The Outsiders: Before My Time | Sodapop

The Gang

April 1, 1965
Evening

Soda tapped on the front door a few times before opening it, as if it wasn't his own house. We walked in to the living room. Beyond the living room, was an opening for the kitchen, and there was a little hallway off to the side. Inside, were three guys sitting in the couch, and one on a recliner chair in front of a television showing a black-and-white television show that I did not recognize.

"Bri, this is the gang," Soda said. All their heads snapped toward me and my eyes widened, probably in disbelief that there was a girl in the house. It was kinda dark in the room, even though a few dim yellow lights were on. Two guys were playing cards and one was just leaning back and drinking a beer. The guy in the recliner was asleep.

"Soda! Who's the broad?" A husky guy asked, one of the card players. He scratched one of his side-burns. I guessed he was Two-Bit.

"Guys, this is Brianna. Bri, this is The Gang. This is Two-Bit." He pointed to the familiar husky guy. "This is Steve—" he pointed to a guy wearing a similar blue overshirt. Work uniform. "And this is Dally." He pointed to the beer drinking teenager. It took me a second to match the names with the faces. From the book, I created their faces in my mind of what I thought they would look like. I was a little off, but they were all still very attractive.

"Hey, there," Dally winked at me. I politely smiled and was ready to move on. I remembered that he was the dirty asshole of the group.

"And the man in the chair is my big brother, Darry," Soda said and gestured to the recliner. Darry was asleep with the newspaper on his chest and his head was rolled to the side. Soda chuckled bashfully then said, "I guess he will meet you in the morning."

"Morning?" Two asked with his thick eyebrows raised. "She's staying the night?"

"Yeah, she don't have no place to go," Soda answered.

"Well, then welcome to the Curtis house, miss," Two said with a posh English accent and gave me an elaborate bow. He seems really friendly.

"Hi." I smiled kindly. They still seemed stunned that there was a girl there. Was this taboo? Or maybe I'm just not going to welcomed as easily as I was hoping.

"And there should be two more..." Soda clicked his tongue, looking around the room.

"Johnny and Pony went outside," Steve said and nodded his head in the direction of the back door.

"Why?" He asked.

"Smoke break I think." He shuffled some cards.

"Well, then I'll introduce you guys when they come back in," Soda said. He walked down the hallway and I was about to follow him but Two-Bit's voice made me stop.

"Brianna, can we call you Bri?" Two asked in a humorously sophisticated tone.

"That's fine," I said through my chuckle since Soda literally just introduced me as Bri.

"Bri, there is some beer and pizza in the fridge if ya want any," Two-Bit offered.

"Two-Bit, this ain't your house," Dally snickered. Dally gave off a laid-back and carefree vibe, just like I always pictured him to be. His hair reminded me of blonde David Bowie from the 1980's.

"I'm just tryin' to be friendly," Two defended.

Soda came back from the hallway and told me that he put my bag in his room where I can sleep for the night. I thanked him and followed Soda to the kitchen while I readjusted my jeans a bit, I should have purchased a belt.

"Do you guys have anything else besides beer?" I asked. I tried some once at a New Years Eve party with a few of my friends. One sip and I had to force myself to swallow. It was disgusting. I vowed to never drink again.