"Ponyboy," I shouted and ran up to him. I heard Cherry scoff in my ear but I didn't care; if she wanted to be a snob, she can be a snob, but I would rather die than be called Sherri Valance. I smiled happily. At least I wouldn't be stuck with Marcia and Cherry drooling over some boy, whilst I walked around aimlessly, trying to find something to do. Cherry giggled girlishly and walked elegantly towards the person Ponyboy was talking to. She never walked like that, but I guess she just changed when she wanted to impress someone; but, let me tell you, the only person she was impressing was
herself and maybe all the Soc boys, but they weren't here and no one here was impressed including the person she was walking to. I figured this was Soda and instead of falling for Cherry and her stupid walk he just turned to me and I was standing by Pony, whilst putting my bag down next to his shoe.
Soda was incredibly handsome and he looked at lot like Ponyboy except, their eyes were different. He had nice blue eyes, that looked dancing and happy. His hair was exactly like Pone's; greased back perfectly and long dark locks that were fairytale like. He was laughing to himself and his eyes glistening, like they were laughing too. But that isn't possible.
"Got yourself a girl there Ponyboy." Soda chuckled and stared at me and Pony. He smiled kindly and I smiled back. I bet his life was perfect. Even if he was a Greaser. I bet he didn't have parents that argued all the time. I bet he didn't have a house that smelt of alcohol and smoke or a Dad, who would act drunk even if he was sober, just to give him an excuse to talk dirt about you.
Pony shook his head at Soda though and looked back at me. "No, she likes someone else." He winked at me and laughed at my expression and for a minute I wondered if he had told Soda about Johnny Cade but at the sight of his blank face he didn't seem to have a clue.
"Oh she likes Socs." He muttered under his breath and sighed.
I looked at him strangely and decided that I would say something that Cherry and Marcia might gasp at. "No, Soda, he ain't a Soc." I smiled warmly and watched as Cherry and Marcia took no notice at what I was saying.
"He ain't." He looked shocked.
"Nope."
"Of course he ain't. You're as tough as a Greaser and not pathetic like a Soc. You will hang out with Pony and fight for him if someone disrespects him..... Thanks kid."
"Hey I would have taken care of that bum if Zola didn't tell me to sit." He rolled his eyes at Soda, who laughed at what Pone had said and then turned back to the car, that had its bonnet up and it didn't look so great inside of bonnet.
"We better leave him to himself." I whispered to Pony. "That car looks in a bad shape."
He laughed, "Soda's the best at cars so he knows what he is doing and he could do it perfectly, even if you put a whole chocolate cake on his head."
I smiled and then looked off into the distance where there was a store. I guessed this was were you payed in and suddenly, I got an idea. "I'll be back," and grabbing my bag, started to run, fast, so I was positive that Pony wasn't going to follow me, which he didn't.
The bell dinged as I opened the door to the store.
"Soda's outside," a boy said, almost automatically. He was sitting at the counter looking at the leaflets that was on a stand. His teeth were crooked but he smiled at me kindly as I walked further into the store.
"Why would I come for Soda?" I said, looking at the shelves packed with snack.
He sat up. "— I just thought—"
"I'm kidding," I laughed and he sighed.
"I thought you would get your Soc friends on me." He laughed at himself.
I walked back to the door. "James, Jeff, Thomas." I called to nothing and no one. I walked back to the shelves and looked at him as see he had put a tuff expression on, completely different the kind one he had on before.
I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not going to call anyone on you. I don't think I know someone called James or Jeff and Thomas is a lousy name." I laughed and then wished badly that he didn't know or like anyone called Thomas but he just laughed.
"You ain't like any other Soc." He said and I smiled but raised one eyebrow at the same time which made him laugh.
"How come?" I asked.
"Your tuff." He said bluntly.
I smiled again. I liked him; he was easy to talk to.
"And anyway," he carried on, "no other Soc girl has talked to me this entire day."
I gave him a sympathetic look which made him laugh. "I think it's better being a Greaser. Socs are horrible and it is trash being a Soc." I scrunched up my nose and ran my hand along the snacks.
He stood up, "Whatcha looking for."
"Chocolate for me and a friend." I replied, stopping at the chocolates wrapped in plastic.
He walked over to the window and looked out of it. "Chocolate for Cherry." He asked, walking back to where I was standing.
Ignored the fact that he knew Cherry and anyway she probably came down here everyday because she was so desperate. "Nah, she's a horrible friend."
