Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders . . . Sad, but true.
Rating: T (just to be safe, haha)
Summary: "I'm not the way you think I am, no . . ." Two-Bit and Dally get Darry to go with them to the drive-in one night, and the older greaser finds out that it has something in store for everyone.
[Based on "Pretty in Punk" by Fall Out Boy
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Outsiders"—S.E. Hinton does. I also do not own "Pretty in Punk" by Fall Out Boy. This is purely fan-written, and the story and band have no relations.
Author Notes: This fic goes out to OneManShow, Lauren, who challenged me to write this fic. Love you!
Pretty in Punk
"Geez, Dar, it's like all you do is read the dang newspaper."
Darry didn't even look up from the words as Two-Bit spoke. He knew what they were up to, and he wasn't going to fall for it.
"C'mon, Dar, stop bein' a wet towel!"
". . . What the hell does that mean?"
"Well, duh, Dal, it means . . . uh . . . I thought it was . . . self-explanitatory!"
"You mean 'explanatory'," Darry put in cooly, turning the page of the paper.
"Yeah, what he said—wait, what?!" Two-Bit scratched the back of his head while Dally slapped himself on the forehead.
"You're an idiot, Two-Bit," the 17 year old muttered, taking a seat next to Darry on the kitchen table. He knew that he was a lot better with words than that stupid lug Two-Bit over there. "C'mon, Darry, why don't you live a lit—"
"No."
Dally shifted his position on the chair, placing his elbows on the table in front of him. He leaned forward, trying to look the older greaser in the face. "Dar, you haven't been to the drive-in in ages!" To this, Darry merely grunted, and Dally continued, "Go with us just this once—like the good ol' times!"
Darry pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, closing his eyes. Good old times? "What good old times?"
"Y'know, when . . ."
"When life was easier! And you were funner!" Two-Bit put in.
". . . There's no such word as 'funner', Two-Bit—"
"That's exactly what I'm talkin' about, man!" Two-Bit slapped Darry on the back. "Let's go, huh? Please? Pretty pleeaaaa—"
"Okay, we'll go!" Darry replied impatiently, standing up abruptly and heading out the door.
"Pleea—wait, what?"
Rolling his eyes, Dally stood up from the table and grabbed Two-Bit by the jacket before he could say anything else stupid enough to change Darry's mind.
As they waited in line to pay, Darry glanced at the two younger greasers over his shoulder, "You guys need money, huh?"
Dally scratched the back of his head, and Two-Bit was attempting to look innocent. "Well . . . they already caught Dal goin' under the fence a whole load o' times that they fixed the fence, and there's barb wire on top o' it now. And uhh . . ."
"Just this once," Darry said sternly, turning away from them.
"Hey, Dar, thanks! What a guy, what a pal—" Two-Bit was interrupted by a smack upside the head from Dally.
"Shut up, Two-Bit, you'll get 'im angry."
The oldest greaser merely rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. The good old times . . . why did he fall for that in the first place? He couldn't even remember the last time he was here, and what was so great about the drive-in. It was just a big screen with something that ran longer than the usual 30 minute shows they showed on tv. There was nothing special about . . .
"Hey, doll, sorry, can't let you cut us."
Darry glanced over his shoulder, only to see what he could've sworn was one of the most beautiful things in his life. Light brown hair, an amazing smile, green eyes that sparkled. She looked right at him with those eyes, as if daring him to speak to her.
"Is that really what you thought I was trying to do?"
"Well, either that or you're tryin' to come on to me . . ." Dally gave her a sly grin, and the older greaser knew that he was . . . examining her features, he'd probably put it. Darry expected his friend to get slapped across the face hard, but it never came. Instead, he heard her speaking once again.
"Don't think that you're lucky enough for me to do that," she retorted.
"No, doll, it's you who's lucky . . ." Without even having to turn around, Darry could practically hear the sound of Dally's leather jacket as he attempted to put his arm around her. But what was surprising was another sound that was caused by said jacket, and Darry actually had to turn around this time, only to find Dally with his arm twisted tightly around his back. "G-goddamn it!" the 17 year old was pushed forward briskly, and the older greaser couldn't help but chuckle just a bit.
"Hey, baby, where'd you learn that? Sure does come in handy against nasty ol' hoods, don't it?" Two-Bit piped up.
