The Outsiders: Before My Time Part III

The Big Rumble

Goldie's POV

There was a lot of talk about a big fight that was going to break out between the Socs and the Greasers. It's called a rumble. That took me a while to figure out, since we don't exactly have scheduled neighborhood brawls back in 2038.m. Originally, Darry forbid Johnny and Pony to fight. After lots of begging on their part, Darry finally let them go.

"Man, I haven't been in a street fight since that one back in July," I stated.

"You ain't?" Steve asked, slouching on the couch next to Mom, who was perched on the arm right by the front door. Dad was hanging by the open doorway, flashing her his handsome grin as he tried to sweet-talk her into coming to watch until I opened my mouth.

"That one don't count. My grandma can hit harder than that," Dally rolled his eyes from the corner armchair, a cigarette was dangling lazily from his lip.

I adjusted my tight white t-shirt, flexing my shoulders slightly. "Thanks for airin' out my dirty laundry, Dal."

"Can we take him?" Two looked up at Darry from his chair.

Darry threw Two-Bit a hard look. "He ain't a dog. Don't ask me."

"Wanna come?" Two redirected his question to me. "It's awfully fun."

"You got the awful part right," Mom mumbled as she readjusted the DX hat on her head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Two asked, like she personally offended him.

"I'm just saying that it doesn't resolve anything, I don't like standing by watching you guys get your asses kicked." She turned her head to me and said, "do whatever you want, Goldie. I don't care, I'm not your mom."

A sharp, needle-like pang of homesickness hit me right in the gut. I clenched my jaw, keeping my easygoing facade firmly locked in place so she wouldn't see the panic in my eyes. She doesn't know. I have to keep it together. "Sure, I'll go," I said, offering her a reassuring little grin to disarm the tension. "Gotta see if I can get a few real tuff tackles in."

"Great, we can use every man we can. Strength in numbers," Darry said while he rolled his short sleeves of his shirt up over his massive shoulders. He looked at Pony and said, "I still don't know about you. I don't know if you oughta be in this rumble."

"How come? I've always come through before, ain't l?" Pony asked.

"Yeah, but you were in shape before and you ain't looking so good. You're tensed up all the time, you know?" Darry fixed Pony's sweatshirt for him.

"Come on, Darry, let him fight. Man, everyone is tensed up before a rumble. It's skin against skin. He ain't gonna get hurt," Dad said.

"I'll grab a hold of a little one," Pony promised. "Johnny and I will stick together."

"I don't know..." Darry sighed.

"Look, if it was with knives or chains, it would be different. I'll be okay," Pony reassured.

Darry hesitantly gave in. "All right, but you be careful. Okay?"

"I will," Pony promised.

"Can I come?" Candy asked.