Malory POV
I was finally here. Tulsa, Oklahoma. I could finally start the life I've been wanting to start since I was dragged away from it all by my drunken ass father. Oh, let me get you all straightened out and caught up.
My name is Malory Mathews. I have a brother and his name is Keith Mathews, but everyone calls him Two-Bit because of his sense of humor and I have a weird thing with The Wizard Of Oz. He always has to get his Two-Bit's worth in, hence his name. Me and my brother had a really close bond until our parent split up. I was six and Two-Bit was ten. He, luckily, got to stay with our mother and I was dragged off to California with my father. He began drinking and smoking very heavily. He would hit me, beat me, scream at me. I could deal with it all... until he started doing drugs. That was my queue to beat it outta there.
I took my '57 Chevy Bel Air, all the money I could get my hands on, and beat it out of there. Even though I was and am only fourteen, I was taught how to drive by my ex-boyfriend, Alex. We're still really good friends and to be honest, I'm really gonna miss him. Alex is the only person who knows where I'm headed, and the only person I can trust to keep it a secret.
After the billion year long drive to Oklahoma, I was finally here. I was going to find my caring and loving mother, my darling and cute little sister, and my brother. He was the real reason I came for all of this. This was where my life was left behind. The life that I longed to have, feel, see and own again. And yes, I also want to see the gang again.
I was on the side of the road. Well... not me, my car. It finally decided to stop working. After so many years of saving up for it, and after so many months of driving it, it decided to up and quit at the worst of times. Thing is... I have no experience with fixing cars.
I huffed and sighed and rested my head against the hood. There really was nothing I could do except find my brother by walking.
"Excuse me miss, you need any help?" I heard someone yell from behind me. I jumped a little and whirled around. Someone was walking towards me.
He had a very sexy build, very attractive biceps. His hair was greased back, greaser like me, and his nose and teeth were something special. He looked awfully familiar.
"Um... yeah, my car just broke down out of nowhere and... I don't know what the hell to do." He walked up beside me and chuckled.
"That's a very tuff car ma'am." I rolled my eyes but smiled.
"Please don't call me ma'am. Doesn't really tickle my fancy." The boy extended his hand.
"Steve." I shook it.
"Malory," Something hit me. Steve... I know who this person is; and by the looks of his face, he knew me too. "Wait, Steve Randle?"
"Malory Mathews?" We both nodded. The biggest smile spread across our faces and Steve pulled me in for a hug.
"Steve... you don't know how glad I am to see you..." I muffled into his chest. It's been eight years since I've seen anyone from the gang and I was beyond happy about this.
Steve and I pulled apart and stared at each other. "You have changed so much!"
I nodded. I put my hand on his biceps. They were so big. Muscles were a big attraction to me. "You have too sir."
Steve flexed. "You like what you see?"
I pulled me hands back. "More like what I see and feel."
Steve put his arm around my shoulders. "Come on, you remember the Curtis'?"
"Yes, wait, can I get my stuff?"
Steve stopped. "Nah, let me get it."
I threw him the keys to my car. "It's just a suitcase and it's in the trunk."
After Steve retrieved my things I told him everything starting from when me and Two-Bit's parents divorce to when my dad started doing drugs and why I came back here. Steve told me all about the Curtis' parents dying and how the socs were worse than ever.
"Welp," Steve and I stopped in front of a cozy and small looking home.
"Here we are," I took a deep breath. "Nothing's really changed."
"Never does when you're a greaser and your parents are either gone for good, split up, or deceased."
Steve started walking up the porch steps but I stayed where I was. He turned around and motioned for me to follow, but I shook my head. "What if they don't like me?"
"Malory, that's impossible."
"What if Two-Bit doesn't remember me?"
Steve walked down the porch and took my hand. "Hey... I remembered you, didn't I?"
I nodded. Steve tugged my hand. "Okay fine!"
Up the porch we went. Steve opened the front door and walked right in. "Woah, what ever happened to knocking?" I said as Steve dragged me into the living room. I looked around. Nothing's changed. Everything was just the way it was... just the way I like it.
"Hey Steve, that you?" A voice boomed through the house. A big and very muscular, way more than Steve, appeared in the living room doorway. He had a mixing bowl in his arms and was stiring something brown. It looked like cake. He stared at me and then my bag in Steve's hand. "Steve Thomas Randle, who is this?"
I turned and looked at Steve. "See? I told you they wouldn't remember me!"
"No... you said what if they don't like you. You said what if Two-Bit doesn't remember me?"
I rolled me eyes and looked at the man st- Darry! That's who this was! Steve cleared his throat. "Darry, this is Malory. Now, before I mention her last name, do you remember her?"
I didn't know how no one could, I looked just like my brother. Then, out of nowhere, Darry dropped the cake batter and ran over to me. "Malory Mathews?"
"Yup, you do remember!" Darry pulled me in for a hug and I hugged him back. I heard soft footsteps.
