The Curtis Girl
An Outsiders Fan-Fiction
By tylersimmsluver731846
Full Summery:
What if Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy Curtis had a younger sister? And what she ran away with Johnny and Ponyboy to the church near Windrixville? This is the story of Scarlett Maria Curtis, the only hard-core Greaser-Girl. Told in Scarlett's POV. Takes place during the movie and follows the movie. Johnny may come back to life (key word: "may"). There will be at least one flashback in each chapter. In the first chapter, there will be a flashback for when Scarlett first met Dallas, a flashback for when she first met Steve, and a flashback for when she first met Johnny. I'm saying that Two-Bit had known her since she was born. Johnny Cade Scarlett Curtis. One sided Dallas Winston Scarlett Curtis. Enjoy! Also, flashbacks will be told in third-person POV.
Key:
CAPS = change in time and/or place during a chapter.
Underline = word that is stressed.
Underlined and Slanted = a word that is stressed in a thought
Bold = Flashback
Bold and Slanted = someone's thoughts during a flashback
BOLD CAPS = change in time and/or place during a flashback
Slanted = Thoughts of a character.
: Brittany.
XxX
Chapter I: Home from the Movies. (Scarlett's POV)
My older brother led me out of the movie house and I could tell he had only two things on his mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I knew this because I was thinking the same things. "Ponyboy, can we walk home? Darry, Sodapop, and Steve might still be at work, Dally is in jail, I have no clue as to where Two-Bit is, and I don't know where Johnny is."
"Sure, Scarlett Rose." Ponyboy smiled.
Oh, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Scarlett Maria Curtis, but my nickname from my brothers is Scarlett Rose. I'm a thirteen year old Greaser-Girl and I'm a freshman because I skipped two grades. I have shoulder-length red hair that is so wavy that it's almost curly, purple eyes, I weigh 100 pounds, I stand at five-foot-one, I'm the youngest of a family of four, and I am positive that I'm the only girl in Tulsa who doesn't wear dresses or skirts. Instead, I wear jeans, sweatpants, and shirts (not blouses). My three favorite pastimes are reading, writing songs, and then playing those songs on my guitar that I got for my twelfth birthday. My parents died in a train accident about eight months ago, so I'm left in the custody of my three older brothers.
Darrel, or Darry (which is what I've called him when I first said his name and have been saying ever since) was the oldest-oldest. He was twenty years old and he looked big, strong, and intimidating. He seemed like he was a football star and he was. He got a scholarship for sports but even with the scholarship, we couldn't afford to let him go to college. Then, mom and dad died in a train accident and Darry was forced to roof houses in order to make money. He also carries two bundles of roofing at one time while going up a ladder. I've told him a billion times that he works too hard for a twenty-year-old man and that one day, he's going to get hurt from carrying so much roofing up a ladder. He told me not to worry and he ruffled my hair and then went off to work.
Sodapop, or Pepsi-Cola as Dad used to call him (ever since Dad died, every time Sodapop's upset or angry, I'd walk up to him and ask "what's wrong, Pepsi-Cola?" and that always makes him smile), is the second-oldest of my brothers. He has wheat-golden hair, dark brown eyes and looks like a movie star. He's crazy and fun-loving and almost always smiling. There's barely been a time when Sodapop hasn't smiled. The funeral of our parents is the second time that I remember Sodapop crying. The first time I remember him crying was when Mickey Mouse, a horse that was Sodapop's favorite horse when Sodapop was working in the stables around the rodeos, was sold and taken away. Soda had cried all night that night. After Mom and Dad died, Sodapop dropped out of school just so he and Darry could keep me and Ponyboy in school. He always sticks up for me and Ponyboy. When Sodapop sticks up for Ponyboy, it's usually because Darry's giving Ponyboy a hard time about something small. Sodapop sticks up for me when a few Socs are bullying me or if another Greaser is giving a hard time about how girls shouldn't wear jeans and don't belong in a gang. Sodapop and his best friend, Steve Randle, just happened to be on their way home from working at the DX Gas Station that they work at the first time that it happened and they both beat the crap out of that Greaser.
