"Gianna keep up will ya?" Ponyboy yelled to me as I slowly walked behind him and Johnny; his best friend. I only rolled my eyes at them and walk a little faster, just so Pony wouldn't tell Sodapop or Darry on me. They think their tough when they do that.

I'm 13, and the youngest of the Curtis clang. Darry is 19, he keeps watch of us after our parents died and all. He works as a roofer in the South side, the pays good there. Soda is just dawned 17 and he quit school, says he's no good at it. He works at the DX and makes minimum wage; it helps though. Then there is Pony, he don't like me anymore, since Darry forced him to keep watch of me at school as such he's started to get mad at me for anything. Soda and Pony are the closest, Pony turning 16 this year, Soda just turned 17 few weeks ago.

Like I said, I'm 13, the youngest and considered the baby. Before our parent's died I was never included in any of the gang's activities, but now they have no choice. It kind of makes me mad, Pony and Darry don't really like having to account for me all the time, I was always mom's job to look after; heaven forbid that they actually have to look after me.

Steve always say's I'd be better off as a Socs and it hurts; I don't even hang out with any Socs, only Darry ever did but he's still considered more of a Grease than me. Soda has sort of taken me under his wing more than the others and looks out for me but its still weird for me to rely on them so much.

"G I'm dropping you to Soda, he can deal with you now." Pony said and Johnny tried to hide his smile. "Whatever..." I remarked, spotting the DX up ahead. Pony stopped and faced me, frowning. I huffed and took off running to the DX, racing past Ponyboy and Johnny much to their surprise, but they didn't care to follow me.

"Woah, woah, woah, G you can't come here today. Boss is watching me like a hawk today, go home." Soda said after I nearly knocked him over.

"But...-" "No, go home." He said tossing me bus fare, and walking back over to Steve who snickered at me. I walked over to a bench by the DX, planning on waiting for Soda's shift to be over.

About 30 minutes later Steve saw me, when he walked out for a smoke and told Sodapop who came out and shoved me away. Just as I started to walk to the bus stop I saw a car full of girls roll up to the DX, and I knew that Soda didn't want to be seen with his kid sister around girls. "Fine..." I muttered as I walked the opposite way from home. I was headed into the rougher part of the North Side, Tim Shepard's gang runs that part of the area. Darry, Soda and Pony always told me not to go onto there turf but I didn't care enough to listen; I thought I would always have one of the gang with me to defend me if I ran into them.

The sun was getting lower in the sky, turning the clouds orange and yellow as it set. Pony loves this stuff, I wonder if he's seeing this one; it sure is pretty, I must say.

Soon it got dark and cold; all I had was on of Soda's old shirts to keep warm as I walked in unfamiliar territory.

Just as I was going to stop for a minute someone jumped out at me. "Gianna!" Dallas screamed slumping his arm around my shoulders, a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Jesus Dally you gave me a heart attack." I said trying to shove him away, like soda did to me. "What are you doing way out here?" he asked taking a drag and blowing white smoke out into the black night sky.

"Ain't going home..." I mumbled focused on my feet, not thinking dally would hear me; his hearing terrible due to many nights out at dances and at parties.

"I know that Darry would never approve of such a fine young girl like you being out alone at this time, let alone in this neighbourhood." he said, before stopping in front of me, and I stumbled towards him not paying attention.

"Darry don't care. None of them do, ain't much need for me around them." I said confidently staring down Dally as he found what I said funny. "That ain't true, they'd be worried sick without you G." he said putting out his 'cancer stick'. "C'mon I'm taking you home." I didn't put up much fight, I knew this would be inevitable anyway so, might as well go now.

Dally paid for my bus fare even though I told him I had enough, he told me to save it for a Pepsi or chocolate bar later.

Dally knew it was late, that I was about to be skinned by everyone, but still paraded me into the house loud and obnoxiously.

"Look what I found!" He yelled as we opened to door, Darry, Pony and Soda springing up at the sight of me. "Where the hell have you been?" Darry yelled, and I barely blinked. "I went for a little walk." I retorted, trying to sound relaxed about it but it seemed to only fuel the bulldozer I call my brother and 'guardian'.

"When is that ever okay?" Darry asked again, he already knew the answer but I was tired of being treated like a baby.

"I found her on Tim's turf too." Dally added, adding more gasoline to the fire. Pony and Soda better feel guilty for what happened, they both sluffed me off, but then if I had of come home they would've been in my situation now.

"I don't even want to look at you right now." Darry whispered turning to look at my other two asses of brothers.

"Get put of here, go to bed now!" he shouted, pointing to the bedrooms down the hall of our small house. I ran down the hall desperate to get into private before crying. I ran right into my parent's bedroom, a small part of my hope fading away as I was reminded I would never find them in there again.

I cried and cried as I listened to everyone out in the living room talk about me. It only made me more upset and before long I was asleep, tear tracks all down my cheeks.

...

All rights go to S.E. Hinton, and any character that is her's. I take no ownership of any of the characters from the book as they are not mine.