The Outsiders: Before My Time Sequel | Sodapop

Living Arrangements

After some debate on where to take them, Lillian and I decided that the thrift store would be the best option. I knew the event would be disastrous if we took all seven of them at the same time, but we didn't have much of a choice.

As if the guys had assigned seating, everyone shuffled back into the cars and in the same places they were before when we left for lunch. It took a little longer to get there than I had anticipated, but I took the time answering more of their questions and confirming their suspicions. They know me, they don't know Lillian yet. I don't think they really feel comfortable around her, so they've clammed up. They haven't formed that bond of trust, but they will soon. I wasn't sure if they're just nervous or embarrassed, but I never want to put them in a position that makes them apprehensive. They've all been through a lot.

Someday I might be able to take them to the mall. It is pretty big and even has a carousel in the middle of it with hundreds of stores they could happily destroy. This mall didn't exist in the 60's, so I think they would really like to explore it. Or maybe they'd hate it. I don't know.

My boys and I walked in first with the only criteria being they had to buy clothes today, which included pajamas. When Lillian and her group came, Darry reminded everyone to buy socks and underwear too, which made Ponyboy groan.

We let them loose, and everyone seemed to be taking it seriously. They were looking through the clothes thoughtfully, and were putting their favorites over their arms. It was going pretty well until Dally started getting bored and would either push racks of clothes onto some poor unsuspecting soul or pushing an oblivious Pony into the clothes and walking away while whistling. One of the employees threatened to kick him out, and he gaslit her into pretending like he had no idea what she was talking about.

I went around to check-in on everyone. Darry was slinging summer clothes he liked over his arm but almost everyone else seemed to hate what they were seeing. Soda had a couple flannels he found and some jeans in his arms, and his face brightened when I walked up to him.

"Finding anything good?" I asked.

"It's hard to say..." he mumbled while flinching from the harsh screech of the hangers sliding over the metal bar.

"You got some flannels, that's good. Find anything for the summer though?" I asked. "It gets pretty hot."

"Oh, it's summer?" He asked.

I smiled at him sweetly. "Mm-hm, yeah."

"What month is it?" He asked.

"July." I thought I said that to the guys already, but I might have forgotten. A lot as happened the past couple of days, my mind is mush.

"Oh, there were some t-shirts here. Some button-downs." He went back a few paces and grabbed some basic black and white t-shirts and button-downs that he took off the rack. "I could roll my sleeves up or somethin'."

"That works."

"These jeans okay?" He asked, raising them up so I could get a good look at them.

I inspected his choices and saw that they were Levi's. Dark wash, and clean with no holes. I said, "they look great."

"Great." He grinned and kept shopping.

Honestly, it was so much quicker than I was expecting it to be. I think it's because they were miserable and just wanted to get everything over with. With my advice, I helped the guys pick out some clothes that I knew they would feel comfortable in. They all got enough clothes to last them at least a week before needing a wash. And they looked good too, I refused to let them get anything ugly.