Hey Everyone! This is my first Outsiders fic! I haven't written for about 6
months so I'd really appreciate it if you review my work and tell me what
you think!
Dark Sunshine
As I sat quietly in my seat on the train, out of all the hundreds of things I could be thinking about, my mind was blank. I watched as the raindrops on my window slowly slid down the glass until they reached the bottom of the sill where they all met. I found it strange that in the past few months so many changes had occurred in my life and yet I still had time to notice the little things that no normal person ever even considered. My father always told me that I was special like that. My father. What was I thinking? I didn't have a father. Maybe I did once but I didn't know. It was his fault I was on this train. It was his fault I had to move to Oklahoma. I liked it in Kansas; all my friends were there. You know how it is leaving someone behind. I had to leave everything behind. I'd been to Tulsa a few times before. My cousin, Steve Randle lives there. I had had fun while I stayed with him, but that was a long time ago almost three years since I'd last seen him. I thought of how much I changed over those three years. I used to be so happy-go-lucky, now I was cold and bitter. I hadn't wanted it to be that way. I missed my carefree days I spent with my father. There I go again.
Before I could get into blaming all my life's problems on him, the train suddenly stopped. I was really here. There was no going back now.
"Welcome to Tulsa," the lady at the front of the train said.
I forget what they're called. It didn't really matter. I had bigger problems to worry about.
"Please wait until the train has come to a complete stop before you unfasten your seatbelt. Have a nice day."
They always sound so fake when they say things like that. As if it were a ride at some amusement park or something. I think they could care less if you had a nice day or not.
I checked myself over. I flattened out the wrinkles on my plaid skirt, which had formed from the long ride. I looked pretty decent. People had always said I was pretty but I didn't know what the all the fuss was about. I had long dark brown hair which I parted at the side and held back with a clip my mother had given me. It curled at the bottom just past my shoulder. I had always been tall for my age and I was pretty slim. My skin was a pale ivory and I hated it. All the girls I thought were beautiful were girls that had tanned faces. But I didn't get to upset over it. The thing people complimented me on most e were my eyes. They were pale blue. People said they had depth, feeling. Someone could tell my mood simply by looking at them. Eyes once filled with such joy and happiness were now filled with hate and sorrow.
I decided I looked as good as I could get after being on a train for four hours. I didn't know who I had to impress anyway, they were my family. They weren't going to judge me. I guess I thought that if I looked nice and presentable it wouldn't let on at how much I really was hurting. I never wanted other people to know my emotions. So I kept them well hidden. I didn't really have to keep anything to big hidden up until now anyway.
I gathered my things that I had brought on my train with me. It was just an old photo album I'd had since I was seven years old, my backpack which I kept all my personal things in, and an old copy of To Kill A Mockingbird I'd gotten from my grandfather. I opened the front cover, running my fingers over the note he'd written, it read:
My Sweet Katty-
Never forget how much I love you. You're my little angel. I still remember the day you were born and you gripped my thumb in your tiny hand and I knew I would do everything in my power to keep you safe from harm and pain. Happy Birthday Sweetheart.
Love Always,
Grampy
-1964
I remembered that day so well. I loved my grandpa as much as my own parents. Maybe even more. 1964. I read it over. He had died the winter of that year. Just like all the important people in my life he left me too. He couldn't keep me safe from harm and pain like he said he always would.
I took a deep breath and prepared for my new life in Tulsa.
I stepped of the train and the sunlight stung my eyes. It had been dark in my cabin and my eyes still hadn't adjusted to the light. I looked around people were running to each other and hugging, kissing, crying. It was a nice scene to see. It felt a little like home. Who knows maybe this place won't be so bad. But nothing will ever compare to Kansas Then I saw a boy running toward me followed by two others. It was Steve.
He looked basically the same but older. Well it'd been three years of course he was older. He was the same as I remembered him, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was wearing a pale blue shirt with it's sleeves missing which said DX embroidered on it. His jeans were stained with car oil and gas. He had a huge grin on his face. I guess he was more excited than I was that I had come to live here. I guess that's because he always considered me as his little sister. He protected me in a way.
