The new girl in the gang

Chapter 7

Peps POV
I was in the tree thinking about how I would need to find a bathroom soon. When I heard a sound, I look behind and sure enough it was the gang, "we have 5 mins to find her and then we go home." Darry says "go home get a good sleep then have Dally skin use alive, not me" two bit says. I look for Pony then I see he's staring at me, he looks hurt.

I put a finger to my lips hoping he won't tell the gang but he didn't listen "found her." He says the gang comes running toward him looking for me but not the tree, I try to climb higher when I snap a branch they all look right at me.

"Get down and just come home with us, it's cold, and we're tired." Darry says I stay nothing hoping they would go away "don't make me climb up there." Soda says, when I don't respond a smile lights up his face, "I'm coming up." He says and starts to climb "can you please go away, I don't even trust Dally let alone you guys."

Flash back.

I wake up to the smell of pancakes? We don't have much money why would Dally make pancakes, especially after last night?

I walk down stairs and see, a bright pink sticky note, and no Dally. I run over to it getting sacred,

Dear Pep
        I'm real sorry but I have to leave, I need to take my ticket out of here. You wait here and I will come back to you in a few years. If I don't you find me, Tulsa Oklahoma sounds like a real nice place, if I'm not there then you stay there and make a life for yourself. I'm really sorry.

Love and forgive
Dallas Winston

The one person I ever trusted slipped right though my hands, that's when I hear the door open and dad runs up to me and grabs my neck.

Flash back ends

They look hurt "how do you want to get to know us then, cause we been trying and you keep leaving?" One of them says, I look down tears stinging my eyes, I haven't cried since Dallas left, I bawled all night that night that my insides felt like jello.

"I hate all of you." I say then start climbing down, "good to know, but now we get to keep our lives." Steve says I look at them and think Dally must have changed.

We walk home with me in the middle to make sure I can't run. I couldn't help but wonder if it would be possible to bolt, but they would tackle me.

When we get home Jonny and Two bit leave, Steve talks to Soda then leaves. "I want you to know that if you try to run tonight, we will find you." Darry says before going to bed, I lay on the couch and wonder what I'd be doing if me was in New York right now.

Dream
I sneak upstairs to my room and hear my parents coming in from the club, they sound really drunk. "Let's see if the..." I hear my dad start making out with her, then I feel myself get hit in the back, the hit moved me to a grass area with a circle of fire, all around me. I look up to see the gang as they blow the fire closer, to kill me.

I wake up to find Darry cooking breakfast while Soda and Pony starring at me , "what?" I ask "you had tears coming out of your eyes." Soda says "I'm fine." I lie and grab my bag the one with the female products, just as I'm about to start for the bathroom Darry comes in "what's in the bag?" He says sounding mad "makeup, if I got to hang around here then can I look nice?" I lie and before I can take a step Darry grabs for the bag "drugs are not aloud in this house!" He yells. Pony looks away form the tv and so does Soda "wait Darry!" Pony says, but it was to late the bag ripped and my things went everywhere.

I grabbed one off the ground and went to the bathroom, while Darry stared in shock. I took my stuff I stole yesterday to and put it on, I did my finger trick for my teeth because toothbrush's were hard to steal, I had to use my finger. I applied deodorant because I didn't want to smell real bad. Then I opened the door a smidge so I could hear what they were saying.

"Why did you think it was drugs ?" I heard Soda yell "look at her, look at her brother, don't they just feel like they might have drugs." Darry says "last one." Pony says "she might never come out?" Soda says sounding sad.

At that moment I walk out sit on the couch and wait. I could feel their eyes burning holes in my neck then Darry says "I'm sorry." I look at him confused then shocked. No one had ever said sorry to me before, and not hit me after, expect my mom.

The other gang walk in as Darry ties the bag and hides it in the bathroom so I could find it easier. The gang is quite I can tell it's cause I'm around "so what do you guys do for fun around here?" I say trying to sound joyful then the noise breaks out someone turns the radio on the tv volume gets louder. They all start to talk at once not to me but to anybody. I listen to a lot of conversations Soda and Steve and Two bit were talking about Two getting a job at the DX, Darry and Pony and Jonny were talking about seeing a movie after school today.

After awhile, Pony boy and Jonny leave for school, Two Bit behind them. Darry's about to take off when he notices me sitting on the couch, "bye Darry, I'm working late tonight." Soda says then starts for the door. "Wait what about Pep." My eyes widening "my name is Penelope, you can't call me Pep."

"Sorry, gosh, Soda take her with you." Darry says then leaves "gladly." Soda says with a flirting look in his eyes, I sigh and get up. "You really need new clothes." He says "you can't tell me what I need." I say mad that he thought he could "I like what I have." Then I walk out the door.

The walk there was silent, once we got there I walk in as Soda goes around back to the cars. I go up to the cashier, technically I don't work here so if someone comes in I have to get Soda or Steve, but I can look like I work here.