The Outsider
Chapter 1. Happy birthday
April 14, 1965
"happy birthday to me" i mumble picking the last bit of Cinnamon roll out of the trash. i do not know where i am. i no for sure i am out of the state. away from my homeland, away from my adoptive parents. My names Peirce, Marlene Peirce. but i dont like Peirce. i was adopted and taken away from my home land of Juarez Mexico. my last name should be Mendez, but i was adopted...so my birth certificuit says Peirce i dont like to talk about my past to too much. i found this perfectly good spiral note book and a pen digging in a trash. so maybe its fine to talk about it and my feelings and shit. yeah im a girl, but ive never been mushy gushy or too touch feely about stuff like that. my feelings, why i cry, why i pray, why i cant stand to watch romance movies are all my buisness. i am 15 years old. i come from California. i guess thats as much as i want to say about my past right now. im not in california anymore. im in the desert. hot and dry. i could be in Colorado, no....ive already passed through there. aint no deserts in colorado, and plus there are giant hills in every direction. theres a sign i see off in the distance "welcome to beautiful Tulsa, Oklahoma" alright, im in oklahoma. my goal is to get to the eat coast start a life in Jersey, maybe even in new york. as far away from cali as possibal. i liked Colorado. but its too close and i cant afford for them to catch me now. its been 4 months sence i ran away and im never going back. too late to turn back now. "Kennedy!" i call the dog perks up and darts twords me wagging his little tail. the dogs a little brown mutt dog i found back in arizona, was starving to death with flies all over it. so i gave it my last can of tuna, wich is fine because tuna doesnt taste to hot to me. ever sence the weasels been fallowin me, he seems to have taken a liking to the name Kennedy. i thought it sounded real professional and historical, so i chose it. the dogs fattend up alot. hes still thin but looks bigger. hes got crazy unruly curly brown hair wich leaves me to belvie hes a poodle. a beaten up old red colar. i guess his name was rocket. what a stupid name. he wags his tail and i drop him a peice of cinnamon roll. he scarfs. after a good 4 hours of walking, i find myself in the biggest most ritchest neighborhood i ever seen. huge mansions, georgouse cars. it crosses my mind to hot wire one of thoes cherry red corvetts. i stop at a diner and the kind people there give me and the dog some water. i buy a 5 cent peice of bread and for the dog, i ask for a peice of steak fat. the people hand it over i go and sit downn. im wearing my lether jacket, black converse, and tight jeans. good thing i got a chance to wash my hair last night at the gas station in the town over. ii loook fresh and clean. beautiful. i guess im not all that ugly. ive got dark skin, big black eyes, long black hair as black as a ravens wing. i nibble on my bread and the dog picks at his hunk of steak fat. the dog finishes his steak and i shove my bread into my plastic bag. im surprised these people didnt kick me out, i was a mexican. must have not been rasist. shocking. the only thing i got in my bag is, my jean jacket, my varsity jacket, a few bottles of soap, a thing of feminie pads, body soap, a water bottle, a half eaten bag of chips and a few things of tuna for the dog. i nodd a good bye. i walk out back into the beautiful neighborhood. plenty of things for me to steal here. i walk along the perfect streets. theres a beauty salon, that says whites only, a burger joint, a dry cleaners. the dog gives a low pitched growl. i turn around to see a group of well dressed boys a way back behind me "shut up" i say not wanting to draw attention. i was planning on going into the huge yellow house later and taking a few things i might need. i clutch my 7 inch blade just incase. down in my bag i suddenly remember my little .22 that would fit right under my shoe if needed. only 3 bullets left.either buy another round, or steal another gun....seccond option sounds better "HEY! greaser!" i hear slapping of feet on the pavement. i turn around instinktivly to see the group of boys charging at me. i take a step back as they skidd to a stop "woah, whos this" the oldest biggest one says. hes well dresed in trousers and a polo shirt. "looks like a beaner greaser" another blonde one exclaims "MmM looks like good `ol soda left us a little beaner yummy" my eyes narrow "whats your name, mamasita" one mocks in a fake mexican accents "mi nombre?" boys snicker "es...." it goes silent "kram it up your ass you stupid white-boy pricks!" i say in perfect english. "dont disrespect US