Ponyboy is my all-time favorite brother. He is the one whom I look up to the most. When I need someone to talk to, I usually go to him. If he's not around (which is very rare), I go to Sodapop. He has an imagination that always amazes me. He also loves to read and watch movies. When he goes to the movie house, he lets me come with him if I wanted to. He and I both like to live the movie with the characters and feel like we're actually in the movie. Ponyboy has brown hair that almost looks red, grayish-green eyes, and he has a slight build. He's very smart and he daydreams a lot. He doesn't mind the fact that I idolize him. He often tells me that I'm the greatest sister that he could've ever have. He and Darry have not gotten along very well since Mom and Dad died.
Anyways, Ponyboy and I were standing outside the movie house, talking about how the movie was, when a red Corvair filled with five Socs pulled up. Ponyboy and I started walking back home, but the Corvair kept following us. When we were almost half a block from our house, we were cornered by the red Corvair. The five Socs filed out and surrounded us. Either Ponyboy or I had ever been jumped before. I was thinking about how one of our friends, Johnny Cade, was beaten nearly to death by a few Socs, and let's just say that it was not a pretty sight.
"We're gonna give you two greasers a haircut. Get 'em guys." Then, two Socs started tackling me to the ground and three Socs were trying to take down Ponyboy. They got me onto the ground and one cut a chunk out of my hair.
"Scarlett! Run!" I heard Ponyboy order me. I kicked a Soc in the groin and I was able to get up. But, as I tried running, they tackled me to the ground again. One Soc sat on my stomach and held a switchblade against my neck. "Get off of my sister!" Ponyboy yelled at the Socs as he started to escape but the two Socs attacking him held him tight and forced him to watch me.
"Stick her. Stick her." Two of the Socs around me chanted as the one on my stomach said "Maybe she's got an itch right here." As those words left him mouth, I felt the blade cut across the skin of my neck and I started kicking the Socs around me as I screamed for my brothers. The Soc on my stomach shoved a handkerchief into my mouth.
Ponyboy was still trying to escape and then I heard yelling from behind me. All five Socs attacking me and Ponyboy got up and ran back into the Corvair. I also saw a few boys that I knew were running after the Socs. As soon as Ponyboy was free, he came over to me. I was shaking like a leaf and I felt like I was going to start bawling. Ponyboy looked the same way I felt, but he was playing tough to help me. Then I saw Darry run over to Ponyboy and me. I also heard the Socs driving away.
"They didn't you two badly did they?" Darry asked. Pony and I just shook our heads.
Then, Sodapop knelt down next to me. As he saw the cut on my neck, his eyes widened. "Scarlett Rose, did they pull a blade on you?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah." I managed to choke out before I had to look away. My vision was beginning to blur because of the hot tears that were now falling down my face. Plus, I was shaking like a leaf in a twister. I didn't like crying, especially in front of my brothers, and I knew that the rest of the gang must be here, since it was a Friday afternoon.
Sodapop gently forced me to turn my head to look at him. "They ain't gonna hurt you or Ponyboy no more." He assured me.
Ponyboy took my hand and helped me to my feet. Then, as we started walking back to the house, Darry started scolding Ponyboy.
"What were you thinking about walking your little sister home by yourself? You don't ever think." Darry accused my favorite brother. I glared at him. I was the one who wanted to walk home in the first place. Of course, Ponyboy never blamed me for anything that he thought wasn't my fault.
"All's I did was walk Scarlett Rose and I home from the movie." Ponyboy defended himself.
I wasn't just about to let Ponyboy take blame for my stupid choice to walk home with him. "Darrel Curtis, leave Ponyboy alone. I was the one who convinced him to let us walk home instead of waiting for one of the guys to come get us." I ordered. I only used my brothers' full names when I was really angry.
Darry wasn't listening to me though. "Movies and books. Movies and books." He said in annoyance. "I just wish you would concentrate on something just once in a while."
Sodapop smiled at Ponyboy. "Maybe you should concentrate on girls and cars. That would work for me." He joked, trying to lighten the mood.
That's my brother. I thought while rolling my eyes at my life-drunk brother.
Darry looked like he was trying to suppress a smile. Then he turned back to Ponyboy. Somehow, he had a stick in his hand that I didn't notice before. "Look, if you really had to take your baby sister, you should've carried a blade." Darry suggested.
"Yeah, that would've given the Socs a great excuse to cut Scarlett's neck a little more." Soda pointed out.
