I will bribe you to review, if need be. :-P
Actually, I'm doing pretty okay. I have two other fanfics in the making right now, one Outsiders, one not, and this one as well. So I technically have three going. And this one I'm just writing as I go along... so yeah... updates might get slowed a bit.
Naomi
Mom wasn't home when I arrived. Maybe it was a good thing... but really, I don't think she would have done anything. She would have looked at me, shook her head, and walked away. Oh well. Such is life.
I was walking along the street- I don't know where, but the sun was coming out and shining on the snow, creating a shimmering spectacle that I loved to see every winter, so I walked for a bit.
"Naomi!"
I spun around at the first sound of my name.
"Hey, Naomi! Over here!"
The voice was coming from an alleyway. I peered around the corner.
"Star?"
"Yeah. Listen, I have a problem." She pulled me in, much to the confusion of anyone who could see me but not her.
"What is it?" I whispered.
"I have to go to this guy. He's a dealer. But he's really... bad. Girls shouldn't approach him alone."
"So... why approach him?"
"He has something I need." She waved some money, "Sometimes he doesn't want your money, if you know what I mean."
"So... give him your money or nothing."
"Yeah... he doesn't always take no for an answer."
"So, what do you need me to do?" I was really confused.
"I need you to come with me."
"What? Star, you're willing to risk getting raped just for some grass?"
"It's not grass," she hissed, "It's... it's something else, and I need it! Like, physically. I'm shaking, and sweating, and throwing up! I'm spending nights in the park already, and it's bad enough without being in withdrawl!"
"Star," I said tiredly, shaking my head, "If you keep it up... let it get out of control... you're going to be shaking, and sweating, and throwing up when you aren't in withdrawl."
"Naomi... I appreciate it. But you can't prevent me from getting the stuff. You can prevent this guy from hurting me."
"I... Star..." I sighed. She was my friend. But this was wrong. But she had to learn. But this was harsh. But... I wasn't using it, and I'd be okay, and if I couldn't convince her otherwise...
"Alright. Let's go."
Sandy
I silently wondered why I couldn't commit to any relationship I had.
When Marie had been born, I remember looking into my baby's eyes and swearing to start a new life. I wouldn't cheat, andI'd stop drinking and partying and everything else.
But here I was. I failed Marie. I failed Sodapop. I failed myself.
Anything that Soda and I had now was based on what we used to have. I thought I needed him. But I needed help. The hardest thing was that I know he had some hope that we might pull together for Marie. But we haven't. And he knows that I'm not being faithful to him... whether it's because of Marie, of because I'm making things worse, I don't know, but it's hurting him.
So here I go again. Back to where I get my fixes, back to what's ruining the already ruined marriage. I'm failing them again. And I'm hurting them again. And it's only just beginning to hurt me.
So I know I'm going to do it again.
Naomi
"There he is. At the end of that..." She stopped short. There was someone already there. She was a tad bit taller than us, with light blonde hair. That was all I could see from the back. And she was alone.
"That girl's alone," I hissed, "We should help her."
"No," She said suddenly, "We... we shouldn't."
"Why not? Hey, I'm going to." I began towards the girl.
"Stop! Wait!" She yelled, probably louder than she had to, "NAOMI! COME BACK!"
"Glory, I'll come back, " I hissed, "Just stop screaming!" I turned around, but the girl was gone.
"Okay. Come on, let's get the stuff."
Ponyboy
I contemplated what Soda had said.
Was it true that Naomi was acting like Dally? I couldn't see it, at first, but then it was dawning on me. I remembered when I'd written my theme for Mr. Syme, that revelation I'd had... that it wasn't a personal thing. There were boys going down under street lights everywhere. And I'd never noticed that Naomi could be one of them. She was losing someone she loved, too. She thought she was losing Soda.
It was all hitting me now. The way she spoke was even getting more sarcastic, cynical, and bitter, just like Dally. She seemed world weary, and held back. And I thought about that farmiliar look in her eyes she'd get sometimes. I brushed it off, but Ihad to eventually admit that it made me think of Dally. Now I knew. Like I described him to Mr. Syme - his eyes were blazing with hatred of the world.
I was scared out of my thoughts when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Pony, how's things been?"
I felt at home suddenly. It was Darry. It was almost like being saved from drowning.
"Things've been... hard. With Sandy and all. "
"I know things must be weird with the baby, but it's alright."
"Yeah..."
"Pony, what's wrong?"
I couldn't remember ever wanting myoldest brother home as much as I did right now. I bit my lip.
"Darry... Sandy and Soda fight all the time... Sandy punched me before... sometimes Naomi comes and gets me so I can get away from all this... but then I have to come home! It's not like it used to be here!"
"Calm down, little guy. It's different, I know, but-"
"It's not just different! It's horrible! No one's happy! Soda's trying to hard to be positive for me and Marie, but everything that Sandy does is eating him from the inside out! I can't stand having her here!"
"Alright, alright. I called to tell you that I'm coming home on February 20th, okay? Things might get better then."
"Okay... I'll see you..."
"Bye."
I sighed. He didn't get it. But it was a relief. It was such a relief.
Darry's coming home... Sandy can't do anything when he's here... it's going to be fine...
I kept repeating the words over and over, hoping that eventually, I might believe them.
Naomi
"Alright. We just have to go down this alley-" I stopped short. Standing there was Sandy, plain as day.
Her chine blue eyes widened in shock, and she turned quickly to run away. But I knew it was her. My mind was reeling.
She has a blue coat on, same as that girl. She is that girl. She was talking to the dealer, and they were okay.
Then it hit me. Sandy must be cheating on Sodaas well as doing whatever she was getting from that guy.
"That was Sandy!" I yelled, making to go after her, "Come on!"
"No," Star grabbed my arm, "It wasn't. I know that girl. Come on-"
"Star, what are you doing? Let go!"
"No, we're going this way!"
She dragged me away to another alley that connected to the one that we were in.
"Star, I know it was her!"
"No, you were wrong, it-"
Her jaw dropped. Standing at the end of the alleyway was a man who'd been watching us the whole time we were talking to the dealer- well, Star was, I'd been too scared- and he was facing us full on now, allowing us to see his blue uniform and gold badge.
It was the fuzz.
"Run!" Star pushed me in the other direction. I didn't need telling twice. I noticed Star falling behind me, but I didn't stop. I ran and ran and ran all the way home, and locked the door.
Oh my gosh. I almost got arrested. The police saw me with a drug dealer. I wasn't doing anything, but as far as guilty by association goes... they might not charge me, but... they could still arrest me! Oh God, what happened to Star? She actually had done something wrong, and she might have her drugs on her... if she got caught...
I pushed the thoughts from my mind, and concentrated on something else...
That had been Sandy I'd seen. And I wanted to know what she was doing, with who, why, and the reason that Star wouldn't believe me.