Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders

Chapter 2: Not a Kid

"Jill!"

"What?"

"You listenin'?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Pony laughed and I hit his shoulder. Pony stopped laughing and pushed me back. Steve grabbed the back of Pony's shirt and yanked him away.

"Cut it out, and let's play." Steve clapped his hands loudly, turning to Darry, Soda, and Two-bit a couple feet away from us. "We're ready!"

Darry nodded and we all got into position. My hand touched the rough grass as I breathed in the fresh air.

Ah, nothing like a good game of football after supper.

Football was my favourite sport. And my team usually won, which was a bonus. Pony and I had the speed, while Steve had the strength. On the other team, Darry had enough muscle of all of us put together, but Soda couldn't run too fast and Two-bit was next to useless.

I watched as Pony held the ball with his index finger, Steve a little ways away, getting ready to do the kickoff.

We waited for Darry's call. "Go!"

Steve ran forward, kicking the ball with impressive accuracy. As soon as his foot made contact, I started running. I caught it, of course, and ran further down the open field, passing to Pony, who ran the rest of the way, scoring an easy point for us.

"Woo!" I threw my arms up and ran back to position, hitting Soda's arm on the way.

We set up again and after Darry's call, the ball landed in my hand, but when I looked up, no one was paying attention.

"Will you look at that?" Two-bit mused, then whistled and the pretty blonde across the street. "Hey, baby, I don't bite…unless you want me to!"

Soda hit Two-bit's shoulder as they laughed. Pony and Darry shook their head, surely unimpressed.

I simply rolled my eyes. "Do guys actually like girls like that?"

Steve shrugged. "She's pretty stacked."

"You're gross."

Steve laughed. "Jealous?"

"No," I said surely.

"Don't stress, Jill. You're hot, too." Steve smacked my backside lightly.

I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck tightly, yanking him downward. Steve flipped me onto the grass and I lost my breath. Steve couldn't let me get up and sat on my back, pulling my arm behind my back. "You know what to say."

"I won't say it," I groaned, feeling the pain in my arm. I would never holler 'Uncle'. Never.

"I'll save you, Jill!" I heard Soda yelled, then the sudden loss of weight from my back, followed by a grunt from Steve.

I got up quickly, backing away and smiling at Soda, who was rolling around in the dirt with Steve.

"What'd he do?" Two-bit asked from behind me.

I brushed off my clothes. "He called me hot."

Two-bit looked disgusted, then smirked. "Is he blind?"

I whipped around to hit Two-bit, but he dodged.

At this rate, we'd never get back to playing football.

The next day went by slowly, but I had still managed to avoid Peter the whole day. I felt like I was sweating, trying to avoid Peter all day, that when I got home, I felt like I needed a shower.

After my shower, I nearly died when the door suddenly opened.

I clutched my towel close to me, but it was just Steve. I groaned as I leaned on the counter. "Don't you knock?"

"Nope." Steve bumped me lightly and started rummaging through the cupboard and drawers.

"What're you lookin' for?"

Steve ignored me and shut the drawer harshly. "Nothin'." He sat up straight and looked at me. "I - what the hell is that?"

I turned away immediately, wanting to smack myself for forgetting. "Nothin'."

Steve grabbed my face and turned it to face him. His brows furrowed as he ran a finger over the bruise on my cheek. After that, he stepped away from me and put his hands on his hips. "What the hell were you thinkin'?"

I scoffed. "What was I thinking?"

"Yeah, what were you thinkin', gettin' involved with that guy?" he said, his voice rising. "That's what happens when you date an asshole!"

I was too angry to focus on keeping my mouth shut. "Why are you yelling at me?"

"Because you're bein' stupid!"

"It's not a big deal!"

"Like hell it is!" Steve took a step forward. "What do you think your brothers will say when they hear 'bout this?"

I narrowed my eyes. "They won't."

"If you don't tell 'em, I will."

I merely laughed. "No, you won't."

"Wanna bet?" Steve looked very serious, which scared me.

