Out of The Ball Park

Chapter 2: "Always Knock"

Summary:

So, turns out there's a fourth to the Curtis household. She's a little bit different from her older brothers Darry, Sodapop and Ponyboy. She's quite literally 'THE' outsider. She kind of struggles to fit into the whole gang, of course by birth she has her place. But never seems to really fit in. She loves her brothers and all of the gang, but she's kind of just a drifter. Read on to follow her journey in fitting into the outsiders.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders, but I do own my OC's and anything I add to the plot. Other than that, I own nothing.

A/N: Been a while, feeling a need to start rewriting everything i've ever written and work being so time consuming. Next chapter tomorrow. :o)

Edited: March 10th,2022


Original Word Count: 1,598 — Edited Word Count: 1,532


The house was weirdly quiet, but that was just because no one was home. It was still strange to come home to an empty house after school, not that I actually would tell anyone about it.

Momma and daddy had been in an auto wreck only four months ago; we don't really talk about it that much, if at all. The gang sort of fills the house with ruckus, now doing double time to make it like before. It's just all the time now, before they would all go home or crash in the living room quietly. There weren't many moments alone in the house where it was quiet like it is right now. It wasn't really the noise, but the feeling that made you feel lonely, like a piece of the love was gone. Don't get me wrong, the gang did wonders bringing life into the house. They were always keeping some joke going and I don't really mind. I think it's because in my head they are kind of like a family and they sort of help keep the lonely feelings at bay. It's also like they've been around for what feels like forever. Momma and Daddy loved them like their own so, I had my head set on doing so too. Sometimes I can't help but notice I don't really fit in, but I do always try for the most part…

Well off that topic, I decided to take advantage of the alone time. Sitting at the dining table and pulling out my books to study. I began zoning out into the text, leaving my physical body behind as everything around me faded away and only the black ink words and occasional picture in front of me seemed to exist.

The chapter had gone by quickly and I took some time to fill out the rest of my science lab, chucking down my final hypothesis on the back when I was done. Multitasking as I freshened up on my vocabulary before finishing up the night. We have a test on Friday in that class; Which I'm not all that worried about. On a second thought, that's where I remember him from. Mark, I mean. He hangs out in the back and never really disrupts class like some of the kids he sits with. That's why I didn't really recognize him. I think we have another class too; I tried to picture some of my other classes before giving up, guessing I'll just have to wait and see tomorrow.

I scratched the back of my neck and cringed at the sweaty hair that stuck to the back of it. I decided on a shower as I officially put everything into my school bag and went to my room. It was a small room, more like a broom closet behind the living room wall. It sat across from the bathroom with Sodapop and Ponyboy's bedroom to the left of mine.

I don't really mind how small it is because it's my own little space where I can do whatever I want. I can hang posters or pictures; I can decorate with whatever. I used to share with Ponyboy and Sodapop when we were younger, but when I turned eleven daddy thought I should have my own room. So, he cleared it out of all of his stuff and shoved it into the small basement. He built me a bed frame for my mattress and put up some shelves. For my last birthday all of my brothers built me a desk. They even painted it white. I still have it and use it all the time.

I also have a chest of drawers where I keep all of my clothes, where I grabbed a simple outfit from an open drawer and headed to the bathroom.

I couldn't have been in the shower thirty minutes before anyone had arrived home, but I was oblivious. That was until I heard the bathroom door open. I paid no mind to whoever it was, thinking Ponyboy or Sodapop were popping in to grab something. I did not expect it to be…

"Oh shit…sorry!" Two-bit? TWO BIT!

I turned my head quickly and found myself locking eyes with Two-bit Mathews and not a blurry outline of a figure. That was when I realized the shower curtain hadn't been fully closed, leaving the whole front of my body exposed for my brother's friend. We both stayed frozen solid, eyes locked for a couple of seconds, still stunned. It ended quickly when Two-bit got asked a question from someone in the living room walking over.

