Disclaimer: I sadly do not own any of the Outsiders, but I do own Scarlet, and the father, and Randy's las name.

ONE YEAR AGO

Johnny, and Dally died, and I was upset, so I ended up going for a walk to the park so I could be alone, away from all the stares, all the damn sympathy stares..

There I saw Randy standing over the fountain that Bob had been murdered. He looked up as I kept walking closer, I flipped my switchblade, ready to defend myself if needed to, he looked back at the fountain, "Sorry about your friends."

"No you're not," I stopped five feet beside him.

"No one should had died, Bob shouldn't had drowned the Curtis brother, and Johnny shouldn't had killed Bob, neither of us should had been drinking," He sat at the edge of the fountain.

"Bob started the whole fight it was-"

Randy looked at me, "Self defense, I mean when Cade did was self defense."

I looked around the park wondering to myself why hadn't I moved yet, "You know, it isn't safe for a Soc to be in this side of town."

"You know Ponyboy, a couple weeks ago said something that got me thinking," He looked down at his hands.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, be careful he'll do that a lot."

"They're no real Soc, and Greaser, we're all people. I wish I could had known that before all of this happened," He stared at me, "Wish all of us knew before all this happened."

I nodded in agreement.

He noticed the blade in my hand, then looked at me, "You don't use that thing do you?"

I shook my head, "Mostly for scare, and to make Steve shut the hell up about me walking around alone. He got it for me, last Christmas."

He looked me up, and down, "You're related to Steve Randle?"

"He's my only brother, why?" I sat beside him on the fountain.

"I remember when in kindergarten, your brother and I use to play in the sand box," He looked up at the dark sky, "Knowing nothing about the different stereo type Grease, and Soc. Sodapop, Steve, and me were friend in elementary school, until our up bringing caught up to us."

"My name is Scarlet," I said quick, and quietly.

He leaned in closer to me, "What did you say?"

I smiled, "My name is Scarlet."

Randy reached out his hand, "The names Randy," he chuckled, "But I am sure you already knew that didn't you?

I took his hand and shook it, then put my hands back in my pocket, "Yeah, but thanks for the reminder."

He looked up at the moon, "Beautiful night isn't it?"

"Yeah, real nice night," I looked at him, as he stared up at the night sky, the moon bringing light to his face making it glow, "Well it was nice talking to you Randy, to bad we can't talk openly like this at school," I stood up, and started to walk, im took a couple steps, then turned and looked behind me at Randy, "Sorry for your loss as well." I ran the rest of the way home.

PRESENT

Pony was leaning against his locker beside mine, "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Well I was going to go for a walk, want to come?" I grabbed my literature book, and slammed my locker door, then started to walk with pony to our fourth period.

"Hello Scarlet," Randy came up behind Pony, and I, and leaned in to my ear, "I read the student guide, it doesn't say anything about Soc', and greasers not being able to talk," he grinned to let me know he was teasing, he looked at Pony, "Hello Ponyboy."

Pony stared at me confused, then at Randy, "Hello."

"In fact," Randy continued, "It doesn't have the word Greaser, or Soc' in the entire book."

"Really, you don't say," I pretended to be surprised.

"Anderson, get the hell away from my sister," My brother, Steve, was heard behind us.

I grabbed Randy's hand, so he couldn't go, I glared at my brother, "Steve,if I want to talk to Randy, I will, you can't go telling people they aren't allowed to talk to me!"

My brother glared at me, the walked in front of Randy, "Watch your back Soc'," he looked at me, and grinned, "You are turning on your own kind?" He looked at Ponyboy, "See what you started, with all that Soc', and Greasers are all the same, looking at the same damn Moon, or whatever crap you called it."

Pony looked at me, "We're going to be late for class," he pulled my arm, as I pulled Randy's arm, and we walked off away from my brother.

Randy stopped in front, of mine and Pony's class, he looked at me, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

I looked at Pony, "I'll be alright."

Pony nodded, the looked at Randy, "Bye Randy."

