like everything’s the same, but. paul wasn’t there for the initial jumping. paul’s the only reason they know ponyboy curtis’ name. he doesn’t have classes on fridays so he came home for the weekend on thursday afternoon and when he pulled up bob and his guys were sitting around laughing about some greaser kid they just chased back across the tracks and paul laughs along until one of them says something about being “sick and tired of that kid thinking he can sneak into our movie theater” and paul’s like “wait, who are you talking about?” and bob goes “don’t worry about it, man.”
paul worries, and he makes a mental note to ask darry how his brother’s doing. forgets to call, though, cause he’s gotta swing by the liquor store for the guys—he’s the only one old enough to buy. and then he’s drinking, and he doesn’t even think of it.
and paul who hangs around the drive-in the next night with these same high school kids, who he only really hangs around with because he grew up around them, they used to follow him around when their parents brought them to fancy parties and all of that, and all of Paul’s friends his age either don’t come home for the weekend or went far away for college or didn’t pick up the phone or they’re Darry and he’s always working these days. that’s okay, though. he’d talked to Darry last weekend, they’re going to drive out to Paul’s family’s lake house on Saturday night when he’s off. He’s just got to get through Friday first.
so they all pack into Bob’s mustang after the football game ends and head to the drive-in, cause there’s nowhere better to be on a Friday night, and Paul drinks his beer and sits back on the hood of the car with Chet because they didn’t bring girls—Paul doesn’t have one, and even if he was interested in girls, he’s pretty sure nobody here is above the age of eighteen anyway—and then he notices Bob’s girlfriend at the concession stand and elbows Chet like “The hell’s Cherry Valance doing hanging around Darry’s little brother?” “Who?” “Ponyboy Curtis, man, since when does he know her?” and Chet mutters that “that’s the greaser from yesterday.”
the greaser from yesterday. ponyboy curtis? little ponyboy who thought paul’s doodled-on high tops and silly cartoons were the coolest thing since sliced bread? the kid who paul bought oil pastels for his birthday and the kid cried when he opened the present? the kid who spilled that milkshake in his backseat that never came out and used to third-wheel him and darry all the time cause somebody had to pick him up from school and his parents both were busy and darry didn’t have a car?
and Paul is like “you jumped Darry Curtis’ little brother? the hell’s wrong with you?” and Chet’s like “man, what’s your problem?” but before that can go anywhere Bob’s storming over drunk as a skunk telling them they’re leaving because Cherry ditched him anyway and he’s pissed about it. and then Chet goes and tells him about Cherry and Ponyboy.
and then the confrontation, and Cherry’s dumping Bob, and Paul gives Ponyboy one last look before he goes because he doesn’t have the courage to stop Bob but he doesn’t want anything to happen to the kid. Besides, aren’t they a little old for this?
Isn’t Paul a little old for this? he’s got midterms to worry about. he’s got to pass his classes or they’ll kick him off the football team. he’s got—he’s grown up, hasn’t he?
and so they’re driving around later that night, and Bob’s getting angrier and angrier and Paul’s like tired of his bitching about girlfriends, and he goes “you know what? I’m going on a trip tomorrow, I gotta do my laundry now or I’ll never do it before I head back to campus.” and they begrudgingly drop him off before circling around to the east side again. Paul thinks to himself he should call Darry and ask him if Ponyboy got home alright, to warn him that some kids from the football team are out to get him.
But he forgets to call like he always does, and then first thing the next morning the cops are at his door, and, well.
No way Darry’s going with him to the lake house now.
romaincrisis
dededos
blakekathryn
germansingergirl
turnnoffyourmind
andulkaphoto
