I do not own The Outsiders, just my OC Jaylee :3

No not Socs…they're Greasers. They screamed at the Socs. Then some of them went chasing the Socs while the others stayed with PonyBoy. "He's in good hands now." I thought. I started walking back to my home.

I almost went inside my house when I noticed a letter on the mat. I picked it up and went inside. I went into my room and took off my shoes. I sat down on my bed and read it.

Dear Jaylee,

How is life? I hope you're doing ok. Your father can never take anything seriously and how is he expecting to take care of a young lady like you? I'm coming down there soon. Having another woman in the house is prior to you since you're only 14 and growing into a young lady. I'm terribly sorry about your mother. She was the one who had the best immune system out of our whole family. I bet it was hard growing up with just a father, but you were a smart young girl. You're so trustworthy and grateful of everything in the world. You took school very seriously. You told yourself you had to make the best grades so you can make it big. You loved to go to the library and read things like mystery, romance and many other things. You were very smart and read at such a high level for your age. You also loved to read out loud to your mother with the suspenseful books. You were a very good storyteller and loved to act out the scenes from the book. Your mother even recorded you and sent me the videos. I still have them, too. You loved to draw things for your mother. You also used to write to me when you were younger. What happened? You don't write me anymore. I remember when I went over, we rescued a dying cat. You cried for it…knowing in the back of your head that you can save it. Your mother let you care for it all on your own…and you made it better again… Is the sweet caring girl I knew the last time I saw her still there? Or is she a completely new person? I love you Jaylee.

Sincerely,

Aunt Macey.

I closed the letter. I wonder what she's going to say when the Socs or Greasers visit with a fellow gang member needing to be tended to. All kinds of bad can happen when she comes. I pushed it out of my head and rested my head on the pillow. "I hope PonyBoy is ok. That was pretty scary for me to just watch." I thought. I closed my eyes and let myself drift from reality.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock ringing in my ear. I clicked the off button on the clock and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I got up and yawned. I quickly changed my clothes and picked up my hair. I walked into the bathroom and splashed water on my face to wake me up.

"Bye Dad! I'm headed for school!" I shouted. No answer. "Hey Dad! I'm going to school!" I shouted again, but still no answer. I walked into his room and found him lying in his bed. I checked his pulse. No heartbeat. Now my father is dead…I've lost both my parents now. I looked on the other side of my father. He had been shot in the side near the rib cage.

I ran to the room with the phone and called the cops. "911 what is your emergency?" The woman on the line said. "Help! My father is dead! He was shot and now he's dead! He bled to death! Please you have to help me! I live on 117 Apple Tree Street!" I said. "Ok, stay calm. Paramedics are on their way to help." The woman said. I hung up.

Somewhere inside me took over. "Daddy?" I said softly. I shook him. "Daddy wake up! Daddy?" I sounded so young. Tears swelled up my eyes. I remembered how nice he was before Mom died…leaving him to turn grieving into not caring… I let the tears flow out of my eyes. I didn't have control of my body at the moment. The little kid inside of me took over. I had grown up to fast when my mother died…I had missed most of my childhood. That child doesn't want to be locked up anymore.

The next few minutes I lay crying over my dead father. I heard a few knocks on the door, and when I didn't answer, they kicked it down. I'm guessing they heard my loud sobbing, because they found me instantly. They pried me from my dead father. Then the little kid side of me went back to hiding.

I rubbed the tears away, looked at the paramedics and asked, "What are you going to do?" "We are going to leave this house for the detectives to search and investigate. I'm sorry miss but you're going to have to find a different place to stay." The man said. I didn't want to argue because they might've put me in a girl home or orphanage.

I went into my room and put the letter in my pocket. I grabbed the photo of my parents and me and shoved it in my pocket. I didn't exactly have a backpack to put my clothes in so I left them.

I walked out of my house, knowing I'll probably never return. I walked in the direction of the school. "Smile." I thought. "Don't let one person let you down…not your father…stay strong." I thought.

I had told myself that the whole day. I didn't want anyone to know and share the burden of the death of my parents with me… No one deserved the pain…

I walked out of the school, feeling everyone staring at me. I didn't see PonyBoy in class today. The Socs seemed more rowdy today than any other day. I didn't think much of it, and headed down to the DX station. Before the gas station even came in sight, I had tripped over myself multiple times.

I walked in and saw SodaPop leaning against the wall. "Hey SodaPop!" I said kindly. He didn't look at me. I walked to him. "Hey SodaPop, where's Po-" I stopped when I notice a few tears escape his eyes.

"SodaPop…hey are you okay? What's wrong?" I asked concerned. He looked at me. "PonyBoy…" He managed to say. He rubbed a few tears off his face. "He never…came home…last night…" Soda whispered.

I gasped. Where could Pony have gone? I don't know him that well but I don't think he would ever run away from SodaPop and Darrell without a good reason. "He'll be back." I said smiling. "How do you know?" Soda asked. "Because he loves his big brothers and he wouldn't stray to far from his family. He's a good kid in class, he doesn't seem like the type to leave without a motive." I said.

He stared at me and a few tears had remained on his face. I wiped them away. "Don't cry Soda. Pony will be back before you know it." I said reassuring him with a nod. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. "Thank you, Jaylee." He said. I smiled. I'm glad I could make him feel better. I put my hands on his back, accepting his embrace.

"How is Darrell taking all this?" I asked while we were still on the subject. He let go of me and I did the same. "Not so good. He's been crying since last night. When Pony never came home, it was like he had been broken." Soda said softly. "It was Darry who had hit Pony that made Pony run out on us." Soda continued.

I didn't know they hit one another at their house. "Has it always been like that?" I asked. Soda looked at me like I was insane. "No…not since Mom and Dad died…that was the first time Darry had ever hit Pony…" Soda said. Then he sighed. "I bet you don't want to about our personal lives." "No, not at all! I love to hear about other people once in a while…it beats feeling alone at school." I said softly, looking toward the ground.

"You're alone at school? How come?" Soda asked. "I don't really fit in with anybody. I always eat my lunches alone and do my schoolwork quietly. The only time I ever fit in is when I'm taking care of one of the Socs or Greasers." I said. I looked up to find him staring at me in amazement.

"But you're so sweet…how could anyone not want to be your friend?" Soda said. My cheeks flushed red. "You think so?" I asked, finding myself look at the ground again. He lifted my head to meet his eyes and said, "I know so."

I saw a twinkle in his eyes. That's when I noticed his true beauty. He is rather cute ad reckless but he's sensitive too. Which was fine by me. I don't really like guys that act tough instead of actually being it. I see why Sandy had been the one to love him. Sandy was a good gal and was lucky to have Soda…they usually don't come like him.

I felt someone push me from behind, making Sodas and my lips meet.