Title- Outsider Jess

Chapter Title- The Phone Call

Disclaimer- I don't own The Outsiders

Note- This is the second to last chapter! I must cry… I also got this out early because I am on a mad updating spree. I guess that's what happens when you've had the whole story saved to a floppy since you first put it out.

"Empty your pockets," one of the men told me. I pulled out papers, my keys, candy wrappers, a pen, and finally the switchblade. I let it fall to the ground like it wasn't there, and it landed on top of the rest of the crap. The manager looked overly happy and Steve looked stunned.

"I've finally caught one of them no good greasy shop-lifters." I wanted to smack the manager, but the fuzz was there. He just assumed I was one of the no good greasy shop-lifters. I couldn't help it!

They took me to the station. I was just fined, which was lucky, I could've been jailed. Steve was going to pay the fine but I had to pay him back. I had to get a job. The worst part was that they took away my car and found out about the voices and my kleptomania. I told them everything, and I was surprised they didn't send me to jail.

I walked to The Dingo to get a job as a waitress. I really couldn't steal that kind of thing, so I decided to waitress. I would start tomorrow afternoon, 12 in the afternoon to 5 in the evening.

I went home and flopped down on the couch. I picked up a beer and looked at it. I was debating whether or not I would drink it. I opened the top and poured the liquid into my mouth. It didn't taste good so I threw the rest on the ground. It's not like I was making a mess, the house was a dump.

The phone rang and I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Danielle, I'm looking for Jessica."

"Dan? How'd you get my number?"

"It was simple, I asked your landlord for some of the stuff that you left behind. Your mom's phone book was in the stuff so I looked up Randle, 'cause that's where you said you'd be. The number was in there so I figured I'd call."

"Was there anything you wanted to say?"

"Yeah, my brother's getting awfully sick. He wants to see you and we can pay for the way back. You can stay with us, just get up here." Danielle's brother, Mark, was my boyfriend once, probably the only one that didn't give me problems. We were going out for a while and I had to leave for this place. He was heart broken and so was I.

"Yeah, sure, I'll come. I got caught shop lifting today."

"Shop lifting what?"

"I was trying to get a switchblade."

"Oh," she said. We said good-bye and then hung up. I ran to the Curtis's where I knew everybody was.

"I'm needed in New York," I said swinging open the door. Everybody looked suprised.

"I need to go to New York, just for a little bit. It'll only be two weeks, I need money for the trip there," I explained to them. Steve shrugged, I knew I couldn't get money from him, but the Curtis brothers handed me about three fourths of what I needed. I tried to give it back to them, but they wouldn't take it. Two-Bit handed me the other fourth.

"Good-bye," I told them. I hugged everybody, even Steve. He pushed me off of him.

"See ya later," I mumbled to Soda and kissed his cheek.

"See ya later," he repeated and he watched me walk away.