She cast him a rather wary glance, as if she was tired of dealing with him. Feeling rather amused, Darry couldn't help but think, 'Yeah, he gets pretty annoying, doesn't he?' And at that moment, she locked eyes with him for a moment, making Darry freeze right on the spot. But within the next moment, her lovely gaze was gone from him, as if she hadn't laid eyes on him at all.
"Well, there was a news article the other day about a man caught inside a woman's house one night while everyone was asleep . . ."
Dally and Two-Bit merely gave her blank stares, while Darry looked on with slight admiration. He'd read that news article, and it had stated, if he could recall, that "all women need prepare themselves because the suspect was still at large" . . .
". . . and I merely found a way to prepare myself because the suspect's still at large."
"Actually, that was Wednesday's paper. Friday, they'd caught him a little ways up north."
Emerald green eyes turned to the older greaser, boring into his skin with an air of superiority. "Oh . . . is that so?"
Darry crossed his arms over his chest, grinning a bit. "Yes, ma'am."
Blinking, she turned away from him, once again forgetting his presence there. "Well, then, yes . . ." she looked bit in Two-Bit's direction, "It sure does come in handy against nasty old hoods." She began standing on the tips of her toes, looking right over Darry's head. The greaser noticed how she looked—green eyes squinting to form a slight wrinkle on the bridge of her nose, flowing hair that accented the figure of her slender face, lips pulled into a rather tight pout, as if she was focusing . . .
" Next!"
. . . And suddenly her gaze was upon him again.
"Next!"
Her lips parted slowly . . .
"NEXT DAMN IT!"
Snapping back into reality, Darry spun around. There was no one else in front of him, except for a rather pissed off-looking clerk. "Sorry about that," he muttered, paying for the three of them.
"Better be . . ."
Darry tried his best not to look mad in front of the girl—trying to keep his calm. Turning away from the annoyed man (who seemed to be rather anxious for the three greasers to get going), he turned back toward the girl. "Um, ma'am, if you'd like, I could pay for your—"
"No," was the curt reply. She continued looking over as many people as she could.
"Are you—"
"Yes."
"Suit yourself, ma'am." With that, he walked through the gate with his two eager companions.
Walking off that stage tonight,
I know what you're thinking:
"He stands alone because he's high on himself."
But if you only knew . . .
"Hey, Dar, cute chick, huh?" Two-Bit elbowed Darry in the ribs, grinning up at him. Darry merely grunted in reply, looking around as if he were trying to seem interested in his surroundings. "C'mon, Dar, Dally an' I saw the way you were lookin' at her . . ."
"Let's get seats," Darry muttered.
Dally and Two-Bit trailed after him, "Hey, Dar, ain't you glad you came after all?"
"Dally, shut up."
There were a fair amount of kids in at the drive-in this evening. Down below were rows and rows of cars. Higher up there were fold-up chairs for those without cars. Darry didn't know what was so great about the place—a black and white movie with the randomest plot in the world. It was supposed to be about a bunch of teenagers and "drama" down at the beach. Why kids would sit here, eat unhealthy snacks, and waste their money while they could be going to the beach instead puzzled Darry, but he said nothing about it. Finding a row of empty seats, the three sat down, and almost immediately Two-Bit and Dally were at home. Their feet up on the chairs in front of them, waving at girls; it was like they owned the place. Almost embarrassed to be with them, Darry stared forward, looking down at the teenage boys with their arms wrapped around girls in the passenger seats.
"I wasn't late—I was here on time."
Looking over toward the voice from the corner of his eye, Darry spotted the girl from earlier. But she was different this time . . . she had a claw of a hand wrapped around her upper arm, and attached to that hand was a nasty-looking guy with 5 o'clock shadow, greasier hair than Two-Bit's, a toothpick hanging from the side of mouth, and a tattered leather jacket with matching jeans ripped at the bottom.
"What kind of shit are you pulling?" the man glared down at her harshly. "Who the hell were you with?"
"No one! I was just standing in line to pay." Those glimmering green eyes from earlier took on a look of annoyance, and her voice was sharper than it was earlier.
"Pay? Doll, I told you just sneak around the back!"
