ETHEREAL | OUTSIDERS

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғɪᴠᴇ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

♪ : bossa no sé — cuco ft. jean carter

❝ i don't know if i love you, maybe i do. ❞

THE RECORD I put on my record player spun around, playing my music. Sometimes, I just liked to listen to loud music and mess around. I looked at my bulletin board, seeing the piece of paper with Ponyboy's house number next to my sticky note.

——

"Here's our house number, call anytime!" Ponyboy said happily, as I stepped outside to head back home.

"That way you can tell us whenever you want to come over." he said, grinning even more.

"Alright, I'll call you guys sometime, maybe come over too!" I yelled as I walked along the sidewalk back to my house.

——

That was about a week ago, I went over to their house and called Ponyboy almost everyday that whole week. I really got to know the gang, and their actual personalities, not just the ones they presented to new people.

I grew a strong relationship with the gang, for example, Sodapop and Johnny were my best friends, aside from Ponyboy. Steve and Two-bit always knew how to make me laugh, and Darry was like a dad to me that I never had. Lastly, Ponyboy made me feel weird inside. Not the bad weird, like the one that seems as if you have butterflies in your stomach. Or the type that makes your face as red as a strawberry.

Everyone always talks about love and crushes, but I have never had one before, until I met Ponyboy. Of course, I can't be too quick to know that I like Ponyboy, because I don't know what that feels like.

Ponyboy is super sweet to me, he even let me sleep with him in his bed. He seems like he cares about and likes me, but maybe that's how he acts to everyone.

I decided to go downstairs to get a snack or a drink. Nobody was home, so I just got some fruit and water to have. Mom was probably working. I took my snacks up to my room, and opened my window. I crawled out to sit on the roof, and watch the sunset. Today's was extra pretty. The colors were even brighter and stronger than before.

I stayed up on the roof a bit longer than usual, I waited until I could see the stars come out. Stars were originally what I looked at most, but now I watched sunsets too because of Ponyboy. That's when I heard the door slam.

Running downstairs, I see my mom. She walked over to the kitchen, guessing that she didn't hear me. Before I talked to her, I heard glass shatter on the floor and her clearing her throat loudly.

"Mom, are you okay?" I ask, in shock. I walk my way to the kitchen, to see my mother under the influence of alcohol. God this is not going to end well. My mom always had a problem with alcohol, and she tried to quit. I thought she quit, but I guess she didn't.

Maybe she told me to sleep at Ponyboy's house because she was having a drink that night, I thought, putting the pieces together.

"God, you disgrace of a daughter, Eleanor. You know that you were an accident?! That's why your smart ass father left us! I should have aborted you!" She screamed from where she stood.

Don't cry Eleanor, you're stronger that this, I made my way over to her to clean up the glass. Instead of her walking away, she pushed me, causing me to fall into the glass that cut through my arm and hand. Then she did what she promised never to do. She punched me square in the face, and wow did that hurt.

I was in a state of shock for a few seconds, then she screamed in my face again, bringing me back to reality.

"Get out of my house! I don't want to see your hideous face ever again!" She screamed, with alcohol lingering in her breath. I sat there for a second, thinking of what to do. That's when I finally got up, and ran out the door. I had no idea where I was going, but I was going somewhere that was not my home.

I ran and ran, until I realized how badly I was cut up. I was losing blood as it dripped arm and onto my short sleeve shirt and leggings.

I started crying in the dark, which was rare. I vowed that I would never let anyone or anything get to me to the point to where I would cry, but I couldn't help it. After one tear came another, then it flooded over.

I slowly, but surely, made my way to the only other people that would probably be awake, or left their door unlocked. You probably guessed it, Ponyboy's house. I barely had the energy to open the door, but I managed to, then my vision started diminishing.

"Help, guys... My-" and that's all that I could get out before I fell onto the floor, and closed my eyes. I could make out somebody trying to speak to me.

"Ellie, Eleanor? Oh my god, are you okay?" I could feel the vibrations of whoever's footsteps against the floor, then I went unconscious.

At least I got to my destination and to somewhere that I know that the people there will take care of me. Thankfully, I had these people.