Chapter Text
Friday night was a big night for the drive-in with a double feature and Socs actually paying to get in. I met up with Johnny at the lot and I knew Dally would be there soon.
“Hey Johnny” I greeted him, I knew tonight would be hard for Johnny since so many Socs go to the drive-in.
“Hey,” Johnny greeted softly sitting against an old broken down car.
I sat down next to him. “How are ya feeling?” I was worried about Johnny, sue me.
Johnny shrugged and glanced around. “Dally’ll be here soon.”
I knew he wouldn’t get better than that with Dally on the way because Johnny wanted to be tuff. I did too but I would talk about his feelings with Johnny, I knew my best friend would still think I was tuff. Johnny would talk too if Dally wasn’t going to be there. Johnny liked Dally and wanted to be like him, Dally was the closest thing to Johnny’s older brother. Neither of them would admit it though.
I looked away from Johnny and spotted Dally making his way over hands in his pockets and head held high. He wasn’t ashamed to be a Greaser, unlike I was sometimes, especially when the guys on my football team would look down on me or say things about me. He recently got out of the county for something or other, I wasn’t sure.
“Hey boys, let’s go.” Dally kept walking, not waiting for us to get up.
Johnny and I followed after Dally who was walking to the corner store on the way to the drive-in. I knew we wouldn’t be buying anything but I wasn’t going to steal. Johnny might if he hadn’t been jumped so recently. Dally led us through the store, he lifted some cigarettes and led us right back out of the store. It was impressive how he led us like he was the shepherd and we were sheep. When he was out of lockup he was the group’s de facto leader, that title vied between Pony and Dally.
Dally chuckled as he walked out and headed to the drive-in. They snuck in through a hole in the fence.
Dally sat them behind some Socs trying to chase some tails. I recognized some guys from my football team but I knew we weren’t really on speaking terms so I didn’t say anything. We were sitting behind Paul Holden and Cherry Valance. Paul Holden was the handsomest boy in school. Yes, I was gay but since it was no longer illegal I wasn’t as nervous about going to jail for it anymore.
“Tell me, is your hair really red?” Dally flirts with Cherry. She ignored him. “Let me check if it’s real.”
I tuned out most of Dally’s flirting if you could call it that. I was trying to watch the movie, even though only the previews were playing.
“I’m gonna go get a coke” Johnny whispered to me and got up. Johnny and I were pretty uncomfortable with Dally’s flirting with Cherry. Paul was trying to defend Cherry but got flirted with himself. Dally didn’t mind who or what you were, he was going to flirt.
“How about you, pretty boy? Want me to check your hair color?”
“Shut up Greaser,” Paul snapped.
“Ouch,” Dally joked and left for the concession stand.
“I’ll be back in a bit. See you later Paul” Cherry said as she got up and went to find Marcia and Bev, her Soc friends. Paul stayed behind and looked at me.
“Good to see you again after practice yesterday,” Paul said.
“You too Paul,”
Paul and I began talking about anything and everything, I let Paul lead the conversation. We moved from football talk to literature. I didn’t know Paul was as into school as I was. Then we talked about our likes and dislikes. And ended up talking about our lives.
“Where’s the name Darry from anyways?” Paul asked.
“My dad,” I said “My full name’s Darrel Curtis Jr.”
“Nice name” Paul complimented. “A Junior huh?” He flirted.
I blushed and laughed a little “Yeah, real original” I said sarcastically. “I was the name they planned. Dad finally convinced Mom to let him name one after himself.”
Paul laughed. “Your brothers have original names.” I nodded and Paul continued “Where is Sodapop nowadays? He was only a few years older than us.”
I looked away from Paul feeling slightly embarrassed. “He dropped out. He works at the DX.” I knew I shouldn’t be ashamed of what Soda chose to do but I couldn’t help it.
Johnny returned to his seat next to me and Paul smiled at him. Dally then returned from the concession stand with a coke.
“Here, pretty boy” Dally gave the coke to Paul with a wink.
Paul frowned “No thanks, Greaser.” Paul said harshly and threw the coke in Dally’s face.
Dally pouted and kept harassing Paul. “But baby I got it just for you.”
“Leave him alone Dal’” Johnny spoke up.
We all looked at him a bit shocked. I thought it was weird for Johnny to speak out against Dally, they were close Johnny followed Dally around like a pet.
“Where the hell do you get off?” Dally huffed and stormed off.
“Sorry about him” I offered to Paul “Dally just likes to tease.”
Paul nodded and looked at Johnny who was back to shrinking into himself and anxiously looking around for threats.
“Thank you.” Paul said genuinely and gestured to the seats next to him “Come sit up here with me. For protection.”
