Trouble |The Outsiders|

03. Before All This

"This was fun, we've gotta do it again some time," Sodapop called as the group climbed out of the river and gathered their things. Ponyboy and Jonny were folding the blanket, Darry was collecting the food that was scattered on the ground, Abigail was slipping her denim shorts back over her legs. The rest of the boys were crowded by the trees, Danny chasing Two-Bit with a caterpillar he'd found.

A smile crossed Darry's lips as he pulled the cooler into his arms and pushed it into the box of his truck. "We won't be able to do that for a while little buddy, winter's on its way."

Soda scoffed loudly as Steve threw his arm around his shoulder. "That's not what I meant," he started while climbing in the cab of the truck, "it's been a while since we got together like this."

Darry rolled his eyes playfully before ordering the rest of his gang into the box of the truck. Danny had his backpack slung over his shoulder as his sister made her way to their own truck and threw the door open. "Y'know," she called. "I can fit one more person in here if you want."

Before any of the boys had a chance to respond, Dallas walked forwards and ushered Danny into the middle seat. "Thanks doll, just drop me at Buck's."

Danny and Dallas bickered back and forth as Abigail waved goodbye and watched the truck roar to life before turning down the gravel path she'd drove a few hours earlier. Her door squealed loudly as she opened it, the two boys inside were snickering. "What is your problem," Abigail groaned as she placed the key in the ignition and turned. Danny sighed and stared at the backpack in his lap, Dallas reached into the pocket of his jacket and took out a pack of cigarettes. "Did you see Soda's face," he finally snorted. Dallas chuckled in response. "Jesus, you'd think his dog just died. He looked so upset."

Water dribbled down from her hair and over her shoulders as Abigail shook her head at the two boys. "An' what would Soda be so upset about?" A warm breeze filled the truck as Dallas rolled down his window and exhaled his smoke. "C'mon now, you're really asking me that?"

She didn't answer. Instead, her eyes darted to the pack of cigarettes lying carelessly on the greaser's knee. "Pass me a cig," she asked. Dallas obliged and passed her the burning cigar. Just before it made contact with her fingertips, Danny's hand shot out and grabbed the cigarette. In an instant, the cigarette was thrown out of Dallas's window.

"What the hell Danny? That was a perfectly good cigarette," Abigail yelled angrily. He crossed his arms over his chest in the same manner, glaring at his sister. "You've been smoking too much. That pretty face of yours ain't gonna last forever, sis."

"I've been smoking, because I am stressed," she bit back. Dallas stayed silent the whole ordeal but entertained himself by blowing puffs of smoke in Abigail's direction. "What do you have to be stressed about," he finally asked.

"The Dingo," she sighed as the gravel turned to pavement. "It's switching owners again which means everyone is on the chopping block. Hell, Evie got so freaked out she started looking for other jobs before they even switched. I'll have to go in tomorrow and scope the guys out."

The Masons had quite a few things to be stressed about. First the growing tension between Shepard's gang and the Tigers, then the fact it was getting harder and harder to get Dad out of bed in the morning. Yet they were still getting by. They got by since Abigail dropped out of school, they rarely bought new clothes and Danny's life of crime. Yet most nights, Abigail wondered if their luck would suddenly run out. 

And if it did, when?

To the left of the front door was the couch, a short table in front of it, with a television behind it. Danny stepped inside the house first, his backpack still slung over his shoulder while Abigail peeked inside their empty mailbox. The tip of his shoe send an empty beer can rolling down the floor until it made contact with a chair leg in the kitchen. He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath before stepping forwards into the house and made his way to the kitchen.