When The Mail Runs

Real Romeo

I sat down at the bar of the diner, arms crossed on the table. I'd danced a bit, and decided it was time to actually get a milkshake. All the game followed me to the bar, and together, all of us filled pretty much all the seats. Darry sat to my right, and Pony and Johnny started a pushing and shoving fight over who was gonna sit to my right.

"I called dibs."

"Pony, I dont care! I wanna sit with her!"

"Boys! Boys!" I shot.

They looked my way. "Rock paper scissors exists. Play for a seat or flip a coin or something, or I'll let Two-Bit sit there."

They both huffed, and Pony pulled a penny from his pocket. "Heads I sit with Darla, tails you sit."

Johnny nodded. Pony flipped the coin. He held his hand out to catch it but he missed, and he stepped on it when it hit the tile. He picked it up, giving it an honest look.

"Shoot!" Pony stomped and pocketed the coin, pointing at the chair for Johnny to take.

Johnny laughed and stuck his tongue out at Pony, sitting beside me. I laughed and ruffled the hair on both of their heads.

I squinted at the menu above the stoves. "Dang..."

"What's the matter?" Darry flicked out his cigarette in the ash tray.

"I really need a new pair of glasses. My eyes are getting worse or somthing." I sighed and took them off, rubbing the lenses. I popped em back on and looked back up. "I can't read the milkshake list."

"You ain't looking in the right spot." Darry looked at me.

"Not like I can tell."

I felt hands on the sides of my head. I froze, and my head gently tilted to the right, and my eyes met with the menu closest to me. I smiled, looking at Darry, being the one who turned my head. "Thanks."

"No problem sweets."

I looked at the menu and I felt much cheeks burning like fire. Dammit. Sweets? This man knows what nicknames are? Play it cool. Act tuff, don't get embarrassed.

"I'm just gonna get a chocolate shake and some fries."

Darry nodded, and we sat quietly waiting for a waitress.

"C'mon now, when is that song gonna play?" Johnny tapped his fingers on the table, looking back at the jukebox over and over.

"Its up next, Johnny, relax man." Pony looked at his friend. "You mean the Flamingoes right?"

"Yeah, heres the one!" I saw Johnny's eyes light up. He looked to the jukebox and back and smiled.

Dammit. Of course. This song.

'My love must be a kind of blind love.'

'I can't see anyone but you.'

I Only Have Eyes For You. Yeah. I do only have eyes for you, you being Darry. I hate it. It's all I can think about. Him. Darrel Curtis. Not that it's a bad thing, I just wanna know why I fell in love with such a man? How many others have fallen for him? How many has he had to turn down because he focused on caring for his brothers? 

If I thought too much, it was gonna make me daydream.

'Maybe millions of people go by.'

'But they all disappear from view'

'And I only have eyes for you.'

"Your singing voice. It's good."

"What?" I looked at Darry.

"You didn't realize you were singing?"

I laughed, and shook my head. "Half the time I don't. It's a habit. I usually sing when I'm alone in my house, because no one hears it."

"Should sing more often. It's a nice sound." Darry patted my back and chuckled. He raises his hand for the waitress to come by.

"I'll just have a Coke, and some fries." Darry smiled.

"I'll have a chocolate shake and some fries as well." I smiled at the waitress. "Don't know why I'm getting them, wont eat 'em all anyways."

"How 'bout we split my order then huh?" Darry looked at me.

"Alright." I scooted my chair closer to his for when the food came.

The waitress nodded, removed my order and went on to get Pony and Johnny's orders.

Darry nudged my arm. "Look." He pointed.

I looked where he was pointing. Dally was getting up from his seat and walking over to Cherry, who sat at a table alone with Marcia.

"Oh boy." I laughed and rolled my eyes.

Darry nudged me again. "A real romeo ain't he?"

I snickered.

It wasnt long before our fries and shakes were here, and they were dang good.

"This is something I think we should do more often." I sipped my shake, smiling as I heard Pony, Johnny, and Darry hum in agreement.

Two-Bit sipped his rootbeer. "I say we start doing this every weekend!"

I laughed and nodded. I looked at Darry. "What do ya say?"

Darry didn't look back at me. He was looking out the window. "Sunsets gonna be starting soon."

My heart sank. That means we had to go. I usually wouldn't have minded. But I know what was probably waiting for us at the Double.

"We shouldn't have to dread going to the damned movie theater, man." Dally mumbled as he walked over. To beat all, Cherry was standing beside him.

"See you there?" Cherry looked up at Dal, she was holding his hand now.

Dally nodded in response and smiled at her, grinning like a dork as she walked out the door.

"She know what we are getting into?" I looked at Dally after Cherry let the door of the diner slam behind her.

"Yeah." Dal lit a cigarette. "She doesn't like Richard either."

"Oh." I nodded.

Darry grabbed his bottle, finishing up his Coke. "When y'all are done, we can go."

We were inching closer and closer to the moment of truth.