Out Camping: And Outsiders Fan-fic

A/N: Yay! Another Outsiders story Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 1: A Camping Trip

Ponyboy POV.

I should have known better than to sit behind Sodapop, my fourteen year old brother, in Life Science

Anyway, it was time for Life Science class and since it was the only class me, Soda and, Johnny had together, I figured I would give him the benefit of the doubt and sit next to Johnny and behind Sodapop. I should have known the trouble was coming. I mean, in all the other classes I share with Soda, he's a complete class clown, but again I didn't use my head. I should really listen to Darry more often. At first, everything was fine. Soda was being quiet, which was unusual but good, while our teacher, Mr. Hendricks explained the health behavior of a rattlesnake. I was following along in my book when a noise in front of me caught my attention.

"Pssst, Pony." Of course, it was Sodapop.

"What Sodapop?"

"Wanna ditch class?"

"No, now pay attention." I hissed. It was loud enough to attract Mr. Hendricks's attention, so I gave him a weak smile. He gave me a look and went back to his lecture. He was now going on about a class trip that would earn people a whole bunch of credit. I wasn't interested. Usually the only people to go on those things were brown-nosers and failures. I turned my attention back to my book and read more about the life cycle of a bear before I was distracted again.

"Pony?" It was Soda again.

"What Sodapop."

"Could you do this homework for me? I would but I'm bad at math." I sighed and looked at the paper. Soda was good at getting me to do stuff like that. I frowned.

"Soda, you o know this is from two weeks ago, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So why are you asking me to do it now? It's too late."

"Nonsense. It's never too late." I rolled my eyes.

"You're not makin' any sense. And no, I ain't doin your late homework." I looked back at the front of the room and grimaced. We had the attention of Mr. Hendricks again.

"Would you like to share something with the class Mr. Curtis?" I said no just as Sodapop said and stood up. I groaned buried my head in my arms.

"Sodapop, sit down!" I hissed as everyone turned to look at him. I grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him down, but got nowhere.

"Pony stop. Now, I believe that this is Life Science where we do in fact study the science o life, right Mr. Hendricks?" Mr. Hendricks just sat there, smiling. I was desperate to get Soda to shut up before he said something stupid. I love my brother, but now was not the time for this.

"So why are we sitting here, studying how a rattlesnake shits?" There it was. The stupid thing that would get him and me both in trouble. It didn't matter that I hadn't been the one saying stupid things. Teacher's in general didn't like us greaser's and when one got in trouble all greasers within a three foot radius of him got in trouble too. Bet my life Johnny would get it too. Naturally Mr. Hendricks said nothing about what was just said, just went back to the lesson. Great, he was going to dog us at the end of class. Eventually Sodapop gave up and sat down. I groaned to myself and ignored him the rest of the class. The class went by faster and when the bell rang, I jumped out of my seat, desperate to get away before I got into trouble I was stopped at the door.

"Mr. Curtis, could you and your brother stay after please." I cursed to myself and walked back to my seat. Johnny got a little beyond the door before Mr. Hendricks called him back. Told ya. Johnny grimaced and sat next to me. Mr. Hendricks waited until everyone was out before calling us to his desk.

"Boys, I wanted to call you up to inform you that you are failing this class." This shocked me. I knew for a fact both me and Johnny scored high on tests and homework, however, Soda was another story.

"Excuse me? How am I failing?" I asked.

"Ponyboy, while you are scoring extremely high in the work part of this class, your constant interruptions in class are bringing you're grade down." My interruptions? I had never interrupted the class. It was Soda who did it, whether I was sitting near him or not made no difference. I wanted to say this, but I had to stick up for my brother.

"Well, how can we bring our grades up?" I asked Mr. Hendricks grinned and I had a feeling I wouldn't like the answer.

"If you were paying attention in class, you would know." I wracked my brain, trying to remember the parts of today's lecture. It dawned on me.

"The camping trip?" I asked. That wasn't so bad. I mean, I liked nature and all. Mr. Hendricks nodded and picked up a pile of papers.

"These are permission slips and information about the trip. I'll need them turned in to the front office by the end of the week." I said, handing a thick packet to each of us. I turned to Soda to see he had a horrified expression on his face. I guess he had never really liked nature.

"You are dismissed." I walked out with Soda and Johnny on my tail. It was lunch, so they followed me to my locker.

"I can't believe this. You talk a little and they sick you out in the wilderness for a week!" He said, throwing his all his stuff except the packet in my locker too. He often did this, since his locker was on the other side of the school and I was sure he had forgotten where it was. Johnny put his books in my locker too and we walked out to the parking lot to meet Two-bit.

"I mean, my grades aren't that bad, are they Pon?" I hated to go against him, but I was a little pissed about my grades slipping just because he couldn't keep his trap shut.

"Well Soda, you do interrupt the class a lot." Johnny nodded beside me.

"Do not. Name once!" Was he being serious?

