April 1, 1965
Evening

Soda tapped on the front door a few times before opening it, as if it wasn't his own house. We walked in to the living room. Beyond the living room, was an opening for the kitchen, and there was a little hallway off to the side. Inside, were three guys sitting in the couch, and one on a recliner chair in front of a television showing a black-and-white television show that I did not recognize.

"Bri, this is the gang," Soda said. All their heads snapped toward me and my eyes widened, probably in disbelief that there was a girl in the house. It was kinda dark in the room, even though a few dim yellow lights were on. Two guys were playing cards and one was just leaning back and drinking a beer. The guy in the recliner was asleep.

"Soda! Who's the broad?" A husky guy asked, one of the card players. He scratched one of his side-burns. I guessed he was Two-Bit.

"Guys, this is Brianna. Bri, this is The Gang. This is Two-Bit." He pointed to the familiar husky guy. "This is Steve—" he pointed to a guy wearing a similar blue overshirt. Work uniform. "And this is Dally." He pointed to the beer drinking teenager. It took me a second to match the names with the faces. From the book, I created their faces in my mind of what I thought they would look like. I was a little off, but they were all still very attractive.

"Hey, there," Dally winked at me. I politely smiled and was ready to move on. I remembered that he was the dirty asshole of the group.

"And the man in the chair is my big brother, Darry," Soda said and gestured to the recliner. Darry was asleep with the newspaper on his chest and his head was rolled to the side. Soda chuckled bashfully then said, "I guess he will meet you in the morning."

"Morning?" Two asked with his thick eyebrows raised. "She's staying the night?"

"Yeah, she don't have no place to go," Soda answered.

"Well, then welcome to the Curtis house, miss," Two said with a posh English accent and gave me an elaborate bow. He seems really friendly.

"Hi." I smiled kindly. They still seemed stunned that there was a girl there. Was this taboo? Or maybe I'm just not going to welcomed as easily as I was hoping.

"And there should be two more..." Soda clicked his tongue, looking around the room.

"Johnny and Pony went outside," Steve said and nodded his head in the direction of the back door.

"Why?" He asked.

"Smoke break I think." He shuffled some cards.

"Well, then I'll introduce you guys when they come back in," Soda said. He walked down the hallway and I was about to follow him but Two-Bit's voice made me stop.

"Brianna, can we call you Bri?" Two asked in a humorously sophisticated tone.

"That's fine," I said through my chuckle since Soda literally just introduced me as Bri.

"Bri, there is some beer and pizza in the fridge if ya want any," Two-Bit offered.

"Two-Bit, this ain't your house," Dally snickered. Dally gave off a laid-back and carefree vibe, just like I always pictured him to be. His hair reminded me of blonde David Bowie from the 1980's.

"I'm just tryin' to be friendly," Two defended.

Soda came back from the hallway and told me that he put my bag in his room where I can sleep for the night. I thanked him and followed Soda to the kitchen while I readjusted my jeans a bit, I should have purchased a belt.

"Do you guys have anything else besides beer?" I asked. I tried some once at a New Years Eve party with a few of my friends. One sip and I had to force myself to swallow. It was disgusting. I vowed to never drink again.

"We have water, and milk I think." Soda grabbed a pizza box from The Pizza Parlor. I had never heard of it before, but he asked, "do you like The Pizza Parlor?"

"Never heard of it," I said honestly.

"I guess that makes sense," he said. "You ain't from around here. It's neat, 'cause one of Pony's teachers from grade school runs the joint. Teacher by day, pizza-man by night. Ain't that something?"

"That's cool," I said. It reminded me of a pizza place in 2017 called Mazzio's Pizza that was originally opened by a school teacher named Ken Selby. I wondered if it's the same place.

He asked, "do you want a beer?"

"No, I don't drink," I said.

"You don't drink?" Dally called from the living room.

"Pipe down, Dal!" Soda yelled back just as loud. Then he looked at me again and lowered his voice to a normal, calm volume and asked, "water?"

"Sure."

"We usually got some sort of pop, but Darry ain't supposed to go to the store until the end of the week. They are gone pretty fast around here."

