A/N: Aww thanks for the reviews guys! Since you left me so many nice reviews, I updated super fast for you! But unfortunately, that means this chapter is gonna be kinda short! But I still hope you enjoy it!

Mackenzie's POV

I had been stuck in my room for the past hour and I really wasn't sure of what to do. My dad had gotten home and as soon as I saw him, I knew he was drunk. He wasn't drunk every night like some people's parents that I knew, but he could get pretty drunk. He had been like that ever since my mom died. I was only six when it happened and I think he had more trouble with it than I did. But either way, when he got drunk things got bad. I could hear him smashing things downstairs and I was afraid to leave my room.

"Hey," a voice said, scaring the hell out of me.

"Soda!" I exclaimed, trying to breathe regularly again.

"Sorry, did I scare you?"

He finished climbing through my window and walked over to sit next to me on my bed.

"A little, but it's alright."

"How ya doin'? I heard some noise so I figured I'd come see if you're okay," he smiled.

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just my dad got home a while ago and he's been...drinking," I told him quietly.

"Aw, Mac, you wanna get outta here?"

Soda's POV

I took a deep breath and sat down on my couch. It had been a long day at the DX, but at home I was already bored. Suddenly, I heard a few crashes coming from Mackenzie's house. I quickly grabbed my shoes, slipped them on, and walked out the door. As I came to the big tree right next to her house, I sighed. I wasn't exactly prepared for what I would find inside, but I still climbed the tree. I didn't bother to tap on her window or anything, I just let myself in. Mackenzie was sitting on her bed in what looked like a big T-shirt, watching the door.

"Hey," I said.

"Soda!" she yelled, letting her long, light brown hair bounce a little.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" I asked, chuckling a bit.

After I got through her window, I took a seat next to her on her bed.

"A little, but it's alright."

"How ya doin'? I heard some noise so I'd figured I'd come see if you're okay."

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just my dad got home a while ago and he's been...drinking," she said quietly.

"Aw, Mac, you wanna get outta here?" I offered.

"Y-Yeah, I do."

I gave her a smile and watched as she got off her bed. She went to her dresser and pulled out a jean skirt. After she had her skirt on, she turned to face me.

"Don't look!" she scolded.

"Alright, I won't," I said, laying down on her bed and staring up at the ceiling.

"Okay, I'm done."

She now had on a light pink tank top along with the jean skirt and her black converse. I thought she looked pretty good.

"Now don't you look cute," I flirted, knowing she would do it right back.

"Why thank you, Sodapop. You don't look so bad yourself," she winked.

"Don't I always look good?"

"Not when you first wake up," she laughed.

Mackenzie's POV

"Hey, that ain't fair. You don't look too hot when you first wake up either," he countered.

"Oh, trust me I know."

"I'm just kiddin', Mac. You always look beautiful."

I swallowed hard and forced myself to smile only a small smile, even though on the inside I was grinning like crazy.

"Thanks, Soda," I whispered. Then I looked over to the window and smiled again, "Now let's get out of here."

Soda went first, his reason being that if I fell he should be there to catch me. What a sweetheart. But luckily I didn't fall. I safely got through my window and down the big tree.

"Come on," Soda said.

I quickly followed him as we walked over to his house. When we walked in, all the guys looked over at us.

"Soda, why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Darry asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Sorry, Dar. I had to go get Mackenzie."

"What happened?"

"Um...well," he trailed off as he looked over at me. Soda was the only one who knew about my dad's drinking problems.

"I got bored so I called Soda," I quickly said.

"Oh alright."

"So what does everyone feel like doin'?" Soda asked.

"How 'bout a game of strip poker?" Steve grinned.

"Yeah right. In your dreams, Stevie," I smirked.

"It was worth a shot!"

Just then a loud banging came from the front door. I gave Soda a nervous glance and he gave me a reassuring look in return. I had a bad feeling about who was on the outside of that door. Darry was the first to get up so he answered the door.

"Mr. Calverson?" Darry questioned and my breath caught in my throat.

"Darrel," my father growled, "Where the hell is that girl?"

"Girl?"

"The kid! The girl!"

"Mackenzie?" Darry clarified.

"Yeah, her. Where the hell is she?"

"She's right-"

"Darry," I hissed, "No!"

"I'm not quite sure where she went. She was here a little while ago," he finished.

"If she comes back here tell her I want her home!" my dad demanded.

"Yes, sir."

I took a shaky breath as Darry closed the door and looked pointedly at me.

"Mackenzie, what's going on?"

"N-Nothing. Nothing is going on, okay?"

"Obviously something is going on if you didn't want your dad to know where you were," he pushed.

"Dammit, Darry!" I yelled, surprising everyone, "Why can't you just stop!"

"Mackenzie, calm down," Soda said.

"No! Don't tell me to calm down, Sodapop. And Darry, what's going on with my dad has nothing to do with you."

"I think it has something to do with me if I'm lying for you," he countered.

"Fine. My dad is beyond drunk right now. That's why I'm over here."

"You coulda just said that," Steve muttered.

"Steve," Darry snapped, "Now, Mackenzie, will it be safe for you to go home tonight?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you just stay here for the night?"

"Alright. Thanks, Darry," I smiled, getting over the anger that I previously had towards him.

"No problem. Guys, I'm gonna head off to bed. Soda, you're off tomorrow, but I don't want you staying up too late."

"Yeah, yeah, I gotcha, Superman!" Soda laughed.

Once Darry was gone, Ponyboy said he was also going to bed. Next, Johnny told us that he was gonna head home because his parents were out for the night. That left me with Two-Bit, Soda, Steve, and Dally. I looked at all of them before Steve grinned.

"Who's up for some drinks and strip poker?" he asked.

"A drink sounds pretty good right about now," I chuckled.

"Then strip poker?"

"Maybe."

The boys all howled with laughter at that and I rolled my eyes. Two-Bit went to the fridge to grab us all, except for Soda, a bunch of beers. I popped one open and began to drink away my stress.

"Alright, Stevie, deal them cards," I ordered.

"You sure you wanna play this? You ain't the best at poker and this poker is kinda different," Soda said cautiously.

"Yeah! I'm just fine at poker!"

"Well okay then!"

Steve began dealing the cards and I took my seat at the table. As soon as the game started, though, I realized why I shouldn't ever play strip poker...

A/N: So I'd love to know what you guys thought about that chapter! The next one should be really interesting, I gotta tell you that, so the faster you review the faster I update! Thanks :)