Darry Curtis and Grace Micheals had to grow up faster than most. With working all the time and keeping the gang out of trouble, neither of them have time for romance.
Things get worse when Johnny kills a soc and has to go on the run with Ponyboy. In...
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1965 ◇ Grace and Sally's Style Salon
"Hey Sally! I'm gonna head home now, alright?" Grace called out. She propped the sweeping brush up against the wall before taking her navy cardigan off of the coat hook and put it on, not bothering to fasten any of the buttons.
"See you later, Gracie!" Sally called out from where she was washing a client's hair. Grace smiled at her friend's ever-present enthusiasm, before hanging the strap of her canvas handbag over her shoulder and walking out the door.
The pair had been best friends since freshman year of high-school and had decided to open a ladies' hair salon near the end of their senior year. They came up with the idea after realising that most of the salons in Tulsa were on the West side and were too expensive for the 'Greaser' women to go regularly.
Now, a year and a half after their graduation and two months since they opened 'Grace and Sally's Style Salon', the pair are finally starting to get regular customers. That is a relief because it has been a rough couple of months financially. Even to the point that both women had to take up second jobs working at the concession stand at the Drive-In in the evenings.
Gracie walked down the streets of Tulsa, she would usually drive but her car broke down a few weeks ago and she hasn't been able to afford the repairs. So now she had to walk to work.
As she passed by the picture house she saw a red Corvair parked on the side of the road she was walking on with the keys still in the ignition. She knew this meant trouble because the Socs would never park out in the open when they're in Greaser territory, let alone with the keys still in their car.
She was about to cross the road so that she wouldn't run into whoever owned the Corvair. But before got the chance to, she saw a group of Soc boys not far ahead of where the car was parked. They seemed to be circled around someone else on the ground. A boy with long reddish-brown hair.
It was only when Grace saw a familiar group of Greaser boys running towards the gang of Soc boys did she realise who it was on the ground. The Socs jumped up and tried to run at the sight of the gang, but the Greasers got a hold of them and started throwing punches.
Grace wanted to fight too, but figured it was best not to. Instead, she ran up to Ponyboy and dragged him to the side of the building, away from everything that was going on. "Hey, are you alright kid?" she asked, taking a packet of tissues out of her bag and wiping the blood from the cut on his throat.
All her life, Grace had lived next door to the Curtis family. Their mothers were best friends, so the Curtis brothers were like family to her. Since her parents died in the same auto-wreck that killed Mr and Mrs. Curtis, they have become closer than ever. It seemed like Grace was over at the Curtis house more than she was at her own these days.
Ponyboy didn't answer, he looked a bit disorientated at the speed of everything that was happening. Before long, the socs had disappered from sight and the gang had crowded around where he was sitting.
"Are you alright, Ponyboy?" Darry asked as he lifted his brother by his armpits and hauled him to feet, shaking him.
"Quit shakin' him Darry. He's probably dizzy enough already," Grace said pointed out, crossing her arms.
Grace had always been the closest with Darry Curtis, since they were the same age. They both acted like the parents of the gang, keeping the rest out of trouble when they needed it.
"Yeah, quit shaking me Darry. I'm okay," Ponyboy muttered, he still looked shocked but he was coming to his sences now.
Darry let go of him straight away. "I'm sorry," he said and Grace knew that meant it. He doesn't realise his own strength sometimes.
Ponyboy sat down again and started rubbing his cheek, it was definatley gonna be bruised in the morning. Darry jammed his fists in his pockets, a look of worry on his face. "They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?" He asked.
The kid looked up at his brother and nodded. "I'm okay," he repeated, but within a few seconds, Ponyboy had turned as white as sheet and his eyes filled with tears as he started to shake and cry.
Grace sat down beside Ponyboy on the sidewalk. "Easy Pony, they ain't gonna hurt you no more," she said in a hushed voice, trying to calm him down as she rubbed his arm.
The boy turned away and wiped his eyes, not wanting to seem weak. "I know," he breathed, shakily. "I'm just a little spooked, that's all,"
Sodapop stuck his hand out and rubbed the top of Ponyboy's head with a smile. "You're an okay kid, Ponyboy,"
Ponyboy returned his grin as he shook his head. "You're crazy Soda, outta your mind," This made Soda laugh and help him to his feet.
Darry crossed his arms. "You're both nuts," he muttered. Then he turned to Grace, held out his hand and pulled her up. "Thanks" the girl mumbled as she wiped the dirt from her tight-legged jeans.
Sodapop cocked an eyebrow amusedly. "It seems to run in the family," he smiled. Darry rolled his eyes with a chuckle as the gang started walking in the direction of the Curtis house.