"And I am not a baby. I'm thirteen years old, for the love of God!" I stated to my oldest brother. I hated being treated like a baby.
"Look, when I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid brother and my kid sister, I'll ask, alright?" He told Sodapop, but he let Pony and I off. He headed back into the house and Ponyboy spoke.
"Jezz, Soda. Why does he always have to be like that?" Ponyboy asked.
"He's just got more worries than he used to." Soda answered.
"How's the kids?" I heard a voice that I haven't heard for a good three weeks. Dallas Winston.
I met Dally when I was seven years old and on a walk with Soda, Steve, Two-Bit Matthews (a boy I've known my entire life), and Darry. Soda and Steve were both 11, Two-Bit was 12, and Darry was 14.
Flashback: DATE: JULY, 1955, TIME: ALMOST NOON
A seven-year-old version of Scarlett was holding hands with a 14-year-old version of Darry on her left and an 11 year old version of Steve to her right. Two-Bit, who was 12, was walking next to Darry and Sodapop, who was 11 like Steve, was walking beside Steve. Darry was just beginning to get muscles from playing football and he looked more fun-loving and outgoing. Soda still looked life-drunk and Steve looked like a fun-loving 11-year-old boy. Two-Bit had his usual happy smile. Scarlett had a different hairstyle, a short Bob-style that barely passed her chin. She was still pretty small for her age but she had a smile that no one could resist. The five kids were on a walk around the neighborhood.
Just then, a boy with brown hair that wasn't greased, clothes that clearly screamed that he was a hoodlum, and blue eyes that had hatred for the world burning in them came up to them. He looked about Soda and Steve's age. Scarlett was scared by him and quickly hid behind Steve, who still held onto her hand and in reassurance. Soda, Steve, Two-Bit, and Darry wouldn't let the hood in front of them hurt her.
"Hello. Can we help you?" Darry greeted the hood.
"The name's Dallas Winston. I'm kind of new in town so I wanted to make new friends." The hood explained. He luckily didn't see that Steve's left hand behind his back, which he held Scarlett's hand with.
"Oh. Well, my name's Darry Curtis. This is my younger brother, Sodapop," – he gestured to Soda who smiled his usual crazy smile – "his best friend, Steve Randle," Steve gave a small smile. "And our friend, Two-Bit Matthews." Two-Bit smiled.
Dallas noticed that Steve had his hand behind his back, as if he was holding the hand of someone who was behind him. "Is there someone behind ya, Steve?" He asked.
Steve sighed in defeat. Scarlett knew how terrible he was at lying. The hood named Dallas would certainly see through the lie. Then he turned around to face Scarlett. "Come on, Scarlett Rose." He ordered softly.
Scarlett Rose sounds like a strange name. Dallas thought to himself.
Then, a small seven-year-old girl came out timidly from behind Steve. Dallas smiled at her in a kind way that wasn't normal for him. She was too cute for him to jump. She had red hair that looked like a mix of auburn and strawberry-blonde, light purple eyes that weren't quite the color of lavender, and she was wearing a pair of jean shorts and a purple t-shirt that matched her eye color.
"What's your name?" Dallas asked, trying his best not to make her scared. She hesitated so he turned to Darry. "Is she okay?"
"She usually acts like this when she meets new greasers. She's always afraid that they're going to jump her." Darry explained. Dallas turned back to the girl.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you." Dallas told her.
"I'm Scarlett Curtis." She answered in an angel-like voice.
"She related to you, Darry?" He asked her oldest brother.
"She's the youngest of our family. We have another brother, who's a year older than Scarlett."
"Two-Bit! Steve! Darry! Pepsi-Cola! Scarlett!" They all looked back towards the house to see Darry, Soda, and Scarlett's mother walking towards them.
"Hi, mommy." Scarlett greeted her mother. Mrs. Curtis looked a lot like Sodapop. They had the same wheat-gold hair, but Sodapop acted more like her dad.
"Who's this?" Their mom asked, noticing Dallas. She never judged anyone until she knew enough about them to know what they were like.
"This is Dallas Winston, Mommy." Scarlett answered. He hasn't jumped her yet, so she thought she could trust him. Plus, he looked like he was trying not to scare her. So, he obviously wouldn't harm her.
"Would you like to join us for lunch, Dallas?" Mrs. Curtis offered.
