Dallas Winston Has A Sister? (Outsiders Fanfic)

My Brother's Crazy Friends (And I Didn't Think He Had Any)

        I followed Dally up the stairs to the porch of the house I had been at just two days ago, but honestly I hadn't remembered most of it. I sooo did not want to be here , but the only reason I was here was cause I was grounded for being here in the first place, and since I was grounded Dally wouldn't let me out of his sight.

        I stopped on the porch, not wanting to go into the house.  Before he went in, Dal turned around and said,  "Stay here.  I'll only be a few minutes," and then going in, let the door slam behind him.

        I sighed and leaned against the post supporting the overhanging roof, crossing my arms over my chest and putting one foot flat against the post behind me, the other flat on the porch in front of me.  I was glad that I hadn't had to go into the house, but making me walk all the way here with him, just so he could watch me, was a bit ridiculous.  I was fuming about how he always treated me like I was nine instead of fourteen.  Even though I was about that age, probably a few years younger, the last time he saw me, before he ran away.

        I heard talking and laughing a little ways down the street, and it got louder as three guys came into view around a tree.  They turned and walked through the gate and up the path, stopping at the bottom of the stairs when they saw me.

        I recognized all of them.  One was That Kid (Ponyboy, remember Tara hasn't met him yet and doesn't know his name so she calls him that, they've sort of met before), and the other two were his friends from school.  The one with the leather jacket, the wise cracker of the bunch, said,

        "Hey, look who's here," and then poked That Kid in the ribs.  He was staring at me, shocked and slightly awed.  His other friend, in the jean jacket, glanced at the scar above my eyebrow and my black eye before his gaze quickly flitted back to the toes of his Converses.  They continued up the stairs, and as That Kid passed me, he gave me a kind of confused glare.

        "Sorry for trespassing on your porch," I said sarcastically, standing upright and mockingly holding up my hands defensively.

        "Then I guess we'll have to take you to court," the guy with the leather jacket joked.  I didn't find it all that funny, it just sounded lame.  "Come on," he said, gesturing towards the door that the kid in the jean jacket was half holding open, That Kid was right behind him, watching our conversation.

        "Shut up," I replied, sounding bored and annoyed.  I just didn't have the energy to come up with a smart-aleck comment right now.

        From inside the house, I heard someone yell, "Quit standing there with the door open.  Either get in or get out," and then That Kid and his friend disappeared inside the house.

        The guy with the leather jacket, who I just realized now had Mickey Mouse on his shirt, said philosophically, "My, my, aren't you stubborn," while thoughtfully stroking his chin.  I just rolled my eyes, cause this guy was messed up.  Without warning, he grabbed my arm to drag me inside and said, "A cute girl like you needs to come meet some of my friends."

        Fuming at the comment and the fact that he had just grabbed me and wouldn't let go, I whirled and decked him, driving my fist into the side of his face.  He let go and clattered against the door, caught off guard.

        And I'm assuming Dally heard it, cause he yelled, "Tara, come in here!"

        With a sigh, I shoved past the guy I'd just slugged, who was rubbing his cheek, and into the house.  I stayed right where I was in the hallway separating the kitchen and the living room, though I could see into both rooms.  It was vaguely familiar, and I now realized why no one had seen me when I was passed out on the couch. 

        The back of it faced me, and I could barely see the shock of black hair peeking over the edge from the guy with the jean jacket who was sitting on the couch.  That Kid was sitting in an armchair across from the couch, watching T.V.  Dally and the one guy that I didn't recognize at all when I had woken up here Saturday morning were standing in the kitchen.

        At the same time, Dally said, "What were you doing?" the Mickey Mouse shirt guy shouted, "She slugged me!"

        Before Dal could say anything, a voice called from down a hallway, "Who punched Two-Bit?" and I saw a head peer around a doorway down the hall.  He was one of the guys who had 'helped' me Friday night, and he looked like he could be That Kid's brother or something.  As he came down the hall, I turned to Dally and said, "Can we go?  Some of your friends are pissing me off."

        That Kid's brother, who had been talking to Mickey Mouse shirt guy, turned to me and said, "Your name's Tara, right?  I'm Sodapop," he said, holding out his hand for me to shake.  As he shook it, he added, "Don't laugh.  It says so on my birth certificate."  Who names their kid Sodapop?  I suppose it's cool for a nickname, but on a birth certificate, it' just weird.

        "That's my older brother Darry," he said, pointing to the guy standing next to Dally, "and in there is my other brother, Ponyboy," he pointed to That Kid.  "That's Johnny," he added gesturing to the black-haired one sitting on the couch, "and the wisecracker here is Two-Bit.  He needs a belt every now and then," Sodapop finished introducing all the guys in the house, grinning at me. 

        Well, he sure was friendly.  Everyone else was looking at me, but besides a friendly nod from Darry, they didn't really say anything.

        "Hey Soda, did you get abducted by aliens or do you just not want to lose to me at poker?" I heard someone shout from the room down the hall where this Sodapop character had come from.

        "Coming!" he yelled and then said, "And that would be Steve.  See ya," before heading back down the hall.  Well, that wasn't weird at all.

        "Now can we go?" I asked Dal who had remained silent the whole while.

        "If you two want, you can stay for supper.  I can throw another chicken in," Darry, I think was his name, invited politely.

        "Sorry, I've got homework.  Thanks though.  Come on Dally," I said the last part impatiently, as I headed for the door.  I actually did have homework, but I never did it.  It barely counted, and so long as I aced all my tests I beyond passed my classes.  I just wanted to get out of this awkward situation so badly. 

       And the only one who talked to me was Sodapop.  Well, him and that Two-Bit dude, who probably wouldn't talk to me anymore since I had punched him in the face.  That was a crazy afternoon, I have to tell you. 

         I just wondered what it would be like at school tomorrow, now that these guys kind of, sort of knew me.  I hope nothing, or at least That Kid- wait, he had a name now- Ponyboy- again, who names their kid that?- would stop staring at me in the halls.