Tuff Rumbler// "The Outsiders" FanFic

let it out

 [TWO-BIT]

  I WAS PLAYING AROUND WITH THIS OLD BOX I FOUND IN THE CLOSET WHEN I HEARD SOMETHING TAPPING ON MY WINDOW.

  Opening the curtains, I saw a crying, unhappy JP. I jogged over to the window and unlocked it, sliding it open.

  "Can I come in?" she asked quietly. I nodded and reached my arms out to her for her to take. She grabbed them, unusually tight, as I pulled her inside of my house.

  "Come on, let's go upstairs," I used this often because of my parent's yelling.

  We quietly climbed up the stairs into my attic of a bedroom. I carried the box up with me, holding it under my arm as I used the other to turn on my dim light. After turning it on, I had noticed a slight bruise forming on JP's cheek.

  "Hey, is everything okay-" before I finished, she buried her head into my chest, wetting my shirt with fresh tears. I slowly wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly. "It wasn't Steve, was it?"

  She shook her head no, and I sighed in relief. I would'a beat the tar outta him if he did something to her. The gang were my friends and all, but she's the best friend I've always wanted we were real close. It felt like she could be my sister sometimes.

  After awhile, her crying came to a stop and she finally began to talk to me.

  "JP, what's the matter? I hadn't seen you act like this since," but I stopped myself. "You know you can tell me anythin', right? Whoever did this to you-"

  "It was Darry," she spat, her voice slightly cracking. All I could do was stare at her.

  "Darry?" I asked, wide-eyed. She nodded.

  "Steve; he was bein' real nice and," she sniffled. "we said we loved each other and he kissed me, nothing new." She looked down sadly. "Darry saw and heard everythin'. He didn't like it so we got into a big fight." She looked down and shook her head. I looked at her worried.

  "I told him I'm old enough to take care of myself, and- and I started saying somethin' about mom and dad, and he did this," she pointed to her cheek, and after she said it, she started crying again. "God, do I wish they was still here."

  I scooted closer to her, so I was sitting next to her, and put my arm around her shoulders.

  "I love 'ya to death you know?" I began. "Not in that way. But, so does Darry. You know that I'll still be here, but he'll be there forever."

  She nodded. "I know what you mean." She cleared her throat and calmed down a small bit. "I feel the same. Even though I have three older brothers," she said, slightly laughing afterwards.

                                                                                                   ***

  The phone suddenly rang, and I walked over to it to see it was the Curtis household. It had been about two hours since JP got here, so she fell asleep in my bed. I picked the phone up.

  "Hello?" I awkwardly said.

  "Hey, Two, is JP over there?" I recognized the voice as Sodapop's.

  "Yeah, she came over after..." I trailed off. "Nevermind, but if Darry lies another finger on her again-"

  "I'll be sure it won't happen," he assured. "Neither will Steve. He exploded on Darry and went to a small bar to blow off some steam. Probably playin' some poker or pool hustlin' some poor kid."