Sunshine on My Mind

by Sunshine_sunsy

Summary:

Hey guys! This story is based on an AU by RunningOnSunshine with stories called Sodapop’s Baby & (the sequel) Our Little Ray of Sunshine. All credit for the original idea and lore goes to them, so make sure you check out the original story! I take zero credit for Raymond and Diana, they are RunningOnSunshine’s OCs. This is merely an AU of their AU, so again, please check out their original story!

This story is going to read almost like a TV show, with ‘seasons’ and ‘episodes’ that might feel like one-shots but are all easily connected. I hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading!

Notes:

• Inspired by Sodapop's Baby by RunningOnSunshine

Chapter 1: Announcing: Sunshine on my Mind!

Well, this is it! My first real fic... I'm so excited to be sharing this story with all of you! Because I'm still in the planning phase and am not ready to release anything yet, I'm going to start off by giving you all a quick summary of my idea.

First off though, I need to give credit where credit is due. As I said in the summary, this is an AU of an AU created by AO3 user RunningonSunshine! You should definitely go read their works, partially because the story will not make as much sense unless you read that as well. Plus, it'll be a great thing to read while you're waiting on my slow ahh 😭😭😭 Thank you RunningonSunshine!

Alright, the moment you've all been waiting for, the (short) summary! (I don't wanna spoil anything 🤓👌)

Essentially, this is a continuation of RunningonSunshine's work, and takes place when Raymond is in second grade. There will be some new characters, and we will meet someone who might be closer to Ray than anyone realizes 🫢

There will be drama, betrayal, childhood trauma, and also found family fluff! I hope you all stick around, because hopefully it's going to turn out great 🥳

I hope you all come back to read the first chapter! Have a great day!

Chapter 2: Prelude 1: She's Leaving

Summary:

Elliot struggles with his sister leaving.

“What do you mean, she's leaving?” Elliot sobbed, grabbing his mother's arm.

“She's going to live with Grandma in Florida,” said Mrs. Atkins, shaking him off. “And I don't want you to be crying about it, either.”

Elliot cried anyway. “I don't want her to go,” he said, running to his sister's room. He banged on the door until his sister opened it up to him.

“What's going on, Ellie?” Her pretty blue eyes were bright with tears and her cheeks were swollen and red.

“Mom said you're leaving,” Elliot choked out, looking up at his big sister who he loved. The big sister who helped him with his homework, who gave him candy, who took him to the park or to the diner. The big sister who gave him hugs and talked to him. Who he could share everything with. Who he trusted more than anyone.

Her face twisted. “Oh, Ellie,” she said quietly, kneeling and wrapping him in a hug. “I don't want to go either.” Elliot felt tears dripping down his neck as he squeezed his sister back.

“Why,” he sobbed. “Why do you have to go?” His sister swallowed hard.

“It's my fault, Ellie.”

“But why do you have to go?”

“I did something… bad.”

“So bad that you have to leave?”

“Yes.”

Elliot frowned. “Are Mom and Dad mad at you?”

His sister laughed sadly. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“But,” Elliot frantically rubbed his eyes with his hands. “I thought parents were supposed to love you no matter what. Even when they're mad. That's what my Sunday School teacher said. She said parents are supposed to be like God. That they're supposed to act like Him. And He’s forgiving.”

“Well,” his sister said, “I guess not all parents are like God.” Another tear rolled down her face.
***
“Your sister’s leaving?”

“Shush,” Elliot said, putting his hand over his best friend Wilson’s loud mouth. “Yeah, but she won't tell me why.”

“That's weird. Your sister is the best.”

Elliot frowned. “I know.” His lip trembled, and he tried not to cry. He failed. “I'm sorry,” he bawled. “This isn't tuff of me at all.”

Wilson smirked. “If that's not tuff, then this definitely isn't.” He hugged Elliot, who cried even more.

“Thank you,” he said, though it was muffled through Wilson's jacket.

“No problem. I'm always here for ya.”

“Can… Can I come over to your house tomorrow? She's leaving tomorrow morning and… I just don't wanna be at home.”

“Sure thing. I'll let my parents know. Am I allowed to tell them?”

Elliot sniffed. “Yeah, I guess so. They’d find out eventually anyway.” They sat in silence for a while. Wilson and Elliot had been best friends for years, and their silence wasn’t stifling, it was comforting.

“Hey! What are you nerds doing?” A voice shook them out of their peace. They looked up to see Jamie standing over them. Jamie Sheldon was a Soc, and he wasn't afraid to constantly lord that fact over the two Greasers. Despite the fact that they were only in fourth grade, the divide between the groups already ran deep.

Wilson frowned. “We’re minding our own business. What are you doing?”

Jamie laughed. “You look like sissies, hugging like that. What are you, girls?”

Both Elliot and Wilson groaned. “You're joking, right?” Both boys had sisters, Elliot’s obviously older than him, and Wilson had two younger ones. They both knew that that was a stupid thing to say.

Wilson laughed. “You'd better be glad that my sister isn't here, or she'd beat your butt into the pavement.”

Elliot joined him with a choked laugh through his sore, cried-out throat as Jamie smirked. “Yeah right. What would your puny sister do to me? I'm a whole year older than her.” Elliot and Wilson just looked at each other with a knowing smile. The first, last, and therefore only time Elliot had dared to truly insult Jenna, he had learned his lesson the hard way and had ended up with a black eye for a week. He had run away from Wilson's house and told his sister about it when he came home crying, and all she could do was smirk a little.

“You called her dumb and weak, right?”

Elliot nodded. “One of my friends dared me to.”

His sister laughed. “Well, you learned twice the lesson, didn't you? Don't randomly call girls weak, and don't listen to stupid dares.”

Elliot had gone back to school the next day and met an abashed Jenna, who handed him a little box of homemade cookies and apologized.

“Sorry, Elliot. My mom said that she was glad that I was being confident, but that it wasn't right to use my fists for something as small as that.”

Elliot grinned. “I learned my lesson too. I'm sorry for calling you weak and dumb.” They were friends after that.

Back on the playground, Jamie scoffed. “Please. I could take that kid any day.”

Wilson raised his eyebrow. “You mean you could beat my kid sister in a fight any day?” Wilson teased.

