Disclaimer: Only own characters that weren't seen in the movie/book. Rest belongs to SE Hinton … On with the show!

XXX

The next morning, Tabitha climbed out of the car without a word to either sibling. She had a feeling Curly had told Angela and Tim what happened, because neither had made a comment, about her bad mood.

"Tabitha!" She heard someone, and spotted Susan standing on the edge of the school yard. She had a mischievous look on her face, that usually got her in trouble. Like the time she suggested to play dress up in Angela's clothes. She shuddered at the memory of how loud Angela had screeched.

"Hey," she said, once she reached her friend and arched her eye brow. "What are you planning?"

"Me? Planning? Never." She grinned. "I scheme."

"Okay …" Tabitha said, giving her friend a curious look. "What is that evil mind of your scheming? And tell me it doesn't evolve breaking the law."

"Not the law ..." Susan smiled. "Want to play hooky?"

She bit her lip. "I have a math test today, and I have to do part of the Science project, because Lord knows Will, isn't going to do anything."

"Oh, come on Tabby!" Susan pouted. "Live a little."

She shifted her text books on her arm and gave her friend an incredulous look. "Where are we going to go?" She frowned. "How are we gonna get there? You didn't even think this through."

"We can go to the park," she said. "And there are such things as buses."

"But, I'm not allowed to go on the bus alone."

"Jeez, Tabby you won't be alone. You'll be with me."

"Fine." She huffed. Susan was obviously not going to let this go, and she needed a mental day. Especially with everything that happened this past weekend. It wasn't like she was going to concentrate. "Do we have to go to the park? All the freaks hang out there."

"They're not freaks, they're cool," Susan said, as they walked to the bus stop.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because bathing is so uncool."

XXX

Tabitha sat on one of the park benches and moved to the edge to get away from the smell of pot. She wasn't sure if that was the smell, but when someone pulled out a smoke, that she was sure was not a cigarette, her suspicions where confirmed. Susan went to grab for it.

"Whoa rebel girl, ditching school is enough for one day don't you think?"

"One ain't gonna hurt," Susan said, shrugging.

"You don't even know what's in it, not to mention it's illegal." Tabitha warned.

"Weed." Susan said, inhaling then exhaling the smoke. "I'm guessing you don't want any?"

"No!" Tabitha exclaimed. "Keep smoking that stuff and Curly will have a higher IQ then you."

There was a long pause between them before Tabitha finally spoke up. "When did you get into all of this anyway?"

Susan rolled her eyes. "You make it sounds like I'm an addict, I just smoke socially."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "It's still bad for you."

"So is getting caught," Susan said.

"What?" Tabitha asked, confused.

Susan pointed of to the swing set, and Tabitha gaze followed. Curly was talking with some boy with long, charcoal hair and a tie die shirt. The boy handed Curly a manila envelope, which definitely perked up Tabitha's curiosity.

She continued to stare with her mouth hung open, until Curly spotted her. Bringing her head back she ducked her face under her hair.

"Yeah, no way is he going to notice you now," Susan rolled her eyes.

"Shut up," Tabitha mumbled. She looked from beneath her hair, noticing the charcoal haired boy on the bench pale and skittish.

Unfortunately Curly had noticed her, his expression anything but friendly, he walked up to her in angry strides.

"Hey Curly," She said nervously. "Fancy meeting you here. Huh?"

"Oh yeah," Curly said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What a delightful coincidence."

Tabitha bit her lip, and exchanged a look with Susan.

"Shouldn't you two be in school?"

"Shouldn't you?" Susan shot back. She threw the weed discreetly behind bench, so Curly wouldn't see it.

"Don't change the fucking subject."

She rolled her eyes. "It's not changing the subject, besides I have a brother and you're not him." She huffed. "Since when did you start caring about Tabitha anyway?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up," Tabitha mumbled, under her breath and stared down at her shoes.

"Baby, your brother's been in the tenth grade for as long as I remember. Don't talk."

"Whatever," She said rolling her eyes. "I'll see you later Tabitha." Susan stood up and the charcoal haired boy followed her eyes as she left. Tabitha glanced up at her brother and he didn't look happy. "You can't yell at me for cutting school because then you'd be a hypocrite."

"I don't give a flying fuck that you ditched," Curly snarled. "But, what the fuck are you doing hanging out with these ... assholes."

She shifted on the bench. "It wasn't my idea it was Susan. Trust me smoking away my IQ isn't my idea of a good time." She bit her lip. "What are you doing hanging out with these ... Hippies?"

"Business," Curly said, and then turned around, walking away. "Are you coming or not?"

Hanging out with her brother didn't seem like a fun idea but it was better then hanging out with these weirdo's that and the smell of BO was getting to her. "Yeah," she said, grabbing her textbooks and speed walked to catch up with his long strides. "What kind of business? Illegal kind?"

"Curiosity killed the dog," Curly replied.

"Cat."

"Yeah, yeah, same thing."

Tabitha bit her lip. "Did you ever do drugs?"

