The bell rang loudly, announcing the end of class. The classroom got increasingly louder as the kids got ready to leave.
“I'll see you next week, class. Ponyboy Curtis?” My English teacher, called out.
“Yes, Mr. Syme?” I answered, looking up from my desk.
“May I speak with you before you leave?”
“I guess so.” I picked up my books and headed for the front of the room. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, no. Nothing of the kind. Ponyboy, did you write this all by yourself?”
I instantly recognized the composition notebook in which I had written The Outsiders. I flipped it open to the first page and quietly read the first paragraph, "....When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I have only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman---He looks tough and I don't---but I guess my looks aren't so bad. I have light-brown, almost-red hair and greenish gray eyes. I wish they were more gray, because I hate most guys that have green eyes, but I have to be content with what I have. My hair is longer than a lot of boys wear theirs, squared off in back and long in the front and side, but I am a greaser and most of my neighborhood never bothers to get a haircut. Besides, I look better with long hair...." I closed it and looked at it for a while, then said, “Yeah, I did.”
“Ponyboy, did all of this really happen?”
“Yes sir, Mr. Syme.”
The English teacher leaned back in his chair and looked at me, then asked, “I knew some of it but......Did you show this to your older brother?”
“No.” I shifted uncomfortably.
“You should. Take it on home and have him read it. You can bring it back to me on Monday, I have something I want to do.”
“Okay. Uh, Mr. Syme? Do I get that passing C?”
“No, Ponyboy, I'm giving you an A-.”
“AN A?!” I was shocked.
“An A-, Ponyboy. You could get a better grade if you would just accomplish your work during the actual semester. That is an excellent composition, Ponyboy.”
“Thank you, Mr. Syme! Wait'll Darry hears this!” I left the room, the realized I didn't have the notebook, stepping back in, I took it and said, “I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Syme!”
Outside the classroom, Two-Bit was waiting for me, “Had to stay after, huh?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged and started down the hall.
Two-Bit followed and asked, “You in big trouble?”
“No. Mr. Syme told me to have Darry read this.” I showed Two-Bit the notebook.
Two-Bit wiped his hands on his jeans and took the notebook, flipping through it. “The Outsiders? Hey, this has me in it!”
“Yeah. I wrote it about last month.” I took the notebook back.
“Ah. Hey, Steve, me and some other greasers are gonna head down to the corner store and hang out, you wanna come?” Two-Bit, now outside the building, pulled out a packet of cigarettes.
“Can't. Gotta get home.”
Two-Bit lit a cigarette for himself, “Darry get after you again?”
“No. I've got homework and the house is a mess after you came over.” I said meaningfully, glaring at him.
Two-Bit ignored my point, offering a cigarette.
“No, I gotta get home. Anyway, Darry said I'd better quit smoking. It gives the welfare workers something to work off of.”
“Okay, Ponyboy. See you later.”
“See you later, Two-Bit.” Two-Bit headed off down the street and I started home. I wandered down the street, thinking about the earlier month. I knew that it all had happened and I remember all of it clearly, especially in my dreams, but I've never had really thought about it in depth. Passing the DX, I saw Steve working at one of the pumps. “Where's Soda?” I called out.
Steve saw me, waved and responded, “He already left. Darry called and said Soda was only going to work a half day today. You know, that sounds like a good idea. I'll call Buck and see if he can send over a replacement.”
I grinned, Steve never worked a full day. “See you later, Steve!” I called as he stepped inside for the phone and I moved on.
“I'll see you next week, class. Ponyboy Curtis?” My English teacher, called out.
“Yes, Mr. Syme?” I answered, looking up from my desk.
“May I speak with you before you leave?”
“I guess so.” I picked up my books and headed for the front of the room. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, no. Nothing of the kind. Ponyboy, did you write this all by yourself?”
I instantly recognized the composition notebook in which I had written The Outsiders. I flipped it open to the first page and quietly read the first paragraph, "....When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I have only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman---He looks tough and I don't---but I guess my looks aren't so bad. I have light-brown, almost-red hair and greenish gray eyes. I wish they were more gray, because I hate most guys that have green eyes, but I have to be content with what I have. My hair is longer than a lot of boys wear theirs, squared off in back and long in the front and side, but I am a greaser and most of my neighborhood never bothers to get a haircut. Besides, I look better with long hair...." I closed it and looked at it for a while, then said, “Yeah, I did.”
