I don't know what I'm doing with my life anymore. I'm terrible and finishing multi-chapter fics. But I just read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and just had to write about it. Anywhere, here goes nothing...

My car sputtered and gaped as I drove into the gas station. I groaned, pulling the keys out of the ignition and stepping out of the car, letting the keys jingle in my hand. As I waited for my tank to fill, twirling my keys round my finger, a boy walked outta the gas station with a kid in tow.

"Please, come on Soda!" the kid begged. "It ain't gonna hurt you to take off."

"Pony, I can't take off in the middle of a shift." the boy argued. "Maybe tomorrow."

"But they aren't showing the movie tomorrow!" the kid retorted.

My gas pump clicked, and I put it back into the holder. I hopped into my car and turned the keys. The car sputtered. Trying again a few times didn't help. Turning off the car, I crawled out and walked over to the two boys arguing.

"Excuse me." I interrupted. The older boy turned to me. He was nice looking. "My car won't work, you know anywhere I can get it tuned up?"

The younger kid laughed. Him and the older boy looked awful similer. "Shoot! Soda here'll hook ya up with Steve. Best car-fixer this side of town."

My brow furrowed. "Soda?"

The older kid waved. "Me. Sodapop Curtis, at your service."

"And I'm Ponyboy!" the kid interjected. "Ponyboy Curtis."

So the two must be brothers. A small giggle escaped my lips. "What unique names. Those ya'll's real ones?"

"Our dad was pretty unique." Ponyboy said.

Sodapop laughed, but I could see his eyes darken slightly. I decided to put the subject aside. "Well, my name ain't as unique as ya'lls, but I think it's cool." I continued the subject of names. Extending my hand I said, "I'm Winter, but people call me Snowflake 'cause they say I'm like one. Unique I mean."

I didn't look nothing like a snowflake. Snowflakes are supposed to be all white and pretty, but I had the darkest hair and eyes you ever seen. My skin was pretty fair though, but besides that, I didn't have any bit of paleness on me.

Pony shook my hand good-heartedly. "You ain't from 'round here, are ya?"

I shook my head. "Naw. I'm from a couple towns over."

Sodapop smiled. "And what brings you to our little old town, huh?"

"Moving." I responded. "Trying to make a fresh start. But first, I need to get my car fixed."

"Right, right." Sodapop said, walking into the store. Me and Ponyboy followed.

It was a nice little store, selling goods from medicine to cigarettes. "Might need to buy a pack later" I made a mental note to myself. The selves had a nice off-white colour and the items on them really popped against it.

"I'll get Steve to help ya out."

A bang made the counter shake. A guy came up from behind it, rubbing his head. "Who said my name?"

"Winter, Steve. Steve, Winter." Ponyboy gestured between us.

"Nice to meetcha." I held out my hand. "Sodapop here says you can fix up my car."

Steve's face molded itself into a cocky grin. " 'Course I can, little lady." he strolled out of the store. "Give me an hour tops!"

Crossing my arms, I smiled. Looking over to Ponyboy, I asked, "He's quite confident in his car fixing abilities, ain't he?"

Ponyboy grinned. "He's quite confident in everything I'm afraid."

I laughed and strolled 'round the shop. My fingers trailed along the items on the shelves, letting them gently sway behind me. I stopped a few times, grabbing a copy of Gone with the Wind, a few packs of varying foods, and a pack of Kools. Placing the items on the counter, I turned to Sodapop.

"Think you can get ring me up?" I asked, pointing to the register.

Sodapop grinned, jumping over the counter using an arm to steady him. He stood behind the register, the scanner beeping as the items flew over the laser. Getting bored, I sat on the counter top and pulled a weed outta the case. I bit it between my teeth and lit it with my lighter. Ponyboy's eyes widened a bit when he saw me smoking the cigar, and I shrugged.

"Helps calm my nerves. " I blew out a smoke ring. "And I don't see a "No-Smoking" sign around here."

Ponyboy blinked, still looking at my cigarette. "You smoke?"

I exhaled another ring before answering. "You see me with a cigarette in my mouth, and you ask me if I smoke? Sure I do, kid." I took a another draw on my weed while looking him over. Couldn't be more than fourteen, with his small stature. He had a nice shade of hair though, reddish-brown, with a blonde shine in the light. "Your dad think you're too young to smoke?"

"I smoke!" Ponyboy defended. "I've been smoking for almost two years now."

"Yep." Sodapop agreed. "He's the weed fiend in our family. Can't go with smoking least a pack a day. 10.98, by the way."

I grabbed my wallet outta my back pocket and shuffled through my money. Grabbing a ten and a five I slapped them on the counter. "4.02 change." I informed him.

Sodapop gave a good-hearted laugh. "No tip?"

"I need all the money I can keep." I said stiffly. "Getting my car fixed is going to be costly enough."

Ponyboy laughed. "Steve won't make ya pay if you just give him a smooch on the cheek."