He poured me a glass of tap water and handed me a slice of cold cheese pizza. I gladly took it and munched. Warm pizza is better obviously, but cold pizza wasn't all that bad. Besides, there was no microwave to warm it back up, and I didn't want to use the oven in someone else's home. When I thought about Mazzio's, this pizza tasted nearly the same. I figured it was just because I was thinking about it.

We heard a back door slide open and closed. Through the hallway, two young guys came out. One looked a lot like Soda, so I was guessing that that was Ponyboy. The other was a skinny guy with darker skin and jet black hair. Johnny.

"This is my kid brother Ponyboy, and this is Johnny. Johnny and Ponyboy, this is Bri. She's staying with us tonight," Soda introduced.

"How are ya?" Johnny asked sweetly, but he seemed super shy. He had a fresh cut across his face that was just starting to scab.

Johnny was last, but he certainly wasn't least. He had a timid quality to him that Ponyboy explained perfectly in the book. My brain flashed to the imagery of him severely burned, and laying on a hospital bed with a broken back. I could almost hear him crying to not let his abusive mother in the room, and begging for another chance at life. When I blinked again, I could see him standing in front of me with a gentle smile, but nervous eyes.

"I'm fine, thanks." I smiled, I could smell the cigarette smoke off their breath and clothes. It took everything for me to not make a face at the strong stench.

I followed Soda back to the living room and everyone's body was positioned to the TV. I couldn't tell what they were watching. Steve and Two-Bit were bickering over their card game and Soda sat on the ground in front of the couch while Dally was on the other side.

"Brianna, sit," Soda said, patting the empty couch space above him.

I smiled civilly and sat where his hand was before he slipped it away. I sat up straight and felt slightly awkward about all of this. I didn't feel like I belonged there, obviously. However, my options were limited. It was either this or live in the car.

I felt Dally lean forward and he put his weight on his elbows that were balancing on his knees, propping himself up. He held the neck of his nearly empty beer bottle in one hand, swirling it around.

"What's a broad like you doin' here in a place like this?" He whispered and licked the inside of his cheek.

"Just new in town." I cleared my throat. This Dally guy always scared me. He was put in jail before he turned fifteen... right?

Wait, no. He was ten years old when he first got caught up with the police.

Even worse.

I wish I brought the book with me to 1965, but I didn't even know that Lillian's Time Machine was going to work in the first place. I would have prepared myself more for living in 1965, instead of preparing for almost-certain death.

"Just new in town, eh? Sayin' somethin' like that can get you into trouble. Do you like gettin' into trouble?" He asked in a low voice. He rubbed the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and my eyes were drawn to the skull ring he had on his middle finger.

"You aren't going to find out," I said, trying to ignore him and his antics. My nose twitched into a scrunch out of annoyance.

"I have my ways," he whispered. Dally had unfriendly pale blue eyes that seemed to look right through me.

I scooted closer to Steve to nonchalantly get him to stop talking to me. Dally finished his beer and left the living room. He took out a cigarette before going outside to smoke it.

"What is Dally's problem?" I directed my question to Steve.

"He spent most of his teenage years in jail. It really hardened him to his core. He is a tough nut to crack," Steve whispered back. "Anyways, don't pay him no mind. Just don't try to mess with him, you dig?"

I took another bite of my pizza and ripped it off with my teeth. I glanced down at Soda and saw how mesmerized he was by the black and white television screen. He wasn't afraid to laugh at the jokes, and he would look up at me to see if I was laughing too.

"If you don't like it, we can change it," Soda offered in a sweet voice.

"No, it's okay. I like it," I reassured.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's funny," I told him with a smile. Whatever show we were watching ended and a clip from the Three Stooges started playing, which everyone was invested in. Including myself.

Dally came back surrounded by a cloud smelling of cigarettes. My family are very clean people, so the smell of the cigarette smoke was an unpleasant surprise. His stench filled the room like it was on fire, the smoke felt like it was imbedded in the cushions of the couch.

"Do you have school tomorrow?" Ponyboy asked me.

"Um.... not sure. I might as well." I have nothing else to do.

"I can help you enroll at Will Rogers High School. That is where we all go," Ponyboy said.

Well, everyone besides the dropouts and Darry. I knew that was what he meant.

"Thanks, Pony." I didn't think I had the right to call him 'Pony' yet but he didn't seem to mind. "I'll probably play a little hooky from class since I'm not technically enrolled yet." I tried to act tough, or tuff. I couldn't remember which version of the word meant what.

