Chapter 1: The Outsiders
Anna sat in her desk, her nose buried in a worn copy of "The Outsiders" while Mr. Owens droned on about algebraic equations. She traced her fingers over the familiar words, lost in the world of Greasers and Socs, oblivious to the teacher's attempts to engage her in the lesson.
"Anna!" Mr. Owens' voice cut through her reverie, making her jump. She looked up, startled, to find him towering over her, a stern expression on his face.
"Sorry, what?" Anna mumbled, cheeks flushing as the eyes of her classmates turned towards her.
Mr. Owens sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I asked if you could solve the equation on the board. Since you're so engrossed in your reading, I'm sure you won't mind showing the class how it's done."
Anna's heart sank as she glanced at the board, the numbers swimming before her eyes. She hadn't been paying attention at all, too caught up in the drama of Ponyboy and Johnny's world.
"I dunno, three?" she muttered, the words slipping out before she could stop them.
Laughter erupted around her, and Anna sank lower in her seat, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Three? Really, Anna?" Mr. Owens' voice dripped with sarcasm as he snatched the book from her hands. "Well, since you're so confident, you can have your precious book back when you can actually answer a math question."
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Anna watched helplessly as her classmates filed out of the room, leaving her alone with Mr. Owens.
"Can I have my book back now?" she asked, her voice small as she approached the teacher's desk.
Mr. Owens raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Not until you can solve that equation, Anna. I suggest you start paying attention in class if you want it back."
Anna's frustration bubbled to the surface, and she felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Without a word, she turned and fled the classroom, ignoring Mr. Owens' calls behind her.
She ran all the way home, tears streaming down her face as she burst through the front door. She collapsed by her bedroom window, shoulders shaking with sobs as she stared out at the darkening sky.
It felt like hours passed before she heard the front door open again, and Lana's voice called out from the hallway.
"Anna? Are you okay?"
Anna wiped her eyes and turned to see her sister standing in the doorway, concern etched on her face.
She gave Lana a brief summary of what had happened at school, her voice choked with emotion.
Lana crossed the room in a few quick strides, wrapping Anna in a tight hug. "It's okay, Anna. Mr. Owens was out of line. You'll get your book back, I promise."
That night, Lana stayed with Anna, holding her close as they watched the stars twinkle outside the window. When Anna saw a shooting star streak across the sky, she closed her eyes and made a wish.
"I wish I could meet Ponyboy Curtis someday," she whispered, a wistful smile tugging at her lips.
Lana chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from Anna's face. "That's a silly wish, Anna. But hey, you never know what the future holds."
Anna laughed too, the sound ringing through the room like music. She nestled closer to her sister, feeling safe and loved in her arms, and drifted off to sleep, the image of Ponyboy's face dancing in her dreams.
Okay, I am still working on the other stories, but this is a collab with my best friend McKenna, and her little six year old sister who had been reading some Fanfic on McKenna's account asked for this, so I couldn't say no! McKenna and I wrote like ten chapters already so I'm gonna update fast!