dance in the sun 〖 the outsiders 〗

the child-like habits

My long day was brought to an end as the store closed for the night, Frankie was supposed to leave after all of us but I told my ride to come a bit late because I wanted to stay behind and talk to him.

He went home to an awesome wife and two fun little kids but he still always looked like he needed to talk by the end of the night and that's understandable seeing as he had to deal with a bunch of annoying teenagers and twenty-year-olds all the time.

So as we walked to his car we had a short but satisfying conversation. I learn something new about him every day and today, Franklin told me that when he was younger, he always wanted to work in a place like this. Because of that, he wanted to make sure the business he ran was like the ones he never saw. He wanted a sanctuary, a place for people who just love music and wanna have fun, he didn't wanna be the hardass boss in the place that everybody hated.

"Marlena!" Sadie, my friend from school, sang. Sadie Forrest was either very quiet or very outgoing and it solely depended on the time and the day. She stopped the car and stuck her upper body out of the window. I could already tell that tonight was an out tgere night and I could never pass on a night out with fun Sadie. Unlike the vast majority of my friends, she was also a soc by monetary standards, but like me she kind of rejected the social class barriers and did what she wanted, despite her parents absolutely despising it.

I hopped into her car and turned down the radio that was playing Nirvana: it was too late to be listening to the stuff that gets you all riled up. "Sadie, you feelin' good tonight, huh?"

"Absolutely. I took a real long and nice nap with my puppy and ate a good meal. I don't want this day to end."

I smirked and she already knew what that meant, she winked at me and asked where we were going. "The diner?"

"Alright, off we go."

"Got any smokes?"

"Not the cancer sticks."

After a short ride filled with Stevie Nicks, pot smoke, and our awful singing along, we made it to the diner which had just a few cars in the parking lot, I was surprised it wasn't empty.

We walked in and I saw Jenkins at a booth with a pretty girl and Sodapop from the DX. I remember about two years ago I had the biggest crush on him and he was way too sweet to tell me he wasn't interested. The booth they took was big enough for Sadie and me to join so we took a seat on opposite sides. "It's so hot in this booth," Sadie commented, winking at Sodapop, "Then again, I start sweating every time I see you."

"Pleasure, as always, ladies," he replied with that movie star smile.

"I can't remember the last time I've seen you out without Steve," I said to the boy.

"Yeah, he's workin' early tomorrow, didn't wanna come out so late." I nodded and turned my attention to everyone else in the booth, greeting Jenkins and the pretty girl beside him.

"Who are you?" I ask the girl before thinking, "Did that sound rude? It wasn't meant to!" I laughed, she chuckled and shook her head, her curly brown hair swaying back and forth.

"Esmeralda." Her voice was raspy yet amazingly silky and sweet, her name sounded gorgeous rolling off her tongue and I repeated it out loud. I am absolutely in love with her voice.

"You guys here together?" Sadie asks.

She pointed at him then herself and giggled and Jenkins shook his head slowly. "No, no, we just met. He was cute so I saw him we and started talking."

I nodded, noting Jenkins's look, the familiar look that he got when he was rejected, friend zoned, or found out he was being played, surprising that it happens so much he has a look for it huh? That's a story for another time. "Well," I chuckled, "If you two aren't together can I have you?" I was only half-joking.