I shouldn't have done that to Soda. I knew that. I just did it because (one), he was irritating me talking about how I'd been a

pill to Darry; and (two) I really was worried crazy about Soda participating in that rumble.

Still, I shouldn't have done it like that, hurling words after him as he walked away. I ate my sandwich and half the banana and

went back to sleep, thinking I would apologize to Soda the next morning. For being snarky, not for being worried.

When I woke up the next morning, it was because I heard all the morning noises; doors being closed, male voices, water running

in the shower, all of that stuff.

I purposely stayed in bed, thinking I would avoid hopefully everybody that way. They would all head off to work, at least Darry and Soda would.

I was hopeful that Ponyboy had to go to work, too. Since I was to be stuck at home, not allowed back at the Wilson's, I thought I'd rather

no one else was home. That way I could move at my own pace, and not have to talk to anybody. It got quiet, after some more

doors closed, and I laid there, thinking they had all left. But, then, I heard footsteps just outside my door, and I pulled the

blanket up over my face, curling up as if still sleeping.

There was one quick, light tap, and then the door was opened. I stayed still, but he crossed over to stand beside the bed anyhow.

"Junie, you awake?"

I could pretend sleep, deny being awake, but I decided there was no point. I had to face him some time.

I turned over on my back, and uncovered my face, so that I was looking upwards at Darry.

"We're leavin' for work," he told me.

"K," I said, in answer.

"There's some bacon left for ya. You'll have to fry up some more eggs for yourself."

"Okay."

He stood there, regarding me seriously, as if thinking something over.

"Can you do up the laundry? We've got Mrs. Richards comin' tomorrow afternoon for her visit," he said. Mrs. Richards. The social worker

assigned to our family, to keep tabs on us. See how we were doing, and all of that.

I lowered the blanket lower, down to my waist. "I'll do the laundry," I said.

"Tomorrow we'll have to make sure the living room's all cleaned up, and stuff," he went on.

"Okay." I gave up laying there, and threw the blanket back, sitting up, and hugging my knees up to my chest.

"She's probably gonna want to know what you've been doin' this summer," Darry went on. "You'll have to be sure and

tell her about winnin' the contest, and all the pictures you've taken."

I could tell Darry was trying hard to make conversation with me, trying to make sure that I was 'alright', and not in

a huff about him forbidding me from going to the Wilson's.

"Maybe," I said, meaning 'maybe' I would tell Mrs. Richards about my photography.

Darry eyed me, and I guess he'd had enough of that trying to make conversation stuff.

Cause now his tone was more clipped, and no nonsense.

"I know you're hacked off at me, about not goin' to the Wilson's, Junie. But, I'm not gonna change my mind," he said.

"I know that," I said. "I didn't even say anything about it, Darry," I protested in defense.

"Well, you sure were settin' up a fuss at supper last night," he said.

I thought that was unfair. "I was disappointed," I told him. "I'm so close to havin' enough money to buy what I need-"

He was eyeing me with those blue-green eyes of his, all intense looking.

"I'm not arguing now. I just woke up. And, I'm gonna do the laundry, and all the rest of the stuff around here," I said. I stood up,

and went to my chest of drawers, pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. When I turned around, he was still just looking at me,

and I pressed the clothes against my chest.

Now Darry was the one who sighed. "And, I appreciate that. All the work ya do 'round here. It helps out, Junie, it really does."

His expression was softer now.

"It's okay," I mumbled.

"Maybe we ought to talk about you havin' an allowance, or somethin'," Darry said, then.

Shocked, I widened my eyes at him. "Really?" I asked. An allowance. I knew the Socs kids mostly got money handed to them

whenever they wanted something, but some of them got allowances, too.

"Well, not much or anything," Darry said. "But, if you keep on savin' up, you might still be able to get your camera flash,

like you wanted."

And, just like that, I felt my eyes fill with tears. "Thanks, Darry!" I said, with emotion. "I mean, well-thanks a lot!"

He gave me a Darry smile, sort of a half-smile. "You're welcome."

I set my clothes on top of the dresser, and walked over to stand in front of him. "I'm sorry for bein' a pill about it all," I

said, sniffling a little.

"Yeah. Well, just try a little harder, alright?" he said.

"I will," I said, and I meant it, too.

"So, you're gonna hang around the house today?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I said.

Darry nodded, and said, "Well, I gotta get goin'. I'll see ya later."

"Will you be home for supper?" I asked. "I'll make somethin' good."

"I think so. Not until six or after, though."

"Okay," I said.

After Darry left, and I had the house to myself, I put myself into motion, intending to clean the house, top to bottom. And, I didn't even

really mind doing it so much. I was polishing furniture when Rhonda knocked on the door, and then came on in. She was

wearing her shirt tied up off her belly again, and short shorts.

