Kelcie Valentino, the fourth Greaser girl, goes through being in love with Johnny with no signs back, and keeping her relationships with the other Greasers.

Conformity makes me sick. It's all a bunch of wrong turns that everyone takes to be like the next guy. Why not be your own person and do whatever you want? I know, far taking wrong turns happens, but I hate when it does and I try my hardest to avoid it. Wrong turns are the epitome of anger, frustration and confusion, and the friends and neighborhood I was born into was the biggest wrong turn anyone could ever take.

My friends were all very nice people, and they were always on the lookout for everybody else. There was very little time when one of my friends would think about themselves, and it bothered me that they were all so sweet. They all loved me, though, which I suppose is a good thing, but not always. Sometimes when ten close friends love you, it can get very stressful and hard to deal with.

The thing that was hardest about the neighborhood I was born into was how awful and wrecked-up it was. Everyday there were countless fights and it was really trashy. The houses were small and run-down, and almost everyone came from a broken family. Everyone but my friends and me. As far as our blood families went, mine was pretty happy, but some of us were emancipated minors, orphans, had abusive parents, or a single parent whose father left their mother with two kids. But I had two parents and a little brother, and even though they could be annoying, they were all amazing.

However, there were benefits to growing up with so many selfless friends, like romance. Seven of my friends were guys, and good-looking guys at that. I was pretty much in love with one of the guys for a while, and I just knew he wasn't going to be a mistake.

All the days I spent with my friends could be fun, but then we'd always get into these fights. My three very best friends were all girls in my grade, and we had all known each other since birth. Sometimes, like I said, they could be awesome, amazing, and I'd want to have no one else, but then out of the blue, we'd start yelling at and teasing each other.

One day, when I was in seventh grade, I was walking home from school with two of the girls and two of the guys. We never walk alone because we're Greasers, and by being a Greaser, you're low-life trash. Of course, there is the chance of being beat up by a few Socs, the other gang in our city that absolutely hates us, and we absolutely hate them. Therefore, the hatred works out almost harmoniously. Anyway, we were all walking and we just had to bring up the missing girl.

"Where's Lucy?" asked one of my friends, Becky Harrison. She was tall, kind of thin, and really pretty. Her eyes were big and ice blue, which made me jealous. But I figured there was no reason, because in the long run, I'll do better than she does somehow.

"I think she was with Michael," Ponyboy Curtis answered. Ponyboy is Lucy's (missing girl) older brother, and he's older than us by one year. Actually, he's older than me by a year and half, but let's not get technical.

Another Greaser guy, Johnny Cade, made this disgusted face. My heart jumped when I looked at him. Truth is, I've been in love with Johnny for a long time, and how could I not be? He's totally gorgeous with his black eyes, black hair, and tan skin. The only reason why Johnny hadn't proclaimed his love for me was the age difference. I wasn't even thirteen and he was sixteen. I just knew if I were three years older, Johnny and I would be all over each other. All I had to do now was reach the right age. But why couldn't he be interested in me now? After all, I was fairly cute, funny, smart as a whip, and even though I lived for gossip, I had a sweet and tender side. Why wasn't that getting to him?

I decided to speak up and talk about Lucy and this Michael guy. It was a way to get Johnny to notice me. "What I don't understand is why Lucy has to go out with a Soc," I complained, glancing over at Johnny to see if he was looking at me. "Boys have never really liked her. She's not the type of girl a million guys are going to run up to and ask out. Now me, I've had plenty of guys ask me out, and I've turned them all down because I'm waiting for the right person."

Okay, that was kind of a lie. Boys have liked Lucy, and I just know they have. The thing I still didn't get was why Lucy? Sure, she was nice, funny, pretty and smart, which is what makes a great girl, but she wasn't all that. Some guys just failed to see that right next to her was her personality twin, me.

And I haven't really been asked out plenty of times. There were these two geeks who were obsessed with me, and they did ask me out three times each, but I never usually count that. Why, you may ask, did I count that today? Because I wanted Johnny to realize that I was worth it! We had known each other since I was born, but we didn't know each other as well as we could, so there was almost no way he could have known I was lying about the times I've been asked out just to impress him.

"Well, I've liked Lucy before," Johnny admitted. "Can't imagine anyone who wouldn't. She's really pretty and really smart. Always been nice, too. Ponyboy, you've got one great sister."

So it wasn't the age factor that made Johnny so disengaged! Then again, he was Johnny, the pet of the gang, scared of everything. He was the only person I felt bad for, because he had been beaten pretty badly by his parents and some Socs. Yeah, that's right, Johnny's the one with the abusive parents. Sometimes I wish he would just leave them and stay with me.

I'm getting back to my point now. Johnny and Lucy are three years apart in age, and he just admitted to being in love with her? Why? She's his best friend's little sister who's three years younger! And, not to mention, his best friend's little sister has an adorable, single best friend! But he had to go and notice Lucy! There's nothing special about Lucy Curtis!

"Lucy's amazing," Ponyboy agreed. "She can get on my nerves, but I still love her to pieces."

Enough of this! Enough of Lucy! I pouted and added, "I've been asked out at least three times this month, but I'm still turning everyone down." Now that was a total lie. I had been asked out six times in total, but they had been spread out time wise.

"Come on guys," I continued. "Let's go home so we can actually do something."

I got in the middle and Ponyboy and Johnny stood on both sides of me. Ponyboy was kind of wimp, I had to admit it. And okay, Johnny was probably a little weaker than he was. But I did know that if something dangerous was happening and I was sandwiched between Johnny and Ponyboy, Johnny would try his best to help me and protect me. Unless, of course, Lucy was around. Then he'd take a knife for her and leave me lying there, dead.

One of my other best friends, tall and also very pretty Jacklyn Moore had pulled Becky aside, whispering and sometimes looking over at me. Of course they were talking about me, but I didn't care. I could always start a nasty rumor about Jacklyn tomorrow at school, and then try to counsel her out of her embarrassment like I hadn't said anything. That was my talent, being mean to people and then helping them get through their hard times like a therapist. It's good to be sneaky!

Ponyboy turned around and called to Jacklyn to hurry up. Then she and Becky did what I wished they hadn't. They sped up and Jacklyn jumped on Ponyboy's back, which means Becky had to jump on Johnny's. He picked her up and gave her a piggyback ride, which made me incredibly angry. Maybe now it was time to think of a second rumor to start. Any competition with Johnny made me extremely angry and nervous, and I wanted to wipe out all of it. Who knew who the girl was that Johnny could be in love with right now? It could be Becky and it could be Lucy… it could be some Soc he'd only seen for two shakes of a second in the hallway!

I stared at Becky, wishing I could drill a hole through her body. She didn't have to jump on Johnny's back! In fact, there was no reason for her to jump at all! I still stood there, giving her a dirty looking, hoping she'd get the message.

"Kelcie, would you relax?" she asked me, laughing. "You look like you're gonna break all the blood vessels in your face!"

"I won't relax as long as that's happening," I hissed.

"Man, you know I'm not in love with Johnny."

"That doesn't mean he can't fall in love with you."

Silence. Good, now Becky had time to think over if she wanted to have a guy actually fall at her feet, or keep the best friend she had all her life