The Fox and the Flower

That morning I didn't wake up because I was crying. Close though, I woke up because I heard someone scream. A rather girly one at that. My brows furrow as I slowly open my eyes and let out a groan as the sunlight penetrates the room. There, standing a few feet away, is a guy maybe three years older than me with nothing on but a towel around his waist, his hair wet. On his fairly attractive face a mix of complete shock and surprise. My own face starts to heat up as I stare wide eyed at his abs. After a moment or two I force myself to look away.

"What are you doin' in my house?!" he says loudly.

"What you doing all that yellin' for? People are trying to sleep." Darry says, coming from the kitchen. From the smells of it, he's been making breakfast.

"You're kidding me right!? Do you not see her!?" The boy says, pointing at me.

Darry just looks at him, then me, and back again. Like the boy was straight up crazy.

"Calm down, Pony brought her home last night. Said she needed somewhere to go." Darry says, waving the conversation off and heading back into the kitchen.

A mischievous smile crosses his face as the boy glances at me and then the hallway. It takes my brain a minute to register where I am and for a split second I panic a bit. But it comes back to me pretty fast. I got beat up, my ribs can confirm that much, Pony took me to his house, I spent the night. As if on cue, Ponyboy exits one of the doors lining the hall with a very displeased look on his face.

"Can ya shout a little louder, Soda? I don't think they heard you in Canada." he grumbles, ruffling his bed head.

Soda? Didn't he mention someone named Sodapop last night? That smile from before still present, Soda slings an arm around Pony's neck and holds him in a head lock.

"Look at ya! Bringing a girl home late at night. Our Pony's becoming a real boy, ain't he Darry!" The widest grin on his face.

An amused smile plays on my lips and I can see Pony's face turn a shade of pink as he looks to me then Sodapop.

"Shut up man! It's not like that." he grumbles, slipping out from his arm.

"Whatever dude." Soda humors, smiling to himself.

Ponyboy gives me a sort of apologetic look before making his way into the kitchen. I sit up on the couch and wrap Pony's jacket tighter around myself. It's starting to get a little chilly in here and the warmth from last night has been long gone. When I look up to introduce myself, I find Sodapop gone and kind of look around in confusion. He didn't even make a sound. Soon Darry comes charging out of the kitchen. His working shirt on and lunch box in hand.

"I'm off to work. Pony, you make sure you take her home before you go to school, got it?" he hollars, pulling on his shoes.

"Yeah, I got it." Pony answers from the kitchen.

"Good." Darry says over his shoulder before walking out the door.

School? Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit ,shit ,shit... Today was Monday wasn't it. My first day at school here... If I don't make a good impression then I'm f*cked for the rest of my high school life. Add that plus sneaking out of the house last night, totally healthy for my anxiety. Yeah, as healthy as someone with diabetes having a whole pie in one sitting. What if my aunt and uncle wake up before I get there? What am I going to say? 'Oh, no sweat guys. Just was out all night with this boy I never met before and slept at his house'... Even I'm having a hard time believing that and I lived it. That's it, I'm screwed. Completely and utterly screwed. My life's over.

"Hey, Charlotte, there's breakfast if you want any." Pony calls, his voice pulling me out of the downward spiral that is my future.

"Uh, yeah." I say. My voice sounding a bit awkward in my head as I stand up off the couch.

Now that it's day and I can actually see, it's apparent how small his house really is. There's barely enough room in the kitchen for three people and that's not even comfortably. You can't walk two feet without bumping into the other person. When I step through the door way I find two plates of scrambled eggs and toast on the counter, and Ponyboy at the stove making the third plate.

"This ones for me," he says, gesturing to the stove "you take which ever on the counter, just not both. Soda gets cranky when he don't eat."

"I'll try to control myself." I say jokingly.

When I look over, I see him smile and I'm starting think his smiles are contagious 'cause I do too. Picking one of the plates at random, I turn to go sit down at the table but stop short when I almost run into Pony reaching for something. He's really close, like close enough that I can smell the firewood and sage, but he doesn't seem to notice me. Actually, his eyes are focused passed me as he reaches over my head and grabs the salt from the top cabinet. Never the less, I can feel my heart hammering away in my ribcage. A boy has never been that close to me, ever. When he returns to the stove I think I hear him mumble an apology, but I'm not sure. My thoughts are interrupted when Sodapop comes whirling through the kitchen. Snatching up the other plate and wolfing it down as he pulls on his work shirt over his tank top. Scraping the last bit of food into his mouth, he dumps the plate in the sink and starts on his way out.

"Ya'll don't do nothin' stupid while I'm gone, ya hear." He says, sending Pony a wink before rushing out the door.

Ponyboy rolls his eyes in turn as he plops some toast down on his plate and settles at the table.

"Don't mind him, he's just tryin' to mess with us." he tells me.

I just nod and join him at the table. I don't have time to be thinking about stupid stuff like that any way. Right now, I need to focus on what I'm gonna say when I get home. But I have a feeling that no matter what I say, it's not going to soften the blow any.