like that, filthy greasy street rat" i scoff "whatcha gonna do about it? huh you stupid irish prick" i say with veneom. "why you little bitch" blondey growls. he raises a hand "is that supposta scare me? wow your dumb too" i roll my eyes i pull out my 7inch blade they all jump back "this kid is crazy!" one murmurs. eyeing me crazily. "go back, to your fancy red corvettes and LEAVE....MY....ASS.....AAAALLLLLOOOOONNNNE" i say slowly so there small minds will comprehend. they slowly back up. i turn the other way and walk cooly and calmly away. kennedy fallows me. i walk for about 2o something miles. and i find myself in a differnt territory. its ruff and poor over here. just miles away it goes from clean and rich to poor and dirty. i walk down the ruff streets with weeds poking up from my ground. i soon notice alittle boy. maybe not that little... looks around my age, but hes small. got longish brown hair and green eyes, we walk at the same pace, but hes across the street. wonder what a kid that young is doing walking alone like that in a city so rough. its afternoon, around 3 or 4 maybe. i get hungy so i take out a chip and munch. the kid looks troubled. he glances up and notices me. he takes a feww sheepish glances in my direction. it crosses my mind to smile. he reminds me of me but i dont. i keep it quiet. suddenly a cherry red corvette pulls up next to the boy "hey greaser" the boy trys to run. its the same prick-foools from just hours ago. "need a hair cut, greaser?" they tackle him and take out a blade, sitting directly onto of him. the boys screaming and yelling for help. dont get involved i tell myself. but its to late im already tieing up kennedy to a fence post. and walking cooly across the street. "why dont you get off the kid?" i call they all look up, the kid looks somewat hopefull, but his hope dies when he sees im a lady. "oh if it isint beaner-greaser from morning" the littlest one says, he cant be older than 13 "if it isint irish pricks from this morning" i fire back "look you little niggas be running around this hole town preyin on the little ones, huh? why dont you go pick out a greaser your OWN sizes and see how long yall last" i dont even know what a greaser is. maybe there the poor kids? thats the only difference i see between the two white boys. money. "somebody get this bitch a muzzle" leader boy commands "with pleasure" blondey says. he lunges and i take out my gun, i kick the blade out of is hand. the blade flies up and peirces the little rich kid in the foot. he howls in pain. i point my gun at each and every one of them. looking them deep in all of there eyes. "this isint fucking over all be back" they back up into there corvette "for you horsey boy and your pretty little friend" they speed off. "you okay?" the boy gots a cut on his head "yeah" i pick him up, "thanks alot i dont know how i would ever repay you" he pauses "Marlene" i say "Marlene" he repeats, "gots a nice ring to it" i nodd "im ponyboy" i laugh "that your real name?" the boy nodds somewhat ashamed "its not...that bad" i say trying to be nice. suddenly a boy pulls up in a beatn up pick up truck. "Pony, you okay?" the boy askes he jumps out "yeah, two-bits, i-im fine just alittle spooked" pony kid says. "whos your friend?" two-bits askes looking me up and down in a pervey matter. "this marlene" pony kid answers for me "why, hello Marlene, im two-bits" pony boy looks up "you woodnt belive it, two-bits she jumped right in and she saved me from the socs" two-bits eyes go wide "the socs went after you!?" he inspects pony kid "they didnt get u too bad did they" two-bits exclaims "they would have, if it wasnt for marlene" the kid says, sort of ashamed maybe that i.. a girl fought off the well dressed boys they called "the socs" two- bits turns to me "what did yall do" he says. suspicious. "it was nothing, i swear of it. all i did was help the boy" two-bits grins "wow i aint ever heard of a girl-greaser stand up to the socs! they all just talk about it, but...YOU did something" "im not a greaser' i say firmly "so than your a soc" two-bits says i shake my head a no "well if your not a soc, and your not a greaser (but ya sure do look like a greaser) than what are you?"