Author's Note:
Hi everyone,
I hope you like this story. I'll upload the prologue and chapter 1 first. I'm not really going to be sticking to a specific schedule for uploading this story. I'll post when I have something so stay tuned.
Sincerely, keylime2001
Disclaimer: The Outsiders is owned by S. E. Hinton.
Prologue
Harley's POV:
The summer of 1970 had been a busy one. From where we left off in A Year of Cultural Impact, Steve married Evie, Darry and his girlfriend Lila started their accelerated PT program at OU-Tulsa, and I found my wedding dress. But that's not all that happened this past summer. My grandmother went into cancer remission which was a celebration. Marcia and Twobit as well as Lorelai and Soda were still going strong. Pony and I were tearing our hair out trying to plan our New Year's Eve wedding. We were being cheesy about the date, but we didn't care. I was officially 20 and Pony was officially 19. Even though Soda and Steve loved working at the DX they got a better gig working at the Ford dealership working as mechanics. I also took the LSAT and passed with a near-perfect score and I sent in my law school applications. Fingers crossed I got into USC Law School. Other than that the gang was pretty much the same.
This time, the gang wasn't coming with us to drop us off at school. Darry had school and work that he couldn't miss and so did the others. It was a disappointment, but we totally understood. Plus we were just packing clothes since we were renting the same apartment that we did last time so we didn't need that many helping hands with the drive back to campus. We were taking both cars though and leaving the mopeds at home this year. "Almost ready to go Harley?" Pony called from outside. "Almost!" I shouted back. I was finishing packing up my messenger bag. I had to grab my camera, tape recorder, personal journal, work journal, and planner. Then I heard the phone ring and I had to drop everything to get it. "Hello?" I said out of breath. "Hey Harley, it's Linda," Linda my old freshman roommate said in an eerily quiet tone. "Linda?" I said quizzically. "What's going on? Why are you whispering?" There was a hesitant pause on the other end. "I think I might have a story for you," Linda whispered. "You still do those right?" I chuckled. "Sure, Linda," I said with a weary smile. I just was hoping that it wasn't something that would get me into deep trouble like the last ones. "What do you have for me?" I got a Sharpie out of my jacket pocket and popped the cap open to write it down on my hand. Linda let out a small sigh. "You know how I'm in a sorority," Linda asked me. "Yep," I said with a groan. Linda had joined Alpha Phi and she was an avid sorority Soc girl. "Well," Linda continued. "Something is going on in Greek Row. The school is trying to keep it quiet but, something is not right and I'm not sure what is going on. In the last few years, there have been some freshmen who disappear and end up dead during rush week and throughout the year. They don't know what's going on. I think it's time someone actually looks into it." The hairs on my neck stood up. "What do you say?" Linda asked. "I don't know Linda," I said with a sigh. "I don't really fit into the sorority and fraternity row." I heard Linda whimper, which she had never done before. "Please Harley," Linda begged. "I'm getting desperate here. I already said I had a friend transferring here who was an Alpha Phi at her old college and was coming. They are already expecting you." I groaned. "Linda, why did you do that?" I moaned. "Please Harley," Linda begged. "Fine," I said. "But I'm not staying at the house and you owe me one." Linda let out a sigh of relief. "No problem, I'll be expecting you," Linda said and then hung up.
"What was that all about?" Pony asked from behind me. I whirled around and gave him a wry smile. "It was Linda," I said while walking to my bedroom to grab my bag. Pony ran a hand through his hair. "What did she want?" Pony asked with exasperation. Pony never really liked Linda that much. She was a stuck-up snobby Soc. Heck, I barely tolerated her. I guess I also forgot to mention that she and Dorthy are dating. That's also something new that happened this summer, so I stomached Linda for Dorthy's sake. "She has a story for me," I said with a sigh. Pony got a concerned look on her face. "It's not something dangerous is it?" Pony asked nervously. I shrugged. "I don't know," I said. "She didn't really give me a choice to not take it on. She backed me into a corner. Something is going on at Greek Row at school. Freshman during rush week and throughout their first year are dropping left and right and the school is keeping it quiet. Linda is getting freaked and tired of sweeping it under the rug." Pony let out a sigh. "I do not like where this is going so far," Pony said with a moan. After I shouldered my bag onto my shoulder I grabbed Pony's hand reassuringly. "Let's just see where this goes," I said. "Plus this could be something good for my big project for my senior year. It might be nothing but some lore." Pony didn't look like he believed me but he didn't press. "Let's not tell the guys until we know more, ok?" Pony nodded and leaned in to kiss me. "Sounds fine," Pony said deep in thought. "Plus it would just cause Dar to worry." I chuckled. I knew Pony was right.