"Get out of my house you little bitch!" my dad screamed at me. I ran down the stairs and down the street towards Buck's. Maybe there I'd get some sleep. With any luck maybe Dallas Winston would be there, he still owes me 20 bucks from our last poker game.

My name is Gracie Michaels. My parents abuse me and throw me out a lot so usually I stay at Buck's. Johnny Cade is my best friend; we've known each other since I moved here from New York. I had just been kicked out of my house and went to a lot where both me and Johnny stayed. I was nine years old at the time and he was thirteen. Now I'm twelve and he's sixteen. I'm pretty tough considering my home life except for the fact that I always wear dark blue sunglasses so no one will see my eyes. Even when I sleep I don't take them off. The only people who have seen me without my sunglasses are Johnny and my little sister Aja. My sister has a weird name but it's pronounced like Asia.

I have a brother too, his name is Sean. He's twenty and hates Aja. He almost killed her once, but I stopped him. He wanted to take me back to New York with him but for me to leave Aja here, I told him to 'Go to hell.' Since my mom and dad hate us, I'm basically Aja's mom. I pay my parents to take care of her when I'm not there, that's the only way they'll feed or clothe her. I'm too young to work anywhere so I make my money gambling and playing poker. Whenever I can't come up with the money, I take Aja to Two- Bit Matthew's house. He's the only one in the gang besides Johnny that knows about Aja. I've never met the rest of the gang, just Johnny, Two- Bit, and Dally.

Dally hates me, he thinks I'm too tough for my own good. He's probably right.

When I got to Buck's, Dally was lying on Buck's couch with his girlfriend Sylvia on top of him, kissing his neck. I went straight over to them and pushed Sylvia off. Boy was she pissed, she flipped me the bird then went to get a beer.

"What the hell, Michaels?" he said sitting up.

"I want my money Winston, now."

"Too damn bad, cause I don't have your money."

"Winston, I really need that money."

"Well I'd really like to see what's behind those sunglasses."

"Well that's never gonna happen."

"Then I guess you'll never get that money."

"Whatever, I'm getting the fuck outa here. Come see me when your not being such an asshole and you'll give me the money you owe me."

"Never gonna happen."

"Go to hell, Winston."

"Same to you Michaels."

I left after that, I couldn't take all this aggravation. I needed that money if I was ever gonna be able to take care of Aja. I went to the lot and Johnny was there.

"Hey Johnnycake," I said and woke him up. I sat down next to him leaned my back against a tree.

"Hey Gracie, how's Aja?"

"Not good, I don't have the money, I really need to leave that house one day," I said and then shivered. Johnny saw me shiver and pulled me to him so that my head was against his chest. It was really cold out and if you were going to survive with just newspaper for warmth, you had to cuddle up with the person next to you. Me and Johnny had done this since the day we met so it's a usual routine.

"You, know maybe you could live with the Curtis's until your thirteen and can work. They have enough room on their couch and your sister and stay at Two- Bit's."

"I don't know I mean I've never met them."

"They won't hurt you if that's what your worried about."

"I don't know Johnny, I don't want to be an intrusion on their life. I mean you told me once before that their parents died. I don't know if they could take me livin with them too."

"Don't worry about it, I'll tell Pony tomorrow. Hey Gracie."

"Yeah."

"Can you take off your sunglasses, its just me."

"Okay."

Johnny's POV

She took off her sunglasses and then fell asleep on my chest. She was still in eighth grade yet she acted like she was an adult. It always hurt me so much to see her hiding all her pain under her sunglasses. She had such beautiful pale blue eyes and dirty blonde hair that went to just her shoulders. It was always straight, she used to be the highlight of my day. Just to see her and hold her when she was hurt.

I'm so scared that one day her and her sister are going to leave me and Tulsa. I know I shouldn't but I think I'm in love with her. When she gets older I'll ask her to be my girl, hopefully. She always did bring out the confidant side of me. The day after the Socs jumped me, they jumped her to. No one knew her so they couldn't help her. They jumped her because one day I was walking down the street with her and they thought she was my girl. She's pretty tall so its easy to make that mistake, she's not taller than me though.

They just left her on the street so after I got better, I found her, and brought her to Two- Bit's house. Even after that she stayed tough but I broke. They only beat me up but they raped her but she just sucked it up and went back to her responsibilities. Dally always tells me what a pain in the ass this one girl he knows is. I'm pretty sure that's Gracie but you never know. Gracie is always wearing a white or pale blue tank top, even in winter. She has the same jean jacket that I have.

No matter what she'll always be beautiful to me.