Title- Dealing with It

Chapter Title- Not Again

Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders. I happen to own a paperback copy, a tape of the movie, a news article, and a new special DVD!

Reviewers-

XAmberX- I should give you points for creativity, but… no

RangerDan- I have already promised, Nate doesn't die…

Tikagem- Ding, ding, ding… you are correct. Have some invisible cake… it's good!

Note- I don't really have a note for this. I am still commentating chapters and adding them to that site. If you'd like the link, please tell me. You can reach me through e-mail (on the profile) or AIM (gcbabe1891) or YIM (it's on the profile)

NATE DOES NOT DIE! (I COULDN'T DO THAT TO HIM…)

The phone rang. I heard it, but my head was pounding. My mom had yelled at me for about ten minutes straight. Basically I was irresponsible, immature, and stupid. She said I needed to learn how to behave, contain myself, and not rush into relationships.

Mom was on the phone, talking to the other person. She sounded different as she said 'bye' and hung up. She turned towards me. The next thing I know, she was hugging me, and stroking my hair. I started to break-up, this could only mean bad news. She led me to the couch.

"Baby, something's happened," she said.

"Was it dad?" I asked alarmed.

"No, baby, that was Mr. Holden." Mr. Holden, Josh's dad, what did he want? "He wants you to go over there so he can discuss things with you."

"What sort of things?"

"They can't get into Josh's room and he isn't opening it up and his blinds are pulled down. They think he committed suicide."

"Josh, no," I said silently.

"Yes," she told me. Then I felt them.

Steady streams of tears were pouring out of my eyes. I felt them on my tongue. Why was this happening to me? I looked to my side, seeing Nate. The swelling in his face was huge. I held the phone close to my ear. 'Please, please, be some kind of sick joke.' I thought. I dialed the Holden's number.

"Mrs. Holden, it's Ronnie, I'm coming over now," I said.

"Oh, thank you, we really want to know what's wrong." I got into our car and all I could think about was 'it's my fault, it's my fault.'

Mom drove me to their house and I got out. I looked up; Josh's blinds were pulled down. I fingered the switchblade in my pocket. I was so nervous. 'It's my fault,' I thought. They let me in, and I walked to Josh's door. I knocked on it softly.

"Josh, it's me, Ronnie. Open up, please," I begged. I didn't hear anything on the other side. I tried to turn the door knob but it wouldn't budge. I pulled out the switch blade, receiving a gasp from Mrs. Holden. I flicked it open and stuck the point into the keyhole. Damn, that didn't work. I decided to try to unscrew the door knob. That worked. I shoved the door open, and then closed it again, not letting anybody else in the room.

I saw him, lying on the bed and I ran to him. I lay on the bed next to him, wrapping my arms around his body. I noticed one of his arms was slashed all the way up. He tried to commit suicide.

"Josh," I said, "this isn't funny Josh. Please, Josh, wake up, I love you." He didn't move. That's when I realized it. He wasn't asleep. He wasn't faking it. He died. He committed suicide. "No, no, please don't, no," I cried. I started to shake. I didn't care about germs anymore. Germs didn't kill Josh, I killed Josh. I broke his heart. "M... Mr. H... Holden," I stuttered. "C... c... come in p... please."

I heard the door open, and both of them came in. Mrs. Holden went into hysterics, worse than I was, and Mr. Holden nearly tossed me out the window.

"No good will ever come from you Greasers," he shouted as I ran into the car. I cried the whole way home and nobody asked me about it. Nobody said anything about it. Nobody knew about it, nobody except me. It was my fault. Oh, god, I killed somebody else.

Around 12 that night, I climbed out of bed and out the window. I walked two or three blocks down and sat on a bench, waiting for a bus. I wasn't going to sit around and wait for people to die near me. I was leaving and there was no changing my mind.

Gasp, now you understand the events that had to happen. Even though, now you hate me. I needed to make this work. It sounds weird and everything, like the typical tragedy. Somebody dies in another's arms... except for Josh was already dead. I hope you either cried or laughed. Or, either that or I hope you were very bored by this story. If you must know, the original story started with her at the bus stop (Chapter 23) but, I figured you needed some information. That's when I figured I would get into OCD and then I had already planned she had a boyfriend who's dad was a Soc from the past. Yeah, so it's a long and twisted tale... that originally started with the 23rd chapter. So, like I said before... the story is cheesy! Now, there is only one more death left!

When my name was called I mindlessly walked into the room. I sat across from the lady. She was young, with long dark brown hair. She had knick-knacks surrounding her desk. Without asking, I picked one up and began to play with it, turning it over and over in my hands. I didn't say anything, she didn't say anything. I just kept flipping it over, staring at it. Abruptly I put it down. I stared at her.

"Aren't you going to ask me what's wrong?" I asked her. She smiled, she seemed friendly. She wasn't as friendly as the other lady. The lady that I saw in New York.

Review, although I cannot promise that the next death is in that chapter. Who knows? I do, I do... -cough- CHEESY -cough-