A/N: So a lot of this is going to be movie based, since it's easier to watch a movie than read a book. Dally is going to look like he does in the movie, because I fell in love with that Dally. Plus I just got the two disk novel edition of the movie in the mail, so it shouldn't be too far off, if I remember correctly. Anyways, I loved this book (and the movie) ever since I read since middle school. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one except for Katherine, and any of my other characters that my appear.

Chapter One:

My family used to be rich, but things happen. Mom said Dad lost his job, and I'm sure he did, but I knew there was more. I knew my dad was gambling our money, and he had an unfortunate loss. I knew that was why he couldn't just get another job here. So we moved from the high class "Soc" area of New York, New York, to the low class "Greaser" area of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

And there I stood, at the front of Tulsa High School on Monday morning. I never expected to be changing schools at seventeen. I wore jeans and a t-shirt. I know, simple, especially for a girl coming from a Soc lifestyle, but there wasn't much I could do about that. My dad sold almost everything we had that we didn't need, and that barely gave us enough money to move. As always, I styled my auburn hair in its typical wavy style that fell just past my shoulders. I never wore much make-up, and I didn't need it, either. My blue eyes stood out on their own.

I took a deep breath, and stepped through the front doors, looking down at my schedule and school map; I had already registered the day before with my mother and father. Because I was looking down, I ran right into someone.

All my papers and books I was holding fell down to the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, kneeling down to pick up my papers. "That was all my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going." As I was reaching for my schedule, the last thing I need to pick up, my hand hit someone else's hand, causing both of our hands to recoil. Mine out of shock, his out of nerve. I looked from the shaking hand to a boy with big, scared puppy eyes, dark, greasy hair, and a scar on his face. Our eyes locked for a moment, but I quickly looked away, and grabbed my schedule. I stood up and held my hand out to help him up. He only hesitated a moment before he took it. "My name's Katherine Anderson. I'm new here."

"Johnny Cade," the boy said. "You lost?" He still looked scared, but he seemed to be trying to hide it.

I probably would end up lost, but I was new, so I'd be excused for it, and I probably wouldn't miss anything too important. "No, I'm fine."

We stood there silently for a moment before he broke the silence saying, "Well, I gotta go."

I nodded. "Sorry again." I called as he walked away.

"No big deal," he said with a shrug. He seemed to have calmed down, which was good. I walked off towards my first class wondering what could have scared him so much.

Naturally, school was boring. But that didn't change that I was a great student. When I got home, I started studying immediately, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. I sighed, and put down my pencil.

Coming!" I called.

As I approached the door, I heard someone whisper, "Why are we even doing this Darry?"

"It's a nice gesture, Pony," he replied.

"Yeah, but we don't exactly have the money for a 'nice gesture', that's all I'm saying," the first voice replied.

"That's why I made something instead of buying something," the second voice replied, sounding annoyed.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. I opened my mouth to speak, but then saw the scared boy - Johnny Cade, he said his name was - standing with the group. "Johnny?" I asked.

'You know her?" The youngest boy asked. He had light brown, almost red hair, grey-green eyes, and he was thin, but seemed to have a pretty good build. For someone his age.

"Uh, yeah," Johnny said. "We, uh, ran into each other this morning at school."

I smiled. "That's an understatement," I muttered. I took in the rest of the group. There was one boy with movie-star good looks, dark-gold hair, and dark brown eyes. Another boy - or I suppose man better described him - who had a muscular build, dark brown hair, and ice blue eyes. He also had a bowl of something in his arms. Behind the first three, there were four more. One boy had a Mickey Mouse shirt on, and he had a switch blade in his hand that he was playing around with, there was another boy with his hair combed in thick, complicated swirls, another boy had dark hair, and a mean look to him, but there was something about him that kept my eyes on him slightly longer than the others, and Johnny stood by him.

We stood there silently for a moment. "Um, so, how can I help you?" I finally asked.

The boy with the muscular build held out the bowl. "Welcome to the neighborhood, I guess. My name's Darrel Curtis. This is Ponyboy Curtiss and Sodapop Curtis."

"Thanks," I took the bowl, peaking in to see a potato salad. "Katherine Anderson. You guys can come in if you want."

It was silent when I turned to go to the kitchen, but I knew they had come in.

"She sure don't look like a Greaser girl," someone said. He was quickly shushed.

