Title- Outsider Jess

Chapter Title- Lifting Voice

Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

Take it.

'No!'

You want it.

'No!'

You need it.

'Well, maybe,' I decided. I held in my hand the skirt I was debating to steal.

What else will you wear? You know your dad won't buy you clothes.

I went into the changing booth and slipped the skirt under the one I had been wearing. I took out the scissors I kept in my sweater pocket and cut off the tags. I walked out of there.

On Long Island, it was so much harder. They had people monitoring what you came in holding, and what you came out holding. Me and my friend normally worked together. One distracted the worker, who was supposed to by watching, while the other grabbed the clothing. I was the stealer, I was better at it. It was natural. We never got caught, I never got caught.

I walked out of the store. While living with my father I stole: a car, a soda, a skirt, some candy, and a pack of cigarettes. I don't know why I swiped the cigarettes. The smell made me nauseous, I figured I'd give them to Steve or something. I went back to school with enough time to get my class schedule.

I met up with Two-Bit after school. He told me that Ponyboy had track practice and Steve went to work. I hopped in my car and drove home.

The smell was worse today when I opened the door. I quickly figured out why, dad had a bunch of friends over and they were all smoking and drinking beer while playing poker.

"Who's this?"

"That's my daughter."

"Didn't you have a son?"

"Yeah, but this is from another broad." I went to my room to pull off the skirts I had been wearing. 'I don't have any pants!' I thought.

Later you can go pick some up.

'Yeah, I guess I could,' I thought. I looked through Steve's drawers again, hoping to find a decent looking pair of pants. I did and pulled them up. They were huge around the waist, but I expected that. I found a belt and put it to the last hole. It made the pants bunch up in the back. I was a lot thinner than Steve. I never really ate. It started when my mom couldn't work and couldn't afford much. I ate less so she could eat more. She needed the energy. Our house was a dump; otherwise we would have sold it and moved to a cheaper area, I mean Long Island was a little expensive.

Mom was not very smart. I would come home with new clothes and I would tell her I got them from the church. She believed me; I never could bring myself to tell the truth. If I did, I would lose her trust. I wouldn't be her 'Jessi' anymore and she would probably call me 'Jessica'.