𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

thirteen.

MADELINE WINSTON

"hey, we have the same gym! why didn't i see you?" pony asks as he reads over my schedule.

i shrug, "i was walking around the halls trying to cool off from what valerie said."

pony looks at me with sad, disappointed eyes before we head into the house. mickey is playing on the tv and then i notice johnny laying on the couch.

"johnny!" pony exclaims, going to take a seat on the coffee table.

"hey, pony." johnny smiles. "hey, madeline."

"hey." i smile, taking a seat next to pony.

"who brought you back from the hospital?"

"darry did. he just went out for a little, but he's coming back to cook dinner soon. what's been happenin'?"

"today was mad's first day at school." pony smiles.

"did you like it?" johnny's eyes dart over to mine.

"yes and no."

"oh, dally and tim got into a fight over his slashed tires. then dally and mad got into a fight too."

johnny looks at me for clarification and i nod.

pony and i spend the rest of the early evening in the living room, watching mickey mouse with johnny until darry comes back home to cook dinner for the whole gang.

"would you look at that! someone restocked the beer!" two-bit cheers with a toothy grin as he stares at the freshly stocked beers in the fridge.

i roll my eyes with a smile before heading into the living room where soda and dally are sitting together. soda notices me in the doorway and nonchalantly gets up to leave so dally and i are alone to talk.

"what's up, kid?" dally asks through his teeth as he pops a beer bottle open.

i sit in the chair next to him and pull my knees up to my chest, "you missed my first day back at school."

"i'm sorry, what're you in kindergarten or somethin' again?"

"it wasn't a good day." i say, which causes dally's jokes to quickly stop.

"what happened?"

"this girl who's friends with cherry valance is a total bitch."

dally chuckles, "anyone in cherry's crowd is gonna be poisonous. you fight her?"

"no. i wanted to, but i didn't."

"well good. you can .. just .. not on school grounds. got it?"

i let out a scoff, "got it."

darry calls out for everyone that dinner is ready, so we all make our way into the dining room to eat.

"hey johnny, take some more ham. you need to get strong again." dally says, sitting across the table from johnny.

"i am strong, man." johnny mumbles, but still listens to dally and grabs an extra slice of ham.

"i know, man but you were just stabbed in the gut."

"i don't wanna think about blood while we eat." steve whines.

"what's wrong, buddy? i thought you liked fights." soda leans in his face, teasing him.

"i do like fights. fights especially with you!"

as if on queue, their elbows slam down on the table and they begin to arm wrestle.

"cut it out you two! god, i gotta look out for all of you it seems." darry sighs, his knife scraping against his plate.

"no you don't. we're grown men." steve cockily smiles.

"i always gotta be tellin' two-bit to lay off wrestling ponyboy and i gotta tell you two when it's inappropriate to arm wrestle!"

"i don't gotta lay off wrestling ponyboy. he just can't fight back 'cause his lungs are weak from smoking too much." two-bit laughs to himself.

"and i gotta tell you to quit smoking everyday!" darry looks to pony.

"darry, you don't have to tell us what to do and what not to do all the time. we can handle a lot of stuff on our own." pony says softly.

"yes i do, or else you all would be runnin' around here wild. speaking of running, did you try out for track today, mad?"

i open my mouth to speak but pony beats me to it.

"she skipped gym toda—OW!" i kick his leg from under the table.

all the guys' forks and knives stop moving as they look up at us.

"you skipped a class on your first day?" darry asks.

"ow." pony whispers, rubbing his shin from under the table.

"i think it was necessary. if i didn't i would've fought a soc." i say in my defense.

"i already told her she shouldn't beat the girl up, it's fine, i got it." dally tries to stop the conversation from going any further.

"no, you told me not to beat her up at school." i correct him.

"ooooh." two-bit smiles from across the table, clearly enjoying where this talk is going.

"okay well, same thing." dally shrugs, resuming eating his dinner.

"not the same thing." darry argues, "i don't think you should hit this girl at all."

"she's a grease, man, what do you expect? let the kid live a little." dallas raises his voice as he motions towards me.

everyone is now focused on listening to their argument erupt. i sit quietly in between pony and dally, feeling awkward as they argue about my fight-life as if they are my two dads.

"live a little? look where livin' a little gets you around here! we've got johnny sore and bandaged up from being in the hospital just a couple hours ago. pony's got a scar on his neck from just livin' a little. even steve's nose is messed up!" darry exclaims.

"hey! we know." steve crosses his arms with a pout forming on his face.

"who's madeline's brother here? is it you or is it me? 'cause you're making this out to be something that it's not. if the girl gave her a reason to wanna hit her, then she can hit her!" dallas is yelling now.

"well, i know who would make a better brother." i hear darry mumble under his breath.

"what?" dallas asks, but he knows damn well what darry just said.

i watch him swipe his tongue across his bottom lip, smiling to himself before throwing his napkin down on the table and standing up.

next thing i know, chairs are being tipped over and dallas is shoving darry against the wall.