Ponyboy was in the bathroom combing his hair back trying to look decent. It wasn't helping much though, no matter how many times Ponyboy would comb it back his hair would just flop back down to where it was before. He groaned at stared hopelessly at himself in the mirror. Sodapop, who had been standing in the doorway, laughed.

"This might help." he said as he tossed some hair gel to Ponyboy.

Ponyboy caught the hair gel and looked at it, then back at Sodapop. "Uh..thanks Soda."

Just then Darry rushed passed the room, his arms full of junk he had picked up off the floor ready to throw in the trash. "Soda, I thought I told you to vaccum. This house is going to look terrible when she comes!" He said but didn't slow down his pace.

Sodapop just nodded and left Ponyboy alone. "She" was 15 year old Linzi Cook. A couple weeks prior to this day the Curtis' received a letter and as Darry read it he could hardly remember who Larry Cook even was. Larry Cook, a strange man as Darry could recall. They used to roof houses together untill he moved to Alabama and married a woman, trying to start a new life. Darry never really though much of Larry, he was a nice man and all…but just different. Larry considered Darry to be his best and only friend in the world, he would constantly joke about how they're names rhymed and how "close" they were. After Larry moved he kept in contact for a few monthes, a phone call here and there and a few letters. But, finally, it seemed Larry moved on with his life and totally forgot about Darry. Darry sure forgot about him, untill he read this letter. Darry sat there completely shocked, reading it over and over again just to make sure he didn't miss anything. When Sodapop and Ponyboy demanded to know what was going on, he explained. They remembered Larry Cook…faintly…but they did remember. Apparently Larry and his wife separated a few years ago and she commited suicide. Larry was left to raise his daughter, Linzi, alone. Everything was going quite well untill Larry died. He was in a car crash, his car was hit head on and he died instantly. Linzi was in danger of being sent to a foster home because she has no living relatives. Larry had planned for this though, as he knew the day would come eventually for he was suffering heart problems. He decided that when he died Linzi would be given to the Curtis'.

All three of them were shocked at this news. It was hard enough living here with the three of them, but now a fourth? And a girl, to top all that? But how could they refuse…Larry was such a sweet man and he always meant well. And Darry, being the kind person he is, agreed to take her in.

So here they were, the morning of July 14, trying to make the house and themselves look halfway decent for their new visitor.