A/N: This chapter includes the rumble! ^.^ Remember to review and tell me what you think! Also, I just got back from my basketball tournament, and I went to Dairy Queen, thinking of The Outsiders! As I waited for my friends to come outta the bathroom, I thought of the finishing touches to the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders, because if I did, I'd include Sandy more.
Rowan's POV
Two-Bit and Ponyboy finally came back down into the lobby, and we decided to go out for some lunch. I put my mustang into park and sneered. "You couldn't count how many times I've been mistaken for a Soc because of this here car." I patted the hood. Two-Bit chuckled. "I'll say, when you pulled up on Sunday I thought you were part of that group who jumped Pony here!" He grabbed Ponyboy's head under his arm and gave him a nuggie. We dispersed out of the vehicle and proceeded towards the entrance of the restaurant when a familiar blue mustang drove on by us. "Stay close to me," Two-Bit breathed. I slapped him on the back of head lightly. "I can handle a few Socs."
We opened the door and the same blue mustang appeared on the other side of the building. Two-Bit came to a halt. "Let's see what they want." Ponyboy looked mixed up. "Why do you wanna see what they want?" A group of Socs dissembled out of the blue mustang and they advanced us, a large one with a Jew-fro in the lead. I think his name was Randy.
Two-Bit spoke up first. "No jabbin' before the rumble, babyface." Randy had a hint of annoyance in his voice. "We know. I wanna talk to you." He pointed to Ponyboy, whose face was a little bit confused. Two-Bit jerked his head up. "Go 'head, I'll keep my eye on 'em." Ponyboy shadowed Randy to the blue mustang and we teased around with the other Socs. "Speaking of the rumble, pal," one of Tim Shepard's gang members retorted. "We're gonna whip you and whip you again."
A blonde dude with some dorky red sweater spoke up. Man, Socs dressed so nerdy. "Yeah, yeah, keep talking. You'll see." Two-Bit was looking down at their pants. "Check out their pants!" I died laughing with him. "You guys waiting for a flood-in?" I grabbed my gut and laughed at those Socs. They stood around and said nothing to us. Being a greaser is so cool. If I had to pick, I'd choose being a greaser with my gang than being a Soc with madras and money. Especially because of the gang. I'd be a loner in Tulsa without my posse. Two-Bit continued with his wisecracking. "So, I hear they stamp your face into gorilla cookies!" These Socs sucked at comebacks so we sat there cracking up until Pony came back.
"So what did Mr. Super-Soc have to say?" Two-Bit asked, I snickered, even if it wasn't funny. That was the thing with me; I laugh, and I laugh a lot. At anything, really, and once you get me going I never stop. One of the things I love about myself. Ponyboy placed his hands in his jean pockets. "He ain't a Soc, just a guy who wanted to talk." I put my hand over his shoulder. "Let's go."
I drove to my house and dropped off my car. Wouldn't be needing her at the rumble. Skin vs. skin. No cars allowed. We walked through the lot, and guess who drives on up to us. Cherry Fucking Valance. I groaned as she approached us. "Ponyboy! Hey Two-Bit, Rowan!" She didn't know I disliked her. "Ponyboy, I need to talk to you," she uttered as dusk approached. How many damn Socs need to talk to this kid? "We'll meet you at the house, Pony," I told him as Mathews and I continued on. The blondie caught up to us just as we stepped through the front door, where everybody else was preparing for the rumble. Steve and Soda were arm wrestling with cards scattered all around them, Darry was shirtless, and Pony scampered on over to the bathroom askin' 'bout when his brothers started shaving. I raided the refrigerator for some goods, and reentered the living room with some Pepsi and some Fritos. "You guys ready to see me fight in this rumble?" I asked, as cheerful and joyous as ever. Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy looked shocked.
"You?" Darry asked, seeming the most shocked. "You're gonna fight in the rumble?" Ponyboy and Sodapop stood beside him, nodding along with him. Pony remained quiet, but Soda tried to talk me out of it with his charm. "You sure, Row? You'll be the only girl, we don't wanna see you get hurt or nothing."
I looked at Steve and Two-Bit, who know the dangers of my fighting. I've put them both in many locks, forcing them to shout 'uncle.' I guess their balls were too big to admit it. Naturally. "Hey Randle, Mathews, you wanna tell these boys what I can do?" They glanced at each other and gulped. I smiled and shook my head. "Let's just say, she's a feisty one. Big mistake to leave 'er out," admitted Steve. Two-Bit finished for him. "We could really use her in this rumble." Darry shrugged and put on his black shirt, tucking it into his jeans. He shrugged. "I'll take your word. You do like fights anyways, like me." Pony snickered. "Why do you like fights, Darry?" Soda answered for him, a wide grin on his face. "He likes to show off his muscles." Darrel zipped up his pants. "I'll have to show them off on you, little buddy, if you get any mouthier." Now, Pony was begging Darry to let him fight, and of course, Sodapop won him over. "How come you never worry 'bout Soda?" Pony asked curiously. Darry gave Soda a nuggie. "That is one kid brother I don't have to worry about. He can use his head, at least to grow hair on! Let's go!"
