Dsiclaimer: S. E. Hinton own The Outsiders and I own anyone you don't know.
**Soda's POV**
"Sandy hates me. Why else would she leave me?"
Steve looked at me. "Because she's a lousy no good slut and she was sleepin' around on ya."
I punched Steve in the shoulder.
"Well she didn't get pregnant by you did she!?"
"No," I said mourning my loss.
"Oh, come on man. Stop mopin'. There's alot more chicks in Tulsa and you can get with anyone of them."
Steve checked his watch. "Gotta go to school buddy. See ya here after?"
"Duh. You have to work too idiot. I don't see why your in school. You're obviously not learning anything."
He punched me. "Come on Two-bit. Let's hit the sidewalk."
"Why would you wanna hit a sidwalk and break your dainty little hands?"
"Two-bit you better run."
**Two-bit's POV**'
I ran to school with Steve chasing me. We both stopped and stared when we saw a black convertible parking in the lot.
"Who's that?" I asked Steve.
"Dunno," he replied as other kids starting gathering around us.
A girl stepped out of the car. She was tall. Probably over five foot, eight and thin. Very thin. One peculiar thing about her was she was wearing all black. Black shirt, black dangling earrings, black shoes, and black pants with torn knees.
"Wow. All that black is creepy ay Two-bit?"
"She must be getting ready for a funeral."
I was turned around so I hadn't noticed she had walked up right behind me. She tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around.
"Sorry, I was jus-" She cut me off.
"Save it. You look like an honest guy, tell me, Do you know Ponyboy Curtis?"
"Yeah he's a good buddy of mine."
"If I asked you to, could you point him out?"
"Sure, he's over there," I said pointing to a group of boys surrounding Curly.
"Thanks," she said walking towards him, "See ya round good lookin'."
**Pony's POV**
I saw a girl clad in black walking towards Curly's group. "Ponyboy?" She asked facing me.
"Yeah?"
She outstretched her hand for a handshake, and I shook it. "Celeste."
"How'd you know my-"
"I'm guessing Sodapop isn't at school today."
Curly snorted. "Kid, he hasn't been in school for over a year."
"Which would be why he isn't in school today smartass." She turned back to me. "And Darrel is to old for school so, he's not here either. Which leaves only you. Pony, let's take a little trip to the principal's office."
"Why? I didn't do nothin'."
"Exactly."
"Huh?"
"You said I didn't do nothin. You can use two negative in a sentence. It works for algebra and english. Two negatives make a positive. Therefore, you did do- Ya know what. Let's save that for another time. Right now were going to the principal."
"Uh," I looked at Curly and his gang. She grabbed my arm.
"Don't make me drag you there in front of the whole school. Come along willingly."
I gave up and went with her. We sat in the office for twenty minutes before the principal could see us. We walked into his office and Darry was there.
"Darry? Why are you here?"
Sodapop walked in out of breath.
"Got a call from work. Why are we all here?"
**Celeste's POV**
Next a child care agent walked into the room.
The principle got up and walked out of the room saying he'd let the woman handle this.
"Uh, so. Hi. I'm Mrs. Farverring. Er, we're going to hm,-"
"You're not good at explaining things are you?" I asked her.
"No."
"Gimme the papers. I'll try." She handed me my folder. I read it over twice.
"Cutting to the chase. Darrel they want to know if you be interested in taking in a fosterchild since you're doing so well with Ponyboy and Soda. It would only be temporary. She has one relative and," I looked down at the paper, "It's your Great-aunt Kate."
"Uh, I really don't care. It's up to Ponyboy and Soda."
I looked up at Ponyboy. "I don't care, Soda?"
"Sure, it'll be fun. I think."
"Well then," I said closing the folder and hanging it to Mrs. Farverring, "I'm all yours."
Soda was eyeing me. "Oh great," I thought, "Why are the peculiar ones always the eye candy?"
Soda stood up. "I've gotta get back to work." Darry stood up too.
"Same here. Uh, Pony, after school take her either home or to the DX k?"
"Alright."
Pony walked me too my locker and then to homeroom. See as how my last name was Curtis we were in the same one. The teacher stood me up in front of the homeroom,
Teacher: This is Celeste. She just moved from, uh, New York. Right Celeste.
Me:
Teacher: Don't be shy.
Me: If i'm anything, it's not shy.
Teacher: Why don't you tell them a bit about yourself.
Me: If I must. I like the color black, i'm not into music or keeping up with the latest "fads". My favorite things to do are skateboard and sleep. That's all you need to know about me.
The teacher stood behind me with her hands on my shoulders and I mouthed to all the class "Stay Away."
