WARNING: descriptions of blood/injuries
"You're buying streamers? Tim's turning eighteen, Angela, not five." Curly's nose is wrinkled in disgust as he reads over the list Billie and Angela made for Tim's birthday.
Angela wrinkles her nose up at Curly. "I don't see you coming up with anything."
"You're the one who said my ideas sucked," Curly replies, folding his arms.
"Because they do suck," Angela says. "Balloons shaped like dicks aren't funny."
"They're funny to me," Curly replies, "and to the other guys."
"That's because your brains are the size of peas."
"That's rich, coming from the girl who flunked out of seventh grade."
"At least I didn't flunk out of elementary school," Angela snaps back.
Billie watches silently as Angela and Curly trade cutting insults about the other's appearance and intelligence. Billie thinks to herself that it's quite ironic considering all four Shepard siblings look the same with dark hair and blue eyes.
Eventually Angela and Curly grow bored of arguing, with Curly standing up. "Whatever, I don't care. Organising a party is a girl's job, anyway."
Both Angela and Billie wrinkle their noses up at Curly's words. "It's the 60s, Curly. Boys and girls can do the same thing," Angela says.
Curly laughs condescendingly. "Yeah right. You should be a comedian, Angela, with jokes like that."
"Fucking little shit," Angela mutters under her breath as the fly screen door slams shut as Curly leaves the house, most likely to run amuck with his friends near the tracks without a care in the world at how his words have hurt his sisters.
"Do you want to finish the list?" Billie asks her sister, pen in her hand.
Angela shakes her head and sighs. "Sorry, Bil, but I'm not in the mood now." She stands up, the legs of the wooden chair scraping against the floorboards. "Think I'm going to blow off some steam." By 'blowing off some steam', Angela means going to the rodeo or a drag race and hooking up with a Greaser boy, only to come home late into the night smelling of Kools cigarettes and cheap beer.
A minute later, Angela comes out of their bedroom holding a worn denim jacket that had been cut with a switchblade to rest on her waist. Angela looks at the clock on the wall, which reads ten past six. Then she says to Billie, "don't wait up. If I'm lucky, I'll be out all night." Angela has a wolfish grin on her face as she leaves, the door banging shut behind her.
It's yet another night that Billie's left alone in this house, with only herself and the abrasive silence for company.
"Thanks for this," Ponyboy says to Billie as they push past eager students ready to leave school to enjoy the weekend; two whole days of freedom before school resumed at the start of the week. "Darry feels better knowin' I'm not my myself while he's out of town and Soda's out."
"It's no problem," Billie tells Ponyboy, "the house would've been empty anyway, so it's nice to have some company." She gives Ponyboy a smile, which he returns, sending butterflies to Billie's stomach. She feels herself blushing and hopes she isn't as red as she feels. She would be mortified if Ponyboy ever found out about her feelings.
As they cross the road - Ponyboy protectively putting an arm out in front of Billie to scan the street, checking for any cars before deeming it safe to cross - Ponyboy asks Billie, "do you know why Scott wasn't at school today? Is he sick?"
Billie shakes her head. "No, Curly told me he was hanging with the guys today. Something about Shepard gang business."
Privately, Billie had a bad feeling about this. Lately Tim had been on edge more so than usual; the ongoing turf war between the Brumly Boys and River Kings was nowhere near getting resolved and Todd Fitzgerald, leader of the Brumly Boys, had roped the Shepard gang on their side of the issue. Personally, Billie didn't want Curly, Scott and Dean anywhere near this turf war. The Brumly Boys and River Kings were more of an organised gang, making the Shepard gang (who was a strict gang in Tulsa) look like a group of boy scouts who hiked and sang songs by the campfire.
She knew Tim could take care of himself. His infamy and reputation preceded him, making him one of the most feared people in Tulsa. The only person who came close was Dallas Winston. But Curly and his friends... they were barely fifteen, sixteen years old. They were kids. They were easy targets. Especially Curly, who would be used to get under Tim's skin. Everybody knows that Tim would do anything to protect his siblings, even if it was something he could never come back from.
"Are you alright?" Ponyboy asks, eyebrows furrowing in concern. "You looked worried."
Billie shakes her head and plasters on a faux smile. It feels unnatural, plastic, but she ignores it to carry on the façade. Even if she told Ponyboy what was wrong, he wouldn't understand. He'd never understand. The Curtis gang wasn't like the Shepard gang, or the Brumly Boys. The Curtis gang operated like a family, like brothers. There was no hierarchy, no authority - there wasn't the fear that one of them wouldn't come back from a rumble.