Johnny and I glanced at each other and moved to sit next to Paul. Paul started another conversation with us but included Johnny too.
“Why aren’t you so against us as Greasers when you’re against Dally?” Johnny asked Paul.
“Well, you two aren’t like him. You’re not as mean in the way you act or look.” Paul said.
He wasn’t trying to be hurtful but his saying that lowered Johnny and I’s self-esteem just a little because we wanted to be tuff just like Dally. A loud commotion of someone falling over drunk and the following rambunctious laughter drew their attention. Paul sighed and rolled his eyes.
“That’s why I’m sitting alone. The guys all brought alcohol and I’m not drinking tonight” Paul complained looking back at Johnny and me.
“Hey, Greasers!” A voice shouted behind them.
Johnny and I jump expecting to be jumped by a Soc. But when we looked back it was just Two-Bit, we breathed a sigh of relief.
“Don’t scare us like that,” I complained.
Johnny was shaking and kept anxiously looking around after that scare. Two-Bit sits himself next to us.
“Just having fun” Two-Bit laughs. “Good movie?”
“Yeah it’s fine,” I said even though he hadn’t been watching it.
“That’s good. You still doing good in school Darry?” Two-Bit asked. He was just being friendly but I felt like he only thought of me as a dumb kid.
“I’m doing good.”
“That’s good. Y’all seen Dally around?” Two-Bit asked us.
“Yeah, he just stormed off, why?” I asked.
“Tim’s looking to fight 'im. Said something about Dally slashing his tires.” Two-Bit said casually.
“Fistfight?” Johnny asked.
“Yeah,” Two-Bit chuckled “And I gotta go with ’im ya know we greasers always gotta stick together, and make sure we ain’t caught.” Johnny and I nodded in understanding.
Paul looked shocked by their common understanding of the rules of being a Greaser. He stood up “Care to escort me to the concession stand Darry?” He asked.
I stood up and ignored the wolf-whistles from Two-Bit as I led Paul to the concession stand on the way there we were joined by Cherry.
“I can’t stand them being all loud and drinking I was trying to enjoy the movie,” She complained.
“You can hang out with us Cherry,” Paul said.
There was a silence for a bit before Paul spoke up again. “What’s wrong with him anyway? Johnny I mean he seemed… scared.” Paul asked me not trying to be unkind.
“Some Socs beat the hell outta ’im a few weeks ago… he was just tryin’ to get home and they jumped him.” I said with anger in my voice.
“Not all Socs are like that.” Cherry said. She continued on to say “Things are tough all over us Socs have problems you’ve never heard of.”
She told us about her family, how her dad gets real angry when drunk and she hides in her room. She told us that her mom gets real sad and cries in the bathroom with the shower running. Then Paul chimed in with how his parents ignored him and left him at home sometimes for weeks alone.
It was refreshing to hear that Socs had problems too. I looked into the sunset and decided to tell them what I was thinking about.
“I like the sunset. It’s so pretty with the colors all mixed up,” I paused. “My mom used to study sunsets.”
“Why’d she stop?” Cherry asked.
“She ain’t around no more,” I said looking to Paul who knew the story and looked sad.
“Did she run off?” She asked
I got slightly offended at her assuming my mom ran off on us. “No, she didn’t run off she died. My dad did too. Their car got hit by a train.”
“That was your family? Oh Darry I’m sorry,” She said genuinely.
I shrugged my thanks I didn’t need any pity from her about my family. We had talked so much that I hadn’t noticed the movie ended.
“None of the other guys talk to me about books… or football they just aren’t into the same stuff I am,” I said genuinely to Paul.
But it was made apparent to me by Bob coming over.
“You movin’ in on my girl Greaser?” Bob taunted me. He was drunk. I wasn’t sure if he recognized me from football, and I’m not sure if that would help or make him more angry.
“Nah we were just talking,” I said to try and calm him.
“Yeah right,” He scoffed and seemed to recognize me. “Is the Soc wannabe movin’ in on my girl? First, you go for my position then my girl?” He was increasingly getting angry.
“I don’t want no trouble,” I said gently I know the more agitated or scared I got the more I used slang like the other Greasers.
“I don’t want no trouble” He repeated in a high-pitched voice to mock me. “You want to fight like a man Greaser?” He stepped forward and made a line in the dirt with his foot “Step up to the line.” He challenged.
Thankfully Two-Bit came to my aid. “There a problem?” He asked Bob while stepping in front of me. Even though Two-Bit liked to joke around and play pranks he was a damn good fighter.
“Yeah. Your buddy here was moving in on my girl. Now I’m going to fight him.” Bob stated simply.
Two-Bit was about to step up to the line and fight. But Cherry intervened. “Stop it, Bob!” She cried out upset. “We’re done.”
