Kerensa
Summary: The Curtis' little sister, Kerensa, has her own story to tell. This is as if Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry were all a lot younger when their parents died, but Social Services still allowed them to stay together at their house.
Disclaimer: I do not own "Outsiders". S.E. Hinton does.
Hello. My name is Kerensa Lillian Curtis, but my family calls me "Rensa". Lillian was my mother's name.
I was only two years old when my parents died. My eldest brother, Daryl – we all call him "Darry" – begged and begged for Social Services to allow him to keep me "on a trial basis. If you visit and see that it isn't working out, you can put her into a foster home until I get married, or we'll work something else out. Please, she's my little sister and we're her only family." It worked. I remember not being allowed to go to the funeral. I didn't really understand it, but I was left with a neighbor, who tried to explain it. I was only two, and here was this man trying to explain death to me.
Anyhow, I was allowed to stay with Darry, Soda, and Pony. One day, Pony and I were playing hide and seek outside, when it started to rain. I begged Pony to keep playing. He did. We wouldn't stay in our yard. This wasn't unusual. Darry would let us play hide and seek all over the street, as long as we could still see the house. It only rained for a little bit. Once, when Pony was "It", I hid in Ms. Fellowbee's bushes. I could still see the house. Pony looked all over for me.
"I'm going to get Darry! You'll be in a lot of trouble, if you don't come out right now!" he called. Of course, I didn't answer. I thought "He won't get Darry. That's cheating."
Pony was getting worried. He went inside. "He's cheating!" I thought. Pony and Darry came out. "She knows the rules. No leaving the block." Darry said.
"I think she may have forgotten, or maybe she found a really good hiding place."
"You've looked everywhere?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, get in the car and we'll look for her together. She better come in before it rains again."
Darry and Pony got in the car and backed out of the driveway. I stood up and waved, but they didn't see me.
I gave up and went inside. I used the bathroom and went back outside. I sat on the steps to wait. It started raining. Hard, like little knives. I knew I should go in, but I wanted to be outside when they came back. Soda came out.
"Rensa, Darry and Pony are out looking for you."
"I know. Pony and I were playing hide and seek, and Pony was 'It'. I hid in Ms. Fellowbee's bushes, and when they backed out, I stood up, and waved, but they didn't see me."
"Well, Rensa, honey, you need to come in before you catch a cold."
"I want to be out here when they come back, to show Pony that he shouldn't have freaked out like that and gotten Darry all worried."
"Sit on the porch, honey. Not right out here in the rain."
"Yes, sir." I got up and went to the porch swing. I sat down, and Soda went back in.
I don't know how long I waited, but when I heard the car pull in the driveway, I jumped up, off the porch, and ran to them.
"Darry! Pony!"
Darry got out.
"Kerensa Lillian Curtis! Where have you been!"
"I was hiding in Ms. Fellowbee's bushes. I stood up and waved when you two backed out of the driveway, but you didn't see me! Pony shouldn't have freaked out like that and gotten you all worried."
"You were where?" Pony asked.
"In Ms. Fellowbee's bushes."
"I didn't even think of looking there."
Darry was not happy.
"Why not, Ponyboy Curtis? She IS your little sister."
"She never hides there."
"First time for everything."