HAPPY NEW YEARS! Hey there! I really would appreciate it if people would R/R! BEFORE WE GET STARTED, LET ME CONFIRM THE OBVIOUS. I, JESSICA NOTT, DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS CHARACTERS IN ANY SHAPE,WAY, OR FORM. RATHER, THEY BELONG TO A MOST INSPIRING WRITER, S.E HINTON. Thank you! ^^

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I spent a four day period of healing time in that dingy basement... Mark managed to bring the radio down since he wasn't allowed to bring down the spare T.v. My aunt disallowed him, out of spite. Mark would actually talk to me, feeling bad since he knew, an energetic person like myself, rather be out causing mischief somewhere. I had really grown fond of him over the time I had got here and he made life in my aunt's household less stressful. Saying my problems to other people was something I never did and I hated when other people did so to me. I never bottled up a problem, either. I just followed the phrase "it is what it is," and moved on with whatever mishap occurred in my life. I knew life wasn't perfect and that's just a common fact. But Mark brought more interest to my life instead of just "healing my heart" like those wimpy sissies say. I ain't a sissy, just another person trying to get by in life by listening to an occasional interesting conversation. Because to tell you the truth, I rarely met interesting people.

When I woke up that morning, my aunt was standing there with her arms crossed. I figured she must have waked me up, but I just didn't realize it. She looked impatient and bitchy as usual, so I just sighed getting prepared for what was to come. She was going to pitch a fit for a reason I didn't know. But, when she opened her mouth, my question was already automatically answered.

"So, I was thinking of ways... you could pay us back to restore that bike of your uncle's... because we found it... it had a ruined paint job, the gears were loose and the chain was broken. Though we can afford it, I rather you work the labor and pay it off for us. After all, it was your fault. You were the one who did it, am I right?" she looked at me with a nasty grin as I shrugged back looking at her in an irked way. "I thought so... so starting today, you are going to get your lazy ass up and go searching for a job. If you wanna act like Greaser, too like Mark said you were trying to, which I find quite amusing, by the way... I suggest a gas station... somewhere poor or with low pay," she laughed in a mocking tone.

"Put a sock in it, dear aunty..." I said pasting a sick, cheesy smile across my face as I looked at her with irony in my voice. "I'll go and find one... but then I might be able to rent a place at an Inn to get away from ya'll." Aunt Jean shook her head.

"Oh no, you are coming back with that money or I'll call the cops to come and search for you," she said shaking her head at me as if I thought I was going to get away with murder. I was sorta trying to, but what the hey. "Fine, I'll go on the search then..." I then got to my feet as my ankle felt so much better now and well rested. My aunt nodded then left to the upstairs without another word. I stood there looking down at my ankle which now I saw the cuts as three pink lines showing very little damage. I grinned as I walked over to the pile of clothes to pick out what t-shirt I was going to wear along with my usual articles of clothing. Green was the color I chose. It had a few white paint splatters on it, but as usual I didn't mind. The only thing about me that was usually neat was my hair... at least when I left the house it was neat... it usually was messed up quickly within a course of a day.

After I was all dressed, I made my way out the door, not caring of the dirt smudge I had on my cheek and not looking at either of the two reflections of myself as I passed them. "See ya'll later!" I said, waving in a cheesy way then slamming the front door behind me. As I stepped out onto the front porch, I sighed seeing what had become of my uncle's bike in person. That couldn't have all happened during the accident. Those drunks must have messed with it a bit too that same night.

Well, I guess I could thank them. Thanks to them, I had a reason to be out of the house more. Now that I would have a job and all now... I then took hold of the porch railing and ran my hand along it quickly as I made my way down the stairs and landed to the sidewalk by a hop. Time to search for a job... I thought glumly, here I come, big bad world... hopefully there will be someone to hire me. I'm sure there is.

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How was that? Short, I know, but hey, I can't help it. It's New Years Eve. Oh, I wish you all the best on it too!