Chapter One- Hana

Greasers. No good trash who are born on the wrong side of the tracks. Socs. Stands for socialites and are people who aren't any better if not for the fact they have money. I think it's trivial, but it doesn't matter what I think, does it? I'm a nobody in society, brought up that way. It will never matter to anyone other than me what I think, and even then I often don't care.

"Hana," someone says, snapping their finger in my face. I jerk back, glaring softly at Johnny Cade, my best friend. Really my only friend since moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma. His hands go back to resting limply in his lap. "I asked if you wanted to come with me to the drive in tonight."

I don't take long to think about it. I don't have much better to do, and I have left over change from my father's addiction. I guess it's what brought us together; my father and his father and their addiction. Funny how fate is, huh? "Yeah, I'll go. I got some extra coin for you. Dad won't miss the whole dollar I've managed to save up over the last year or so." I feel my lips stretch up into a slight smile.

"Thanks, Hana," Johnny says in his little voice. He's a puppy to me, kicked and whimpering usually, but a puppy all the same. His big brown eyes just want some love, and I can't blame him. I don't remember my mom, and my dad... No matter what he does, I can't hate him. He's all I've got now. So Johnny is someone I can understand. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who ever really understands from how he talks about his gang.

I guess I should do a proper introduction. My name is Hana Gilmore. I was born in New Orleans and spent most of my childhood around the country in various states of fucked up. My mom was a junkie. She was probably high when she met and fucked my dad, and she probably died trying to get high. I wouldn't be surprised. I wouldn't miss her either. I can't miss her if I never had her. My dad is a drunk. He used to try starting a new life, but he quit after my grandparents died. Grandma and Grandpa left him the house and the money they had. That's all there is to my life.

"Not a problem, Johnny," I say with a smile large enough to break my face. Johnny smiles back. My dad, in one of his sober days, told me once that my smile is really bright and uplifting. So I smiled around him more often. He didn't drink for three weeks, finally touching a bottle when I spent the night at my grandparents' house. I didn't think I'd ever see him drink again, I was so young. Then I realized it doesn't really matter. He was going to drink anyway.

"When you gon' come to the Curtis house?" Johnny has been bugging me about that. I don't know why I haven't done it yet. I guess I'm just really nervous to be around people who may or may not like me. I've never really had a friend. People I've spoken to, yeah, but never a friend. I didn't have one until Johnny. "I think you're makin' it out to be a bigger deal than it is, Hana."

I swallow. "I probably am," I say, hiding my face in my arms. "I mean, I just... I dunno. I mean, school starts soon anyway, so it's not like I won't at least see them occasionally." Dad makes sure I go to school. Sometimes his anger is because I don't do good in school. I mean, I can, but some of the things they ask for is just too much to do at home. Like book reports. I can't read without dad thinking I stole it. He's aware of how poor we are...

"But you should know 'em. They're like family." I shrug. "How about this, I'll bring Ponyboy tomorrow to meet you. Pony's real nice. He's the-"

"He's the one that likes to read," I smile. I look at him. "I listen to what you say, Johnny." His face lights up a little bit more. "I guess it's alright. Should I go with you to pick him up?" Standing up, I brush off the dust from my jeans. The sun is going down, my curfew. "Remember dad said the couch is available to you if you like. Our dads are drinking buddies."

He nods his head, getting up on his own. "I'll probably stay with Pony tonight. I'll ask Darry if it's okay for him to come while I'm at it. You remember Darry?"

"The oldest brother who played football." I know it's at least a little important to him when I remember what he says. The little tidbits of information I take in that I know only because of him. "I'll see you tomorrow, Johnny. I'll tell dad where I'm going." No I won't, I think. I'll leave tomorrow because I know he'll lock me in my room if I tell him ahead of time. I'll take whatever he has waiting for me when I get back.

I leave early in the morning while dad is still dealing with his hangover. The earlier I leave, the greater chance I have of escaping the house without him interrogating me about what I'll be doing. All I really have to say is 'I'll be with Johnny, dad' and he's satisfied now. Something I can be thankful for. "Love you, daddy," I say, kissing his stubbly cheek. He grunts in reply.

My style is simple enough, I guess. Jeans that are obviously stolen without checking the size. They're loose, and I have to wear a belt often to keep them up. Then a shirt that can be worn for days at a time without anybody being able to tell unless they see me all of the days I'm wearing it. Without a design, I can just lie and say it's a different one anyway. My shoes are a pair of tennis shoes that are worn down and ragged. Dad might take me to get some new ones soon. Might.

