tutor||ponyboy curtis ✓

06

Jacqueline

The homecoming dance was coming up the next week and all the white girls seemed to be absolutely ecstatic for it. I wasn't going to go, obviously. That seems like a one way ticket to hell. But it still was entertaining to watch the white kids live in bliss as they asked each other out and either faced true love or the hardships of rejection. (Funny how their biggest problem is not having a date to the dance.) We were now sitting in the auditorium, listening to the principal give out rules and regulations of the dress code and where hands could go when dancing.

"You goin' to that thing?" I turned to Dustin who seemed just as amused by this dance as me.

"Course not." I whispered back chuckling. He smiled nodding,

"Why not? Might be fun." he coaxed and I rolled my eyes at him.

"If your standard of fun is being shunned and probably beat up in the gym then be my guest." I giggled, still remaining a bit quiet, so  that the principal wouldn't be interrupted as he droned on and on about no hip thrusting. He rolled his eyes playfully and reached into his jacket pocket. He placed a folded up pink piece of paper into my hands,

"The Ronnettes and Aretha Franklin are playing a secret gig in Texas same night as homecoming. Invitation only, my cousin got grounded so he gave me the tickets. You wanna come with me?" he whispered and a huge smile came across my face.

"Oh my God you're the best Dustin!" I whisper yelled putting the paper into my sweater pocket. He smiled nodding,

"Yeah I'm like totally the best." he teased and I giggled.

***

"Not to be invasive, but are you goin' to the homecoming dance?" I asked Ponyboy as we studied in the school library, (my grandparents were staying over for the weekend and my mother said they'd probably faint if a white boy stepped foot inside the house while they were there.) although these meetings seemed to turn into us just doing homework together, because I was finally getting the class. He chuckled shaking his head,

"Nah, I- uh those things are made for socs. They're the only ones who can blow a 50 on new dresses for one night anyways." he shrugged, I grinned.

"No offense, but I thought the same thing, but 'bout white people." he attempted to arch an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" he asked, clicking his ink pen up and down.

"Well I don't know...if me or Dustin or Susan showed up to that we'd be laughed at. Probably get a good jumpin' too." He nodded furrowing his eyebrows, deep in thought as he listened.

"I guess I never really thought about it like that..." he trailed off his sentence, leaving it unfinished. I shrugged,

"Yeah I dunno, I don't think I've ever thought about how greasers feel about stuff. I know y'all don't exactly got the easiest life, but I guess I just assumed it would be a hell of a lot better than the life I'm livin'." I told him, I truly never did think about it like that. Whenever I would hear greasers gripe I would want to tell them to suck it up, 'cause at least they're allowed to enter every business they come across.

"Yeah I don't know doll, I definitely got it easier than you. Just never thought 'bout how niggers have it, thought I was livin' one of the worst lives out there." he said, I cringed at the word.

"Uhm no offense Ponyboy, but I would appreciate it if you would stop usin' that word it's real offensive." I said, trying to hold my ground. His ears went pink and he nodded,

"Yeah I'm so sorry I just-"

"It's alright just please stop." I smiled softly and he nodded going back to his homework. It was obvious he was embarrassed, but I followed his lead and went back to mine. (I noticed he put down the wrong answer on his Algebra 2 homework, but didn't say anything to not be rude.)

Ponyboy

I was thinkin' about what Jacqueline said as I made my way home. What a familiar thing, she always left me up in my thoughts. It was wild how much of an affect she had on me, I didn't know how she did it honestly. It was like how I would cling onto every last word she would say. I kicked a rock while I thought, I truly never realized how bad colored folk have it. I mean, yeah I knew it wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows, but it never hit me how difficult it must be. Shoot, I thought I had it rough bein' a greaser. 

authors note:
Sorry this chapter is so short, the next ones gonna be a lot longer (: