The mom of the birthday girl, a woman with big bags under her eyes, glanced at me with a knowing look. She looked too tired after watching after all those kids to care what I'd been doing in my spare time. She sighed and told me I was welcome inside. The girls followed me in.

I met Katie's friends who all had a hundred questions for me. It started out with them asking if Katie's story about the socs had been true, then developed into questions about what it was like having boys for friends. 

"But don't they have cooties?" a girl with big glasses and frizzy hair asked. 

Before I could answer, Katie spoke up. "My brother don't have cooties! His friends don't either!" 

We left soon after that, but only because all the other girls went home. Katie said goodbye to the birthday girl and left, telling Two-Bit and me everything they did at the sleepover on the way home. 

I found myself back on the couch with Two-Bit next to me again. Katie was showering, and his mom would be home soon. 

"Do you wanna spend the night?" Two-Bit asked with a big grin. 

"Nah, I better go see Dally before he finds out I spent the whole day with you." 

With the mention of Dally, Two-Bit's grin faded. My eyes narrowed when I remembered them arguing, then talking in the kitchen alone. 

"What's goin' on between you and him anyway?" I asked. 

He shook his head, looking away. "Nothin', we just had to talk 'bout somethin'." 

"Huh." I shrugged, deciding them talking was better than them arguing. 

"Listen," he said, "why don't you just spend the night here tonight? You can talk to him tomorrow." There was an edge to his voice like he was worried that I might not come back if I left that night.

"Why do you want me here so bad? Come with me to the Curtis' and we'll hang out there." 

I saw him frown, but he masked it with a smile quickly. "Alright, you go ahead. I'll wait for mom to get home then catch up with you." 

I kissed him, then stood up to leave. Just as I was shutting the door, I heard him call, "Bye! I-... I'll see you later!" 

"Bye!" God, he was acting weird. I almost could've sworn he wanted to say something else as I walked out the door. I tried to shake it off as I began my walk to the Curtis', but my mind kept bouncing back to him. 

He'd gotten weird when I mentioned Dally, which was kinda normal. But, he'd never really objected to me leaving like that. It wasn't really what he'd said either, but how he had. He sounded... nervous, maybe. Something like that. 

Wow, it's been... way too long. It's been like, a month since I've had the time to even glance at Wattpad and I'm honestly really sorry. School and sports have been murdering me slowly, and a big writer's block didn't really help the mix. So, I'm going to try and write as much as I can today and tomorrow. But, just letting you all know, I can honestly say from now on I'm probably not going to be on here much. I have so, so much shit going on it's not even funny, so I'll write when I can. 

I also wanted to thank anyone who's read this far. Every read, comment, and vote that I saw when I checked in yesterday made my day- week, more so. To have almost forgotten this story, then come back to see so much support... it was more than amazing. Thank you.