Title- Outsider Jess

Chapter Title- The First Beating

Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

I rubbed my eyes and pulled my hair out of my face, it stuck to my forehead because of sweat. The sweatshirt was awfully thick, and it made me sweat like crazy last night. Steve had a beer in his hands and Darry was making eggs. I walked into the kitchen.

"Did ya sleep well?" Steve asked.

"I slept perfectly fine, like I was sleeping on clouds or somethin' like that," I replied sarcastically. He gave me a look and I forced a smile. The youngest, Ponyboy walked in.

"What're you doin' here?" Two-Bit asked rising from the floor. I hadn't noticed him there.

"I crashed here last night," I told him and nobody said anything more. I told them I was going so I could fix things with dad.

"Good luck, he's gonna have one hell of a hangover," Steve told me. I shrugged figuring I could take it. I entered the house and he was watching television, the news, while smoking. 'Really healthy habits,' I thought noticing another beer in his hand.

"Who are ya?"

"I'm Jessica Tracens, your daughter?" I half asked, half told him.

"Aw, great I got another kid. Well, ya get outta here."

"I can't, the state's making me stay."

"I said get outta here now!" He yelled. I didn't move. For somebody with a hangover, he was yelling pretty loudly. He walked over to me and hit me.

"Ya gotta listen to me then, if I'm yer dad." I walked into the room I was using and grabbed some clothes so I could take a shower.

"I said ya gotta listen. Get yer ass outta here!"

Ignoring him I started the shower and attempted to lock the door, but it wouldn't. He grabbed me by the collar and thrust me out of the bathroom.

"I want ya outta here right now," he told me. I nodded and grabbed my clothes. 'Where could I go?' I thought. Then I remembered the Curtis house.

I knocked on the door. Darry answered it.

"You're Jessica, right?" I nodded.

"Steve went to the DX station for work." He gave me directions and I walked to the gas station. He was under a car when I noticed that Soda was working there. I smiled.

"Hey," I said. He nodded because he was talking to Steve. He wiped off his hands and came over to me.

"What do you need?"

"Do you guys have a shower here?"

"Yeah, but it's not a very good one. Use the one at my house, just walk right in. Darry should be gone for work." I thanked him and walked to their house.

I entered the bathroom and took a shower. The cool water felt good against my body. I rinsed the soap off of me and got dressed. I left my hair down, not brushing it. It made the back of my clean shirt sopping wet but I didn't mind. The air was warm and muggy so the wet spot would cool me down as the day went by.

I was startled as I walked out of the bathroom by Ponyboy. I dropped my dirty clothes.

"You scared me kid," I told him as I walked by. He was really silent.

"Can't you talk?"

"I can talk." I could see today was going to be fun. I was sitting in somebody's house with a strange kid who was younger than me. I could already see bruises appear on my body in the two places my dad hit me. It really hurt.