Jamie had enough decency to look ashamed at that. “Well, I meant, I mean,” he stammered. “Agh! You know what I mean!” He stomped away moodily as Wilson and Elliot laughed quietly.

“Picking on that guy will never get old,” Wilson said, grinning.

Elliot snorted. “It’s only funny ‘cuz he always starts it, but never finishes.” They sighed in unison. Realizing, they looked at each other and laughed again.

“We’ll always be friends, right?” Elliot asked suddenly.

Wilson looked surprised. “Yeah, of course.” He punched Elliot gently in the shoulder. “You’re never getting rid of me, man.”

Elliot laughed. “Thank you, Wilson.”
***
The next morning, Elliot woke up at 4 am. “It’s so early,” he muttered, looking at the clock as he rubbed his sore eyes. He tried to fall back asleep, but after thirty minutes of laying in his bed, he sat back up. His mattress was hurting his back for no reason, and his blankets and pillow felt too warm.

He let his eyes scan the room. It was still dark out, but the sky was getting the kind of dusky blue it gets when the sun is planning on coming up soon. The room was cast in shadows and no color was truly distinguishable yet. Elliot groaned. There’s no point in just laying here. I’m clearly not going back to sleep. He stood up slowly, the cold wood floor contrasting with the immense heat his feet had been feeling from within the blankets. He opened his bedroom door as quietly as he could and walked over to the bathroom. He froze. The light was on.

He suddenly felt queasy. All the weight and fear and confusion he had been feeling started piling up on him, and he couldn’t move. He and his sister shared that bathroom. The feelings were too much, and he turned and quietly moved back to his room, closing the door. Elliot put his hand over his chest, his heart feeling like it was going to beat out of his chest. What’s happening to me? He thought, panicked and confused. He slid down the wall until he was crumpled into a ball on the floor, head on his knees.

He sat there, just breathing, until his head cleared. Elliot looked up, feeling weirder than he’d ever felt. “She’s… really leaving,” he said quietly, and with a burst of clarity, he realized why he was feeling this way.

He stood up, forcing his feet forward as he pushed his door open and walked back to the bathroom. He knocked quietly and planted his feet, afraid they would revolt and take him back to his room before she opened the door.

Time felt like it was stretching, and he couldn’t breathe. It was so long, but not long enough. Never long enough. But just when he felt like he couldn’t take it anymore, she was there, and Elliot felt himself fold into her arms.

“I’m sorry,” he cried, his heart pounding again, what felt like twice as hard.

His sister looked surprised. “Ellie, why are you up this early?”

“I don’t know,” he choked. “I just woke up. My bed wasn’t comfortable anymore.”

His sister patted his head. “Ok, that makes sense. Now, what are you sorry for?”

Elliot couldn’t say the words. He just couldn’t. But he had to, or he’d hate himself forever. “It’s my fault that you’re leaving.”

To his surprise, his sister actually started laughing. He looked up, tears momentarily stopped due to this new shock. “Why are you laughing?” He asked, immensely confused.

She grinned at him, and even though she was laughing, she was crying a little now too. “If this was your fault, I’d almost be a little impressed.” She even giggled a little. “No, this is definitely, 100%, not your fault.”

He shook his head. “It is my fault.”

She tilted her head at him and held his hand. “How so?” She asked, serious now. Elliot couldn’t look her in the eye. He looked anywhere but her face.

She squeezed his hand, and all the words inside him came pouring out. “It is my fault,” he sobbed, “because I wished you would go away.”

“When was that?” She asked calmly.

“When you… when you… won that art award last month,” Elliot said between tears. “I got an A on my math test, remember?”

His sister raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I remember. Your first one all year, right?”
***
“Mom! Guess what!” Elliot ran into the house, waving a paper in the air.

“Elliot, hush,” his mom whispered, putting her finger over her mouth. “I’m on the phone.” Elliot closed his mouth and smiled at her, giving a thumbs up. She winked, then turned her attention back to the phone. Elliot went to his room instead, putting his backpack away and taking off his shoes. But the excitement was bubbling up inside him, and he couldn’t just stand there. He got up onto his bed and started bouncing.

I can’t wait to tell everyone! He thought, jumping around, trying not to hit his head on the ceiling. Mom and Dad are gonna be so excited! Maybe… maybe we’ll even go get ice cream, or go to the movies, or… who knows! He did one last bounce and jumped down to the floor, opening his door with a bang and running to the kitchen, where his mom was just saying goodbye to whoever she had been talking to.

“Mom!” he yelled as she put the phone down. “Guess what!”

“What?” She asked, turning to face him.

He brandished his paper proudly. “Look!”

She took the paper and smoothed it out. Her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, Elliot, that’s amazing! Good job, honey!” She bent down and hugged him. “That’s so awesome! I bet you can’t wait to tell your sister and dad, huh?”

He nodded. “Yeah! I’m so excited! When will Dad be home?”

His mom smiled. “Actually, we need to go meet him at the high school.”

Elliot frowned. “Why’s that?”

“Because today is your sister’s art showcase and we’re going to see it. I was just on the phone with your dad. We’re going to meet the two of them over there, so go get something nice on.”

“Ok Mom!” Elliot ran to his room and threw on church clothes. “This is probably fine,” he said, and carefully folded his paper and put it in his pocket. “Let’s go!”
-
The art show was fun. It was an hour of looking at the pieces, then the ceremony to announce the winners and Elliot had been waiting very patiently to tell his dad about his accomplishment. “After the ceremony,” his mom had whispered.

“And the first place winner is…” Elliot had been zoning out, but he jumped up when he heard his sister’s name as the first place winner. “Wow!” He clapped, turning to his mom. “She did that good, huh?” She smiled. “Yeah, she’s been getting really good lately.”

Elliot grinned as his sister took the prize and smiled for the photo. He was proud of her, but getting antsy. When she came down from the stage, their parents hugged her tightly. “Good job, dear!” Mom said.

“We’re so proud of you, honey,” said their dad.

“I am too!” Elliot exclaimed. “But guess what!”

“What?” She asked, eyes sparkling.

“I got an A on- wait.” He dug around in his pocket until he found his paper. “Look! I got an A on my math test!”