Out of the corner of my eye, I realised he was staring at me. I looked at him and we made eye contact for a second but he looked away. "You're right. You ain't just a normal Soc. First you come in here not looking for Soda, then you talk to me and now you are basically telling me that Cherry is not a broad, she is trash."
I laughed. "Glad you got it, that's exactly what I was trying to say."
"And," he carried on, "I don't think any girl Soc would turn down being friends with Cherry."
"Yep, the self-centred, arrogant Sherri Valance." I shrugged and looked back at the shelves again. "You know Soda?" I said, question like.
He nodded."We're best buddies."
I smiled. "There's a boy out there called Ponyboy who was talking to Soda, you know him?"
"Yeah, I know Pony." He looked at me and then back at the chocolates.
"Which one?"
He looked at me confused. "The friend is Ponyboy." His voice was high pitched and it cracked in the middle of his sentence.
I nodded. "Which chocolate would he prefer?"
He pointed at the Hershey's original and I picked up two and a Cadbury's dairy milk.
"So were did you meet Pony." The boy asked. It never occurred to me that I still didn't know his name.
"We not getting married," I said, which made him laugh. "We sit next to each other in math." I looked at him fully now. He had on a blue button up shirt that had DX written on it. I looked up his shirt and my eyes stopped at his name tag. I read it and I found out his name. Steve. Steve. I blinked a couple of times and after walked over to the counter where I payed. I grabbed the chocolates and then made and fan of the three bars. "Pick one." I said looking at Steve.
"Really?" He asked looking at me in the eyes.
I nodded. "Present from me to you. I felt bad for scaring you." I smiled and he took the Cadbury's.
"Thanks." He said, opening the wrapper.
I turned away and walked towards the door. "My pleasure, Steve." I stopped, looking back and smiling.
"Hey, stop, didn't catch ya name."
I put my hand on the door handle and turned it. "Zola," I said back, "but I prefer Zoe." I smiled to my reflection on the window and opening the door, stepped out and shut it quietly behind me.
I jogged out, making sure my clumsy self didn't crash into any parked cars. I started to run, which turned into a sprint pretty fast, except, I didn't last very long and slowed down just before I got to Ponyboy. When I got to him, I was panting crazily and I couldn't get my words out. I put my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath.
"You savvy?" Pony asked, looking at me laughing.
I punched him playful. "It's not my fault I'm an unfit mess." I laughed as I just realised what I called myself.
"I'll teach you."
"Teach me what?" I looked up at him to see was grinning.
"I've never been able to get Johnny to come running with me so now he will finally have a motivation." He smiled happily.
I wasn't sure how anyone could be so excited to run. I looked at him strangely. "Teach me what?" I repeated.
"How to run." He said.
"I know how to run perfectly." I laughed because I knew I had just lied to myself and Pony. "Maybe, I'm a bit unfit."
He looked at me and laugh. "Johnny's going to run."
"Fine." I took my hands off me knees. I paused for a moment, catching my breath. "Catch," I yelled, chucking him the chocolate.
"For me..." He looked shocked. He stared at me as I opened mine. I nodded, taking a bite out of the smooth chocolate that melted in my mouth.
"Surprise." I waved my arms in the air. I laughed as his face lit up. I knew that Pony would get excited and I loved making someone happy.
"Thanks." He hugged me and then stepped back opening the wrapper and taking a bite out of the chocolate. He shut his eyes.
"First time you've have Hershey's." I asked and he nodded, keeping his eyes closed. "Enjoy." I smiled but it faded when I realised something. Maybe I shouldn't take the small enjoyments in life for granted, because they can stop as quickly as they started.
********
I opened the blue door, being careful that I wouldn't draw any attention to myself by making it squeak. My face fell as I saw a figure standing strongly in front of me. I sighed deeply and cursed under my breath.
"Where have you been?" She shouted and I could feel her breath on my skin.
I scowled. "Better anywhere than here."
"Look how disrespectful she is." He shouted and I smelt, immediately, the alcohol coming off him.
He wasn't drunk, not fully but nor was he fully sober. He was the dreaded middle. He still knows who I am and who he is but he is still as angry and hurtful as he was when he was drunk. "Randy," I called, but the house was silent; the wrong type of silence. The last thing I wanted was to be alone when my folk fought, especially if I was caught up in the middle of it. He was always the one to save me from their screams; he was the one who would defend me so I didn't get physically hurt; he was the only one who could steer my old man onto a different subject when he was cursing about me. But he wasn't here. Just the deathly silence sounded me until I broke it again. "Randy," I shouted even louder but once again there was no answer.