"Hey Dar, who's th- THE CAKE BATTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Someone yelled like it was the end of the world. Darry and I pulled apart and I saw two boys, one with gorgeous movie star looks and the other with cute nerdy looks and a Pepsi in hand. They both looked handsome. I recognized Sodapop pretty fast because he was good looking from day one. I realized the other was Ponyboy; the youngest of the gang. I was six months older than him. My birthday being January 13th and Ponyboy's being July 22nd.
"Soda, it's fine. I can always make another batch." Darry moved out of the way so I could be visible to the boys.
"And who's this pretty lady?" Sodapop whistled. Ponyboy choked on his Pepsi.
"MALORY!" He screamed and ran up to me. We hugged until Soda finally remembered and we all group hugged. It was nice being able to remember everyone.
"How have you been?"
"What was California like?"
"Why'd you come back?"
"How's life?"
"Have you seen Two-Bit yet?"
"Do you think he'll still remember?"
"OKAY!" I yelled. Questions were being thrown around way too fast for my liking. "One question at a time means one answer at a time."
And that was how it went. I answered everyone's question. I looked at the clock. 2:38 pm. "Hey Dar, do you mind if I take a shower here before I do anything else?"
Darry and I stood up. "Of course not. Bathroom's right over there."
"Thanks!" I looked over at Steve. "Where did you put my suitcase?"
Steve pointed to beside the door. "Right over there, doll."
I reached in and pulled out a plain white shirt and black high-waisted shorts. I also took some other necessities. I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. It looked like I hadn't slept in days. My hair was everywhere, I had bags under my eyes and I wasn't wearing any makeup. I looked down at what I was wearing. I was wearing light blue kapri pants with slight rips here and there along with a plain black shirt. I never really dug shirts with decorations or words or anything on them. In a matter of opinion provided by me, I think it attracts too much attention. I heard the front door open.
"Hey Dar, what's up with the cake batter?"
"I dropped it."
"Why?"
"Does it really matter?"
"Toushe..."
"Hey guys."
"Hi Pony."
"Hey Darry, who's suitcase is this?"
"...mine. I was cleaning out my room and just found it."
"Who's clothes are these?"
"It doesn't matter!"
I chuckled. Darry was trying to keep me a secret. But from who? I couldn't recognize everyone's voices. I only remembered Steve, Darry, Ponyboy and Sodapop because of their faces. It sounded like there were three new boys here.
I sighed and started the shower. I wasn't really one to hog the hot water and take nine trillion hour long showers. Mine were short and citrus flavored.
After I got done, I put on my clean clothes and brushed my wet hair that I tried to dry with a towel. Looks like it's gonna air dry from here. I tucked my shirt into my shorts and applied a small amount of makeup. Eye shadow, mascara, blush and concealer for my baggy eyes. I put everything back into my small little tote bag and decided to pull my natural white hair into a bun. I looked back into the mirror. I looked a hell of a lot better than I did before I got in the shower.
I walked over to the door, unlocked it and opened it. I stared at six boys in the living room. I walked over to my suitcase and put my things in there and stood up. "Hello to the two of you I don't know, my name is Malory."
The two boys I didn't know nodded, then their faces lit up when they recognized my name. "Nice to see you again Mal." Johnny. I knew that because he was the only one who called me Mal. I looked at the boy sitting next to him.
"Nice to see you too Dallas." Dally smiled, grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the couch and bear hugged me. We had a pretty close bond a while back.
I looked around the room one more time in hopes to see Two-Bit, but nothing. I straightened up my clothes and heard footsteps behind me.
"Hey Darry, you're outta beer. Now who do we have here? Who's gal are you doll?"
I furrowed my eyebrows. "What's with everyone calling me doll?" I said as I turned around. I spotted Darry and his brothers faces as I was turning around and they had smiles as big as the house on their faces.
When I turned around, I froze. My heart stopped as well as my breathing. My eyes widened. It was him. My other half, my guardian, my bodyguard. My brother was standing before me with the same expressions I had.
Two-Bit dropped his beer and started walking slowly, then full tilt sprint towards me as I did the same. The impact we made caused him to stumble and me to fall on top of him and onto ground.
"Malory..." I heard Two-Bit muffle into my neck. It sounded like he was crying. I couldn't have cared less because I was crying.
"Yeah... yeah it's me..." I sniffled. Two-Bit looked at me and I did the same.
"Oh my god." He said and only held me tighter and harder. "Oh my god!" He was crying by now. "OH MY GOD!" And they were tears of joy.
The grip Two-Bit had around my neck was starting to hurt. "Two-Bit... you're hurting me." He loosened his grip and pushed me to the side of him on the ground. He sat up and stood up; helping me off the ground.
"I... you're... how... oh my god..." Two-Bit couldn't find the right words to say and neither could I. We stood staring at each other. Him having to look down because he's four years older than me and he was taller. He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm back... and here to stay..."
Two-Bit pulled me into another bone-crushing hug and kissed my hair, then my forehead, then my nose and then my cheek, then my hair over and over again. "You're damn right you're not going anywhere." And he began whispering sweet nothings into my ears and holding me tighter and closer than ever.