"Soda, today asked why we were studying how a rattlesnake shits just because you got caught talking while he was. You could've just said sorry and listened." He snorted.

"I had every right to be talking!"

"No you didn't! It was in the middle of class time. You were supposed to be listening. This is your own fault." Soda wasn't able to retort because we had reached Two-bit's car. It was surrounded by Two-bit, Steve, Soda's buddy, and Darry, our brother who was a senior. He was the main reason why we h never gotten hazed when we started high school this year. All the other were too afraid to get on Darry's bad side.

"What are you two arguing about?" Darry questioned as we got into the car.

"Soda got me and Johnny grades dropped in Life Science so we all have to participate in this camping trip." I handed him the packet of papers. Two-bit looked at them as he put on his seat belt.

"Ugh, you got sucked into that too? I have to participate if I want to progress to the tenth grade so I guess I ain't got a choice. He said, starting the car. We got out of the parking lot and set on the street to my house.

"Why are we heading toward the house?" I asked.

"Darry forgot a project so we need to go pick it up." Steve said from beside me. His elbow was digging into my side so turned and scowled at him. It was no o all the gang but Soda that Steve disliked me with a fiery passion. The feeling was mutual. I knocked he elbow out from my side and elbowed his arm. He smacked it and hit me in the arm. The fight was on. I hit him as I could and yelled in pain. He smacked the back of the head so hard I hit Darry's seat. Darry turned when I ricocheted of his seat.

"Hey, hey, hey. Knock it off you two." He then proceeded to try to get us apart by himself which wasn't easy as he was wearing his safety belt. Our fight only stopped when Two-bit slammed on the brakes and both me and Steve ended up on the floor since neither of us had bothered to buckle up.

"Don't make me stop this car and come back there." Two-bit said in falsetto voice. I couldn't help but laugh at how much he sounded like my mother. I got back into my seat still with the rest of the gang we were almost to the house so I didn't bother to safety belt myself in. We pulled up to the house a few minutes later. Mom must have known we were coming because he had lunch all ready for us. We all sat down at the table. Dad was o course at work but mom went ahead and ate with us.

"So how was school, Pony?" Mom asked.

"Fantastic. Soda got me in trouble and now I have to participate in a camping trip since the teacher lowered my grade." I said through a mouthful of tuna sandwich. I ignored the dirty look Soda gave me and handed her the packet. She set down her sandwich and looked through it. Soda kicked me under the table and I returned it, but missed and kicked Johnny instead, who was sitting next to Soda. He winced but said nothing as usual. I sent him an apologetic glance as my mom finished reading.

"It sounds good. I'm assuming you got one too Soda?" Soda nodded and went to go get it from wherever he had set it.

"You know Darry, this sounds like a really good opportunity to spend some quality time with your brothers before the school year ends and your off to college." Mom continued. Darry looked disgusted.

"Mom! It's the still the beginning of the year! Besides, I spend plenty of time with Soda and Pony." That was a lie. Every time we got remotely close to spending quality time together, Darry was off with his football buddies to 'study' aka, go party into the wee hours of the morning so he could stumble into the house smelling of whiskey and perfume.

"You do not and you know it. No, I want you to sign up as a chaperone for this. It'll be good to see you boys spending time together like a family." Okay, even I had to admit that was way too corny. Soda came back with his sheet and mom collected it too, taking them into the kitchen to sign. Soda turned to me.

"This is all your fault."

"How is this my fault? You're the one who couldn't shut up about shitting snakes." He scowled and sat as mom came back with the signed papers.

"Here, you can turn these in when you get back. Can both of you make sure Darry signs up for chaperoning when you get back?" I nodded while Soda looked confused. He had missed our earlier conversations.

"Sure thing mom." I said cheerfully as Darry now kicked me hard. I just gave him a smug smile.

"Well, it's time to go guys. Thanks for lunch Mrs. Curtis." Two-bit said, standing up. Darry excused himself to get his project from his room. We could heat him banging around upstairs. Mom went to the dishes while the rest of us waited for Darry to return.

"What was mom talking about Darry chaperoning?" Soda asked me in a low whisper.

"She making Darry chaperone the trip so he can spend some quality time with us before he graduates." I whispered back. We both winced as something heavy landed against the wall upstairs He wasn't too happy.

"Whatever you destroy Darry, your cleaning p and replacing." Mom called form the kitchen. I know Darry heard her because the noises stopped. He appeared seconds later with a pack of papers.

"Let's go." Darry grumbled. Darry demanded to drive this time. He often since Two-bit just got his license a little over a month ago. Two-bit gave up the keys easily and sat shotgun on the way back to school. We left the others and made our way to the front office. The dumpy receptionist took the papers with a smile and handed us supply lists then gave Darry the chaperone sheets which he begrudgingly filled out right there.

Since it was still lunch time, me Johnny and Soda went to the cafeteria to mingle.