ETHEREAL | OUTSIDERS

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

♪ : losin control — russ

❝ oh i know. ❞

"GOD, YOU MUST really like him, huh?" Dallas questioned, looking down at me. Geez, was it that obvious? To be fair, I did care a lot, and show it. I shook my head.

"Is it that obvious?" Facepalming, I questioned, mumbling into my hands. Dallas chuckled, probably realizing how ridiculous my question sounded.

"Obviously, why else would you be jealous of Tessa and Ponyboy and be so upset when Ponyboy did that to you?"

"Plus, you seem so different around him. I know that you're nice to everyone too but you just have this glow when you're 'round him, man. Your eyes have this shine, like a huge star is in front of you, and it's reflecting off of your eyes."

He wasn't wrong. Ponyboy is a star in front of me, maybe my whole galaxy. He made me feel, even, as if I was glowing. Like nothing else is there. God, how I miss that feeling, of us against everything against us. Now it's like he's against me.

"Oh I don't know, because I'm a good friend and I know Tessa is absolute trash?" I responded, not wanting to make it obvious.

"Whatever doll. Either way, I still know ya like him." He arrogantly said, and I couldn't blame him. I did really like him, and the fact that this happened, wrecked everything. As I kept thinking about it, I had this fire grow inside of me, and a desire to rid of it physically.

"God, why does this have to happen?" I yell, picking up a random rock, then throwing it. I heard a faint thud on a metal-like material. Turning around, I realize that I had hit Tessa's car. I didn't worry, I smirked, then laughed.

"Hey, good job man. You hit the snake's car." Dallas joked, laughing. Johnny also fit in a small laugh. We stood there, thinking of what to do next. I saw the door of Dingo open, and watched Ponyboy and Tessa walk out. Before they could see us, we started walking somewhere else, not knowing where, but somewhere.

"So, where are we going now?" I ask, looking up at Dallas. He took out a cigarette, lit it with his necklace, then took a long drag.

"Curtis's house." He said, not looking down at me. The smoke was still coming out of his mouth. Is he serious? I couldn't go back there, ever. Especially if Ponyboy and Tessa are already there.

"Are you psychotic?" I stifled a small laugh, thinking at the thought of me actually going back to the Curtis's house. The humiliation of me going there was already running to catch up to me.

"Whatever, let's go man." Dallas grabbed my arm and started walking back to the car. I grumbled as I sat down, looking outside. Johnny sat in the front with Dallas and I sat in the back. My mind was blank, is blank. Even though this was happening in a matter of minutes, I can't fathom what would happen, depending on what I could do.

"We're here, Ellie-bear." Johnny told me, I was spaced out. I really didn't want to go in, so I tried to make it seem as if I didn't hear him, which I know wouldn't work for very long.

"Ellie-bear, come on." Johnny said again, getting out of the front seat, opening the door to my side of where I was sitting, and grabbing my arm. I whined at him, complaining for him to let me stay in the car.

As we walked closer and closer, I could hear chimes from other houses, hanging on their patio's. The metal cylinders clinked against each other, making a peaceful, ring of sound.

"We have to go, you can't ignore them for the rest of your life." Johnny argued back, then pulled me towards the house. Dallas pushed me from behind to step closer to the house. I really couldn't help stop now, but as we inched closer, my heart thumped more and more out of my chest.

"Hey what's up, man." Dallas yelled, mainly towards Two-bit, because he was sitting by the door. God, I can't go back now. Sodapop was sitting by Two-bit, then his eyes slightly widened. I'm guessing that Ponyboy only told Sodapop and Darry, not anyone else.

Ponyboy came out from the hallway of his room, then stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at me, then shook his head in disbelief.

"Why are you-" Before he could finish his sentence, he just walked off, scoffing. It was almost as if I could break down right then and there. He didn't even want to say hi, or act as if nothing happened. The first thing he said was probably 'Why are you here, nobody invited you.', if he hadn't stopped talking.

"Guys, I can't..." I whispered, running to the lot. I clenched my stomach as it churned inside of me. I sat down on the couch-seat in the lot. I always came here now, it was my second safe place.

I heard footsteps approach me, expecting it to be someone like Johnny, trying to bring me back. To my surprise, it was Sodapop. I shook my head, I knew he was going to talk to me about Ponyboy and tell me that I messed up.

"God Soda, I don't want to talk about it please." I muttered, covering my face, while predicting what he was going to say.

"I know you didn't do it. I can't bring myself to believe that you did that. I don't know what Pony is thinking, but I'm trying to convince him to realize that Tessa is lying." Sodapop reassured. I took a deep breath, then turned to face him.

"I don't think he will forgive me Soda..." I worry, my voice quivering.

"Don't worry Ellie, It'll be fine. You can talk to him. Before you say no, you have to. You can't avoid him forever, Pony probably can't handle it either." Sodapop begged for me to talk to him again.

"I really want to, but he just glared at me and won't even bother to look at me for more than five seconds." I whine, throwing my arms to my side.

"Hey, Greasy idiots. Hope you guys are having fun looking homeless." Tessa says, walking past.

I don't even take the time to acknowledge her, so I ignore her for so long, to the point where she gives us and walks back to the Curtis's house. That's when I got a bright idea. Everyone is in that house, so they can all see.

"Soda, c'mon we're going back."