"Do you really think I'm going to break the law—much less jump a fence with barbed wire—when I could spend a few coins on walking through the front?" Her voice seemed exasperated, as if she'd said this a million times before. In reply to this, the man pulled her into the row Darry was in, and threw her onto a seat. He plopped down onto the one next to her, heavy feet dirtying the chair in front of him, and arm flying around the girl's slender shoulders. Darry could hear her let out a sigh, and something along the lines of, "Do you always have to do that?"
"Do you always have to do that?"
She went silent, looking away. It was then that Darry thought she'd seen him, but no. She was merely staring into space.
I was terrified and would you mind
If I sat next to you and watched you smile
So many kids, but I only see you
And I don't think you notice me
Well, I've seen your boyfriend
And I don't think he treats you right
But that's none of my business, is it?
I'm not the way you think I am, no
I'm not the way you think I am, no . . .
Darry sunk into his seat, staring forward at the screen. He unconsciously kept one eye on the couple to his left, hoping that he wouldn't do anything to her. But currently, her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, sitting in her chair in a similar fashion as Darry. When the man's hand traveled down past her shoulder, she would always swat it away.
Suddenly, she stood. "I'm gonna get something to eat."
"Alright, doll, bring me back somethin', huh?"
"Sure," she replied briskly, walking away faster than Darry had expected.
After a moment or two of staring at the boring black and white movie before him, Darry couldn't help it anymore. "Uh, guys, I'm gonna go grab somethin' to drink. Want anything?"
"Yeah, a soda," Dally replied. Darry waited a bit for Two-Bit, but the words never got to him. He was absorbed in the beach and girls in bikinis.
". . . Right," Darry stood up, following in the same direction as the girl had gone. Luckily, the man she was with didn't bat an eye at him.
The only girl who ever gave me the time
Was the one who only wanted five minutes of mine
Knocking boots in the back,
How degrading is that?
I decline . . .
And there she was, standing in line. There were more people there than Darry had expected, but it seemed to be his lucky day. There was no one behind her, so he took the full opportunity to join her. He thought of what he could say to her. "Fancy seeing you here", or "Hey, it's you again", or . . .
". . . Are you stalking me?"
Pulled out of his thoughts, Darry noticed she was staring right up at him. "U-uh—"
"If you are, then . . . well, you've seen my boyfriend, right?" That air of superiority was back.
". . . Yes . . ." he replied, scratching the back of his head. He did all he could to resist grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking her, and telling her what a complete asshole her boyfriend was.
"So what are you doing here?"
Darry shrugged. "Same as you; buying . . . refreshments. This is a refreshment stand, isn't it?" The girl just turned around, crossing her arms over her chest once again. Darry resisted letting out a sigh—how did a girl this stubborn end up with an idiot like that guy back there? "I mean . . . yes, I am stalking you." She turned back around, emerald eyes piqued with what seemed to be curiosity. "And since I am . . . it would only be proper for me to know your name."
A slight smile.
"April."
I'm too terrified, and would you mind
If I sat next to you and watched you smile
So many kids but I only see you
And I don't think you notice me
Well, I've seen your boyfriend,
And I don't think he treats you right
But that's none of my business, is it?
"I thought you were going to buy your boyfriend something here?" Darry asked, carrying out two cups of Coca-cola.
April raised an eyebrow at him. "You really are stalking me, aren't you?"
Darry looked down at the ground, flustered. "No, actually, I just overheard—" He was cut off by her laughter.
"No, it's okay . . . he's not really the best of boyfriends . . . or the sharpest tool in the shed . . . unlike someone else here, apparently." She glanced over at him, and he shrugged. "But . . . it's not like I could just tell him no anymore."
"Why not? I mean, you just gotta— "
"It's . . . not that simple . . . unfortunately." This time, it was all for him—her smile, the twinkling look in her eyes, and . . . "Hey, I never got your name."
"Darry."
"Darry?" She inched closer to him, looking up at his face. "Thanks, Darry." She tiptoed slightly to place a light kiss on his lips. Darry's eyes shut, and he almost crushed the two cups of soda in his hands. Her lips were soft, warm against his . . .
When he opened his eyes she was gone.
I'm not the way you think I am, no
I'm not the way you think I am, no . . .
Guess she wasn't buying a soda after all.
Author Notes: Ohohohoho. I haven't written any Outsiders fanfiction in a really long time now. I wasn't so sure what I was gonna do with the ending, but, hey.
Hopefully I'll get more Outsiders stories up, but, yeah . . .
Please review!