thank yous:
XAmberX - srry you had to wait so long for the update. i think the story behind Amber's pastis very sad too. hope you like this next chapter.
TheAngryPrincess13- thanx for the review, hope you like this next chapter!
Two-BtGortez- thanx for the review!
dakota- thanx for the review. i am glad you like my story! hope you like this next chapter
babyhilts- thanx for the review. hope you like this next chapter
Bex- lol, thanx for the review. Johnny and Amber are going to get together in the next chapter, although this chap has some Johnny/Amber action. hope you like this chap!
Dedication: to all my amazingly wonderful reviwers. i hope you havent lost faith in my story! and i am very sorry for the long wait for an update.
Disclamier: i don't own any of the outsiders. I wish i did :(. I only own Amber.
Last chapter:
"And that's the last I ever saw or heard of my mother" I said, letting a few tears escape my eyes. The room had gotten deathly quiet by that point and I looked around at the gangs faces. They were in complete shock. That's when I realized what I had just said.
'O god. What have I done?'
(Amber's POV)
I looked around the room to see everyone's reactions to my story. Ponyboy and Johnny looked like they had just seen a ghost. Both were deathly pale and Johnny was shaking. Darry was sitting in the chair besides the couch with his head in his hands. Steve was leaning against the wall, looking at me with a shocked expression. The happy-go-lucky grin that was always on Soda's face was now gone and replaced with one of his rare frowns. Two-bit was still on the floor sitting in front of the TV but it was turned off. The happy and joyful sounds of Mickey Mouse were not echoing throughout the house today. He wasn't smiling or cracking jokes like he so often did. Instead, he was sitting there with his head slightly tilted to the side and his mouth hanging open. Looking away from Two-bit I glanced over to Dally. He was sitting on the arm of the couch staring at the blank TV screen looking lost in his own thoughts.
I wasn't sure if I should say something or if I should get up and leave. Judging from the looks on the guys faces I could tell that they were probably just as confused as I was. They were probably deciding if they should yell at me or just kick me out onto the streets. Maybe even both.
"Amber" Darry said, breaking the silence. "Is this true?" he asked, looking straight at me.
"Yes" I choked out. I was starting to cry again.
Darry open his mouth about to say something but then shut it, as if he decided to rethink his words.
"I don't think that you should go back to your house." He finally said.
"But Darry" I started but was cut off when he started to talk again.
"Actually, no, let me rephrase that. I don't want you go back to that house." He said in a stern tone that I had never heard him use before.
"Darry, I can't just not go back. My father…" I started to say, but once again he cut me off.
"Your father is exactly why you can't go back! I mean, come on! Look at yourself! I think that we should inform the police about this"
"No!" I shouted jumping up from my seat on the couch.
"Y-You can't! If they take my father away I'd have no where to go! I'm only 16! I'm not legal for another year and a half! They'd send me off to some boarding school or a girls home!" I shouted. Those were the only reasons why I had put up with my father for the past few years. I was afraid of being put into an orphanage.
"Amber, calm down. Darry is only trying to do what's best for you" Soda said, walking over to me and putting his hands on my shoulders.
"I know he is! But I don't want to have to go to an orphanage! That's the only reason why I've stuck with my father for all these years! If you tell…I'll…I'll run away!" I said. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"Amber, it's dangerous out there on the streets. You could get hurt if you ran away!" Johnny said walking over to her.
"Don't you think I know that?" I snapped at him. Johnny looked hurt and I quickly apologized.
"Oh, Johnny, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap" I said walking over and hugging him.
"That's ok" he said. "I just don't want ya to get hurt. "
"You won't really run away, will you?" Two-bit asked.
"I might" I said.
"No, no one is gonna run away!" Darry said suddenly. "Your almost 17 right?"
He looked at me and I nodded. "I'll be 17 in a month""So that means that you only have about a year until your legal right?" he stopped to look at me and once again I nodded.
"Why does that matter though?" I asked.
"Well, you could live here until your 18"
"oh, no Darry. I couldn't."
"Why not? Do we smell or something?" Soda asked.
"No" I laughed. "I just don't want to inconvenience you. And I'd feel like I was intruding."
"You know, technically your not intruding since we invited you to live here in the first place." Ponyboy said.
"You know that I'm not gonna let you live on the streets so you might as well quit arguing with us" Darry said.
"Alright. But I am going to pay rent no matter what you say."
"No, you don't have to pay rent. Can you cook and clean?" Darry asked.
"Umm, yea" I answered.
"Well, that will be how you pay us"
"Ok." I said smiling.
"Yes! No more eating strangely colored food!" Ponyboy shouted.
"What?" I asked laughing at his joyfulness.
"Oh, it's nothing. Don't mind him" Soda said pulling me into a hug.
"Ok, well first things first" Darry said. "I am going to go report this to the police. Soda, Pony and Johnny. I want you to go to Amber's house and help her pack all of her things. Dally, Steve and Two-bit, you guys can. Well…you guys can go back to doing whatever the hell it was that you were doing"
"Yes sir!" Two-bit said, standing up and giving Darry an army salute.
"Ha, ha. Real funny Two-bit" Darry said smacking him on the head.
Darry then turned and walked into the kitchen to call the police. Two-bit turned the tv back on and soon the house was filled once again with the sounds of Mickey Mouse. Steve and Dally walked out the door saying something about going to Buck's party. Me, Johnny, Soda and Pony all got up from our seats and walked towards the door. Johnny walked up to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"I'm glad your not going to run away" he said, lacing his fingers between mine.
"Me too Johnny" I said smiling.
ok, there you go, there is ur update. srry it's kinda short but the next chapter should be pretty long. i think there's only gonna be 2 chapters after this and then i am going to make a sequal if anyone wants me too. i promise that i'll try extremly hard to update soon.
xoxoxo
always & forever
Sara