Okay everyone. sorry for the wait, but no ones really read or reviewed...that i know of. I haven't had any reviews :sniffle: Makes me feel stupid for writting this, but i'll keep writting and updating for anyone who does end up reading this . Anywho. Here is chapter 2. I hope you all like it. Please review. I would like to start thanking my reviewers in the begining of chapters. And I am loking for a beta reader...so yeah. Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM THE OUTSIDERS. S.E.HINTON HAS THAT HONOR. I DO HOWEVER OWN EDEN, THE PLOT TO THIS STORY, AND THE STORY ITSELF. THANK YOU.

CHAPTER #2

BEDSPRINGS AND BOXES

EDEN'S POV

This is kinda wierd. I have no idea why I said I'd stay here. I mean. I don't even know these guys. Shit. I'm stuck now. It's either here or...No! Don't think about that you idiot. Just be happy they're giving you a place to stay and not asking questions. Well, at least thier not badgering you for an answer. Lets hope it stays that way.

I went back inside and watched as Darry and Soda left for work, then Ponyboy went to school. Darry said today alls he wanted me to do was try to figure out where I wanted to sleep while I was staying here. I don't know. But I don't want to take over Soda's bed for that long.

"...How long AM I going to be here?" I asked myself.

I didn't know. I could just up and leave, before these guys get to know me. If that happens they'll be like everyone else. Everyone except for one person. But I haven't seen him in so many years. I don't even know where he is. I wish I did. I could really use his help right about now.

"I guess I can take a look around for now." I said to myself.

I explored the house a bit. I knew Soda and Ponyboy's room already. I didn't think it would be polite to go into Darry's room, so I left that alone. There was another door in the hall. It turned out to be a closet, Filled with crap and useless junk.

"Hmm, I don't know whats important...I'll just have to get some boxes and organize this." I said.

So I headed out to find the local grocery store. It's funny ya know. I've lived here on and offfor aboutsix years now and I still have no idea where anything is. Well, I never did leave the house, that might explain it. As I was walking, trying to find the market, I saw a couple outside of thier house with a bunch of furniture. Maybe they know where the store is.

I walked up to the house slowly, walking around the tables with stuff piled on them and the furniture.

"Excuse me." I called to the woman.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, what can I help you with? Were you interested in the chair?" The woman asked smiling as she walked up to me.

"What?" I asked.

"You are here for the yard sale right?" The woman asked.

"Is that why you stuff's out on the lawn?" I asked seriously, I guess she thought it was a funny joke, so I went with it.

"So, what were you interested in?" The woman smiled.

"Well actually. I'm sorry. I must have mislead you. I actually was just wondering where the grocery store is, seeI need some boxes." I smiled.

"Well, the stores just up the street and to the left. But if you need boxes i'd be glad to give you some. I was gonna throw them out anyways." The woman smiled.

I nodded thanks and she went for them. Her and her husband emerged from thier house a few minutes later with four boxes just big enough to fit all the junk from the closet.

"You new here?" The man asked.

"Kinda yeah." I laughed.

"Looking for any furniture?" The man laughed.

"Yeah. But I can't afford it just yet. Thanks for the boxes, and the directions." I smiled and began to walk home.

"Well hold on just a second. What kind of furniture are you looking for?" The man asked.

"Just a small bed and a small nightstand. Nothing big." I said.

"Wait here for one minute okay?" The man asked.

I nodded my head and stood on thier lawn waiting as they both went inside again. I was feeling kind of stupid just standing there like a fool with boxes in my hands on a strangers front lawn.

"Would this be too big or too small?" The man asked as he came from the house.

I looked around to see him holding a small mattress that looked just big enough for me to fit on. I nodded my head.

"You can have it if you like. We tried to sell it a few times at these yard sales...but no one seems to have any use for a bed this small." The man said.

"There's also a small nightstand, it's awefully tiny though. I'm not sure if it'd even be worth your while." The woman added.

"I dunno. I'd feel real bad taking this stuff from you. I mean, I can wait. I can come back in a week with some money for you." I said, I was dead honost. I may have lived...inside for quite sometime, but I had manners.

"It's really not necessary. We can't sell it. And to be honoest, if you don't take it today...well...lets just say the garbage men won't like us very much for making them work hard." The man smiled.

About half an hour later I had a ride home and help to get the mattress in the door.

"Thank you so much again for everything Ron." I waved as the truck pulled out of the driveway.

I got to work first by clearing out the things in the closet...or at least the abyss these boys called a closet. I sorted everything in the four boxes. One box for anything paper, one for cloth materials, one for breakables, and the last was for junk.

"Well I'll be." I smiled at the clean and now empty closet.

It was actually a walk in closet. I hadn't noticed while cleaning it out, but it was a pretty nicely sized walk in closet. I looked over at the mattress I had leaning against the wall, and back to the closet. The closet was about seven feet long, and about five feet wide. Like I said, it was a big walk in closet. The mattress was six feet long, about about three feet wide, kinda awkward shaped, but man luck must have been on my side today. It would fit perfectly. I'd have my own room to sleep in, and I had my own mattress. The nightstand was tiny, with only one drawer about six inxhes deep. But I didn't have many cloths anyways. And when I did get some cloths I could just put them under the mattress.

TWO HOURS LATER

I found some wooden blocks big enough to put under the corners of the mattress so that it came four inches off the ground, and it was suppotive enough to where the mattress wouldn't fall out from under me when I laid on it.

"This is perfect!" I smiled a real smile for the first time in...well...I can't remember.

After getting my 'room' set up, getting sheets on the bed, I put the boxes away in a corner of the living room. I took a look around and saw there wasn't really any cleaning to be done just yet, the place was pretty nice already. So I decided to get started on what I was gonna make for dinner.

