The remedy is the experience. It is a dangerous liaison
I say the comedy is that it's serious. Which is a strange enough new play on words
I say the tragedy is how you're gonna spend the rest of your nights with the light on
So shine the light on all of your friends because it all amounts to nothing in the end.
I wont worry my life away.
-"Remedy" by Jason Mraz
"This is wrong, you know"
I had been tapping my hand repeatedly on the steering wheel, zoning out as I looked on to the now-darkening road that laid ahead of me from the big piece of tin I was behind. I realized what I had just heard wasn't my inner conscious, but Cherry Valance's voice.
"Uh,….what?" I snapped out of my thoughts, which were all devoted to Tracy Sheldon, then leading back to Jara Pagan. I kept thinking, 'What am I doing!?' I could be creating a monster, or worst, ruining the gawky-girl who's never been known as anything but that girl. Although, in some weird messed-up way, maybe I was doing her a favor.
"What you're planning to do with Jara, I think it's kind of wrong. Both on your part, and my boyfriend's" Cherry elaborated, as I shot a withering glance at her. "…Well, if you think it's so wrong, why are you helping me?" I retorted, suddenly wanting to crash the car and scurry away from the Soc. I didn't feel like talking about this with her, since she sort of knew, I felt the same way towards this as she did. It was wrong, and I am leading an innocent girl on. Yet this is the part where it gets me, totally stumps the hell out of me, why is it that I had no intention on stopping the bet? I wasn't entirely afraid of what those Soc's had in mind for me if I didn't complete the task, but I also wasn't all that obsessed with Tracy to do something so extreme as this. I hardly knew the girl for Christ's sake!
I didn't understand any of my blabbering, since I know all Curtis' are pretty complicated when it comes to feelings towards a specific subject. We never could get why we did some of the idiotic things we often are apart of! I guess, I had a reason to why I was still in this bet but I didn't exactly know what it was yet. That probably makes no sense, but I had the idea, it would soon.
"I'm helping you because I don't agree with Bob. Everyone thinks he's the big man on school ground, and I'll admit, he is but sometimes that popularity gets to his head and it drives me crazy! I mean, I really care about him; we've been dating since freshman year! But I think, now is the time where he should taste a little of his own medicine. That's why I'm helping you with Jara, so, he can realize that he's not perfect, he's not always the golden boy everyone thinks he is and….and…..Well, I guess that's pretty much it" It sounded to me like she had said all that, in one breath.
Staring at her, I cocked an eyebrow, thinking 'Damn, Soc's really do have problems…'
"Well, say something. I know it sounds stupid, and you must be thinking I'm a maniac for-…" I stopped Cherry mid-sentence, even though I did actually think she was being a bit loony, I didn't want her to know I did.
"Ah, don't worry about it. I understand, ya' just want to show old Billy Bob he's not invincible" I said, shrugging and passing a hand through my hair, trying to prevent it from sticking up.
"If you put it that way…" Cherry started, the confused look of a cheerleader which was on her face was replaced by a radiant smile…..of a still confused cheerleader.
Jara's POV
I bounded up the creaky steps of the ramshackle house, my heart was beating so loud, I could hear it. Everything was supposed to unravel tonight, and some part of me, was actually pretty frightened. I stopped in front of the door, my hand about to reach out for the screen knob. 'What are you getting yourself into!?'. That question suddenly rang in my ears, and I immediately let my arm fall limply to my side.
Did I actually think that by showing up here, it would finally bring Pony and I together?
Did I think Sodapop was going to help in doing so? He wasn't a sly rat, and that he might have the slightest bit of heart, as to making someone else's life other than his good?
Letting a small chuckle escape my mouth, I shook my head. None of those questions were true and I already knew it, but why I am standing here now is beyond me. Sometimes, I don't really understand half the stuff I do. Maybe, things are better off left unexplained since most complicated situations are just that.
The front door suddenly opened, and my breath hitched in my chest as I yearned for those long awaited green/gray eyes and that shy grin of his to appear before me.
"You're here, finally" A one Steve Randle said to me; as he opened the screen door further to let me through. I could only stand there, staring at him and feeling oddly let down. My hopeful-dazed expression turned into a lop-sided cringe, and I shrugged my shoulders.
