The Outsiders: Book Two

Little Angel Red

When I woke up, I ached and smarted all over. It felt almost like a hangover. The only time I could remember being this banged up was at the Big Rumble.

I glanced out the window, and it was either late night or early morning. I kind of laid there for a while not doing anything, before I turned to Sodapop.

Except it wasn't Sodapop.

I almost yelled, I was that spooked by it. Instead of Soda, there was a girl! Just thinking about it made my head light, and my face got real hot too. A girl in my bed! Oh glory, was I embarrassed.

Just then, Soda tip-toed into the room, nudging the door open. I looked at him in horror, but he seemed so ready to burst with laughter. He came over and sat on the bed. The little girl didn't nudge.

“Calm yourself, Pony. We put her here for a lot of reasons. Firstly, we tried to put her on the couch but she kept rolling off. Secondly, the other kid,” he jerked his thumb towards the living room, “Wanted the couch. Said he was gonna bust as soon as he knew she was okay. From the way he said it, he didn't seem too keen on taking her with him. Or too keen on her in general.”

I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open. He went on, “Thirdly, I couldn't well put her with Darry. At least you two are the same age. Darry tried to give the other one his bed but he wouldn't take more than the couch. Grumpy kid, I'll tell ya. And fourthly,” he wiggled his eyebrows, so that instantly made me nervous. “She was running a real, real cold temp, and you were burning up. It was the logical thing to do.”

I glared at him skeptically. “Alright. But if she wakes up and sees me without trousers and yells her head off, don't blame me.”

Sodapop laughed. “Fair enough, little buddy,” he said, messing up my hair. “Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to go make breakfast for fifty.”

I knew what he meant. Our gang could clean out a buffet easily, and we alone could clean out the cupboards the day after shopping. Not to mention we had two more mouths to feed. Great. I wonder if the Socs ever pick up strays. Probably not.

I hunted around for a pair of jeans that were halfway clean, since mine were kind of wet and muddy, but I wasn't having much luck. I hadn't been wearing a shirt, and Lord knows I wouldn't find one, so I just went without. Boy, did I need to do laundry today. I finally dug around under the bed, and found a pair I hadn't managed to dirty too much.

I quickly pulled them on, and started to weave through the maze of books, until my eyes fell upon her, and I think my mouth might have dropped.

I'll hand you one thing, boy was she pretty. She could be the prettiest girl I ever laid eyes on, excepting maybe Cherry Valance. She had long black lashes, and pretty lips that were red almost, without lipstick or anything. She had really dark brown hair, almost black, but it was tied at the back of her head in one big rat's-nest. She must have had a lot of hair, because the knot seemed real big.

She was pretty, but boy was she dirty. There were tracks through the grime all over her face, and I couldn't tell of they made by tears or rain. There was mud caked in her hair, and she was cut in some places. I felt real bad. But even all dirty, she looked almost...angelic. Gosh, she was pretty.

I decided to go help Soda with breakfast, and she never would have noticed I was there if I hadn't tripped over a stack of books on my way out. For being asleep and all, she sure could jump! She flew upright, her mouth in a perfect O and her eyes wider than all get out.