An Outsider Love Story

sick and moving

The next morning I woke up on the couch. The Curtis house couch. I heard the gang running around and yelling talking about work or Pony staying home by himself. I get up and look around. How did I get here? Last thing I remember is sitting in the hospital waiting area.

"Hey sleeping beauty is awake." Steve yells out. Darry comes walking in the living room.

"Hey, how did I get here?" My voice rumbled.

"Angela called us. She said the hospital said that you couldn't be in there anymore. It was past visiting hours. They were going to arrest you for trespassing. So I sent Soda to go get you. Tim was here this morning checking up on you." Darry says as he loops his belt around.

"He didn't stay or take me home?" I asked a little warily I was feeling a bit dizzy. Why didn't Tim take me home? Why am I here? I could have been taken home and Angela would have helped me out of the car because I don't remember single thing but sitting in that waiting area.

"No, he had to go deal with his gang is what Pony told me. Said it would be best for you too stay here so I can keep an eye on you. You need to sit down, Lola." Darry rushes over to me as I stumble forward. He grabs hold of me as I slump to the couch.

"She alright?" Two-bit asked in a serious tone. Soda stood in the doorway as Two-bit and Darry were hovering over me. Steve was munching on a piece of cake watching TV.

"I'm fine." I say weakly. I try to sit up.

"Easy." Darry says.

"I'm ok. I haven't eaten in a while." I mumbled to myself. I could feel my stomach shocking in pain.

"Two-bit get her something to eat. Anything will do at this point." Two-bit runs past Steve and Soda. He runs right back with a piece of chocolate cake. Pony comes running in the room.

"Lola?" He ask.

"Hey, Pony, you doing ok?" I gasp in pain. Two-bit hands me the cake with a glass of water.

"Not so bad." He looked concerned.

I nibbled on the piece of cake and finally gained all of my strength back. I don't know what happened right there but it didn't feel great. Maybe I'm sick maybe something's wrong with me. I don't know, I guess I'll get it checked out later. Everyone continues doing what they were doing or watching Mickey Mouse like two-bit was. He was a huge fan of Mickey.

"I hate to leave you here by your self, Ponyboy. Maybe I ought to take the day off. Lola isn't stable enough to help take care of you." I lay back down on the couch and curl up in a ball.

"I've stayed by my lonesome before. You can't afford a day off." Pony says.

"Yeah, but you just got back and I really ought to stay."

"I'll babysit them. I haven't got anything better to do." Two-bit smirks as Pony swings at him.

"Why don't you get a job? Ever consider working for a living?" Steve asked.

"Work?" Two-bit laughed.

"And ruin my rep? I won't be baby-sittin' the kid here if I knew of some good day-nursery open on Saturdays." He cackles. Pony and two-bit wrestle each other to the ground as two-bit holds Pony locking him in place.

"Holler uncle." Two-bit shouts.

"Nope." Pony yells out. Steve and Soda continue getting ready for work as Darry collects his belongings.

"I'm gonna cut off your ear." Two-bit says.

"Lola you going to be ok with these two? I hate to go against your brother but I can't stay." Darry looks sympathetic at me. If anybody told
Tim that somebody went against his word, he'll have them dead with in a few minutes of finding out.

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll be fine. I'll keep them in check." I breath out.

"You two do up the dishes. You can go to the movies if you want to before you go see Dally and Johnny. Two-bit layoff, he ain't lookin so good. Pony you take a couple of aspirins and go easy. You smoke more than one pack today and I'll skin you. Understood?" Darry points at the two dummied in the floor.

"Yeah, you carry more than one bundle of roofing at a time today and me and Soda will skin you. Understood?" Pony and two-bit get up off the ground.

"Yeah. See y'all this afternoon." The three boys head outside to the car.

"Bye." Pony response.

"Lola you get some rest. You lookin' a little pale. Pony and I will wake you up when we head to the hospital. Good?" Two-bit brushes the hair out of my face.

"Alright." I couldn't even hear myself talk but he heard me.

For the first few minutes I could hear Pony and two-bit talking back and forth in the kitchen as they wash dishes. More like Pony did two-bit just kept talking about random stuff. After a few minutes of listening to that my eyes started drifting off into darkness. At least I got to catch a few minutes of sleep before two-bit woke me up. The place looked cleaner then it was earlier.