"Do you mind?" Dallas asked.
"Of course not." Mrs. Curtis assured.
"Thanks, Mrs. Curtis." Dallas smiled.
Then, Mrs. Curtis walked back to the house and Dallas turned to Darry. "Do you mind me having lunch with your family?" He asked.
"Nope, as long as you don't hurt Scarlett or Ponyboy." Sodapop said.
"Who's Ponyboy?" Dallas asked.
"Ponyboy's my third oldest brother. He's only a year older than me. Soda's my second oldest brother and Darry's the oldest." Scarlett explained.
Dallas smiled down at her and ruffled her hair. "You're an okay kid, Scarlett." He complemented the girl. Then, they all started to head to the Curtis house and suddenly, they heard Scarlett screaming from behind them. They all turned to see a 16-year-old Greaser holding Scarlett in his grasp, his hands keeping Scarlett's hands behind her back.
"Let me handle this joker." Dallas ordered the other four boys. He moved closer to the Greaser who was taller than him and glared at him. "Let her go." He ordered.
"Make me, kid." The Greaser taunted and he moved closer to Dallas.
Then, Dallas punched the guy's nose, causing a sickening crunch to fill the air, followed by the guy swearing with every word possible. His hands flew up to cover his now bleeding and broken nose, freeing Scarlett from his hold. Scarlett rushed to hide behind Dallas.
"You'll pay for this, kid!" the Greaser shouted before running off.
Dallas picked Scarlett up and carried her over to her brothers and Steve. She's pretty light for her age.
"Thanks for saving Scarlett, Dallas." Darry said. Scarlett looked Dallas in the eye and smiled.
"Thanks, Dally." She said, using the nickname she just made up for him.
Two-Bit, Steve, and Soda started cracking up and Darry snickered. "Looks like Scarlett's warmed up to you, Dallas."
"Does she usually warm up to strangers this quickly?" Dallas asked. There was something about Scarlett that made him feel like he belonged. His father hated his guts and his mother died right after she gave birth to him. He hated his father and for the longest time, he thought that the whole world hated him, just like his father did. But this child, who he just met, made him feel like he was cared for by at least one person. That was the reason he saved her.
"No. Usually it takes a long time for her to treat someone like family. It took her three weeks to trust Steve like a friend and it took another four weeks for her to feel like she could trust him with her life. She's known Two-Bit ever since she was born so, she warmed up to him pretty quickly." Darry explained.
They finally reached the Curtis Home and ever since then, Dallas was a good friend to the Curtis Family, especially Scarlett. He saved her multiple times from both greasers and Socs.
End of Flashback
Back to reality.
(Back to Scarlett's POV)
"We're fine." I assured Dally. He smiled at me. He and I have been very close ever since the day I was saved by him when we first met. I was often able to keep him from getting into a lot of trouble. Mom was also able to keep Dally out of trouble.
"What are you doing out of the cooler, Dal?" Ponyboy asked. Then I remembered that he was arrested about month and a half ago for shoplifting. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail. It was early for him to be released. Not that I wasn't happy to see him again. I just didn't know if he broke out or if the fuzz (which is my nickname for the cops) let him out early.
Then Two-Bit and Steve came up and Steve turned to Ponyboy. His nose was bleeding, probably from one of the Socs. "What'd you two doing walking by your lonesome on the street, huh?" He asked.
"None of your business, Steve." Ponyboy said. He and Steve didn't get along very well.
"What do you mean none of my business? It is my business! Look at my nose!" Steve said angrily. He always did have anger problems.
I met Steve for the first time about two months after Sodapop started second grade. I had just turned three the summer before. Sodapop had just turned seven a few weeks before I met Steve. Two-Bit was in third-grade at the time and was turning nine a few weeks after I met Steve.
Flashback: DATE: NOVEMBER ,1952, TIME: 7:15 AM
A three-year-old version of Scarlett was sitting on the couch next to a four-year-old version of Ponyboy. They were both watching Mickey Mouse. Soda and Darry were getting ready to go to school because it was a Friday morning. As a commercial for a new product came on, Soda turned to his Dad.
"Dad, can I have a friend over tonight?" he asked. Scarlett looked at her second oldest brother. She never met any of his friends so she didn't know what they were like and she was apprehensive about it.