His sister beamed. “Wow, great job, Ellie! I guess we’re all winners today.” Elliot smiled. He looked towards his father.

“Good job, son,” his dad said, placing a hand on his son’s shoulder.

Elliot beamed. “Thanks, Dad!”

Their dad turned. “You’re welcome. Now, should we go out for ice cream to celebrate your sister’s success?”

Elliot faltered. “Yeah?” He said, a little confused about his dad brushing off his achievement, but not really wanting to start a fight.

Mr. Atkins adjusted his suit jacket with a wince. “Alright then, let’s go.”
-
They went for ice cream. As they stood in line to order, Elliot suddenly registered his dad talking to someone in the line. He looked up to see one of his dad’s co-workers.

“Yes, we’re here to celebrate!” His dad was saying. Elliot perked up. Is he going to mention me?

“My daughter just won this huge art contest!” Yes, and?

“And…” Elliot leaned forward, just a little.

“I couldn’t be prouder!”

Elliot deflated, disappointed, but not surprised. It went on like that for the rest of the night, their father praising his sister to everyone they talked to. The ice cream left a bad taste in Elliot’s mouth.

By the time they got home, Elliot was feeling tired. He laid down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

“I know it’s only right,” he said quietly. “She did something so much better than me. I only got a good grade, she won something. But it still hurts.” He rolled over. “I wish that she wasn’t there. Just once! So…” He sighed. “So Dad would brag on me instead.” Immediately, he felt guilty. His mom had congratulated him! His sister had included him in the reason for the celebration! She didn’t deserve that. He went to sleep, still feeling embarrassed about that line of thinking.
***
Elliot frowned. “Well, I got… jealous. I got mad because Dad didn’t care. I mean, he did, but he just talked about you and I… I was upset. It wasn’t fair to you. And… I wished you’d go away. Just once. I felt awful, but it wasn’t enough… and now you’re leaving.” A tear rolled down his cheek as he coughed a little, rubbing his face and trying to keep his eyes dry.

His sister sighed, pulling him into a hug. “Elliot, you are a very sweet boy.”

Elliot blinked, confused. “You’re not mad?”

She laughed. “Not at all. I know you didn’t mean it. Even if you did, wishes just don’t come true like that. I want you to remember that. It’s not your fault. It never was.”

Elliot breathed in deep, guilt rolling off of him in waves as he forced himself to let it go. “I’m sorry,” he said one last time.

“I am too, but you shouldn’t be.”

They hugged for a while longer until she finally pulled away. “I have to finish getting ready and so do you.”

Elliot nodded, eyes still puffy. “Ok sis. Love you.”

She smiled. “Me too.” Suddenly she pulled him in for one more quick hug before letting him go and standing up quickly. “I love you so much.”

Notes:

Yayyyyyy first chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it! It took me kind of a long time bcuz I kept procrastinating lol but hopefully I’ll be able to get chapters (here on out referred to as episodes because I’m a Webtoon junkie) out faster now that the first season’s planning is done! It’s called ‘Season 1: The First Semester’ and it’s going to be 34 episodes long (unless I change stuff in the future haha). ‘Season 2: The Second Semester’ will be about the same but I’m a lot further behind on the planning process for that sooo I’ll keep y'all updated. Also I promise Ray is gonna be showing up shortly 😉 See you real soon (🤞😅)!!!

Chapter 3: Too Cool for School

Summary:

Elliot thinks about how some school activities are pointless and has a run-in with a Soc named Jamie Sheldon.

Elliot Andrew Atkins was sick and tired of high school. He sighed, rolling his pencil back and forth as his boring teacher went on and on about calculus. What’s the point of pre-calc, he thought, when all I want to be is a doctor? He almost laughed at the absurdity of his impulsive thought. Of course you needed to know calculus to get into any medical school worth getting into. Still, he struggled to focus as Mr. Miller droned.

Really, he thought, the problem with school isn’t the work. Rather, it’s the pointless stuff they make us do just to fill time. We’re always playing random games or messing around with other schools. Why don’t we just focus on actual classes? Maybe then we’d finish school even faster.

He sighed. He didn't really enjoy school much anymore. He didn't see the point of field days or class trips. All it does is extend the already unbearably long school day.

“Elliot,” a voice said. Elliot looked up, turning around, trying to find out who was talking to him. He was surprised to find his friends standing around him.

“What’s up, guys? Is class over?” He asked, startled to find them all standing so close to him. At his desk, Mr. Miller was packing up, and the other students were chatting or shoving worksheets in their overstuffed bags.

“Are you good?” Wilson asked, poking Elliot’s head. “That was a major trip to la-la-land you just experienced, you didn’t even realise class ended.” Everyone laughed, including Elliot.

“Don’t worry guys, I’m fine. Just thinking,” he said, smacking Wilson’s hovering hand and grinning at the guys.

One of his other friends, Joey Rossi, laughed as he leaned on Elliot’s desk. “That’s your favourite activity, thinking.”

“Ha, ha,” Elliot said, grabbing his books and standing up. “Y’all are very funny. And for your information,” he continued, walking out of the classroom with the other boys following, “I do like thinking. It’s fun and it’s useful.”

“Wow, Elliot likes fun stuff?” Chuck Carter, the other boy in the group, wisecracked. “We had noooo idea.”

Elliot rolled his eyes, shoving gently past kids in the crowded halls. “Come on guys, it’s not like I hate fun or anything.”

Chuck dodged around three girls looking at photos in the middle of the hallway and giggling so he could run up behind Elliot and flick his forehead. “Bro, get real, do you remember that one time that we went to the drive-in together, and you complained about the movie being too long because apparently you had to,” Chuck got in front of the others, walking backwards as he made air quotes with his hands, “‘go do some important homework’ or something. If that’s not fun-hating, I don’t know what is.”

Elliot groaned and pulled Wilson out of the path of a teacher who was practically sprinting down the hallway. “That was literally the night before the Midterms last year. It was important.”

Joey took this as his opportunity to join in. “Yeah, and you know that one time you ditched us at the mall to go with your mom to some lame event?”

“We had to go to the awards dinner for the Oklahoma State University Honor Scholarship!”

