Prologue

Why does everyone have to die? It's been…several years since mum and dad died. Johnny cake passed on two years ago. We were all relieved when Dallas pulled through everything. I don't think I could take it if four people I loved left me alone.

Well…Not alone, my brother's are still here. I have…mixed feelings towards my brothers. Sometimes I'm glad I have them, sometimes I wish they would just go away and leave me alone. Ponyboy is the youngest. He's sixteen now. It's been two years since…everything. Sodapop is nineteen and Darry is twenty two. I'm eighteen now. I just turned eighteen last week.

I don't know why mum and dad decided to have four kids. Maybe it was the whole forge the middle child elimination theory. Whatever.

I'm still lying beside Sodapop. Sodapop is the nicest person in the house. He's always so mellow and calm. Darry is uptight! He has no patience with me anymore. I don't really blame him though. I've been in and out of jail several times. I was in the cooler two years ago. I even missed the rumble. I miss Johnny Cade more though. He deserved so much better than what he had and what he got.

I slowly got off the bed. Ponyboy would want his spot back. I was guessing he and Darry would be going to bed soon. The only thing Pony was pleased about was that he was getting his brown hair back. Our hair was about the same colour, mine almost always pulled back into a ponytail.

I'm not like a lot of the other girls. I only wear skirts and blouses when Darry forces me too. Mum and dad's funeral was one time. I don't remember if there was another time after that, but otherwise, I wear my jeans and tee shirts.

I don't care if girls aren't supposed to wear guy clothing, but it's a free world. I already am a Greaser, and proud to be. I know Darry isn't happy about that, but that is what I am. Everyone who comes in and out of the house, besides the police for their checkups on Darry and his parenting abilities, it's always going to be one of the Greasers or Tim Shephard's guys.

Darry wants me to go to University, get an education and a real job. I managed to struggle through high school, why would I go somewhere I have no possibility of finishing? I'm content being here in Tulsa and doing odd jobs, like Soda.

I came down the stairs quietly and saw Darrel talking with Dallas. Ponyboy passed me in the hallway, but he didn't even look at me. I guess he knows that if he wasn't my brother, I'd beat the snot out of him. I watched Dallas talking with Darry. He was so reserved now, his usually loud character taken down a notch.

Dallas taught me everything I know about being a Greaser. A lot of it was in the cooler. I spent time in there with him. He showed me how to be tough, how to disguise things, how to lie. I cried my first day inside. Dallas refused to speak to me until I sobered up. He told me crying was weak and that only girls cried. I wanted to prove him wrong from then on. If I have to cry, I don't do it around him. I'll do it when I'm alone. Darrel knows I cry at night, and maybe that's why he's always so protective of me.

I continued to watch Dallas. My face turned red when Dallas's eyes met mine. Darry didn't notice that he was staring at me, thank goodness. I dropped my eyes and turned, disappearing behind the wall. I sunk to the floor, their hushed voices continuing.

My name is Andrea Curtis. This is what happened to us.