He sprinted out the door, tailed by a bunch of greasers. Darry did a hand-flip-thing over the fence, and I hopped it. We were joking around with each other, the six of us. It should've been eight, though. It just wasn't us without Johnny or Dally. It makes me sad thinking 'bout that, but I remembered who I was doing this for. Before we knew it, we were at the vacant lot.
Tim Shepard was already there. Last time I saw him was at Buck's when he had a fight with Dally. He said some stuff to Darry and Ponyboy, mentioning some kid named Curly. Nobody mentioned me being there at all, so I guess word about me has spread across the East side. Good I liked being known as the ass kicker.
Then, the Socials arrived. "What nerds…," I mumbled, followed by a few sniggers by some of the greasers. Darry was our 'leader,' so I stood by him. There seemed to be a 'leader' of the Socs as well. He wore a jock coat with a big 'T' on it. Some of those Socs acknowledged my presence there and I heard whispering. Some rude-looking Socs muttered something in the leader's ear, and he came nose-to-nose with me. "You guys gonna let your women fight now, huh?" he snapped. I rolled my eyes. "I'll let you know, pal, that I scared off some of your Socs earlier this week. I may be a woman, but I can fight better than most men." Soda and Steve put their arms on my shoulder and I crossed my arms. The Soc leader shrugged. "Whatever, just don't go crying if you break a nail." Darry seemed like he's had enough, and he stepped up, face to face with the Soc leader.
"Hello, Darrel," he said. They must know each other from before. "Long time no see." Darry seemed cool, calm and relaxed. "Hello Paul." I wasn't the only one who didn't know what was going on, because Tim Shepard's gang didn't know, evidently. "What's up?" Tim asked Two-Bit. "They used to play around together, play football." I focused on Darry and Paul. "I'll take you," Paul challenged. Darry didn't answer. He couldn't. Some other voice called out instead.
"Don't you know a rumble ain't a rumble without me?" yelled a familiar voice. I looked up. Dally! He was here like he promised. Thank God. As soon as he called out, it was a fury of fists and feet. The rain also joined this happy time. I grappled out with this ugly Soc. I punched him in the face three times faster than he could blink, and he collapsed on the ground, stunned. Dallas slammed this guy on the ground and kept 'em coming. Steve and Two-Bit fought right beside me, purely kicking ass. Darry handed it to that Paul character, just like he wanted, punching him right in the nose. They went at it, countering moves and getting some good ones in, but Darry had him in his control. I got socked right in the eye. Looks like somebody ain't afraid to hit girls. It was that blonde kid from the restaurant earlier, that son of a bitch! I kicked him in the thighs multiple times and slapped him across the face. He fell in the mud, and I pressed his face into it. "How does mud taste, you bastard!" Some other Soc speared me into the mud. It was three of them. I kicked one of them off, and he slammed to the ground. The other two were bigger. They had blades! Those dirty cheaters! The bigger of the two took his blade and sliced my neck a little. I was finished, I couldn't fight anymore. But then, I felt the weight of one of them released off of me. And then the other. Dally had come to my aid. "Dally, thank you!" I stood up and gave him a hug, realizing I had a little tears coming out of my eyes. "They had blades." Dally patted my head. "You're gonna be okay, man." He looked down at the guys with the blades, and smashed their faces with his boot. I starting pounding the last of the Socs, as they retreated back to their cars, muddy and wet. I took my hair tie out and shook my hair. It always looked better when wet. Everyone was cheering, and celebrating. I ran over to the gang and jumped in through the middle of them, being lifted up by Darry, Soda and Steve. Ponyboy was all muddy and bloody, on the ground. Darry went to his aid, and after finding out he was alright, returned to celebrate. Dally found me, grabbed my hand, and led me over to Ponyboy. "C'mere," he shouted to me over the shouts of joy and rain.
"You okay, kid?" he asked, grabbing Pony by his armpits and lifting him to his feet. "C'mon!" He staggered towards his car, and I trailed into it after them, and got in the back. "Where to?" I asked Dal, putting him in a fake choke hold. He smiled, nothing could go wrong now. "The hospital! We're gonna go tell Johnny!" I smiled and messed up Ponyboy's hair even more. He seemed more ruffed up than I was. Black eye, bleeding everywhere. All I had was a black eye and a bleeding neck. Reminded me of the first day I met the gang. I looked at Dallas, and he was beaming. All smiles. Nothing could ruin his mood right now-we stomped those Socs right outta our neighborhood. "We did it for Johnny," I reminded Dal. "Just like we said we would." He started his car up and destroyed the gas pedal. "Yes, we did it! I knew we would!" We speeded down the streets, and I couldn't think of anything that could screw up all the happiness I felt now. Maybe it was the time to tell Dally? Nah, I didn't wanna put too much in his head. Besides, I didn't wanna ruin my happiness with the pain of getting rejected from the one I love. Dally hasn't been this blissful in a while, and I wouldn't want to ruin that feeling for him.