A/N: Hello! I'm sorry about the wait, but I hope you guys will forgive me. This is set a few months after LTWYL. This story is also going to be a bit different. I'm going to be doing different things and switching the POV some. So I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders. I also do not own, Nine in the Afternoon.

Without further ado:

Back to the street, back to the place, back to the room where it all began, back to the room where it all began

Spring creates an acid like tent to the air and as humans, animals, breathing creatures, we find ourselves taking it in and in a sense, getting a thrill off of it. Going into a different state of mind and feeling things that are unnatural and obscure for any of us to think but we ignore every aspect of it.

Fall.

Fall is the time of year you come down from your Spring. You fall on your face. The acid in the air evaporates and everything comes crashing down.

You remember the wrongs you did - the mistakes. The secrets told to be kept but told anyway because who are we kidding? Everyone speaks no matter how holy or Godly they are assumed to be.

Everyone tells.

The acid is gone and you're clear. You're falling down the stairs so you end it before you stop falling and break. You put an end to it so it can be removed from your mind and you no longer have to dwell on it. You get rid of everything that reminds you of it just so you can't feel anything anymore.

You can't feel that.

But it's only a matter of time before things start to unravel again and it breaks through that wall. That wall that's hanging by a thread. The wall you glue back together each time as a morsel of hope.

Everything unravels. Everyone tells. Secrets are never kept. Everything comes out eventually.

We all know that.

"Hey, Dan, I heard there was another fight at the school. You hear 'bout it?"

Ponyboy entered the room with a bowl of chips and took a seat on the counter top. "Saw it. Cops even had to show up," he answered.

Steve grumbled. "Damn, what's goin' on with that place?"

Posters are all over the school. A memorial is set up on the steps so every time you enter you are reminded of what tragic event happened and who it was that suffered.

Students cry in the halls. Total strangers hold each other while they cry. The guidance counselor's room always has a line, and everyone seems to be going crazy at that place...

That is, the East side.

Two-Bit smirked from behind the counter. "Heck, if stuff like that happened every day, I'd come more often."

Two-Bit still hadn't graduated. He's only about two credits away but he stands by his principles that school comes second to everything else going on. Primarily girls.

"It's not as much fun as it sounds," I commented. "Some of the things happenin' are just scary. I walked out of History yesterday and almost slipped on a pool of blood outside the door."

"Awe come on, Dan." Soda slugged my shoulder.

You could smell him all the way in the back. Sound the trumpets. Ladies, Sodapop Curtis is officially on the market again.

"You're tougher than that."

I smiled and took in his smell. Girls were swarming around him again when word got around that Sandy was happy and never coming back.

The whole summer each bubbly school girl would come strolling into the tiny gas station to buy pop and packs of gum. Some just to get a look at him.

"What 'bout Randy?" Steve asked. "You talk to him any?"

I shrugged and stole a soda from the bin. "We got class but he ain't said much. Think he's too upset to talk 'bout it. They were real good friends."

The newspaper Pony was reading crinkled. "Cops still don't have any leads."

"What is there to lead on?" I popped the cap off the bottle. "It was a car wreck. What makes them so sure someone's to blame?"

"Rich folk always got to blame someone for their problems," Steve huffed. "Let's just blame the poor folk for everythin'. That's sure gonna help."

"Cops said it was a hit n' run," Ponyboy quoted the news from last night. "Said the hit looks like it was intentional."

"Shoot, I hit a pole last Thursday. Think I can pass that for the pole intently gettin' in my way?" Two-Bit cracked up as he popped open a beer and planted his feet on the counter.

Soda chuckled and grabbed a dirty rag from the counter to wipe the oil off his forehead. "Don't think that's going to work, Two-Bit, buddy."

"Why they think a greaser did it anyway?" I sat back down on the stool beside Pony. "I mean, couldn't a Soc just as easily done it? Maybe the person just dodged a cat and got scared after they saw what happened."

"I got to go get Emily." Two-Bit snapped his fingers and jumped down from the counter and rushed for the door. "Damn she's goin' to kill me! See y'all later."

Soda finished up and came over and tossed my hair. "Try tellin' someone that at school and it'll be your pool of blood on the ground, missy. Ready?"

"Sure thing."

"Damn, this place is a mad house." Jennie brushed by with a full try of dirty dishes, nearly fell as she threw them at the cooks in the back, exhaled, and twirled back around, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Looks like death would keep the wicked at home."

I shook my head. The tray of food in my hand was going to tip over any second itself. And Mrs. A doesn't think we need more help. "But those penny tips sure do add up."

She sneered. "That's why you spit in their food."

I took the food off. "Mrs. Adderson hears ya talkin' that way and she'll send you on the next train to Kansas."

She laughed and turned back around and flipped her hair up and into a ponytail. "Then how will I ever survive without my penny tips?"

