A/N: I am sorry for the long wait for update, and hope you still like this story, because I finally felt the urge to update it for you. Sorry been clogged with other writing idead.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Randy, and I sat on my sofa in the living room, as we watched something on the television (which neither of us were paying attention to), "So my parents are going out of town this weekend."

"You are?" I played with the sleeve of the letterman sweater he wear, from being on the basketball team or something, "So what does that have to do with me?"

He leaned down, and kissed my forehead, before answering, "Well I thought that maybe you would want to come over, I will make you dinner, and we could listen to music or something."

"As long as I am home by eleven," I stared at the television, staring at the man juggling seven plates on poles, "I will have to ask my dad also, he don''t like me staying at guys house unless there are parents around most often."

My boyfriend just nodded, "I understand that, you're his only daughter, he doesn't want you to get hurt," he laughed as the jugglers plates all crashed on the ground, and scattered.

Just as the show finished, my brother came into the house, and sat right between Randy, and I, "Mind if I join you," he stared at my boyfriend, then looked at me smirking.

My brother wasn't allowed to make Randy leave, or even talk bad about him, since our father had said when Randy, and I had gone on our first date. So to make up for the missed bullying caused by my brother, he had decided to make our life's miserable whenever we were around him when he had the chance.

I smacked my brother on the back of the head as I got to my feet, and walked to my room, "Come in here Randy, we can be alone," I glared at my brother, as my boyfriend came into my room, then shut the door, "He wont bother us in here."

He looked around my room a little before sitting on my bench at the end of my bed, "So I'm guessing you like race cars?" He pointed to the picture of a race car I had on my wall.

"That was my dad, when he use to race for pinks," I walked over to where he was sitting, and wrapped my arms around his neck, "You don't really want to talk about some old picture on my wall, do you?"

He stood to his feet, and headed to the door, "Scarlet, I think I should get home."

"Wait, what?" I looked at him a little surprised, "Since when don't you want to kiss me?"

He shook his head violently, "Believe me I really do want to kiss you."

"Then why don't you?" I sat on the bench, and stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"Because, I am afraid I won't be able to stop myself," He leaned against my door, and stared at me.

"Maybe you won't have to stop," I walked over to where he was leaning against my doorway, and wrapped my arms around his neck again, "We don't have to stop."

He leaned in, and kissed me hard, then pulled away, "I have to go. Ask your dad if you can come over to my house Saturday," He leaned in again, and kissed me softly before heading out of my room.

I walked over to my bed, and laid down, "STEVE!"

My brother came into my room quickly, "You alright Scarlet, what did he do?"

I glared at him, trying not to let his concerned expression get to me when I wanted to be mad, "Nothing, you're a jerk," I rolled to my side, so my back was turned to him.

"Randy's been around Scarlet, you know that," My brother now sat on the edge of my bed, "I am just trying too look out for you."

"I know about his ex girlfriends" I sat up, and looked at my brother.

"Oh, and you don't care your not his first," My brother looked at me surprised.

"No I don't, because I know he loves me, just like I love him," I turned my back to him. "Besides he ain't the only one who's been around, I lost my virginity to Johnny, remember?" I knew he knew that, because he had been the first one I told.

My brother must had sat on the edge of the bed, because I felt the mattress shift a little, "Look Scarlet, I am just looking out for..."

I jumped out of my bed, and smacked him across his face, "Just stop looking out for me, alright?" I grabbed a jacket from my closet, and hurried out of my house, leaving my brother in my room.

As I practically ran to the park, I could hear Ponyboy calling me, as he ran to catch up to me, "Hey Scarlet, wait."

I stopped, and turned to face my friend, "Why can't Steve except the fact that I am in love with Randy," I wrapped my arms around Ponyboy, who just held me close as I cried.

"We haven't had the best luck with Soc in the past, ever since they had beat up Johnny in the football field," He walked me over to the fountain. "I think Steve, TwoBit and Soda were the ones who found Johnny at the field. It must haunt his memory or something."

"Johnny told me that he wished that everyone could had just got along, wished there was not bad around," I looked down at my hands, and noticed the coat I had chosen, "Johnny's coat, slept with this coat everyday till I went on that date with Randy."

Pony looked at the coat, then smiled at me, "I almost forget that you were at the hospital the night he died."