"I'm fine," she lies, the words heavy on her tongue.
When Billie pushes open the door to the Shepard house, Curly, Scott, Dean and Lloyd are lounging on the sofa, eating chips. "What are you doing home?" Billie asks Curly. "I thought you were supposed to be with Tim."
Curly looks suspiciously between Billie and Ponyboy, who is standing by the door, unsure. "Am I not supposed to be home?"
"No, it's not that. I just thought you were going to be out, that's all." Billie gestures for Ponyboy to come over, and they hook their backpacks on a chair at the kitchen table.
"Are we interrupting a date?" Lloyd calls out loudly and obnoxiously from the floor, his hand in the chip packet.
Both Ponyboy and Billie blush at the implication and Billie has the urge to come over and punch Lloyd in the face. She's never disliked someone as much as she dislikes Lloyd; who goes out of his way to make her and Ponyboy miserable. Yes, the feeling is mutual, Billie doesn't care about Lloyd, but she doesn't go out of her way to make snide comments to him because she respects that he is her brother's friend. But respect isn't in Lloyd Simmons' genetic makeup.
"We are, aren't we? Holy fuck, Curly, Ponyboy's hooking up with your sis -" Dean elbows Lloyd roughly in the side, preventing Lloyd from finishing speaking.
Billie feels her face heat up even more, blood rushing to her cheeks. All she wants is the ground to swallow her up whole, an escape from this humiliating situation.
"If we were, what's it to you?" Ponyboy responds coolly, arms folded. "Why does it matter to you? Are you jealous, is that what it is? You secretly have a crush on Billie?"
"No!" Lloyd cries out, eyes widening as his cheeks turn red in embarrassment. "That's not it."
Curly bursts out laughing. "You're crushing on my sister, Simmons?"
"No!" Lloyd responds, grimacing. "I don't have a crush on your sister. Gross!" He wrinkles his nose up in disgust.
"You calling Billie gross now?" Ponyboy asks Lloyd, almost sounding threatening.
Lloyd sounds exasperated as he replies, "I'm not calling her gross, where did that even come from! I just don't like her like that!"
"Someone's being very defensive if you ask me," Ponyboy says, with Curly, Scott and Dean all humming and nodding their heads in agreement.
"Fuck off," Lloyd mutters darkly, sinking lower on the floor as Dean snatches the chip packet out of Lloyd's hands and grabs some chips for himself.
Billie gives Ponyboy a grateful smile. She enjoyed watching Ponyboy turn the tables on Lloyd, making him embarrassed for a change. It was well deserved, with the way Lloyd goes out of his way to embarrass others. Most likely to compensate for the fact that out of the four of them; he is the one girls are least interested in. Girls flock to Curly, Scott and Dean's sides while Lloyd gets left behind, watching them in envy with a scowl on his face.
"Thank you," Billie says as she washes her hands at the sink. "For sticking up for me."
"You're welcome," Ponyboy replies. He then adds, "I know he's your brother's friend and all, but I really don't like him. He needs to be put in his place."
"It's okay, I don't like him either," Billie responds, "does it make me a bad person if I say it felt good telling him off at Halloween?"
"I don't think it does, especially when it was deserved." Ponyboy washes his hands too and Billie hands him a tea-towel to dry his hands.
"I know it sounds lame, but I was thinking about doing homework now, only to get it out of the way so the rest of the weekend is free," Billie tells Ponyboy, "we haven't got a lot to do and I like doing my homework on Friday night, if I can."
"I think that sounds good," Ponyboy says with a smile, "we might get it done quicker if we help each other."
"Do you want to work in my room?" Billie asks Ponyboy who raises his eyebrows. She lightly hits him on the arm. "It's quieter in my room, away from those four." Billie points to Curly and his friends, who are now on the floor wrestling each other. Curly has Lloyd in a headlock while Dean is sitting on Scott while slapping his face.
"I see what you mean," Ponyboy replies in agreement.
Billie closes the bedroom door as Ponyboy settles in the middle of her bed. Billie joins him, opening up her backpack and taking out pens and exercise books, ready to tackle the pile of homework they had been assigned for the weekend.
"How about we start with the worst subject first?" Billie suggests, as both she and Ponyboy immediately say, "Math," and burst into laughter.
"Wait - your first kiss was Dean?" Curly asks, pulling a face. Ponyboy and Billie have joined Curly and his friends back out in the living room, having finished their homework.
"Hey!" Dean retorts, punching Curly in the arm. "What's wrong with me?"
"It was in the fifth grade," Billie told Curly. "A group of girls were making fun of me for not having my first kiss yet and Dean saw I was upset and asked if I wanted to kiss him to have my first kiss."
