circa. 1965 (The Outsiders)

one - petrichor

*small little disclaimer: this novel takes place before the book, this novel will not contain any major spoilers to the main story line of 'The Outsiders' by S.E Hinton, i suggest reading the book or atleast seeing the movie before reading this and/or any other fanfiction to help with the reading experience. i DOT NOT own any of the originial characters, all original characters are property of S.E Hinton. ENJOY!!!*

petrichor : ˈpɛtrʌɪkɔː/ : noun :
a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.

*BAMBI'S POV*
My eyes carefully followed the raindrops that chased each other down the window pain of my sister's crappy ford falcon, a 21st birthday present from my dad. I could still smell the sweet earthy richness that often followed after monsoonal rain, even though all the windows in the car were wound up air tight. I watched as my sister's fingers hovered over a half empty pack of cigarettes. She smoked when she was worried, I tried to ignore it. That unfortunately, was proving hard because she would click her tongue every time her hand would cross over them to change the gears or fiddle with the broken radio.

'Why don't you just light one up?' I asked, breaking the thick silence that had fallen.
'Hm?' My sister brushed me off like I'd coughed. She kept her eyes on the road and her fingers wrapped tightly around the steering wheel.
'I know you're itching to have one. Go on, I won't tell.' I frowned at my choice of words, who was I going to tell?
'Heh,' she scoffed, 'I don't need a cigarette. I quit.'
'Then why are they still in here?' I retorted.
'Because!' She snapped, 'I haven't got around to it yet, alright? I've been busy.' She clenched her jaw tight and dug her nails in the worn leather of the wheel. I sat my head back in the moth eaten car seat and kept silent for the last 1 and half of our drive.

For 18 hours and 19 minutes I had been sitting in the exact same seat. Only stopping twice for food and toilet breaks. My sister Connie hadn't slept once. Her face was stone cold white and her eyes were bagged with blue rings. 'Connie, I think we should pull over.' I turned myself to face her, breathing in sharply as the cold window pressed against my spine.
'It's fine, we're only half an hour out of Tulusa.' Connie insited, pressing her foot down so hard on the excelerator that I lurched forward in my seat.
'Connie! Seriously!' I cried, 'you look exhausted! We need to pull over!' I leant over and grabbed her wrists, forcing her to make eye contact, but her blood shot eyes stared persistently forward. 'Connie please!' I begged.
'Stop it, you're going to make me crash!' Connie screamed.
'You're going to crash if you don't pull over!' My nails unintentionally dug deep into Connnie's flesh in my attempts to pull over. She quickly span her hand around and pulled my hand back over my wrist to breaking point.
'DON'T YOU DARE!' Connie hissed, whilst my sister was breaking wrist she had managed to pull over on the side of the road. 'Are you trying to get us killed Lori?'
'Don't call me that!'
'Well are you?!' Connie screamed.
'DONT CALL ME THAT!' I spat.
We sat in silence for the next ten minutes until my sister pulled into the local DX station for gas, and presumably a packet of cigarettes. She sat back in the seat for a moment, brushing the blonde hair for her eyes before leaning over and wiping the tears from cheeks, kissing my forehead like nothing had ever happened. I watched her briskly walk across the driveway to the station, the heels of her black boots clicking noisily across the pavement. Whilst nursing my limp wrist, I took in a deep breathe and held it, trying to cleanse myself of all the thoughts swimming in my head. I needed a long sleep. I leant my head against the cold glass and felt myself fall into a soft slumber, my breathing coming out in lulling purrs. I managed to doze off for 5 minutes before there was knock on the window pulling me from my slumber.
'You need gas miss?' I tried to identify the face through the glass but the sun shon so bright it turned it into a white mess, all I could see was his brown greased hair and the loose white singlet that clung to his toned torso. I fumbled with the window as I quickly wound it down.
'No, no I'm fine my sisters in there.' I quickly gestured with a flick of my hand to where my sisters silhouette stood in the DX station window.
'Ah, okay.. Say, you been cryin'?' He asked. I could just see past him to the gas pumps beyond were a group of boys sat on top smoking, watching us with cheeky grins.
'Crying?' My curdled fingers brushed beneath my eyes, 'no?'
'It's just they all puffy like.' The boy stood back from the window, flashed a small smile and walked back, his converses crunching the gravel as he walked.
'Hey! Hey Connie!' The boy had caught sight of my tall sister, her thin slender figure crossing the pavement like it were VOGUE catwalk. Her blonde hair curled at odds and ends but she made it work.
'Oh hey! Darry's brother right?' My sister pressed her hip to the side of the car, nursing a brown paper bag like a baby. The boys on gas pumps had slid off the tops and were moving down to our car, they each struck up their cigarettes like they perfectly orchestrated it. 'Yeah that's me, how ya' been Connie?' He asked casually, like they'd known each other for years considering he didn't look any older than me.
'Good. Say, you tell Darry to call me alright?' Connie slung the car door open, dumping the bag on the floor, I could hear bottles clink. She hung out the door, a playful smirk held on her lips.
'What you want Darry for?' The boy asked, the boys had fallen in formation behind him, he too began to strike up his own cigarette.
'I left my favourite panties at his house.'
'Connie!' I hissed.
'By shoooooot!' One boy laughed as he exhaled from his cigarette. The boy in the white singlet went bright red then broke into hysterics.
'Oh those yours? I thought they was bed sheets!' He cackled. Connie slammed the car door and started up the engine. I could feel my face form a scowl and I know she saw my look of disapproval. She honked the horn and made to pull out but the boy crossed over in front of the car, she slammed on the breaks and I let out a scream. 'DAMN!' Connie cried, 'TAKE A HIKE YOU FUCKIN' SHIT HEAD!' Connie wheeled off down the road, I clung to the inside of the door for my life as my heart raced against my ribs.
'Who was that?' I whispered between my shallow breathing.
'That,' Connie cleared her through with a harsh cough,'was Sodapop Curtis.'
'Surely that's not his name?'
'His brother's is worse.'
'Darry?' I asked.
'No, he's got a younger one, Ponyboy.'
'You're joking.' I said, my jaw hung loosely. Connie shook her head in reply.
'Their parents must be crazy.'
'Hey, don't talk about their folks, they died a few months back.'
'Join the club.' I mumbled.
'Hey, Bambi.. We don't know that.'
'He's as good as dead.'
My sister heaved a sigh as we pulled into her drive. I couldn't get out of the car fast enough.

*looking for constructive criticism so don't be afraid to comment or message me!*