The Outsiders Imagines/Headcannons

Memories/ Gang imagine

Play the song on loop to enhance this story thx :)
Warning: angst and very long

I was only six years old when I moved into a small neighborhood in Tulsa. I was the new girl. I didn't know how anything worked around, I just wanted to go back home.
I went to first grade that following August. I was awfully shy and nervous because I didn't know anyone there. So I ended up alone.
To top it off, many of my classmates disliked me. I never knew why, probably because I was different and new.
Class was finally over. I walked outside of the school, weaving around the crowds of children. Little did I know there were some bullies trailing behind me.
I walked on the sidewalk, alone. The bus dropped me off and I had to walk the rest of the way home. I heard the bullies behind me, whispering to each other behind my back.
They started shouting things at me.
"Go back to where you came from weird girl!"
And many things like that. To think that there were already bullies in first grade, what were the parents of those kids teaching them?
I ignored their insults and walked a little faster, but I still couldn't get away from them. They ran to me and tugged on my hair, laughing at me struggling. I felt rocks being pelted at me.
I kept crying out for help but no one was around, or so we thought.
"Stop it!" I heard a voice shout out at them.
We all spun around and saw a group of boys.
The voice came from a boy who was in my class. His name was Ponyboy Curtis. He sat next to me but I never spoke to him.
All the other boys around him were older. They looked incredibly intimidating for a group of kids. They started to chase the bullies, throwing sticks at them and trying to grab onto their shirts. The bullies quickly fled and disappeared.
"Are you okay?" Ponyboy asked.
I had a cut on my arm and on my face from where they threw the rocks. My scalp started to hurt from where they pulled my hair. I was also hurt emotionally by all the insults.
I didn't respond to him, I stayed silent.
I tried to stop myself from crying. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried blinking away my tears, but they kept flowing.
I hung my head down and looked away.
"I saw what they were doing to you." Pony said, softly, "They're really mean."
"Shouldn't have let them go, man," The tough one with hair that looked almost white said, "They deserve a beating, those brats."
"Now, Dally," A boy who looked like a movie star said, "They're only little kids, they'll learn."
"Yeah, right." Dally scoffed and kicked a pebble.
"Um," I said, quietly, "Thank you for saving me."
"It's nothing, really!" A boy in a Mickey Mouse t-shirt bragged.
"You ain't done nothing!" A boy with hair curled in complicated wisps said, smacking him. They both tackled each other to the ground.
"Hey, cut it out guys." A shy boy with jet black hair said to them.
I felt something warm drop down from my face, it was blood. I was still crying from pain.
Pony examined my face.
"Soda? Darry?" He asked two older boys, "She's hurt, can we take her to our house?"
"If she's alright with it." The oldest one said.
Pony looked back at me.
"Wanna come to my place?" He asked, "It's right over there, we can fix you up. We have chocolate cake too. You don't have to if you don't want to."
I thought for a moment then I nodded.
We all walked to the little house at the corner of the street. They all walked inside without even knocking. I sort of hid behind them.
We were all greeted by Mrs. Curtis.
"Hi, boys," She said, happily, "Just finished the chocolate cake, now dig in and stuff your face."
They all ran to the cake, everyone except Pony. He walked to Mrs. Curtis and tapped her shoulder. I couldn't hear what he said to her but it was obviously about me.
Mrs. Curtis looked at me and smiled.
"Looks like you're new around here," She said, softly, putting her hand on my shoulder, "I know it's scary going to a new place, but you might grow to like it here. Come, I'll clean you up, honey."
She led me to a small bathroom and took out some bandages and cotton balls.
"What's your name?" She asked as she was fixing me up.
"Y/N..." I replied, quietly.
"That's a pretty name." She complimented me.
My cheeks flushed a shade of pink.
"I'm so used to only boys around here. It's nice having a girl around, am I right?" She giggled, "I feel like all of those boys are like my children."
I chuckled. She was such a kind person. I liked her.
She finished fixing me up and helped me off the counter.
"There's some chocolate cake if you want," She said, "Make yourself at home, dear."
I nodded my head in thanks and walked to the kitchen to go get some.
I met Mr. Curtis.
"Oh, hello little one," He said, looking down at me, "You're new around here, right?"
I nodded and he gave me a plate.
"Well," he said, "I hope you like it here. The boys are in the living room having cake."
I thanked him and made my way to the living room.
Everyone was scattered around the living room. Pony was sitting on the couch. He saw me and patted the spot next to him.
I sat down next to him and we both talked and ate cake. We talked mostly about school and stuff like that.
