Disclaimer: I DO NOT own these lovely boys. Laurel is mine, and she is what I take credit for. I am merely allowing them a new lease on life. I will try and keep them as close to themselves as I can but, like always, there are some exceptions.

Chapter Two: What a Wonderful World.

Laurel groaned loudly and set the coke bottle she'd been nursing for the last hour on the table with a loud thud. Maybe it was just her imagination but she felt as though every one around her was off in their own worlds although they were suppose to be hanging out as a gang. The two tables that were pushed together to accommodate everyone was filled with wild chatter. Two-Bit was rambling on over some party that happened over the weekend, while Kathy sat beside him chattering to Evie who was trying to tune Soda and Steve out while they discussed work. Even Johnny and Pony were stuck in some conversation. Laurel couldn't help but fell completely alone while all this was going on.

Tapping her nails against the table top, she searched The Dingo briefly in search of someone she might enjoy talking too, but found no one to her own dismay. She hated being the third wheel, but the guys always included her in good fun. Steve sometimes put up a fight but she usually ended up there, anyway. She knew he loved her, he just didn't like having her hanging around when she was always alone.

"Hey Laur," Sandy said, abounding her chair for Soda's lap; "Do you wanna come have a girls night with me, Evie, and Kathy tonight?"

"Isn't Sylvia coming, too?" Evie piped up, wrinkling her nose with disgust.

"If she's coming, it ain't gonna be at my place." Sandy retorted, earning an earnest laugh from Soda.

"That girl is mean as a rattle snake." He commented, ogling Sandy with a look of love and lust in his eyes.

"Dallas likes her." Johnny said with something of a shrug.

"I ain't suggesting nothin'." Laurel's hands shot up when Johnny tore himself from his conversation to stand up for his best friends girl. "Where is Dal anyway, since he didn't feel the need to join us for a group get together?"

"To good to join us." Two-Bit grinned.

"C'mon, Laur, it'll be fun." Kathy coaxed, "You need to spend some time with us girls. Spending all your time with guys is going to turn you into one."

Steve's head shot up protectively, "She ain't gonna turn into no damned guy." He spat, his eyes lingering on Kathy who looked frightened by his reaction.

"Steve, calm your roll." Evie offered, touching his face in an attempt to calm him.

"Why don't you go have some fun tonight?"Ponyboy glanced around Johnny to look at her.

"Tonight is movie night, though." She defended.

"We can reschedule." Johnny promised.

"I'd really rather go to the movies." Laurel reassured them, ignoring the eyes that bore holes into the side of her head.

There was an unison boo from the girls but not much more after that. The conversation picked up again, and this time she was involved in Johnny and Pony's. Pony was rambling on about some book he was reading, and Johnny added his two cents every now and then. Laurel couldn't help but let her mind wander, although she nodded in the appropriate spots to let the boys know that she was paying attention... or, trying too.

She lost track of time, because when she came to, both boys were looking at her. "What?" She snapped.

"Did you wanna head to the movie house?" Ponyboy repeated with venom in his voice.

"Oh..." She muttered, feeling her face heat up, "Sure."

Johnny looked at her for what felt like an eternity and then stood up, following Ponyboy out the front door. She knew he knew she hadn't been paying attention but sometimes it was hard to listen when Pony got to talking. She dug books and movies just as much as him, but he could ramble on about it. Sometimes it worked on her nerves. Darry watched them disappear out the door and down the street before he turned back to the conversation. He was glad; for what it was worth that Laurel had decided to go to the movies instead. It was piece of mind because she knew the score and could take care of herself and Pony, god forbid she had too. Darry really hoped she didn't have too, but it was piece of mind for him.

x x x

The dynamic trio barreled out of the movie house together, laughing. They had lagged around so not to get caught in the traffic where they could be trapped next to a soc who was having a bad day. She was okay with waiting around. Once in a while, they'd even hang around for the second showing of some movie. That was only when they felt really daring. Tonight was not one of those nights.

The sun had already began to set and the street lights had taken it's place casting an eerie yellow glow across the ground and making shadows dance in it's wake. The three walked home together, allowing a comfortable silence to move in while they took in the movie that they'd seen. It was staring Paul Newman and some actress named Claire Bloom. The story line was interesting, but not something she wanted to dwell on for to long.

