Unexpected

Chapter 1

A/N: All characters in The Outsiders belong to S.E Hinton. I own nothing unless said otherwise. Also, I'm aware that in the movie, Curly was in the rumble, but I'm basing this more off the book then the movie, just so y'all don't get confused.
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Ponyboy's POV
     I sat in my room, bored out of my mind. It had been awhile since anything new had happened at home. Johnny had gotten out of the hospital about a month ago, well and able to walk on his own. Dallas had been staying out of the cooler ever since, not wanting Johnny to be alone anymore. After the incident, Johnny had gone to his home with me, only to see his mother perfectly sober, crying on the floor. I took the look that my best friend had given me that day as an indicator to leave, and I'd done just that. The next day, the gang had found out that his dad had filed for a divorce, forcing his jobless mother to take custody of him. They were doing fine now though, and Johnny was finally happy.
     I snapped myself out of memory lane. I was bored, and figured I might as well see what Darry thought would be ok for me to do, considering it was summer and all.
I walked into the living room to see Darry reading the newspaper like he always does early in the morning.
     "Hey Dar?" I asked hoping he wouldn't be mad at me for bugging him.
     "Yeah Pone?" He looked up from his newspaper as he said this, a curious look in his eyes.
     "Can I go for a walk? I need some fresh air."
     Darry just nodded at me, which was enough to tell me that it was alright for me to go. Since it was summer, I didn't have a curfew, which was nice. I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door, knowing full well that I had plenty of time before I had to head home.
     My walk was stopped abruptly as I felt something hit me. There was leather, and just a bit of muscle. I looked up a bit, and to my surprise, there stood Curly Shepard. He had is usual devious grin, and his wild black curls looked strangely dusty for some reason. He looked pale, probably from the crap amout of food he used to get in reform school, but it brought out his freckles. I felt like I was the only person, other then Curly's own family, that knew that he had those freckles.
     "Curly!" I yelled, wrapping my arms around him in a hug. He chuckled quietly, letting me have my small moment before pushing me off of him.
     "Hey baby Curtis. Long time no see. I heard from Tim that I missed a rumble."
     "Yeah, you did. When'd you get out? It wasn't supposed to be for awhile."
     He just gave me a shrug before lighting a cigarette. I sighed quietly. Curly was really honest most days, but if he didn't want to tell you something, he wouldn't tell you. He tells me a lot, but I still don't know too much about him.
     "Heard I missed a lot of shit actually. Mind catching me up? And maybe telling me why you bleached your hair that you cared about Oh so very much?" He chuckled at his question, raising a brow at me.
     I nodded to him, and explained it all as we slowly walked to the lot. I started from the very beginning, telling him about how I'd gotten jumped after just leaving the theater, and how the gang had saved me. I then told him about how Darry had slapped me after I told him I'd fallen asleep in the lot, and how I'd ran away with Johnny for a bit. How Johnny and I got jumped at the park and I nearly drowned. Told him about Johnny killing Bob, causing us to run away, hiding in an old church. I saved the worst part for last. How the church started on fire when there were kids inside it, and Johnny and I had ran in to help, only for Johnny to get crushed by a beam, trying to get me out before it fell. I explained to Curly that Dal had went in and saved him, and that Johnny was alive because of Dallas Winston of all people, after almost dying multiple times.
     When I had finished, Curly looked at me in awe. He was clearly shaken by what I had just told him, which a surprise, given the fact that he had been through more then me by a single year, watched men get shot, probably seen brain juice splattered on walls as a result of said men getting shot, and all sorts of other stuff that I didn't want to imagine.
     "Damn baby Curtis! You've been through a shit ton now!"
     I cringed at the nickname, but just nodded my head, knowing damn well that he wouldn't stop with the nickname until I was dead. Or until he was dead, which was likely to happen long before me.
     "That Soc you mentioned... you talked rather highly of her there kid. You got your eyes on her or somethin'?"
     The question took me by surprise, and I felt my face heat up with embarrassment.
     "Y-yeah I do," I replied quickly. I don't.
     I do have my eyes on someone Curly, but it sure as hell ain't Cherry, I thought.