"Johnny!" I call as I walk down the street. He swings out the door of a house a few moments later. "Hana! Come 'ere!" I jog, starving and exhausted. Hopefully Johnny has something to eat with him.

I stop in front of the gate, realizing this house is unfamiliar to me. I swallow thickly, catching sight of Johnny as he opens the door again. "Hana, come on. Darry made breakfast. We got chocolate cake." My stomach grumbles, and my feet inch forward just a bit. "Hana, please."

I let my head fall, grabbing the hood of my hoodie and pulling it up so it covers my brown hair and face. I take shaky steps as I approach the porch and Johnny, now joined by a red haired looking boy with grey eyes and a much larger guy. Johnny meets me half way, and I hide behind him. Believe it or not, I'm smaller than him. Skinnier and shorter. "Hana, meet Darry and Ponyboy. Darry, Pony, this is Hana, the girl I been talkin' 'bout."

"Hello, Hana," Darry says, holding his hand out. "It's nice to finally meet you." I stare at his hand for a second before pulling my sleeve up so I can shake it. Another boy comes from behind him, movie star lookin', and calls out to 'hurry up because he's starving' and going back inside. "Would you mind joining us for breakfast? Sodapop and I have to be at work soon."

I open my mouth to decline, but my stomach growls loudly to let everyone know exactly what I want to say. Johnny gives me a worried look, but then Darry laughs. "I-if you don't mind..."

"Calm down, little lady," he says in reassurance. I do just a bit, nodding and following Johnny.

"How long has it been?" Johnny asks. It doesn't take a genius to know what he means.

"A couple days." I smile under my hood at him, closing my green eyes so I don't have to see the hesitant disbelief on his face. "I'm fine. Dad just hasn't gone grocery shopping. Again." He leads me ahead, opening the door for me like the nice kid he is. "Thank you."

Sodapop stops in front of me, looking curious as he pokes my hood. "Does she normally dress like this?" He lifts it up just a little bit, staring at me. I turn a deep shade of red, taking it from his grip and pulling it down even further. "I'll take that as a yes. From the way you talked, I didn't think she was so shy." I edge closer to Johnny, grasping the bottom of his shirt.

"Soda." It comes from Darry. He hands me a plate, a fork sticking up in the middle of a large slice of chocolate cake. "Here you go, Hana. You can eat in the living room." I nod, waiting on Johnny before sitting on the floor next to the couch. I have an odd way of eating at home. My plate is on the floor and I have one leg outstretched while the other is bent flat on the floor. I lean over it with my elbows propping me up and eat.

"Do you want a seat?" Ponyboy asks, looking a bit confused at my position.

"It's how I normally eat, so it's fine," I reply. Ponyboy shrugs, sitting on the floor next to me. I don't ask about it; it isn't my business. I eat in silence as Darry and Sodapop shove food down their throats. I have to admit the cake is great, and I don't realize when the plate is empty until I take a bite of empty air. Darry chuckles, asking Johnny to grab my plate so he can get me another. If I wasn't so hungry, I'd insist I'm fine.

The door opens and two others waltz into the house. "Sodapop, you ready?" His hair is combed into thick complicated swirls, and the other has a shit eating grin on his face. He takes the seat next to Johnny where Pony would have been sitting if he hadn't sat on the floor with me. Neither notice my presence, just the way I like it, until Darry sets my plate back down.

"Who's this?" one asks, the one next to Johnny.

"Hana," Ponyboy answers. "Johnny's new friend. He called her down this morning for breakfast after asking Darry if it was still okay. He wants her to meet the gang." I flush as two new gazes land on my back. "Hana, these two are Two-Bit and Steve."

I turn around, waving at Steve with the complicated swirly hair. He waves back. "Good thing Dally'll be here soon then. Sylvia cheated on him. Again." I roll my eyes. "Ah, so she has an opinion on either Dally, Sylvia, or cheating."

"She don't like-" Johnny starts, then look at me as though making sure it's alright.

I sigh, pulling my hood down so they can see my shoulder length hair. "I don't like whores. My mom was a junkie bitch." Johnny looks a little startled at my honesty, and the Curtis brothers look surprised at the fact that I used such language. "I'm sorry. That was rude." I pull my hood back up with a red face.

Great. I'm already messing up.