The Outsiders: Before My Time Part III

Pre-Slap

September 1965

Goldie's POV

The days went on, and as each day passed I got more and more anxious about the possibility that we may never get back home. The fact that we've been here for more than a day and we haven't blown our cover is absolutely mind blowing to me. I guess we are just a couple of afternoonied kids.

We have lasted all summer here. School even started back up, which meant Darry forced us all to enroll for all classes, which was not something I thought was going to happen. I thought Darry was selling me a dog, but I ain't boating.

Honestly, school isn't that bad. I even like the lunches the school provides so I don't have to worry about what I'm going to eat for lunch anymore. I usually get pizza, a simple green salad, chocolate pudding, and fruit juice. I could eat this all day. Ponyboy and I would eat lunch together outside in the courtyard if it's nice out, otherwise we eat together in the cafeteria. Mom would join us sometimes, but other times I wouldn't even see her during the lunch period. I think she usually ate alone in her car.

Dad is still dating Sandy, even after their fights. I can't help but feel like their relationship is our fault. He must have been dating Mom by now, right? It's a really frustrating situation. Whenever Dad talks about Sandy, I try to pivot the conversation so we talk about Mom instead. Every single time.

It got really difficult to talk about Mom though. A few months ago Dad hooked her up with a job at the DX too so she's there all the time now. It is not that bad, because I feel like it's doing my job for me. They get along together really well, especially when they're in the garage together. She will sit on a stool and talk to Dad as he's fixing cars. Sometimes he will be sitting on a car creeper, distracted by Mom. He will have a silver torque in his hand that he keeps waving in the air as he talks to her. He looks at her with so much adoration in his eyes, with the warmest grin. She always has the brightest smile for him, even when he's covered in oil. It's cute.

We all really appreciate Darry and his kindness of letting us all stay with them, but that house is not big enough for seven of us. A few weeks ago I was in the bathroom, flexing in the mirror. As one does. I wanted to see how my muscles looked in a new shirt I got. Spoiler alert, they looked good. Mom walked by and we locked eyes in the mirror. I couldn't even play it off. She laughed at me as I continued flexing, humorously trying to fit as many poses as I could for as long as she was watching and she kept laughing until she went into her bedroom.

I got my siblings together and decided to treat them to an ice cream. I wanted to thank them for their hard work on maintaining our secret, and doing a great job with avoiding discussing any future events that must happen. It is really hard to keep things on track when you do not know what is supposed to happen.

At the ice cream shop, we all picked the flavors that we wanted. I got chocolate, Red picked coconut pineapple, and Candy chose cherry. I handed the cashier a $4 bill in exchange for the cones. He glanced at the bill, started to put it away but decided to take a second look.

"Very funny," he said sarcastically and tried to hand it back. "Where's the real bill?"

I cocked my head to the side and stared at him in confusion. "That bill is real."

"Oh yeah?" He scoffed and waved the bill in my face. "There's no such thing as a $4 bill, the year 2035 should not be on any bills, and Martin Luther King Jr. ain't a president."

"Uh-oh," Candy mumbled under her breath.

"Fabricating currency is an offense I'll have to report," he said as he reached for the phone to call the police.