Joey shook his head sadly. “Like I said, fun-hater.” He stepped over a notebook on the ground, then did a double take. “Wait, hang on, I think this is mine.” He bent to pick up the notebook, effectively stopping the moving traffic on the hallway. As he stood up, Elliot and Wilson grabbed his arms, pulling him along so he wouldn’t get run over. Just as they were turning around a corner to head into a quieter area, Chuck, who was still walking backwards, hit into someone. Hard.

“Woah, sorry man,” he said, rubbing his head as he turned around to face his accidental target. His eyes widened as he saw the victim. Jamie Sheldon stood, surprised by the sudden bump, surrounded by the usual posse of guys; the popular kids, numbskulls, and nerds who usually hung around with the Socs.

“You Greasers really think you can just bump into him like that and get away with it?” They all turned to face the ringleader of the group, Ronny DeLuca, a know-it-all mommy’s boy who ran the party, at least for the high school Soc boys. Wilson rolled his eyes and stepped forward.

“Ronny, calm down. He apologized, he’s sorry. Yeah, he shouldn’t have been walking backwards,” with this he fixed a look at Chuck, who looked embarrassed, “but it’s really not that deep.” He turned to Jamie. “Jamie, are you ok, man?”

Before he could respond, though, Ronny had stepped out in front of him, crossing his arms threateningly. “Don’t answer that, Sheldon. I’ve been looking for an excuse to beat on some dirty Greasers lately, and the mouth on this one’s calling my fist’s name.”

He stepped forward, raising his hand, but just then, the warning bell for class rang. Ronny looked up at the bell with a scowl. “Guess we’ll have to reschedule.” He glared at the four boys, who were looking at him with varying degrees of incredulity and fear. “I’ll meet you boys after school.” And with that, he walked off leaving his gang to trail awkwardly after him.

Elliot sighed. “Those idiots. I wasn’t planning on having to use my switchblade today.” He felt in his pocket for the blade, fingering it gently.

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” Joey said nervously.

Wilson groaned. “The dumb part is, I just know Jamie didn’t give a crap that we bumped into him. He was just reasonably surprised. And that idiot had to go turn it into a thing.” He gave Elliot a look, and he responded in kind. Chuck and Joey had gone to a different elementary and middle school than the others, so they really didn’t know much about Jamie, but Elliot and Wilson had grown up with him, and they knew he was mostly harmless. He had a big mouth, was a bit of a meanie, and didn’t always think, but he wasn’t a real jerk. Not like Ronny. Ronny had grown up as Soc as a Soc could be, and he was really a bully.

“Well, we’ll just have to keep our guard up, I guess,” Chuck said, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry guys, this one’s on me.”

“Get real, it’s on Ronny the brawny,” Wilson smirked. “He’s the one who can’t even breathe without finding a problem with it.”

Chuck grinned. “Thanks. But still, I’ll not do that again.”

Joey shoved him. “You better not. I was scared!”

“You’re always scared!”

***

The last bell rang and the boys met up outside of Joey’s locker. This was the way it went. Elliot had Anatomy and Physiology class last period, Wilson and Chuck had Physics, and Joey had AP Lang. Joey’s locker was right near the door, so they all picked stuff up from their own lockers and then met there after class. Today was no different. After they all got there, they silently turned and walked towards the door.

Finally, Elliot broke the silence. “Any run-ins with the Socs during that last class?”

Everyone shook their heads except for Joey, and they all looked at him. “As you know,” he said, “I actually have the honor of Ronny and his favourite buffoon being in Lang, but all I got were glares and the occasional fingers-at-eyes-then-at-me.” He demonstrated.

They all exhaled. “That’s good,” Elliot said. “I was a little worried that they would try something when you were alone in there, but I guess with all the teachers they weren’t about to ruin their ‘shining reputations’.” The only Socs the group feared were Ronny and his choice friends. Really, the tensions weren’t as bad as they were in the 60’s for the most part, and most people knew when to leave well enough alone. But there were always the few outliers who seemed to think that it was their personal mission to make sure the legacy of the Socs and the Greasers lived on.

The group walked home together from school almost every day, and there was a strategy involved. Step one was picking up the siblings. While their lower school siblings got out earlier and were picked up by parents, the gang did have several other siblings in other grades or classes in the high school. There was Joey’s twin brother Eddie, who had different interests and therefore different friends, and didn’t often hang out with his brother’s group, Wilson’s sister Jenna in the year below, and Chuck’s big brother in the grade above. They all met outside by this big oak tree that had been there since forever. From there, they walked back. Chuck’s house was closest, followed by Joey, and that just left Elliot and Wilson, who lived the farthest away from school but just two streets apart. In the mornings, this procedure happened backwards.

This had started because of Chuck’s older brother James’ experience during his first year of high school. He had gotten jumped on the way back from school once. While he was big and strong and had easily gotten away and healed quickly from the extremely minor wounds he had received, his mother never got over it. All of his freshman year, she made him call from the office once he made it to school in the mornings and before he left afterwards. James was a cool guy, super quiet and reasonable, but this arrangement peeved him for obvious reasons, so as soon as his brother joined him at the high school, the two of them worked together to convince their mom that they would be safe walking together. Once Elliot and Wilson, who already walked together, became friends with them, they joined the walking party, and Joey came not long after. All this just made Mrs. Carter even more satisfied for the safety of her sons, and none of the other moms were complaining about the extra people keeping each other in check.

The four boys reached the oak tree, and so far the only one there was Jenna, who grinned and waved. “Hey guys, how was school today?” They gave each other a look that Jenna spotted immediately. “Oh come on, what happened? Did someone die?”

Wilson shook his head. “Of course not. And don’t joke about that!”

“Especially cuz we might actually die now,” Joey said unhelpfully.

Jenna’s head whipped around. “What? Die? Why?”

“Yeah, why?” A voice echoed behind them, and they turned to see James and Eddie walking up. Eddie was the one who had spoken, and his eyebrows were arched in an impressive fashion.

“Good, we’re all here,” Elliot said.

Jenna groaned. “Why are you being so cryptic? What happened?"

“Chuck bumped into Jamie Sheldon in the hallway and Ronny saw,” Joey said. “He’s threatened to beat us up for this great offense after school.”

