Hello, and welcome to my story "The Gold Girls", I'm very excited to write and share this story. Now just a quick heads up, if you haven't read "The Outsiders" you should before you read this so you know what's going on. But now, here it is, happy reading :)
"Have a nice day." the woman behind the counter calls after me as I head toward the exit.
"Thanks, you too." I call over my shoulder, stepping out into the cool breeze.
I head down the sidewalk, stuffing my new book into my jacket, the sun's just about to start setting, I better head home before Pepper gets worried.
My name is Rainbow, Rainbow Swan, no it's not my real name, well, my last name is. I've gone by Rainbow ever since I was about four years old, I occasionally forget my real name, only Pepper, Tom and Rew know my real name.
I pass by the window of a shop and look at my reflection as I pass. I'm barely fourteen years old, but a little tall for my age. I have long blonde hair that's wavy and slightly messy. My eyes are unusual, they're almond shaped and green, but they also have bits of brown, gold, and blue, but when I cry they turn to limes. I have a slight hourglass figure and soft facial features.
I'm the youngest in my gang, and one of the pets, I'm everyone's kid sister.
I look both ways before I rush across the street to the other sidewalk and continue my way back home.
My sisters and I aren't Greasers, (well, some of us are) but we're not Socs either, we're middle class, when it comes to money that is. But when it comes to our personalities, we're definitely more Greaser.
I personally don't categorize as more Soc or more Greaser. I love the outdoors, books, art, and peace. I'm definitely more flower child than anything.
There's a sound from behind me, I glance in another window of a shop and see a red Stingray car following me, my eyes widen, I know who owns that car.
No, wait, maybe it isn't her, lots of Socs have Stingrays.
But that thought doesn't comfort me because of what I'm wearing. I'm not dressed in my usual in between Grease and Soc look, today I look full on Grease.
I'm wearing Rew's old brown leather jacket, some cut off jean shorts and a pair of ankle boots and I haven't taken my shower yet, so my hair looks oily...or greasy!
So even if it isn't her, I can still get jumped.
I've been jumped once before, it was a very unpleasant experience and I don't want it to happen again.
I pick up my pace, but so does the Stingray.
My teeth grind into my bottom lip and my breathing picks up.
Don't look back, don't run, don't look back, don't run, don't run, don't run, don't-
OH FORGET IT!
I take off down the sidewalk, my feet hammering into the concrete, I'm a fast runner. I rush around a corner and keep running until I'm under a tree that's between two buildings.
"Oh Glory!" I groan, there's no where to go! It's a dead end!
"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!" I say, looking around, I don't see the Stingray, but then again, some Socs drive slowly in order to look intimidating.
And boy howdy does it work.
There's a tap on my head and I scream and look up into the tree, brownish hazel eyes stare back.
"Tom! Oh thank god!" I say, grinning.
"Don't thank God yet, get yer butt in this tree!" She offers me her hand and helps me climb into the tree, I struggle to get up, I may have strong legs, but I haven't climbed a tree in years.
I sit on a sturdy limb and look through the leaves. I see the Stingray pass by, I was right, it is Brea Chase.
Brea Chase is...my nemesis if you will, we've hated each other ever since we first met. She's about sixteen years old with dark red hair that she dyes constantly, dark brown eyes that just scream "I'm a bitch!", and pale skin with one too many freckles on her face.
I breathe a sigh of relief and rub my eyes, which I realize are wet "Thanks Tom, I owe you."
Tom leans back on a branch, "Anytime kiddo."
Tom's real name is April, we call her Tom because it's short for Tomboy, which she is. She's the fifth oldest in our gang, seventeen-years-old. She has rusty-brownish hair that's cut very short in the back with thick shaggy bangs in front, brownish hazel eyes and pale skin.