"Thank you Celeste have a seat right next to A.J."
A boy in the back of the class looked up and waved at me. I walked back and took a seat next to A.J.
He whispered to me, "Bowl?"
"Yeah. Pro size," I whispered back.
"Street course?"
"Yup."
"Half pipe?"
My head snapped forward and my eyes were on the teacher until the bell for first period rang.
"What? Can't conquer a halp pipe?"He asked me in the hall.
"My dad snapped his neck on one. He was in a coma. Took him off life support because after three months he still hadn't woken up."
"Sorry to hear that. What do you have next?"
"Uh, Algebra."
"General, Topics, or Honors?"
"Topics."
"One or two?"
"Two. Why do you ask so many questions?"
"You're a girl boarder. I have to ask questions. You can pick your own seats. Grab a seat way in the back."
"Sure. I know this crap already anyways."
Pony came behind me and grabbed my arm.
"What?"
"I see you at lunch. Meet me outside by the flagpole. Unless you think you know how to get to the DX."
"We'll see. Don't wait too long."
He turned and walked to his class.
***************
At lunch, four periods later A.J. told me to sit with him.
"Hey guys, this is Celeste."
"I've always hated that name. Call me by my nick, Lez."
"Lez, this is Jim, Kevin, Johnny, Greg, Eddie, and Chris.
I sat straddling the bench.
Greg looked at me. "Is that some kind of chick thing?"
I put both legs under the table. "No, it's a skate park thing."
"Oh."
"I hate you Greg."
He laughed, "Sure."
"I'm serious. Now I hate you more for laughing at me."
A.J. looked at Jim and they both looked at me. "Why do you hate him in the first place?"
"He called me a chick."
"So, does that mean your a guy?"
"No. It just means I don't like being called a chick. Mainly because chick is another word for priss in New York."
Chris eyed my lunch tray. He'd forgotten to bring money.
"Chris. Just take it."
"Then you won't have anything to eat."
"I'm not hungry. Take it."
"Guys," A.J. said, "I think she's pullin' an ana Hannah on us."
I glared at him. "Eat when your hungry, which im not now, stop when your full. It's in the skateboarder's handbook. You musta missed that rule."
I picked up the plate which held my sandwhich and gave it to Chris. He reluctantly ate it. I passed him me milk, but he refused.
"Nope. I'm lactose intolerant. You drink it."
"Well I can't have it so am I." I gave it to Jim.
"An early christmas gift."
He shrugged.
"How do you get you calcium? Strong bones you know. Did you miss that in the handbook?" A.J. questioned.
"Milk isn't the only thing that has calcium in it. Ever heard of orange juice?"
The bell rang and it was back to class.
***************
At the end of the day I spun my old locker combination thirteen times before I realized it was wrong. I finally spun the right combination as A.J. and his friends came to my locker. I grabbed some books and a helmet from my locker. I also got my book bag and headed outside.
"A.J.," I asked when we were outside.
"Yeah?"
"Know where the DX is?" I asked noticing Pony wasn't at the flag pole.
"Sure."
I stopped walking and kneeled down. Jim looked at me.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, walking is so overrated these days." I took a pair of shoes out of the bag and changed into them.
"So you have flying shoes?" Eddie asked.
I put on a helmet and looked up at him. I put my books in the bag just as a black convertible pulled up. A man got out and he had a skateboard. He handed it to me and walked back to the car. A girl in shorts walked over to me.
"Hey, punk. Isn't it to hot for pants?"
I looked down at my pants and had an idea.
"You know," I told her, "you are so right." I reached down to the cut in the knees and ripped the bottom halves off.
"All better your prissy highness. Voila! Capri's."
She snorted and began to walk away.
"Hey priss," I called after her. She turned around to look at me.
"Do everyone a favor and don't snort anymore. You sound like a pig."
A.J.'s friends all laughed and I hopped on my board. "I think I'll wander around and find it myself."
Most of A.J.'s friends said they hadda head home for homework. Jim and Johnny were the only ones left.
"We'll take you," Jim offered.
"Whatever. I don't care."
The whole way there I boarded behind them doing tricks and showing off for myself. I saw Sodapop and another guy at a gas station.
"Thanks guys."
"No prob. Hey Johnny give her my number. I gotta run."
I turned to Johnny. "Staying?"
"I'll walk you home. I'll be crashin there tonight anyways."
"Ok. Thanks."
We got to the Curtis' and I immediately asked Pony where my room was. He showed me a room much bigger than my old one.
"Thanks."
He walked back into the living room. I sat at the desk and searched my bag for the hotel paper and airplane barf bags I had written on. I started singing to myself. It was a pretty cool first day. I think I'm gonna like it here.