"I do that all the time." Two-Bit pounded his fist into the air.

"That's probably why you are eighteen and still a Junior," Pony chuckled.

"Whatever, kid," Two snickered and finished his beer. Isn't Two-Bit the 'beer drinker' of the gang? And the 'cake eater'?

Glancing around at all of these guys, I began to wonder who they are now. I mean, in my time. Do they have families? Children? Grandchildren? Do they have jobs that they are passionate about? Are they happy? Have I seen them around town and I just had no idea who they were?

"I think I'm going to head to bed." I fluffed my hair over my shoulder as I stood up from the couch. 

"Gotta get your beauty sleep, huh? Yeah, you're gonna need it," Two-Bit joked. 

When I walked past him I playfully slapped the side of his head. I knew he was joking, which gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside like I might be able to really get along with these guys. Maybe they're already accepting me. I don't think I'd ever be a true part of their gang, but I was hopeful that at least I might make a lasting impression on them if I'm here long enough.

"Very funny." I laughed humorlessly at his joke. "Good night."

Everyone wished me a good-night back.

"Night," Dally said.

"Night, Bri," Soda said.

"Wait, where should I sleep?" I asked after I turned around.

"Normally we would have you take the couch, but it's still early. You can stay in my room if you'd like. That's where I put your bag," Soda said, reminding me that he already offered up his room.

"Oh, you don't have to."

"Then where would you sleep?" He asked.

I thought for a moment, but ultimately answered softly, "I'd find a place."

"Like your car?" Two asked.

"That's a good idea," I said a little too enthusiastically.

"No, don't do that." Soda shook his head. "It's okay, sleeping on the couch will humble me some."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"He don't even sleep in his own room," Steve pointed out.

"You don't?" I asked.

Soda sighed then admitted, "I usually sleep in Pony's room. He gets nightmares."

"No, I don't. Geez," Pony groaned.

"Did we embarrass you, kiddo?" Dally teased.

"Shut up, Dal," Pony mumbled.

"Make me," Dally threatened sternly, his cold blue eyes staring daggers into Pony. So much it made him turn away.

"Take my room," Soda said, bringing the conversation back to the initial question. "It's on the right. I'll clean it tomorrow, I promise."

"Thanks, Soda." I smiled sleepily and yawned. "Night again."

I heard a mumble from everyone as a response.

I found the room that looked most like what I imagined Soda's room to look like. Pictures of cars, his family, and the gang all over the place. He had a freshly made bed with a thin grey comforter, a clean desk and a dresser on the other side of the room. What really took the cake was that all his shirts and jeans thrown around the floor, like he was playing hot lava with them. My bag was set on the top of his bed, still closed.

I really didn't want to sleep in my new clothes for a number of reasons. I hadn't washed them yet, and when I have to wear them tomorrow I don't want them to smell or be wrinkly. I unbuttoned my pants and wiggled them down my legs, and crossed my arms before grabbing a hold of my sweater and lifting it above my head. I straightened them out and draped them over the chair that was pushed into his desk to keep them clean.

In the dark I tossed my bra onto my little pile of clothes and stood for a moment, thinking about what I was doing. I could put on my old clothes, but I really didn't want to do that. If I stayed naked, I'd be up all night hoping that no one would walk-in with the unlocked door or how maybe a fire would break out and I'd have to run outside without a shirt or anything on.

Instead, I walked to Soda's dresser with hopes of finding a shirt I could borrow for the night. All of his drawers were empty, so I walked to the closet and scavenged through what was hanging up. He really didn't have any clothes in there, but tucked in the back I found a soft gray t-shirt. I slipped it off the hanger and put it on, mentally noting that I needed to buy pajamas and wash this as soon as possible so he doesn't know that I stole his clothes and think it is weird.

The bed shook as I crawled onto the mattress and I threw my head down to the pillow. I listened to the springs bouncing under me. His entire room smelled like cologne and what reminded me of Old Spice. It smelled really good and comforting. I lifted my arms up to circle around my head, letting my dark hair fall around me. I was so tired and exhausted from the unhinged and crazy day I had. The gentle smell helped lull me to sleep.