Curly looks disgusted and mimed retching. "I don't want that image in my brain."
"You asked!"
"I wouldn't have asked if I'd known your answer would've been Dean."
"Why are you saying my name like it reminds you of poo?" Dean asks.
"Dean, was Billie your first kiss too?" Scott asks, with a cheeky grin on his face.
"You!" Curly tackles Scott off the sofa. Curly puts Scott in a headlock, ruffling his hair and pinching his ear. He lets go when Scott taps out. Scott's flaming red hair is in all directions and his face is flushed as he tries to regain his breath.
"So?" Scott asks innocently. "Was Billie your first kiss?"
"Nah," Dean answers. "My first kiss was my old neighbour Jenny Anderson, in fourth grade."
"You kissed Jenny Anderson? No way," Curly says disbelievingly. "She was the prettiest girl in elementary school."
"You're still annoyed that back then she found me cuter than you," Dean replies with a smug smile.
"She had bad taste," Curly mumbles as he leans back on the couch. Moving the conversation along he asks, "hey, Ponyboy, what about you? Who was your first kiss?"
Ponyboy doesn't get a chance to answer, because the front door to the Shepard house swings open, slamming against the wall with a bang. All six teenagers jump in fright, swiveling around to see the source.
Tim's standing at the door, arms folded. "What are you all carrying on about? I can hear you from down the street." Upon seeing Ponyboy he greets Ponyboy. "Hey Curtis, how are ya? How's your brothers?"
"Darry and Soda are fine, thanks," Ponyboy answers.
"Why'd you come banging like this for? We were in the middle of somethin'," Curly complains to Tim.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Tim responds sarcastically. "I'll just tell the Brumly Boys and the River Kings to wait because my little brother is in the 'middle of somethin'. How's that?"
Curly perks up at this. "Are you for real?"
"When do I joke?" Tim replies. Then he adds, "we're leavin' now. If you and your mates are serious about joining the gang, you leave with us. Now."
Curly, Dean, Scott and Lloyd all jump out of their seats. Billie knows that Curly, Dean and Lloyd have been waiting for an opportunity like this; to prove just how much they want to join the Shepard gang. But Scott... he never gave any indication that he wanted to be a part of the Shepard gang. Not when he showed up for school every day.
Tim walks out, Scott, Dean and Lloyd following him out the door. Billie can hear Dean and Lloyd excitedly talking about the impending rumble, with Lloyd adding that he couldn't wait to kick a River King's ass.
Curly stays behind, looking at Billie. She gets up and crosses over to her twin, grabbing his arm. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Billie has a bad feeling about this. The Shepard gang are way over their heads where the Brumly Boys are concerned. The Brumly Boys are a different breed of Greasers; more wild, more reckless, more dangerous than Greasers from Tulsa. They played by a different set of rules too. Todd Fitzgerald made Tim look like a tabby cat by comparison in the way he disciplined his gang.
"It's going to be fine, Bil. It's just a rumble."
"With the Brumly Boys and River Kings."
"I know what I'm getting myself into." Curly's beginning to sound irritated.
"Do you?" Billie questions. "This isn't like jumping a Soc or playing chicken from the fuzz, Curly."
"I know that!" Curly exclaims. "I can take care of myself."
"I can't lose you!" Billie cries out. She's scared of the thought that one of her brothers won't come back, or that both of her brothers won't come back. She's scared that they'll be caught by the fuzz and locked in the cooler.
Curly puts his hands on Billie's shoulders. "Listen to me, Billie. You're not going to lose me, okay? I'll come back tonight all banged up and you'll patch me up - but I'm coming back. You don't need to worry."
"Of course I'm going to worry," Billie tells Curly. "I'm your sister."
A car horn beeps impatiently outside. Billie hears Tim calling out Curly's name. Curly looks back at Billie, sighing. "I need to go, alright? Stay with Ponyboy and before you know it, we'll be back." Without waiting for his sister to reply, Curly leaves, slamming the front door shut behind him, as Billie can only watch helplessly as he leaves, a knot forming in her stomach.
"It's going to be alright," Ponyboy says to Billie, trying to reassure her as he squeezes Billie's shoulder.
Billie turns to face him. "I just have a bad feeling about tonight," she admits, shaking her head. "Something doesn't feel right. Tim's been on edge lately about that turf war and Curly's been way too reckless lately. He's been wanting to fight every Soc that passes him - even if they don't want any trouble."
"Tim's looking out for Curly, he's not going to let Curly get in too deep," Ponyboy says.
