Hello everyone, this is the first story I've written in a long time and one of the only one I have faith in so here ya go. I hope you enjoy my re-telling of The Outsiders from the gender bent Sodapop, ie: Sunshine Curtis. I also have the first five chapters already completed so expect sosme-what consistent updates.
I do not own The Outsiders nor any of the characters mentioned aside from Sunshine. Thank you!
I used to hate the name Sunshine. Sunshine wasn't a first name, it was the thing that came down and gave you freckles in the summer. Well I'm lying. When I was just a little girl I loved it dearly, but then as I grew up I hated it more and more. Boys made fun at me at school. I tried to tell them how original my dad was and that he was the coolest man ever but they wouldn't listen. It was easier for them to laugh and that made me angry.
But after my folks died and it was just me and my two brothers I learned to love it again, not because I liked having an odd name or boys stopped teasing me, but because my dad had given it to me. I missed when my parents would sing to me "you are my sunshine." And sometimes when I closed my eyes real tight at night I could hear them singing it to me, but that was only sometimes. I kept that inside though, it was my little secret. I needed to be strong for Ponyboy and Darry. Ponyboy needed someone he could look up to even if I was a bit of a screw up and Darry needed someone he could depend on all the time.
I was always known as the happiest of kids, all smiles. Even though we didn't have much money I always had family that filled my life with everything it needed. My life was happy until that tragedy, it tore so much of my heart away from me. Even after that though I had happy times, my brothers and I grew such a strong bond and respect for each other, they were all that I had. I loved everyone I was surrounded with.
My mama always wanted a girl since she was a little girl and had her baby dolls. Darry came and she was sure I was gonna be a boy too but when I came out she was overjoyed. I looked like her too, the same eyes and golden hair. My dad would never admit it but he wanted a girl more than anything too.
I would cry every time my mom stuck me in a dress and tied my hair in bows, I was a crybaby from a very young age. So she started letting me wear Darry's old pants instead and even started to hem the ends because Darry was much bigger than I was. She sighed when I'd rather go outside and work on the car with Dad instead of be in the kitchen with her but she did teach me how to bake a chocolate cake. And I loved my mom dearly but me and my dad... we were closer than anything.
He never judged me like everyone else in my life, that I wasn't a "proper girl". And when I started getting in fights at school and or on the street and coming home with bruises my mom would get fiery mad at me. But my dad would tell her he was taking me on a drive to talk about it but instead he would bring me to Dairy Queen and buy me an ice cream and ask me if I beat the guy I got in a fight with which I always did. My mom didn't even like Steve, my best buddy, when I first brought him home because he was a boy. But she even grew to love him and treat him like another son of hers.
My heart ached thinking about them.
"Hey Sunny!" Speaking of, Steve waved his hand in front of my face. "You still here?"
"Oh- oh yeah just thinkin." I replied kicking my sneaker into the dust. I had accompanied him outside for a smoke, we had work in an hour and we always left together. I never smoked unless I was anxious or wanted to act tough, which I didn't have to do around him. We were always together to be honest, it made my boyfriend Sander pretty jealous but Steve was my best friend and Sander meant everything to me. I found a way to balance it. My ears perked up with the sound of yelling. "Hey is that Ponyboy?"
"You're just hearin' things." Steve replied taking another drag.
"Darry! Sunny!" With Ponyboy's yelling I knew something was wrong. I darted away from the house with Steve right behind me and I could hear the front door of our house slam andDarry leaving as well. I was mighty protective of Pony, and even if he got embarrassed sometimes he idolized me anyways.
He came into view a few blocks down, Soc's were surrounding him. I could feel anger rising from my stomach and into my throat. By this time Johnny, Dally and Two-Bit had joined us too, I didn't even know where they showed up from, but when one of the gang was in trouble the whole gang was there to defend them. The wimps that jumped my brother ran back to their mustang as soon as they saw us coming, we didn't even have a chance to punch one, which I was hoping to get the adrenaline building in my system out. I of course ran to my brother. Darry had already hauled him to his feet, but he swayed slightly and I went back to his side as he took a seat once more.
He was shaking something fierce but I gave him a soft smile, pushing his hair from his face and rubbing circles into his back. "You got cut up a bit didn't you?"
"I did?" He asked curiously seemingly dazed. I nodded pulling my handkerchief from my jacket pocket
"Stick out your tongue."
He did as told and I wet the handkerchief on his tongue not wanting to spread around my germs and wiped at the blood on his forehead. It wasn't much thankfully, but Ponyboy had never really been jumped before.
"They took out knife on you didn't they?" He zoned a bit, his lightly tanned skin becoming whiter by the second, I moved to put an arm around his back. Pony was heavier than me already but I figured if he passed out I could do something to try and cushion his fall.
He didn't have to answer because I already knew it, but he mustered up a small "Yeah."
He started crying in the next moment and I couldn't feel worse, I could feel my fist clenching up wanting nothing more than to go after those guys that scared my brother. Ponyboy had this thing about looking "tuff" I think it's a bunch of baloney but he always tells me I'm real tuff for a girl anyways so I wouldn't know. "Hey, you're okay. No ones gonna hurt you no more."
"I know." He said between the tears cascading down his cheeks. He wiped away at them angrily with the back of his sleeve. "I'm just a little spooked is all." And with that he stopped crying. And I knew it was because Darry was standing behind us awkwardly trying to make sense of the situation. He was very protective of the both of us.
"You're an alright kid Pony." I said ruffling his hair with a smile. He smiled back at me.
"You're crazy Sunny."
"Your both nuts." Darry stepped in. I raised an eyebrow like Two-bit showed me which got Pony to laugh.