"Kathryn Randle!" he screamed while picking me up and spinning me around twice before putting me back on the ground.
"Hey Stevie! Still working at the gas station I presume." I said wiping the oil off his cheek. I was trying to sound cheerful but I wasn't succeeding very well. Chances were Steve would be too excited to notice.
He just smiled and said, "Yep still stuck at the ol' DX. Pumping gas, fixing cars, you know the usual. Wow, look at you Kate. You look…different."
"Different?" I said in an offended voice. Although I knew what he was talking about. I had grown-up a lot in the past three years. I used to be a tough kid. Playing with boys, getting dirty, wearing old ripped clothes. But after mom left I had to become the lady of the house, so I decided to actually try and act like a lady.
"You know what I mean. You look nice. You look a lot older. How old are you now thirteen? Fourteen?" Steve asked knowing the answer.
"Stevie Randle, you know very well that I'm sixteen. A year younger than you." I said pretending to be annoyed
I couldn't help noticing his two buddies behind him. They both looked so familiar.
The shorter one looked about 15. He had light-brown, almost red hair that was longer then most of the Kansas boys I was used to wore it. It was squared of in the back and longer in the front and sides. He didn't have nearly as much grease in it than Steve did. His eyes were strong but innocent. They were greenish-gray but more on the green side. He stood there with a cigarette in his hand, taking drags every so often. I didn't really mind when boys smoked as long as it was out side. He was wearing a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off and he seemed cold since it was still sprinkling out. He seemed pretty good-looking but the boy beside him was one of the handsomest people I'd ever seen.
He had a movie-star kind of handsome quality about him. His face was so finely drawn, so sensitive, yet somehow he seemed reckless and thoughtful at the same time. He had dark hair that was combed back, long, silky and straight. His eyes were dark brown-so full of life, that seem gentle and sweet. His smile made you feel warm inside and made you want to smile. He was wearing a similar shirt as Steve's only the arms were still attached and it was clean. He didn't have oil and gas on his clothes like Steve. He wasn't a muscular as the other boys but all of them seemed to have tough builds.
I think Steve noticed I was looking at him since he said, "I see you remember these to bums."
"Yeah, I think so." I lied. I didn't want them to feel uncomfortable by saying I'd forgotten.
"They're brother Darry couldn't come with us. He had to work. My and Soda here had to twist the old bosses arm to let us come." Steve said punching the good-looking one in the ribs affectionately.
Then it hit me Soda, Darry, they were the Curtis brothers. The smaller one was Ponyboy. Soda and Pony had been especially nice to me when I'd been here last. They'd invite me wherever they were going. Once Soda asked me to see a movie just me and him but Steve wouldn't let him. I hadn't really known why. Soda was a nice decent guy and I was leaving the next day. But that was back when I had been thirteen. I was a different kind of person when I was younger.
"So how was it riding on a train alone?" Ponyboy asked. Steve smacked him on the head right after. "What?" Ponyboy said innocently. I couldn't help but smile.
"It was different." I answered solemnly. I guess he didn't know about my parents. That was all right it was as simple mistake. I think I was a little relieved he didn't know. I didn't like people to think of my parents like that. That wasn't how they were. I wanted people to remember how happy and cheerful they used to be. That was a good way to remember him. I remembered them as the people who left me. Why did they have to leave? No. I stopped myself I wasn't going to think about this. Not now. Steve had left to get my bags so I pretended to be reading my book.
"I wished I'd dressed up a little more." I heard Pony whisper to Soda. "She looks like a regular Soc and I look like a world class greaser."
"Don't worry about it Pony." Soda said reassuringly, "She's nothing like a Soc. She's a sweetheart from what I remember. She won't care that we're greasers."
"But what about when she starts school, if the kids find out she lives with Steve and is friends with us. They'll make her life a living hell. We're strong; we can handle it but what if she can't. I don't want her to get hurt." Ponyboy sounded really worried. I didn't understand what the fuss was about.
"Neither do, I but Socs like Cherry and Marcia might like her. She's a real doll." Soda said smiling.