"What the hell are y-looking at?" It was bad enough that Two-bit had walked in, but now Steve Randle had his burning gaze locked on me. Suddenly a self-conscious feeling washed over me and I pulled the curtain close in an attempt to cover my body as if I hadn't already been out on full display.

"What are you doing? Close the door!" I emphasized the last bit as if suddenly Two-bit's brain stopped working and it would jumpstart him back to functioning normally.

"O-oh yeah. R-right!" He stuttered as he fiddled with the door knob, trying to close the damn thing like he had forgotten how. "Sorry!" He called from the other side of the now finally closed door.

"Little late for that." I whispered to myself and rinsed the rest of the soap out of my hair before stepping out of the shower and wrapping myself in a towel. I noticed the cotton fabric squeezing a little tighter than normal.

I dried myself off a little faster than I normally did before throwing on my new clothes and throwing the old ones, along with my now wet towel, in the hamper for the laundry tomorrow.

I finally worked up the courage to leave the cover of the bathroom. In reality it was only as long as it took me to brush my hair and teeth, but it felt much longer than normal.

Steve whistled at Two-bit in a joking manner as he shoved his shoulder and said, "Ain't ever seen a naked girl there Two-bit?"

I rolled my eyes as Two-bit blushed and rushed to answer, "Yes I have. Just not my best friends' sister."

I wanted to laugh when I settled for a small smirk as I walked over to smack Two-bit in the back of the head. Sodapop walks in to hear the end of Two-bit's retaliation and sees me smack him up-side the head.

"Oww." He groans, rubbing right where I slapped him. Steve thought he was free as he laughed at Two-bit's punishment.

"What I miss?" Soda asked with a wide smile at the interaction as he walked closer.

I smacked Steve a little harder than Two-bit right as he answered, "Two-bit walked in on Elvie and turned into a babbling idiot, got a full-l view too. Oww."

I pulled my hand back again and gave another good head-whack, "You did too Dumbass."

Sodapop's face gave a questioning glance at his two friends and then back at me and if judging the situation, "You ok?"

"Yeah, just don't tell Darry, he'll kill 'em." I finally let out that laugh at the thought of Darry running after them, the way their faces would look as they screamed and ran. They both swallowed so loudly that you could hear it, almost like the cartoons Two-bit watched. They were definitely a sight to see.

"Okay." Sodapop went back from his concerned face to his goofy grin once he was sure no real harm had been done, even letting out a laugh as three more walked in with puzzled faces.

Dally was the first to speak, "What'd we miss?"

"Oh nothing, just Two-bit not knowing how to knock is all!" I said, sending me back into a light giggle.

Dally seemed to know right away with a grin on his face as he looked at my wet hair and an embarrassed Two-bit while Ponyboy and Johnny still looked puzzled.

"Seriously, how did you not hear the running water?" Steve asked, once again laughing at Two-bit.

"I wasn't paying attention, I just walked in. It's not like I did it on purpose." Two-bit stammered and I noticed a blush creep onto Johnny's face as it clicked. I couldn't tell if Ponyboy was angry that Two-bit had walked in on his sister showering without knocking, or if he wanted to laugh, I guessed a little bit of both. I eventually came to Two-bit's defense and smacked Steve for the third time today.

"You too dipshit! You got a goood look, didn't you? You did not have to stare that long!" Steve seemed to look embarrassed at being called out and Sodapop seemed a little upset with him, but took on his regular demeanor quickly. Ponyboy was now blushing along as he did not like the conversation about his sister being naked and his friends seeing it, it made him internally cringe.

"Who would blame him?" Dally joked, sending a suggestive wink my way.

"Now, now Dally reign it in." I playfully scolded him and sent a jokingly suggestive wink back that made him laugh.


A/N: Thanks for reading! This was kind of a way to goofily and embarrassingly get most of the characters involved in the story. Hope you enjoyed the awkwardness. I'll be writing for ya', till next time.

-Amory


Edit: Nothing to add (10.03.22)