Jennie started here about two months ago. Randy said she was his cousin or something like that and she was moving up here and needed a place to start. She keeps to herself most of the time and occasionally complains.

That's about all you can ever get out of Jennie.

I headed into the back kitchen when a loud sound came from out front.

"Come on, Randy! I only got an hour 'till cheer and I'm dying for a milkshake."

The bell on the door rang as a bouncy curly blonde came rushing through the diner. Following behind her was a curly headed fellow, a matching blonde, and a dark haired girl biting her nails to the core.

The blonde strutted to the counter and placed her red pompoms down.

Randy leaned against the counter and flipped through his wallet and pulled out a couple of ones. "Michael, you or Jane want anythin'?"

The matching blonde grabbed hold of the shivering girl like she was a ragdoll and pulled her into his chest. "Nah, we're not hungry, are we babe?"

The girl shook her head and timidly snuggled up to him.

"Randy why you payin'?" the gitty blonde asked. "Your momma owns the place. Hey, hey waitress!" She waved over to Jennie. "We want to place an order, ma'am."

I walked out the swinging door as Jennie headed over to the group. This was going to be amusing.

Jennie snatched her ticket book and marched by. "Do I really look like a ma'am?" She gritted her teeth.

"Hey, Danni." Randy gazed up. "Mom here?"

"In the back."

He nodded abruptly and nearly ran into the back.

Jennie quickly wrote down the blondes request and stomped quickly behind him. "You know them?"

I stared at the three people sitting soundly at the counter. The blonde was admiring herself in her compact, and the brunette was getting an uncomfortable look on her face as the boy whispered into her ear.

"Marilyn and Michael James." I pointed to the blondes. "Richest set of twins in town. The girl biting her nails is Jane, Michael's gal."

"You do know them."

We both stared at the picture perfect group of people sitting like the perfect set of friends they were. It was like something out of an afterschool sitcom.

"Sorry."

"Um, Danni." My head turned over to see Marilyn waving her manicured finger for me to come over. "Can you please clean this table for me, please?"

I took a deep breath and grabbed the rag lying on a nearby counter. "Sure, Mar."

Marilyn smirked as I made my way over to the table and started cleaning.

"Hey, Danni," Jane spoke up. "I-I haven't seen you around lately."

Jane reminded me a lot of Johnny Cade the way she stuttered and trembled at everything. She does it naturally I suppose. She's done it since I met her a few years back. It's creepy in a way. I've never seen someone with that look on their face all the time like she does.

"Uh, yeah, I've been havin' to work a lot." I leaned over the table and began to wipe it off. "You finish that paper for English yet?"

She ran her fingers through her hair and looked down. "Uh, no not yet."

Marilyn huffed and looked down at her diamond watch. "Where's Randy? I have cheer in like forty-five minutes."

"He's in the back." Michael rolled his eyes at his sister's stupid remark. "Just hurry up and drink your milkshake so we can go. Janie and I got to catch that new movie out. Don't we doll?"

Jane smiled up and landed a kiss on his lips. "I love you."

I slowly backed away and watched the vain in Marilyn's forehead begin to throb as she watched them. The sloppy kissing and the yelling to come gave me an excuse to leave and run to the back. I'd seen that too many times to wanna sit front row and see it all happen again.

"Mom I know, okay?" he whined loudly. "I've got to get Mar to cheer soon though. I'm goin' to clean up after, alright?"

Mrs. Adderson sighed and placed her hands on her hips in a motherly fashion. I've seen my mother do that plenty of times to know what was going on here.

"I know you guys are having a hard time. You gotta stop stressin' so much 'bout it. Honey it's going to tar you up."

I slid back past the freezer to get away from the conversation. Mrs. Adderson reminded me too much of my mother. She even looked like her except older and more tired. She had a way about her that was just naturally there for mothering people. Sometimes it's just too similar.

Randy fussed and shook his head angrily. "Ma, I'm a big boy. I can handle my feelings just fine," he stressed the word to further her mood. "I got to get Mar to cheer; I'll talk to you tonight."

He harshly brushed by her and out the door leaving the woman in deep confusion and anger. But she just rubbed her aching head and went back to telling the cooks what to do just like normal.

"Ever since that happened with Sam all he wants to do is fight." She turned back around and met my gaze. Dark circles ran under her eyes making her look ten years older than what she was. She needed to sleep. "Has he talked to you?"

I know the answer she wants and the answer I want to give her. It'll make her feel better and she's only asking so she can hear it. "We don't talk anymore."

She looked down at the floor and sighed. "Sam was a good boy. It's a shame it had to happen that way."

I wiped my hands on my apron and nodded. "Yeah. Really was somethin'."

"You talkin' bout that kid who died last week?" Jennie came over to us with a curious and concerned look on her face. "Did Randy know him?"

