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 ◇ Outside the Curtis House
"What were you doin', walking out by your lonesome?" Steve asked as he flicked the ash off of his cigarette. The gang had made it back home and were standing gathered around the front steps.
Everyone turned to Ponyboy for an answer. "I was coming back from the movies, I didn't think-"
He was interrupted by Darry "You don't ever think, not at home or anywhere that it counts," he looked like he was going to say more, but he stopped himself when he saw the look that Gracie was giving him from where she sat on the top step. They often argued about how hard he was on Ponyboy and he didn't want to fight with her today.
"Leave my kid brother alone, you hear?" It ain't his fault the Socs like to jump us," Soda stood up for Ponyboy.
"When I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid brother, I'll ask you...kid brother," Darry responded, cracking a smile at the last line as he jokingly caught Soda into a headlock.
Gracie watched with a smile as the brother's play-fought but she was brought out of her stare when she heard Dally say her name. "Hey Gracie, you workin' the Nightly Double tommorrow?" He asked, lighting up a cancer-stick.
"Yup, all weekend. Why, d'ya need me to sneak you in again?" She asked. It wasn't the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last. Dally would do anything to break the rules and Gracie would rather he did it without hiding in the back of someone's truck.
The blonde boy nodded as he took the cigarette out of his mouth to speak. "Yeah. Me, Johnny and Ponyboy are thinkin' of headin' over for the second showing. What's on?" He asked, his New-York accent dripping off of his vowels.
The woman thought for a moment. "Uhh, some beach flick with Frankie Avalon. I don't get a chance to look at the films so I can't tell you if it's any good or not,"
Dally shrugged as he inhaled, letting the smoke fill his lungs. "'S fine. I'm not going for the plot of the movie anyways," he admitted.
Soon enough the gang had went there separate ways. Sodapop and Ponyboy disappeared inside the house, racing to see who could get to the shower first. Steve and Two-Bit left to find a poker game that was going on and Dally went to Buck's. That just left Darry and Gracie alone on the porch.
"Are you staying for dinner?" Darry asked as Gracie stood up from where she was sitting.
The woman shook her head with a sigh. "Nah, I gotta go to work," she stood infront of Darry and looked up at him. Being 5"8, she was quite tall for a woman, but he had always been taller.
Gracie saw the look of disappointment on his face as Darry sighed. "What?" She asked, crossing her arms.
"You work too much," he expressed, a look of worry on his face. It's been every day this week that she's pulled a double, working in both the salon and the drive-in and it didn't go without notice.
Grace couldn't help but break into a laugh, a hand on Darry's arm to try to stabilise herself. "No, I'm being serious, Gracie. You haven't had a day off in the past two months... that's not good for ya" he protested.
"Well look who's talking, Curtis! You're working yourself to an early grave," she shot back. It was a true statement and Darry couldn't deny that.
"I know, believe me I do but you're working more than me! The only way I get to see you anymore is if I book in for a wash and blow-dry," he joked. Darry could be real-funny if he wanted to, but that was Two-Bit's job so his jokes were rare.
Gracie cracked a smile as she thought of what he said. "Aw, you miss me don't you?" She taunted, but Darry seemed less than pleased.
"I'm worried, that's all. You gotta promise me that you'll cut down your hours," he asked.
"Ok," Grace started. "I'll cut down my hours just as soon as buisness in the salon picks up," she agreed and kissed Darry on the cheek before she walked down the porch steps.
"Oh- and I gotta pay off the loan I took out to pay for beauty school... and I gotta get my car fixed.. and yanno, winning the lottery would be nice, If I ever actually bought a ticket," she continued to mess with him as she walked down the front yard of the Curtis house.
Darry shook his head with a smile. "God you're difficult, Micheals!" He shouted across the yard.
Grace chuckled "It's one of my best qualities!" She shouted back, taking one last look at him. She started walking down the street to her house, one thought on her mind:
"I can see why I was so in love with him when I was seventeen,"
