The Outsiders: Book Two

Moose Tranquilizer?!

Reading the bonus chapter will help you make some connections in this one, I won't tell you if they're signficant or not. But I like significance, so...

The next morning, I was suddenly blinded as the sun spontaneously hit me in the face. I threw an arm over my eyes and rolled over on instinct, but then realized too late that was a bad idea as I fell to the floor.

I heard someone chuckle.

“You won't be laughin' when I'm through with you,” I said groggily, tossing a pillow towards the window.

“Sure I will,” Sodapop grinned, doing a belly-flop onto the bed.

“Where's Red?”

Soda turned sour. “Don't say good mornin' or nothin'. What's the deal with her anyway? Do you fancy her, or...?”

I felt my face get hot. “Never said that, did I?”

Soda frowned. “You don't have to,” he said, pulling me up. “It's sort of obvious.”

“Well why are you so sour about it anyway?” I asked, throwing the blankets back onto the bed.

“Never said that, did I?” he snapped, grabbing the pillow and throwing it onto the bed. His face softened. “I guess I am bein' a little sore. I don't know why though...”

I stretched. “Shouldn't you be at work today, anyway?” I yawned.

“Nah, it's Sunday. Station's closed on Sundays.”

“Oh yeah,” I said, as a tantalizing smell met my nose. “Darry making breakfast?”

Soda shook his head. “Nope, Red is. She seems to have way too much fun with it too.”

“Sounds like you,” I said, walking towards the kitchen, when I realized I could walk towards the kitchen. The floor was spotless, the carpet visible.

“Did...”

“I clean?” Soda cut in. “Yeah, decided to make the little lady's life less hazardous. And ours.”

“Huh...it's nice being able to walk in here, instead of hurdling.”

Soda laughed. “Yeah, it's real nice.”

I went to the kitchen to see Darry chatting animatedly to Red as she balanced a pineapple on her head and flipped an egg. She had all her regular clothes back, and her hair was down, reaching almost her thighs. Why did it get longer every time I looked at it? Then I remembered the pineapple.

“Darry!” I blurted, rushing over to retrieve the pineapple.

He stopped. “What?”

“What the heck are you trying to do, let her scald herself?!” I said, holding out the pineapple.

He stared at in in amazement. “Where did you get a pineapple?”

Darr—” I began, but Red interrupted me.

“You mean, where did I get a pineapple? Well, I have an odd way of acquiring things I want without people noticing.”

Darry looked at her in aghast disbelief. “You stole a pineapple? When did you get the chance to steal a pineapple?”

“Correction,” Ricky called from the living room. “I stole the pineapple, she said she was hungry for pineapple and...” he shrugged. “I just decided to get one. I was hungry for pineapple too. Hope that doesn't bother you...?”

“Scallywaggin' rogues, the whole lot of 'em,” Darry muttered, flipping open the newspaper.

I looked to the counter, remembering the letter lying there that we had gotten yesterday. It completely slipped my mind yesterday after...I glanced over at Red, but she seemed to have no recollections of it, or qualms with life for that matter. Happy-go-lucky, just like Sodapop. Aside from yesterday's events.