(A.N. I really hope you guys like the updated rewritten version! I know I do! Please review to tell me what you think! I really did try to make their hate evident a little more!)
DISCLAMER: I do not own the Outsiders or any characters but Danielle!
Chapter 1 – The Start of Hell
Ponyboy's POV
That day was a rather sunny day, which was unusual for a day in the middle of November, it should have been snowing buckets outside. It was a Saturday so I didn't have to go to school, Soda had gone off with Steve to go do something and Darry just left, so I assumed he just went to the store. After I finished doing the dishes after breakfast, I picked up a book I was being forced to read for school and decided to get cracking on it. ( It actually wasn't that bad of a book ) I had been slumped on the couch with my feet on the table for over 2 hours before I heard our old red Ford pickup pulling up in front of the house. I heard Darry stepping onto the porch with 2 sets of feet following behind him, and then the screen door snapped open, and to my surprise, Danielle Winston walked right into our house with Soda and Darry carrying a bunch of her stuff.
"Here, come on upstairs. We cleaned up the attic and put a bed up there so you could stay there," Darry said to Danielle. I then knew why they cleaned out the attic!
"Thanks Darry, it was really nice of you to let me stay here." Danielle responded. I quickly jumped off of the couch and watched Darry lead Danielle up the stairs while Soda hung behind, and Soda being Soda, he turned around to face me and mouthed, "She's hot!" while pointing in her direction. I'm going to admit, he wasn't necessarily lying.
" Awww, shut up Sodapop, you ain't helping anyone by pointing out the obvious." I said as I waved him away. Everyone knew that Dallas' sister was good looking, but Dallas threatened to belt anyone who commented on it.
Soda raised his eyebrow and he flashed a big toothy grin and said to me with a little chuckle, "Yeah well, you better keep yer eyes up blondie!" I frowned and stuck my tongue out at him, it wasn't my choice to be a blonde, we had to bleach my hair because of what happened with me and Johnny. He chuckled again and continued back upstairs and I followed him shortly behind.
"... and over here is the dresser and the bathroom is right downstairs next to Soda and Pony's room okay?" Darry was explaining as I stepped into the attic closing the door slowly behind me, Danielle looked pretty uncomfortable, and pretty upset too.
"Do you need any help with anything? If you do just ask me or Sodapop," Darry said to Danielle. He turned around and quickly realized I had entered the room, I guess since I was the same age as her Darry thought we would get along better or something.
"You can also ask Ponyboy, he'd be glad to help you," Darry said as he pushed me towards her,
"I think that I'll be fine for now, but thanks anyways," She looked over at me and I quickly got the message she didn't want to be bothered by any of us. I turned and stepped down each stair carefully, (I'm clumsy so I've fallen down those stairs several times!) When I sat back down on the couch I had expected to get an explanation from Darry on why they brought Danielle here but all I received was silence and the sound of Mickey mouse emanating from the Television.
They were simply oblivious so I had finally decided to pipe in and tear them all from their precious TV. Time.
"So?" I quickly said to just catch their attention,
"So what?" Sodapop questioned back to me,
"So why is she here? I thought that we were barley making it by as it is Darry, and now there is another person for you to worry bout' payin' for."
"We are just helping out a friend, Pony, it's no big deal," Darry retorted.
"She is not a friend, she is our friends sister. We don't even know anythin' about Danielle other than she is my age and female!" I wasn't in the best mood since I was still real upset about what happened to them...
"I promised Dallas if anything ever happened to him we would take care of her, and we all knew something like this was bound to happen someday. I'm just carrying out his wishes." Darry turned back to the TV, hinting to me that the conversation was over, so I simply flipped out my book and continued reading where I had left off.
Danielle's POV
I sat down on the creaky old bed in the attic, thinking about everything that had happened over the past 3 weeks. Two of Dally's old buddies (One of them was a real good friend of mine), Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade, killed a Soc and went on the run with the help of my big brother. I hate them now! Well I can't really hate Johnny because he is already dead, but if Ponyboy and Johnny hadn't made Dally help them he would still be alive and I wouldn't be forced to live in the Curtis house WITH Ponyboy! I guess Sodapop and Darrel, Ponyboy's brothers are okay, but that doesn't' mean I'm happy to be here, and I never really have liked Pony to well.
I opened up one of my bags and then the other, making sure I didn't forget anything back at the old apartment, I wasn't really thrilled with the thought of seeing Buck Merril again
"Hairbrush, toothbrush, notebooks, teddy bear, hair bands, clothes, boots, helmet..." I said to myself as I slowly sifted through my bags of stuff. When I finished, I spent the next couple of hours arranging the old attic just the way I wanted it, even though no matter what I did to it it wasn't going to ever feel like home.