Tom is a naturally pretty girl, slim face, pretty slightly turned up eyes, and a nice curvy build. But she doesn't really doll herself up like the rest of us: she hates wearing dresses or skirts, hates wearing make-up and nail polish, and cuts her nail very short. Her style is pretty much just jeans, a t-shirt or hooded sweatshirt and tennis shoes or boots and that's it.
And she's amazing at sports! She's very slim and toned because of how many sports she plays!
A take in a shaky breath and let it out, Tom looks at me, "Easy Kiddo, you're alright, they're gone."
"I know." I say. I've gotten jumpier ever since I was jumped, no, I'm not really targeted by the Socs, but I'm targeted by Brea Chase quite often.
"Well, thanks again Tom, I'd better get going." I say suddenly, Pepper's going to get worried.
"What's the rush? You just got here." Tom asks, "C'mon, you haven't been in a tree in ages, let's chill." She pulls out a lighter and a cigarette from her jeans pocket.
"Tom!" I exclaim, "Don't smoke up here! You'll catch the whole tree on fire!"
"Relax! I've smoked in trees before, I know how to prevent a forest fire." She chuckles and takes a puff of the death stick.
This is Tom for you, she's very relaxed and easy going, and she's not afraid to be herself and occasionally lets her "freak flag" fly.
I pull a piece of gum from my pocket and pop it in my mouth, putting the wrapper back in my pocket. I don't smoke or drink alcohol, because I don't want to die anytime soon.
"So Rainbow," Tom says suddenly, "What'd you do make Miss Drama so mad?"
I roll my eyes and blow a bubble with my gum before popping it with my teeth, "Well, while we were in English-"
I'm cut off by Tom laughing and choking on her cigarette smoke, "Oh-oh-oh *cough cough* oh no! What did she do?"
I love English, I absolutely love it, I love literature and art! Reading, writing, and drawing are my life! So mess up on something obvious or insult it, you're in trouble.
"Well, we were reading a story, and she stands up and draws the attention to herself, like usual, and she said 'the epitome (ep-e-tome) of this story is-' and I couldn't take it, and it slipped out!"
"What slipped out?" Tom asks, very interested.
"I gritted my teeth and said 'The word it epitome! (əˈpidəmē!), and you how she hates to be corrected."
Tom rolls her eyes and takes another drag of her cigarette, "Why am I not surprised? She makes mountains out of molehills, she's a drama queen."
I blow another bubble and pop it again, "Understatement, she's the queen of drama queens!"
We laugh for a few minutes.
"So Bow," Tom says suddenly, "What were you doing on this side of town?"
Because, Tom, the other girls and I are middle class, we're not really on the east side, or the west side, we're smack in the middle.
"I wanted to buy something." I say, shrugging.
"What did you get?" She asks.
I unzip my jacket and hand her the paperback book I bought, she takes it and grins, "The Grapes of Wrath." She says, handing the book back, "Shoot, here I nearly forgot how much you love Steinbeck."
I put my book back in my jacket and zip it up, "Tom, I think we should get home, you know how Pepper can be." I say.
Tom sighs, "You're probably right." she says, before sliding out of the tree, after she grinds the butt of her cigarette into the ground she turns back, "C'mon, I've gotcha." She says, holding her arms out.
Carefully, I slide out of the tree and into her arms, she's strong, not Rew strong, but strong. She smiles at me before we make our way down the sidewalk.
It takes a little while, but we finally make it back to our little house, by this time I've spit my gum out because after a few minutes I thought I was chewing on an eraser. When we walk inside, we're greeted with almost all of the girls being in the living room.
Rew is on the floor watching TV, Peach is lying on her stomach on the couch, also watching TV, Straight A is sitting in the armchair reading a book, Hermann is sitting on the arm of the couch doing her nails, and I don't see Pepper. Everyone in the room looks up as we enter.
"Well hello strangers, where have you been?" Peach asks, flipping onto her back and sitting up.