"Where's…Soda?" I asked, stepping into the living room. My eyes wandered briefly throughout the place, since I hadn't gotten a good look the last time I was here. I still couldn't believe I was standing in Ponyboy Curtis' house!
My eye contact met Randle's, and I quickly looked away. Damn, that Greaser sure did creep me out. He didn't answer, just shook his head, and after what seemed to be an eternity of him 'sizing me up', he walked passed me and disappeared into one of the rooms.
"Tsssk…" I sighed noisily, crossing my arms and trying hard not to leave right then and now. Something caught my attention though, and I treaded forward to take a closer look. I could hear voices in the next room, but I didn't pay much attention to them. Picking up the picture frame, a small smile appeared on my lips caused' by the adorable photo of three young brothers wrestling on the floor. Pony must have been only 8 or 9 there; his face was contorted in pure joyfulness and laughter as his brother's tickled him.
I caught a brief reflection of myself in the glass of the frame, and I saw how hideous I really did look. I accidentally dropped it back down onto the table; Pony would never see me as something delicate. He wouldn't ever be able to compare me to one of those flawlessly beautiful women in those Fred Astair movies.
My hand was shaking slightly, and I shoved it into my pocket for it to stop. "Took you long enough…" Soda's voice came suddenly, and I turned around to face him. He stood by the doorway; his hair was barely greased, which made it slung over his forehead. It was unusual him not to be covered in the sticky tar.
"Sorry, I lost track of time" I admitted, but I hadn't really. I was too busy contemplating whether to come or not, then I took another hour picking out an outfit in my flimsy closet. "Where's Pony?" Those words were out of my mouth, the same time they crossed my mind. I bit down on my tongue, and closed my eyes briefly. God, how desperate could I sound?
"He's not here" Soda answered casually, as he approached my standing form closer. I was definitely out of the loop at this point.
"Huh? Why?" I divulged easily.
"He went to the fair, with the guys." He said, as if it didn't even matter. Hello? Did he not realize the only reason I was there was for his little brother! "Only Steve, me, you…. and Cherry Valance are here" He continued, a grin appearing on his face, making his eyes stand out especially, they seemed to sparkle.
"But I thought….I mean….But you said…." I stuttered, so dense as to what the hell was going on to begin my sentence correctly. "…..Hold on, Why is Cherry Valance here….in a Greaser's house? I know I'm not really familiar with any of this but…..I thought you guys are suppose to hate each other!" More confusion was bottling up inside of me, along with annoyance. I've noticed, from the time I've unfortunately had with Sodapop, that he liked to drag things on until he got me completely panicky.
And you know what?
IT'S WORKING!
"Come on, Soda. Cut the crap, and tell me what's going on?" I said, looking up at him, he was so much taller than me. He didn't sky over me like a building, but if he could, I think he could pick me up in his arms and envelope my smaller form any moment….
"Fine, fine! I'll tell ya', I actually had no intent on havin' Pony here because, who's kidding? I doubt he'd see ya' and-.." Hurt sketched through my face then, and he stopped.
"Would want me" I finished, dropping my gaze away from his. "Gosh, Soda, you have the greatest tendency to put everything so simple…You could of just said, I'm ugly, and Pony wouldn't want to ever be with a…nerd like me." I was trying my best, not to let him know this time I actually took offense to his forthright comments on my looks.
"I didn't mean that, Jara….What I'm tryin' to say, is that….You need a little work done on ya', just a little. It's sort of like an…extra push, ya' know? Pony would surely notice after I'm done with you," He said, but I hadn't been looking at his face to see if he was being compassionate or not. Nah, he couldn't.
"Hey" Soda whispered, his voice softer than I was use to. "I didn't mean you were ugly…some people are just different….and you happen to be…unique"
I found myself smiling once more, and I hurriedly wiped at the tears that had sprung to my eyes. I was fine, just fine now. I was almost embarrassed to let myself be taken over by emotions all of a sudden like that. "So, what you're saying is that I need…a make-over, is that it? 'cause I'm getting kind of lost" I replied, my voice sounding a bit croaky to me. Great, I sounded like a freakin' frog now, how attractive.
"No wonder you're are the smartest girl in school….bingo!" He answered, back to his old ways in sarcasm.