... good question. "im not from here" two-bits looks confused "where you from than, darlin" "california" "whatcha doin out here" "aint none of your buisness" "well then, darlin its fine if you refuse to tell us anything but your name" he pauses "but you must atlest let us repay you" kennedy riggles free form his rope and darts over barley missing a car "you and your dog both look pretty hungry, why dont you stay for a week or so, just untill your on your feet" i scoff "no way" two-bits does something with his eye brows "theres a might bad storm brewing i could feel it in my bones....you wouldnt want to put that darling dog in danger would you" i nodd "no i sure woodnt" "than come on" i dont reject. maybe i am hungry. maybe i am tired. and maybe my dog is too i think i should. i walk to there house, theres a few older looking guys. 3 to be exact. "darry....this my friend Marlene" the house is run down, gross and smells of boy. pony kid looks shy two bits slings an arm around me "befor you tell us to get this girl out the house, you might want to know what she is to us" darry evil eyes me he looks like the oldest biggest. hes got reddish brownish hair and light brown eyes. he doesnt scare me. "tell em, pony" two-bits directs. "i-i was walkin home....from the movies, when some socs pulled up besides me. they jumped out the car.. i was alone i gues i didnt think i -" darry cuts him off "ofcourse you didnt think, Ponyboy! you get all them good A`s and B`s and dont you ever think!" "hey! dont you yell at my kid brother, it was a mistake! he didnt think he would get jumped it aint his fault!" the other boy excalims. hes pretty built, got shiny golden hair and georgouse brown eyes, he looks about 16. "go on" two-bits nudges. "and then, they stared screamin at me sayin, "heyy greaser! need a hair cut?" they jumped out with a blade and pinned me, then....marlene came over, i guess she musta encounterd the socs earlier today, cuz they knew her..... the blonde one...came at her with a 6 inch blade, she lifted her leg all the way up in the air and kicked the blade away....blade came fallin down on the littlest ones foot. she pulled her out a peice, and the socs ran away....then two-bits came" darry looks astonished "you a greaser-girl?" darry says "thats the best part" two-bits grins "she aint even a greaser.....shes an outsider, first outsider ever to ever help a greaser....and get this, shes a GIRL outsider" two-bits clears his throat "so, as you know all be crashing at your guys house for a week while my moms out of town,and i thought it would be good to let Marlene stay over for a while, just untill she get on her feet see, shes a traveler from California" darry shrugs "alirght" i didnt even have time to object the where already pulling me up seat and scooping up some tomato soup into a bowl for me.
"happy birthday to me" i mumble picking the last bit of Cinnamon roll out of the trash. i do not know where i am. i no for sure i am out of the state. away from my homeland, away from my adoptive parents. My names Peirce, Marlene Peirce. but i dont like Peirce. i was adopted and taken away from my home land of Juarez Mexico. my last name should be Mendez, but i was adopted...so my birth certificuit says Peirce i dont like to talk about my past to too much. i found this perfectly good spiral note book and a pen digging in a trash. so maybe its fine to talk about it and my feelings and shit. yeah im a girl, but ive never been mushy gushy or too touch feely about stuff like that. my feelings, why i cry, why i pray, why i cant stand to watch romance movies are all my buisness. i am 15 years old. i come from California. i guess thats as much as i want to say about my past right now. im not in california anymore. im in the desert. hot and dry. i could be in Colorado, no....ive already passed through there. aint no deserts in colorado, and plus there are giant hills in every direction. theres a sign i see off in the distance "welcome to beautiful Tulsa, Oklahoma" alright, im in oklahoma. my goal is to get to the eat coast start a life in Jersey, maybe even in new york. as far away from cali as possibal. i liked Colorado. but its too close and i cant afford for them to catch me now. its been 4 months sence i ran away and im never going back. too late to turn back now. "Kennedy!" i call the dog perks up and darts twords me wagging his little tail. the dogs a little brown mutt dog i found back in arizona, was starving to death with flies all over it. so i gave it my last can of tuna, wich is fine because tuna doesnt taste to hot to me. ever sence the weasels been fallowin me, he seems to have taken a liking to the name Kennedy. i thought it sounded real professional and historical, so i chose it. the dogs fattend up alot. hes still thin but looks bigger. hes got crazy unruly curly brown hair wich leaves me to belvie hes a poodle. a beaten up old red colar. i guess his name was rocket. what a stupid name. he wags his tail and i drop him a peice of cinnamon roll. he scarfs. after a good 4 hours of walking, i find myself in the biggest most ritchest neighborhood i ever seen. huge mansions, georgouse