Cinnamon & Rubies // The Outsiders

fifteen

A black eye. Caroline Montgomery had a black eye. It hurt too much to put makeup over it and while that was a skill she had perfected, hiding bruises that is, she didn't want to aggravate the injury anymore than it needed. Tying her hair back, she let the light brown waves tumble down the back of her powder blue uniform. Turning to face the mirror, a frown tugged at her lips at the sight of her face. An ugly bruise wrapped around her eye and there were shadows of dark bruising on her cheek and jaw from where she had hit the counter. There were also bruises on her stomach from her fall and her knees had cuts on them. A heavy sigh passed her battered lips and she shook her head, sitting on her bed to tie on her skates.

A knock sounded on her door and Caroline didn't even glance up as she called whoever it was into her room. Soft footsteps made their way towards her and once Caroline secured her laces, she looked up to find her little sister staring at her, tears in her wide eyes.

"Louise, what's wrong?" Caroline asked, tugging the younger girl into a hug.

"It's just like when Daddy hit you," Louise sobbed.

"Yeah, I guess it is, baby. But y'know what? I never let him break me. Never let him stop me. I kept fightin' and I kept you safe. I'm always gonna keep you and Teddy and ma safe."

"Forever 'n ever?" Louise sniffled.

"Promise," Caroline whispered, holding out her pinky finger. Louise locked her pinky with her sisters and then threw her arms around her neck again.

Work was uneventful today luckily. That is, until Caroline checked the time.

There was two hours left of her shift and the clouds decided to drop snow on them, meaning Darry would be getting off work a bit earlier, probably to make sure she would be getting home safe. Swearing under her breath, she occupied her time with cleaning off the napkin holders.

Clearly, Two-Bit hadn't said anything because Tulsa was still in tact and Caroline had no idea how Darry would react when he saw her. It seriously wasn't the worst she had ever received. Once her father threw her into a wall and broke her arm because she didn't wipe down the dinner table after breakfast.

She spotted his truck pulling into the parking lot and shot a desperate look at Brenda who apologetically shrugged from where she was sweeping the floor. Caroline considered slipping into the kitchen and hiding, but figured that she needed to square her shoulders and face him.

Turning back to the radio for a second, the doorbell chimed and she inhaled deeply, turning to face him and startling to a stop.

"I told you to get outta here," she snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Curly Shepard.

"Listen, I just wanna 'pologize. I don't hit a lady who don't deserve it," he retorted.

"Oh, like that makes it any better. Any man who gotta resort to violence to get his words out is a pathetic excuse of a human," the woman scoffed, tossing her dish rag on the counter and crossing her arms. "I made it clear. I want you outta my diner."

"I was jus' tryin' to apologize. You don't gotta be such a mouthy bitch," he growled.

"What'd you jus' say?"

Speak of the Devil and he shall appear. Darry stepped out from behind Curly, jaw clenched and hands balled into fists at his sides. He took one look at Caroline's face and she knew. Oh Lord, did she know.

"What in the hell happened to your face?" he spoke calmly, coolly, and oh so deadly.

"Nothin' to concern yourself with," she replied, planting her hands on the counter.