Alli's Story (an October Sky fic)

Character

Allison Hickam

Alli

16

5'5"

Hair- Dark Brown

Eyes- Blue

Disclaimer

I only own Allison and Eve, so far... I think anyway. Everything else well, I don't own.

Summary

What if Homer had a younger sister who believed in him and helped with the rockets? What would the other 'Rocket Boys' think? What about their mother, father, and whole town? She's a mechanic (of course nobody knows). She absolutely hates dresses and trys to burn anything in the household that resembles a dress or male dominince over women. (she's not women's lib though, she's just a little sick of her dad trying to run her life). Now take a look of everything through the eyes of Allison Hickam!

Chapter 1

Damn dresses! Mom made me wear one. At least when her and dad aren't home Homer lets me do about anything I want. That other person... our Uncle Dwight on our mom's side who lives with us and just happens to be retarded, also known as our 'brother'. And the mines. They are just great! Everyone in town at least has a hole in their lungs the size of a dime just from going near the thing. Dad works in the mine, Jimmy he'll most likely get a football scolarship to some great college, Homer will end up staying here also working in the mines even though he deserves college more than Jim, me I'll probably become a damn housewife. Yeah, every woman in this town eather is a housewife or works in the family store, if you're lucky you can become a teacher like Miss Riley. Well, there's Homer and his two friends pushing that car of theirs, they all drive it. "Alli!"Homer yells to me. "What?"I asked walking over. "Help push the car,"he sounded exhasted. I rolled my eyes, I knew exactly what the problem was, the butterfly valve wasn't closing the whole way, but mind you my father's speech, 'women should NOT be working on cars, they should stay home where it's safe and watch the kids'. That was only part of the thirty minute speech, which he decided to give me while O'Dell and Roy Lee were at the house. "What do you all think about this?"the store keeper asked us about the Soviet Union launching that giant piece of metal into the sky. We walked over to the coal mines. Someone about died I guess, if that man woke up Dad would be giving him hell.

Once again I'm right! Dad gave that guy hell and fired him. I have to smile at his hardassness though. First period History should be killed an mutilated along with the teacher and principal. History, it's done, it's over with, lets move on! I like to argue with Mrs. Shipman though, that's something else me and Homer have in common when we have an evil plan we get this odd smirk on our face. I raised my hand. "Miss Hickam?"Mrs. Shipman asked. I got that smirk on my face,"Columbus discovered Cuba." "No, Miss Hickam, he discovered America." "But, the map shows the little blue line goin' to Cuba, not to America, he was about two to five hundred miles away from America,"I said still smirking. This arguement went on until the second period bell.

It was time for that Sputnik thing to go through 'the October sky'. I stood by O'Dell, the only normal friend of Homer, Roy Lee he was well, Roy Lee. Roy was trying to teach my brother to be a 'ladies man', I wanted to laugh so much. I shook my head at his advice. "You take her to a scary movie and you slowly put your arm around her," he began to put his arm around Homer. "Then you wait, to be murdered and for your head to be empailed on a stick,"I said smartly. "Smartass,"Roy Lee mumbled. "Just tellin' ya' the truth,"I smirked. "You both do that damn smirk, what is with that?!"Roy seemed to be confused or mad or just well, Roy Lee. People started shouting about seeing the Sputnik. Homer, Roy Lee, O'Dell, and I ran out into the yard. I stood beside O'Dell,"What am I looking at?" "I don't know,"he answered. "I see it!"someone yelled. "I stood in the cold to see a thing that looks like a moving star?!"I asked myself outloud. I looked over to see Homer looking absolutely amazed. "Maybe you should go in then,"O'Dell lead me back to my house, that happened to be nextdoor to the coal mines.

Chapter 2

I sat with Homer, O'Dell, and Roy at lunch as usual. "I'm gonna kill Uncle Dwight,"I mumbled. "Aww, poor little sister what did he do, you know he can't help he's got mental disabilities,"Homer put his arm around my shoulder. "Him and his lackies came in during third period Latin and raised hell,"I told him, he knew what I meant so he didn't ask anymore. Jimmy had this thing to come in during his free period to whatever class I was in and 'disrupt' things. So I have come to a conclusion over the past five years, he hates me and wants to make my life hell. Mom of course doesn't agree, I won't even talk to Dad about it.