**Soda's POV**
"Sandy hates me. Why else would she leave me?"
Steve looked at me. "Because she's a lousy no good slut and she was sleepin' around on ya."
I punched Steve in the shoulder.
"Well she didn't get pregnant by you did she!?"
"No," I said mourning my loss.
"Oh, come on man. Stop mopin'. There's alot more chicks in Tulsa and you can get with anyone of them."
Steve checked his watch. "Gotta go to school buddy. See ya here after?"
"Duh. You have to work too idiot. I don't see why your in school. You're obviously not learning anything."
He punched me. "Come on Two-bit. Let's hit the sidewalk."
"Why would you wanna hit a sidwalk and break your dainty little hands?"
"Two-bit you better run."
**Two-bit's POV**'
I ran to school with Steve chasing me. We both stopped and stared when we saw a black convertible parking in the lot.
"Who's that?" I asked Steve.
"Dunno," he replied as other kids starting gathering around us.
A girl stepped out of the car. She was tall. Probably over five foot, eight and thin. Very thin. One peculiar thing about her was she was wearing all black. Black shirt, black dangling earrings, black shoes, and black pants with torn knees.
"Wow. All that black is creepy ay Two-bit?"
"She must be getting ready for a funeral."
I was turned around so I hadn't noticed she had walked up right behind me. She tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around.
"Sorry, I was jus-" She cut me off.
"Save it. You look like an honest guy, tell me, Do you know Ponyboy Curtis?"
"Yeah he's a good buddy of mine."
"If I asked you to, could you point him out?"
"Sure, he's over there," I said pointing to a group of boys surrounding Curly.
"Thanks," she said walking towards him, "See ya round good lookin'."
**Pony's POV**
I saw a girl clad in black walking towards Curly's group. "Ponyboy?" She asked facing me.
"Yeah?"
She outstretched her hand for a handshake, and I shook it. "Celeste."
"How'd you know my-"
"I'm guessing Sodapop isn't at school today."
Curly snorted. "Kid, he hasn't been in school for over a year."
"Which would be why he isn't in school today smartass." She turned back to me. "And Darrel is to old for school so, he's not here either. Which leaves only you. Pony, let's take a little trip to the principal's office."
"Why? I didn't do nothin'."
"Exactly."
"Huh?"
"You said I didn't do nothin. You can use two negative in a sentence. It works for algebra and english. Two negatives make a positive. Therefore, you did do- Ya know what. Let's save that for another time. Right now were going to the principal."
"Uh," I looked at Curly and his gang. She grabbed my arm.
"Don't make me drag you there in front of the whole school. Come along willingly."
I gave up and went with her. We sat in the office for twenty minutes before the principal could see us. We walked into his office and Darry was there.
"Darry? Why are you here?"
Sodapop walked in out of breath.
"Got a call from work. Why are we all here?"
**Celeste's POV**
Next a child care agent walked into the room.
The principle got up and walked out of the room saying he'd let the woman handle this.
"Uh, so. Hi. I'm Mrs. Farverring. Er, we're going to hm,-"
"You're not good at explaining things are you?" I asked her.
"No."
"Gimme the papers. I'll try." She handed me my folder. I read it over twice.
"Cutting to the chase. Darrel they want to know if you be interested in taking in a fosterchild since you're doing so well with Ponyboy and Soda. It would only be temporary. She has one relative and," I looked down at the paper, "It's your Great-aunt Kate."
"Uh, I really don't care. It's up to Ponyboy and Soda."
I looked up at Ponyboy. "I don't care, Soda?"
"Sure, it'll be fun. I think."
"Well then," I said closing the folder and hanging it to Mrs. Farverring, "I'm all yours."
Soda was eyeing me. "Oh great," I thought, "Why are the peculiar ones always the eye candy?"
Soda stood up. "I've gotta get back to work." Darry stood up too.
"Same here. Uh, Pony, after school take her either home or to the DX k?"
"Alright."
Pony walked me too my locker and then to homeroom. See as how my last name was Curtis we were in the same one. The teacher stood me up in front of the homeroom,
Teacher: This is Celeste. She just moved from, uh, New York. Right Celeste.
Me:
Teacher: Don't be shy.
Me: If i'm anything, it's not shy.
Teacher: Why don't you tell them a bit about yourself.
Me: If I must. I like the color black, i'm not into music or keeping up with the latest "fads". My favorite things to do are skateboard and sleep. That's all you need to know about me.
The teacher stood behind me with her hands on my shoulders and I mouthed to all the class "Stay Away."
"Thank you Celeste have a seat right next to A.J."