Jenna laughed. “Wait, Jamie? You mean that kid who thought he was real tuff in middle school? I haven’t seen him in forever, how’s he doing? Wait, he actually threatened to beat you up? Why are you so scared? Even I can take that guy.”

Elliot shook his head. “He didn’t do anything. Joey meant that it was Ronny who cares for some reason and wants to beat us up. Jamie just stood there like a glorified goldfish. I feel kinda bad for him, I’m not even gonna lie.”

“Oh, yeah, I see how that might be a problem,” Jenna said. “I’ve never met the guy, but I’ve heard stories. Ronny’s pretty heavy, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Wilson said. “I’m pretty sure he just wants to beat some faces in.”

Eddie groaned. “You guys are seriously the craziest. How have you even made it this far with your kinda luck?”

“That is a great question,” Chuck said, “but hopefully we’ll beat him home. Everyone has their blades just in case, though?”

They all nodded in unison. “Then we’d better get going,” Wilson said. “It’s just gonna get later the longer we wait.”

***

They were nearing the tracks that sliced the town in two when it happened. Out of nowhere, the meanest of the group of Socs that had threatened them at school were suddenly running at the Greasers, and they were pulling out their blades and facing their assailants.

“What do you want?” Elliot said, even though everyone knew exactly what was going on.

“I want your face smashed into the ground,” Ronny said diplomatically, clenching and unclenching his fists threateningly. His face split into a maniacal grin. “And I always get what I want. You’d better put those blades down if you know what’s good for you.”

Elliot lowered his knife, but stood his ground. “I won’t stand for you randomly beating us up. You don’t even have a reason. If you called a rumble, that would be a different story. But this is just you jumping us on the streets. This will only end badly for everyone.”

Ronny started laughing, and his cronies joined in. “Please, you think you’re a diplomat or something? Since when do I need a reason to beat up a Greaser?” Without warning, he sprinted at the group, and the rest of the Socs followed suit.

Despite it being literally only 20 minutes since school had been released, Elliot could smell alcohol on Ronny’s breath as he swung and kicked aggressively. What did they do, have a pre-jumping-some-random-Greasers drinking party straight out of school? He thought with a grimace as he ducked a blow. Mostly, Elliot was just trying to dodge the older boy’s flailing limbs. Even though he had a knife, he didn't want to draw blood. That would be foolish on lots of levels. Ronny took one swing up that completely missed, and Elliot saw his chance and kicked a well placed kick to his chest, effectively throwing Ronny back temporarily. Elliot seized this opportunity to look around and see how everyone else was doing.

Truthfully, the Socs hadn’t planned this attack at all. If they had, they would have known that there would be more than just the four boys they had threatened in the hallway. Because of this lapse in judgement, they really didn’t have enough people with them to take down the whole group of Greasers. It was hopeless from the start. Joey and Eddie, who had already knocked out the one guy who had come for them, were just standing there. James was still fighting someone, and so was Chuck, but they didn’t really look like they were struggling. The guy fighting Wilson was on the ground, and Wilson kicked him softly to see if he was really unconscious. The Socs had also counted on Jamie fighting hard for some reason, but it was obvious to Elliot that in reality he was just talking to Jenna. Jenna, for her part, was sort of fighting Jamie, but it was quite one-sided and not very deep, and Elliot wasn’t worried at all.

In front of him, Ronny was struggling to stand. Elliot moved quickly and stepped down hard on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. “Listen Ronny, this is stupid. There’s more of us than you. We’re going to leave now, so leave us alone, ok?” WIth that, he simply turned around and left.

Eddie and Joey pulled the two guys off of Chuck and James, Wilson stepped over his unconscious opponent, Jenna gave Jamie one last half-hearted punch, and they all walked away.

“Well, that was exciting,” Wilson said. “I got one good punch in on the fellow I was fighting and he passed out cold. It was possibly the saddest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Elliot sighed, furrowing his brow. “Let’s just hope that was the end of it.”

Notes:

Hey guysss I'm backkkk the slowest writer u know
Uh ok so
This was ROUGH I won't even lie, I was hardcore struggling with this one 😭
Anyway, I hope you liked it and also I promise Ray is coming (in like 2 or 3 chapters tmb)

Chapter 4: Prelude II: Through the Doors

Summary:

Elliot hears some confusing conversations through the door.

“What do you mean? Do you need money?” Elliot’s mother’s voice rang out sharply through the house. Elliot froze in the doorway, one shoe halfway off and his backpack hanging awkwardly off his shoulders. Things at home had been… bad, ever since his sister had left. The feeling of being with his parents, in their house, but without his sister made his stomach churn, and everything just felt yucky. The tension was eating away at his bones.

Elliot debated about just going in, he really did. He was going to walk in, casually announce his presence, and his mother would start whispering as she always did when he came home. But something held him there, and he couldn’t move as his mother’s voice rang out from the kitchen.

“Well of course, why else would you want us there?” She said bitterly. Whoever was on the other side was talking now, and Elliot could feel from the other side of the house that his mother’s anger was inflating. Even through the walls, he could hear her pacing. The floorboards in the kitchen were worn and creaky from his mother’s pacing. She paced when she was excited, sad, stressed, and she especially paced when she was mad. Elliot’s dad used to say, ‘when the floorboards start screaming, that means your mother wants to’.

This is bad, he thought. I need to get out now. If she catches me listening, I’m finished. He poked his head around the entryway doorway, and saw that his mom was facing the opposite way. “If I can get through here, I’m home free,” he whispered to himself.

“No, we’re not going down there,” Mrs. Atkins snapped. “That’d be a waste of our time, and you even asking is a waste of yours.” Elliot’s head snapped up. Go where? He wondered. Are we going somewhere?

“Not to mention,” she continued, “that we don’t want to see you. And we especially don’t want to see him." Elliot shook his head. Him? He racked his mind to think of anyone his family had had a falling out with. There was Uncle Benjamin, the uncle who wasn’t really an uncle and was really more of a second cousin once removed? They didn’t really get along with him. It didn’t really fit, but all of a sudden, his situation rushed back into his head, and he realised that now was not the time to figure this puzzle out. I’ll have lots of time for thinking once I get to my room, he thought as he quickly and quietly put his shoes away and secured his backpack.