"Yeah I hope so." Pony said throwing away his cigarette. "What are you reading there?"
It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking to me and not Soda. I looked up into his green eyes, " 'To Kill a Mockingbird', you read it?" I asked.
"No I've always wanted to though, is it good?" he asked.
"One of my favourites. I first read it in school and I liked it so much my grandfather-," I felt a sadness whenever I spoke about him, "he bought it for me on my 14th birthday."
Pony just smiled and nodded. Steve had come back with my things. I had five suitcases. It was amazing how he could manage. I had to make three trips to get them from my house to the taxi.
"What do you have in here, bricks?" Steve asked sarcastically. "Hey Soda, the sky's getting dark we'd better hurry if we want to make it on time."
"Where are you going?" I asked in spite of myself. Gosh, Soda really was good-looking.
"Soda and me are going to go see a movie with Two-Bit." Steve said as he dropped all of my bags on the ground.
"Oh. I see." I said. I really didn't want to be away from Steve. He made me feel welcome. If I wasn't with him, I'd have to go to Uncle Jerry and Aunt Susie. Uncle Jerry always scared me a little since he had a wild temper. Once Steve came home late from being out with his buddies, and Jerry was screaming and cussing like mad. He had been a little drunk so he hadn't quite realized what he'd been doing. But Steve kept defending himself and Jerry got so frustrated he started to hit him. When Steve finally got away he ran out the door and didn't come back until the next morning. Steve had told me that sometimes he hates his father. Like I hate mine.
"You remember Two-Bit don't you Kate?" Steve asked.
Two-Bit. I thought about it for a second. Then it came to me he was the wise-cracker of Steve's friends. I remember him being about 6 feet tall, Stocky in build and his rusty coloured side-burns he was so proud of. His eyes were gray and he had a wide grin, and couldn't stop making humorous remarks. He could always make me smile just by saying a few words. It might take a little more than that now.
"Yeah," I said finally, "I think I remember him."
I know this is a bad place to end but i have dreaded writers block so if you think it's any good tell me and if you have and suggestions i'd love to hear them!
Thank You
-C.E.Heximer
Dark Sunshine
As I sat quietly in my seat on the train, out of all the hundreds of things I could be thinking about, my mind was blank. I watched as the raindrops on my window slowly slid down the glass until they reached the bottom of the sill where they all met. I found it strange that in the past few months so many changes had occurred in my life and yet I still had time to notice the little things that no normal person ever even considered. My father always told me that I was special like that. My father. What was I thinking? I didn't have a father. Maybe I did once but I didn't know. It was his fault I was on this train. It was his fault I had to move to Oklahoma. I liked it in Kansas; all my friends were there. You know how it is leaving someone behind. I had to leave everything behind. I'd been to Tulsa a few times before. My cousin, Steve Randle lives there. I had had fun while I stayed with him, but that was a long time ago almost three years since I'd last seen him. I thought of how much I changed over those three years. I used to be so happy-go-lucky, now I was cold and bitter. I hadn't wanted it to be that way. I missed my carefree days I spent with my father. There I go again.
Before I could get into blaming all my life's problems on him, the train suddenly stopped. I was really here. There was no going back now.
"Welcome to Tulsa," the lady at the front of the train said.
I forget what they're called. It didn't really matter. I had bigger problems to worry about.
"Please wait until the train has come to a complete stop before you unfasten your seatbelt. Have a nice day."
They always sound so fake when they say things like that. As if it were a ride at some amusement park or something. I think they could care less if you had a nice day or not.
I checked myself over. I flattened out the wrinkles on my plaid skirt, which had formed from the long ride. I looked pretty decent. People had always said I was pretty but I didn't know what the all the fuss was about. I had long dark brown hair which I parted at the side and held back with a clip my mother had given me. It curled at the bottom just past my shoulder. I had always been tall for my age and I was pretty slim. My skin was a pale ivory and I hated it. All the girls I thought were beautiful were girls that had tanned faces. But I didn't get to upset over it. The thing people complimented me on most e were my eyes. They were pale blue. People said they had depth, feeling. Someone could tell my mood simply by looking at them. Eyes once filled with such joy and happiness were now filled with hate and sorrow.