A boy in the back of the class looked up and waved at me. I walked back and took a seat next to A.J.
He whispered to me, "Bowl?"
"Yeah. Pro size," I whispered back.
"Street course?"
"Yup."
"Half pipe?"
My head snapped forward and my eyes were on the teacher until the bell for first period rang.
"What? Can't conquer a halp pipe?"He asked me in the hall.
"My dad snapped his neck on one. He was in a coma. Took him off life support because after three months he still hadn't woken up."
"Sorry to hear that. What do you have next?"
"Uh, Algebra."
"General, Topics, or Honors?"
"Topics."
"One or two?"
"Two. Why do you ask so many questions?"
"You're a girl boarder. I have to ask questions. You can pick your own seats. Grab a seat way in the back."
"Sure. I know this crap already anyways."
Pony came behind me and grabbed my arm.
"What?"
"I see you at lunch. Meet me outside by the flagpole. Unless you think you know how to get to the DX."
"We'll see. Don't wait too long."
He turned and walked to his class.
***************
At lunch, four periods later A.J. told me to sit with him.
"Hey guys, this is Celeste."
"I've always hated that name. Call me by my nick, Lez."
"Lez, this is Jim, Kevin, Johnny, Greg, Eddie, and Chris.
I sat straddling the bench.
Greg looked at me. "Is that some kind of chick thing?"
I put both legs under the table. "No, it's a skate park thing."
"Oh."
"I hate you Greg."
He laughed, "Sure."
"I'm serious. Now I hate you more for laughing at me."
A.J. looked at Jim and they both looked at me. "Why do you hate him in the first place?"
"He called me a chick."
"So, does that mean your a guy?"
"No. It just means I don't like being called a chick. Mainly because chick is another word for priss in New York."
Chris eyed my lunch tray. He'd forgotten to bring money.
"Chris. Just take it."
"Then you won't have anything to eat."
"I'm not hungry. Take it."
"Guys," A.J. said, "I think she's pullin' an ana Hannah on us."
I glared at him. "Eat when your hungry, which im not now, stop when your full. It's in the skateboarder's handbook. You musta missed that rule."
I picked up the plate which held my sandwhich and gave it to Chris. He reluctantly ate it. I passed him me milk, but he refused.
"Nope. I'm lactose intolerant. You drink it."
"Well I can't have it so am I." I gave it to Jim.
"An early christmas gift."
He shrugged.
"How do you get you calcium? Strong bones you know. Did you miss that in the handbook?" A.J. questioned.
"Milk isn't the only thing that has calcium in it. Ever heard of orange juice?"
The bell rang and it was back to class.
***************
At the end of the day I spun my old locker combination thirteen times before I realized it was wrong. I finally spun the right combination as A.J. and his friends came to my locker. I grabbed some books and a helmet from my locker. I also got my book bag and headed outside.
"A.J.," I asked when we were outside.
"Yeah?"
"Know where the DX is?" I asked noticing Pony wasn't at the flag pole.
"Sure."
I stopped walking and kneeled down. Jim looked at me.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, walking is so overrated these days." I took a pair of shoes out of the bag and changed into them.
"So you have flying shoes?" Eddie asked.
I put on a helmet and looked up at him. I put my books in the bag just as a black convertible pulled up. A man got out and he had a skateboard. He handed it to me and walked back to the car. A girl in shorts walked over to me.
"Hey, punk. Isn't it to hot for pants?"
I looked down at my pants and had an idea.
"You know," I told her, "you are so right." I reached down to the cut in the knees and ripped the bottom halves off.
"All better your prissy highness. Voila! Capri's."
She snorted and began to walk away.
"Hey priss," I called after her. She turned around to look at me.
"Do everyone a favor and don't snort anymore. You sound like a pig."
A.J.'s friends all laughed and I hopped on my board. "I think I'll wander around and find it myself."
Most of A.J.'s friends said they hadda head home for homework. Jim and Johnny were the only ones left.
"We'll take you," Jim offered.
"Whatever. I don't care."
The whole way there I boarded behind them doing tricks and showing off for myself. I saw Sodapop and another guy at a gas station.
"Thanks guys."
"No prob. Hey Johnny give her my number. I gotta run."
I turned to Johnny. "Staying?"
"I'll walk you home. I'll be crashin there tonight anyways."
"Ok. Thanks."
We got to the Curtis' and I immediately asked Pony where my room was. He showed me a room much bigger than my old one.
"Thanks."
He walked back into the living room. I sat at the desk and searched my bag for the hotel paper and airplane barf bags I had written on. I started singing to myself. It was a pretty cool first day. I think I'm gonna like it here.
