"Hello…?" I answered

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU? You think you can up and run from me you little bit-" I hung up.

I've lived in Oklahoma City for a week now; the calls have just started. But I can't explain that now. But I can explain why I'm here.

I'm 18, 19 at the end of next week, and I lived in Hartford Connecticut my whole life and when I saw the chance to get away I grabbed it. I lived with my dad in Connecticut since I was a baby. I've never known what happened to my mom, all I know is she was never around. My dad's not a good guy; as soon as I was old enough to talk I was old enough to be beaten. I don't like talking about him. But needless to say that the reason I moved here was to get as far away from him as I could.

I got a job when I was 15, bussing tables in a diner. I worked up to being a waitress and since then every dime I was given went into a stash that I saved and used to come here. I know it seems like a random place to choose especially as I lived so close to New York but I have a friend who lives here, Dawn. I also got a scholarship at a university here for dance. So it seemed like the perfect getaway.

I moved down and I live with Dawn and her mum, I started working in a local bar, it was supposed to be as a cleaner but I've already convinced the manager to move me up, I start tonight as a barmaid. But before I get to try that out for the first time, I get to endure my first day as 'the transfer'.

I spent all day dancing my ass off to prove to the teacher, Mrs Dufont, and everyone else on the course that I am worthy of their presence! I got the general impression that the people on my course think they are a little more high class than they really are! But it entertained me.

At lunch I found Dawn, she's in for art and literature, the girl is so freaking talented it's crazy. She told me everything I need to know to 'survive' apparently. There are two groups, the greasers and the socs; it became apparent then that I was in a class full of socs which was bad for me. Dawn was friends with a 'greaser' his name was… Ponyboy. That for start had me smiling. And it just so happens that we bumped into him.

"Hey D!" I heard someone yell, we turned around and I spotted a scrawny funny haired boy pushing towards us.

"Hey! How's it going?" Dawn replied

"Not bad just wanted to let you know about a little shindig tonight, all the guys going down to the rooster, bout 8?"

"Yeah I'll be there. Oh… Pony this is Nessa." She motioned at me.

"Hi, nice to meet you." I said quietly

"D says a lot about you, good to meet you." He said shaking my hand.

"Anyway I gotta run see you guys tonight…" Dawn nodded, and then he looked at her and added…

"Bring her!" pointing to me, and then he chuckled to him self as he hustled off. Dawn looked at me,

"Up for it?" she asked.

"I can't I have to work….." And that would have been a fine excuse to get me out of it, except for one thing... the red rooster is the bar that I work in.

I start work at 6 and wouldn't get off till about 2, I had been there for an hour an a half and I was starting to get dreadfully bored. I realised that as a bar maid there wasn't a lot too do unless people were actually in the place! I'd polished every pump, wiped every fridge door, cleaned every glass and had come to the conclusion that I just needed something to waste time.

Just then as the door opened I dropped the glass I was drying, I immediately began to pick the pieces up. I noticed a head peer over the bar,

"While you're down there babe?" the voice grumbled.

I looked up, this guy was rough, tall and dirty blonde. He had on a white shirt and a leather jacket, its needless to say I was less than impressed with his comment,

"Can I help you?"

"I dunno, is that a yes?" he replied with his eyebrows raised

"Excuse you?"

"Just joking babe, ill have a cold beer." I got the drink and took the money, this guy was awkward, he was lurched over the bar and being very cocky, something I wasn't used too. I gave him his change and quickly went back to dusting or polishing or anything that got me away.

Another 20 minutes went by and I returned to the till, as Mr. confident put his empty bottle down in front of me.

"Another?" I asked confidently trying to make him think he didn't intimidate me.

"Please." He replied "So you're new? I haven't seen you before."

"It's my first shift behind the bar." I said as I got the fresh bottle.

"How you likin it?"

"It's not bad, so far I haven't done much, except clean."

"You'll get used to it! My lot will be down tonight, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself, and we're a great bunch."

"I'm not going to have problems with you am I?" I said jokingly.

"Not me no, im the ring leader. Im the go-to-guy. You need something princess and ill get it for ya, if you get any problems you can come to me… im Dally. Well Dallas really, Dallas Winston, you mighta heard of me?"

"Doesn't ring a bell. Nice to meet you though Dallas Im Nessa."

"Pleasure." He replied raising his eyebrows again. With that I heard cars pulling up outside, then a crowd of five maybe six guys came in, and they all headed straight for Dallas.