I rolled my eyes, "…What do you have in mind?" I questioned, I would be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't the slightest bit interested.
"You'll see….Cherry, can you come in here?" He called into the next room. When I saw her brown-red hair, I immediately knew this was no joke.
"Leave me alone!" She said, and I glanced at Soda. He returned the same bewildered expression I had.
"What? I didn't do anything" Randle's voice broke in, and I saw him come out from the room, behind the fiery-head cheerleader. He had a red streak across his cheek; both Sodapop and I stifled our chuckles.
"You had your hand on my thigh!" Cherry heightened her extremely girlish voice, but from the way Steve held his hand close to the spot she had obviously hit him, I knew she was no damsel in distress.
"Ok, guys…Jara knows what's going down tonight" Soda quickly changed the subject, and got in between the curly-haired Greaser and the rich Soc girl. I honestly didn't really know what was going to happen, but what do I have to worry about? My reputation up till now hasn't been pretty, and I can't brag about being a delinquent either. The biggest trouble I've ever been in, was taking a book from the library without signing it out. Oh, wow, what a rebel I am! No, no, it must be the time I fell asleep with the T.V on…
"Let's get started then, I don't have a lot of time…" Cherry said, taking my arm and beginning to move into the room. I looked back at Sodapop, giving him an unsure gaze but he only nudged me along and closed the door. Leaving me alone, in a cramp bedroom with the school's most popular girl.
Sodapop's POVSitting down next to Steve on the sofa, I couldn't help but get overly anxious. This was really happening, and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I had, had the idea that Jara would be kicking and screaming. She must of wanted Ponyboy more than I thought, but what was I going to say when she finds out that my little brother really had no intention on 'getting with her'? Love isn't suppose to be planned nor promised, it's something that she has to do on her own, which is win Pony's heart.
Yeah, that sounds like a good excuse….
Jara's POV
I sat on the end of the bed, Cherry was standing in front of me, and it seemed to me that she was thinking. She kept humming, "Hmmm" and sometimes saying, "This could work….yeah, maybe a little there…" then she'd trail off, and go back into deep thought. That had been five minutes ago, and I was still waiting for her to return to the land of the living.
"What are you planning to do?" I asked, shyly.
She turned to look into a blue bag she had placed on a chair, and began to rummage through it. "A lot….It's really hard to know where to begin" Cherry said, glancing up at me.
"Jeez, I'm not that of train wreck…am I?" I replied, a pout forming on my non-made up face.
"Wait….I think I got something" Cherry cut in, she outstretched her arms and took the clip I had pulling my hair back, out. "What are you doing!" I exclaimed, as my long hair came tumbling down over my shoulders. Great, it was going to take forever to put it back up again.
The cheerleader didn't seem to mind though; she had a smirk on her face. "I found your problem," She said, as if this whole time she had been inspecting me, which I'm guessing she was. "I have a problem?" I responded, helplessly.
"Yeah, your long hair doesn't go with the shape of your face….but I know how to fix that" She answered, giving a wry giggle and leaving me actually a bit disturbed. Me being the oblivious geek that I am, I blurted out a "What do you have in mind?".
I gasped, right before I saw the cheerleader retrieve shiny metal scissors from her blue bag, and I could see my horrified reflection bouncing off it.
SEQUENCES
Un-wanted tears glazed my eyes, as I stared at my dark locks lying on the wooden floor, I didn't even want to look into the mirror. I kept refusing, every time Cherry pushed her small compact mirror towards my sitting form, although I was too dazed from knowing that the same long hair I've had since I was five, was completely gone, totally hacked off! Ugh.
"Your hair looks gorgeous, Jara!…If I had a weirdly shapend head like yours, and didn't already have great hair, I would most definitely get the same style" The cheerleader gushed for what seemed like the thousandth time she kept raving on about what a fantastic job she had done on hair. I apparently didn't believe Jack nor one second of it.
"What are you talking about!? I look like a freakin' boy!" I practically cried out.
"No way, it suits you perfectly. My friend Marcia has the same haircut and she has boys falling at her feet" The redhead reassured me, as she flashed a huge smile and then narrowed her vision to look into her "magic" blue bag. Damn, how much stuff could she keep in there? What is she? Mary fuckin' Poppins!
