Disclaimer: I only own the people not mentioned in the book
Author's Note: This is my 2nd Outsiders fic and I know it sucks as of right now. But bear with me. Thanks!
Chapter One
'I swear I never knew…' Danny's voice echoed through the 14-year-old girl's head. Wiping away a nonexistent tear, she leaned further back into her seat, sinking farther into her huge sweatshirt; It was originally Danny's.
"We will be landing in Tulsa in approximately ten minutes." The voice of the pilot came over the speaker. The girl shifted uncomfortablely, careful not to awaken the passengers around her. The scent radiating from the sweatshirt reminded her so much of Danny. Her brother that wasn't really. All her life, she'd been deceived of a real family. But no matter what, she couldn't be mad at Danny. He'd taken care of her after their parents died. Or at least the people she thought to be her parents died. And yet she couldn't be angry with them either. Maybe it was best that she didn't find out about her biological family until she turned fourteen. Still, she wished she didn't have to find out about them under the circumstances she was in. She didn't do a thing and everyone knew it; they just refused to believe it. The only people who were willing to believe her besides Danny were her only friends in the world: Josh, Gary, and Ari. But four people hadn't been enough for the court jury.
"Guilty!" the chairperson of the jury exclaimed, convicting the girl of a crime she had not committed. She had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Instead of placing you in juvenile detention, you will be put back with your biological family." And those words were too much for her to bear. Her eyes bulged, as did her brother's. Biological family? Was this man crazy? Apparently, he was not. The judge explained what had happened, but the girl had barely been listening. She was still numb from shock after the police told her she had a week to spend in the city. A week. They spoke to her harshly, as if she were a criminal. And she wasn't.
"I never knew about anything. Mom and dad never said a word about you being an adopted child!" Danny had protested in confusion after the hearing, "I swear, I never knew!" She believed him. Why would their parents tell Danny something like that anyway? Ignorance was bliss, that's probably what they thought. And the girl accepted it.
She felt the eyes of the escorting policemen on her every time she made a move. They didn't trust her and she didn't expect them to. Still, she hated them. She hated them for not believing her when she pleaded innocent on the stands. She hated them for never believing for a second that it was the rich snob that had done the deed, not her. She hated them for being so damned biased against people of her status.
"Do you want something to drink?" the young police officer sitting next to her offered, smiling slightly. He had not said much to her the whole time and had not sneered at her with the rest, but she didn't like him just the same. She shook her head wordlessly, looking up at him for only a second before reattaching her eyes to the so-called view outside.
"I know you don't like the idea of meeting total strangers who are supposedly family, but it isn't that bad at all."
She stared at him this time, cold green eyes digging into his warm brown ones.
"Oh come on, I'm not that bad to talk to, am I?"
The girl shrugged and reluctantly shook her head.
"You sure had a lot to say at the hearing. Now it's like you're on mute," he paused grinning to let her know he had only been joking, "Well what's your name?" he tried once more.
She tilted her head up at him and blinked, "Why are you talking to me?" her voice sounded hoarse to her; she hadn't spoken a single word since the police came for her that morning.
"Because you seem like a nice girl," he replied simply.
"If I was such a nice girl, I wouldn't be on this little trip, would I?"
"Sometimes nice girls get screwed over. Sometimes, nice girls are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And most of the time when that happens, no one believes her."
She gaped at him for a minute before clearing her throat, "Hazel."
"Hazel, huh? That's a pretty name," the police officer smiled, "I'm Ben. Ben Johnson."
"Hazel Smith. But I guess that's not my real last name."
Ben shook his head, "You're right there."
"What is it then?"
"Randle. They're pretty nice people," Ben commented as the plane began its descent. He watched Hazel's nervous demeanor. Obviously, she didn't like planes.
"Hey relax," Ben assured her, "You'll be fine." Hazel looked at him. It would be okay. She'd be fine. She'd probably love her family. Right?
'Now I remember why I hate airports so much," Steve Randle grumbled as he trailed his mother in the busy Tulsa airport. She had been frantically searching for a flight coming in from Chicago, Illinois. His long-lost sister was coming in to stay with them for good, he was told. Steve only had faint memories of Hazel Randle, but what he did remember was all good. So he didn't understand how it happened when his mom told him that Hazel had gotten into trouble in Chicago and was forced to live with them. Steve was only about four when Hazel had mysteriously disappeared. He thought it was weird for about the first two months, but as he grew up, he eventually forgot about his little sister. Until he was reminded of her, of course.
"Steve, come on! Her flight's coming in right now!" Mrs. Randle tugged at Steve's arm. Steve rolled his eyes and followed her.
"It's okay, ma. She'll be fine. Besides, doesn't she have people with her?"
"Yes, but you know how the police officers are so biased against criminals." Steve sighed and leaned against a wall. He found it hard to believe that his sister could get into so much trouble that would land her in Tulsa. It just didn't run in the family to get into shit that deep. After about fifteen minutes of waiting and making passer-bys intimidated, the flight finally came in. Steve crushed his cigarette butt in the ashtray and proceeded towards the opening doors where the passengers would come out. To say that he wasn't nervous would be a lie, but Steve didn't have much feeling for a girl that happened to be related to him that he hadn't seen or remembered. Somehow, Steve knew it was her when he saw the police officers leave the plane, a small girl within their little circle.
"Are you with Hazel Smith-Randle?" one serious looking police officer asked Mrs. Randle.
"Yes, we are," Mrs. Randle shifted her gaze to the daughter that she had so foolishly left for total strangers, "Oh Hazel! You've grown so much! You look exactly like your father. Like your brother!"
Hazel's eyes were blank of emotion at first before she awkwardly smiled and stepped out of the protecting circle, "Thanks." Mrs. Randle gently elbowed Steve in the ribs. Steve, who had been leaning against the counter hardly paying attention to what was going on, jumped.
"I'm Steve…your, uh, brother…" he introduced himself, holding out his hand.
Hazel took his hand in a rough shake, "Hi."
"Our neighborhood's not much," Mrs. Randle continued as the police and Hazel followed her and Steve out to the parking lot, "But it's very comfortable. I'm sure you'll just love the school. The kids are a little biased sometimes, but maybe you can hang-out with Stevie's friends. What grade are you in?"
"Ninth," Hazel replied. Steve stepped in.
"Mom can I drive?"
"Sure dear," she turned back to Hazel, "You're in Ponboy Curtis's grade. You'll probably have classes with him. Oh those Curtis boys are just so nice. You'll love it. She'll love it, won't she Steve?"
"Sure thing, ma." Steve sighed. Hazel could wait until after they got home to get acquainted, couldn't she?
"Ma," Steve started looking at his sister for the first time, "She looks tired. Let's go home." Hazel smiled gratefully at Steve who winked in return before pulling out another cigarette. 'Maybe having a little sister won't be so bad after all,' Steve thought, pulling out of the parking lot. He just hoped Hazel wouldn't have the reputation of a JD. He wouldn't be able to imagine what would happen to her if she did.
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