There was the usual yelling, jeering, messing about then they straightened out to sort drinks, and a tall handsome one from the middle offered up a round. The rest of the guys took off to the pool table, and as he turned and looked at me, he paused. I looked at him; he was rugged and well built. He was wearing a black t shirt and ripped jeans; I couldn't help but think he was gorgeous. He had dark hair and eye's that stunned me, He opened his mouth to speak but still didn't say anything so I felt the need to break the ice.

"Can I get you something?"

"Erm yeah. I'll have erm, five beers and a ….whiskey sour please?" He said smiling.

"Coming up." I smiled back. I started getting the beers from the fridge,

"I haven't met you before have I?" He questioned.

"No im brand new."

"Lived round here long?"

"About a week." I said calmly.

"Where you from? East coast I recon."

"Oh yeah, what makes you say that?" I joked.

"You talk properly, none of this slang we all use."

"Guess it gave me away…Im from Connecticut." I said as I started on the whiskey. I put them all up on the bar, "Is that everything?"

He looked and nodded

"Yeah thanks, you stick them on a tab for us?"

"Sure. Can I have your name?"

"Darry… Curtis." I'd never heard it before; he was totally new to me.

"Sure, that's all done for you." I said as I scribbled the order and his name down.

"Do I get yours?"

"Get my what?" I said confusedly.

"Your name?" He laughed.

"Oh! its erm Nessa"

"It's beautiful. It suits you." He said, he took the drinks and walked off, over to the rest.

I spent the next twenty minutes exchanging 'accidental' glances with Darry. I couldn't help it really, it just happened, I was catching his eye…accidentally.?! One problem was Dallas. He kept trying to catch my eye too and in honesty? I didn't want him too, he looked as if he was getting up and just then as I turned to go out back and hide Dawn came through the front door with Ponyboy.

Dawn's had a crush on Ponyboy since they started talking properly, about two three weeks ago, she told me about it, she hasn't made a move because she never does, she waits until they do, which is a fool proof plan I suppose. Dawn turned 18 three weeks ago, and to my knowledge Ponyboy was just eighteen too. Dawn came up to the bar and Ponyboy headed over to the group distracting Dallas and co-incidentally saving me, and suddenly it all made sense, they were the greasers! I should have known from Dallas really. But I guess it didn't click.

I explained to Dawn what had happened with Dallas and what would now be called the 'Princess Incident' She seemed quite amused by it,

"He's harmless really!" I didn't say a word about Darry though. I don't know why, I just didn't. I felt too unsure and anxious about it.

So I left it out of the conversation which quickly turned to all the flirty things Ponyboy may or may not have implied on the way over. He'd walked to meet her and bring her down, which is nice enough in its self but now we needed to decode everything he has said.

Rounds of drinks passed by, two or three hours and they started a pool tournament, losers brought the next round, and winners picked the song on the jukebox. As it got towards one am, gradually they started to leave. Eventually it whittled down to three, Ponyboy, Darry and Dawn. They had finished there drinks and as the last of the other customers left Dawn came up to the bar,

"Well, he's offered to walk me home! So im off, you've got like 20 minutes left?"

"Oooh…" I said smirking "Yeah not long, I have to clean down, bottle up and that's it."

"Okay I'll see you back at mine yeah?"

"Yeah see you later on" I replied. Then she grinned ear to ear and returned to Ponyboy before they left,

"Bye Ness!" Ponyboy yelled as they went out the door.

It was just me and Darry now, he started picking up empty bottles they had stashed up around the pool table.

"You don't have to do that." I called, and he strolled over to the bar putting them on top.

"I don't mind. It's no bother."

"Thank you."

"Thanks."

"Excuse me?" I said confused.

"Just say thanks, not thank you. And it's 'What!' not excuse me. Just so you know."

"Are you mocking me?" I joked

"On a very subtle level, maybe... Is that allowed?" He said as he tried not to grin. I shrugged and smiled. He finished collecting the last of the bottles…

"You lock up on your own?" He asked

"Yes, I have my own keys, It very responsible."

"So you finish at two, then you gotta lock up and walk home?"

"Its okay, im street smart."

"I don't know about that!" he said as he started to turn stools over and put them on the bar but left two at the end.

"You really don't have to stay and help…" I said.

"Well I have to admit, I was hoping that if I stayed and helped, you might have a drink with me, maybe a game of pool? Then I'll walk you back, can't have you wondering round in the dark"

I froze and didn't know what to say, should I? It had to be said, i did want too but all my better instincts told me not too....

"You can pick what's on the jukebox?" he added and I laughed.

I hesitated… then I took two bottles from the fridge, walked round the bad and handed him one…

"Okay but… I get to break."