When I Met Ponyboy

I took a long deep drag from my cigarette.

"Shit," I said aloud in the rumbling car, even though I was alone.
I was in so much trouble, but I ain't worried anymore. I was far away from The Bastard. Far enough for the time-being.

It all started when my Mom died two years ago when I was fifteen, leaving me in the care of my Step-dad. Little did I know, he was the type who couldn't keep his hands to himself. My real Pappy died in a knife fight with a rival gang when I was just a toddler, so I don't remember him much. I never called my Step-dad by his real name, I learned from the beginning, while my Mom was alive, to call him Daddy. Ever since they put her six feet into the ground I referred to "Daddy" as The Bastard, even to his face. He didn't give a fuck, he would just give me that sick smile that scared me more than anything in the world. Even worse than catcalling Socs. That smile meant he had something for me in store and it usually involved his hands.

I worked for a year and a half at Eddie's Diner and got 350 bucks in my pocket, so one day I could get the hell out of Union Ohio. When The Bastard put his hands on me for the last time I put up the biggest fight I ever threw. I pulled out a black-handled switchblade I bought with my hard earned money at Eddies'. I flicked it open all tuff-like, like the greaser boys at school taught me how. The Bastard's eyes widened.

"You're never to put a hand on me again. This is the last time, you little fuck." I hissed through my teeth. If someone else were in the room I bet they would've said I resembled a wildcat with my teeth bared and my switchblade as my claws. "I'm done," I growled and pushed the blade harder at his throat.

Now, I didn't kill him, even though I oughta have. I bolted out the back door instead and ran out of our rundown shack. I ended up at Eddies', just to collect my last paycheck and to wait out the rest of the day so that when dark came so I could grab the essentials.
When I got back to the shack it was almost one in the morning so I knew The Bastard would be asleep. He didn't care enough to call the cops on me or go out looking for me himself. I left my window open a crack so I could climb into my room. When I got my bag ready, just enough things to last my a week or two, I had a brilliant yet sickening idea.

The only thing The Bastard loved was his '59 El Camino. Cherry-red to be specific. He had the car before he met my Mom and wouldn't even sell it for Mom's hospital bills when she was slowly dying of lung cancer.

Why not leave Ohio with a bang? I pulled the garage door open as silently as humanely possible which only meant that the hinges decided to be as loud as they could. I put the Camino in drive and slowly pushed it out of the garage and down the street, so not to wake The Bastard. As soon as I got far enough away I threw my stuff in the trunk and hopped into the front seat, starting the engine. The El Camino rumbled to life which got my adrenaline pumping. Pushing on the gas the car drove me away from wandering hands and towards my freedom.

I'd been driving for multiple hours and a pit-stop was extremely needed. I pulled into a 24-hour gas station to fill up the El Camino which I nicknamed Lucy when passing through Missouri. I lit a cigarette to calm my nerves.
"Shit," I whispered again. "You finally did it, Kitt. You're finally out." I laughed aloud. It wasn't until the police car lights broke me out of my trance that I knew I had to book it.

I unhooked the gas pump and stubbed out the cigarette.
God, damn it!
Course The Bastard wouldn't be worried 'bout me but he would be worried about Lucy. I put her in drive and the tires screeched on the cement top of the gas station. The Cop followed me down the dirt road of a narrow street. The Dell Vikings were blasting on the radio but it only worsened the thumping in my heart.
I began to recite every curse word I knew. Every bad word I'd been called by a lousy Soc. The speedometer increased with every curse. 40...50...60...

"Piece of shit...damn whore...fucking slut...!"
They got worse when I got up to 70 miles an hour. Damn it, please God, I needed to get out of here.

It wasn't until I was up to 100 that I knew that I might not make the upcoming turn. It wasn't just a one way right turn but an intersection blocked off my low-hanging branches.
I turned Lucy a sharp left, losing the cop. Looking into the rear view mirror the cop veered into a ditch, unable to make the sharp left that the El Camino was able to make. I slowed down to 85 and passed a road sign that read, "Welcome to Oklahoma, The Swing State."
I drove into a small town, slowing to 35, and came up to a high school parking lot. I put Lucy in park and shut off the engine.
The sobbing came and soon enough I was gasping for air.
"So stupid. So stupid, Kitt!"

The first rays of light started seeping into the sky, turning from a midnight blue to a twilight purple with streaks of pink and orange
I was still having my pity cry when there was a tap at the driver's side window. I screamed, thinking it was the Cop catching up to me but it was just a boy, a few years younger than me. I rolled down the window.

"You alright ma'am?" He had greased back light brown hair that was almost red in the sun, he wore just a plain black t-shirt with jeans and had emerald green eyes. He was a greaser if I ever saw one.

"Oh, yeah Kid. I'm fine. Leave me be, I'm fine." I sniffled.

"If you don't mind me saying doll, you ain't fine."

I dried my eyes. "What's your name, Kid?"

"Ponyboy, what's yours?"

"Kathleen but I go by Kitt. This is Lucy." I said, patting the steering wheel.

"Say Kitt, what are you doing parked at my high school, crying like that?"

"Oh nothing, just life, I guess. What are you doing out this early?"

"Just thinking 'bout life same as you. Hey doll, you got a place to stay?"

The rear view mirror was slanted so I could reapply my lipstick."Nah, why?"

"C'mon," Ponyboy walked to the side of the El Camino and hopped in, "you gotta meet the boys, they'll love you."

I started up the engine again and backed up.
"Yeah, you gotta meet the boys" Ponyboy started up again,"they'll like you..." He paused for a moment and then added under his breath,"you sure are pretty enough."