I shook my head and crossed my arms. "I'll tell them later."

"When's later?"

"Whenever I feel like later is."

Steve looked like he was going to yell at me more, but he just sighed. "What's that kids name again?"

"Peter."

"Last name?"

"You're not doing anything," I said, turning away and thumbing my towel. "Now, get the hell out of here."

Steve grumbled quietly before walking out of the bathroom.

I looked at myself in the mirror as the knot in my stomach unwound. I sighed and washed my face before I decided that it was time to get dressed.

The day after that, I was able to avoid Peter again, but I had the unsettling feel in my stomach because of what happened with Steve.

"Jill?"

"Huh?"

Pony was starting down the path to our house. "You comin'?"

I looked at him, then forward at the path ahead of me, then back at Pony again. "I think I'm goin' to the DX."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like it, I guess."

Pony laughed. "Alright. I'll see you at supper."

I nodded, starting to walk forward. "Yeah, see you then." I walked to the DX in record time and practically ran through the door.

"Jilly, hey," Soda greeted with a smile. "What're you doin' here?"

At that moment I knew that Steve hadn't said anything and I smiled. "Just felt like it." I looked over Soda's shoulder and Steve, who was smirking.

"Just felt like it, huh?"

I nodded firmly. "Yes."

"Oh." My attention turned to Soda, who was moving around the customer, brown eyes gleaming, wide smile on his face. "Gotta help a customer."

I turned, to no surprise, to see a group of pretty girls. I turned back around and walked over to Steve. "Hey."

Steve smiled at me, then continued to work on a car. "Why don't you just ask me?"

"I know you didn't."

"How'd you know?"

"Because Soda would not be that happy." I smiled. "You backed out, huh?"

Steve gave me a hard look before continuing onto his car again. "I decided to give you another day."

"You can't boss me around, Steve." I crossed my arms. "I'm not a kid."

"Right."

"I'm not."

"You're fifteen, Jill. You're still a kid."

"You're seventeen. Technically, you're a kid, too."

"I'm not a kid. Plus, I'm mature."

I smirked. "Right."

Steve pushed my shoulder. "You wanna go?"

I pushed him back. "Yeah, let's go."

Steve smiled before going back to the car. "Maybe some other time. I gotta work."

I turned back and sat at a counter, spreading my homework in front of me and getting started on it.

I closed my locker, only to run into someone.

"Jill!" he yelled in my face.

I was startled to say the least. "What?"

"Where's your brother?"

"Pony?"

Curly nodded. "Yeah."

"He's sick." I pushed myself off the lockers and turned to walk away.

"He's supposed to let me copy his homework." I heard Curly following behind me.

I smiled at him. "Oh, what a shame."

Curly mocked me. "Whatever. Get him to call me, will you?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Alright. See you 'round, Jill." He squeezed my butt.

I turned around punch him but he was already running away, laughing hard. "Curly!"

"Hey!" Someone yelled after Curly. "Do that again and I'll pound you!"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want, Peter?" I walked away, but he followed.

"I think we need to talk."

"No, I think I'm good."

Then I felt something wet on my face as he wiped away the makeup on my cheek. "That's a good one."

"What the hell, Peter?" I put my hand over my cheek, looking around to make sure no one saw, though I was more embarrassed of wearing makeup than the purple bruise on my cheek.

"Do you want another one?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Then we're goin' out after school."

I shook my head again. "No, we're not." Peter grabbed my arm roughly and I wiggled my arm out quickly. "Fine."

Peter smirked, leaning in to kiss my cheek, but I pushed him away. His smirk didn't falter. "Later, baby."

I sighed as I watched him walk away.

I didn't stick around and wait for Peter. That was my first mistake.

"Jill!" Peter nearly ran me over with his car when he swerved in front of me.

"Jesus, Peter!" I screamed. "What the hell are you doing?"

Peter moved quickly, getting out of his car and moving around to me, grabbing the back of my neck tightly. "What the hell are you doing?" He threw me down onto the ground.

