Beach Babe | The Outsiders | Johnny Cade

| Voice | 55 |

"Sure thing." Two says. We walk out to his car and I get in it. Two starts to drive silently. "So.. you okay? Medically I mean."

"Yeah, my nose is very broken and my throat and lungs hurt. But yeah." I say

"So it was Marcia and Cherry's boyfriends that did all that?" He asks

"Yeah, mostly Bob. He uh.. he said my mouth needed washing out. That's when that Mason guy punched me and I blacked out.. I don't remember anything after. I don't really remember Randy doing much." I wonder how Cherry is feeling right about now... "Of course I wasn't conscious for long enough to really see though."

He swore under his breath "I'm sorry Stacy. When me and Steve saw that we thought it was some sort of sick joke. Then we kept reading and it definitely wasn't a joke. We came straight to the Curtis's, we didn't know if they knew about Pony yet or if they knew where you were." He says and sighs "I'm glad you're alright, at least. Listen those damn Socs are gonna pay. They aren't going to get away with this. Jumping someone is bad enough but one of our girls? That's a reason for war." I don't say anything but just stare down at my lap. I don't want anyone to get hurt because I did..

"You thinkin' about Johnny?"

"I'm uh.. trying not to. Crying hurts, and I hate doing it in front of people." Which sucks because I've done that a lot recently. "Can we talk about something else? How're you and.. Kathy?" Two-Bit told me he started seeing her a couple weeks ago.

"We're good, I met her brother... now that's a hood. I mean he's so greasy he goes to the barbers for an oil change, he glides when he walks." He laughs at his own joke. I weakly smile, which hurts.

Only Two-Bit could make me smile when the most important person in my life is missing. "You think he stains his pillowcase at night? Like bacon oil stains on a shirt."

He laughs "I'm sure he does"

The song 'California Girls' by The Beach Boys started playing so I cranked up the radio and started singing along. I went through the whole song, singing alone and bopping my head. Afterwards Two-Bit started laughing.

"What're you laughing about Keith?" I ask

"A few things. One, I forget that those guys exist and people like.. actually like them, real people enjoy their music and that's odd to me. Two, those lyrics suit you pretty well. In a good way."

"Thank you, Two-Bit."

"You are welcome, Andrea. Don't think you got away with calling me Keith a second ago ." I smile and shake my head. Good 'ol Two-Bit.

    We picked up my painkillers and Two took me home. The bottle told me to take a pill every four hours so I took one and wrote down on my arm with a pen what time I need to take the next ones. I've had these same painkillers before, I get very dumb. This is a lower dosage so maybe I won't get so loopy.

Two-Bit dropped me off and I went inside. Theo was on the couch crying while Davey comforted him. When he heard the door close he shot up and ran over to me. "Finally! Jesus, I was so worried about you! Have you seen the newspaper? August is gone! God! Next time come here instead of wherever the hell you went, or call! I thought- I thought he got you." He wrapped me in a big hug and I winced as he accidentally pressed against the bruises on my stomach and ribs. "Shit, sorry. You okay?"

"Uh huh. The hospital shoved a tube down my throat cause I stopped breathing, my nose is very broken, I've got bruises everywhere, and the boy I love most ran off with our brother." I need to lay down. "I'm gonna go lie down. We can talk later I just.. need a little rest in my own bed, okay?"