After one more quick peek around the corner, Elliot realised that his mom was standing still, still facing the opposite direction. Seizing this opportunity, he tiptoed through the room and speedwalked down the hall, only stopping to breathe once he was safely in his room. That was close, he thought as he gently closed the door. It was only once he sat down on his bed that he had the space to remember his mom’s weird conversation. “I wonder what that was about,” he whispered.

***

Elliot woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. He’d had the dream again. His sister’s absence in the daytime caused her to haunt his nighttimes regularly. Sometimes, they were nice dreams. Mostly, they were not. His sister-related nightmares ranged from gruesome death to random illnesses, but the most common (and the worst) dream was of abandonment, plain and simple. In his dream, she would refuse to pick up the phone until he drove out to see her, and even then, he would have to chase her in his car until he woke up shivering, always unable to catch her. The dream would end with him remembering that he couldn’t drive, and the car would swerve out of control and go spinning out and he’d be falling down, down, down.

Elliot swung his feet off of the bed and let them rest on his cold floor as he calmed down. I know she hasn’t called me, but that doesn’t mean that she hates me, he assured himself, not for the first time. She’s not gone, she’s just… away. He shook his head and wiped at his eyes as they started to tear up. “Well, you’ve been away for too long,” he said, voice shaking with fear. And rage.

He couldn’t breathe. Elliot stood up and paced back and forth, heart pounding as his eyes stung and his stomach clenched over and over again. His eyes stung, my eyes, they’re stinging, he needed to wipe them, why can’t I move my arms, he couldn’t move. He stood there, frozen.

“Is he still asleep?” Outside Elliot’s room, his father spoke. Loudly.

“Yes, he never wakes up this early.”

Mom, I’m always up this early.

“Good. Now tell me what she said.”

A loaded pause. “She… wants us there.”

“No, absolutely not, what does she think this is? We’re not going.”

Elliot still couldn’t move.

“But…”

“It’s not happening.”

He stared at his hands.

“But it’d just be for a little while, a few days,” Mrs. Atkins whispered.

A kitchen cabinet slammed. “No, what the hell was she thinking, even asking? We’re not going. She dug her hole, and now she’ll lie in it.”

Why won’t she call me?

It was so quiet, Elliot almost didn’t hear it. “But she’s just a child.”

His father’s response was loud enough that he could have heard it through ten walls. “She stopped being a child the minute she decided _to keep that g_reas…!”

Elliot’s head was buzzing. His tears were running down his face in a way that made him feel sticky and his ears were thick. He couldn’t hear his parents or anything at all. All he could feel was his heart pounding loud and strong in his chest.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Elliot’s head shot up, heart lurching as he gasped. “Wake up, it’s time for school,” his mother said through the door.

Her voice sounds funny… Elliot swallowed. He took one breath in, then another.

Somehow, he got dressed and walked out the door without a word to either of his parents. He didn’t blink, just stood, staring at the ground.

“Hey, man,” Elliot’s eyes followed the voice. Wilson. “Elliot, you look like death warmed over. What happened? Did you even sleep last night?"

Elliot opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He stood there gaping like a goldfish. Wilson sighed. “Your parents again?”

Elliot shook his head, then, after a pause, nodded.

“They just can’t shut up, your folks. Don’t know when to be quiet and when to talk. You’re coming over to my house after school, Elliot, and don’t say you can’t, I know you’re not busy.”

Elliot nodded and let Wilson pull him along the path towards the elementary school.

“Sometimes, I can’t stand your folks.”

“Sometimes, I can’t either,” Elliot whispered.

“What was that?” Wilson asked. “I didn’t hear you, sorry.”

Elliot shook his head.

Wilson sighed. “Ok. Just know me and my folks want to help you, ok?”

“Ok.”

Notes:

Hey gang, a bit of a short one today, but I figured a short one was better than no one since it’s been two and a half centuries (weeks) since I’ve added to this fic (this episode's been cooking a little too long) and I have so many chapters planned out! Also, I know some of you are oh-so-patiently waiting for Ray, and I… uh… ok hear me out, next chapter is the first mention of him and he shows up in the flesh in *checks complicated lists* five more chapters (don’t kill me gang I have such a good plan trust). Thank you for waiting guys 😭

Chapter 5: Names that Haunt

Summary:

Elliot finds out his Buddy’s name and thinks about his sister. He and his parents get into a fight about her.

“Mr. Atkins!” A voice shook Elliot out of his reverie.

“What?” He sat up straight, looking left and right to find the source of the voice.

“Are you paying attention?” Mr. Miller asked pointedly as the class stared.

Elliot nodded quietly and picked up his pencil. “Yes, I’m sorry, sir. I’ll pay more attention.” Mr. Miller melted a little, looking at the boy. He really wasn’t a mean teacher. He tried to be, sometimes, but he was just too nice. Besides, Elliot didn’t get in trouble at school very often at all, especially not since the accident, so this was a rare occasion.

“Alright, just make sure you’re listening,” Mr. Miller said with a faint smile as he turned his attention back towards the class. “So, as I was saying, it’s almost time for you to be assigned your Buddies for the year!”

At this proclamation, half the class cheered, and the other half either booed or looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. Elliot scoffed. This was one of those time-wasting activities the school system was so fond of. In eleventh grade, they paired up all the eleventh graders with a second grader. This was their ‘Buddy’ for the year. They were supposed to hang out at school-ordained times and talk about life and give their Buddy advice.

Most of the kids had been looking forward to this since they were Buddies themselves, but Elliot was not one of them. He just didn't really like the idea of having another responsibility. His own Buddy had been nice enough, a popular boy who played football. He’d been pretty cool for a Soc, and had listened to all of Elliot’s whining about his sister and his parents.

Elliot grimaced, remembering what a bratty kid he’d been. “I hope my Buddy is better than I was as a kid,” he muttered, covering his face with his hands. At the front of the room, Mr. Miller was still talking.

“You’ll be meeting your Buddies for the first time in two days!” He said enthusiastically. “Make sure you bring your smiling faces and, if you can, a small gift for them. It doesn’t have to be crazy, just a piece of candy or a small toy or something to make them feel welcome. Don’t worry too much about it though, because they’ll mostly just be excited to meet you!”