Nikki, or Peach as we call her, is the fourth oldest in our gang, just turned eighteen about a month ago. She has slightly tanned skin, short blonde slightly choppy hair, a thin face and blue eyes that always seemed to be dancing
We call her peach because before we met her, her life was too perfect, it was so perfect it was boring, too "peachy-keen". So she decided to shake things up.
Peach is the perfect mix of dork and badass, she could say something that's funny and kind of stupid, then turn around and pound you, and she, like Tom isn't afraid to let her "Freak Flag" fly, only she does it more often. However, she does know when to act like...herself, and when to act mature.
"I was out for a climb and Rainbow bought a book, we had to take refuge in a tree because Brea Chase was on the warpath." Tom explains, sitting next to Peach. I take my boots off the minute I'm inside, I don't like to wear shoes.
A disgusted groan comes from Rew, "That little Skag." She says in disgust.
Rew, or Vianca, is the third oldest in the gang. We call her Rew because she's a lot like Katherina from one of my favorite stories, "The taming of the shrew". The nicknames "Katherina" or "Kate" or "Shrew" didn't stick, so we took off the SH in 'shrew' and called her Rew. I thought it was clever.
Rew is eighteen-going-on-nineteen, she's very strong and muscular, she has light orange/strawberry blonde hair that's always tied into a braid, dark blue eyes, and a slightly rounded face. She isn't masculine, but she does have a very good build.
Rew has to be the most greaser out of all of us, she wears jeans, fitted t-shirts, leather jackets and boots, she's also the weed-fiend of the group. Straight A, Pepper and I don't touch the stuff, Peach only smokes to look tough, Hermann only lights one at parties occasionally and Tom only smokes once and a while to pass time or settle her nerves.
"Rew!" Pepper scolds from the kitchen, she's probably making dinner, "Don't call people such names!"
"Need I remind you," Rew starts as I sit next to her, "That it was her and her little group of skanks that jumped Rainbow last month!"
After that there's silence from the kitchen.
"Well...it's true." Peach says after a minute.
"Hay algo mal con esa chica." (There is something wrong with that girl.) Hermann says, blowing on her nails to speed up the drying.
Hermann is the second oldest in our gang. Her real name is Celina, but we call her Hermann because "hermana" means sister in Spanish, and because she has all brothers. She's hispanic, she moved to Tulsa from Mexico when she was younger, she moved in with us when she was eighteen.
She's beautiful! Black wavy hair, slender brown eyes, a thin heart shaped mouth with a beauty mark above her upper lip and she has a beautiful, thin, hourglass figure.
Hermann is the party girl of the gang, constantly going to them and hosting them, but she also has a "dark" or "Hood" side. Hermann had kind of a rough life growing up, partly because her family wasn't the wealthiest, so she had to learn to fend for herself and three little brothers.
Once she killed a rat with a shovel right in front of all of us, I had nightmares for a couple of days.
"Hermann...uh, no hablo español." Peach says, eyes shifting back and forth awkwardly.
"She said, 'there is something wrong with that girl'." Straight A says, not looking up from her book.
"Oh, thanks Straight A."
Straight A, or Beatrice, is the youngest in gang next to me, sixteen-years-old. She's the genius of the group, hence the name. She's quiet like me, but unlike me, she'll mouth off if you test her.
She has dark tan skin, dark drown hair that's always tied into two pigtails, with a thin body and face. The real beauty is in her eyes, dark blue, turned up eyes, but unfortunately, they're hidden by the large chunky glasses she wears.
"Anytime." Straight A says, going to turn a page of her book, only to be interrupted by Hermann, who grabs her wrist.
"Glory! Honey, you really need to stop biting your nails, or you'll never be able to wear nail polish!" Hermann exclaims, looking at Straight A's fingers.
Straight A pulls away, "Are you nuts? My old man would never let me wear nail polish!"
Straight A's father is really strict and protective, ever since her parents divorced, her dad got very weird. She practically lives with us, she only goes home to sleep.
It's because of this, that Straight A is the second pet of the gang.
