Take Me Back to Where We Started

"Five more minutes." I thought to myself as the school day came to an end. I eagerly tapped my pencil on the desk as I watched the clock wind down. "Three…two…one!" The final bell sounded and I leaped out of my chair and walked down the hall to my locker. LIke usual, a few of my friends were standing there waiting for me.

"So, what's up with tonight?" My friend Caitlin asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and opened my locker.

"I don't know."

"Bob's having a party. You should come."

I turned my head and saw Randy leaning against the locker next to mine. I shut my locker and started walking away. Caitlin and Trish followed me, as did Randy.

"Come on, what else do you have going on?" Randy asked, falling into step beside me.

"Nothing. I'm just tired of the same old shit every weekend."

He sighed. "Free alcohol, Nicole. I know you can't turn that down."

I smiled and elbowed him. "True. It always tastes better when it's free." I wasn't an alcoholic, but I enjoyed getting drunk more than the average Soc girl.

"So, I'll see you there?" Randy asked, turning around and beginning to walk the other way.

"I guess."

He smiled, then disappeared back into the crowed of students rushing out of school.

"What time do you wanna go?" Trish asked as we were walking to her car.

"I don't know. I'll call you." Honestly, I didn't wanna go at all. But I also didn't want to spend my Friday night sitting at home with my parents. The rest of the way to the car I listened to Caitlin and Trish talk about the six new pairs of shoes they got and how their fathers didn't give them enough money for their shopping spree. We were almost to Trish's car when I couldn't take it anymore.

"You know what, I think I'm gonna walk home." They both looked at me like I had two heads.

"You sure?" Trish questioned as I turned my back and started walking in the opposite direction. I stuck my hand over my head and waved, then kept walking.

Trish was an alright friend. We never actually talked, though. All we talked about was the drama at school and shit like that. We didn't even really know each other. Caitlin, on the other hand, I could talk too most of the time. About anything, really. She understood me and I knew that she was getting tired of the same bullshit every Friday and Saturday, too. We did the same thing every weekend. Get dolled up, go out to party and in my case, get trashed, fall asleep somewhere I shouldn't and then do it all again the next night. Sure, it was fun but I wanted something more. I wanted something exciting to happen and it never did.

On my walk home I had to pass the DX Station. I knew a lot of Greasers hung out there. Passing them on the street didn't bother me though. I actually liked looking at them. They looked different, in a good way. They didn't wear designer clothes or own any expensive jewelry, but they all had cool looking hair and most of the Greaser guys had real mean eyes which fascinated me. My older brother told me that I need to stop looking at them the way that I do or one of these days one of them is gonna crack me in the jaw for staring.

As I was walking pass the DX I could see a group of people forming a circle. I figured someone was fighting and I knew it probably wasn't a good idea to go over and check it out, but I did it anyway. I had to stand on my tiptoes to see what was going on. Two guys were circling each other until one of them threw the first punch. It was just getting good when I heard someone come up behind me.

"You lost?"

I turned around and saw a boy looking me up and down. I rolled my eyes and smiled. "If I ignored everything about you except your shirt, I would say that you're the lost one. Mickey Mouse?"

He smiled. "Alright, alright. Really, what are you doing over here? Pretty little thing like you shouldn't be over here by yourself."

Before I could respond the whole crowd shifted backwards and someone knocked into the guy wearing the Mickey Mouse shirt, pushing him into me. Before he pushed himself away I got a strong whiff of beer on his breath. I started laughing.

"Starting your Friday night early, huh?"

"It only comes around once a week. You got a problem with drinking?" I put my hands in the air.

"No, no. Not at all. Unless the problem is drinking too much, then yes, I have a problem."

He smiled. "Well, speaking of drinking. My buddy is having a party tonight. You're more than welcome to come."

I was shocked. This guy didn't seem like the big bad Greasers that my brother always talked about.

"Jeez, ya know what forget it. I must be out of my damn mind askin' you to come to a party over here."

I grabbed his arm. "No! Sure, I'll come. What time?"

His eyes shot open. "Seriously? Uh, I can meet you here round seven?"

I smiled and nodded my head. He started walking away. "Hey!" I shouted after him. "I didn't catch your name."

He turned around while he was walking. "It's Keith. Friends call me Two Bit."