Beach Babe | The Outsiders | Johnny Cade

| Job | 9 |

     I check my watch 5:49 I should probably head back soon. All I've done today is watch TV and fall asleep on Johnny.

     I'm about to stand up when Dally walks in, he has a large hickey on the right side of his neck and then a very small one on the left "Hey looks like I'm not the only one with hickeys!"

"I was just about to ask about that" Soda says

"You remember that girl, Angela I brought to the 4th of July party? Yeah I hooked up with her after the party. She did this." He points at the right side "You did this one." He points at me then back at the left side. What.

"What?" He's lying, he has to be

"Yeah when you did that shot apparently you did this." Everybody looks at me, except Johnny, he's just looking at his lap. Is he alright?

I stand up, red with embarrassment, definitely no more booze "Well now seems like a great time to leave, I will see ya later!"

"I'll come with you," Johnny stands up "I don't want you walking home alone." I shrug and we walk outside

"Why does everyone say that? I've never even seen a Soc out here."

Johnny stuffs his hands in his pockets "Well they are out here okay? Just because you haven't been jumped doesn't mean it doesn't happen." He snaps

I'm taken back by his outburst, I've never heard him raise his voice "I'm sorry Johnny, I didn't mean it like that."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell" he relaxes a little "it's just that everyone in the gang has been jumped too many times to count. I don't want that happening to you."

"Well with you here to protect me im sure it won't." I give him a quick hug and we continue walking.

We get to my doorstep a couple minutes later "I'll see you later Johnny!"

"Tonight?"

"12 o' clock on the dot!" I wave to him and step inside. Theo is asleep on the couch with the TV on and August is nowhere to be found.

    I place a blanket over Theo and sit on the floor in front of the couch. Where's Aussie? I told him to be back by 6. It's now officially 6 so he should be here. Mom should also be getting here soon, I just hope she won't figure out about the party. The hickeys! I have got to cover them. I rush up stairs and put the powder on my neck, blend it out, and go back downstairs. I look at myself in the mirror and shrug That'll do, I guess.

I hear keys fumbling from outside, she's here!, I jump up off the floor and run to the door. The keys click and the door opens, my mother is standing there with a briefcase in one hand and her keys in the other. She drops both and opens her arms out to me, I wrap her in a tight hug.

After a moment she pulls away "Where are your brothers?" She peaks behind me into the house

We step inside the house and she puts her stuff down "Theo is dead asleep on the couch, and August... he's somewhere." He's dead when he gets back.

"What do you mean somewhere?"

"He went out with a couple friends, he should be back by now." I say with an edge to my voice

We talk for a few minutes before August comes bursting in the door, he kneels down and starts taking off his shoes. "Sorry I'm late Stacy, is mom here yet?"

My mom crosses her arms "Yeah she's here." August stops taking off his other shoe and slowly stands up

"Hi mom." He says sheepishly