"Don't take rejection well?" I seethed out, rubbing the spot where it felt like he had taken a piece of my neck.

Talking back to Peter was my second mistake.

His foot connected to my side.

"Ah," I cringed and pushed my teeth against each other to keep in any noise that would suggest I was hurt.

"What'd you say, bitch?"

"Hey!"

My saviour.

"What do you want, Randle?"

There was the satisfying sounds of someone getting their face pounded in and I knew it was Peter who was getting the bad end of things.

"Get out of here before I break the rest of you."

I sighed when I heard Peter's car take off. I felt Steve grab my arm and pull me up. "The hell are you doing, Jill?"

I pushed him away from me, brushing off my jeans. "None of your business."

Steve scoffed, wiping his bloody nose. "I just saved your sorry ass."

I patted his shoulder. "Yeah, thanks for that." I picked my books off of the ground started to walk away.

"Jill." Steve grabbed my arm again and pulled me to him. "Are you gonna tell me what happened?"

I furrowed my brows. "Why? You're not my brother."

"Speaking of which, are you gonna tell them?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Then we're goin' out after school."

I shook my head again. "No, we're not." Peter grabbed my arm roughly and I wiggled my arm out quickly. "Fine."

Peter smirked, leaning in to kiss my cheek, but I pushed him away. His smirk didn't falter. "Later, baby."

I sighed as I watched him walk away.

I didn't stick around and wait for Peter. That was my first mistake.

"Jill!" Peter nearly ran me over with his car when he swerved in front of me.

"Jesus, Peter!" I screamed. "What the hell are you doing?"

Peter moved quickly, getting out of his car and moving around to me, grabbing the back of my neck tightly. "What the hell are you doing?" He threw me down onto the ground.

"Don't take rejection well?" I seethed out, rubbing the spot where it felt like he had taken a piece of my neck.

Talking back to Peter was my second mistake.

His foot connected to my side.

"Ah," I cringed and pushed my teeth against each other to keep in any noise that would suggest I was hurt.

"What'd you say, bitch?"

"Hey!"

My saviour.

"What do you want, Randle?"

There was the satisfying sounds of someone getting their face pounded in and I knew it was Peter who was getting the bad end of things.

"Get out of here before I break the rest of you."

I sighed when I heard Peter's car take off. I felt Steve grab my arm and pull me up. "The hell are you doing, Jill?"

I pushed him away from me, brushing off my jeans. "None of your business."

Steve scoffed, wiping his bloody nose. "I just saved your sorry ass."

I patted his shoulder. "Yeah, thanks for that." I picked my books off of the ground started to walk away.

"Jill." Steve grabbed my arm again and pulled me to him. "Are you gonna tell me what happened?"

I furrowed my brows. "Why? You're not my brother."

"Speaking of which, are you gonna tell them?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Your head's bleeding."

"Cool."

"Jillian."

"Steven."

Steve grabbed my arm, that time dragging me to his truck. "I'm goin' to work. I can drop you off at your house."

I rolled my eyes, getting inside of Steve's truck. It was silent for a while, until we were close to home base.

"So what happened?"

I sighed. "I broke it off and Peter didn't take it well."

"Didn't take it well?" Steve scoffed. "Jill, that prick -"

"I know," I said in a hard tone. "I know already. I'm gonna hear this from Darry for the rest of my life, so I don't need it from you."

"Why aren't you more careful, huh? Stop being such a stupid kid."

"I'm not a kid."

"Right."

"Whatever." I crossed my arms against my chest and scooted away from Steve until we got to my house, when I got out and ran to my door. When I got inside, I knew Pony was the only one home, so I went straight to his room to see how he was doing.

I didn't look that bad. As long as Pony couldn't see the back of my head, I was fine.

I knocked on the door. "Pony?"

"Yeah?" Pony sounded weak.

I laughed as I opened the door. "Hey."

"Hey." Pony sat up slowly and laughed when he saw me. "Were you rolling around in the dirt?"