"Randy's not here." My mum said. Now, she was fully sober and she had a kind look about her but still I was watching my Dad staggering about in the corner of my eye, in case he lunged for me.
I backed away, walking out of the door again and I started to walk faster but it wasn't fooling anyone. I screamed as my Dad got hold of my wrist and started to squeeze it. I shot him a dirty look and shook my arm hard, trying to get out of his grip.
"Michael." Mum started, but stopped as he looked back at her. "Stop, " she whispered, loud enough for only me and dad to hear.
"Dad, I don't want no trouble. Just let go." I said. I was shaking. I had heard what he could do to me. People had warned me to get out. Get out of that hell home. Out. Run, somewhere. Anywhere. I grabbed his hand forcefully and tried to pull it off, but he just tightened his grip which made me let out a yelp. I felt my eyes blur and my vision go weird. I wasn't going to cry; crying is weakness in his eyes. I wasn't weak but I felt an urge to let the tears roll down my face. I felt my heart being pulled out of its place. He never loved me but I still did. I loved him. It didn't hurt. I always knew he never loved me and my heart wasn't broken. It never was. I couldn't be; my heart can't break 'cause it was never whole to start with.
I stepped back, figuring out, quickly, how to get him off my arm. He tightened his grip again, but this time I didn't shout or scream, instead I span. Span round quickly, taking him by surprise and then kneed him in the stomach before he noticed what I was doing. He groaned loudly and let go off me, falling to the floor, holding his stomach. I wasn't weak. I stepped back in the house, walking over him. I had nowhere else to go, nowhere to call home except here.
"Zola," my mum grabbed my shoulders as I pushed past her.
I was furious. "Don't touch me." I span round to see her kind face looking back at me. "And," I wasn't finished, "don't let him go anywhere near me. Not in my room, not hurting me, not even thinking about me." Her eyes filled with sorrow, but I didn't care. I just ran, ran up the stairs into my bedroom and I sat on my floor.
I didn't feel my eyes drooping, instead they stung. I felt the tears rolling down onto my nose and then drop onto my hoodie. Wiping them away quickly, I grabbed my notebook and started to write.
I thought if I just sat here
Everything would be alright
I thought if I just stayed here
These tears would just a light
I've had texts
I've had emails
From my friends
About when I would stop
Stop being miserable and just get out of my hell house
I have always loved writing songs and this definitely felt the right moment. My hand just kept on scribbling, scribbling words from my heart onto this piece of paper.
The tears would just roll down my face
Not stopping
The monsters just caved
In on me and never left my face
No one asked me if I was just ok
No one care about me enough to come my way
I've had texts
I've had emails
From my friends
About when I would stop
Stop being miserable and just get out of my hell house
I touched my face and felt as I wiped the clammy tears off my nose and cheeks. This was my life and it would never change. My parents will never change and I will never change but I can help myself.
So I got out bed
And put on a different frame of mind
One that would stop me from crying
And make me go outside
But those texts
And those emails
Helped a lot from my friends asking
Asking if I want to chat or something
And instead of crying I closed my eyes and stepped outside again
I put my pen down and sighed. I held my note book tight and read what I wrote. I sang it, hoping I wouldn't sound like a dying cat. I can sing, but no one knows. That is one thing I haven't told Randy and he has never noticed. I write the songs, sing them and then leave them and my ideas in this notebook that I keep hidden under my bed for no one except me to find.
I like slow songs. Not the rock songs or blues songs; the slow one. On the piano. I one's with emotion and purpose, but that isn't the trend, so if I did try to tell someone I wrote slow songs, I would be a mockery.
I put the note book under my bed and then went to get changed. It wasn't late. It was nine in fact, but I jumped on my bed and immediately, when my head hit the pillow, my eye lids grew heavier and heavier.
There was darkness.
A/N
Hey guys, hope you are enjoying the story. I have so many ideas for this story. The song Zoe wrote and sang in my story is a song I wrote (it does sound better with the piano) and it is about depression, that Zoe does not have but she does feel unwanted and unloved, so it gave me inspiration to write that song.
Remember to vote and comment to motivate me and tell everyone about the story if you like it.
Thanks for reading...
Bye..... And wait...... don't forget to Stay Gold.