I laughed a little, "Yeah, the nurse had some of his things in the drawer, I took the jacket." I removed the coat, and turned it around where there was still a big black burn mark from where the building had fell on him, "I was so mad you guys were gone, without taking me. I was so close to breaking up with Johnny when I saw him again, but..." I started crying as the memory flashed through my mind.

Pony must have known what I was thinking, "I know." He looked at his watch, "I need to go home, want me to walk you home?"

"Nah, I am going to sit here a little longer," I could see the nervousness in his face, because he didn't really want to leave me alone, and he also didn't want to get in trouble with Darry.

I sighed as I stood to my feet, "Pony, don't worry about me, I'll be alright." I gave him a quick hug, and then started walking away from him.

By the time I was headed back home, I notice a few girls from my neighborhood, who never really liked me in the first place. The only reason they hadn't tried anything in the pass, was because a couple of the girls dated my brother, at one time or another. But my brother got over them, after hearing them bad talk Johnny, while he was in the hospital.

Rosa Thomas, the sort of leader, started walking towards me, seven of her friends following close behind, "Well look what we got here, a trader."

I just rolled my eyes, as I kept my fist in the pockets of Johnny's coat, "What are you talking about, Rosa?"

"You know what I am talking about, ever since you started dating that Soc, you been acting like your better then us," She pushed me as I turned to walk away.

I didn't even turn around to answer, "I've always been better then you, Rosa."

She grabbed me by the arm, so that way I was facing her, not even noticing the blade I always kept on myself, "What did you say? What makes you better then us?" She pointed to the other girls, as she squeezed tighter on my arm.

I just smirked, "Well for one, I don't have to drink, or do drugs to impress people," I looked over at another one of the girls, known as Angie, she was alright, "Secondly," I turned back to Rosa, "I don't have to sleep with my best friends boyfriend, just to get a man to touch me," I smirked as I saw Angie's face turn red, "Another thing that makes me better then you, I always make sure that someone ain't holding a blade to my gut."

She didn't have time to respond, because her best friend Angie, turned her around and punched her square in the nose."

"Nice chatting with you, we should do it again another time," I pretended to ponder something, then made a foul face at Rosa, "On second thought, maybe not." I started back for home.

"Hey Scarlet, wait up," Angie was by my side, she gave me a small smile, "Can I walk with you?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't really care, not like there's much of a choice, you live right next to me."

"Thanks," She looked down at her feet, as we started walking, "Rosa is such a whore," she laughed, which surprised me.

"And that's funny, why?" I asked, trying to not laugh.

"I have a excuse to break up with Bogie," She stopped walking, when we reached my house, "I think it's sort of cool, just to let you know."

"That you have an excuse to break up with your boyfriend," This is why I don't talk with too many other girls.

She just rolled her eyes, "I mean about you, and Randy, he's a good guy."

I smiled gratefully, "He really is," I noticed Randy's car parked in front of my house, "I thought he went home."

"I'll see you around Scarlet," Angie waved, as she ran across a couple yards, to reach her house.

I looked into Randy's car, and then made my way into my house, where I found him in the living room with my brother, "What happened?"

His back was towards me, so I couldn't see his face.

My brother looked concerned as he stared at my boyfriend, before turning to face me, "He's crashing here for a couple nights, dad said it was alright."

"Wait, why?" I looked at my brother confused, as I made my way around, so I was able to face my boyfriend. I felt the tears, as I noticed the bruise around his lip, and dried blood around his nose, "Randy?"

"Don't worry, my dads worse off," He tried to smile, but it turned into a wince, "Don't worry about me, alright?"

I ran into the kitchen, and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer, and then placed it over his bruises, "Why did you just let it go, we both know how your dad feels about us dating, he hates the idea." I already knew the cause of the fight.

"I wanted to let him know you were coming over this weekend for dinner, and he said he didn't want me to bring trash over while he's away," He glanced at my brother, then back at me, "You're not trash."

"I know I'm not, what if they make you break up with me?" I leaned back against the cushion, and stared at the blank television.

"I am eighteen, they can't make me break up with you," Randy squeezed my hand, as he held the other ice pack to his lip, "I love you, Scarlet."

I looked at him surprised, I knew we loved each other, but we never said it out loud to one another, "I love you too, Randy."

"Wow, that was gross," My brother rolled his eyes, as he stood to his feet, then grinned at my boyfriend, "I guess you're not to bad, Randy." He ruffled my hair, before running out of the house.