"Where you from?" I think that was Darrel.

"Uh, New York," I said, returning to the living room. "I don't really have anything to offer you guys, we just got here a few days ago. Sorry. Who's the rest of your, um, gang."

"That's Two-Bit Mathews, Steve Randle, and Dallas Winston," Darrel introduced.

"Anything a girl aught to know about this neighborhood?" I asked.

"Don't stay out late, and know how to fight," Dallas said, speaking up for the first time. He was also the one who had caught my attention earlier.

I didn't really know what to say to that, but, fortunately, Darrel spoke up. "Don't scare her, Dally. Well, thanks for inviting us in, but we gotta go now."

"Thanks for the potato salad," I said, walking them all to the door, and holding it open for them.

"See ya around," Johnny said, following Dallas out of the door.

"What a strange bunch," I muttered to myself after they left.

I returned to my homework, and headed to bed when I was done. Now that we were poor, both my parents had to work to maintain this little shack of a house, so they were both still out when I went to bed. They were also gone when I got up for school.

The rest of the week followed in a similar pattern. By the time the weekend hit, I hadn't set foot out of my house. I'd done my homework, and gone to bed. But I didn't get homework today, so, when I got home from school, I wasn't sure what to do. I poked my head outside hesitantly, and saw the group of boys that had come into my house earlier that week sitting in the yard of the house across from me. What were their names again? Darrel, Ponyboy, Sodapop, Johnny, Two-Bit, Dallas , and… Oh, right, Steve.

"Hey, she finally comes out!" One boy called -Sodapop, I think.

"Well, don't be shy, come on over!" I think that was Two-Bit.

I hesitated, but decided to cross the street and join them. I was offered a beer (I think that was Dallas), but I shook my head.

"You sure dress your hair up a lot," the same guy noted. I had blow dried my hair so instead of falling flat, it was wavy. I didn't think it was all that special, but I guess it was above the standard for a Greaser girl.

"Dallas, right?" I asked. He nodded. "Well, yeah, I'm from New York, it's kind of a habit. I was a Soc until my dad lost his job and we moved here. Now we got nothing." Immediately after I said that, I regretted it.

"So you're a Soc?" Dallas asked, giving me a look.

"Um, well," I looked around at all the guys. All of them except Johnny (who was looking down like a confused, lost puppy) were giving me the same look as Dallas. I couldn't name it, but I didn't like it. I stood up immediately I stood up. "I-I have to go." I turned on my heel and hurried back to my house. I shut the door and locked it, leaning against it, with my head down, fighting tears.

Don't cry dummy, I scolded myself. So what if you just ruined your only possible friendships here? That's nothing to cry about. You're strong, and independent, and you don't need friends. You just need a distraction.

"That's it! I'll get a job!" I said excitedly. "Mom and dad will like the extra income, anyways."

I pushed away from the door, and went to my room to read a book and wait for Mom and Dad to come home.

A couple hours later, I heard the car engine.

That's earlier than expected, I thought.

I got up and went out to greet them, quickly unlocking the door when I remembered I had locked it earlier. I didn't need to be questioned about that.

"Welcome home, you guys are home early," I said, hugging my parents when they came in.

"Yes, and even so, it's unusual that you're greeting us," Mom said, hugging me back.

"Yes, well, I had an idea," I started.

"Oh, no, she has an idea," Dad teased. "Hope it didn't hurt."

"Ha ha, very funny, Dad," but I smiled none the less. "I was thinking of getting a job."

"Whatever for, dear?" Mom asked.

"Well, I don't really have any friends here. I mean, I won't fit in with the Socs, we don't have the money for that, and I'm no Greaser. So I just figured, if I had a job, I'd be able to keep myself busy."

"Well, I don't see why not," Mom said. She looked at Dad. "What do you think, dear?"

Dad looked hesitant, so I spoke up. "I can pitch in money to help with the bills and stuff. I can pitch all of it in, actually. Unless I need something, then I'll use that to buy only what I need. So you guys don't have to worry about it."

I could see both my parents wanted to argue with me, but they stopped and thought about it. "Let your mom and I talk about it, okay? You should go to bed now, we can talk in the morning."

I nodded and made my way to my bedroom. I didn't feel particularly tired, but I got ready for bed, and crawled in none the less. Sooner than expected, I was fast asleep.

A/N: Well, not much to say here. I hope you enjoyed it!