Title- Dealing with It

Chapter Title- What's the Big Deal?

Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

Reviewers- Imaginary cookies to anybody who was right! Now to my individual thank you's.

RangerDan- Ha, now you own me two shiny pennies and a guitar (preferably electric, I have an acoustic)

XAmberX- It was The Outsider, and I don't have any cookies. My family ate them…

Tikagem- Ding, ding, ding… we have a winner! Although, I might've accepted Mickey Mouse, and I don't have brownies… I have a broken digital.

oOoRikku4EveroOo- It is cute, if I say so myself

Emma Bryant- You, are, correct! Yippee!

Note- The answer is revealed in this chapter! Just like I said it would. Sometimes, only sometimes, I keep my promises. This chapter is also a lot of talking. I'm better at having people talk. I don't know why, it is actually quite weird.

Around four, the front door opened. Mom took off her shoes and took her hair out of the ponytail. I waited until she was settled. She was drinking a cup of coffee at the kitchen table while looking at the newspaper. I don't think she really reads it. She normally puts it down ten seconds later and forgets about it. I walked into the kitchen and sat across from her. She lowered the paper and looked at me.

"When were you going to tell us?" I asked. I don't know why I didn't make it more specific. At first, mom looked confused. She stared at me for a while.

"Tell you what?" she asked. I stared back at her.

"About dad and about the first time we went to New York," I said. I was actually quite calm. Not on the inside, on the inside I was breaking down and yelling and crying. I could've lost my dad before I really knew him. It wasn't fair for them to keep it a secret.

"He's alright, it doesn't matter," she responded. She had put the paper down completely and hadn't taken a sip of her coffee since I came in.

"What, what would've happened if he died? What were you going to tell us, that he died in a car accident? Were you going to move us to New York, away from our family?" My voice got a little louder and I was trying hard not to yell. I was trying hard not to cry.

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter. Dad is okay; maybe I would've told you the truth. How did you find out?" She was looking at me carefully.

"Two-Bit stopped by and wanted to know what happened while he was gone. I told him we went to New York and he said again and so I asked. He told me why you went back the first time, and how come you went back a second time, with us." She just nodded. She finally picked up her coffee cup and took a sip.

"Is he still here? Is he staying for dinner?"

"Yeah, oh, and mom, can Nate and I have our friend over for dinner as well?" I figured I'd tell everybody at dinner. Mom nodded. I walked into the room I shared with Nate and sat down on the bed.

"What's up, Ron?" Josh asked me. He looked up from the homework he was working on with Nate.

"My mom said it's okay if you stay for dinner. She hasn't found out yet, I'm going to tell them tonight. I want you here when I tell them. Nate, Two-Bit's also staying over for dinner."

We worked on homework until we were called for dinner. I sat down next to Two-Bit and Josh sat down next to me. Nate sat on the other side of Josh, across from mom. Next to mom sat dad, then Steve, then Winnie. I looked at Josh and smiled. I was going to tell everybody in:

Five

Four

Three

Two

One

"Mom, dad, I need to tell you something," I said quietly. I was starting to get nervous. My palms were sweaty, which made them feel gross.

"Yeah," mom said. She was probably remembering the conversation we had about an hour ago.

"Josh, Josh and I are going out," I said softly. I looked down at my plate and felt my cheeks burn up. I never remember feeling that shy. The kitchen was quiet for a bit. Nobody moved.

"Oh," mom said, "I guess that makes you Josh." She was looking at Josh now.

"Yeah, that's me." He wasn't speaking any softer. He was staring at her, looking her directly in the eye. I wondered how many times he had to do this.

"So, Josh, where do you live?" Dad asked him. I hoped my parents had no problem with the West-side.

"I'm from the West-side of town," he replied, now facing dad.

"Do you have a last name?" Two-Bit asked.

"Yeah, Holden, my name is Josh Holden." Two-Bit and Steve kind of stared at each other and dad dropped his fork.

"Your dad is your dad's name Paul?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Josh replied. Did my parents, in some freaky way, know his?

"Wow, it's a small world," Steve said. How did these people know Josh's dad? This wasn't fair! It was like some big secret and I wasn't in on it.

"Huh?" my brother finally asked. He was just as confused as I was. Actually, Nate, Josh, mom and I were all confused. Winnie was too busy sticking her green beans into her mashed potatoes to care.

"His dad used to play football with Darry," dad explained. He leaned over to mom and whispered something in her ear. I didn't catch it, but whatever it was made mom go 'oh'.

"Josh plays football, he's a half-back," I said. Nobody said anything. They just started to eat again. I looked at Josh and Nate, a little worried.

After dinner, I cleared my plate and went outside with Nate and Josh. I didn't say much, and I didn't care when Josh sat next to me on the porch and put his arm around my shoulder. I didn't hear much either. I could make out the occasional 'it'll be fine', but that was it. It started to get darker and I was getting tired. I rested my head on Josh's shoulder and almost fell asleep, almost.

Mom came outside and told Josh that it was time to go. I think Steve gave him a ride home. Mom led me to my bedroom. I curled myself into the quilt, making a cocoon. Nate and I have our own separate beds now; we still share the same room. Its walls are colored and the door frame is cut up, it's home.

No clips for you this time. Sorry, although, I do have up to 16 written. I just don't feel like getting the files open and that junk…