His older brother joined in, grinning while saying, "Steve don't get much action, so a kiss might get ya off scot free."

"Ya'll know where a girl could get a job 'round here?" I changed the subject. "I'm running low on cash, and my parents ain't giving me no more money."

Sodapop tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Depends. How old're you?"

"Fifteen. I'll be sixteen in a few days."

"Good. Any special skills?"

"I can draw and I can follow instructions."

"You a Soc or Greaser?"

"Excuse me?" I raised a brow. Soc or a Greaser? I'd never heard those terms before in my life.

"Soc or a Greaser?" Ponyboy parroted Sodapop. "They're the two kinda people living 'round here."

"Soc are the richy kids." Sodapop started.

"Greaser are people like us." Ponyboy continued. "Poorer than the poor."

I took out my cigarette and blew out a long draw of smoke. Re-looking the two over they didn't look poorer than the poor. Ponyboy had on a nice jacket and a shirt underneath. His hair shone with grease, but he didn't look poor. Sodapop wore a tee under his open DX uniform, his brown hair having the same shine as his brothers. Both wore worn jeans, with tears and rips at the knees and thighs. Both were wearing shoes of good condition. "Ya'll don't look 'poorer than the poor." I stated my thoughts. "But if I where anything in this mumbo-jumbo, I'd recon I'd be a Greaser."

Ponyboy grinned. "You think you're a greaser?"

Confused, I nodded. "Yeah. I certainly ain't a 'richy kid'."

"Tell that to your clothes." Sodapop gestured towards my attire.

I had worn what I had. A nice cotton shirt with a design that spelled 'I'm a Sporty Chick' across the front. My jeans weren't worn like theirs were, and my shoes where some white converses.

"If Socs are rich kids, don't they, I don't know..." I made twirling gesture with my hand. "Dress in suites and dresses all the time or something?"

Ponyboy scoffed at me. "Socs got so much money they don't know what to do with it." He looked me in the eye. "Do ya know what they do for fun?"

I shook my head.

"Beat up Greasers." Sodapop finished. His face was no longer playful and happy, but serious with a tone of pity. "They don't know what to do with their lives, so they beat up Greasers."

I coughed at the amount of smoke building up in my mouth and lungs. Sliding off the counter, I yanked that cigarette outta my mouth and thew it in the garbage. "I can take care of myself." I muttered. Turning to face them, I crossed my arms. I gave Ponyboy a glance, then turned to Sodapop. "I'll be needing my items now, Curtis."

Sodapop shook his head, as if some bug was flying 'round him, then scooted my items across the counter to me. I grabbed a pack of chips and crunched down on one, sitting back on top of the counter again. "So what does it matter if I'm a Soc or a Greaser?"

"Socs don't hire Greasers and Greasers don't hire Socs." Ponyboy answered. He shrugged. "Just the way we're divided up."

"Well, if I'm a Greaser, where can I find some work." I asked, rephrasing my original question. "I only got hundred or so cash left."

"First you gotta make some friends." Sodapop said. "If word gets around the street you got some tuff friends, people'll be more willing to hire."

"Then you gotta be good at something." Ponyboy continued. "Steve's good at working on cars, and Soda here'll attract business."

"Business?" I questioned.

"Girls." Ponyboy explained. He pointed at his brother. "Soc or Greaser, they'll come by to get a look at Sodapop Curtis here."

"After that you gotta find someone willing to hire." Soda interjected quickly. "That's why you need some friends, they'll know where to get you somewhere."

"Then ya get a job." Ponyboy concluded.

I scoffed, tossing another chip in my mouth. "Yep. Real simple."

Checking the clock I saw almost an hour had gone by. Huh. Felt shorter than that. I grabbed the stuff I'd bought and walked outside. Sure enough, Steve was out there leaning against my car. Waving he called, "Howdy, little lady! Told ya, and hour tops."

I rolled my eyes, walking over to put my stuff in my car. The hairs on my neck raised as I felt his gaze on my head. "How much did it cost?"

"Not much, only around fifty dollar." Steve said. He ran his hand down the length of one of the doors. "You gotta a nice car here."

"Thanks." I muttered, scavenging through my wallet to find some money. I hand Steve a few crumbled tens and fives. "I outta find a place to stay tonight." I said, hopping into the car.

"Ya know, the Curtis' house's door is always unlocked." Steve said, winking at me.

"Okay." I muttered, starting the car. "Thanks for all the help."

And with that I drove outta the DX and into wherever the heck life chose to take me.

Phew! That was one of my longest fics yet. I tried to use The Ousiders writing style, but I failed, I know. ANYWHO... What do you think of Winter? She's just a random character I made for this fic, but I have an interesting story with her. All I'm going to say for now is that I'm trying to write someone being introduced to the world of The Outsiders with a... different backstory. Yes, I will have minor romance plots in this, but I trying to make this less of a cheesy romance novel.