dor 【 the outsiders 】

three.

emotions

Agnes drove around the town in her newly fixed up car and contemplated leaving but she never left a city where she had unfinished business. She owed the boys forty-four dollars and seventy-three cents. She looked at the houses lining the streets of the east side, reminding her of the lower class in her city which was most of it. She was just wasting gas and cigarettes.

The radio was broken, which she didn't know when she got the thing. It wasn't unusual that she'd drive in silence, though, as most of her cars didn't even come with radios. She would listen to the wind hit her through the crack in the window and the, often faulty, noises they'd make. She loved silence, she hears everything better when there's no noise to distract her.

She'd been woken out of her daze when she heard something hit the passenger side of her car. She stopped abruptly, unreasonably thinking she'd hit something but realized something was thrown at her. She stopped the car and slid to the other side and noticed a dent and a chip in the bright blue paint. She sighed and saw the object that was hauled at her: an empty glass bottle. She took it as an accident and picked up the thick glass, reading the label, and then throwing it to the ground, picking up the largest piece she could find. Agnes thought of herself as a collector. Everything had a purpose.

"And now I got something to remember you by," she said to the town. She thought about the pointless tchotchke and how little that bottle must've meant to the man or woman who threw it away. She wondered why that would be her remainder of the town and didn't get to think too long about it before she set the glass in the cotton bag where she kept the rest of her souvenirs.

She continued her aimless journey and ended right back at the filling station. She saw Steve there and waved, searching her pockets for the money she earned the night before.

"Hiya, Steve," she smiled, hopping out of the car.

"Agnes," he greeted throwing a nod her way.

"I've got five more bucks."

"That's all?"

"Hey, they didn't tip well the first night. I'm sure I'll have more tomorrow."

He shrugged and took the cash, not bothering to worry about the fact that his boss would be killing Steve and Soda for not getting all the money before the work done on the car, especially from one he'd probably call a gypsy.

"Hey, Agnes," Sodapop greeted with a toothy grin. Her smile matched his as she waved at him. Steve showed him the five and his smile went away. "Five bucks?"

"It's all I made last night. They're rough over there, I'm sure tonight'll be better."

"That's all your money?" he questioned and her eyebrows furrowed as she nodded yes in response.

"Why?"

"Well, you ain't gonna use it to eat?"

"No, I'm not hungry. I'll eat tomorrow." Food hadn't even crossed her mind. She felt so full and hadn't any clue why seeing as she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. "Thanks for caring, though."

"No need," he replies, shrugging and letting a small smile make its way to his face.

"So," she says with a sigh, ignoring the feeling she got when seeing his almost-smile. "I got no money and nothing to do. Y'all have any suggestions?"

"Steal some money and go to a movie," Steve joked, making his way into the small store. She chuckled and shook her head, deciding that there was probably just as much to do here as it looked like and that wasn't much. She had no idea how she would stay in this place if there was nothing for her to do. Her only friends were these two boys from the gas station.

"Why don't you come over to my place? I got two brothers but it ain't rough or nothin'."

She raised an eyebrow. She felt her skin crawl as her mind wandered to places she'd suppressed. She hoped she wasn't standing there too long, but a second later didn't care and her demeanor was replaced with one of annoyance and near anger. "Just how gullible do I look? I may be small, but I'm not stupid."

"What?"

"Nothing, don't bother, okay?" She quickly got back into her car and started it up, speeding off, ending up right back where she started before and she had no clue where that was.

okay one thing i notice -- the boys always just seem to meet the girl then invite them to their house like right off the bat, and the girls just fucking agree, like? honestly id be terrified of going into a whole house full of men no matter how hot they all are. they dont even question it, they're just like "okay, cool, let's stay at your house" am i the only one who finds that weird?
anywho, insight on agnes's persona, kinda & a little insight on her life too it's hinted in there. thanks for reading
i love you & i hope youre having an amazing morning, afternoon, evening, or night

nxya 😚