Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders or Keeping the Moon
Comments for my amazing reviewers:
Twitch in my eye: Wowzers! You love my story. That's awesome. I think that's the first time anybody has ever said they love my stories. That rocks! It's amazing that you put my story on your favorites list. That totally makes this my day!
Golden greaser: I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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cutiepiepink angel: I'm glad you like it. I hope you like this chapter.
Author's Note: I just went back and read over the first chapter and there were some grammatical errors that I hadn't caught. This is really bothering me. I'll try better in this chapter but if someone could please be my beta-reader I would love you forever! Pretty please!
Author's Note #2: I just want to thank the people who have reviewed my story. That makes me so happy to know that people are actually reading my work. That makes me want to write even more! Thank you so much! And just to make things more fun for you: who do you guys think Roxie should end up with? I'm torn between about three different guys but I want to know what you guys think.
Chapter Two
"Roxie!" my aunt Candace exclaimed as she stepped out onto the porch. "Stop standing outside like a total stranger and come on in!" I hitched my backpack further up on my back and bit my lip as I made my way up to her.
My aunt Candace can only be described as eccentric. She's a little wacky and out there. People think she's a little strange before they get to know her. But she's always there when you need her, always first to lend a hand for those in trouble. She's never been married and lives alone. She makes greeting cards for a living. I hadn't seen her since I was six, at Grandpa's funeral. Aunt Candace doesn't get out of Tulsa very often.
"Hi Aunt Candy." I said giving her the obligated kiss on the cheek. She pulled me into a bone crushing hug and then held me out at arms length as she studied me.
"Well haven't you grown up? You're so tall and pretty," she exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows. I was far from being tall and highly doubted the pretty part. But I put on a fake smile anyway and nodded. "You must be starving after that long flight. I'll get dinner on the table as soon as I can." She said holding the screen door open so I could drag my bag inside.
She directed me to the guestroom and showed me the bathroom I would be using. After I put my bags in my room I followed her into the kitchen. She was cooking hamburgers in a frying pan and corn on the cob was being boiled in a big metal pot.
"Do you want me to set the table?" I asked remembering my manners.
"Oh no dear! It's your first night here. You just sit down at the table and keep me company. Would you like something to drink?" Aunt Candace asked. I nodded and she presented me with a Coke from the refrigerator. "I normally don't have Coke but I got a few bottles from the Curtis boys for you."
"The Curtis boys?"
"Yes, you met Darry. He's the one who picked up at the airport."
"Oh. The ones who live next door?" I asked as I took a sip of Coke.
"Yes. They're my boys. I absolutely adore them. They take such good care of me. Darry fixes things around the house for me and Soda gets one of his friends to fix my car for me for much cheaper then the auto shop. Oh and Ponyboy helps me come up for the messages insides my cards."
"They do all that for you?" I asked. I looked out of the window at the Curtis's house.
"Oh yes. Of course it's not like I don't do things for them too. I sometimes do their laundry when Darry's too busy. And I make them food sometimes. It's a fair deal."
"Why do you do you do those things for them?"
"Well they need all the help they can get what with their parents being dead." Aunt Candy said distractedly as she set the table. My mouth dropped open. Darry, Ponyboy and Soda (I assumed that was another brother) didn't have parents.
"Their parents are dead?"
"Yes. It's horrible I know. Poor Darry has to take care of Soda and Pony all by himself. I hope Darry didn't give you a hard time today when he picked you up."
"He didn't." I said, forgetting that he had been cool towards me. He had a right to be angry. I was surprised he was angrier. And Ponyboy! Ponyboy had been so nice and sweet. How could some be so calm when their parents were dead?
"That's good. I worry about that boy. All he does is work, trying to support Ponyboy and Sodapop." Aunt Candy said putting the hamburgers and corn on the cob on the table.
"Aunt Candy, Ponyboy invited me over to the house this afternoon. Could I go?" I asked after swallowing a bite of burger.
"Of course dear. Just be careful around their friends. I don't know if you noticed but the Curtis's are part of the bad crowd. What a shame, they're such nice boys. I'll give you some cookies to take over to them too." Aunt Candy said.
After finishing dinner I changed into a clean pair of jeans and a white tank top. Aunt Candy loaded me down with cookies to take over to 'her boys' to thank Darry for fixing her gate.
When I reached the Curtis's door I knocked timidly. I'm not the type of girl who puts herself in these types of situations. I was just about to turn and flee back to Aunt Candy's house when a good-looking boy opened the door. He had long hair and high cheekbones. But it was his eyes that drew me to him. They were dark, wonderful, lively, and reckless. He was so good looking it took my breath away for a moment.
