The new girl in the gang

Chapter 16

Half a year later

Peps POV

I still have scars to prove what he did when I got back, I think of Johnny and all of them all the time.
One time when I came into our house I see the old man passed out on the couch, I didn't think much of it till a day later when I checked his pulse. There is none. I call the cops and some lady tells me to follow her.

Dally POV

I miss Penelope but I know where ever she is she's probably safer than she would be here, when Darry told me what the socs did to her I couldn't believe they got her. She always seemed so tuff, but I guess when I tell her to die she thinks I'm serious.

I was at the Curtises house when Darry yelled "Dally phone." "Coming." I yelled back and walked to the kitchen "hello." I hear a lady on the other side say "is this Dally Winston?" "Yes who's asking?" I'm always suspicious to put my name out there, I don't know if it's the cops or what not, "your father has died and you are of the right age to take care of your sister Penelope, would you like to?" She asks, at first I wonder if this is a joke, "uhhh Sure I guess." "Ok, I'll send her on a train to you, she seems to want to run away so please be at the station to pick her up. Good bye." She says and I hear a click form the other end.

"Who was it Dally?" Darry asks "I guess my dads dead." I say in shock, I had always wanted him dead and even killed my mom thinking it was him, but I never thought he would actually die. "You attendI got the funeral?" Darry asks "no, I'm becoming Penelope's legally guardian." "Oh." Darry says not sure how to respond to that "don't tell the gang, I don't need them to know yet." Darry nods and goes back to cooking.

The next day I'm at the station 30 minutes early waiting for the train, I had to be here early so Penelope couldn't run. When the train pulled in the station, I see a girls face up against the window. Soon the doors open and people pile out of the train, I keep a close watch for Penelope but can't find her.

Peps POV

I'm stuck on this 5 hour train ride staring out the window as the scenery changes, once we get to the station I see Dally waiting, I don't want to talk to him so I hang out on the train until a lady comes up beside me "you need to exit the train now." She says I roll my eyes and get off, as soon as I do I see Dally starring at me. "What happens to your eye?" He says concern in his voice "what the f**k do you think." I snapped at him and left the station with my duffel bag.

He leads me to Bucks car and I jump in, it smells of cigarettes and beer but way better than my house. "Listen now that I'm your guardian you have to treat me with respect." He says sternly, " your my guardian for 2 years and I don't care about what you say, you can hit me all you want." I say then look out the window. He is obviously hurt by my words but he starts driving away, "well, how's home?" He asks "how do you think?" I say sarcastically.

Soon we arrive at the Curtises house, "do they know I'm coming?" I ask, "no, not if Darry kept  his mouth shut." Dally responds while getting out of the car, we walk in their house Dally goes to the kitchen for a beer and I sit in the sofa. It took Two who was the only one home because it's midday, it took him about 10 minutes to notice my presence. "Penelope!" He yelled, standing up and hugged me so tight my ribs hurt former the last beating I had. "It me, you can let go now." I say he lets go then starts asking a million questions. It was fun answering sayin how my home life was, until he pops the big question "why'd you leave?" He asks all serious, "I was a burden and still am, so I left I really regret not saying goodbye first." He looks sad then turns to Mickey.

Soon everyone comes home, they all act normal Dally looks at me I shrug, no one notices me not that I want to be but they might as well acknowledge me. "Penelope!" I hear Rose scream, everyone looks up, I was sitting in Darryls lazy boy in the conner, "omg." Rose screams and bear hugs me. After that the gang all hugs me or says hi or just waves.

Just as Two had done they pound me with questions, all about New York and that stuff. "All right we got to leave." Dally says suddenly, "I don't want to." I say, I know I'm testing my limits but I'm having fun here, "get up now." Dallas says anger in his voice, I sigh "goodnight guys." I say most of the gang says goodnight back, me and Dally walk out the door.

We get to Bucks and Dally passes out straight away, last time I was here I thought life couldn't be better, because I my big brother by my side. It took me awhile to get to sleep, my thoughts were swimming on my birthday in 2 day, I wonder if Dally will remember.

The next day I wake up and Dally isn't there, I shower walk down stairs. "Hey Buck, do you know where Dally is?" My heart was pounding, I was nervous he might be in the cooler again. "Yeah he just left, be careful he seems really mad." I nodded and walked out the door.

Last time I was all alone on the streets.... you know what happened. When I see the Curtises house I almost run in but I calm my self and walk, "morning." I say, I get a few responds, Pony walks out of the kitchen with a black eye. "You and me bud." I say jokey, Pony opened his mouth as if to say something but didn't. He just sighed and sat on the couch with his chocolate cake.

That was weird, "you got any left for me?" I ask as I walk in the kitchen, Darry looks at me and I see a bruise forming on his arm. "What's happened, you guys fight the socs after we left?" I ask really confused, "yeah sure." He says as he hands me a plate with chocolate cake on it.

I join Pony on the couch, we just eat in silence watching Mickey until Two walks in slamming the door behind him. "Mickey!" He cries as a little girl, he pushes me over and plops down beside me, "Two what happened" I ask looking at his face full which is dirty like he was shoved in the ground. "None oh ya business." He says all seriousness then he steals my cake, I punch him playfully on the arm, he winces but acts like it didn't hurt.

When Soda walks down I see he may have got the worst beat, "morning." He says groggily, once he sits down I know what I have to do. I get off the couch and sits on his lap and act all flirty around him, he looks amazed, "could you perhaps tell me what happened last night?" I ask with puppy dog eyes, "it was actually early this morning, when Dally came in, he was storming mad and..." he looks at me, your not worth death he says then pushes me off, I land on my butt and wince because that's where I have a bruise. "Common guys, did Dally do this?" I ask getting madder as is was saying it. The guys look at one another then Pony nods his head and Two and Soda shake it like "no." Soda says, "yes, he did, she needs to know the truth." Pony says I get up a walk out the door letting it slam behind me, the issue is I have no idea where Dally could be.