"It seems to run in the family." I retorted eyeing my older brother wearily. Ponyboy would never even imagine talking to Darry like that. But me? I never had a problem. Yeah Darry stood a head over all of us and had muscles like a statue, but in the end he was my big brother who used to braid my hair for me when I was little when mom was out of town and used to hit boys that were mean to me. Anyways, he liked when I teased him, I think it lightened him up.
My attention was back to the other boys who came running back to us. We didn't have any other girls in our gang, I saw Steve's girl Evie sometimes and Dally's girl Sylvia but aside from that I was alone in it. I didn't mind much though. I got along with everyone just fine. I didn't like other 'greaser' girls that much anyways.
Steve was my best friend. He was around six inches taller than me now even though I used to be the taller one in grade school but he was still lanky as ever. He could drive and fix any car out there and I always told him that's what brought so many customers to the DX. But he always told me it was me, that I could attract flies to honey. I didn't see it though. I was just nice to everyone. He didn't like it much when I brought Pony somewhere but then again he didn't like Sander much either. I always found a way to make both parties happy though.
Two-Bit was a good buddy of mine, he had been since I met him. No one made me laugh like Two-bit did. He taught me some cool tricks and jokes and shoplifted me a necklace once that Darry made him take back. He always had a bit of thing for me though because I was blonde and two-bits favorite were blondes. Though Darry and Steve kept him in line.
Dally always made me weary, we never talked much and neither one of my brothers or Steve ever wanted me to be around him without them. I didn't blame them Dally had been convicted of almost everything under the sun except for murder. He was angry and mean and bitter, but he was smart. He knew his way around a situation even when it seemed like he didn't, Dallas always had the last laugh.
And lastly of course was little Johnny Cade. Even though he was my age he stood about the same height and he had these big nervous black eyes and black hair that hung in his boyish face. He was sweet as syrup but his daddy beat him and his momma always yelled and got drunk. So we had to love Johnny a little extra because no one loved him at home. He got jumped around four months ago and I had never seen anyone in as bad shape as Johnny was afterwards, I nearly got sick when I saw him. He had a big scar on the side of his face now, it definitely gave his boyish appearance and air of toughness.
I dusted myself off and stood up offering Pony a hand to pull him up. Even though he was my younger brother he sprouted up in the last year and now stood two inches taller.
"Did ya catch them?" Pony asked with some sprinkling of hope in his eyes but they all shook their heads. Two-Bit went off in some rant calling them a bunch of names like he usually did.I didn't expect them to catch up to a car however.
"The kids okay?" Dally asked. Ponyboy nodded and asked him about being out of jail. Somehow Dally got off on good behavior. He could be a good guy when he wanted to be but any other time he wasn't really unbearable to be around but he wasn't exactly the one you'd like to hang out with either, you dig?
He lit a cigarette and gave it to Johnny since Johnny didn't have any money for smokes. We all smoked. I don't think we cared much about our lungs. I shared one with Steve, I gave Pony his own and Two and Darry had their own. I could visibly see the shakiness in Ponyboy disappear and when I thought everything was nice and calm again my idiot of a best friend had to go and speak up.
"What are you doing walking by yourself?" Steve questioned him. I loved Steve, but sometimes he was so stupid. I told him all the time about how Darry and Pony didn't get along much anymore and he was just picking a fight between the two.
"I was just coming back from the movies I wasn't thinking-"
"You never think." Darry scolded him, "You never use that head of yours for common sense. Carry a blade next time you go out by yourself."
Ponyboy suddenly became very interested in his shoes. I knew when Darry spoke down to him like that it made him self conscious. Darry was too hard on him and Ponyboy didn't try hard enough where it counted the most.
"Hey you leave him alone!" I yelled at Darry place a hand on Pony's back. "He likes the movies so what? Ain't his fault Soc's like to jump people like us. They would've really cut him up if he had a blade and you know it." I could feel Pony relax under my touch.
"When I want my kid sister to tell me what to do with my kid brother I'll ask." Darry said but he laid off Pony which was good. I hated to be in the middle but I figured if I can dissolve the fights maybe one day they'd just quit it. It was probably too much of a hope but I still did.
"Speaking of movies I'm seeing the Daily double tomorrow night whose coming?" Dally asked.
Steve cut in for me; "Me and Sunny are going to the game tomorrow night with Sander and Evie." I nodded in agreement.
"Hey we should get goin' we got work soon." I interrupted, "Stay outta trouble all y'all." I laughed as Steve and I walked away. I was a little miffed with him to be honest pulling that back there. I wasn't gonna show it in front of the gang because they hated to get in between Steve and I's fights. Everyone would complain about how we should just make up as soon as we started yelling. I mean we did anyways but sometimes I wished they'd just butt out, sometimes I wanted to be mad at him for acting stupid and since I wasn't big enough anymore to wrestle all I had was my ignoring skills.
"Why are you walking so fast you know I got a truck right?" Steve questioned me jogging to keep up.
I crossed my arms over my chest; "Why do you gotta always interrogate Ponyboy like that? He don't do anything to you but be my kid brother.'
"Like what?"
"You know get Darry all mad at him like that." I accused continuing to walk once more. "You know I told you not to do that."
"He'll get over it." Steve shrugged lighting up another cigarette.
"That's not the point Steve. He shouldn't have to and especially when I get stuck in the middle of it. It's not fair to me." I told him, I could always make him feel bad if I involved myself in the situation. "He's my kid brother."
"I'm sorry Sunny gosh!" He yelled at me as we got to his truck. I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously sun, I'm sorry. I forget sometimes."
"It's okay." I sighed looking out the window as he started the truck. Sometimes I feel like I just had to forgive the gang so I didn't cause more problems, even if their apology didn't seem sincere. "Try a little harder next time?"