"Stop lying-.." At that very moment, I caught glimpse of myself in the bed stand mirror and as I got up, my face was contorted in shock.
"Oh my god…" I whispered, finally seeing the full-frontal part of my new haircut. "Stop being so melodramatic, Jara. Your hair looks wonderful" Cherry reminded me. I replied by breaking out into excitement. "Of course it does!" I exclaimed, rather loudly.
"I can't believe I didn't do this sooner" I continued, passing a hand through my silky black hair that ended slightly above my shoulders.
"Maybe it's because you didn't have a great stylist like me to do it" Cherry said absently, as she continued to rummage once more in her bag. "Yes, got it" she let out, when her hands wrapped around some object I couldn't tell what.
"I don't know how I can repay you!" I responded, turning back towards the cheerleader and giving her a hug, although I'm usually the kind of person who doesn't really show lots of affection towards people, especially someone like Cherry Valance, I just couldn't retain myself.
But the Soc didn't seem to mind, she smiled and giggle good-heartedly "I'm glad you like it that much", She pointed out.
"I do…Well, I better be going now, it's getting kind of late…bye" Just when I was about to head to the door, and reach for the knob. I felt Cherry's hand around my arm, "Oh no you don't, we still have a lot left to do" She explained, bringing me around in a circle which made me fall back onto the bed with a "thump"
"When was the last time you cleaned these monstrosities?" The cheerleader asked, as she hovered in front of my sitting form, she was staring down at my eyebrows which must of looked like hairy barbed wire really.
"Apart from ever…" I replied, rolling my eyes and giving a rather annoyed snort as Cherry continued to move my head from different positions, trying to find a good angle. Maybe I shouldn't get so bothered by that, at least she was making an effort to watch how she did my eyebrows carefully. I didn't want to step out of this room looking like Beaver Clever.
"Figures" The Soc muttered, but when I was about to retort some sort of comeback, I yelped "Ow!" instead. Feeling a sudden pain between my eyes, as Cherry continued to pluck my eyebrows with her tweezers.
"…So, you and Pony, huh?" She out of the blue began to make conversation, while I tried hard not to curse out-loud. God, how did all those girls in school go through this process, without wanting to faint? It had to be a new kind of torture…
"Um, how do you know about that?…If it was Sodapop, I'm going to kill him…or just stare at him until he gets mad" I said, predicting an impending headache coming along.
"It was a hunch, I'm good at telling these things" Cherry replied, looking down at me briefly with a smile and continuing to do her job.
I shrugged, trying not to be so obvious. Geez, did everyone know I had a thing for Ponyboy Curtis? "To be completely honest, the only reason why I'm here is for him." I admitted, suddenly over-taken by embarrassment. I felt my cheeks flush somewhat, and I tried avoiding the cheerleader's knowing gaze. Although, it would be much easier to do if she weren't two-inches before my face, looking directly in between my eyes.
"That's cute" She commented, passing a thumb over my eyebrows which, hopefully, meant she was done. "I'm done!" Cherry finalized, sighing as if she had just come back from a hard day's work.
"Marvelous…Can I go now?" I replied, unintentional mockery of her voice vented in mines.
"Nope….Gosh, has anyone ever told you that your pores are as big as a route canal?" Cherry straightened out her back, and turned to poke around in her make-up kit. "Wow…." I said, in fake awe. "Do you even know what a route canal is?"
"Let's not get snippy here, don't forget who's doing you this favor…" She reminded me, taking a blush brush and passing it across my pale cheeks. "Yeah, and why is that? I'm still not understanding why you, out of all people, decided to do this for me?" I was still completely in the dark to how I got myself into this; it couldn't have been so easy as Sodapop wanting to help someone out in their love-life. There was something more, and I had a strange feeling, I didn't want to find out.
"You don't know, do you?" Her small powdery-smelling brush stopped in motion, and she observed me with an almost disdainful expression. "Know what?" I countered, getting tensed from the third degree the Soc was turning into so rapidly.
"Uh" The cheerleader stammered, a blank appearance visible on her flawless face. "Nothing, never mind" She finished, shaking her head from a small bemuse, probably from the heat that was building up upon us in the small cramped room we were in. I decided not to push any further into the conversation, but I definitely could sense something fishy. I'm not completely dunce.
