Finally finishing this story after some time. Yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders

One Hell of a Week

Chapter 6: Friday

"Steve, are you okay?"

"Shaddup, Ponyboy," I snap. It's loud and wild at the racetrack and we got us some killer seats in the bleachers above the straightaway. I need myself this one day to unwind and have some fun after this hellish week. I close my eyes and the image of a wrench-wielding Lucy, the female auto mechanic, flashes across my mind. Damn, she's scary! She's built like a brick shit-house and she wants me dead. I shake my head to clear it.

"Are you sure? You ain't lookin' so good," Johnny adds, and I see that my knuckles are ghost-white from grippin' the railing in front of me.

"Shaddup, Johnnycakes."

I look down at the guys in the pit below me, and I can tell they's even trashier than me. Their all getting' tanked on cheap booze and taking bets with money they probably don't have. It won't surprise me one bit when a brawl starts down there. I watch one dude double-fist his beers and talk some shit to another guy who spits at him. I tear my eyes away and look over their heads at the track. I don't wanna see nobody fight today. I just want it calm. I watch as the ponies get ushered to the gate for the next race.

Darry and Two-Bit join the rest of us in the stands with their arms full of drinks. I can tell by the labels that they purchased them here at the track and didn't smuggle 'em in. This'll obviously piss Dally off to no end 'cause Dally don't like honesty. I can also tell that Two-Bit's already had a few to drink by the way he's swayin'.

"A beer for you, m'lady?" Two-Bit asks me with an impish smirk. I narrow my eyes. I want the beer, but I don't want to take it if he's called me a lady. Two-Bit's grin deepens. "C'mon, I'm just messin' with ya, punk!"

I relax a little and take the beer, poppin' the cap off on my belt and taking a long gulp. It's almost like I can feel the liquid flowing through me, relaxin' me down. It's nice and I like it. I watch as Darry hands his two little brothers and Johnny some soda pops. Of course Two-Bit can't pass up this opportunity for a lame-ass obvious pun.

"Hey-ey!" He shouts loudly, "a soda pop for Sodapop!" before doubling up laughing at his own stupid joke.

"I could see that comin' a mile away," I say, and I almost feel a little guilty because my voice is like a snarl.

"Relax, man," Dally says to me. "You been actin' like a broad on her period all week. Is that what's been happenin'?" His ice blue eyes narrow at me. "You on the rag?"

"Fuck yourself."

"Aw, what's wrong? Lil' Miss Tampon String can't take a joke?"

"Shut the fuck up!" I holler and some people turn 'round to stare at me. Darry fixes me a glare. He don't want me cursing in front of the kids. I try to ignore my so called friends as the next race starts. I watch Soda go nuts over horse number six. He may still be sick and all, but since he's invested financially in the race, my boy Sodapop was jumping up and down cheering for his horse.

Dally sidles up behind me. "What's gotten into you, ya little shit?" He asks me, his voice low and dangerous. "You been acting like a punk ass all week.

I turn around to stare at him. "Honestly?"

"Yeah, honestly. Whatever."

"You."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. You been pissin' me off. You made this one hell of a week."

Dally laughs. "Wow, you actually are like a broad on her monthly! Blaming shit on a man. Not that I'm like, your boyfriend or nothin'…" he corrects quickly, since Two-Bit is listening in on the conversation. I turn away from him 'cause I don't wanna deal with him, but he grabs my shoulder and turns me around roughly. "Nah man, I'm kiddin', I'm kiddin'. Tell your man Dally why you have a problem with him."

I take another long swig of my beer, tryin' to swallow my anger 'cause I know he's patronizing me. I wait a moment to let the screams from the crowd die down. Pony number six came in second so Sodapop's gonna make a buck or two. Finally, I address Dally.

"All this week you been getting' on my nerves."

"Yeah?" Hissed Dally, "and how so?"

"Them lug nuts. I nearly got my skull dented by that fucking Lucy broad. Then the tether ball game, and the bologna. And then there was yesterday! I coulda lost my job siphoning that gas and it was you who fucked with Shep's car in the first place!" I realized I sounded a little whiny, but I didn't care none. This had to be said.

I expected Dally to tell me to grow a set and get over it, but instead he smirked at me. "I'm sorry man. Didn't realize you was so upset by my actions."

I stared at him. It was not the response I expected. "Really?"

"Yeah, really." He paused for a second and looked up like he was thinking real hard about somethin'. "Listen punk, just wait here for a bit, 'kay?"

"Huh?"

"Just stay here and watch the ponies."

I was a little confused. I mean, where else was I going to go? I'd come here to watch the damn ponies after all. But before I could tell him so, Dally was jumping out of the stands, headed for the exit. He was knocking people out of his way, leavin' loads of pissed off drunks in his wake.

"Watch it, punk!" I heard one of the boozers down below shout.

Two-Bit nudged me, nodding in Dally's direction. "Where's he hot-footin' it to?"

"Beats the hell outta me," I said truthfully. I couldn't be bothered worryin' about where Dally got off to. It weirded me out, him apologizing to me and all. I shrugged my shoulders and turned my attention to Ponyboy. I nudged the little shit with my elbow.

"Yes?" He looked up at me.

"Beer me." I stuffed my empty into his hand and waited 'til he got me a new one from Two-Bit, who'd gone to chat up some girl.

I sipped my second beer and settled down between Johnny and Darry to watch the next races, determined to have a good time.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo OoOo

It was about an hour later when Dally returned. I was on my fifth beer and having a great time. Two-Bit's new gal friend had come to sit with us and she brought a few of her broad friends too, which was nice. Soda had won another dollar, and even Ponyboy was bein' good and not his usual piss-ant self.

"Alright man," Dally walked right up to me. I noticed he was holding a paper bag. "Here."

"What's this?" I ask suspiciously, taking the bag.

He shrugs and waits for me to open it. Inside is two 40's, a bottle of hair gel, a carton of Kool's and a roll of those fancy latex condoms with the reservoir tips or whatever they're called. I had a feeling everything here was stolen.

"The hell is all this?" I asked him, downright confused.

"For your troubles," he said with a smirk.

"For my troubles?"

"Yeah, for your troubles. You been a good friend this week and it seems that I didn't make that easy for ya to be, so I got you some ultimate man stuff to…ya know, apologize."

The rest of the gang had been listening to the exchange. "Hey look!" Two-Bit cried, "Dally got Randle a manly gift basket!" And everyone laughed.

Dally slugged him. "It ain't no gift basket!" He reached into the bag and pulled out one of the 40's. "Mind if I start on one of these?"

I don't know why, but I was overcome with this wave of emotion. I think it had to do with all the beers I'd tanked, because before I could stop myself, I was throwing my arms around Dally's neck hugging him. He clapped me twice on the back before pushing me off.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, cracking the 40 and taking a long swig.

For the rest of the night, I was elated and nice, even to Ponyboy. Dally was a good cat after all. I'm lucky to have a friend like him, one who gives me manly stolen goods and whatnot. That, to me, is a fine consolation for one hell of a week.