"Laur, why didn't you go to the girls sleep over?" Johnny asked finally, like it'd been bothering him all night.

Laurel glanced over and tried to make heads or tails of why Johnny was asking something when she'd chosen him over the girls. Wasn't that enough? "I just don't like hanging out with other females." She said plainly.

"You don't have any girlfriends?" Ponyboy glanced around Johnny and into the impending darkness, taking in the silhouette of the girl who walked beside him.

"Nope." She answered him, "Girls make drama, and I'm not down with drama. Not my thing, ya dig?"

The boys silenced again, falling into rhythm as they walked. Laurel was almost thankful for the silence as they walked side-by-side. Laurel weighed her options, because sleeping at home didn't fell like the best idea she had in weeks. There was to much fighting there. Her parents were always at each others throats, even when they were "sleeping", they wanted to kill each other.

"Johnny, you sleeping at home tonight?" Laurel blurted out after a second.

"Naw, I'm all for the lot." He answered, shoving his fists in his pockets to break the nights chill.

"I'll stay with you tonight." She said after a moment.

"My place has a couch... and a floor." Ponyboy offered, "y'know that Darry don't mind."

"It's okay, I like being outside." She reassured Pony. "You can go stay with him, if you want, Johnny."

"Naw, I'll stay with you. It's gonna be cold tonight, we can keep each other warm." Johnny said with a playful wink. Once again; Laurel's face warmed up.

"C'mon, do ya get a rise outta that or something?" Laurel demanded, glancing at Johnny who smirked childishly.

"Yeah, maybe." He answered laughingly.

They cut across a couple lawns and walked down an alley that let out on Main Street. It was only a block over and Pony was home. They'd probably end up there until it got later and then they'd scoot over to the lot to settle in for the night. She was fine with spending the night that way; she'd done it plenty of times after all.

Cutting the corner onto St. Louis street, they made their away across the lawn. Through the bay window, they could see Steve and Soda sitting at the table playing cards. Darry was in his arm chair with with the paper while Two-Bit was sitting at his feet and Dallas was laying across the couch watching something on TV. It was a typically evening, really. Hitching her thumbs in her jacket pockets, she followed Johnny up the stairs and into the house. They were greeted by a chorus of hellos. While Johnny sat on the arm of the couch, Laurel made her way over to the table and sat down. They boys were having a heated debate over who cheated who out of their pretzels. Laurel knew where this was going, and sighed when the cards went flying toward Soda's face until Soda slammed his elbow down. They engaged in an arm wrestling match.

Steve won and Laurel found herself grinning like a child. Soda tried to act nonchalant when he stood up and stretched his arms over his head, "What a night. I'm beat." He announced, "Goodnight." He offered Laurel a wink and headed toward the back hall. Steve watched him with disgust in his eyes. He knew Sodapop was just being sour over losing. Just like he always was.

Scanning the room quickly, Steve stood up and decided maybe it was time for him to go, too. He, unlike Soda, had work in the morning. "Guess I'll head out, too." He muttered, annoyance still edging in his voice.

"Can I come for the walk?" Laurel asked, glancing back at Johnny for approval.

Johnny nodded, and her soft orbs sprung back to Steve. "If ya want." He nodded, heading toward the door.

She bid farewells to the boys and rushed out the door and down the front steps to catch up to Steve. He'd already placed a Lucky Star between his thinly pressed lips and was shaking out the match when Laurel caught him. He handed the lit cigarette off and went to work on another. "Thanks." She said taking it and inhaling deeply.

"You seemed eager to get outta there." He said, voice flat.

"Bored." She answered him. She took note of how monotone his voice was. "You alright?"

Steve looked at her through miserable eyes, and she knew anything he might say was going to be a damn lie. She listened anyway and was surprised when he didn't sugar coat it. "Evie and I broke up."

"Why this time?" She asked, exhaling the smoke from her lungs.

Steve looked down on her and couldn't help but notice how cute she was when she tried to look tuff by smoking like one of the guys.