Sodapop's POV
Right after I saw the almost fear stricken look Jara had on her face before she disappeared behind the door of my room with Cherry, I hadn't even left the doorway, and that was about two hours ago. Leaning on my arm, which was against the wall, I waited impatiently for the end results of this makeover. I didn't even realize I was sweating something fierce, was it out of anticipation or the heat?
"What's taking so damn long?" I asked out-loud, nervousness crawling up on me. I raised my hand up to my face, and began biting at my nails, I stopped when I tasted the car grease which was left over from today's work at the DX under my finger nails.
"Sit down, Soda, let the Soc do her thing. You saw the geek, she aint' exactly a beauty to begin with…" Steve reassured, while sitting back patiently and not to mention, comfortably on my couch. Before realizing what I was doing, I gave Steve a small glare. For some reason, I didn't like him even mentioning Jara in that kind of way. Sure, she wasn't exactly the next Judy Garland but she still deserved some respect. It just bothered me.
Steve noticed my change in mood, and quickly commented on it "Shoot, what crawled up your ass and died?" Okay, I guess you could call it a comment. Us Tulsa Greasers weren't big on using correct sayings.
"Nothing, I'm just a little…testy. Do you realize if Jara doesn't even pass as good-looking to those damn Socs, it could mean my firmly toned ass?" I was beyond frustrated at this point. Testy couldn't even be a good word to sum up how I was feeling at the moment.
"Don't sweat it, buddy. I think the Soc can pull it off…" He said, giving me his best "it's going to be alright" face. I sighed dramatically, laying my back on the wall and beginning to bump my head repeatedly on it. I kept hearing the girl's voices here and there, but it was pretty much only "Ow! Oh no, you're not using that thing on me", they were mostly Jara's by the way.
"Sit down, man! You're making me nervous by being so fidgety" Steve broke the silence that was building up again, and brought me back from losing myself in my thoughts again. Gosh, I can't even remember ever thinking so much, I usually have a lot of energy and skip that part.
I noticed my foot was stomping itself on the floor, and I was drumming my hands nonstop on my side. "You're right, I should sit down." I agreed, stepping forward and dropping into the seat next to the curly-haired hood. He grinned as I sat down, and patted me roughly on the back "That's a good Curtis'"
Eyeing him, I arched a warning eyebrow "Don't push it"
He brought his hands before himself, "Warning taken…. Why don't we watch some T.V? It'll take your mind off of waiting" Steve suggested, reaching to turn on the television set. I groaned, shaking my head "I couldn't possibly watch T.V now…"
"Come on, loosen up" My best friend said. I gave him a tiresome smile, and replied "Sorry, man. Don't think I could concentrate while watching "I Dream of Jeannie"…"
He laughed, "I know I wouldn't! She's sure is a looker! I don't know how that Major Nelson can control himself with a fox like her running around in those pink pants and that shirt, which looks more like a brassier" Steve continued, nudging me and furrowing his eyebrows.
"Beat's me…. I'm more of a "Bewitched" kind of guy…" As those words came out of my mouth, the door to my room began to open. I immediately shuffled to my feet, but stood where I was. Steve did the same.
The first person to come out of the room that I shared with Pony, was Cherry. She looked as if she had arrived from working hours in a factory. "Well?" I suddenly said, anxiousness seeping from every pore in my body.
"Gentleman and…..Um, well, Gentleman, I present to you, after hours of grueling work….the new, and approved, by the fabulous Sherry Margaret Valance…."
"Are you done yet!?" Steve and I burst out at the same time.
"Sorry, I didn't realize you two were so…Testy" That word again. She scowled at us some more, and after crossing her arms, she continued. "Before I was so rudely interrupted…Say hello to the new, not really improved, but kinda new Jara Pagan!"
I waited expectantly for her to appear, my mind racing with a billion images of how she could look like. When Jara didn't come out from the room, I moved forward from where I stood, it was like everything was in slow motion.
"Jara Pagan, get your cute butt out here!" Cherry ordered, all signs of exhaustion were gone. She poked her head into the room, and I heard them start to argue. "No! I'm not going out like this…. I look like a…a…" The cheerleader cut off Jara with a "You look like a Prom Queen, a freakin' jaw-dropper…Now, come out….Before I get tired of being nice, and decide to personally torture you everyday of your life with those tweezers"
"There goes that sweet-and-innocent Soc image" Steve muttered beside me, I nodded numbly. Wanting to run into the bedroom, and see how the "bet" looked.