Later that day I walked out of the house, still wearing a damn God forsaken dress because Mom was still home, I saw Homer talking to Roy Lee and O'Dell. I walked over,"That's gonna go into Mom's fence." "No, it won't,"Homer crouched down to light the rocket fuse. We all started to back away. "Shouldn't we hide behind somethin'?"Roy Lee asked, as he asked this all four of us were thrown onto the ground. Mom came running out,"Are you alright!? I thought they might have blown up the mine or somethin'." I sat up to see her fence blown out,"Oh shit." "Homer do you know how long it took me to get your dad and the carpenter here to finish that fence!?" Mom loved her fence, me I hated that damn fence, it was what every woman in Coalwood wanted definately not what I wanted. "Sorry Mom,"Homer got up apologising.

"Well, if you go near him you can kiss your social life good bye,"Roy Lee told him. My brother didn't listen and walked over. I finally caught onto Homer's plan and hit my hand to my forehead,"Duh." "What?"O'Dell asked. "He's gonna get science geek over there to help us,"I smirked evilly and began to laugh. "What are you on? And what makes you think you can biuld a rocket?"Roy Lee asked. "Nothin' and I'm a damn mechanic, I think I can make a damn rocket"I got back my composior. "He'll help us,"Homer walked back and we exchanged smirks.

It was sophmore free period. I stood at my locker and saw O'Dell walking down the hall, probably cutting class. "Hey! O'Dell!"I yelled to him trying to catch up to him. He turned around and looked down at me. I held out a book,"Give this to Homer when you see him, he'll need it." "Right,"O'Dell told me. I began to walk away,"Um, Alli." I turned around,"Yeah." "Um, I'll tell ya' later,"he shook his head. I nodded,"Alright see ya'." I walked to science, Miss Riley sat at her desk,"I heard about your brother's rocket." "Yeah, we might making another one, hopefully it won't fly into Mom's fence, this time,"I smiled. "Hey, I saw that O'Dell boy talking to you,"my only friend Eve that was her age and a girl at that smiled. "I needed him to take somethin' to my brother that's all,"I shrugged. "Right,"Eve said not very convinced. You see Eve and the rest of her friends think I have a crush on O'Dell, sure he's cute and all, but... uh... nevermind! We will not go onto that subject! No! That is out of line and, and, not nice, everytime I talk to Eve or any of her friends they ALWAYS go onto that subject, they all go 'We know you like him, Alli, you can't deny it.' Well, they can all go to hell for all I care, I'm not denying anything! He is just a friend, but... shit, no I will not go on, none of you can make me! "Alli,"Miss Riley regained my attention. I jumped slightly,"Yeah." "What do you think of the Sputnik?"she asked. "Well, when I saw it in the sky, I just saw basically a moving star... I didn't see anything else, I mean everyone thought that they would see this huge piece of metal, so it's nothin' to look at, but it's some kind of brakethrew and I think it's inspiring Americans also,"I answered with the best answer I could think of. "Very good, Alli,"Miss Riley smiled as the bell rang.

Chapter 3

We sat in the car. It wouldn't start right. "Your butterfly valve isn't closing right,"Quinton said a matter of factly, Roy Lee gave him an odd look,"I worked on a motor for a project last year." "You wouldn't happen to have it on you would you?" We all got out of the car. Soon enough we were standing in the basement of my house. Roy Lee thought that we could get rid of part of the rocket but, Quinton told him that it was the most important part and a bunch of other shit. "We need to weald this,"Homer said. "Your brother is in metal shop, he could,"I cut O'Dell off by giving him a look that said 'No, I don't think so' and he rubbed his neck and shook his head. "Quinton, Roy Lee come with me, O'Dell you make sure Alli doesn't blow up anything,"Homer gave his orders. I stuck my tongue out.

I was trying to modify something, I felt O'Dell watching me,"I don't need a babysitter." "Who said I was babysitting?"he asked looking at me. I shrugged and put down what I was working on,"No one. What did you wanna tell me earlier?" "Nothin',"he told me. I walked over to him, crossed my arms, and looked at him quizically "Really?" I could tell he had to swallow hard,"Yeah." "I think you're lyin',"I smirked. "Don't smirk like that?" O'Dell shook his head. I laughed,"And why not?" "Just don't." "You and what army are goin' to stop me?"I asked smartly. He poked my stomach, I jumped back and giggled. "Please don't start with this again,"I tried to supress a smile. "I'll only stop if you agree to maybe go out with me sometime,"he poked me two more times. "Okay, I will," I smiled. "Can I kiss you?"O'Dell asked me nervously. I bit my tongue slightly, then smiled,"Sure." He placed his hand on my cheek, I tilted my head up and he kissed me. Then we heard a group of people up stairs, we broke appart and went back to work.