Elliot thought about what he had in his wallet. I definitely have enough to get a small gift. I’ll stop by the convenience store later. He got a small weekly allowance from his parents, along with his earnings from his job. He worked at a small coffee shop in the town. It was in Soc territory, so it had good pay.
“Alright, that’s all for today folks!” Mr. Miller dismissed them with a smile. “Get excited to find out who your buddy is tomorrow!”

***

On the way home from school, Elliot didn’t talk much. He wasn’t feeling it today. His best friend, as always, noticed. Wilson fell in line with him as he and Chuck fired their best pre-smackdown roast lines aggressively at each other, with Jenna as judge.

“You couldn’t fight your way out of a paper bag,” Chuck tried.

Jenna spat out her water in disbelief. “Come on Chuck, you can do better than that, that was so basic. 5/10.”

Chuck sighed. “Not again! You’ve rejected all of mine.”

“Yeah, ‘cuz they’re bad.”

“Brutal work, Jenna,” Joey grinned at her.

Jenna blew at her curly bangs. “I’m not brutal, just honest. Your turn, Will.”

“Your brain’s on vacation and your mouth’s working overtime,” Wilson exclaimed.

“Oooh,” Jenna said, laughing. “Got’em!”

Chuck groaned. “I’m starting to think you’re biased.” Everyone laughed.

Jenna shoved Chuck with a cackle. “Nope, you just suck at rankin’!”

The kids continued home, Chuck losing again and again until they got to his house. “Looks like you’re home, bro!” Wilson said, still sticking close to Elliot. “Maybe your mom will appreciate your lame burns!” He elbowed Elliot, who smiled weakly at him.

Chuck stuck his tongue out at Wilson. “At least I’m appreciated at home!” He opened the door and saluted dramatically. “I will see you tomorrow, oh great master of clowning.”

Wilson saluted back, then they all waved. “Bye!” They yelled, and Chuck and James smiled as they waved back. As the door swung closed, they all sighed and, turning to look at each other, they kept walking.

Joey and Eddie got dropped off without a problem, and when they reached Elliot’s house, Wilson grabbed Elliot’s arm and pulled him away from the door. “You’re coming back with us, remember?”

Elliot blinked. “What?”

Wilson raised an eyebrow. “Because you’re helping us watch the littles? Remember? My parents are going out, and your parents agreed.”

Elliot shook his head slowly. “Yeah, no, yeah… I remember. Can I just grab something from my house on the way?”

Wilson and Jenna shot each other a look, and he nodded. “We’ll wait here for you.”

Elliot nodded, and turned around, walking up the sidewalk and into his house without another word.

Jenna sighed. “Something’s wrong with him, I’m telling you.”

Wilson scoffed, arms crossed, ignoring her. Suddenly, he hugged himself, and suddenly turned around and sat on the steps leading up to Elliot’s front door. “You think I can’t tell? Come on, Jenna, be freaking for real.”

Jenna’s eyes widened and her hands tightened their grip on her backpack straps. “I… I’m… sorry?”

Wilson looked up at her in surprise, guilt forming on his face. “Wait, I-” He groaned, shoving his hands into his face. After a minute he looked back at her, lowering his hands. “I’m sorry Jen, I was outta line. That wasn’t fair of me.”

Jenna sat down next to him. “It’s ok. I know you’re worried.” She looked over her shoulder at Elliot’s door and sighed. “We all are, I think. He’s just… I don’t know…”

Wilson sat up, putting his hands on his knees. He rubbed them back and forth thoughtfully. “He’s just sad, I think.”

Jenna looked up at him. “Sad?”

“I’ve been… Well, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, that's all. I think he’s sadder than he knows. And he likes to shut people out when he’s sad. He likes to… hide, you know?” Wilson stared at an ant, making its way across the sidewalk. He avoided Jenna’s eyes. “I wish he wouldn’t hide. He can tell me anything, he knows that! But.. I don’t think he believes it. Or he doesn’t want to. Cuz, deep down, I think the only one he really wants to talk to is… her.”

***

Elliot walked into his house, shutting the door behind him. For a second, he looked out the little window on the door at Jenna and Wilson. Siblings. A brother and a sister. Two people who could talk to each other without anything getting in the way. He sighed. “Elliot, you’re projecting again,” he muttered to himself, ripping his eyes away from his friends and focusing on the entryway in front of him. Walking into his house, he saw his parents sitting in the kitchen, his dad sat at the table and his mom hovered over a pan near the stove. The whole house smelled of burnt cheese, and Elliot involuntarily scrunched his nose as he walked in. “I’m heading over to the Lewis’ house for babysitting. Just dropping my stuff.”

“Alright…” his mom said dismissively, not even looking up from her book. His dad couldn’t even be bothered with that small of a response. Elliot breathed in and out, looking from one to the other to see if there was anything else they had to say. Nothing. He left.

He threw his stuff on his floor and stood in the center of his room, still as a statue. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply again. Walking back out of his room, he looked at his parents. Suddenly, all his breathing techniques flew out the window. “Why don’t you like me anymore?”

He froze. I didn’t mean to ask that. His parents looked up at him. His mom arched one perfectly plucked eyebrow. “What did you say?”

Elliot stared at the floor. “Nothing, don’t worry about it,” he said, turning away.

“No, say that again,” his mom said, stepping towards him. “What. Did. You. Say?”

Elliot gulped. “I said… why don’t you like me anymore?” His voice squeaked at the end.

His mom frowned. “Whatever do you mean by that?”

Elliot looked down. He spoke calmly, clearly, speaking the words that had been haunting him for years, growing increasingly strong until now, the culmination, when they burst forth out of him like a river, rushing forward with no turning back. “You don’t like me anymore. Not after she left.”

His parents sat silent. He continued. “You only ever seemed to even tolerate me because she was there patching things up!” He started to raise his voice. “Ever since she left, you’ve been… distant. Unreliable. Angry. How is any of this my fault?” His voice broke.

His parents looked at each other, then back at him. Elliot stared at them. “Well? Are you not even denying it? I know she was the favourite, but I-”

His father pushed his chair back with a crash. “She might have been better than you, but even you could never mess up the way she did.”

Elliot’s eyes darkened. “In what way? It’s been years, and still, nobody has ever told me what happened. Why can’t you tell me? What are you trying to keep secret?”