"Do these boys even eat?" I asked.

The fridge was completely empty.

"Guess I should go to the store." I sighed.

LATER THAT NIGHT

PONYBOY'S POV

When I got home from school Eden was already starting to make dinner. It smelled great. It's so nice to come home to that. The smell of something cooking, I haven't had that since mom and dad died.

"Oh your home. You have a good day?" Eden asked as she came out of the kitchen.

"Yeah it was cool. Smells great." I smiled.

"Thanks. I'm making a chicken broccolli casserole for dinner." Eden said.

(Authors note: Okay, chicken broccolli casserole, is the shit, it is the most awesomest food on this planet. Don't ever buy it at a resturant. It only tastes good when you make it at home. sorry. had to saythat.)

I looked at her for a moment.

"You know how to make that?" I asked.

"Well yeah. It's pretty easy. I just opened the cookbook and followed the directions." Eden laughed.

"Your using mom's cookbook?" I asked shocked.

Eden stood there looking at me for a moment like she was a little unsure of herself.

"I hope it's not a problem. It was just sitting in the closet today when I cleaned it out, and I thought I'd make something from it. This was marked off as 'Pony's favorite', so I figured I had a good chance of making something you'd all like." Eden said.

"It was marked?" I smiled.

"Yeah. I'm so sorry. I'll put it away." Eden said turning to get the book.

"No!" I yelled out.

She stopped and looked at me.

"It's fine. Really. It's just. I haven't had that since...well...you know. It...It really makes me happy to know she remembered it was my favorite." I smiled.

There were a few moments of silence.

"Did you say you cleaned out the closet?" I asked suddenly.

Eden nodded her head.

I couldn't beleive it. The task me and my brothers fought over so many times until it was forgotten, was done. I don't even remember half the stuff that was in there. We haven't opened that closet door in almost two years.

"Well, you'd better get started on homework if you've got it. I'm sure your brother won't like it if you leave it for last minute." Eden said.

I couldn't argue with her.

Later that night after Soda and Darry came home we all sat down for dinner. The gang wasn't over yet, so it was just the four of us.

"Wow. This is great Eden, tastes just like moms." Soda smiled.

"Well, it kinda is." Eden replied quietly.

The table went quite...eeirily quiet. Like in those movies when someone confesses to something and everyone gets ready to jump them. Me and Soda waited. It was Darry's move before we could do anything.

"You made it perfectly kid." Darry said.

We all laughed in relief and continued eating.

"So where'd you find the cookbook?" Darry asked.

"In the closet today when I cleaned it out. Don't worry, I didn't throw anything away. I don't know whats important to you all or anything. It's all sorted into a few boxes right in the living room behind the cabinet." Eden said quickly.

Again, the table went quite. But I knew it was a good quite, shocked, but good.

"You took on the monster?" Soda asked in awe.

Eden nodded her head.

"It wasn't to hard." She said.

"Your first day here, I didn't ask you to do anything, but you did that. I gotta say, I like you more and more every second kid." Darry laughed.

"Thanks. I just got bored. So after I did that, I saw there was nothing in your fridge, so I went and got you all some grocery's. There's more chocolate milk, and sandwich meat in the fridge, plus the stuff for dinner tonight. But that was all I could get." Eden said.

"You didn't have to do that." Soda smiled.

"Well, I just wanted to repay you guys some way for taking me in." Eden replied.

"Thank you. But you don't have to next time okay?" I smiled.

I didn't want Darry and Soda to start embarressing her about it. I have no idea why they can't just accept a nice gesture.

"So did you figure out the sleeping part?" Darry asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'm gonna sleep in the closet." Eden smiled.

That's about when Soda, Darry, and myself dropped our forks and stared at her. She looked back at us like what she said was nothing at all.

"What?" She asked.

"You cannot sleep in a closet!" Darry yelled.

"Yes I can! Look at this! It's big enough for the mattress and my little nightstand. I have just enough room to change my cloths." Eden defended herself.

"It's a closet!" Darry raised his hands above his head to exagerate his point.

Me and Soda had been eating our dinner and watching this now for about five minutes.

"You think she's really gonna sleep in the closet?" Soda asked.

"I dunno. She's already got it cleaned out, and put a mattress in there. Now she just has to get past Darry." I replied.

"Hmm...Think he'll say yes?" Soda asked.

"Not a chance in hell." I said.

"Aaaarrrggghhh! Fine! Fine! Fine. ...If you want to sleep in the closet, you can. But first. You need to tell me where you got these, and you need to let me put a light in here." Darry said pointing to the bed, nightstand, and ceiling.

"Thank you. Well, I went looking for some boxes to put the stuff in the closet away neatly, and I came across a yard sale, they said they couldn't sell the mattress or nightstand, and that I could take it because if I didn't it was going in the trash. So I took 'em. No I did not lug them home, the couple gave me a ride. and yes a light is needed so thank you, and for your information I am used to smaller spaces then this. To me this is big, and it's not like i'll be spending my time in there all day. It's just a place to sleep and store my clothing okay?" Eden said walking away to start cleaning the dishes.

We had all now stopped what we were previously doing and stared at Eden. Did she just say...what we thought she said.

"Eden." Darry almost whispered.

"Hmm?" She replied.

"Why are you used to smaller spaces then that?" Darry choked out.

And this, my loyal reviewers. Is called a cliffy. I shall leave it off here. I am so cruel. So mean. So dazzalingly good at this that you can't hate me for long . Just playing about that last part. Nah, I do have the next chappy started. But i've never done a really tense cliffy like this before. Thought i'd give it a try. Maybe if you give me enough reviews i'll post the next chapter by tuesday. But we shall see...:insert evil laugh here: Until next time, as the MCR shirt says, from the razor to the rosary :wink: