Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.
oOoDancingQueenoOo: well not everyone is married, Two-Bit and Trisha are only dating, well they live together. Same with Soda and his girlfriend, but whatever. I'm sorry I made you sad!
TWbasketcase: I totally forgive you for not reviewing the first chapter. LOL. I'm glad you like the pairings. I like them too. Dally is not going to jump right back in like everything is back to normal, you don't have to worry. I would never do that. And he is definitely hella mad when he finds out that Roxie is engaged! Although I really don't like the way I wrote it...
Sodapop's#1gurl: LOL. If Roxy wasn't engaged there wouldn't be much of a story. You'll find out how Dally reacts in this chapter.
Caitym: Ha-ha. Well there's no fight in this chapter but there could be in one of the later ones! Glad you enjoyed the last chapter.
Tk421beth: Glad you liked it!
Author's Note: so I'm having a bit of writer's block with both of my stories. Gah. I don't know how that happened. But I worked a lot with this chapter so hopefully it's semi-okay. I don't know when I'll update Black Roses Red next because I have NO idea whatsoever about what's going to happen in the next chapter yet. Just be patient. I would never ditch my stories! Hope you like this chapter.
Chapter Three: After the Funeral
The whole gang, plus their spouses and children, were over at the Curtis's house (even though it now belonged to Olivia and Darry it would always be the Curtis boys' house to me) after the funeral. Olivia had made a bunch of food but I wasn't hungry. While everyone was in the kitchen eating I remained in the living room, sitting on the sofa with my head in my hands.
"Miss Roxanne, mind if I join you?" I looked up to see Soda standing next to me. I shrugged and he sat down and put his arm around me in a brotherly manner. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, rubbing my shoulder.
"I should have come to see her last Christmas. I knew I should have. But Daniel wanted me to spend it with him and his family… I'm so selfish." I said, trying to hold back my sobs.
"You can't turn back time Roxie." he said brushing back my bangs. "You have to remember that your aunt loved you a lot. She loved you so much, like you were her own daughter. She always bragged about how pretty you were and how smart you were. She even made a greeting card character out of you!"
"It just hurts…" I said wiping some of my tears with the back of my hand.
"I know it does sweetie but you've got to remember the good times you had together. Like I know you would sit with her in her drawing room while she was working and not say anything, just watch her draw. I know that meant a lot to her."
"And watching I Love Lucy together…" I managed. Soda nodded.
"There you go kid," he said as Dally entered the room from the kitchen, holding a plastic cup. Soda smiled at me and got up to go to the kitchen while Dally sat beside me, taking his place.
"Hi," he said softly. I folded my hands in my lap, hiding my ring and nodded to him. "So…"
"So?" I asked raising my eyebrows. He ran his hand through his hair and shifted uncomfortably.
"I've missed you Roxie. I mean really missed you."
"I missed you too." I said thinking back to college when I'd be sitting at my desk, trying to write a paper for one of my classes, when I'd look over at the framed picture I had of me and Dally together from the night of the eclipse. Aunt Candace took it. It wasn't the best picture, I had red eye and there was a blur in the back round that was Two-Bit, trying to jump into the picture. But still, every time I had looked at it my mind would wander to Dally. I'd wonder what he was doing at that exact moment while I was writing my paper. Maybe he was hanging with the gang. Maybe he was at the Nightly Double. Maybe he was asleep somewhere. But after I met Daniel I stopped wondering and that picture was taken out of its frame and put into my photo album.
"So what have you been up to?" he asked, setting his drink on the coffee table. I bit my lip and glanced down at my hand. I would have to tell him eventually.
"I'm engaged." I said softly. The words hung between us in an awkward silence. Dally swore under his breath and stood up. Without a word he left the house, slamming the front door behind him. I rested my chin in my hand and looked out the window, to watch him storm down the street. "I'm sorry..." I whispered to the empty room.
Author's Note: well? I know it's very short and it's not my best writing but hopefully it isn't too awful...