Secret (The Outsiders)

Leaving

"Lola." someone whispered in my ear. I groaned and turned over, knowing it was my brother. "Lolita." he called out to me. I half-opened my eyes to see my brother, Dallas Winston. "What time is it?" I asked, sitting up in my bed. I looked around the room. Dally's bed was sitting across from mine, un-made. "Its about eight or nine." he said. "C'mon, get up." he said. Dally is usually not like this, ever. He's usually his awful, lawbreaking self. When he's at home with me, he's none of those things.

Slowly, I rise from bed and head to our small kitchen. Dally got kicked out of Mom and Dad's home and I went with him. I couldn't bare to be without my big brother. Eventually we found an old house. When we found it, vines were crawling through the cracks in the walls. The floor was covered in a hundred years worth of dirt and dust. The front door was falling off the hinges and the ceiling over the living room was ready to fall in. We fixed all that. It may not be perfect, but its home.

Dally handed me a plate with toast and eggs on it. I ate it quickly. "Why in such a rush?" Dally asked with a chuckle. I shrugged my jean jacket up on my shoulders. "I don't know. Excited I guess." I smiled and pushed my empty plate towards him. "I'm going out. I'll be back later!" I yelled as I bounded out the door.

I walked down the sidewalk calmly until, suddenly, someone grabbed me around the hips and threw me over his shoulder. I screamed and kicked out. "Whatcha fighting for Lolita?" a familiar voice asked. The person sat me down. "Two-Bit! You scared the devil out of me!" I laughed. Two-Bit laughed and lightly pushed me. "Where you headed?" he asked, walking the same direction I was headed. Greasers never walk alone. I usually never did but it was so early and I was in my own neighborhood. Two-Bit and I headed deeper into the neighborhood.

Two-Bit broke off from me and walked into the Curtis brothers' home. "Where you going girl?" he asked. I smiled and shrugged. Two-Bit laughed and opened the door. I kept walking until I saw a familiar boy sitting on his front steps.

"Johnnycake!" I called out, opening my arms. Johnny opened up his and hugged me. Johnny and I were great friends. We had been since we were little kids. Johnny threw his arm around me playfully. He ruffled my light-brown hair as we headed back to the Curtis brothers' home.

Johnny threw open the door and walked in, his arm still on my shoulder. "Hello!" I yelled out. Darry looked up from his paper and smiled at us. "I swear, you two are gonna get married one of these days." Sodapop said, sitting between us on the couch.

About that time, Dally threw open the door. He glanced down at me briefly before sitting across the room. No one knew that he was my older brother. I hated that he hid it from everyone. I absolutely hated it. If any of the guys came over when I was there, he'd say I was helping with cooking or something. He's such a liar.

"I'm gonna step out for a bit." I whispered to Soda. He nodded and I walked out of the room. A couple seconds later, the door slammed behind me. "You alright Lolita?" Ponyboy asked. I nodded. "Got a cancer stick?" I asked. He nodded and tossed me a cigarette. I lit up the weed and breathed in the smoke. "You don't seem alright." he said, looking at me.

I balled my hand into a fist. "I'm fine." I croaked out through gritted teeth. I wasn't fine. Dally always lying to everyone was getting to me. I wasn't allowed to say anything about it. If I did, Dally hit me across the head with his fist. "Sure?" he asked. I bit my tongue to keep from yelling at the kid. "I'm going home."

As I headed home, a bunch of Socs in red Volkswagen Bug pulled up next to me. One rolled down the window. I shoved my hands in my pockets and blew a smoke ring into their faces. The boy in the back threw open his door and lunged for me.

My hand found my switchblade. I flicked it out and held it up. "Come one step closer Soc." I hissed. The boy was taken back. My eyes fell to the rings on him. "I'll cut you up faster than you can blink." I snapped at him. He picked up a broken bottle and tossed it at me. The bottle cut the top of my head and fell to the ground "GREASER!" he cackled. He jumped back in the Volkswagen and they drove away.

"Little shits." I cursed under my breath and kept walking back home. What were they doing in our territory any way? They're never in here. I finally reached my home and walked up the steps and waited for Dally to get back.

Eventually he walked in the door. That's when I lost it. "Why do you hide me?" I snapped. "What?" he was taken off guard. "Why do you hide me? Am I an embarrassment to you?" I growled. Dally's eyes turned dark and he stepped closer. "I'm the tough guy around here. You're an embarrassment to my reputation." he snapped.

I pushed him away from me. Dally pushed right back, harder. I fell against the counter. No sympathy showed in his foul eyes. "You're such an ass Dallas!" I screamed in his face. Dally lunged at me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Excuse me?" he asked. I could see his anger rising in his eyes. "You heard me!" snapped. I watched as Dally raised his hand and slapped me clean across the face.

I pushed him off with me with all my strength. I grabbed my jacket and ran out of the house, crying. I ran down the road. Tears streamed down my face. I kept walking and I ended up in the Lot. Someone was sitting on the ground. I started to go back until the person got up. "It's on my Lola." he whispered. Soda? What was he doing here?

I walked toward him. "Whats up? Why aren't you home with your folks?" he asked. Thats when he saw the tears,. the red mark on my face, and the pain in my eyes. "Oh Lola." he whispered, bringing me into a hug. I hugged back, hiding my face in the crook of his neck. "Don't make me go back home." I begged. "Please." Soda stroked my hair. "Lets go to my house, yeah?" I nodded, unable to speak.

Sodapop walked my back to his home. His arm around my shoulder. When he opened the door, Johnny was passed out on the couch, Two-Bit was reading the paper. "She's cut." Two-Bit pointed out. I nodded. "Yeah. Socs threw a bottle at me." I croaked. Soda sat me down on the edge of the couch. I must've startled Johnny since he jumped up.

"You alright doll?" he tiredly wondered. I nodded and touched my head. "Where ya been Soda?" Steve Randall asked. "The Lot." he answered, looking back. Steve looked at me and looked over his shoudlers and clicked his tongue. Darry answered it and came in the living room. He had a rag and a small bandage thing.

"I'll do it. You three go to bed. Two-Bit, you staying?" Johnny asked. Two-Bit shook his head. "Nahh. I'll go home." he admitted. Two-Bit walked out the door. Johnny moved over on the couch and patted across from him. I sat down and leaned foward. He wettened a rag with rubbing alcohol. "This'll burn." he alerted me. He pressed the rag to me. I winced. "Sorry." he whispered.

His touch made goosebumps spring across my arm. "Damn Socs." he whispered. I half-smiled. "What were they doing here?" he wondered. I shrugged. "I asked myself that question." Johnny pulled the rag away. He moved my hair out of my face and looked at the cut. "There's a little glass in there." he said. he used a pair of tweezers to pull it out.

"You didn't have to do this." I murmured as he put the bandage over my head. "Yes I did. Did they hit you too?" he asked. "No that was-" I stopped myself. "Yeah, they did." I quickly covered up. Johnny gave me a look. "Who did it?" he demanded. "I told you, the Socs." I replied. Johnny studied my face before laying down. I layed down next to him. He threw his arm over me. "You can tell me." he whispered in my ear. His breath tickled my ear. I couldn't tell him Dally hit me. That'd lead to him asking why and then I'd end up telling him that we were siblings.

I shook my head. "I will, eventually." I lied. Eventually Johnny and I drifted off to sleep.