Soon, I played and talked with the rest of the gang. We played cards on the floor. They were all really fun guys. Our laughs and shouting echoed through the walls of the small house.
I was pleased to meet a great group of boys. They all looked like family to each other.
Maybe I was going to like it here.
"Um," I said, getting everyone's attention, "Thank you everyone, not just for saving me. You guys made me happy here. I like it here now. But I never got to know all your names."
"Oh," Pony exclaimed, "Sorry."
Pony pointed at two boys, the movie star and the oldest looking.
"Those are my brothers," Pony said, "Sodapop and Darry."
Soda gave me a wide smile and a wave.
Darry gave me a solid nod and a smile.
Pony then pointed at two other boys.
"That one is Steve and that one is Keith."
They both bowed elegantly.
Pony moved onto the tough boy.
"That's Dallas."
"Hey, little lady." Dallas said, lighting up a cigar.
Last, Pony pointed at the shy boy.
"This is Johnny."
Johnny gave a small wave and a smile.
"I'm Y/N." I giggled, then I was confused, "Um, I need to ask you all something. Why were you so nice to me? You guys saved a girl you didn't even know, why?"
"Pony told us about you." Soda said.
"I told them," Pony continued, "I told them that there was a new girl in class and she looked really sad and lonely. I also noticed that in class some kids were trash talking behind your back. I just felt bad, you know."
"We were on the streets hanging out like we usually do," Darry said, "We saw a little girl getting jumped. Pony said that it was you and ran to you without hesitation. He just ran straight first into danger without even thinking. He told us to come and save you."
I looked at Pony, he was blushing and scratching his head.
"If he was alone, he would get jumped too and get a blade to his skin." Steve joked, "Just look how weak and skinny he is!"
"Hey!" Pony whined.
Everyone else chuckled.
I was still confused. They could've left me.
"But, why?" I asked, "You just let a stranger like me enter your home and laugh with you all."
"Because you're just like us," Johnny explained while thinking, "We're treated like trash too. All of us. We're at the bottom. Us losers like us stick together. We all treat each other like family, and family doesn't get left behind."
He looked at me and smiled warmly. Everyone else silently agreed to what Johnny said.
I felt so loved. I had just met this group of boys and I was already family to them.
"Dammit!" Two-Bit shouted, "Johnnycake, you're gonna make me cry!"
"Watch your mouth, Keith!" Mrs. Curtis shouted from across the room, "Don't want me to tell your mother!"
Everyone started to laugh at Two-Bit as he sealed his mouth closed with his finger.
I was a new member of the group. I suddenly felt safer now.
I had to head home before my mom started to get worried.
I told them I had to go back home and they all volunteered to walk me home.
"Soda! Darry! Pony!" Mr. Curtis called, "No more going out, you have homework to finish."
The brothers left the room and said goodbye. Steve and Two-Bit decided to stay a bit because Mickey Mouse was on.
That just left Johnny and Dally.
Dally was behind me and Johnny, smoking a cigar and looking out for trouble.
"Dally?" I asked.
"What is it?" He replied.
"You don't have a Southern accent," I pointed out, "Where are you from?"
He took a hit from his cigar and exhaled, smoke escaping out of his mouth.
"New York." He replied.
He looked insanely tough for a kid. He was already smoking and had a mature look on his face. He looked like a guy who loved to start trouble. I wondered what went on inside his head.
Johnny was the exact opposite of Dally. But I noticed that they talked a lot at the hangout and that they were always together. I guess they were best friends.
Johnny started to get fidgety. I looked at his face and he was staring at a house, his eyes widened and sweat dripping down from his forehead.
"Here," Dally said to Johnny, "Get behind me, man."
Johnny hid behind Dally. Dal had his eyes narrowed at the house like a hawk as we quickly moved pass it.
I looked at the house, there was a couple fighting inside. I heard glass shatter and shouting muffled inside.
I gulped, it looked scary. Then I realized it was Johnny's house.
We passed it and Johnny turned back normal.
"I hate it when my folks fight!" Johnny said as he got out from hiding.
"I can stay at the lot with you if you want." Dally said to Johnny. He nodded and smiled at Dally.
"A lot?" I asked.
"Yeah." Dally said.
"Most of the time I like to sleep at an empty lot." Johnny said, "It's basically another home. I don't like staying with my folks so I just go there."
I felt really bad. Johnny was going through so much hardship at such a young age. Everyone was going through hard times in the group, but Johnny had it rougher.
I reached my house and thanked them for walking me there.