Curly glared at her and said "Do you want me to tell Tim you ditched?"

"No!"

"Then enough of the questions."

XXX

Tabitha took a bite out of the burger Curly had bought her. Picking up a french fry, she watched him gorge on the food - like he hadn't eaten in weeks.

She took a sip of her root beer swallowed. "You're going to make your self sick. Remember at Nana's when you threw up that time."

"That's 'cuz she can't cook," Curly said, through a mouthful.

"Here's a tip: when you go out with Laurie skip the meal part of the date," she said. She sighed and suddenly froze, when a familiar face walked in through the door. "What's Tim doing here?"

"Supposed to meet him here," Curly shrugged.

"Curly!" Tabitha snapped.

"What?" He asked innocently, but his eyes were anything but. She bit back a curse, and dodged underneath their table.

Tabitha moved to the empty space by the booth and moved her legs up to her chest so she wouldn't touch her brother's shoes.

"Did you get the money?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, I got it," Curly replied. There was a long pause, which was broken by Tim cursing. "This is fifty bucks short."

"Ain't my fault those drugged out hippies are cheap fucks, Tim."

"Then why didn't you take back the pills," Tim snarled.

Tabitha's jaw almost hit the ground and closed it back up. Drugs? She figured ditching school wasn't that much of crime. Maybe she could use to her advantage …

"Curly, you're lucky you're my brother," Tim cursed.

"Tabitha ditched school," Curly said, quickly. Tabitha cringed.

"Don't change the damn subject, I should send Tabitha out on the runs, atleast she knows how to count money."

"Fine, I'll get the money," Curly frowned. "Stupid punk hippie won't get away with it."

"He better not," Tim said. "Don't expect to do any more errands until you learn how to count."

Tabitha heard Tim sigh, as he stretched his legs under the table, hitting her. Tim's legs retracted back and his head peered under the table. She cringed at the look in his face. Only he could make Count Dracula look like the Easter Bunny. She wondered if she should dress up like him for Halloween, that would scare the kids in the neighbourhood for sure.

"Hi." Tabitha blushed, crawling back up on to the red lacquer seats.

Tim raised an eyebrow. "Why ain't you in school?"

"Why are you talking about drugs?" She asked, back.

"Why didn't you fucking tell me she was under the table?" Tim snarled.

"I tried, you wouldn't listen," Curly said, visibly worried.

"You didn't hear anything, kid." Tim warned.

Tabitha moved away from Tim out of instinct and nodded. "Okay, fine. I didn't hear anything but you're getting me a pet."

"A what?" Tim frowned.

"A pet, you know usually cute and cuddly to care of," she explained, and reached for one of her fries.

"Yeah, are you going to feed it and clean its shit off the floor?"

"Yeah," she said, nibbling on the fry. "I want a kitten."

"Like hell," Curly snorted. "Angela's allergic to cat hair."

"Fine," she huffed."Mommy will be heart broken to know what you two been up to."

"How about a fish or something?" Tim suggested.

"Nah, a Rottweiler!" Curly butt in.

"I ain't spending money on another mouth to feed, and something that'll piss everywhere."

"We keep Curly."

"Hey!" Curly snapped, indignantly.

Tim ignored him and gave her a look. "Pick something small that you could keep in a cage."

She sighed. "Fine. A gerbil."

XXX

Tabitha walked into the pet store the smell of animals and the squawking of birds where enough to drive anyone up a wall. She peered into a glass cage of kittens and gushed. Damn Angela, leave it to her to be allergic to something so cute. Making her way through the isle towards the rodents and pointed to a cage.

"There they are," she pointed.

"You can find those in back alleys," Tim curled his lip.

"You're thinking of rats."

"Just pick one out," Tim sighed.

"I don't know which colour I want," Tabitha pursed her lips, looking at the balls of fur snuffling around the cages.

"Just get the damn thing already, it smells like shit in here," Curly complained, giving the rats a wary glance.

"You should be use to it your room smells the same." Tabitha told him.

""Fuck you," Curly cursed. Tabitha stuck her tongue out a bit childishly; she was tempted throw a rat on him. She spotted a brown and white ball emerge from a pile of straw.

"I want that one," she said, pointing at the little creature.

"Hi Tim," a familiar voice greeted. Tabitha turned around to see Brenda standing behind her, in work uniform. She had a pouty look on her face as she stared at Tim.

"Tabitha, wants the brown and white gerbil," Tim replied, without a hello.

"You sure you don't want a bunny? I hate touching those things," She said, grimacing.

"Don't they eat their own crap?" Curly asked.

"Yeah, most rodents do," she told them.

"You and Curly Jr. have something in common, Curly," Tabitha said, smiling.

"Curly Jr? Oh, hell no!"

"It's my pet, and I can name it what ever I want, besides Curly isn't even your real name, Charles," she said, stomping her feet.

Brenda walked over behind the counter and came back with a small cardboard box. She pushed a stepping stool by the shelf and Tabitha watched her visibly shudder when she touched the creature and quickly plopped it in the box.

"Here you go," Brenda said, shoving the box into Tabitha's hands. "You'll need a cage, a water bottle and food."

"How much is this gonna cost me?" Tim asked.

Brenda pushed the stepping stool aside and said "Around thirty dollars."

Tim cursed as he took out his wallet.

"You're going to spend that much on that thing?"

Tim glared at Curly "Guess I'm going to have to."

"Are you going to Doug Wilson's party this weekend?" Brenda asked as they walked over to the cash register.

Tabitha rolled her eyes it was obvious Brenda liked Tim would have to be a real idiot not to notice her brother was a lot of thing but stupid wasn't one of them.

"That asshole, River King?" Tim looked at the ceiling. "Got better things to do."

"Oh," Brenda said, frowning. Curly turned his back on Brenda and faced Tim, with a clenched fist and tongue he made a crude gesture. Tabitha blushed, pretending not to notice. Tim smacked him, and shook his head.

"You shouldn't do that, now his IQ lowered to a single digit," Tabitha teased, holding the cardboard box tight in her hands. Curly elbowed her hard which made her dropped the card board box to the floor.

"The poor thing ain't gonna make it out of the store, you sure you don't want a fish?" Brenda suggested.

"No, I don't," Tabitha replied, she had plans for the gerbil. Namely sic'ing it on Angela.

Brenda rang up the up the cage, water bottle and food. Tim handed her thirty dollars reluctantly. Brenda handed him the items and Tabitha followed him and Curly out the store. Tabitha took Curly Jr. out the cardboard box and couldn't wait to show it to her sister. "Do you think Angela like Curly Jr.?" She asked, smirking?

"I think she'll scream like a banshee, and scratch your eyes out," Curly offered.

XXX

Tabitha sat on her bed and watched Curly Jr. running around on her carpet. She glanced over at her sister's bed and picked up Curly Jr.

"Come on, Curly Jr. you're gonna meet your Aunt Angela." It sniffed her hand before running up and down on Angela's bed and nibbling her pillow.

"Good boy," she smiled. Opening her bedroom she walked down the hallway and walked past her sister. "Hey, Angela you look nice today."

"I look nice everyday," Angela replied, pushing past her. Making her way downstairs, she settled on the couch and waited for the screams of terror.

"Raaaaaaaaaaat!" Angela's screech made it all the way down to the living room.

"Rat?" Her mother asked, frowning coming into the living room.

"Kill it! Curly! Now it's over there get it!" Angela yelled.

Their mother walked up the stairs. "Curly, honey makes sure it doesn't bite you."

Tabitha's smile faded, getting off the couch she jogged up stairs to her room. Angela stood on her vanity chair screeching.

"Enough, Angela the thing is dead!" Her mother scolded.

"Curly Jr's dead?" Tabitha asked.

"Looks like it," Curly replied, grimacing.

"Curly Jr.?" Their mother asked.

"My pet gerbil Tim bought," she huffed. "He didn't even last a day."

"Oh, well honey you should have kept it in its cage."

"It probably snuck out," she lied.

"What's with all the fucking screaming?" Tim asked, walking into the room. "I was trying to sleep."

"They killed Curly Jr." Tabitha pouted, crossing her arms across her chest.

"That rat cost me thirty bucks," Tim glared.

"That thing was on my bed," Angela shuddered, looking away from the dead body.

"Fine, I want a burial for Curly Jr. though," she sniffed.

An hour later Curly Jr. was out of their room and buried in their backyard amongst their junk that had rusted over time. Car parts covered in grease lay across an old armchair that was sodden with rain water. Curly baseball cards were tied in a rubber band and floating in a pool of mud, while broken ceramic plates lay scattered around them like ancient ruins. It hadn't been the nicest backyard to play in while she was a child. But Tabitha loved exploring through the junk, finding things from her family's past to marvel over during those long summer vacations.

"You okay, sweetie?" Her mother asked, smoothing down strands of her hair.

She shrugged and wrapped her arms around her mother's waist. "First Daddy and now Curly Jr. It's not a good week."

"Your daddy isn't dead, honey."

"It would make me feel less guilty if he was, then I would know it wasn't my fault; you don't hate me do you? Because it was my fault that he left, because he didn't want any kids."

"W- What?" Her mother stuttered. "Where did you get that from?"

"Well, Curly decided to follow you that night you meet with Daddy."

"Oh- oh dear," her mother sighed. "Tabitha, none of this is your fault."

"Yeah right," Tabitha muttered.

"He wasn't always like this, he used to take you and Angela to the park and spoil you with gifts ..."

"What changed?" Tabitha said, miserably.

"He lost his job and ... things became stressful. His new job didn't pay enough."

"I can't help but feel guilty... I mean he said: 'I never wanted kids'. Never that's means he always hated us."

"He didn't mean it," her mother sighed.

"You're not going to -" Tabitha swallowed. "Start drinking again, are you?"

"No, I'm not," her mother smiled.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"So, did you think about the kitten idea? We can give it Angela's side of the room?"

XXX