The Curtis Sister - The Outsiders

Reminiscing & Shit

TW: There is mention of the loss of parents in this chapter, along with details that can be disturbing for some readers. 

Everyone was gathered around the kitchen table telling stories about Mom and Dad. It was the 2 year anniversary of the day they died. I was only 10 when the accident happened and now I am almost a teenager. I am as old now as Pony was when they died.

Last year was the hardest but it gets easier maybe I was forgetting what life was like before.

I stabbed my fork in a baby carrot pushing it around on my plate. Soda smiled big, laughing and reminiscing the time Dad was teaching him how to drive and he took out the neighbor's mailbox.

"Baylee" Darrys voice said. Looking up I saw that Darry was glancing down at my full plate of food no doubt noticing that I hadn't touched my dinner. "You need to eat somethin'," He says nodding towards my plate.

"Not hungry," I say setting down my fork and pushing the plate away from me. "May I be excused"?

Darry, Pony, and Soda all looked at me with sad eyes. "You should try to eat somethin' Bay," Soda said pushing the plate back towards me.

I scanned my eyes across the table looking at all my brothers who were staring back at me with worry on their faces. I remembered how last year on this day I wouldn't say a word, wouldn't get out of bed, and if I had the opportunity to sleep this whole stupid day away I would.

Not getting any answer I started to ask again "May I be ex-"

"No" Darry answered cutting me off "You need to eat, haven't seen you eat a thing all day and I ain't gonna have people think I'm starving ya," He said taking a bite off his fork and pointing it in my direction.

I let out a frustrated huff and reluctantly picked back up my fork. Knowing Darry wasn't going to stop staring at me until I ate something I aggressively stabbed one of the baby carrots and choked it down.

You would think I would get a little more sympathy considering it is the day I became an orphan and If I don't feel like speaking, eating, or living the least someone could do is accept it's just a shit day and leave me be. Nope, not Darry though. I thought to myself as her brothers went on reminiscing about their dead parents.

I eventually choked down enough food on my plate that Darry allowed me to be excused. I couldn't stand to hear not one more story about people who were no longer here.

Dead. They are Dead.

As I lay on my side in the bed facing away from the door I heard it crack open allowing a sliver of light to shine into my dark room from the lamp in the living room.

"Bay" I heard Pony whisper.

I didn't move a muscle or peep a sound. I pretended to be asleep hoping he would just go away and leave me alone. Although my eyes remained open staring at the wall I was facing and waited for the sliver of light to fade away so I could be alone again.

"You up?"

I knew Pony was just coming to check on me after the day they both had. Being forced to go to school and try to focus on learning something new when the only thing that was on their mind was coming home to a house that no longer felt like home.

I slammed my eyes shut when the door creaked a little further open and I could hear him step closer. I felt Pony press a kiss to my forehead before the steps descended and the door closed again for the last time that night.