The Outsider Experience

Kat's POV. Chapter 1

Have you ever felt like you wanted to go back to that special place where you grew up as a kid? That's how Mack and I felt on our way back to Tulsa, Oklahoma. To understand mine and Mack's attachment to Tulsa, you have to know the backstory. From the time Mack and I were little we always felt like we belonged in Tulsa with our friends. Back in my 5th grade year Mack's 4th grade year, we had a very "unique" group of buddies. Mack and Ponyboy Curtis were the youngest of the clan, Mack being 9 around the time we left, and Ponyboy being 8. Ponyboy was ALWAYS hanging with Mack; playing tag and other little kid games. Sodapop Curtis, Ponyboy's 10 year old brother hung out with me a lot and we always got caught talking during class. Steve Randle was Sodapop's real best friend though, being 11 and all, he wasn't the best influence. He was always getting in fights with other 6th graders, especially this rich kid Bob Sheldon. My other friend Johnny Cade (also my age), was sweet and kind. His parents didn't treat him so well, so he was always looking to impress us. The one he really need acceptance from was Dallas Winston. Like Steve, Dally was 11 at the time, but he was tougher than Steve. Dally was the kind to make sure you didn't mess with. He could be mean, and if you rubbed him the wrong way, he could whip any of us. Well, except Johnny. Dallas always made sure he was easier on Johnny, for whatever reason. Next was Two-Bit Matthews, Two-Bit was 12, the second oldest, and he always put his two-bits worth in hence the name. Last, but not least was Darry Curtis. Darry was the oldest,14, and always liked to boss us younger ones around. Darry was cool though, because he liked to play with us young "kiddos." Me and Mack grew up with those boys, and were sad when we had to move to the country. Now we were 16 and 15 after all this time, I don't know what our "homecoming" would be like, but I expected there to be some reignited friendship. Little did I know that this reunion would end up being much more.