"She thinks I'm running around with another broad. Shepard told me she's foolin' with one of his boys. I didn't want it to be true but I asked her about it, and boy was I surprised to find out my girl has been sleeping with Tim's left hand man, Alexander." He said with a bit of venom mixed with hate in his voice. His jaw set into a tight, straight line and he looked straight ahead.

Laurel could tell it bothered him to even mention, but she was told once it was good to talk about things like that. She believed that shit, although she knew it was just that, a bunch of bullshit.

"You wanna go right home?" His voice sounded less cold this time.

"Not really." She answered and that was all that Steve needed. "Let's back track up to the DX and grab a car. We'll go for a ride or something." He suggested as they shifted their directions and changed destinations.

x x x

They were barreling down a gravel road, the music roared over the sound of the exhaust that Steve had been working on. When asked if it was a good idea to take off in customers cars, he retorted with the fact that they had to be test driven. Laurel couldn't argue with that logic. She sat in the passenger seat with her arm hanging out the window to take in the nights cooling breeze.

"Where we going?" She asked him when he voyaged deeper out-of-town.

"I thought we could go swimming." Steve answered. Laurel noticed that he regained his cocky grin and felt thankful.

Laurel cocked a brow in his direction, wondering if he lost his mind. Then again; he was Steve and Steve did what Steve wanted to do. No one could ever tell him what to do; not even Evie. "Are you smoking something?"

Steve looked disgusted when his eyes shifted to look at her in the darkness. "Hell no, I ain't into that stupid dope shit." He answered with a bit of hurt and a lot more cockiness in his voice. Laurel cringed at how thick it was.

"Sorry, glory, but don't you think it's a little cold for a swim?" She answered him softly.

"Sit on the shore then, but I'm swimmin'." He told her huskily.

As much as Laurel enjoyed his company on the track, she wasn't sure how she felt about him when they were just out cruising and in search of something to do. He was different then, more careless. He had more of an angry air to him. In all honesty: she wasn't even sure how she ended up racing with him in the first place but she decided that it was something she loved and something he loved to do with her. It was a win-win either way. She sat quietly in the passenger seat of the candy apple red string ray and wondered what he was on his mind. Maybe he'd just gone mad over the fact that he and Evie were facing another rough patch.

Whatever the problem was, she wasn't going to make herself sick to know what it was. Steve rested his arm across the seat while the other held onto the wheel, his fingers grazing her shoulder-blade on occasion. She had to stifle her giggles, but he still knew they were there. They continued flying down the roads, singing along to the radio and holding an on-again, off-again conversation about anything and everything. Steve was trying his best not to be glumly but it was difficult when the girl he loved was always playing with his emotions like they were something he could toss around. Something about that whole situation felt wrong, but Steve was the one who allowed it to happen.

Leaning back into the seat, she grinned wildly when Steve pulled up to the water and wasted no time peeling his shirt off. "You sure you wanna sit up here?" He asked one more time.

He didn't stick around to hear the answer, though. Instead he pulled his shoes off and left them on the floor in a heap with his jeans. Laurel stepped out of the car and took in the scenery as she sat down beside the pile he made. The moonlight illuminated the small clearing beautifully. A cool breeze ran through humid air that lingered, giving the world a hazy look. And in the water below, Steve was bobbing his head to keep water from getting in his nose while he swam out.

For a moment, the world almost felt right. Almost. It was like they were little kids again, playing in that water. Laurel couldn't resist any longer when she stripped down into her under clothes and took a running start, diving in beside him. The water was cold, mixed with the cool breeze and she instantly regretted her choice. Steve thought it was a good idea, though, to grab her ankle and pull her down with him. She yelped when he did and he, in turn, laughed uncontrollably at her reaction.

There was something about Steve that she couldn't stay mad at. She couldn't even pin point what it was, either, and it honestly drove her crazy sometimes. She wanted more than anything to know what that was that wouldn't allow her to stay mad. She was almost desperate to know what made her feel that way. She never told anyone about it; not even him. It was just there, daunting her. And any time Steve even looked at her; she felt like. Like a desperate feeling in the base of her body.

She only wanted to know why it was there, and more than that, what it's purpose was.