darlin' || the outsiders

2

i heard the train horn as we reached the tulsa train station. i glanced out the window as the sun was shining overhead. i grabbed my backpack and headed off the train. i sure got some stares from other passengers because i was all alone, wearing a yellow dress, no shoes, and smeared mascara. i bet they thought i was a prostitute.

i wandered through the small town. my feet started to feel burnt on the dark pavement. i only brought around 500$ in cash, hoping to get a job soon. i approached a gas station to see a young man outside with a group of boys. i could feel their stares like knives.

"look at her." one of them said.
"she's pretty." another said.
"she ain't got any shoes on, what a nut." the tall one with brown hair said. i had to admit, he was quite attractive. i managed to get a glance at him before walking inside.

i approached the cooler and pulled a water bottle from it. the cold on my hands managed to distract me from my burning feet.

"this all?" a boy with a tattoo on his arm asked. i nodded without saying a word, placing a few dollar bills on the counter.
"you new here? i ain't seen you before." he smiled at me. not a menacing grin, just a friendly smile.

"yeah." was all i managed to say. i'm not a people person- more like i'm a very shy person.
"i used to live in ohio." i whispered. a puzzled look came across his face. i guess he thought it was weird that my parents would let me leave the house without shoes and a backpack that was larger than my torso.

"ohio?" his puzzled look became more clear. "why would you move here from ohio?".

"family drama?" i didn't really know how to respond. i didn't want to get into the fact that my dad abused me, or that i'm a runaway.

he clicked his tongue. "what's your name, pretty?" he asked.

"elsie." i replied, opening the water bottle and taking a sip.

"that's a pretty name, elsie." hearing it from a guy who wasn't my dad felt odd. it was different.

"yo steve." a boy walked in from the back. he had to do a double take when he saw me before whispering something to this 'steve' guy.

"hey soda, this is elsie. elsie, soda." he introduced me to soda. he looked at me and smiled, holding his hand out.

"that's a nice name, soda." i said shyly, taking his hand and shaking it.

"thanks. my brother's name is ponyboy." he giggled as he let go of my hand. "hey steve, tell the gang to come in and meet this chick.". i internally panicked. i didn't want to meet anyone else right now, i could feel my social battery running out.

"hey guys, come in here. ya gotta meet this girl." steve called out. the boys looked at him, dazed, for a moment.

the boys filed in, one by one. they all looked down at me, quiet.

"elsie, this is ponyboy, johnny, two-bit, dallas, and darrel." i smiled and nodded. i noticed the two tallest ones staring at me like they've just seen a ghost.

"hi." i finally managed to say.

"aye, it's the shoeless girl." two-bit laughed, obviously drunk. hm.. a day drinker? nice.

"two-bit. behave." darrel said, smacking him on the back. i giggled as two-bit turned around with a silly look on his face.

"nice to meet you all, but i gotta find a place to stay for a while." i whimpered, trying to get through the wall of men in front of me.

"i thought you moved here?" steve said, scratching his chin and drinking a coca-cola.

"i did. alone." i said, turning my head only a little. "my dads still in ohio.".

"and your mom?" soda leaned over the counter.

"she left a year ago." i said, looking down at the ground. my feet still felt like hot coals against sand. the guys got quiet and i could feel them looking at my back.

"i'm sorry." ponyboy said, reaching his hand to put it on my shoulder.

"so-" dallas paused. "you're a runaway?".

"if you even wanna call it that. i give it a week before my dad realizes i'm gone, but then again, that man doesn't realize my existence until he's drunk off his ass and trying to throw me out a window or into a cupboard.".

ponyboy stepped in front of me, making solid eye contact with me for a moment before wrapping his arms around me.

"i'm sorry, elsie." he whispered. "i'm sure darry will let you stay with us for a little bit. right darry?". he turned to face his older brother.

"i guess." he said after a long pause. i truly think he didn't want me to stay with them.

"it's really no big deal. i can find a hotel and i can get a job." i started before soda stopped me.

"darry said you can stay." he said simply. i looked at him and placed my hand on his which was resting on my shoulder.

"thank you so much." i said with a weak smile on my face.

"let's get you home." darry said, putting his arm around me.

home? i know i can't stay long. it's illegal. but- home? i haven't considered my house in ohio a "home" since dad started hitting me.

••••
i set my backpack down in the empty room. there were photos of a couple on the nightstand by the bed. i grabbed the picture frame gently and looked at it closely.

"those are my parents." darry was standing in the doorway. "this was their room.". was?

"was?" i whispered quietly.

"yeah. they died a while ago. it's alright though. it's just me and my brothers now." darry slowly took the frame from me and looked at the photo.

"i'm sorry, darry." i said placing my arms around him. the moment he wrapped his arms around me, i felt something i'd never felt in so long.

safe.
••••
word count: 1029