"Let's make tracks," she said. "My cousin's outside in her car. We're goin' to ride around awhile."

I gestured around the living room, with the vacuum cleaner out and the cords all around, and all the dirty glasses and

stuff still spread everywhere.

"I told Darry I'd do the laundry and stuff," I said. "And we have the social worker comin' tomorrow, so I was dusting-"

"We'll be back," Rhonda said, brushing off my protests with the ease of a person who has no limitations on what she

can and can't do.

"I should call down and tell Soda," I said.

"Okay," Rhonda said, "But hurry up. Charlene's waitin'."

I made a quick call to Buck's, but Steve said Soda had gone with the tow truck to pick up a car and wasn't there.

"Can ya give him a message?" I asked Steve.

"What do ya think I am?" Steve complained, but then said, "What is it?"

"Just tell him I went for a ride with Rhonda and her cousin, and I'll call him when I get back," I said.

"Got it," Steve said, shortly and hung up.

What an ass, I thought, for the one-thousandth time ever.

"I guess ya can go in that," Rhonda said, looking over my clothes with a critical eye.

"What does it matter if we're just ridin' around?" I countered.

I should have known.

Outsiders

Rhonda's cousin was older, probably at least seventeen, or so, and her car was nice. We drove down to the city lake, and

laid around on the hood of the car, in the sun for awhile. I was having some fun, too, until Charlene and Rhonda pulled out

some grass, and started smoking it.

I'd never done that. I'd drank a little bit, but not much. And, I'd promised Darry I wouldn't smoke, so I hadn't started.

But, grass. Well, that was something that was way more than I was prepared to be around.

I told myself it was no big thing.

When Charlene held it out to offer it to me, I shook my head.

"Come on," Rhonda urged me.

I still said no, but I relaxed after that, since it didn't seem as though either Rhonda or Charlene were acting weird. We walked

at the edge of the lake, and goofed around, and then drove back to town, and Charlene stopped at the drive-in and ordered

food. They said they were both starving, but I said I didn't want anything. I hadn't brought any money with me, but Charlene

paid for a Coke for me.

After that, we sat there, in her car, listening to the radio, and watching people come and go. Before I knew it, it was after noon.

We pulled out to drive around some more. I was saying that I needed to be getting home again, when there was a flapping sound

and Charlene pulled over. Flat tire. We didn't have to change it, because some guys stopped nearly immediately. Two of them. And

Charlene surely didn't behave as though she had a boyfriend, either. We were still there, by the side of the highway, when I saw a

familiar car, and it pulled over.

"Look," Rhonda gestured.

I looked and saw, and when the driver stuck his head out, gesturing wildly at me to come over, I walked over

there.

"What ya doin', June-Bug?" Two-Bit demanded of me.

"Nothin'. Just hangin' out," I said.

"Who's that?" he peered at the car. "Is that Charlene Thompkins?"

"It's Rhonda's cousin."

"What are ya doin' with her?" Two-Bit asked.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, and Two-Bit's eyes widened.

"Were ya smokin' grass?" he asked. "I smell it."

I sniffed at my shirt. "They were. I guess it's on my clothes."

"Well, never mind that," he said. "Just-you oughta get on home. I gotta pick Ponyboy up. Somethin' about a social worker

comin' to the house at four-"

"That's tomorrow," I said.

"Soda said today," Two-Bit said.

"Darry said this mornin' that it's tomorrow," I insisted.

"I'm just tellin' ya what Soda said, Junie. He was all stirred up, too-"

I considered that, wondering if there was something to what Two-Bit was saying.

"Wanna ride with me?" Two-Bit asked me.

I looked toward Rhonda and Charlene, still talking to those two guys, debating what I should do.

"I think you oughta, June-Bug," Two-Bit said, softly.

I thought of what would happen if it really was true and the social worker had changed her time or something. There was all that work

to do at home-the house was still in a mess. Heaps of laundry. None of it done like I'd promised Darry. Breakfast dishes still piled up.

The living room all in disarray.

I went over to tell Rhonda what was happening. She gave me a look, and said, "When are ya gonna be able to be just you, June? And

be like a normal girl?"

I went with Two-Bit, and he swung by the bowling alley, where Ponyboy was waiting out front, his clothes again spattered with white

paint. He asked where Two-Bit had picked me up, but I brushed him off, and he let it go. I could tell Pony was nervous, because

he kept popping his knuckles.

"Why's Mrs. Richard's gotta do this?" he muttered. "Change things around?"

"At least she called Soda down at Bucks to tell him," Two-Bit offered.

"Where's Soda?" Pony asked. "Still at work?"