"Which one, Pepsi-Cola?" Mr. Curtis.
"Steve Randle. The one I met on the first day of second grade." Sodapop answered.
"Okay, son. He can come over with you after school. Is his staying for the night?" Mr. Curtis asked.
"Can he?" Soda asked hopefully.
"Sure, Sodapop." Mr. Curtis said.
"Thanks, Dad." Soda said happily. Then, Darry called from the porch.
"Come on, Sodapop! We'll be late for school!"
Soda gave Scarlett and Ponyboy both a hug and hugged his dad and his mom kissed his forehead. As he was walking out the door, Scarlett's little voice called after him and Darry.
"Bye, Sodapop! Bye, Darry!" She called.
Mr. Curtis took Ponyboy to preschool about an hour later as he went off to work. They couldn't afford for Scarlett to spend two years at preschool. They only had enough money being saved and saved up for Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy, and Scarlett to go to grade school, junior high, and then high school and for Ponyboy to go to preschool.
LATER THAT DAY, TIME: 3:30 PM
It was half past three and Scarlett had just woken up from her nap five minutes ago. Luckily, when Scarlett wakes up from a nap, she's never crabby. She's just sleepy and sluggish. She was just laying on the couch watching Mickey Mouse again. Then, she hears the door open and she hears Sodapop's voice greeting her mother a bit too loud for her tastes at the moment. Then, she hears her mother scolding Sodapop.
"Soda, your sister just woke up. Tone it down, please." She said. Then she got up and spoke again. "Are you Steve Randle?" she asked.
That was when Scarlett remembered that Sodapop was bringing a friend to sleep over for the night.
"Yes, ma'am." A boy's voice confirmed Mrs. Curtis' curiosity.
"Come on in. Where's Darry?" Mrs. Curtis asked. Scarlett remembered that Darry was staying after school to practice for a football game.
"Mommy, Darry's staying after school today for football practice." Scarlett's little voice chimed, causing everyone to look at her. Scarlett was sitting up now and looking at her mother, her crazy brother, and the boy known as Steve.
"Are you sure, Scarlett?" Sodapop asked.
"I overheard Darry telling Dad about it last night before I went to bed." She explained.
Scarlett hopped off the couch and walked over to Soda, wanting him to pick her up. Soda got the message and lifted her up. Steve smiled at Scarlett when she caught his gaze and she looked away quickly, leaving Steve looking confused.
"Scarlett, that was rude." Mrs. Curtis chastised her daughter.
"Sorry, Steve. She just takes a while to warm up to new people." Soda explained.
"It's okay." Steve said shrugging.
A few weeks later, Scarlett was warmed up to Steve and she trusted him. She and Steve got along very well, better than Steve and Ponyboy got along. Steve treated her like a little sister and he warmed up to Two-Bit pretty quickly. Steve thought that Ponyboy was just a tag-along, which made Scarlett confused because Ponyboy was only four when Steve started thinking of him as a tag-along.
End of flashback.
Back to Reality:
(Back to Scarlett's POV)
"It's huge, like it always has been." I joked with Steve. He shot a glare at me, but he couldn't keep from smiling which got rid of his anger. I had this knack for making people smile no matter how they feel.
Steve shook hands with Dallas and then, Steve ruffled my hair. For some reason, people liked to greet or acknowledge me by ruffling my hair.
"I thought you were in jail for 90 days, Dally." I stated.
"Yeah, I got out early. Good behavior, you know." He explained.
"Sorry if I have a hard time believing that." I smiled mischievously.
Dally smirked at me good-naturedly. Then he turned to someone behind me. "Hey Johnny, man. How's it going?"
I didn't even notice Johnny standing behind me. Then again, he was usually pretty quiet so, if he doesn't say anything or if I don't see him, I don't even notice if he's around or not.
I met Johnny a few days before my ninth birthday. I was walking home from the movies with Ponyboy.
FLASHBACK: DATE: JUNE, 1957, TIME: SOME TIME AFTER FOUR O'CLOCK PM
Scarlett, who was turning nine in a few days, was walking home from the movies with Ponyboy, who was almost ten years old. Suddenly, they heard the sound of a gun shot and it sounded close by. Ponyboy walked forwards trying to find whoever fired the gun.
