A/N: I'm back! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I got kinda stuck for ideas. I haven't written this story out in advance, so any ideas you have, let me know! A poll for this story is up on my profile, and I'd really appreciate it if you took the time to take it...it'll let me know where I should go with this story in terms of twists and such lol...also, sorry there aren't any line breaks in here but the breaks I have don't work in FF for some reason O_o
This is a sequel to A Piece of Cake, so please read that first! :)
As always, reviews are very much appreciated...I think that's about it!
And the Outsiders belongs to SE Hinton.
"Dal?" I called, cautiously stepping out into the yard, abandoning my place on the porch. He turned to me, his blue eyes sparkling from the thrill of a fight, his white-blond hair brushing his pale skin. I looked down at Pony who was sitting on the ground, talking with Soda, after a Mustang filled with Socs had jumped him.
"How ya been, Baby?" Dallas asked, walking toward me. That's when he got a good look at me. I still hadn't healed completely from the second beating I'd recieved from Bob Sheldon and his gang of Socs. When I'd lost conciousness just down the street from the DX two weeks ago, I thought that I wouldn't be waking up again. Now I realized how dramatic I'd been, but the bruises and cuts on my face were a harsh reminder of how serious the attack had been. I was several shades of blue and purple, and a couple of the injuries Bob's rings had given me were sure to scar. I was definately not a sight for sore eyes.
"What're you doin' outta the cooler, Dal?" I asked, stepping back into the shade of the porch, and hoping the shadows would cover up most of the damage done to my face.
"Good behavior," he responded, lighting a cigarette, and joining me on the porch. "Got off early," he mumbled as he grabbed my chin and examined Bob's work, his eyes growing dark.
"Who the fuck did this to ya, Curtis? You look like shit," he remarked.
"Gee, thanks Dal, you should use that line on Sylvia," I said, shaking him off and turning toward Two-Bit and Johnny.
"Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy," Two-Bit told my younger brother, referring to the movies, which Pony had been walking home from before he'd been jumped. "Any of us will."
I smiled at Two-Bit's comment, appreciating the fact that the gang was so protective over each other. I'd seen them get me out of two situations, thinking back to Dally, and more recently, my twin, Soda, and his best friend, Steve.
"Speakin' of movies, I'm walkin' over to the Nightly Double tomorrow night. Anybody want to come and hunt some action?" Dally asked, addressing the gang. Steve told him that he and Soda were going out with their girls, and I let myself feel the slightest bit sad that I didn't have a date for a Friday night. He went on to ask the other members of the gang, and Johnny and Ponyboy agreed to go. I couldn't help but notice I was the only one he didn't invite.
As I was walking over to the porch again, I saw Steve looking at Dally's hand, and realized his ring was gone.
"You break up with Sylvia again?" I asked him.
"Yeah, and this time it's for good. That little broad was two-timin' me again while I was in jail," he answered before throwing his cigarette butt on the ground and stepping on it to put it out. I nodded, and turned to step inside.
"You comin' tomorrow, Curtis?" he called. I allowed myself a small grin, but didn't turn around as I added, "wouldn't miss it for the world."
The next morning I awoke to the smell of Soda making a fresh chocolate cake. I glanced at my clock and realized I'd let myself sleep until noon, and quickly headed toward the bathroom to shower. I could hear the sounds of the gang coming from the living room as I applied black eyeliner to the rims of my grey eyes. I'd started wearing more makeup in the hopes of distracting from the mess that my face had become. I'd also stopped dressing quite as modestly, realizing that the Socs wouldn't let up even if I didn't wear skirts past my knees and tops that would cover all of my cleavage.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I headed back to my room, ignoring the catcalls and whistles coming from down the hall. Once in the privacy of my bedroom, I opened my closet and reached for a tight black skirt that almost hit the tops of my knees, and flowing emerald blouse. I smiled sadly, as I remembered my mother telling me that green complimented my ivory skin and striking black hair the best. Shrugging on a jean jacket, and slipping my feet into a pair of short heels, I ventured into the kitchen and perched myself on the arm of Darry's chair, where Two-Bit sat watching Mickey.
"Is the cake done yet?" I asked him, crossing my legs and running a hand through my long curls.