"Well, maybe not nail polish, but at least try to wear better clothes." Uh oh, my eyes shift over to Peach, "You need to stop hiding behind all those sweaters."
I glance at Straight A, she's staring straight ahead, not blinking.
Not good.
"Well, maybe you should try to wear better pants, people know you're a woman, you don't need to prove it to them!" I bite my lip, Peach does wear shorts that are a little too short.
Nonetheless, I haul butt out of there as a snit starts between the girls.
I go to my room and put away my book and jacket before I make my way into the kitchen where Pepper is standing by the stove, making dinner, I walk over behind her and kind of slump against her, resting my chin on her shoulder.
Pepper and I have done this for years, it's kind of our thing.
She reaches up and combs a piece of my hair back before kissing my temple, "Hi Hon." she says
"Hi Pepper."
Pepper, or Marnie, is the oldest in the group, twenty-three-years-old. She's very kind, motherly, and responsible but she knows when to let go and have fun and when to get strict. All of the girls see Pepper as an older sister, but I see her as my mom, despite the fact that she's only nine years older than me.
Shoot, there were a few times I actually did call her Mom!
Pepper loves to cook, hence her name. She's a chef at a nice restaurant in town, so we always have delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner.
She has a motherly yet young face with warm grey eyes and long dark brown hair, she has very strong legs because she was in track in high school, that's why all of the girls in our gang are so fit, because Pepper makes us exercise.
"What's for dinner?" I ask.
"Spaghetti, cornbread muffins, and caesar salad." She says, adding butter to whatever she's working on.
"Oooh, sounds good." I say, taking a whiff of the food.
"Thanks Bab-" Pepper's cut off by a shout coming from the living room, I back up because I know what's coming.
"Girls stop it! Don't make me come in there!" Pepper yells.
Several sorries are heard before it goes quiet in the living room, "So, when's dinner gonna be ready?" I ask.
"Did you hear that that Dallas Winston guy was arrested again?" Rew asks between bites of a cornbread muffin.
"Yup, I swear, it's like he tries to get arrested!" Tom says, before taking a sip of her drink.
"I'm pretty sure he does." Straight A says.
"What did he do this time?" Peach asks.
I drown out what Rew is saying as I take another bite of noodles.
This is the stuff the girls talk about during dinner; what's going on with the Socs and Greasers, who did what, blah blah blah. I'm usually not part of the conversations, I'm usually staring off into space, thinking of all of the stories I could write in my journal, or a picture I could draw.
After about twenty five minutes, dinner's over and we're all arguing about who's going to do the dishes, but after a few minutes Peach ends up doing them.
"Well girls, I better go, you know how my old man can be." Straight A says, picking up her jacket.
"You gonna be okay?" Pepper asks her, helping Peach load the sink.
"Yeah, I only live a block down. I'll see ya."
There's a chorus of goodbyes as Straight A walks to the front door.
After Straight A leaves, Pepper turns to me, "Rainbow, did you have homework?"
"Yeah, but I finished it before I went to town earlier." I reply with a slight shrug.
"Okay, now I need you to take your shower, I know it's early but you have practice tomorrow morning and want you to get to bed early so you don't get tired."
I'm on the school's Color Guard team, we sometimes have practice before and/or after school, and when we do, Pepper makes me go to bed early.
I just nod and head to the bathroom.
After I take my shower, blow-dry my hair and do my other nightly rituals, I head into my room and get into bed. Rew comes in a moment later. Since we don't have the biggest house we have to share rooms.
"Night Rew." I say.
"Night Rainbow." Rew says she turns out the light, then she climbs into her own bed and rolls over to fall asleep.
I nuzzle into my gold satin pillow and lie there for a few minutes, watching the moon through the blinds of the window, thinking about tomorrow, before my eyes slowly drift shut.
And there we go, this chapter alone took me about a week to write! I hope you enjoyed! Stay Gold my friends! :D