That night was like any other. I could've gotten drunk or go find some fun with Soda and Steve in their old soused-up Chevy. But that night I went home. I tried to always go home. She's at home, stuck there like a prisoner. I could run from problems. She had to stay.
Like one of those assassins in them spy movies I creep into my house. I didn't make a sound as the window was peeled up and my legs slid over. The front door was too creaky. If I woke up my mother, she would kill me.
Its when I saw her, My baby sister, I really felt guilty. She was crying again. Silently, like she learned to. A large bruise had formed over her elbow. So good old Mother had come home drunk again.
I picked her up and held her like you would a baby. She was so small, even for seven. A scrawny little thing, but there was nothing cuter in the world. She opened those big ol' brown eyes and flung her little arms around my neck.
"You came home, Keith, I'm so glad" she whispered between sobs.
I smiled. God, how I loved her. She meant more to me that booze or even sometimes, the gang. It hurt me to see her like this.
"Ya'll hungry? We can go over to Norton's" I quietly said back, "then we can sit at the park. How 'bout that, Kimie-lady?"
Her little head nodded. Norton's was a connivance store, that sold burgers and other stuff. It stayed open late. Usually, it was full of Kids from our side of town, so it was okay.
The moon shone brightly. There was a chill, so I put my jacket over Kimie's shoulders. It just about swallowed her, but last thing I wanted her gettin' was a cold. Kimie got colds easily. At Norton's, Kimie stood by the door, as I ordered. It was full of greasy guys like me, slicked back hair, blue-jeans, and grungy T-shirts.
"Hey, Two-Bit!" One of the guys sitting at the counter called out. My birth name was Keith. Kimie, Being who she was, thought Keith sounded real snazzy. To her I was Keith, to everyone else I was Two-Bit, making sure I got my two-bit worth of everything. I like my nickname, don't get me wrong. I just like Kimie callin' me Keith.
Norton himself handed me a greasy sack with the burgers. On the way out the door, Kimie grabbed my free hand. She was smiling and humming some tune. Then she began swinging our hands back and froth. It was just something she did when she was happy. How could she cry, an' hurt so much, but still laugh and sing? I never Understood that. I still don't. Maybe I never will.
When the park came in view, Kimie's face lit up like one of those Christmas trees department stores set up during the seasons. Letting go off my hand, she skipped to the swings. All the while clutching my jacket so it wouldn't fall.
Using her knees, she struggled to get up on one of the taller swings. I grabbed the small one next to her. It was so short I had to stretch out my legs. I stopped Kimie's swinging, and handed her one of the burgers. She happily seized it and took too-big of a bite. Kimie resembled a squirrel, with her cheeks puffin' out. I could only laugh at that.
For awhile, we just sat there rocking back and froth, eating our greasy deep-fried meal. Then Kimie's eyes became sullen and she looked deep in thought.
"What's the matter little Lady?" That was my name for her. Gosh, musta been long time 'go, I told her when she grew up, she'd be a Lady. Not a greasy girl, with beauty from make-up and big boobs, but a real Lady. One that would attract boys, 'cuz of her grace and charm, not 'cuz her cleavage showed and her ass poked out at people. That type of livin' was okay for greaser girls, I was particularly fond of them, but it wasn't for my little sister.
Kimie, who had her head down at the time, looked up at me flashing those big 'ol brown eyes again. They were sad, puppy eyes, I called 'em. Little strands of her long rusty-colored hair just like mine danced across her face.
"Keith, you're going to be sixteen soon. Are you…are you old enough yet?" Her sweet little voice echoed out, with a pained sound.
I ran my thumb over my side-burn, down my chin, and began to rub it. If I had, had a beard I would've looked like a movie villain , I guess. It was a habit, pointed out to be done when I was nervous or stressed. Kimie had brought up a touchy subject, me being old enough. I should start at the beginning, I guess.
My Pop wasn't a bad man. So I don't know why I did it. Three years back he came home drunk. Life was especially hard on him, and booze was his baby-blanket. He did bad things when he was rip-roarin' drunk. Even worse, he had been fighting with my mother. This was when I still loved her, before I began hating her.
When he staggered through the door, I got nervous. I'd only been thirteen at the time, only just had my first weed. I told him to get out, then when he wouldn't leave I punched. I punched good and hard. At first he just stared at me, like he couldn't believe it. He was reeling backward, part from the booze, and part from my force. Then he yelled and slammed his bottle on the floor. He said he wasn't wanted, so he ain't coming back.
Later, I felt real sorry. He never did come back. Three weeks later the fuzz was at our door. They told us he'd been run over a train, while sleepin' on the tracks.
Mother was a wreck. If she was a car, she'd be one of the ones smashed to pieces. She started drinking. When my parents had fought, I wondered how she had ever fallen in love with my pop. I soon realized. They had a lot in common. When life got hard, bottles went up. Most off the time when she was drunk, I was a problem. The one who made her darling run off. When she was sober, I was her darling. Soon enough I couldn't take it. She hit us both, and 'cuz she was my mother I couldn't find the heart to hit back. I did my best. I tried to get Kimie out of that damn place as much as I could, and I never came back till lights were out.
One time, I thought I could get a person to jail my mother, and me and my sister could go on livin' somewhere else. That's when I found out. If I even tried to get Kimie away through legal ways, we'd be split up and sent two different directions. Even if I did run off with her, she's so young. It's be hard on her. There'd be no way my little Lady's life would get better. The only chance we had was to hold out till I was eighteen, then I'd be old enough to be a legal guardian and we could stay together. No one knew about Mother's fits. Only Darry and the gang, and they can keep their mouths shut real good.
"It's eighteen, Kimie-lady, and you know that," I said real quietly, "only two more years."
Kimie sighed and hung her head down. I could hear sobs. Her burger fell into the sand, as she clutched my jacket. Trembling, she gasped, "I wish I could always stay with you. I don't wanna go back. Two years seems so long."
My heart was beating fast. Stupid idiot, my mind said. I'm a stupid idiot. Some nights I never went home. I stayed out all day, and left her there.
"Oh Kimie-lady don't cry." I bent my head so if she looked up, we'd be eye-to-eye. "I bet right now some magic little critter is gonna pop out, an' make you a new burger! Like in them cartoons!"
It didn't work. Usually that got her giggling. "Hey! Don't look now, Mickey's coming, lookin' for his white gloves!"
When that didn't work either, my voice changed.
"Kimie," I said it real serious. "Kimie-lady look at me," When her head came up and I saw her tear streaked face I continued, "you gotta believe me when I say things gonna get better. You just gotta hold on."
She blinked then, smiled a bit. At that moment I thought, 'things gonna get better now.' I was only half right.
So what does everyone think? It's my first Outsiders fanfic, and first multi-chapter too. I'm gonna try to get a chapter uploaded every week, so keep on checking in. This is a result of my one-track mind! I seriously can't concintrate on others books when one like the Outsiders is sooo good. I know I changed some minor details, for Two-Bit about his home life, but all will make sense in the end. Did I make Two-Bit a little OCC? I guess this chapter is a little more serious than the next few. OH, well...Geez if ya gotta a prob, tell me. Any way review! I want to know what you think! The rest of the gang shall be introduced in the next two chapters.
~Zara Uchiha :P