"No, Soda just put it in the oven," he answered, his gaze never leaving the cartoon mouse on the TV. Dallas had told Pony that he'd be waiting for us at the corner of Pickett and Sutton around five, which meant I had some time to go out with Two-Bit first. After we'd gotten our share of cake, we started heading to the empty lot, and laughed and drank from his stolen bottle of whiskey. I, like Soda, didn't need to drink to get a buzz, but I took a few sips, which was just enough to take my buzz to a high and we wandered around the streets laughing like idiots at anything and everything.
"Come to the movie tonight, Two," I urged him. My words were slightly slurred, but I could already feel the effects wearing off.
"Maybe, but I'm not boozed-up enough yet to sit through one of those beach party flicks," he said, his words clearly slurred, which made sense seeing as he'd drank a lot more than I had. I pretended to pout, and that set us off in another fit of laughter. We sat down on the grass under a tree, and I leaned my head back against its trunk.
"Two-Bit?" I asked, looking at him, his rust-coloured hair glowing in the sunshine.
"Mm?" he responded, taking another swig of whiskey.
"Do you think Pony will be okay?" I grabbed the bottle from his hand and took a tiny sip, before handing it back and picking at a small patch of grass. I could feel his gaze on me, and allowed myself a glance at him to see his reaction. His brow was furrowed, and in his drunken state, it gave him a crazed appearance.
"Why do ya ask?" stumbling through the words. I snatched the bottle away from him and set it on the other side of me, out of his reach.
"I dunno," I mumbled, looking away from him, and squinting into the sun.
"Hey," he said softly, "are you okay?" I nodded, and suddenly found myself on the verge of crying. I sniffed, and kept looking away from his accusing gaze.
"If you wanna talk about what happened, you can...I'll listen to ya, Babydoll. I've listened before, and I'll listen again."
"Look, Two. I know I can talk to ya, it's just I don't wanna sit here acting like some mopey teenaged girl all the time," I said with a dry laugh.
"Hell, Babe, you're a lot less whiny and mopey than most of the blondes I meet," he countered with a shove.
I sighed, giving into him and figuring if I did make a fool of myself talking about my feelings with him, he'd probably forget about it by tomorrow thanks to a little thing called alcohal.
"I just get so scared, Two...They...they touched me, and I know they were gonna do stuff to me if one of y'all hadn't gotten there. And the way they've hurt Johnny, and even me, is something you just can't forget...I close my eyes at night and all I can think of is the way his fist looked with all those rings shinin' away, and it's like it's slow motion and I can see everything that's going on crystal-clear...The way he grins, knowing that he can do whatever the fuck he wants, and the way his eyes have this crazed look to 'em. It's like I can see him thinking about what he's gonna do next, and when someone finally gets 'im off of me, he looks at me...and the look he gives me shows that he'll be back...he'll be fuckin' back and this time nobody'll be there to save me...I just don't want Pony to feel like that..." I finished uncertainly, still picking at the grass between us. A heavy silence hung between us for a few minutes, as we sat thinking about what I'd said.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dump all that on ya," I mumbled, glancing at him, and noticing the way his grey eyes shone. He shook his head slightly, and pulled me toward him. I burrowed my head in his shoulder and let him hold me.
"I'll always save ya, Babe," he whispered into my hair. I laughed quietly into his shirt.
"You're my knight in shinin' armor?" I asked. He chuckled and kept his hold on me until I gently tugged back and leaned back against the tree.
"You holdin' my whiskey hostage over there?" he accused.
"I do believe I am," I retorted, picking it up and raising it to my lips. He pitched forward trying to grab it from me, and succeeded in knocking us both to the ground, and causing the bottle to spill to the ground. He landed with his arms by my head, his body propped up and half over top of mine, laughing mere inches from my face. His face softened and we remained in the position for a beat too long until I broke his gaze and turned toward the bottle laying on the ground. He looked toward it, too, and then coughed before pulling himself upright and resting back against the tree.
"You're blushin', Two," I teased him, putting my hands behind my head and staring up into the blue sky.
"Am not!" he laughed, swallowing the remains of his stolen liquor.
"My knight in shining armor..." I said softly, a smile gracing my lips, and I closed my eyes.
All too soon the sky turned to soft shades of pink and orange, and I walked to the corner of Pickett and Sutton to meet up with Dallas, Johnny, and Pony.
We walked around town for a couple hours, and I loved the horrified looks Johnny and Pony gave me when they realized I'd been drinking. It sent me into an uncontrollable laughing fit, and Dallas even smirked.
"Lookin' like a real Greaser there, Curtis," nodding at my skirt and jacket. Smirking, I winked at him and swayed my hips just a bit more.
