I don't own The Outsiders

Chapter Twenty One

Our little apartment was filled with people. The whole gang was hanging out in the living room. Steve sat on the floor against the wall and Melody sat next to him resting her head on his shoulder, Colby sat in his usual chair, Donny laid on the sofa with Chris sitting at his feet and Mickey sat in front of the TV. Like always it was loud, everybody was holding their own conversations, yelling across the room or yelling to the person at their side, but I liked it that way.

Erica walked out of our bedroom, hair soaked and dressed in her pajamas. Even though her face was already taking a purplish hue she looked nice and refreshed after taking a shower. "Moms gonna be home soon." She muttered as she walked by me. "Let Cole handle it." I said back walking down the hall and into the bathroom.

For a while I stood under the shower, letting the warm water beat against my sore body. With a loud sigh I grabbed the shampoo bottle and squeeze some into my hand, lathering it up before scrubbing my head with it.

There was a knock at the door. "Hailey! It's me!" Melody called from outside the bathroom door. "What do you want!" I called back, over the rushing water. "I got to go to the bathroom!" she called back. "Come on in!" There was a shower curtain, so it wasn't like she could see and I didn't mind if she did I mean we'd been best friends since forever.

"Your moms home." She said. "Really? Is she upset?" I asked, rinsing my hair. "No," Melody laughed, "She is getting all the details while fixing everybody up." I laughed, "Sounds just like her; you're not going to the bathroom are you? You're just in here to talk." Melody laughed, "Yea and look in the mirror, I don't even think makeup will help this." She said.

"Thanks for helping Erica, I forgot about her."

"No problem, she was handling herself real good but then this guy started on her and she really didn't have a chance. I wouldn't have gotten a chance to help if Tim hadn't got those two we had."

I smiled to myself, "It's kinda funny you know…"I trailed off and Melody left without a word.

Dressed in gray sweatpants and a baggy black T-shirt I walked out of my bedroom and into the living room where everybody was. "Hail, look at you." My mom scolded as I walked into the room. She was sitting on the back of the sofa. I rolled my eyes and sat down on Donny's legs, where Chris had been sitting earlier. "Get off." He grumbled, squirming around with his legs. I ignored him and he soon stopped.

"You guys are all too good for these stupid fights, you need to grow up." My mom said, running her fingers threw my stringy hair. "Nah, they're to fun." Mickey said turning to face her from the TV. "You're not going to get any where in life with a police record a mile long." She warned. "Already got one longer, and plus everybody knows it ain't a rumble or less I'm in!" Colby spoke up proudly. Mom's hands paused in my hair and as far as I knew so did her breathing. I glanced up at her and she was staring blankly at Colby. "What?" he asked. She shook her head, "Nothing, I was just remembering something." She said softly. I thought about it a bit longer, maybe she was remembering a time when my dad had said something like that or realizing that her son wasn't going to get anywhere in life at this rate.

Suddenly Cole's face turned stormy and he fixed a glare onto me. "Forget the record; Hailey's not going to get anywhere either with that jackass she's fooling with." He said coolly, almost tauntingly, but I knew it was to hide his anger. I felt Donny stir underneath me; and an eerie silence fell over to room. "Who?" my mom asked quickly. "Tim Shepard, and he isn't a jackass Colby!" I said, balling my hands into fist. Colby laughed, "Coulda fooled me, the guy has a different girl in the bathroom every night!"

Not a moment sooner I was standing up. "Oh, just because he's name isn't Colby Winston, fucking a different girl in somebody's bathroom isn't acceptable?" I shouted. "Hey, both of you knock it off!" my mother said firmly. Her scolding was just a slight buzz between our yelling. "No its not, especially when he is dating my baby sister!" he yelled back, standing up, probably because he felt vulnerable. Or that fact I was practically standing over him now, about to attack.

I could picture my mother, now standing behind the couch watching us go back and forth, rolling her eyes as she told us, "Go outside if you're gonna fight." Because Colby and I always had yelling matches and it never ended like it did this time.

"Just because I'm your younger sister doesn't mean I can't have a life!"

"I never said you couldn't but you have no reason to be running around with trash!"

Trash! Oh yea he had room to talk, Colby Winston calling somebody else trash? What a hypocrite…

Maybe I was getting to defensive over Tim, I mean for a guy I didn't even know if we where dating or not, I was getting really pissed at Colby. Fist clenched I lifted my right arm, and soon felt the satisfaction of flesh against my fist.

Colby didn't care if I was his sister or not, but I think he was a little surprised, I mean I was. He grabbed my arm before it could reach my side again, using a lot of force to twist me around so my back was turned to his. Some how he also managed to get my left hand, and put his knee in my back. His grasp growing tighter the more I struggled.

"I don't want to ever see you with him you hear?" he said softly, I stopped struggling noticing everybody was standing watching us with the same surprised look on their face. I didn't answer and he let go shoving me forward. "Oh my god you two!" my mother screamed, walking in between us before either of us could attack again.

I was the first one to storm out, in my pajamas with flip flops that didn't even match, and didn't fit. They where to big, because they where my moms. She had bought years ago claiming she'd need them when we'd go to the beach which we never did. Though she did walk around in them which is why they where by the door... Some how I got a pink one and a black one but at least I had something on my feet.

"Hailey! Wait up!" somebody cried. I glanced over my shoulder; Melody was rushing down the steps. I stopped; only long enough for her to catch up before I started down the street again. "What was all that about?" she asked as we walked briskly to no where. I didn't answer but some how we ended up at her house.

I'd sat on the sofa while she took a shower and talked to Candy, who was surprisingly still up. She fell asleep though just as Mel came out, in an oversized T-shirt and her hair wrapped up in a towel.

"You going home?" she asked, leaning in the door way. I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't think so." I said softly. "You can stay here." She demanded rather then said it walking over to sit down next to me. We sat in silence listening to crickets chirp outside, a car pulling up and somebody running up to the house, opening the door and barging in.

"Mel you wouldn't believe who was fighting down at Dingo's!"

Steve might have bit his tongue when he saw me, but there was no need for any more explanation I knew who was fighting.

Hello! Long time no see! I know, I know I haven't been a good person and haven't been updating but I'm very sorry. I know I've said it before but I'll update more often! School starts soon for me, on August 24th. I haven't even gotten my schedule yet!I can't believe summer has already come to an end! But anyhow back to the story! gasp Who was fighting at the Dingo? You'll find out soon enough if you Read and Review(please)!