"I guess I mite as well make the best out of it," I thought to myself the whole time. It reminded me of something Dal used to say, what was it, Like it or Lump it. Yeah something like that. He learned it from another one of his buddies.
Once I was done, the creaking bed was placed up against the window (so that I would actually wake up when the sun came up), the small nightstand was placed next to it, the dresser was pushed up against the foot of the bed, and the old desk was placed against the only wall in the whole room. My faded blue plaid bedspread was carefully placed on top of the squeaky old bed along with my old fuzzy, brown teddy bear that Dal gave me when I was five. I had all of my clothes, (Not much since I usually wore Dally's old clothes) placed and folded neatly inside of the dresser. All of my books and notebooks were neatly organized on top of the desk so that they wouldn't fall or slide off considering how many I had, I guess I kinda am a book addict, but I am not the best reader when it comes to school or history class! The old army satchel Dally bought me from the thrift store hung over the chair with all of my school books in it, and all of the homework that I would never do. Lastly, on the nightstand I placed the picture of me and Dally riding an old Quarter horse together. He was only about ten then, my mother had taken the picture, it was my prized possession.
I sat down again on the old bed and listened intently to what was going on downstairs. All I heard was Ponyboy arguing with his brothers about me being here, I told you, we just don't dig each other. I prefer hanging with Curly and Angela Shepherd (Angela is actually my best friend) they actually got along real well with my brother! Ponyboy thinks that Dallas was just a tough guy who didn't care about anybody and anything, wrong. He cared about me and Johnny, and maybe that Quarter horse he bought off of Buck a few months back. He wouldn't have bought that horse if he didn't care about it.
Cracker Jack was a cherry bay stallion, Buck had been selling him to slaughter because he had never been a good rodeo horse but Dallas had a soft spot for animals (that must be where mine comes from) and he bought him! I went and rode him a lot, but I didn't really need too since I have a job at a barn. It always made Dallas happy when I went riding with him, nothing really ever made him happy so I decided that I really needed to cherish these moments. Ever since mom left he had turned hard, right after she left was the first time he got arrested. I quickly pulled off my mini skirt and heels and replaced them with a pair of old jeans and ankle high lace up boots. I made sure all of my stuff was put away where I wanted it and I had my, well Dal's old blade stuck in my back pocket before I went downstairs, as soon as I got down there all I could hear was Ponyboy whining. I ignored it and preceded to enter the kitchen and shove an apple in each of my pockets with full intentions of visiting Cracker Jack. All that was left to do was get a ride..
Ponyboy's POV
"This isn't right! Darry you have to understand we can't afford to keep her too! Me and Soda will definitely end up in a boy's home if you do!" I could tell I was really getting him mad, we had been getting along after I ran away, but it hadn't lasted forever. I heard the attic door slam shut and someone stepping carefully down the stairs and I regretted my last comment. Danielle slipped into the kitchen and quickly returned with her pockets filled up with something,
"Hey Darry, Would you mind givin' me a ride down to the stables?" She clearly wasn't as shy as she was when we were younger, when I first met her she didn't even utter a hello!
"How far away is it? I'm gonna be busy this afternoon and I can't come pick you up," She rolled her eyes,
"It's a good ten minute walk, look if you don't really feel like giving me a ride than I'll just call Angela and she'll wa..."
"I'll take ya, but I can't get you a ride back home," She rolled her eyes again, if that had been me Darry would have slapped me right then and there!
"Fine, I can just walk back," She also seemed to need a quick attitude adjustment, I guess living with Dallas all those years didn't really help anything.
"Alright, Soda, Pony, why don't you guys come too, It's better than staying inside all day watching TV and readin' books, you can do that later the boys are probably coming over." This time I let out a groan.
"What was that Pony?" I shut up real quick, "Thought so!" Soda beat Darry to the door and ended up in the driver's seat, Darry followed him shortly behind. Me and Danielle were still on the porch steps when she said to me,
"You should just stay here," and she looked at me with pure hatred on her face. Like I said, this broad needs an attitude adjustment, but you know me! Always keepin' my mouth shut! The trucks horn blared causing us both to look down the steps.
"Let's go or were leaving without you two," Soda yelled from the steering wheel. She uncrossed her arms and hopped into the back of the truck and I hesitantly followed. This was going to be a long ride...