Scarlett suddenly felt someone crash into her. She fell to the ground and felt someone on top of her. Ponyboy obviously didn't hear anything because Scarlett hadn't made a sound and he didn't turn around. Before she could tell the idiot to get off her, the weight on her back disappeared and she was able to sit up and turn to see who ran into her.
She saw a boy of about 12 looking back at her blushing. He had darkly-tanned skin, jet-black hair that had more grease in it than she ever saw on any Greaser, huge black eyes, and he had quite a few bruises on his face. She noticed that his eyes held fear in them.
"I – I'm really sorry." The boy stammered in embarrassment.
"It's okay. I'm not hurt." She assured the boy as she got to her feet. She held her hand out, offering to help him up. He hesitantly accepted her offer and she helped him to his feet. He was taller than her by about two inches, yet she knew that he was slightly shorter than Ponyboy. Then, Ponyboy's voice sounded behind her. Speak of the Devil. She thought.
The boy immediately looked scared again. "I – I didn't mean to run into her. Honestly." The boy said quickly. Ponyboy looked at her.
"I'm not hurt." Scarlett assured her brother. Then she turned to the boy. "It wasn't your fault. It was just an accident. Are you okay?" She asked the boy. Honestly, he was pretty cute.
"Yeah, I'm okay." He murmured.
"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you look like you just got beaten by someone." She stated, trying not to offend him.
"I was." The boy said quietly.
"Was it a Soc?" Ponyboy asked.
"No, it was my old man." The boy answered hesitantly.
"Your own father abuses you?" Scarlett asked in disbelief.
"He gets drunk a lot." The boy said.
"That's terrible and illegal. Have you told the police?" Ponyboy asked.
"No." the boy murmured. He seemed like he didn't want to talk about it. So Scarlett changed the subject for him.
"I'm Scarlett Curtis." She introduced herself to the boy, holding her hand out.
"I'm Johnny. Johnny Cade." The boy smiled shyly, shaking Scarlett's hand. He looked thankful for her changing the subject.
"I'm Ponyboy, Scarlett's older brother." Ponyboy smiled.
"Wait, was it your dad who fired that gun?" Scarlett asked before she could stop herself.
"Yeah, that's why I was running. I wasn't paying attention to what was in front of me. I was just trying to get away from my old man. So, I ended running into you, Scarlett." Johnny clarified.
"Well, if you need somewhere to stay and you don't want to go home, you can come to our house." Ponyboy offered.
"Is that okay with your folks?" Johnny asked.
"Oh, yeah. We never know which of our gang would be laying on our couch when we wake up. We always have our door unlocked, so if one of our gang needs someplace to crash for the night, they can just come right in. Usually, it's Dallas Winston having a hangover after a party." Scarlett smiled at Johnny.
"You know Dallas Winston?" Johnny asked.
"I met him when I was seven and I'm turning nine in a few days. So, I've knew him for almost two years." Scarlett explained.
"Do you mind if I stay at your house for a while? I don't really want to face the old man right now." Johnny asked.
"We don't mind. Come on." Ponyboy said.
Ever since then, Johnny was a member of the Curtis Gang. Dallas treated Johnny just like he treated Scarlett, except he treated Johnny as a brother and he treated Scarlett as a little sister. Everyone in the gang treated Johnny as the kid brother except Scarlett, who treated Johnny as a big brother, just like she did with Ponyboy.
Johnny, Ponyboy, and Scarlett became very close to each other. Johnny really liked Scarlett. She was always there when he needed someone to cheer him up. She deeply disapproved of Johnny being abused by his father, but both she and Johnny knew that she couldn't really help him like she wanted to. Johnny was very thankful for Scarlett's gift for cheering people up when they needed it. Just her being with him made him feel better. She was always able to make him feel like he belonged. She also started calling him Johnnycakes which always made him smile or even laugh. Soon, rest of the gang started calling him that name at certain times.
End of Flashback
Back to Reality
(Back to Scarlett's POV)
"Things would go a lot better if the Socs stayed on the South-Side of town." Johnny said bitterly. He was beaten pretty badly by the Socs a few months ago, but I didn't like to think about it because the memory of that day sometimes came into my dreams.
"Well, don't you worry about that, Johnny, 'cause we're gonna have it out with them soon or later." Steve told Johnny.