By the time we reached the drive-in, I was nearly sober, and I was wishing Two-Bit had come to distract us from the boring movie. We sat in the second row at the back of the lot, and a few minutes into the movie a couple of girl Socs came and sat in front of us. I recognized them from school, and saw that one of them was Bob's girlfriend. She had long red hair, and I remembered everyone called her Cherry. Dallas looked her up and down and raised his eyebrows. He planted his feet on her chair and lit a weed. Johnny quickly got up and left to get a Coke.
"Cute redhead, huh?" Dally asked Pony, in a voice loud enough for her to hear. "Are you real?" he asked, as he fell off his chair. We all burst out laughing, and he quickly got back up and sat down again.
"How can I found out if this is your- your real red hair?" he asked, smirking and running his fingers through the ends of her red locks. "If this is the same red hair you have on your..." his fingers trailed down her arm and towards her lap, before he pointed to her face and said, "on these eyebrows?" He started laughing, and I shrank back into my seat, seeing the Cherry's face and knowing what it felt like to be in her position.
"Cut it out, Dal," Johnny said quietly. Dallas planted his feet on her chair again, and she whipped her head around.
"Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap," she said sharply. I got up quickly and mumbled something about going to look for Two-Bit and left, not wanting to hear them argue. I wandered toward the concession stand, and then looped back toward the seats where Pony sat talking to Cherry. I figured Dallas had left, and that it would be safe to sit down again.
"How come we don't see your brother in school? He's not any older than sixteen or seventeen, is he?" Cherry asked Ponyboy.
"He's a dropout," I answered for him, taking a seat.
"You're their sister, aintchya?" she asked me.
"Ya, I'm Soda's twin," I answered, as Johnny came back down and sat next to Pony and I. She smiled at us, and I smiled back. Dallas came back from what I assumed had been the concession, carrying a round of Cokes, passing them to each of us.
"This might cool you off," he said to Cherry. I rolled my eyes, wondering what had happened between them, and making a mental note to ask Pony about it later.
She looked up at him, then down at the pop, before throwing it in his face and adding "that might cool you off, Greaser. After you wash your mouth and learn to talk and act decent, I might cool off, too." I smirked, and anxiously awaited Dallas' response. He smiled dangerously, and I winced, knowing what it meant.
"Fiery, huh? Well, that's the way I like 'em." I could feel myself pale as he wrapped an arm around her and leaned into her, and memories of Bob and other Socs came flooding back. As soon as the memories had rushed in, however, they were replaced with a kind of satisfaction, as I realized her boyfriend was the one who'd made me feel that way. Her boyfriend could do that to me, so why couldn't Dallas let her know what it felt like to be that position?
"Leave her alone, Dally," Johnny warned, quietly.
"Huh?" Dallas asked, pulling back from Cherry. He looked from Johnny, then to me, and finally at Cherry, before getting up and storming off.
I looked at Pony, and then to Johnny before getting up and going after Dallas. I half ran to catch up to him, and finally caught him at the fence near the edge of the drive in.
"Hey," I panted. His eyes burned as he looked at me, taking a drag from a cigarrette I didn't know he'd lit.
"Didn't mean to scare ya, Curtis," he growled, smoke puffing out from between his lips.
"I wasn't scared," I said defensively, hugging myself from the cold. My jean jacket suddenly wasn't enough to keep the cold breeze from chilling my bones. He smirked at me, taking another long drag.
"Ya? You looked like you were gonna pass out or somethin'." He blew a ring of smoke toward the fence before stomping out the butt from his weed. I gazed at his lips as he did, watching the way the curved up at the sides into a smirk. I subconciously stepped toward him.
"I wasn't scared," I repeated, deliberately pausing. "I was jealous." I reluctantly turned my gaze up to his eyes, and saw the flicker with an unknown emotion, before they returned to their normal state.
"What about Johnny?" he asked, "thought you guys were in love or somethin'?"
"We broke up, remember?" I answered as he stepped toward me. He put a hand on my back and pulled me closer, closing the gap between us. He tilted my chin up with a rough hand, and his gaze met mine. His lips drew closer, and I started to panic.
"I-I've never kissed a boy before," I found myself whispering, and felt a heat spread across my cheeks and neck. He smiled, then, and pulled away slightly.
"Ol' Johnnycakes frigid or somethin'?" he mumbled.
And then his lips met mine.