cars. it crosses my mind to hot wire one of thoes cherry red corvetts. i stop at a diner and the kind people there give me and the dog some water. i buy a 5 cent peice of bread and for the dog, i ask for a peice of steak fat. the people hand it over i go and sit downn. im wearing my lether jacket, black converse, and tight jeans. good thing i got a chance to wash my hair last night at the gas station in the town over. ii loook fresh and clean. beautiful. i guess im not all that ugly. ive got dark skin, big black eyes, long black hair as black as a ravens wing. i nibble on my bread and the dog picks at his hunk of steak fat. the dog finishes his steak and i shove my bread into my plastic bag. im surprised these people didnt kick me out, i was a mexican. must have not been rasist. shocking. the only thing i got in my bag is, my jean jacket, my varsity jacket, a few bottles of soap, a thing of feminie pads, body soap, a water bottle, a half eaten bag of chips and a few things of tuna for the dog. i nodd a good bye. i walk out back into the beautiful neighborhood. plenty of things for me to steal here. i walk along the perfect streets. theres a beauty salon, that says whites only, a burger joint, a dry cleaners. the dog gives a low pitched growl. i turn around to see a group of well dressed boys a way back behind me "shut up" i say not wanting to draw attention. i was planning on going into the huge yellow house later and taking a few things i might need. i clutch my 7 inch blade just incase. down in my bag i suddenly remember my little .22 that would fit right under my shoe if needed. only 3 bullets left.either buy another round, or steal another gun....seccond option sounds better "HEY! greaser!" i hear slapping of feet on the pavement. i turn around instinktivly to see the group of boys charging at me. i take a step back as they skidd to a stop "woah, whos this" the oldest biggest one says. hes well dresed in trousers and a polo shirt. "looks like a beaner greaser" another blonde one exclaims "MmM looks like good `ol soda left us a little beaner yummy" my eyes narrow "whats your name, mamasita" one mocks in a fake mexican accents "mi nombre?" boys snicker "es...." it goes silent "kram it up your ass you stupid white-boy pricks!" i say in perfect english. "dont disrespect US like that, filthy greasy street rat" i scoff "whatcha gonna do about it? huh you stupid irish prick" i say with veneom. "why you little bitch" blondey growls. he raises a hand "is that supposta scare me? wow your dumb too" i roll my eyes i pull out my 7inch blade they all jump back "this kid is crazy!" one murmurs. eyeing me crazily. "go back, to your fancy red corvettes and LEAVE....MY....ASS.....AAAALLLLLOOOOONNNNE" i say slowly so there small minds will comprehend. they slowly back up. i turn the other way and walk cooly and calmly away. kennedy fallows me. i walk for about 2o something miles. and i find myself in a differnt territory. its ruff and poor over here. just miles away it goes from clean and rich to poor and dirty. i walk down the ruff streets with weeds poking up from my ground. i soon notice alittle boy. maybe not that little... looks around my age, but hes small. got longish brown hair and green eyes, we walk at the same pace, but hes across the street. wonder what a kid that young is doing walking alone like that in a city so rough. its afternoon, around 3 or 4 maybe. i get hungy so i take out a chip and munch. the kid looks troubled. he glances up and notices me. he takes a feww sheepish glances in my direction. it crosses my mind to smile. he reminds me of me but i dont. i keep it quiet. suddenly a cherry red corvette pulls up next to the boy "hey greaser" the boy trys to run. its the same prick-foools from just hours ago. "need a hair cut, greaser?" they tackle him and take out a blade, sitting directly onto of him. the boys screaming and yelling for help. dont get involved i tell myself. but its to late im already tieing up kennedy to a fence post. and walking cooly across the street. "why dont you get off the kid?" i call they all look up, the kid looks somewat hopefull, but his hope dies when he sees im a lady. "oh if it isint beaner-greaser from morning" the littlest one says, he cant be older than 13 "if it isint irish pricks from this morning" i fire back "look you little niggas be running around this hole town preyin on the little ones, huh? why dont you go pick out a greaser your OWN sizes and see how long yall last" i dont even know what a greaser is. maybe there the poor kids? thats the only difference i see between the two white boys. money. "somebody get this bitch a muzzle" leader boy commands "with