Hoodlum: An Outsiders Story

Chapter 1

My boys well they're all beautiful. Inside and out. Okay some don't show the inside part a lot but they have big hearts under all that cigarette smoke and those leather jackets. Some keep it to themselves such as Dallas and Steve. Some keep it just below the surface such as Soda, Darry, and Two-Bit. And the other two, my brother Johnny and his best friend Pony, well they wear theirs on their sleeves. Me? Well I think I'd put myself on the level of just below the surface.

If I didn't have the gang I feel I'd be on Dally's level. Never caring about anyone but myself and Johnny. Too bad it's not that simple. The boys we grew up with treated us like family from the beginning. I'm what they call the "mother hen" of the gang. I don't mean to be but I care about all of my boys and they better believe if I even hear a little peep of someone messin' with them I'm the first one to their defense, but I'm also the first to get on their case if they do something stupid.

My boys all of em one of a kind. Two-bit, the oldest yet most childish. Two loves Mickey Mouse, blondes, and his black-handed switchblade. Darry the second oldest but you couldn't tell by lookin' at all of us together. he's real wise and strong. We call him Superman. He works as a roofer for every penny and every penny goes into the boys. Next you got Dally. Oh boy..He's from New York, real tuff. Scares an entire community with one look. Only cares about my brother and himself as stated earlier. Then there's Steve. Golly Steve Randall. Goofy as all hell. Eats Chocolate cake with a side of nails and beer to drink for breakfast. Works at the DX with Soda. Speaking of Soda, real dreamy guy. Movie star smile with a billion dollar personality to match. He is Darry's brother. My brother is well Johnny (again previously mentioned). He's been through so much but still keeps his heart of gold somehow. Loyal to no end that kid is. Then lastly there's Ponyboy. Another kid with a heart of solid pure gold. I bet he could never even hurt a fly! Another one of Darry's brothers.

Oh and then there's me. I'm Molly Cade, seventeen years old. I'm just you're regular ol greaser girl from my blue jeans to the cigarettes I smoke. My parents don't care about me or Johnny. We're only here to be punching bags for their drunken rage. It's not that bad though considering if we ever need a place to patch ourselves up we only got to go a block away to the Curtis'.

"Moll? Molly! Are you listening to me?" I heard someone yell next to me. I looked over at Soda who had a his eyebrow raised at me.

"I'm sorry Soda must of drifted off. What were you saying?" I asked looking around at the gang. We just ran off some Socs from jumping poor Pony. He was just walkin' home from watching a movie. Soda rolled his eyes and repeated slowly.

"Do you need one of us to walk you and Johnny home?" I turned and gave him a look.

"Seriously? I carry a blade. I don't need an escort. It's you guys I'm worried about. Johnny and I will be fine. Just get that poor boy home and clean his cut. Use water and then." Is all I got to say before Darry finished for me.

"And then dab the wound. Put the appropriate bandage on it. Make sure to clean area too! We know Moll. You go over this every time someone gets a new mark." I looked over at him with a proud smile.

"Okay so I guess that means you don't need me then." I chuckled.

"Well I don't care what you say Molly. I'm goin' to at least walk with Johnnycakes." Dallas added. Now it was my time to roll my eyes.

"Fine just don't get in my way. Bye boys." I waved then I walked passed them both Johnny and Dally and towards the house. Johnny and Dally caught up with me.

"I don't think you heard me back there. But I'm going to the nightly double tomorrow. Pony and Johnny are coming. Two bit too if he isn't to boozed." Dally said turning his head towards me.

"Well I'm not going. I have plans. Just watch over my kid brother and don't get him into trouble. I swear if the only way I can see him is through a window or bars I'm going to." Why do these boys always cut me off?!

"You're going to what? Mom me to death?" Dally asked with a stupid smirk on his face.

"No actually I'll gut ya slowly with an old pipe. Jagged and all rusty. Then I'll throw ya in an alley where you can slowly but surely die." I replied nonchalantly. I heard Johnny chuckle a little but when I looked over he stopped and kept his gaze staring forward. I looked down very to Dally who looked like he was trying to think of something smart to say but couldn't think quick enough. He turned his head and looked at me. Quickly I looked down at my sneakers. They had holes and the bottoms were one thread away from busting out. I wish I could just get a pair of boots. Real tough looking black leather ones that would last longer than these ol garbage sneakers.

The walk got quiet as we neared the house. Yelling could be heard, mostly from my mother.
"Home sweet home..." I whispered and walked towards the door. Johnny stayed behind with Dally talking for a few minutes and then joined me. I took a deep breath in and opened the door. I was greeted with a beer bottle flying passed my head and shattering on the wall next to my head. Glass shards falling on to my jean jacket and in my hair. I quickly closed the door.

"The lot." Johnny and I both said at the same time. Dally still stood there though when we turned around.

"You two be careful there. We don't want what happened to Johnny happen again. Was all Dal said before turning and leaving to Buck's.

"You got a blade?" I asked Johnny was we walked away from the hell hole.

"Yeah. You?" He questioned me after he showed me the hilt of his switchblade. I nodded and took out my stiletto knife and hit the trigger. The silver blade popped out, sharp as a razor and barely used.

"That looks tuff Moll. Where'd you get it?" Johnny eyed me suspiciously for good reason too.

"I swiped it from a store in town. It was after you got jumped. I was going to give it to you but then I remembered you had one. I wish I didn't need it.." I sighed while putting it back into its hilt and into my pocket. Johnny and me reached the lot and looked around.

"Lot sweet lot." I said this time to make a joke out of it, hoping it'd make him smile, smirk, or something. It didn't he just walked over to the old musty couch and laid down. He left me some space and I joined him. I took my jacket off and turned it backwards so that it laid on my body like a small blanket.

"Do you think everything bad is just gonna stop one day?" Johnny asked sadly.

"Our parents aren't gonna change Johnny." I started.

"I didn't mean our parents Moll. I meant like the socs.." I looked over at him and saw that look he gets when he wants to be comforted.

"I don't know kid. It's been this way my entire life. I think it will get better but I don't think some people with change their ways. I mean look at ma and pa. They aren't changing any time soon. But they weren't always like this. There was a time before you where they weren't all that bad. Maybe there was a time before where there wasn't greasers and socs. Maybe one day there will be no more greasers and socs." I replied softly giving him my honest opinion.

"You're right..Hopefully one day we won't have to sleep on this couch..sleep in a bed..sleep in the.." Was all he whispered before he fell asleep. I can only guess his last word was going to be 'lot'. I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.