"No problem." Dally said. Johnny agreed.
They both smiled at me and waved goodbye.
I waved back and closed the door.
My mom came rushing towards me.
"Where have you been, Y/N?" She asked, examining my bandaids, "Who did this to you?"
I still had a smile on my face.
"Mom!" I said excitedly, "I was being bullied and then a boy from my class and other older boys saved me! They took me to their house and the mom cleaned me up and we all had chocolate cake she made. We all played cards and stuff, it was so much fun! They said I was part of their family, I love it here!"
Mom listened to every word that came out of my mouth. She was a little confused but then she sighed.
"At least you're made some friends," She said. "I'm glad you like here."
I hopped into my bed in my cute pjs. I couldn't stop thinking about them. They were the best people I've ever met. I finally fell asleep, excited about tomorrow.
~
I opened my eyes from the memory, going back into reality. I looked at the sky filled with grey clouds. Rain sprinkled down, making soft pitter patters on my umbrella.
I held flowers in my hand. I placed some of them on Mr. and Mrs. Curtis' graves.
I was really close with Mrs. Curtis. Over the years, she taught me her recipes. She even shared her secret chocolate cake recipe with me. She treated me like I was part of the family, so did Mr. Curtis.
I was just as miserable as the brothers when I heard the news. They invited me to the funeral too. Now it was only the brothers left to take care of themselves. It has been hard for them but they still managed to get through it.
I helped around the house and with Darry because he's under so much stress.
I remembered their faces, when they were still alive. Smiling and warm, like the sun.
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Curtis," I said softly, touching the graves and kneeling down, "I brought flowers for you guys. I hope you like them."
I stood back up and brushed the dirt off my knees.
I walked a little more and found Johnny and Dally's graves. They were buried together.
They died so young.
Johnny wanted to explore more things, he was only sixteen and a kind soul. When we got the news that our beloved Johnnycake passed, it felt like my heart was shot.
Johnny was a good kid raised in a bad family. He deserved so much more. He never deserved his rotten parents. But he had us, his real family.
He was a great friend to all of us. Now he left this world unexpectedly.
Then that very same day, Dally chose to be with Johnny.
I've seen Dally getting soft around Johnny. But I never knew that he would die for him.
I looked at their graves again. I lightly kissed the tops of their tombstones and laid a few flowers.
I looked up at the sky, I could almost hear their laughter.
Wherever they were, they were together.
"Still haven't beaten you at cards, Johnnycake." I chuckled, "And you didn't give my cancer sticks back to me, Dal."
I left their graves and walked slowly away.
I reached Sodapop's grave.
He was shot after he was drafted into the Vietnam war. He was about to turn nineteen. Pony and Darry were heartbroken, so were everyone else. Three people were gone from our group now.
Soda was such a happy and bright soul. This rotten world didn't deserve such a pure boy. He really could make anyone on the street smile just by smiling himself.
He was like a brother to me and I was like his little sister. But he was born in an unforgiving time. Even when life around him was hard, he still tried to stay happy. I couldn't believe that he passed away so young, too.
I put the rest of the flowers on Soda's grave. I lightly kissed the tombstone and smiled.
"Still miss you, Pepsicola." I said.
I sighed. I was now twenty four years old. The pain from the past losses turned into memory as the years past.
Everyone, including me, slowly recovered from it.
Now, everyone was all grown up.
Steve was still working at the gas station, but he worked alone now. He missed working with his best friend. Steve got engaged and was about to have a wedding in a few months. He wanted Soda to be his best man ever since he was ten.
Two-Bit finally graduated from school. He works to raise money for college, well because Darry made him. He still hasn't gone yet because he doesn't really earn a lot of money. Plus, he likes to treat himself often. Two-Bit is still as goofy and lazy as always.
Darry got married and now a baby was on the way. He got a better job and was now earning more money.
Pony graduated from high school and was accepted into college. Darry and Pony worked together to earn money for it. Pony was going to graduate in a few months.
I said my last goodbyes to everyone's graves and started to walk back home.
I spotted the gang waiting for me. At first glance, it looked like everyone was there. Johnny, Dally, and Sodapop with them. Everyone was young again. Was I seeing things?
I rubbed my eyes and saw it was only what was left of the gang, all grown up. Pony, Two-Bit, Steve, and Darry. They looked older and wiser.
I caught up with them and we all walked back home as the rain sprinkled down on us.
We all grew up so fast. We all changed in an instant.
It felt like only yesterday that we were all kids, dreaming about the future and playing on the streets.