"Bye Ponyboy," Randy watched as Pony went into the classroom, "He's a good kid."

"And a good friend," I looked at Randy, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Would you want to go out sometime?" Randy leaned against the lockers next to my classroom.

I stared at him, "Too soon, I mean, can I think about it?" I hurried into the classroom, and sat beside Pony.

"What he want to talk about?" Pony leaned over his desk, so he could hear me.

"He asked me out," I looked at my hands.

"What did you say?" Pony stared wide eyed.

I didn't say anything.

"Scarlet, Johnny …." Pony started.

"Shut up Pony," I glared at him.

Pony nodded, "Sorry."

I patted my friends back, "I told him, I would think about it….."

"I think Randy is different from the others," Pony smiled a little, and he seems to like you.

AFTER SCHOOL

I saw Randy leaning against his locker as I made my way over to him, "Randy."

Randy smiled at me, when I reached him, "Hello, so you think about going out with me?"

"Yes I have," I looked down at my hands for a moment, and then back up at him, "Pick me up at seven?"

He smiled, "I'll see you later, where do you live?"

"Three houses left from the Curtis's," I reached out my hand, "See you tonight."

He shook my hand, and stared at me, "It's a date."

I hurried out of the school, and met Pony at the corner, "I don't know why I let you talk me into this."

"Because I know you like him," Pony wrapped his arm around my shoulder, "So how are you going to explain Randy at your doorstep, to Steve?"

"I am a big girl, Steve can't tell me what to do," I said bye to Pony when we reached my house, and hurried into my room to get ready.

After I was already, and I stood in front of my closed, and looked in my mirror. I had on a denim skirt, a black sweater that hanged off one of my shoulders, with a white spaghetti strap blouse underneath, and I had on my black converse, and black head band. I walked into the living room, a reached for the jacket laying on the sofa, it was Johnny's, I had gotten it at the hospital the last time I saw Johnny alive the day before he died. I took it into my room, but didn't let go of it, I brought it to my chest, and cried.

"Scarlet, some one is here for you." Dad's voice was heard from the living room.

I wiped my eyes with the jacket, and then set it on my bed, "Coming dad."

"What the hell, are you doing here?" My brother was heard from the other room also.

I hurried into the living room, "Leave Randy the hell alone," I looked at Randy, and tried to force a smile, "This is my dad Frank Randle."

Randy shook my dads hand, "I'll have her home safely."

Dad nodded his head, and looked at me, "Be home by ten-thirty," he kissed my forehead.

My brother glared at my dad, and looked at me, "I cant believe you are dating the guy, whose friends beat, and probably are really the ones to blame for killing Johnny!"

"Steve Travis Randle, enough!" Dad smacked my brother on the arm, and looked at Randy, "Be safe."

I let Randy lead me to his car, and help me in.

When he got in on his side, he looked at me, "I didn't know Johnny was your boyfriend."

"Yeah," I looked down at my hands, "I'm sorry about my brother."

"Where do you want to go?" Randy looked at me.

"Away," I stared at Randy, "Johnny was my brothers friend as well as all the others, they all tried to look out for him, and I did to, but I guess I didn't do a good enough job."

"It's not your fault he died," Randy pulled into the nightly-double, and parked.

I scooted close next to Randy, when the movie started, and rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me. I must had fallen asleep beause next thing I know, Randy was shaken my shoulder, I opened my eyes, "What happened?"

"You fell asleep," He laughed, "So did I."

"Wow, first date, and we're already sleeping together," I sat up a little straighter, and looked at him, "I'm awake now."

He leaned in close to me, as I did the same, then our lips met.

I quickly pulled away from the kiss, and just stared at him for a moment, the continued kissing him again.

He wrapped an arm around to the small of my back, and held the back of my neck with his other hand, he smiled at me, "You know I liked you since the day we ran into each other in the park."

I shook my head, "Don't bring up the pass, let's stay in the present," I leaned back in, and kissed him again.

Randy nodded a little before deepening the kiss, "Good idea."