That got Bob’s attention away from Two-Bit and me. “We’re done? What does that even mean? You’re acting crazy Cherry, get in the car.”
“How much have you had to drink?” She asked apprehensively.
Bob chuckled. “Enough. Now get in the car.”
“I’m not getting in the car with you.” She closed in on herself crossing her arms I couldn’t tell if this move was made in defiance or to comfort herself.
“She doesn’t want to go with you, Bob. Neither of us does,” Paul stood next to CHerry and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.
“Fuck off, Paul,” Bob growled. “Get in the car.”
“She doesn’t want to go. Why don’t you leave? We’ll get her a ride home,” Two-Bit said a little too jauntily to be helpful.
Bob lunged at Two-Bit, they would’ve started fighting if Cherry hadn’t gotten between them. “Stop! I’m not going anywhere with anybody.”
“Fine,” Bob huffed. He then addressed me directly “You’re fucking dead.”
Bob walked toward the car with the rest of the Socs behind him. The only ones who stayed behind were Cherry, Paul, and Marcia who came over to check on Cherry. Fuck I’m so fucked.
“Listen Darry thanks for sticking up for us but don’t be hurt if I don’t say hi at school,” Paul said to me before turning to Cherry and Marcia and walking away.
Ouch that hurt. I turned to Johnny who was cautiously hiding behind me and Two-Bit throughout the whole interaction, he looked really scared. Then I recognized how late it had gotten. I’m so late. Pony’s going to kill me.
“C’mon let’s go,” I said to Johnny and we started running to my house.
When we got to my house we went in and Pony was pacing around with Soda sitting in front of the television playing some cartoons.
“Where the hell have you been?!” Pony demanded angrily.
I shrugged, “Out.”
He shook his head and I kept thinking about how much Pony must hate me. “You hardly ever tell me where ya go and I can’t even call the police because you two would be put in a boy's home”
Pony was really mad. I didn’t know what I did I just came home a little late. That thought made me angry even more so than the fact that Pony was yelling at me for no good reason.
“Good then maybe you’d get outta Tulsa” I rebutted.
He laughed bitterly at that and Soda got in between us. “Guys come on I hate when you two fight let’s just be glad Darry’s okay and go to bed,” He offered as a solution.
But Pony was too angry at me for that. He hated me too much to let this infraction go. “If I want my knucklehead brother to tell me what to do with my kid brother I’ll ask ya kid brother.”
“Stop acting like you’re trying to be mom or dad, you ain’t either of ’em!” I shouted at Pony I was defending myself and I hated that Pony was trying to replace our parents.
Suddenly I was on the ground and there was a burning sting on my cheek and I realized that Pony hit me. He’s never hit me before. I looked up at him in shock.
“Oh god.. Darry I didn’t mean to,” He said shakily.
Soda was reaching toward me but Johnny got to me first
“Let’s get out of here” Johnny frantically said.
Then he was ushering me up and we were running out the door. I had to slow my running pace to be with Johnny but we finally ended up at the park. We couldn’t go to Johnny’s because his folks beat on him and he usually can’t be in the house. We climbed up the jungle gym and sat atop it looking down at what was basically the dividing place of the Greasers and Socs even though it was Greaser territory the Socs wanted it.
As we were sitting there I decided I was going to hate Pony back even though I knew I was lying to myself I couldn’t hate Pony. I loved him too much. But if he was going to hate me I could at least act like I hated him.
“I hate him” I vented to Johnny. “I hate him for trying to boss me around.”
Johnny shook his head and decided to impart wisdom even though he was only two years older than me and everyone thought he was younger. “I wish I had brothers who cared about me the way yours do”
There was a pause before he continued. “I don’t got no one at home to care about me. Sometimes I wish I would just disappear,” Johnny started to get choked up.
That made me sad and a little angry at Johnny. “Don’t say that!” >/p>
“Why? It’s true” He defended.
“I want you around Johnnycakes,” That was the truth too.
There was a rumble of a car engine and a fancy Corvette pulled into the lot with five drunk Socs tumbling out of it.
“You guys better watch it! You’re out of your territory!” Johnny spoke up even though his voice was a little shaky.
I can’t believe Johnny stuck up for us when I’m the more physically strong one. The Socs kept advancing and I could recognize almost all of them from the football team and the recent confrontation. Bob was leading Randy, Brill, Trip, and a boy I didn’t know. We climbed down from the jungle gym ready to flee before Bob spoke again.
“It’s time you Greasers learn your lesson,” The Socs surrounded us.
Johnny was getting antsy and by the way his eyes kept darting to Bob’s hands adorned with rings I knew he was thinking about when he got jumped. We are so fucked.