I decided I looked as good as I could get after being on a train for four hours. I didn't know who I had to impress anyway, they were my family. They weren't going to judge me. I guess I thought that if I looked nice and presentable it wouldn't let on at how much I really was hurting. I never wanted other people to know my emotions. So I kept them well hidden. I didn't really have to keep anything to big hidden up until now anyway.
I gathered my things that I had brought on my train with me. It was just an old photo album I'd had since I was seven years old, my backpack which I kept all my personal things in, and an old copy of To Kill A Mockingbird I'd gotten from my grandfather. I opened the front cover, running my fingers over the note he'd written, it read:
My Sweet Katty-
Never forget how much I love you. You're my little angel. I still remember the day you were born and you gripped my thumb in your tiny hand and I knew I would do everything in my power to keep you safe from harm and pain. Happy Birthday Sweetheart.
Love Always,
Grampy
-1964
I remembered that day so well. I loved my grandpa as much as my own parents. Maybe even more. 1964. I read it over. He had died the winter of that year. Just like all the important people in my life he left me too. He couldn't keep me safe from harm and pain like he said he always would.
I took a deep breath and prepared for my new life in Tulsa.
I stepped of the train and the sunlight stung my eyes. It had been dark in my cabin and my eyes still hadn't adjusted to the light. I looked around people were running to each other and hugging, kissing, crying. It was a nice scene to see. It felt a little like home. Who knows maybe this place won't be so bad. But nothing will ever compare to Kansas Then I saw a boy running toward me followed by two others. It was Steve.
He looked basically the same but older. Well it'd been three years of course he was older. He was the same as I remembered him, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was wearing a pale blue shirt with it's sleeves missing which said DX embroidered on it. His jeans were stained with car oil and gas. He had a huge grin on his face. I guess he was more excited than I was that I had come to live here. I guess that's because he always considered me as his little sister. He protected me in a way.
"Kathryn Randle!" he screamed while picking me up and spinning me around twice before putting me back on the ground.
"Hey Stevie! Still working at the gas station I presume." I said wiping the oil off his cheek. I was trying to sound cheerful but I wasn't succeeding very well. Chances were Steve would be too excited to notice.
He just smiled and said, "Yep still stuck at the ol' DX. Pumping gas, fixing cars, you know the usual. Wow, look at you Kate. You look…different."
"Different?" I said in an offended voice. Although I knew what he was talking about. I had grown-up a lot in the past three years. I used to be a tough kid. Playing with boys, getting dirty, wearing old ripped clothes. But after mom left I had to become the lady of the house, so I decided to actually try and act like a lady.
"You know what I mean. You look nice. You look a lot older. How old are you now thirteen? Fourteen?" Steve asked knowing the answer.
"Stevie Randle, you know very well that I'm sixteen. A year younger than you." I said pretending to be annoyed
I couldn't help noticing his two buddies behind him. They both looked so familiar.
The shorter one looked about 15. He had light-brown, almost red hair that was longer then most of the Kansas boys I was used to wore it. It was squared of in the back and longer in the front and sides. He didn't have nearly as much grease in it than Steve did. His eyes were strong but innocent. They were greenish-gray but more on the green side. He stood there with a cigarette in his hand, taking drags every so often. I didn't really mind when boys smoked as long as it was out side. He was wearing a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off and he seemed cold since it was still sprinkling out. He seemed pretty good-looking but the boy beside him was one of the handsomest people I'd ever seen.
He had a movie-star kind of handsome quality about him. His face was so finely drawn, so sensitive, yet somehow he seemed reckless and thoughtful at the same time. He had dark hair that was combed back, long, silky and straight. His eyes were dark brown-so full of life, that seem gentle and sweet. His smile made you feel warm inside and made you want to smile. He was wearing a similar shirt as Steve's only the arms were still attached and it was clean. He didn't have oil and gas on his clothes like Steve. He wasn't a muscular as the other boys but all of them seemed to have tough builds.