pleasure" blondey says. he lunges and i take out my gun, i kick the blade out of is hand. the blade flies up and peirces the little rich kid in the foot. he howls in pain. i point my gun at each and every one of them. looking them deep in all of there eyes. "this isint fucking over all be back" they back up into there corvette "for you horsey boy and your pretty little friend" they speed off. "you okay?" the boy gots a cut on his head "yeah" i pick him up, "thanks alot i dont know how i would ever repay you" he pauses "Marlene" i say "Marlene" he repeats, "gots a nice ring to it" i nodd "im ponyboy" i laugh "that your real name?" the boy nodds somewhat ashamed "its not...that bad" i say trying to be nice. suddenly a boy pulls up in a beatn up pick up truck. "Pony, you okay?" the boy askes he jumps out "yeah, two-bits, i-im fine just alittle spooked" pony kid says. "whos your friend?" two-bits askes looking me up and down in a pervey matter. "this marlene" pony kid answers for me "why, hello Marlene, im two-bits" pony boy looks up "you woodnt belive it, two-bits she jumped right in and she saved me from the socs" two-bits eyes go wide "the socs went after you!?" he inspects pony kid "they didnt get u too bad did they" two-bits exclaims "they would have, if it wasnt for marlene" the kid says, sort of ashamed maybe that i.. a girl fought off the well dressed boys they called "the socs" two- bits turns to me "what did yall do" he says. suspicious. "it was nothing, i swear of it. all i did was help the boy" two-bits grins "wow i aint ever heard of a girl-greaser stand up to the socs! they all just talk about it, but...YOU did something" "im not a greaser' i say firmly "so than your a soc" two-bits says i shake my head a no "well if your not a soc, and your not a greaser (but ya sure do look like a greaser) than what are you?"... good question. "im not from here" two-bits looks confused "where you from than, darlin" "california" "whatcha doin out here" "aint none of your buisness" "well then, darlin its fine if you refuse to tell us anything but your name" he pauses "but you must atlest let us repay you" kennedy riggles free form his rope and darts over barley missing a car "you and your dog both look pretty hungry, why dont you stay for a week or so, just untill your on your feet" i scoff "no way" two-bits does something with his eye brows "theres a might bad storm brewing i could feel it in my bones....you wouldnt want to put that darling dog in danger would you" i nodd "no i sure woodnt" "than come on" i dont reject. maybe i am hungry. maybe i am tired. and maybe my dog is too i think i should. i walk to there house, theres a few older looking guys. 3 to be exact. "darry....this my friend Marlene" the house is run down, gross and smells of boy. pony kid looks shy two bits slings an arm around me "befor you tell us to get this girl out the house, you might want to know what she is to us" darry evil eyes me he looks like the oldest biggest. hes got reddish brownish hair and light brown eyes. he doesnt scare me. "tell em, pony" two-bits directs. "i-i was walkin home....from the movies, when some socs pulled up besides me. they jumped out the car.. i was alone i gues i didnt think i -" darry cuts him off "ofcourse you didnt think, Ponyboy! you get all them good A`s and B`s and dont you ever think!" "hey! dont you yell at my kid brother, it was a mistake! he didnt think he would get jumped it aint his fault!" the other boy excalims. hes pretty built, got shiny golden hair and georgouse brown eyes, he looks about 16. "go on" two-bits nudges. "and then, they stared screamin at me sayin, "heyy greaser! need a hair cut?" they jumped out with a blade and pinned me, then....marlene came over, i guess she musta encounterd the socs earlier today, cuz they knew her..... the blonde one...came at her with a 6 inch blade, she lifted her leg all the way up in the air and kicked the blade away....blade came fallin down on the littlest ones foot. she pulled her out a peice, and the socs ran away....then two-bits came" darry looks astonished "you a greaser-girl?" darry says "thats the best part" two-bits grins "she aint even a greaser.....shes an outsider, first outsider ever to ever help a greaser....and get this, shes a GIRL outsider" two-bits clears his throat "so, as you know all be crashing at your guys house for a week while my moms out of town,and i thought it would be good to let Marlene stay over for a while, just untill she get on her feet see, shes a traveler from California" darry shrugs "alirght" i didnt even have time to object the where already pulling me up seat and scooping up some tomato soup into a bowl for me.