"I had planned something a little more romantic, when I actually said 'I love you', and gave you this," He removed his letter man sweater, and wrapping it around my shoulders, over Johnny's coat. "You don't have to wear it all the time, just like knowing you accepted the sweater."

I leaned in, and kissed him gently, as to not hurt his lip more, "Of course I accept this, and I will definitely wear it."

I looked at the time, and then stood to my feet, "Well I guess I need to fix an extra plate, we're having-"

"Pizza!" My dad called, as he entered the house, with Soda, and Steve, following right behind, "Of course these two smell food, and are on my trail."

"What can I say, Mr. Randle, you order the best pizza's," Soda said, with a small smirk.

My dad smiled at, Randy, "Help yourself, Randy before these boys eat it all." He then looked at me, "Grabbed you a plain hamburger from the dingo, on the way home from the pizza place."

"Thanks daddy, I love you," I wrapped my arms around his neck, before sitting next to my confused boyfriend, "Alergic to cheese, or anything dairy."

"Explains why you usually just get a plain salad, when we eat at the pizza parlor," My boyfriend smiled, as he started on his food. "You could had just suggested another place to eat, by the way."

"I know how much you like Mike's Pizza," I smiled, as I started eating my own meal.

"Why don't you ever get our food after hers, dad?" My brother asked, as he sandwiched his two slices, "It's not fair her food is hot, and ours is not as hot."

"Your sister cleans the house, and makes us dinner almost every night," My dad answered, he then looked at Randy, "So you have a game this Friday?"

"Yes sir, at six," Randy answered, after making sure to swallow, "It's the homecoming game."

"Soda, and I, are taking Marie and Abby," My brother commented, not swallowing his own food, as he talked, "Then there's a party at the 'Lot' after, you should come by."

"Why would he want to go?" I shook my head, as I stood and started to clean my plate, "I don't even go to those parties."

"Why don't you?" Randy asked, as he brought his own dish to the sink, and then leaned against the counter beside me.

"Not my type of thing, usually go to a walk-in with pony, or we go to the dingo to play pool," I answered honestly.

"Come on Scar, Tim, he won't bother you, if he see's you with Randy," My brother opened his big mouth.

"A guys been bothering you?" Randy asked, standing a little straighter now.

"I don't go to those parties, so no he don't bother me," I explained, sending my brother a warning glare, "You're washing dishes tonight, blabber mouth!" I threw the wet wash cloth at my brother, as I lead Randy out of the kitchen.

"Why didn't you tell me, that some guy was bothering you?" Randy asked, as we sat at the spot we first talked.

"Because he don't bother me anymore, since I don't go to those damn parties," I answered honestly, "I stopped going when I was fourteen."

My boyfriend just nodded, knowing I wasn't going to talk about the subject any further, "So you're coming to the game?"

"Of course I'll come to the game, I will even go to the homecoming dance, and watch as you, and Martha, get crowned," I entwined my fingers through his, and smiled a little. "I'll wear my moms old dress, from when she went with my dad, when they were in high school."

"I won't be king, unless you're going to be my queen," He stood to his feet, and than helped me to my feet. Than pulled me into his arms, "You'll see."

"You better become King, I threatened all the guys that if they don't vote for you, I will stop making cake for TwoBit, and cookies for the rest. Even my brother voted for you, when I told him I was going to tell dad a secret, which he didn't want him to know."

"What's the secret?" My boyfriend asked, slightly interested.

"I have no idea, but he doesn't need to know that," I laughed, leading the way back to my house, "I think dad might had put the roll away bed in my brothers room, so I hope you don't mind snoring."

"I snore too," He answered with a smirk, not at all embarrased.

"Great, I'll have my own Sympathy," I teased, as we entered the house.

My dad handed Randy, a stack of clothes as we entered, before kissing my forehead, "I am going to bed, you should do the same guys, if you want to fall asleep before my son starts on his snoring."

I giggled, as my boyfriend went into my brothers room, where my dad had been pointing, "Randy says he snores too."

"I should buy us ear plugs than," He laughed, wrapping his arm around me, "Now I don't mind him staying here, especially after what your brother told me, but you two aren't allowed to be alone in your room at night, or when I am at work."

"I know that daddy," I just rolled my eyes, as I entered my own bedroom, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Baby," My dad exclaimed, before I shut the door for the night.

Things should be interesting...