I think Steve noticed I was looking at him since he said, "I see you remember these to bums."
"Yeah, I think so." I lied. I didn't want them to feel uncomfortable by saying I'd forgotten.
"They're brother Darry couldn't come with us. He had to work. My and Soda here had to twist the old bosses arm to let us come." Steve said punching the good-looking one in the ribs affectionately.
Then it hit me Soda, Darry, they were the Curtis brothers. The smaller one was Ponyboy. Soda and Pony had been especially nice to me when I'd been here last. They'd invite me wherever they were going. Once Soda asked me to see a movie just me and him but Steve wouldn't let him. I hadn't really known why. Soda was a nice decent guy and I was leaving the next day. But that was back when I had been thirteen. I was a different kind of person when I was younger.
"So how was it riding on a train alone?" Ponyboy asked. Steve smacked him on the head right after. "What?" Ponyboy said innocently. I couldn't help but smile.
"It was different." I answered solemnly. I guess he didn't know about my parents. That was all right it was as simple mistake. I think I was a little relieved he didn't know. I didn't like people to think of my parents like that. That wasn't how they were. I wanted people to remember how happy and cheerful they used to be. That was a good way to remember him. I remembered them as the people who left me. Why did they have to leave? No. I stopped myself I wasn't going to think about this. Not now. Steve had left to get my bags so I pretended to be reading my book.
"I wished I'd dressed up a little more." I heard Pony whisper to Soda. "She looks like a regular Soc and I look like a world class greaser."
"Don't worry about it Pony." Soda said reassuringly, "She's nothing like a Soc. She's a sweetheart from what I remember. She won't care that we're greasers."
"But what about when she starts school, if the kids find out she lives with Steve and is friends with us. They'll make her life a living hell. We're strong; we can handle it but what if she can't. I don't want her to get hurt." Ponyboy sounded really worried. I didn't understand what the fuss was about.
"Neither do, I but Socs like Cherry and Marcia might like her. She's a real doll." Soda said smiling.
"Yeah I hope so." Pony said throwing away his cigarette. "What are you reading there?"
It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking to me and not Soda. I looked up into his green eyes, " 'To Kill a Mockingbird', you read it?" I asked.
"No I've always wanted to though, is it good?" he asked.
"One of my favourites. I first read it in school and I liked it so much my grandfather-," I felt a sadness whenever I spoke about him, "he bought it for me on my 14th birthday."
Pony just smiled and nodded. Steve had come back with my things. I had five suitcases. It was amazing how he could manage. I had to make three trips to get them from my house to the taxi.
"What do you have in here, bricks?" Steve asked sarcastically. "Hey Soda, the sky's getting dark we'd better hurry if we want to make it on time."
"Where are you going?" I asked in spite of myself. Gosh, Soda really was good-looking.
"Soda and me are going to go see a movie with Two-Bit." Steve said as he dropped all of my bags on the ground.
"Oh. I see." I said. I really didn't want to be away from Steve. He made me feel welcome. If I wasn't with him, I'd have to go to Uncle Jerry and Aunt Susie. Uncle Jerry always scared me a little since he had a wild temper. Once Steve came home late from being out with his buddies, and Jerry was screaming and cussing like mad. He had been a little drunk so he hadn't quite realized what he'd been doing. But Steve kept defending himself and Jerry got so frustrated he started to hit him. When Steve finally got away he ran out the door and didn't come back until the next morning. Steve had told me that sometimes he hates his father. Like I hate mine.
"You remember Two-Bit don't you Kate?" Steve asked.
Two-Bit. I thought about it for a second. Then it came to me he was the wise-cracker of Steve's friends. I remember him being about 6 feet tall, Stocky in build and his rusty coloured side-burns he was so proud of. His eyes were gray and he had a wide grin, and couldn't stop making humorous remarks. He could always make me smile just by saying a few words. It might take a little more than that now.
"Yeah," I said finally, "I think I remember him."
I know this is a bad place to end but i have dreaded writers block so if you think it's any good tell me and if you have and suggestions i'd love to hear them!
Thank You
-C.E.Heximer