Amy's POV

I was finishing up the last of my math homework when the fighting started. From what I could gather Curly had been suspended again and Tim was cussing him out. That explained why he wasn't there to give me a ride home. I had assumed Curly has skipped out early or was too much of an ass to wait an extra 5 minutes for me. Despite the fact our parents had been married 7 years, all the Shepard kids still treated me like some stranger that lived in their house. Angela and I had shared a room until she got pregnant and moved in with her boyfriend. She was the only one that had ever been outwardly mean and I can't say I had been sad to see her go. The times when it had bothered me how close they were and how I only had a drunkard dad, had long since passed.

With Tim and Curly yelling there was no way I could concentrate on the math I didn't understand anyways so I decided to go in search of food and find out what Curly was suspended for this time. The two were in the living room and I ducked into the kitchen without so much as a glance my way. The fridge was empty other than beer and some old milk, so I settled on dry cereal.

"Danny was asking for it Tim." I smiled at Curly's attempt to justify whatever he had done. He was always seeking Tim's approval and I'd noticed his disappointment was worse than any blow Tim could ever land.

"I told you to take it outside next time." Tim was losing steam, "It's your own fault if you get sent to reformatory again." Curly must have gotten into it with Danny McArthur. He was a big time soc and Curly was probably right in saying he had asked for it. With my curiosity subdued I had lost interest in their conversation and didn't notice when Tim walked into the kitchen.

"Hey. Amy. You there?" Tim was staring at me and I snapped up from my bowl of dry cereal. "You hear me?"

"No." Tim has always scared me and my gaze wavers.

"I'm ordering pizza you want some?"

"It's ok." I nod to my cereal and he sneers.

"Ma hasn't been to the grocery in weeks you got to be starving."

"I was going to head to the Curtis' for dinner anyways." It's a lie but I don't want Tim to think he's doing me any favors, there's always a catch with him.

"Fine." He looks offended and storms back into the living room fired up to lay into Curly again. I dump the stale cereal and grab my backpack hoping to find somewhere quiet to finish my homework. I don't really want to go to the Curtis house, it's always too rowdy and I feel bad eating over all the time. I had grown up next door to the Curtis' and when my mom was still around she had been best friends with Mrs. Curtis. After my mom left us and dad started drinking she was always telling me to come over for dinner. After my dad remarried we moved to the Shepard's which meant I wasn't in their neighbor anymore but it still wasn't too far of a walk.

Since it's still light out I stop at the park and sit at a bench pulling out my work. I jump and let out a yelp when someone plops down next to me. He laughs.

"Shit, Steve, you scared me. You finish this math yet?"

"Sorry and yep."

"Want to help me?" My stomach lets out a loud growl and Steve looks at me concerned.

"You eat dinner yet?"

"Yes." I lie and he doesn't buy it. "Just help me with this and then we can eat at the Curtis', please."

"Darry is in a mood I'm trying to steer clear. Let's go to the Diner, dinners on me." He moves to leave; but I don't budge.

"Math first." He sits back down and walks me through the last problem.

"Evie broke up with me." Steve says it out of blue as I'm packing up my stuff and I almost don't hear or understand him.

"What? Why?"

"Hell she was asking about marriage and I guess my answers didn't suit her."

"Is she pregnant?"

"Shit. I didn't even think of that."

"She's asking about marriage and you don't ask if she's pregnant? That like the first thought you have."

"Well obviously it's not." He growls and I decide to back off. "She's just thinking we should stay in Tulsa after graduation I don't know... I guess I never thought about sticking around." This shocks me. I never thought of anyone really leaving; but Steve was smart he could probably get a scholarship or something.

"I got an idea. Let's go get drunk at Bucks and forget all about Evie?" Steve grins and I know he's game. It's a Friday night and I've finished up all my homework. We decide to stop by the Curtis' so I can leave my bag and we can grab whoever's there to join us.