Ponyboy's words don't reassure Billie, because Ponyboy doesn't know Curly as well as she does. Curly won't listen to Tim, not when he's so hellbent on proving himself and so determined on fighting with anybody who will fight him back. He's untamed recklessness is going to come back and bite him someday.
Ponyboy and Billie are sitting in front of the television an hour later when Angela arrives. The sun has well and truly set, with the street lights casting shadows inside the Shepard house.
"Where's the boys?" Angela asks, out of breath.
Both Ponyboy and Billie look up from the sofa. "They're at that rumble with the Brumly Boys and River Kings," Billie answers.
Angela swears. "Is Curly with Tim?"
Billie nods her head. "Curly's friends are with them too."
"I told Tim not to bring Curly!" Angela cries out. "I have a bad feeling about this rumble." She sits on the edge of the sofa, running a hand through her dark hair.
Billie's never seen Angela this worried. Usually, worrying is reserved for Billie. She's the one who worries about her siblings, about whether they'd manage to escape whatever trouble they've caused in one piece. Whether she'll have to patch them up, wondering if one day they've been injured badly enough that Billie can't patch them up, that they'll have to go the hospital and answer unwanted questions. Or whether they would land themselves in the cooler. Or worse; they wouldn't come back at all and she'd be left with one less sibling.
Raucous laughter wakes Billie up from her sleep. She sits up, alert and attentive on the sofa as the front door opens, revealing Tim and Curly covered in grime, mud, dirt and blood.
"You both look horrible," Angela says, aiming an unimpressed stare at the two boys. It's well past midnight when the Shepard brothers, with Ponyboy having left nearly two hours ago after Sodapop dropped past to pick him up after his shift finished.
Tim and Curly sit at the table, both wincing as they do so. "You don't look your best after rumbles. It's not a beauty pageant," Tim replies, hissing. "Stop looking at me like that!" Tim exclaims after a few minutes, "it just got out of hand, alright?"
"You don't say," Angela responds sarcastically. "Look at you two!"
"Billie," Tim says, pinching his temple, "can you patch us up?"
Billie grabs the first-aid kit from under the sink. She starts with Curly, who looks as though he's covered in more grime and blood. Curly hisses as Billie cleans his wound, wiping away the blood and dirt from his body. "Sorry," she apologies sheepishly.
"What happened out there?" Angela demands.
Tim looks up at her. "Since when do you care about what happens at a rumble?"
"I care when my brothers are involved in a turf war between the Brumly Boys and the River Kings," Angela snaps, crossing her arms. "You know what they're like! Something seriously wrong could've happened."
"Todd Fitzgerald asked me for help! What was I supposed to do, say no? I don't need to make an enemy out of him, I have enough of those already," Tim snaps, raising his voice. "The fuzz arrived, anyway. Managed to catch Todd Fitzgerald and his younger brother, Frankie. As well as Donnie Wright - River Kings leader," Tim adds for Billie. "They're goin' to get thrown in the cooler, so isn't us coming home like this better than being locked up?"
"You damn well know that you could've been thrown in the cooler alongside them!" Angela cries out. "Or worse, you could've been stabbed. I don't think the River Kings would've been happy with you lot being with the Brumly Boys."
"Just like how the Tiber Street Tigers sided with the River Kings," Tim says dryly. He sighs and pinches his temple again. "Can you drop it? It's late and I'm too tired to do this right now."
Billie has finished patching up Curly, who, without all the grime on his body, looks weary. "You alright?" Billie asks him softly.
Curly nods his head. When he smiles, Billie can see blood on his teeth. "It was fucking fantastic. Being in a proper rumble, you know?"
No, Billie thinks. I don't know. I don't want to know.
"You had nothing to worry about," Curly continues, "the guys had my back."
This brings Billie to ask. "So does this mean you four are joining the gang now? Officially?"
Curly nods his head. "I guess it does."
"I didn't realise Scott wanted to join the gang," Billie says, hoping her tone was as casual as she had planned it to be.
"Why wouldn't he?" Curly asks, like the answer was obvious. Like Scott would be ridiculous for not joining the gang.
"Oh, I don't know." Billie shrugs her shoulders, feigning to be casual, "he's just never mentioned it before."
"To you maybe," Curly responds, "but we talk about it all the time."
Billie doesn't know how to respond to that. So she doesn't. Instead, she moves over to Tim and begins patching her older brother up, ignoring the way her chest hurts as Tim hisses in pain when Billie cleans a deep wound.
a/n: I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter! this chapter is going to set up events that are going to happen in the next few chapters, which is going to be very jampacked and exciting! if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a vote and comment! :)