The snow crunched beneath your feet as you shivered. You should have grabbed a heavier coat but you were in a hurry. You wanted to find the boys before you left, but it was too cold and you had to go.
You were so sick of that town, sick of the people, the fights with your parents, getting jumped, everything. Getting out of there was the only option you had, so you took it. You were fixing to catch the train to Windrixville, then after that, you didn't know. Maybe catch a way down to Texas or Louisiana - hell you even considered making your way up to Montana. Anything that just meant starting new.
You really had been planning on telling them, but everything ran so behind and you were about to be late for catching the train, so you left yesterday morning without saying goodbye - your only regret.
••
Nobody could find you, the gang was starting to get nervous. Darry checked with the neighbors and his coworkers, Soda and Steve checked the gas stations, Pony went around the school asking teachers and searching classrooms, Two-Bit checked the local bars - occasionally you'd sneak in with Tim to play a couple games of pool or darts. Johnny checked the vacant lot and the park, and Dal checked the jail house. Nothing.
The last place they figured to check was your parents, but they knew you wouldn't be there. They knocked on the door anyway. Your mom opened it, eyeing each one on the boys with disgust.
"The hell you guys want," she spat.
Two-bit spoke up, "We're looking for (y/n). We hadn't seen her yesterday or today, we're worried."
"And seeing as how she's your daughter, figured you'd know," Dallas added.
Your mom laughed, "Y'all really think we give a damn about where she is or what happens to her out there. She made that choice on her own, she wants to ruin her life cause of you, then let her."
Steve was getting fed up with her, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Because of us."
"Until she met you filthy greasers, she was polite and respectful. She valued her education, she stayed out of trouble. She tried to keep peace. She was on her way to actually making something for herself. Now look at her! A worthless drop out! A drunk! She's constantly running from the cops with you," she pointed at Dal. "And she loves getting into fights with the west side now. She threw her life away from what? For your kind. You guys may be okay with that kind of life, but she could have done better and she threw it away to instead become a worthless piece of east side greaser trash!"
The more she talked bad of you, the angrier they became until Steve could no longer hold it in, "YOU KNOW WHAT! TO HELL WITH YA! NO WONDER SHE RAN AWAY!"
"Yea...to hell with you, she's happy being with us," Johnny mumbled.
"Couldn't have been too happy if she high tailed it out of here without telling you guys," you mom smugly replied.
It was Darry's turn to speak, "Just so you're aware, everything you just said about her, proves how little you know her."
"Oh yea?" Your mom smirked, not buying it.
"She did drop out, but she also came back. She may be seventeen and only in her freshman year, but at least she's trying," Pony informed her.
"And she don't drink either, the empty beer bottles you find in your trash are from me when I come over, she gets mad if I leave 'em on the porch," Two explained.
"She don't run from no cops either. The cops are chasin' me. She's just suggests places for me to hide out from them. She avoids any kinda trouble with the fuzz at all costs. She ain't dumb enough to go to jail like me," Dallas wanted her to know that every encounter you had with the police was because of him.
Johnny was the last to explain your behaviour, "She certainly don't like fights either. She avoids them. Hates 'em even, thinks they're dumb and pointless - just like I do. Every time she came home with cuts, bruises, and busted knuckles was cause she got jumped and tried defendin' herself."
"See, you had her all wrong and ya didn't even bother to try and ask why," Soda was trying to control his anger. "Now look where it got everyone. She's gone and we have no idea where the hell she is!"
"I hope your happy," Steve mumbled. "C'mon fellas, we better get a move on finding (y/n). We're only burnin' daylight standing here.
All seven boys turned around and made their way down your driveway, breaking into a dead sprint in a hurry to get to Darry's truck. They were going to find you, one way or another. No matter how long it would take - they were going to find you and bring you back home where you belonged.
YOU ARE READING
The Outsiders Imagines
Fanfiction"They grew up on the outside of society. They weren't looking for a fight. They were looking to belong."