Mrs. Adderson ran her hands through her tangled blonde hair and mentally prepared herself to answer. "They were best friends since kindergarten. It's really hit him hard."

Jennie placed a gentle hand on her shoulder for comfort. "You ok?"

Mrs. Adderson moved away, letting Jennie's hand fall back to her side. "It's just hard to see someone so young, have their life taken away like that by some hoodlum driving like a big hot shot!" She threw her rag down on the counter and stormed off into her office.

Samuel Madison's family was real close to the Adderson's. They got together and played Bridge every Friday night while Sam and Randy hung out in Randy's room and watched movies. Randy would talk about him a lot. They were really close. Sam was like the big brother he never had and he always followed him.

"Randy, you sure you don't want nothin'?" Marilyn pushed Randy and shoved the ice-cream covered end of her straw into her mouth. "It's real good."

He took a deep breath and kissed her cheek. "Nah, babe." He pulled her close to him. "You just drink it. I'm good."

Marilyn giggled like a little girl and went on to enjoying her vanilla milkshake and Randy went back to looking out into space. Michael was cuddled up with Jane in a nearby booth, whispering things in her ear that made her laugh and blush.

Marilyn made it her mission this past summer to snag Randy. Some people say it was only to shut the rumors up about her strange relationship with her brother. Marilyn and Michael are never seen without the other. They've been joined at the hip since they day they were born.

Randy agreed to take her up on her offer though and took her out. Few months later he asked her to be his girl. They walk down the halls like they own it. They act like they are on cloud nine.

That all changed last week. Everything changed.

Sam was the quarter back for the football team so the whole school knew who he was. He was arguably the most popular guy in school...until a week ago.

Since the day the papers had it in the headline that the accident was turning into a murder investigation, the East side has had our side under watch. Any little thing will set the other off and then a brawl will break out. It doesn't matter where or when, just as long as the Socs get what they wanted: An answer.

It's more like someone to blame.

Darry has also made it under strict rules that Ponyboy and I go nowhere without supervision, especially if we are going to the East side. Last week Greg Anthony was walking home from work on the East side when a couple of drunk Socs nearly beat him to death with a tire iron.

"I saw Dally yesterday," Jennie jumped in. "Lookin' pretty good." She put another fry in her mouth and waited for me to respond. "Dan, you listening?"

"Yeah, Dally," I answered quickly. I took in a deep breath and swatted the air near her in annoyance. "Dally."

The rotating chair screamed as it spun fully around and the blonde began to speak, "Danni is Cherry comin' to cheer today?"

"How should I know?" I asked. "I don't really talk to her."

Marilyn raised an eyebrow. "Well she is dating your broth- oh that's right, she's not. I'm sorry for bringing it up. How's he doin? He's ok isn't he? She didn't come down too hard on him?"

"They haven't broken up, Mar," I snapped at her. "They've just had some rocky days."

She rolled her eyes and sucked up the last of her shake. "Seems like you're out of the loop then."

"What does that mean?"

Randy quickly looked down at his watch and got up from his chair. "Mar, we're goin' to be late. We'd better go."

She slowly spun around in the chair and jumped down, grabbing her pompoms as she started to leave.

"Dan, can you tell Mom I left?"

I nodded as Michael and Jane both got up to follow the couple. Marilyn swiftly turned around and smiled. "Bye, Danni. See you later."

"Could they have been any ruder?" Jennie smarted off as she cleaned Marilyn's milkshake mess up. "Are you friends with them?"

I continued to stare at the window at the foursome crowding around to kiss and say their good-byes. Their clothes were spotless and hair combed perfectly. Their shoes sparkled and their sweaters showed no rips in them. They were the picture perfect group of young teens.

Everyone wanted to be like them...everyone.

"Dan?" Jennie came over and looked at me. "You ok?"

"Huh, oh, sorry." I wiped the sweat off my forehead and went back to cleaning the counter. "What did you ask?"

"Are you friends with them?" she repeated herself.

I looked out the window as they departed, giving each other one last kiss. A perfect little kiss that was just the same each time. "No, not anymore."

"You used to be friends with them?"

The couples went their separate ways, the girls skipping down the sidewalk to their next location. "It's a long story."

She sneered and picked up the empty ice cream glass before looking over her shoulder as the four got out of sight. "You're a better person than me. I couldn't stand to be in the same room with that blonde if you paid me."

"She isn't that bad, least she didn't use to be." I sighed and looked to the mucky floor. "She used to be my best friend."

'Cause it's nine in the afternoon, your eyes are the size of the moon, you could, 'cause you can, so you do, we're feeling so good, just the way that we do, 'cause it's nine in the afternoon.

A/N: So that's the first chapter. The trailer is on my profile and you can kinda get a visual if you haven't already. Please excuse any typos, and thank you for reading. Please review, all kinds are much appreciated.

Hope you enjoyed. Until next time,

Taylor.