Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders

A/N: Yes, I'm starting a new story. I'm expanding on the characters and making a Ponyboy OC. He is my second favorite character. Anyway, I hope you like this story.

There he was again. I don't know how long I'd been crushing on him. I know it's been over a year. He hasn't acknowledged me more that he does any other girl. Basically I don't really exist. I'm just someone else in the back round music of his life. Just one important little note, that even if I wasn't there, the music wouldn't sound any different.

He's shy, I know that. Every time someone of the opposite sex tries to converse a few words his ears get red. I think it's awful cute. I'd never be able to tell him that though. He doesn't seem to realize how handsome he is. Every girl in town knows who his brother is. "That doll, Sodapop Curtis," is how they'd sometimes refer to him as. I only had eyes for the youngest Curtis.

My best friend, Lacey, snapped me out of my daydream. I don't even think she knew I had this pathetic crush on him. She'd probably think I was desperate. No, I'm not.

"C'mon, Ami, we're gonna be late," she said. My name is mispronounced all the time. It isn't pronounced "Amy" as you may think. It's pronounced as "Ah-mee". I like my name, though. It sounds kind of exotic.

This was only my second period class, but it was my favorite. English. I didn't just like it because Ponyboy Curtis was in this class with me, but I liked the subject. My goal is to become an author. A lot of the teachers think I have the potential. Maybe Ponyboy'd notice me then. I saw him walk in just as I thought this. He sat in the row over and up one seat. I was stuck looking at the back of his head, unless he turned his head, then I'd get his profile. It was enough to get me through class.

The bell rang, and the rest of the class filed in. So did Mr. Sime, our teacher. I didn't have a problem with him. He was okay. He could tell things about you that others couldn't. I never liked it when teachers seemed to be reading your mind. I guess Mr. Sime was an exception, because he wouldn't use it against you. He started roll call while everyone talked amongst themselves.

"You're coming over today right?" Lacey asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," I replied, again being sucked out of a daydream.

"Who were you staring at?" she asked, this time in a sly tone with an equally sly smile.

"I wasn't staring at anyone," I said casually. I knew if I sounded defensive then she'd just have per point proved. Lacey, unfortunately, knew me too well for me to lie straight to her face. She gave me that 'Tell the truth' look. "Seriously, Lacey."

"You were staring at that Curtis kid, weren't you?" she teased. I felt my face get warmer than usual. I got paranoid. What if he heard her say his last name. What if he was listening to our conversation, but wasn't letting on? "It's alright. He is pretty cute."

"I wasn't looking at him, Lacey," I said with finality.

"Ami," Mr. Sime called from the attendance sheet.

"Here!" I called. "Anyway, what are we doing at your house today?" I asked.

"Dunno. My mom's working late. Dinner's probably on me."

"We can figure out something different to cook," I suggested. Every time I went over and we had to make dinner, we always wound up having spaghetti. Lacey said they liked the way I made it. I put cinnamon in the tomato sauce. When you think of cinnamon, you pro ably think if it with sugar, but it's like any other spice you'd put in sauce, except better. Lacey always makes fun of me for my cinnamon obsession.

"Will it have cinnamon in it?" she teased. See?

"Depends on what we make," I replied.

Class started soon afterward. It was pretty much the normal lesson. Then he started going on about our compositions we wrote. Maybe he'd say something good about mine.

"I have to say, there are two that I particularly like. Ami and Ponyboy-" The class was groaning. I didn't care. The teacher said mine was one of his favorite. And Ponyboy's. I knew he was smart, but I didn't know he was in to creative writing. "Now, calm down class. In light of their work, I've come up with a new project. You will pair up with someone-" Lacey and I looked at each other with a smile, "let me finish. You will pair up with someone and think of a story. I could be fiction, non-fiction, anything, and as long as you like," my face lit up. "I will be assigning the partners. Obviously, seeing what these two are capable of," he motioned to Ponyboy and I, and again I felt my face heat up, "they'll be working together."

Lacey gave me a suggestive nudged, and I shoved her for it. The rest of the class, to my surprise, "oooed." How did they know I liked Ponyboy? God, this was embarrassing. I saw Ponyboy glance back at me. I avoided his eyes, but I saw that he looked kind of sad. Did he think I wasn't going to be a good partner?

"This will count as half you grade for this semester," Mr. Sime said finally, right before the bell rang. Everyone filed out. "Ami, Ponyboy, I'd like to see you," he sai, motioning us toward his desk. I was still avoiding Ponyboy's eyes. I guess I' just ave to catch up with Lacey later.

"You two are quite talented in literature. I expect the most out of both of you. I suggest meeting after school hours to start working on this," he said, looking us in the eye. I hated when teachers did that. It was kin of like they were searching your soul. We both nodded. "Ami, this will help your grade greatly if you two are willing to work together on this project. I assigned you two before everyone else for that reason. You two may proceed to your next classes now," he said finally.