I laughed, too. "Got into it with someone."

"Who?"

"No one that matters." I sat down beside him. "How you feelin'?" I touched his hot forehead.

"Fine."

"Bull." I retracted my hand. His forehead was really hot.

"Did you get the work I missed?"

"Yeah." I pulled out of textbook, but it slipped out of my hand. "Damnit." I reached down to get it.

"Jill!"

I leaned up. "What?"

Pony gave me his serious look. "What happened to your head?"

I paused. "What're talkin' about?"

"You know what."

I stayed silent for a second, before I said, "Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Peter happened," I answered, standing up. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Pony put a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes. "Jesus, Jill."

I sighed. "I know."

"What are you gonna tell Darry?"

"Nothin'."

Pony dropped his hand, looking at me in surprise. "You're not gonna tell him after this?"

I shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

Pony shook his head. "It is, Jill."

"It's really not."

"Whatever," Pony sighed. "You'll have to tell him eventually."

"I will," I said dishonestly.

Pony nodded, knowing that I was lying. "Right."

I fell back onto the bed. "Right." I got back up when I remembered that Darry wanted me to make supper tonight. "I'm going to the living room. Holler if you need anything."

"Sure."

After taking a shower, I did my homework, and started supper.

Sooner rather than later, the door slammed. "Hello?"

"In here, Soda."

Soda came running into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around me and spinning around. "Jilly Bean!"

I laughed. "Soda!"

He put me down and popped his collar. "Guess who has a date?"

I point to Steve, who was leaning against the wall, looking significantly less happy than Soda. "Steve?"

Soda ruffled my hair. "Me!"

"With who?" I turned back to supper.

"Camille Hall."

I looked at him over my shoulder with a smirk. "Congrats."

I didn't know why Soda settled for girls like Camille Hall. He was too good for her, looks and all.

"Why isn't Darry home yet?"

I shrugged. "Guess he's running late. Maybe he's working late again."

Darry was doing that a lot lately.

"Hey, Jill." Steve caught my attention. "What's that on your face?"

I was confused for a second, but gave him a scowl.

"What?" Soda asked, confused.

I wasn't surprised that Soda didn't notice. The bruise was fading and Soda was never good at paying attention the detail anyway.

"What?" I mimicked, hoping he would drop it.

Soda grabbed my arm and spun me around, his eyes looking over my face. They widened when he saw the unnatural colour of a spot on my cheek. "Is that a bruise?"

I felt bad because Soda looked upset.

"Yes."

"No," I said no at the same time that Steve said yes. I gave Steve a look. "Get out, Steve."

Steve smirked, making himself comfortable in a chair at the dining room table.

Soda snapped his fingers in my face. "Hey. Focus."

I turned back to Soda. "Yes, it's a bruise."

Soda looked more upset. "Who hit you?"

I sighed and turned around. "No one."

"Peter."

I looked to a smug looking Steve. "Steve!"

Soda didn't look all too surprised. "Peter did this?"

"And more. Tell him about today, Jill."

"What are you even doing here?" I asked Steve loudly, but I wasn't yelling.

"Steve," Soda sighed. "Can you..."

Steve gave me a hard look before nodding and walking out of the kitchen.

"Asshole," I muttered.

Soda grabbed my chin, making my face turn to him. "Peter Liston?"

I nodded. "Yes." I turned back to the supper that I couldn't seem to finish.

"Jesus, Jilly."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Yeah, I know."

Soda was quiet for a good minute. "What happened today?"

I shook my head, making a mental note to punch Steve in the face later. "Nothin'."

"Jill."

I shrugged. "He just wanted to talk, but -"

"But?"

"But we didn't do much talking."

I heard Soda kick a cupboard, and I sighed. He hit another cupboard before he said, "Why wouldn't you tell me?" His voice was starting to get louder.

"Because it's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? This guy put his hands on you!"

I spun around angrily. "I know! I know he did, Soda, but I'm not gonna make this a big deal. Leave it alone and it will go away!"