"He was goin' home to see what else needed to be done to clean up," Two-Bit said, and my heart sort of sank. No way would

Soda have expected to see everything needing to be done.

"What about Darry?" Pony asked.

"Soda was gonna go by the job site and tell him," Two-Bit said.

I sank back against the seat, crunched in between Two-Bit and Pony. I did not feel good about walking in that

door at home. We all had responsibilities at home. More than the typical teen. Because of our situation. We had to be

careful, or the courts would think Darry wasn't doing a good job. It was enough to have thought to face Soda first, and Darry later,

but both of them-

Maybe, I thought, glumly, I would get lucky and Darry wouldn't have been able to make it to the house as yet...

My hopes were dashed as we pulled up on our street, and I saw Darry's old work truck parked in the driveway.

Gahhh. The boys got out and I followed them up the porch stairs.

The front door was open, and when we walked in, Soda was wrapping the cord back onto the vacuum. He looked up, and

he looked close to panicked. Nervous.

"They're here!" he hollered out. Which was, I supposed, meant for Darry.

"I'll change my clothes and be out to help," Pony said, and disappeared.

"What is this, Junie?" Soda demanded. "You call down to Buck's and tell Steve to tell me that you've gone off

joy-riding with Rhonda-"

"I wasn't joy-riding, Soda," I said.

"You told him you'd be right home again-"

"I said I'd call ya when I got back home," I corrected, wishing I could get him calmed down before Darry appeared.

"Only ya didn't come back home, did ya?" Soda said.

I opened my mouth to speak when Darry did appear. Standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room.

He had a towel slung over one shoulder, where he'd been drying dishes, most likely. He was still wearing his roofing clothes.

I found that I was speechless in the face of that expression he was wearing.

"What ya want that I do to help?" Two-Bit asked, and I knew he was feeling nervous about Darry's temper and wanted to

clear out.

"Can ya take out the trash?" Darry asked him, without taking his eyes off of me.

"Yeah, sure," Two-Bit said, and made a quick exit.

I waited for Darry to start yelling, only he didn't at first.

He was just watching me, with those intense eyes of his, and it felt as though I was bolted to the floor.

"We just went to the lake, Darry," I said.

"You have permission to go?" he asked.

"I told Steve to tell Soda-" I began, and then wished I hadn't bothered. That comment was just gonna make things worse.

"You have permission to go?" Darry asked again.

"No," I said, quietly.

"Get in the kitchen and finish the dishes," Darry said. Still in that same horrible voice.

"K," I said, pretty darned meekly. I scuttled past Soda and around Darry, giving him as wide a berth as I could. I immersed my hands

into the hot soapy water and washed what Darry hadn't gotten done. Then I dried them all, and put them away in the cabinets.

Two-Bit was in and out a couple of times, and then he said, "See ya, Junie" and I knew he was getting out before the social worker

showed up. He always said that she made him feel like a giant bug under a science microscope.

I could hear the vacuum cleaner running, and then Pony made several trips past, carrying baskets of dirty laundry to

the utility room just off the kitchen. Once he met my eyes, and shook his head. Meant, I knew, to demonstrate how

mad Darry really was.

Once, while I was putting away the silverware in the drawer, Darry came into the kitchen. He didn't say anything. He just

set about making sweet tea, and then dumping a tray of ice cubes into the pitcher.

"I'm sorry I didn't get everything done," I said, gathering my nerve, and turning to face him, leaning against the sink.

"Hard to do that, when you're out doin' what ya shouldn't be," Darry countered.

"I wasn't, Darry," I said, in protest. "I went without real permission, yeah, but I wasn't doin' anything bad." I was practically desperate

for him to believe me.

"I can smell the grass on ya," Darry said, in fury.

"They were, but I didn't!" I said. "I said no!"

Darry set the ice cube tray down on the table with a bang, and I jumped.

"You do not get to do whatever the hell ya please, June Marie," Darry said, and now he was yelling. "There are rules 'round here,

and I do not want ya takin' off like that again, young lady. Because if there's a next time-I'm gonna skin ya. Do ya hear me?"

I caught my breath, in horror. For Darry to threaten that, when he never had before, well that was monumental.

I pressed against the counter behind me, futilely.

"Yeah, Darry-" I said, feeling as though I was gonna burst into tears. "I won't, I promise!"

"You finish up and get your clothes changed-" Darry was ordering.

And, then, Darry and I were both caught, unawares, as somebody sort of cleared their throat to announce their presence, and

we both turned to see Mrs. Richards standing there, Soda behind her.

Soda looked ashen, and I felt as though I was gonna choke or something, knowing she'd heard at least some of what

Darry and I had been saying.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said.

Outsiders