"Sure as hell we are if they keep coming onto our side of town." Soda added. The Socs were the South-Side rich kids while us greasers were the poor kids who lived on the North-Side of town.
"Damn right." Steve agreed.
Johnny looked at the cut on my neck and pulled a bandana out of his pocket. "Here, Scarlett Rose." He said as he threw it to me and I did catch it. I smiled my thanks and placed the bandana on my cut. It stung a bit but my mind forgot about the sting as I started wondering if the Socs who tried to jump me and Ponyboy were the same guys who jumped Johnny.
"Hey, Johnny." I asked. He looked up at me to show me that he was listening. "Those Socs who tried jumping Pony and I, were they the same guys who jumped you?" I asked apprehensively. I knew Johnny hated to think about that day, but I couldn't hold back my curiosity. Johnny understood my hesitation to ask him this because he knew that I didn't like bringing it up anymore than he did. I fainted in horror when I saw how beaten he was that day. I was used to seeing Johnny showing up at my house with bruises and small cuts from his dad, but I couldn't take that he was beaten near to death.
Johnny was a good kid. He was there for me when someone gave me a hard time about something. When I was ten, there was a day that I was walking home from school. Just as I was off school property, a Soc cornered me and gave me a hard time because he thought I had spray-painted his locker. I was usually blamed by Socs for things that happened to their stuff just because I was different from the other girls. Johnny just happened to be walking by when he heard me telling the Soc that I wasn't the one who spray-painted his damn locker. (I did say that to the Soc.) Then, the Soc slapped my face so hard that I fell the ground. Johnny hadn't been jumped yet so he didn't mind beating a Soc dumb enough to hit me for any reason because I cared for Johnny and Johnny cared for me in return. Johnny clobbered the guy and helped me get home safely. My face was bruised for a good week and a half, but I was thankful for Johnny sticking up for me like he did, even though I didn't think it was really necessary to knock the guy unconscious, like Johnny did.
"No, they were some other guys." Johnny answered.
Dally spoke up then. "Now that I'm out, I'm gonna make it my business to get the guys who did that to your face." He promised. That was a promise that I knew he would keep.
Two-Bit spoke then. "What do you think about me becoming you and Scarlett's personal bodyguard, huh Ponyboy?" He joked.
I held back a fit of giggles and that was somewhat successful. The only one who noticed that I wasn't trying to burst out laughing was Johnny. He smiled at me making me blush ever so slightly that no one would noticed that I was blushing.
"I don't think it's so hot of an idea." Ponyboy smirked.
"How about you and Sylvia come over to the game with us tomorrow night?" Steve asked Dallas.
Sylvia was Dally's girlfriend who often cheated on him while he was in jail or in reform school. I didn't like her at all. One time while Dallas was in the reformatory, Sylvia started flirting with Johnny. Steve and I saw her flirting with Johnny one day and I was not happy, just putting it mildly. I pulled Sylvia away from Johnny – who looked relieved and surprised to see me and Steve – and I told Sylvia that if she tried any of her tricks on Johnny, then I would personally beat the tar out of her. I really would've done it too and Steve and Sylvia knew I would. About a month after Mom and Dad died, this one Greaser girl said that I was a slutty whore because I hung out with seven older boys and had no female friends and I had beaten the sh*t out of her and I didn't even had one of the boys with me. I did get grounded for two days by Darry for it. Sylvia left and Steve gave Johnny a lecture on how no good broads like Sylvia could get him in a lot of trouble. I was offended by Steve not pointing out that I was not that kind of girl. So, I protested by asking if I was a no good broad. Steve got the message that I wanted Johnny to know that he wouldn't have to worry about getting in trouble with a girl like me. Steve then told Johnny that I was safe to be around. Johnny looked happy by that. He and the whole gang knew that if they treated me with respect, I would treat them with equal respect.
"I want to go." Ponyboy's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"We're taking Evie and Sandy." Soda told Ponyboy.
"Which means no kids allowed." Steve added. He knew that I knew perfectly well that if they were taking girls somewhere, then I wasn't allowed to go. I didn't mind. They were teenagers and they wanted to spend time with their girlfriends. I wasn't going to intrude on their privacy.
"Big deal." Ponyboy muttered.
