The Curtis Sister - The Outsiders

Doing the Best You Can

As I sat in the back room of the DX Station I thought about all the ways I wanted to pound Judy Johnson's face in. How could I be so stupid not to consider this being a setup? I heard fast heavy footsteps coming towards me. I recognized them immediately as Darrys. When the door opened I stood up quickly chewing on my bottom lip.

Darry stood in the door holding my book bag only it looked lighter. Assuming the beers I had stolen were placed back in the cooler so my brother or Steve would not lose their job. As soon as the door opened I thought there would be instant yelling so I was confused by the silent staring.

We held each other's gaze. "Let's go" Darry said motioning his head towards the door. His voice was firm and angry.

"Darry I can explain" I started but he just held up his hand like he didn't want to hear what I had to say. Like he knew I was going to have some excuse or some reason why I did what I did.

"Now" he spat.

For whatever reason I found myself not moving towards the door. I wanted to explain why I had the beers. I didn't want to be dragged to the truck and humiliated, treated like a child in front of my friends and especially not in front of Judy and her posse. I didn't know if they were still there but I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me get in trouble.

"The beers weren't for me, I was set up by a stupid Soc" I said quickly and with irritation.

Darry shook his head and pinched his fingers between his eyebrows. "I don't wanna hear it Bay, Let's go".

I remained still like my feet were glued to the floor. I crossed my arms over my chest and mumbled out a "No". I refused to leave this back room without being heard. This was bullshit. The beers weren't even for me.

Darry glared at me before taking fast strides toward me and grabbing my arm. Forcibly dragging me out of the back room. I leaned backward and yanked my arm from his grasp. "Stop it" I shouted. "You never listen to me".

Darry stopped for a moment looking down at me with an expression I couldn't really make out. Anger? Guilt? Exhaustion? Maybe all of the above.

Darry closed the door to the back room not wanting my outburst to disturb any customers. I held back a grin knowing we weren't going to leave this room until I said what I wanted to say. I was going to get a chance to defend my actions. I'm no thief. I was set up.

"Did that girl have a gun to your head forcing you to steal those drinks? Huh? Forcing you to break the law that could get Soda fired or you put into a girls' home?"

His tone caught me off guard. He wasn't yelling yet but I could hear the tension in his voice. His question frustrated me. No, she didn't have a literal gun to my head but she threatened to have Ella thrown in jail on her birthday.

I huffed "No but she threatened to get the police involved". I paused but when I went to continue Darry cut me off.

"I know what she did okay, your friends outside stopped me on the way in and told me everything," Darry said his tone growing more stern.

I smiled slightly. It was a relief to see that my friends were trying to help me out of the situation "So you know then...that I only stole the alcohol so the police wouldn't get involved". I said, hoping that Darry would understand my actions. To me, I had a valid reason for what I did, and I couldn't help but grin at the thought.

My smile quickly faded when Darry reached into my bag and held up a crumbled piece of paper. "Did they force you to forge my signature on this note?".

Damnit. I completely forgot I shoved the fake signed note in my bag. Frustrated at myself and needing to blame someone else I turned the argument back on Darry.

"Why are you going through my shit? Can't I have any privacy"? I shouted.

"When you are sneaking out, stealing alcohol, and failing out of school you do not get any privacy".

I rolled my eyes which I thought would only fuel Darry's anger but he drug a hand over his face and exhaustedly asked "What am I supposed to do Baylee? I am trying my best to raise you how Mom and Dad would have wanted. He paused and let out a sigh. I don't have a clue what I'm doing".

I looked down at the floor kicking my left shoe into my right. His comment made me feel guilty for being such a pain in his ass.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Sorry don't mean shit when you keep messing up Baylee"

I looked up at him with glassy eyes holding back the tears. I did feel bad. I hadn't ever taken into consideration how Darry has felt and what he has been going through since the death of our parents.

"The words on the paper get all jumbled" I suddenly mumbled.

"What?" Darry looked at me confused.

"That's why I ain't doing good in school, somethin' is wrong with me".

Darry's facial expression changed and he walked over placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Why haven't you said anything?".

I shrugged my shoulders "Didn't want nobody thinking I was stupid". I admit honestly.

"You ain't stupid Baylee...It sounds like you have dyslexia".

"Diss-lex-a what? I questioned scrunching up my face.

"It's when the words or letters that you are reading or writing get all mixed up in your brain, a friend of mine from high school had it too".

"Oh," I muttered.

Darry put his arm around me and pulled me into his chest letting out a deep exhale. We both remained silent for a while. I wondered what he was thinking about. If he thought he was letting down our parents all because I couldn't stay out of trouble. I glanced up at him and saw him looking back down at me.

"I think you are doing the best you can," I say honestly. That was the truth. I couldn't imagine how challenging it must be raising a bunch of teenagers when you are barely even an adult yourself. Having to go from being the fun big brother to the parent.

Darry kissed my forehead before gently pushing my shoulder, nudging me towards the door. It felt like we had finally talked things out. It seemed as though he had finally heard what I had to say, and I had listened to him in return. Perhaps from now on, things will start to get better between us.

"I guess I won't be allowed to go to Ella's birthday party anymore huh?" I joked thinking that the mood had been lightened.

"I don't want you to see Ella anymore," Darry said a little too seriously as we made our way into the parking lot.

I stopped in my tracks. "What?" I asked like I didn't hear what he said. This man couldn't be serious after the heart-to-heart we just had in there. And now, he's telling me who I can and cannot be friends with.

Darry ignored my question and kept pushing me towards the truck. "You can't be serious, Darry you-" I began to argue once again.

"No, you just keep your mouth shut," Darry snapped as he slammed the passenger door and made his way over to the driver's side.

I could see Ella, Jess, and Carter looking at me with sympathetic looks. Seeing my friends still standing outside the DX Station made me realize how stupid Darry's threat was. He couldn't possibly blame my behavior on my friends? He couldn't think that he could keep me away from them, or that this is honestly what Mom or Dad would have wanted. I felt my face start to burn with anger as we drove off, leaving my friends - the only people who seemed to understand me - in the dust.

🖤🚬✍🏼🔇

Chapter Notes: 

Writer's block has been hitting this week. 

Not Baylee thinking she got out of trouble for literally stealing alcohol 💪🏼