Title: Loving The Change

Summary: They met at the park and he had her heart before he said a word . . . JohnnyXOC

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Outsiders'. Only Jennifer.

Jennifer POV

I was walking home when I decided to go to the park. I hated going home anyway. I don't come from a real great home or anything. But, most greasers don't. My dad was always beating on me after my mom died a year ago. I live with him and my brother John but sometimes he's gone for so long. My brother and I look alike and act it too. I have strawberry blonde hair that goes down past my waist and rivals Angela Shepard's in length. My brother has the exact same color hair. It was long, about up to his shoulders. He wasn't a hippy or nothin', that's just how long he wears it. I'm into jeans and stuff and t-shirts and so is he. I used to borrow some of his when mine were dirty.

We both love to dance and sing and often blasted the radio, except when dad was home, and went to parties, when he was. John has kept me from getting a lot of beatings in the past, when he was around more, and often told me when to stay out of the house beforehand so to save myself a black eye the next day.

That's part of why I was staying at the park. I had to get away from my father. I sat on the ground by a tree, silently nursing a bruise on my cheek. I heard a car pull up by the park. I looked up to see five Socs surrounding me. You know how I'm a greaser? Well, Socs are the complete opposite. Greasers are wild and a little on the poor side. Socs are cold and unfeeling and are filthy rich. Not that I mind. I would prefer being a greaser any day. That is, any day but today. The Socs pushed me back on the ground as I tried to get up and I hit my head on a rock behind me. I saw stars for a second and when I regained full awareness those Socs were on top of me and smiling. Four were holding me down and one was sitting on top of me.

I started cussing him out and telling him to get the hell off of me. He laughed once and stood up. He kicked me three times in the ribs and stomach then sat back down on me and I screamed in spite of myself. He must have broken a rib.

"What do you want with me?" I asked, though I was hoping for a different answer than the ususal one a greaser girl; gets when she's jumped.

"You'll see." He smiled dangerously and proceeded to unzip my jeans.

"No! Get off me now!"

He simply punched me in the face, leaving my cheek purple. He kept on going. Once he got my pants off he tried with my shirt. I just lay there, helpless, then I heard voices coming out way. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I heard footsteps coming and those Socs jumped up and left me there. They kicked me one more time and left me there. I heard the footsteps come toward me and someone tried to help me up. I was in a slight daze but when I stood up I saw someone in front of me, holding me up. There was someone behind him, holding the pair of pants those Socs tore off of me. I took my pants from him and put them on while the other boy steadied me. Once I was standing straight I got a good look at my rescuers.

The one standing back looked to be around sixteen. He was small but had a good build, for his size. He had greenish-gray eyes and sort of long, reddish-brown, hair. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans. He was sort of cute.

But, they guy holding onto me. He was gorgeous. He had dark black hair that swept over his eyes. It was heavily greased but it looked good on him. He had dark tanned skin. Not black, mind you, but darker than the other guy. He had a good build and looked strong enough, for his size. He was almost as small as the other kid but looked slightly older. His eyes were sensitive and shone with a lot of pain, almost a sad look in them. My eyes had that look. Every time I looked in the mirror I thought about my life, how little there was that was good in it, then about all of the bruises on my body to contend to and my eyes get that look.

"Are you alright?" The gray eyed boy asked.

I didn't respond. For some reason I couldn't. I was still really unsteady on my feet. The black haired kid looked at the other kid and said,

"Come on, Ponyboy, let's bring her back to your house. Maybe Sodapop can bring her around."

The kid, who he called Ponyboy, nodded and came over to my other side, lending me support. The whole walk there I couldn't stop staring at that gorgeous black-haired boy and desperately wondered how a bottle of pop was going to help me.

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Okay, Okay, a short first chapter but this is really going somewhere! Please R&R and the second chapter wil come up A.S.A.P.