Simply a Greaser

Chapter 62

Johnny met Pony and I back at the Curtis'. Pony and I had left the Drive-In after the second movie with Emily and Johnny, but they decided to go to the Lot before she had to go home. We left them alone. 

Steve and Soda were out with Evie and Sandy at some party or something. Darry was snoring as loud as a freight train back in his room. 

We stayed up for a while, watching TV and playing cards together until Johnny went home. Pony went to bed soon after and I laid on the couch until I finally drifted off. 

I woke up to an unhappy Dally sitting across from me on the armchair. He had a long frown draw on his face, his eyes distant and dim. I don't think he noticed that I was awake until I moved. 

He snapped back to reality.

"It's 'bout time you wake up, lazy ass," he grumbled, pointing to the clock. "It's noon already." 

"What's your problem?" I grumbled, rolling my eyes. 

He scoffed. "I don't got one, man." 

"Really? Then why do you look like somebody died?" 

"Why don't you just mind your own business, Ava?" 

"Fine, fine." I got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. "Want anythin' to eat?" 

"Nope."

Two-Bit sat on the armchair across from the couch. We hadn't talked the entire night, but we kept glancing at each other. Well, I kept looking at him and he kept catching me. I wanted to apologize, but not in front of the gang and I didn't know how to get him alone to do it.

We all, for the most part, had a beer in hand. I did but had been sipping on the same one for about twenty minutes, not in the mood to drink very much. Dally was the drunkest, just crushing beer after beer. He was trying to pretend like he was okay, but it wasn't a very convincing act. Something was up. 

Darry came out of the kitchen with a beer. He sat on the floor. 

Dally cleared his throat and raised his drink. "This is to Tulsa," he slurred, giving a toast that we all cheered too. Before we had a chance to go back to our conversations, he sighed loudly. "Listen up, everybody." 

"What's up, Dal?" Soda asked. 

"Alright, I gotta tell you guys somethin' and I figure now is as good of a time as any. Two-Bit and Ava-" he pointed at us both- "know this already but the rest of y'all don't. My mom called me up and told me that me and Ava could move to New York with her and James." 

This time, I caught Two-Bit looking at me. I shook my head, trying to let him know I still wasn't going to go. 

Steve squinted at him. "And?" 

"And I'm movin' back to New York." Dally shrugged. "I got a train ticket and it leaves in two days." 

I didn't know that. Dally glanced at me but couldn't hold eye contact. He looked at the ground but quickly looked up with a huge smile. 

The gang was silent for a few moments, then Darry spoke. "Congrats, you two. Y'all officially got outta greaser-ville." He raised his beer. "I'll drink to-" 

"I'm not goin'." I crossed my arms. "I'm stayin' here." 

Silent again. 

"Seein' as it's Dally's last days in Tulsa," Steve finally said, "I say we live it up!" 

There was a chorus of agreement and the clanking of bottles as we all toasted again. By the looks on everyone's faces, everyone was trying to cover up huge shock, among other things. I was glad I wasn't the only one. 

Pretty soon, Dally, Steve, and Soda had decided to move onto Bucks. I stayed at the Curtis' and was ready to just go to sleep. Two-Bit was in the kitchen with Pony. I could hear them mumbling to each other but I couldn't make out what they were saying. 

Pony came into the living room and looked to Darry. 

"Don't you got work in the mornin'?" 

Darry narrowed his eyes. "N-yes?" He stood up. "Yeah, I gotta go to bed." 

Pony looked at Johnny. 

"You wanna head to the Lot?" Johnny asked, standing up. Pony nodded and they left quickly. 

I sat on the couch, waiting for Two-Bit to come out of the kitchen. I figured he told Pony to get the house cleared out. I turned down the volume to the TV. 

Two-Bit walked out of the kitchen with a beer in one hand and a plate of cake in the other. He sat back down on the armchair and sighed, taking a sip of his beer and a forkful of chocolate cake. 

"Want some?" he asked, with his mouth half full. I shook my head. He shrugged and muttered, "Your loss." Sighing, he put down the fork. "You're seriously not goin'?" 

"No, I'm not." I shook my head. "I could never leave." 

"Me neither." He looked around at the Curtis' and laughed. "I fuckin' hate this town, but I don't think I could leave for almost anythin'." 

I raised my eyebrows. "I... owe you an apology." He didn't look surprised but he didn't say anything. "I shouldn't have freaked out on you like I did. It was... really, really immature. You were tryin' to help me. I should've known that." 

"Don't sweat it," he replied with an easy grin. "It happens." 

"No, it doesn't." 

He shrugged. "Yeah, it doesn't happen all that often." Smiling, he added, "People get into stupid arguments sometimes. That's just what we did." 

Smiling back, I joked, "Did you tell Pony to get Darry, Johnny, and himself outta here just so I'd apologize?" 

"Are you talkin' 'bout back in the kitchen? Nah, I was tellin' him 'bout some book I thought he might like. My mom read it and talks 'bout it all the time." 

I shook my head. "How much of his nose does he got in our business?" 

"A helluva lot of it."