Soda pointed a finger at me. "No, leave it alone and it will get worse."

"I don't care, Soda!" I couldn't help but yell. "I don't want you doing anything!"

"What am I -"

The door slammed and I heard Darry. "I'm home! Hey, Steve." Darry walked into the kitchen. "Hey, guys. I -" He stopped when he saw Soda and I at completely opposite sides of the kitchen, looking unsettled. "What's going on?"

I gave Soda a look. "Nothin'."

Soda crossed his arms against his chest. "Somethin'."

Darry set his bag down. "Is someone gonna tell me what it is?"

"No."

"Yes."

I huffed. "Soda's being dramatic."

"Me?" Soda said, leaning off the counter and uncrossing his arms. "Jill gets smacked around by a guy and wants me to step back!"

"I told you that I don't care!"

"Well, I do!"

"Stop!" Darry yelled and looked at me. "What is Sodapop talking about?"

I rolled my eyes. I was done talking about it. "Peter and I broke things off and he didn't take it well."

"Didn't take it well how?" Darry crossed his arms.

"We fought a little."

Soda made a noise. "He hit her."

Darry's eyes stuck to mine, anger flaring in them. "What?"

"Oh, my god." I abandoned the supper and tried to walk out of the kitchen, but Darry stepped in front of me.

"You're not going anywhere until you explain this to me."

I tried pushing him. "Get out of my way, Darry."

"Stop." Darry pushed me backward lightly. "Tell me now."

"Or what?"

"Or you're grounded."

"I'll take it."

Darry's eyes went up in my flames. "I'm sick and tired of this attitude your givin', Jill! You need to make an adjustment."

"I'm not the one that needs to adjust!" I yelled back.

Darry breathed through his nose harshly, trying to calm himself. "You're gonna tell me what's goin' on right now."

"I'll pass."

"You're grounded."

"What?" I asked unbelievingly.

"Are you gonna tell me what happened?"

"No!"

"That's another week. Now are you gonna tell me?"

I felt my skin grow hot. "You're an asshole, Darry!"

"Don't speak to me that way!"

I hit Darry's chest and he moved out of the way. I knew it was just because he was exhausted, and I took advantage of it. "I'm going out."

"We're not done talking about this, Jill."

I slammed the door as hard as I could, fixing my jacket to sit comfortingly on my shoulders as I walked down the path.

I grumbled when I heard footsteps behind me. If it was Pony, I could deal. Soda, I could maybe deal. Darry, I couldn't.

"Slow down, will you?"

I turned around, swinging my fist to hit Steve's face, but he ducked. "What the hell, Steve?"

Steve leaned back up. "Watch it, Jill."

"Why'd you do that?" I questioned angrily.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what. Why'd you tell Soda?"

Steve dropped the act as he got angry. "Because he deserves to get his ass kicked!"

"He already did!" I said, louder than I should've. "By you!"

"More than once, Jill!"

I groaned, stomping my foot on the ground. "You're so -" I grumbled. "And you're too -"

"What?"

"Difficult!" I said. That was the only word I could think of, but it was still accurate. "I'm not some kid that needs to be taken care of!"

"You are a kid, Jill!" Steve argued, then looked at me in weird way as he sighed and put his hands on his hips. "You're just a kid."

I sighed as I felt my body drag down. "I'm so tired of everyone yelling at me." I turned around and started to walk. "I know it's wrong and I know that he needs a good ass kicking, but I just want to forget about it."

"Soda won't forget about it until his fist hits Peter's face a couple times."

I laughed, though I didn't want to. "Fine."

Then something weird happened. Steve put his arm around me.

I gave him a weird look and I smirked. "Are you tryin' to give me a hug?"

Steve's arm slipped off of me. "I gave it my best shot."

I elbowed him. "You did alright. I mean, you could use some practice."

"Shut it."

It was weird how someone I hated in that moment could make me forget about Peter for just a small second. Maybe I didn't like Steve all the time, but I was thankful for him.