Greaser's v.s. Soc's; Now It's Personal

Chapter One

Ponyboys' POV

Rosie never cries, I mean never. I have never seen her cry before. She didn't cry when her older brother Michael died in that car wreck with those Soc's. Even though everyone knew it hurt her. She didn't cry when her parents split up. The whole gang was there for her. She would hang out at our house more. Our parents were fine with it. My mom loved it; she always wanted a girl to show how to cook, clean, give helpful hints to. I was okay with it because Rosie is different; she is only a year older than me. Soda kind of likes her so he was more than happy with it, they became closer. He likes Sandy though, I was almost positive that Soda would ask Rosie out. I think Darry was fine with it because she is smart and they would always have debates about questions they had on homework.

But, what proved she was one of the toughest members of our gang was that she didn't even cry when her parents died. They were found dead on the side of a river, the car sunk in the river. How they really died, no one really knows honestly. But Rosie didn't cry. She wasn't herself after that, but she didn't cry. I remember because she was over at our house that night....

"Shut up Soda, you don't have shit." Rosie yells across the table to Soda.

Darry, Soda, Rosie, and I are playing poker while mom and dad do the dishes.

"How do you know?" Soda asks.                                      

"Because the smile on your face tells it all Sodapop," Rosie says popping the last 'p' in his name. "You see each one of you boys has something to tell me that you're bluffing."

"Oh yeah? And now what would that be?" Darry asks sarcastically.

"Soda always has this little smirk on his face. Darry, you play with your cards and switch their places in your hands. And Ponyboy won't look at anything besides his cards when he is bluffing."

"I do not smirk, or whatever you say." Soda defends.

"Oh really now? If you don't then put your cards down and show us what you've got Soda."

"Make me."

"Oh yeah, how about I come over there now?" Rosie questions getting up from her chair. Her hair perfectly in place. You know for a greaser girl she's hot. I know it's weird but she isn't like all the others. She isn't a normal greaser girl. She is tough yes, but she actually kind of cares about how she looks. Her hair is greasy, like ours, just not as bad. And her hair is always styled nice; it's either completely strait or curly. Rosie could be a Soc you know. But she isn't like them; she has too much greaser in her. She is one of our gang.

The other boys weren't to excepting of her at first, like Steve. Steve didn't like the fact that she's a girl, but Soda got him to come around. Two-bit was okay because he likes her too. I have to admit that I like Rosie too. Johnny didn't care. Dallas took a while to breakdown, but they once had a little skin to skin fight and she almost won. No matter how many times Dallas punched her she wouldn't give up. Darry was worried that she might get the crap beat out of her but she eventually proved him wrong. She's happy with us. And yes I could see her as a Soc but she couldn't be one. She hates wearing dresses. She has to wear one to school and she hates it. I think that is the main reason why she isn't a Soc.

"Do it!" Soda yells.

"Okay you two, cool off. No ruff housing," Dad says to them.

Not three seconds later there's a knock on the door. For some reason the whole house goes quiet.

"I'll get it." Darry states as he gets up from his chair.

There are two men in black suits and a police man at the door. Something isn't right. I heard a bunch of mumbles, and Soda, Rosie and I just look at each other confused.

"Mom, dad someone's at the door for you," Darry yells back in our direction.

Mom and dad walk over to the door and start to talk to the people. We look over at them. Mom looks like she is about to cry. She puts her hands over her mouth and my dad puts his arms around her. Darry just stands there, no expression on his face what's-so-ever.

"Rosie, can you come here for a moment?" My dad's voice rang through the house.

Rosie gets out of her seat and shoots me and Soda a look, like she's little scared of what is happening. She walks to the door. Soda and I lean in to listen to what is going on.

"Rosemarie Schmitt?" the bigger man in a black suit asks.

"Yeah, that's me." She answers.

"Well Miss. Schmitt, we have some news for you."

"What kind of news?"

"Your parents, well they were found..." He pauses a moment and takes a really deep breath.

"What about my parents?" There is a bit more panic in her voice.

"Well, your parents, they were found on the side of a river, dead."

I don't know about anyone else but those words rang through the house loud and clear. I can feel my heart drop, I can only imagine how Rosie feels. I look over at Soda who has turned a pale colour. He looks at me and I look at him.

"What?" Rosie sounds confused.

"Your parents, they were found on the side of a river, dead. The car was in the river. There is a full investigation being done. But we need you to come down to the police station for some questions. Would you mind coming with us?"

"Uh, just let me grab my things."

She starts to walk to the table again. My mom now fully crying. The Schmitt's were good friends of ours.

Rosie walks to the table and takes her coat off the back of her chair. She looks shocked. Soda stands up and grabs her hand. He just looks into her eyes. She didn't say anything though I thought she was going to cry. But she didn't, Soda opens his arms and she walks right into them.

"Miss. Schmitt?" the man asks.

Rosie pulls away from Soda. He squeezes her hand.

"Can Mr. and Mrs. Curtis come with me?"

"If you would like."

"Will you guys please come with me?"

We all go. The whole ride there Rosie doesn't say a word, nor does she let go of Sodapop's hand.

When we get to the station the police ask her questions and were deciding who got custody over her. Turns out her parents wrote a will that her parents wrote. Her older brother is her legal guardian, but since her brother is dead she's left to well us. If it was okay with my parents, which it is. The whole time Rosie kept a straight face, didn't cry, she didn't even look like she wanted to cry.

*~*

We moved her stuff in with us days later. Sodapop never left her side. She was excused from school and Soda ditched school. I was hard on all of us. But after about a month Rosie came around. She started to act like Rosie. She would argue with us, fight with us, sometimes fooling around, other times like we were actual sibling fighting. She even would sing a bit. She sang along with the radio. She has an amazing voice. Even though she lost a lot I think we are going to be okay....

I was wrong. About two months later mom and dad died in a car crash. Darry was then our legal guardian. At the funeral neither Darry nor Rosie cried. Me and Soda did though.