Evie was Steve's girlfriend and Sandy was Sodapop's girlfriend. Evie and Sandy and I got along very well. They knew that I might be different but that didn't mean that I didn't deserve respect. They also knew better than mess with me, because the whole gang won't let anyone get away with messing with their kid sister. Sandy and Sodapop were great for each other and I approved. Sandy and I met at a party during the summer before school started this year. She was amazed that I skipped two grades which made me a freshman in high school. She was the one who introduced me to Evie. Evie was a good girl. She cared for Steve and she cried the one time that Steve got hauled into the fuzz station. Luckily, he was proved not guilty and Evie and I were thrilled. They were also amazed by the fact that Dallas and I were very close to each other.
"No, I'm gonna go hunt some action. Little kids are allowed." Dally said smirking.
"Pony, Scarlett and I will go with you, won't we, guys?" Johnny said, looking at us.
"I don't know, Dallas. My brothers and I can't get in any trouble with the fuzz. Darry says that the court will split us all up for sure if any of us get in trouble." I reminded my friends.
Johnny nodded when I caught his gaze. He knew better than anyone outside of my family that the last thing I wanted was to be separated from my brothers. Plus, if that happened, then I would also get separated from the gang. After I told Johnny that (which was after Mom and Dad's funeral), Johnny told me that he didn't want me to leave.
"Hey, who's looking for police trouble? I just want to go see a movie, like the good old days, right Johnny?" Dally said.
Johnny gave me his pleading look that just made me give in. But I wouldn't completely give in until I had permission from my brothers. "Can we go, Ponyboy?" I asked my favorite brother, also giving him my best puppy dog eyes.
"If Darry says yes." He said.
"Okay." I replied. Johnny put his arm around my shoulder playfully and I shook it off and then narrowed my eyes at him jokingly, making him smile. I didn't mind Johnny doing something like that with me because I knew that he was just joking. He never went too far with it. The most he's ever done was kiss me on the cheek when we were alone. That only happened twice, the first time happened sometime last year before Mom and Dad died and the second time was about a week ago. The others don't know that Johnny's kissed me on the cheek before, not even Ponyboy knew. The most they've ever seen was him placing his arm around me playfully and then I shake his arm off and narrow my eyes jokingly. They take it as a sign that Johnny's becoming a bit more social with others, starting with me.
Then, Two-Bit jumped into the conversation. "I was planning on putting down a couple six-packs of Bud, but if I don't get too drunk I'll come over and join ya'll."
It's an uneventful weekend if Two-Bit doesn't get drunk for the entire weekend. I thought while shaking my head at Two-Bit. I've known him for literally my entire life and I still haven't figured him out yet.
Then I heard Steve say something. "Hey guys, check this out." I turned around, causing Ponyboy and Johnny to look at me, and then they followed my gaze to see Steve doing a flip off our truck, which caused me to giggle. Ponyboy just turned back around while Johnny just stared at me.
"What?" I asked him.
"Nothing." He said. I knew that he was hiding something, but I didn't push it. I never tried to pry anything from Johnny because he had his secrets and if he didn't want to tell me, that is fine with me. Then, he ruffled my hair.
"You guys want to give me a push start?" Two-Bit asked Ponyboy, Johnny and I as he got into his car.
"Not really, but we will." Ponyboy replied.
Johnny, Ponyboy, and I got behind Two-Bit's car, Ponyboy on my right, Johnny on my left, and me in the middle.
"All Right! Let's go!" Two-Bit called from inside his car. We started to push Two-Bit's car and just before the car got onto the street, it was able to run by itself. "See you guys later." We heard Two-Bit call to us as he drove off to Heaven-knows-where.
Ponyboy went inside to start on his homework while I stayed outside with Johnny and Dallas.
"I see you've got your ring back Dal." Johnny told Dallas.
As Dallas closed the gate in front of our house, he explained why his ring was back. "That little broad was two-timing me again while I was in jail. I'll see you guys later." He said while turning to leave.
"All right." Johnny said.
"See you later, Dal." I said. Then, I heard Darry's voice coming from inside the house.
"Scarlett, you've got homework."
I turned to Johnny. "You going home, Johnnycakes?" He smiled when I used his nickname I had given him and then he shrugged.
"I don't know." He told me. I smiled at him.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I said as I went inside.