Reunited | Dally's Little Sister

three

Sage P.O.V.

As I drove down to their side of town, I started thinking about how far Dallas and I have come. He is only a year older than me, putting him at 17 and me at 16. When we lived together back in New York, he and I got into a lot of trouble with our dad and the cops.

 The streets there were tough and a whole lot different than here. In Tulsa you have the two main groups of greasers and socs, who look to fight for pride and many times only used hands and the occasional switchblade. But back in New York, it was run by different gangs and often times heaters were used. I can't tell you the amount of times I had one pointed at me just from walking back to the grocery store. 

I pulled my attention back to the road and saw how nothing had changed. The DX was still a raggedy old building with a gas pump, but I am sure they are getting the most business in town with Soda working there. Steve was a genius when it came to cars. Old or new, it didn't matter.

 I drove a little further and passed the park where the gang used to play football together. I wasn't allowed to play back then since I was one of the younger ones. Ponyboy, Johnny, and I would pretend to commentate what was happening on the field and would always end up in tears from laughin' so hard. I wonder if the boys still played. Maybe I could get in on them now.

 It wasn't too long after that when I pulled up to the Curtis house. A light was always on and it reminded me a bit of New York City. The house that never slept. I had spent all that drive pissed at Dally and thinking of the good old days that I didn't give myself a chance to be nervous. But man was those butterflies alive in my stomach. 

I turned the car off and slowly got out, trying not to be too loud when I closed the door. Anything to buy myself a few more seconds to calm my nerves. Before I knew it, I was standing at their front door trying to work up the courage to knock. I might be Dally's sister, but not seeing people you called your family for 4 years really makes you wonder if it will be the same as what it was before. I took one last deep breath and knocked a few times. 

I could hear yelling that someone was at the door and arguing of who was going to get up. I had my thoughts on who would lose that and sure enough, when that door opened, I saw that innocent face with light brown hair and grey eyes looking right back at me. I gave him a small smile, "Hey Pony. Long time no see." 

He was in shock with his mouth slightly open and eyes blinking quickly to make sure he was seeing straight. I could hear a loud voice behind him ask who it was, and I assumed it was Darry. Pony finally regained his composure and opened the door wider for me to step through. His voice came out a little shaky when he said, "You guys will never believe it." 

That seemed to pique the interest of the group and six pairs of eyes were now staring at me. Everything seemed like it was in slow motion as they tried to figure out what was going on. The only sound that could be heard was micky mouse on TV and the kitchen sink that was still running. 

And then all hell broke loose.

 Steve and Two-bit came running over to me, wrapping me in a tight hug. Their excitement made me laugh and all nerves that I had before were washed away. They eventually let go and stepped to the side, allowing me to be embraced by the next set of arms.

 Soda's hug was one I never thought I would get again after Dally and I moved to New York. And to be in his arms now was nothing short of amazing. He held on for a second longer and then pulled away. "It's really you." I chuckled and nodded my head. Words seemed nonexistent as he waited for me to say something.

 "Well don't think I'll let you come in here causing all sorts of ruckus without giving me a proper hello." I turned and saw Darry standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a towel over his shoulder. I walked away from the three guys who seemed to be bouncing with excitement and gave Darry a hug. 

He squeezed hard and said, "It sure it good to see your face walk through that door." I gave him a smiled and turned back to the one boy I hadn't yet acknowledged. 

"Johnnycakes, you better come here and give me a hug." I could see him blush at the nickname, but he still came over to give me a light hug. When he stepped back, I couldn't help but notice the scar under his eye. "Who did it?" He looked down as Two-bit said, "This girl has been here all of 2 minutes and already wants to start a war." He laughed and a few others joined him, but I was still concerned about who did this to him. 

Darry put a hand on my shoulder and told me to sit down. I was still waiting for an answer from Johnny, but when I saw I wasn't going to get one, I looked to Soda for it. "Don't worry about it, Sage. It was a few socs and they got what they deserved." Steve whooped when he said that, and I had to assume they had dealt with it.

 Before I could ask anything else about it, Pony asked what I was doing here. "I missed my family here and thought it was as good as time as any to take a road trip back to ya'll." I couldn't tell them the real reason I was here, and I was hoping they would be smart enough to not pry. 

If there was one thing Dally and I had in common, it was that we like to keep our personal lives to ourselves. Two-bit asked If I had seen my brother. I paused to find the right thing to say without them thinking they had to pick sides. "Yeah we talked for a brief minute and decided we both needed some time to think things over." 

Steve opened a beer and laughed, "I guess it didn't go well. Leave it to good ol' Dal to mess up something good like his sister coming back in town." I shrugged my shoulders and Soda asked how long I was here for.

 "Not too sure. I don't think I can go back to New York, so it depends on if I can pick back where I left off here." A crooked smile was on his face and in that moment, I knew I needed to do everything I can to stay here. Darry told me their house was always open and I had a place to stay as long as I needed. 

We broke into some small talk about what had been going on while I was away, how the city was, and what all had changed with me. I was in the middle of a story when Steve stood up. "You will never guess what happened tonight!" Oh crap. 

I hoped Soda was be too embarrassed to allow anyone to talk about what happened at the track but leave it to his best buddy Steve to rub his nose in it. He continued, "We were at the track and Soda was up to race against this car we had never seen before. We knew he had it in the bag with the new engine I put in it and the fact that this car didn't even look like it should be running. Glory, were we wrong. Soda here was in the lead the entire time and got cocky when he tried to knock this car off the track." 

I looked over to Soda and saw him nodded his head in agreeance. I counted on his ego to slip up somewhere, allowing me to win the race. "Next thing you know, this car stops in the middle of the track and Soda didn't see it! He flew right across the track into the wall and had to watch this car cross the finish line. But to make it even worse, the driver was a girl!" 

They were all laughing at this point, even Darry who didn't always approve of Soda racing. I looked at Soda and asked, "What do you have to say for yourself?" 

He shook his head with that grin all over his face. "Girl or not, she knew how to drive. I only wish I could've seen what she looked like. Maybe that was God tellin' me that she was the girl of my dreams." My heart fluttered even though I knew he had no idea it was me in that car. 

Steve shook his head, "It was the best thing I have ever seen." I smirked and said, "I bet I can tell you a better story." He cocked on eyebrow up, something I am sure he learned from Two-bit, "Try me little girl." 

I looked out the window to see my car sitting on the side of the road, "I drove all the way from New York in the car that's sitting out there." They were all confused, but Steve walked to the window and put his hands on his head, "No freakin' way." 

Two-bit and Pony were pushing each other out of the way to get to the window before the other. Pony didn't understand what was so crazy about this car, but Two-bit turned and pointed at me. "Holy hell. We have our self a badass." 

Soda couldn't wait any longer and skipped over to them. "Move. Let me see what all the fuss is about." They backed up and waited for his reaction. He turned around slowly and stared at me, "You have some explaining to do."