"…Fine, I'll go"
The first thing I saw was a small foot step out from behind the wall, it was encased a black stiletto heel, her crimson polished toes peeking out from the front. They went along with her golden skin. 'She had the cutest toes ever…'
My eyes trailed up her strongly built legs, they were incredible. Her dimpled knees, which the trim of her red dress ended. I hadn't even seen her completely, and yet her surprising chiseled body was absolutely breath taking. This is what she was hiding under those baggy mismatched clothes of hers.
I continued to look at her curvy hips, which were clad with a scarlet dress that once belonged to Sandy or was supposed to anyhow. I had bought it for her the day before she dumped the news that had me crying in bed for weeks.
But at this very second, Sandy was as far from my mind as she could possibly be and that dress, I'm glad I kept it….
It looks fantastic on Jara.
Being the guy that I am, I couldn't help but also notice that above her flat abdomen were her small breasts, which a long pendant hung in between so gracefully. A tin red strap attached to her outfit was swooned around her bare neck and tied itself there. I didn't realize, I could see so much of her beautiful upper body without the long ponytail she usually had.
Surprised, my mouth hung open slightly, ok, my jaw was on the floor! Cherry's earlier comment was right on the spot, she was a jaw-dropper, and she did look like a Prom Queen, including much more. Her hair was cut above her creamy-colored shoulders, and a lock from her dark tress fell beside her now sea-green eyes, which were timidly looking down at the imaginary spot on her manicured hand.
She bit her crimson colored bottom lip, and I almost jumped back when she looked up and met my eye contact. My heart was pounding for some reason, and I felt like I was under a spell…. over the loser of Tulsa High! It dawned upon me that I shouldn't be so enthralled with the bet.
Jara's POVWhen I stepped out into the living room, it was filled with gawking faces, even though technically it was only two and one that I was beginning to become highly afraid of, I wanted to hide under a rock.
I tried not meeting anyone's stares, by watching intently at my hand. Wow, I still wonder how it could be possible for a person's nails to look so shiny…
Wonderful, I sound like one of those stereotypical flakes at school.
I began to bite my bottom lip, tasting the lipstick and grimacing, until I met Sodapop's gaze. Oh god, he looked like he had seen a grizzly bear. I felt stupid all of a sudden, and thought that maybe I had wasted my time here. "You-you look…incredible" those words were almost foreign to me, no one's ever said that to someone like me. What shocked me even more was that Sodapop Curtis uttered them.
"Not bad…Not bad at all" Randal was saying, gulping down the lump that I could see was in his throat loudly, and passing a hand hurriedly through his hair.
"Not bad? I did a great job on her!" Cherry said, it sounded like I was an object or machine that had needed tuning.
After looking back and forth from the cheerleader and Randle, I realized Soda was still gaping at me. I shifted uncomfortably, feeling self-conscious but that wasn't new, I always felt this way but I sure never looked like this though!
I was prodded lightly on the back by Sherry, making me stride closer to the Greaser, but right when I saw his hand reach for mines, another one grabbed it instead.
Randle looked down at me, a smirk on his face, I could see his front tooth was slightly chipped. "Ok, no mustache to be seen, no hairy armpits, and definitely no hairy legs, she's good to go" He observed me.
"So, she's not a hairy girl, what's that suppose to prove?" Cherry Valance retorted.
"It means she's decent looking enough to…." Randle started, but was pushed to the side unexpectedly by Soda, the hood's hand loosened its grip on mines. Since I wasn't wearing pumps, which I was more use to in walking then these stilettos that have been branded by me with "Killer High Heel Shoes", I began to stumble forward.
I was moments away from meeting my fate with the living room floor, when I heard a ""Hey, Soda! Me and Two-Bit are back!" And the slam of the screen door. As I came tumbling down, arms abruptly came to my rescue. It was actually more like I fell into them. I quickly steadied myself by gripping onto the strangers (I thought they were Soda's) forearms, while I tried getting back onto my standing position.
When I raised my head, I found myself staring back at a pair of green/gray eyes.
They could only belong to Ponyboy Curtis.