His mom cut in. “That’s enough. Both of you, stop. It doesn’t matter now, anyway. She’s gone and you’re here, and that’s all you’ll ever have to know.”

“She’s my sister!” Elliot choked out.

“She’s gone!” His dad shouted. The whole world stretched as sudden silence rang throughout the kitchen. He spoke again, quieter. “She’s gone, and she’s never coming back. Ever. So just… “ He shook his head. “Leave it be.”

Elliot scoffed. “Fine. Fine, whatever. I’m leaving now.” He unceremoniously slung him bag over his shoulder and exited the kitchen, leaving his parents staring after him, eyes boring into his back.

***

Wilson and Jenna sat up as the door swung open with a surprising amount of force.

“Hey Elliot, you ready?” Wilson asked, cautiously standing up and walking over to his friend.

“Yup, all set,” Elliot replied, avoiding eye contact.

Wilson froze. He looked at Jenna, who pointed her head furiously at Elliot. He sighed and approached Elliot, speaking quietly. “Hey man, are you ok?”

Elliot smiled at him, but Wilson could see that there wasn’t an ounce of soul in his wry grin. “I’m just dandy. I’ve never been better.” His smile dropped and he shook his head. “Nevermind, let’s just go. I’ll feel better once we’re at your house, anyway.”

Wilson grimaced. I wish I could help more. “Alright,” he said, looking at Jenna, then back at Elliot. “We’d best get going.”

***

The next day, Elliot sat in Mr. Miller’s class again. Everyone waited anxiously, excited to find out who their little buddy was going to be.

“When I call your name, come up here and get your info card!” Mr. Miller said happily. “This won’t have everything there is to know about your Buddy, since you’ll have to figure that out on your own by talking to them. This just has their name and allergies, if they have any. It also has a few sentences written by them about themselves, so please take the time to read them!”

“Elliot Atkins!” Elliot stood and walked to the front to receive his card. Mr. Miller smiled at him as the paper moved from his hand to Elliot’s. Elliot took it back to his seat, sat down, and flipped the card over.

‘Raymond Curtis, Age 7’

It read. Elliot shivered involuntarily. This name… He froze as the memories started to come rushing all around him. Raymond was her favorite name.

***

“If I ever have a son,” Elliot’s sister mused, “I’m going to name him Raymond.”

Elliot laughed. “Why Raymond?” he said, grimacing. “It’s kind of a stuck-up name, don’t you think?”

She grinned. “If I thought it was, I wouldn’t name my kid that, don’t you think?” She tapped Elliot on the nose. “I like Raymond. Saint Raymond was the patron saint of midwives and expectant mothers. It also means ‘wise advice’ and ‘protection’. It seems like a fitting name, right?”

Elliot thought. “Yeah, I guess it makes sense. If nothing else, it’s very you. Now you just need to pray that your future husband agrees with you.”

She smiled. “He’d better,” she said, hugging her little brother. “Or he might not be the one for me.”

***

A tap on the shoulder made Elliot’s mind clear. “Are you OK?” Elliot looked over to see Wilson.

Elliot sighed. “Yeah, I’m alright.” Elliot looked at his card. “This kid’s name was my sister’s favourite. She wanted to name her future kid Raymond.”

Wilson frowned. “So sorry man, that’s rotten luck,” he said, eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the card. “Hey!” He said in disbelief. “Curtis!”

“What about it? I mean, the name’s a little familiar to me, but I can’t place it.”

“That’s the name of that Greaser kid! The one who killed a Soc and ran a while back!”

Elliot frowned. “You’re right,” he said. “But it wasn’t him, it was his friend, yeah? It’s been a while since I’ve heard that story, though. When did it happen, 6, 7 years ago?”

“Oh, yeah you’re right. Yeah, I only remember ‘cuz my older brothers were following the story like crazy, they talked about it all the time,” Wilson said, crouching down next to Elliot’s seat to get a better look at the card. “Do ya think it’s the same family?”

“Doubt it,” Elliot said, “Unless the older brother got a kid. Raymond’s 7.”

“True,” Wilson agreed. They looked at Raymond’s card together, quietly reading the rest of the information.

‘Raymond Curtis, Age 7’
‘Allergies- none’
‘Hi, my name is Raymond, but you can call me Ray. I wasn’t sure what to write here, but my dad told me that if I wrote about myself, I couldn’t go wrong. I like going outside, and eating cake, especially chocolate cake. ‘Especially’ is a big word, and I needed help spelling it. That’s ok though, because now I know how, and I won’t forget. I love my family, because they take care of me, and they take care of me because they love me too. I can’t wait to meet you. From, Ray.”

Wilson whistled. “Dang bro, that’s a wordy kid. You guys are perfect for each other.”

“Ha, ha,” Elliot said, shoving him without looking away from the page.

***

“Mom, Mom!” Elliot ran into the kitchen, papers in hand.

“What’s the matter, honey?” Elliot’s mom peeked her head around the wall to look at her hyper son.

“We’re getting our Buddies soon!” Elliot exclaimed, waving the papers. “I have to write a paragraph for my Buddy to have. What do I write?”

Mrs. Atkins shrugged and smiled. “Just write about yourself and you can’t go wrong.”

Notes:

Guys I promise I didn’t mean to write that 67 joke that was NOT ON PURPOSE I wrote the draft for this before I even knew about 67 (yes that's how long it's been rip) and that’s just how the years worked out I’m sorry 😭

Anyway, this is what Google told me when I looked up “does Sodapop Curtis from the Outsiders have any allergies”
“Sodapop Curtis from The Outsiders does not have any specific allergies mentioned in the text. However, he is described as being "hardworking and loyal," which suggests he is not prone to allergies, as such a trait is not typically associated with allergies. His character is known for his positive outlook and strong family values, which align with the themes of the novel.”
Silly me, I should’ve known, hardworking people don’t have allergies, I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t remember that tbh smh

ALSO just realised that I gave everyone a last name except for Wilson and Jenna’s family (mb) so they’re Wilson and Jenna Lewis now

Notes:

I'm so excited to be writing this! I have a long way to go, but it'll be worth it. Thanks for clicking!

Here's my Discord btw (I gave into the voices) -> https://discord.gg/2QpMnRAj