He grinned at me, leaning against the door. "What can I do you for?" he asked as he looked me up and down. His voice was sweet like syrup. It took me a while to find my voice.
"Um…my aunt wanted me to give you these cookies." I said somewhat lamely, holding up the plate, loaded with chocolate chip cookies covered in saran wrap. The boy nodded and took the plate from me.
"You Candy's niece Roxanne?" he asked. I nodded. For once I didn't correct someone calling me my given name. It sounded nice when he said it. "Come on in," he said holding the door open for me. I smiled at him and entered the room.
It was a small, yet homey room. A stocky guy with long sideburns was sitting on the floor in front of the TV while a tall, lean guy was sitting on the couch talking to Darry about cars. Ponyboy was sitting at the table writing something while a small dark-haired boy who looked to be the same age as Pony sat next to him. All six of them looked up as the good-looking guy lead me over to them.
"Guys, this is Candy's niece Roxanne," the good-looking guy said as the guy with the sideburns took the cookies from him and proceeded to stuff one into his mouth.
"Hey Roxie." Ponyboy said before going back to his essay. I mouthed hi to him and looked at all the strange guys staring at me.
"Roxanne that's my best friend Steve," the good-looking guy said pointing to the lean guy talking to Darry. "You already know my brothers Darry and Pony, don'tcha?" I nodded and he continued. "That's Johnny," he said addressing the dark-haired kid by Pony. "And this is…" he started gesturing to the side-burned guy but the guy got up off the floor, thrusting the cookie plate to Steve.
"Aw Soda why don't you let me introduce myself?" the guy said. Soda shrugged and sat down with Steve and Darry who were digging into my aunt's cookies. "I, sweetheart, am the one and only Two-Bit Matthews," he said putting his arm around me. I gave him a weird look.
"Two-Bit?" I said. Now Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy were all weird names but Two-Bit was even weirder.
"His real name is Keith." Steve said from the couch, in between cookies. "We just call him Two-Bit because he always has to get his Two-Bits in." I nodded. Two-Bit still hadn't removed his arm which was something I definitely wasn't used to. Guys usually don't pay too much attention to me.
Soda seemed to sense my uneasiness and felt he needed to explain, "He likes blondes." I raised my eyebrows. Yes, I did have blonde hair. But usually when guys say they like blondes they mean the ones with beach blonde, silky, straight, long hair. Not like mine which was a drab honey colored blonde; cut to my shoulders which made me look kind of like a cocker spaniel; that frizzed with natural curl. It was hardly pretty but I guess this Two-Bit liked every kind of blonde.
"Hey I've rubbed off on her already!" Two-Bit said happily, noticing my eyebrows. He cocked one of his own and then finally removed him arm and sat back down in front of the TV as the guys laughed. I stood there uncertainly, not sure what to do until Darry got up and said he was going to bed to get up early for work tomorrow. He told me to thank Aunt Candy for the cookies and then left to his bedroom.
"Roxanne you know you don't have to just stand there. Sit down!" Steve said patting the seat between him and Soda. I smiled and sat down in between them. Two-Bit had found some cheesy old horror movie on TV. Ponyboy had finished writing whatever he had been writing so he and Johnny sat down on the floor and watched the movie with us. We were all eating cookies and having a good time. I never would have thought that I would have a good time with five guys I barely knew, but I did.
"Now Miss Roxanne if you get scared just let me know and I'll turn the movie off." Two-Bit said. I wrinkled my nose and laughed. These guys really seemed to like me. It felt good to be in a place where people liked me. At home I was always a loner. I knew one or two people to at least eat lunch with and be lab partners with but I had never had any real friends.
When the movie ended Two-Bit got up and said he was going to the Dingo. Johnny mumbled something about needing to get home. Steve had to go meet his girlfriend and Soda needed to get some rest for his job at the DX. I took this to be my cue to say that Aunt Candy would be wondering where I was. Ponyboy walked me over to my aunt's gate although I told him it wasn't necessary.
"Did you have a good time?" he asked leaning against the gate.
"Yea I did. Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys."
"No problem. You can come over any time," he said grinning. I tucked my hair behind my ears, something I do when I'm nervous. "Well Darry will be mad if he finds out I'm out any longer. I'll see you though." Ponyboy said. I nodded.
"Bye Ponyboy." I said as I went up the walk to my aunt's walk to her porch.
"Hey Roxie?" Pony yelled from the street.
"Yea?"
"Do you want to come over tomorrow afternoon? I get awful bored with Darry and Soda working."
"Sure." I shouted shrugging. It wasn't like there was anything else I wanted to do in Tulsa. Ponyboy waved to me before I entered my aunt's house.