“Ponyboy, did all of this really happen?”
“Yes sir, Mr. Syme.”
The English teacher leaned back in his chair and looked at me, then asked, “I knew some of it but......Did you show this to your older brother?”
“No.” I shifted uncomfortably.
“You should. Take it on home and have him read it. You can bring it back to me on Monday, I have something I want to do.”
“Okay. Uh, Mr. Syme? Do I get that passing C?”
“No, Ponyboy, I'm giving you an A-.”
“AN A?!” I was shocked.
“An A-, Ponyboy. You could get a better grade if you would just accomplish your work during the actual semester. That is an excellent composition, Ponyboy.”
“Thank you, Mr. Syme! Wait'll Darry hears this!” I left the room, the realized I didn't have the notebook, stepping back in, I took it and said, “I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Syme!”
Outside the classroom, Two-Bit was waiting for me, “Had to stay after, huh?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged and started down the hall.
Two-Bit followed and asked, “You in big trouble?”
“No. Mr. Syme told me to have Darry read this.” I showed Two-Bit the notebook.
Two-Bit wiped his hands on his jeans and took the notebook, flipping through it. “The Outsiders? Hey, this has me in it!”
“Yeah. I wrote it about last month.” I took the notebook back.
“Ah. Hey, Steve, me and some other greasers are gonna head down to the corner store and hang out, you wanna come?” Two-Bit, now outside the building, pulled out a packet of cigarettes.
“Can't. Gotta get home.”
Two-Bit lit a cigarette for himself, “Darry get after you again?”
“No. I've got homework and the house is a mess after you came over.” I said meaningfully, glaring at him.
Two-Bit ignored my point, offering a cigarette.
“No, I gotta get home. Anyway, Darry said I'd better quit smoking. It gives the welfare workers something to work off of.”
“Okay, Ponyboy. See you later.”
“See you later, Two-Bit.” Two-Bit headed off down the street and I started home. I wandered down the street, thinking about the earlier month. I knew that it all had happened and I remember all of it clearly, especially in my dreams, but I've never had really thought about it in depth. Passing the DX, I saw Steve working at one of the pumps. “Where's Soda?” I called out.
Steve saw me, waved and responded, “He already left. Darry called and said Soda was only going to work a half day today. You know, that sounds like a good idea. I'll call Buck and see if he can send over a replacement.”
I grinned, Steve never worked a full day. “See you later, Steve!” I called as he stepped inside for the phone and I moved on.
“No you’re too young.” He says, munching on some chips.
“You’re too young too.” Ponyboy says, annoyed.
“But I gotta look after you, kiddo. You don’t want to end up like me. Well actually I take that back. You do kinda wanna end up like me; a successful sex god.”
“You are not a sex god.”
“Yes I am. Are you blind?”
“I obviously have better vision than you.”
Steve tackles Ponyboy, pinning him the ground.
“Take it back, Horseman.”
“Nope.” Ponyboy laughs.
“You better, or I will fucking beat your ass.”
“Ok, ok, you have ok vision.”
“Thank you.” Steve says, getting off of Ponyboy.
“Welcome.” Ponyboy mutters.
“You’re alright kid.”
Darry looks at you in complete shock. “What?”
“I’m pregnant, and I think we should put the baby up for adoption.” You say in rushed words.
He just gives you a funny look.
“Money’s tight…” You continue. “It wouldn’t be fair to bring up a child like this… And I don’t know if you even want it… I’d think it’d be best for him or her.”
“What’s best for our baby is living with it’s parents who will work hard to make a good life for them.” He smiles at you.
Two-Bit kissed your lips lightly and smiled. You smiled back at him. "Why are you so happy?" You asked. "I'm so happy because I have the most beautiful girl in the world laying right next to me." He said as he wrapped his arms around you. You felt your cheeks heat up. Two-Bit chuckled and you laughed along with him. "I love you." He whispered. "I love you to." You answered. Two-Bit rested his head on your shoulder. He whispered about how beautiful you were and how much he loved you, up until you both fell asleep.