"Carrots get up." I heard my sister, Phea, or her nickname Peas for short say shaking me to get up.

"Ten more hours?" I plead already knowing the answer.

"I hope you were kidding." She says.

"I gave you half an hour." she says and I jolt up.

How am I supposed to get dressed and grease my hair in half an hour. I open my dresser and pull out old high waisted jeans, a cut off black tee, and my undergarments and throw them on quickly. I run into the bathroom and pull on my old beaut up black high top converse and start to grease my curtly hair in the complicated pin up ponytail with a bandana, my signature hair. I walk run downstairs grabbing my book and glasses and sit at the table. I have five minute to eat something and brush my teeth. I open the ice box quickly and grab the first thing I see, baby carrots. Peas so did this in purpose. I stuff ten in my mouth and chew. I run back upstairs and brush my teeth quicker than usual.

"I'm going Peas." I say as I run towards the door.

"Behave and don't read and walk. those are new glasses." she yells from the bathroom.

"Okay, okay. good luck at the new job." I say and run out the door.

I start to run, being a pretty fast runner I make in down the block in a few seconds and turn the corner.

Peas always watches to make sure I don't do something stupid like read and walk or zone out an run into a bunch of socs. I some how manage to do that... a lot. I am not going to read and walk this time, I will not read and walk this time. I wonder if we. Have to do stupid projects and stuff in our classes. I went to the school yesterday to get my a graduate and was shown wear my classes wear so I wouldn't have a problem finding them. I start thinking about my old school and how rough it was and completely zone out. I don't even realize I am at school until I walk right into a fence and almost fall to the ground and brake my glasses again. For a good fighter I sure am clumsy.

I see look down on to the ground and see my old, battered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird laying on the ground. I pick it up and when I look up, I see everyone in front of the school is staring at me, the new girl.

Girls start whispering about my clothes, guys start chatting about what I look like, good and bad. but they are all talking about me.

I make my way up the stairs that go into the school and I realize that the courtyard was split in half. I turn around to check and see that one side has old looking cars, guys with grease in their hair and leather jackets on their arms. The Greasers. on the other side there are mustangs and guys with short hair and madras. I see a group of kids with hair that was a medium length, okay cars, and okay clothes. must be the middle class. Great, Socs and Greasers and Middle Class.

"Look at her, she looks like a total whore." I hear a Socs say to her snotty group of friends.

I smirk and turn on the heal of my foot. I raise my arm high and proudly show off my bitten to the nail beds nail in my middle finger to them. I hear them huff in anger and some greaser start to laugh. I don't lower my arm until I'm inside.

I quietly walk to my first hour class, English. I wish I was here for the year for this class, I love English.

I sit down in a desk in the middle of the class room. some kids are in there and some are not. most if them are socs. I open up my book and start to read it for the millionth time before someone said something.

"Hey look a new disgusting greaser girl we could fun with." one boy says to his friend. some Soc girls giggle and other aren't as pleased.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll shut it." I say calmly, eyes never leaving the page unless to turn it.

"Who do you think you're talking to." he asks outraged.

"A good for nothing soc" I say with disgust

"Look girly if you don't shut up we'll make you pay." he says trying to scare me but I'm not in the least.

"Look boy if you don't shut up I'll beat you at to a pulp." I say in cold voice.

"Yeah right." I say and continue reading.

"Well if it isn't are two favorite greaser boys." the Soc was to some else.

"What no response?" he says again.

I look up to see two greaser boys around my age sitting in the front of the class. Still no teacher in sight.

"Come Greasers, you think you're better than us? Say something." The guy yells to the boys.

The smaller one is shaking and the other has a hard face but his eyes show fear.

"Hey bucks I'm trying to read now if you would leave the poor guys alone it would be the greatest. Thanks." I say and look back down to my book.

I think he was shocked I was so sweet that he shut it. Thank the lord.

The teacher walked in finally and we ended up watching a movie! I love movies so I put down my book and watched intently.

Soon enough it was lunch. After lunch I have one more hour them I'm home free! I walk out side and see most people are sitting on cars or leaving. Great a friendless Carrot.

I decide to sit in the library. Back home, our school library was like a second home. I had my own little couch. well it was for everyone but I claimed it as mine. snapping or fighting anyone who tried to take it. I know, just like a dog.

I walked in an saw a beat up brown leather couch. There was the girl who made the stupid comment about me this morning. I make my way over and see notices I'm making a bee line for her couch.

"Get up." I say and she just looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Honey, this is my seat. Go and rob a gas station or something." she says and all her little friends laugh.

Oh how funny, wouldn't a broken nose just be the cheery on top of this dumb ass sundae.

I ball up my fist, draw my arm back, and punch the ugly looking nose of hers.

"UAGH, why did you do that." she says grabbing nose.

"I said get up." I say smiling.

The girls jump up from the jump after the girl run away. I hear them calling her Suzie so I guess her name is Suzie. That's such a Soc name it makes, me what to barf. I sit down on the old couch and crack open my book. by the time I finish the book, the peroid ends. wow, that was the longest it's taken me to read it.

I rush off to my last class, all the classes are watching the same movie so we don't have to watch parts of different movies. I look around the room and see that most, no all are socs. Thinking back to all my classes, they were all like that and most of them looked a grade a head of me. was I in the right rooms? I check my schedule and see that this is the right class. Weird. the teacher walks in followed by those two greasers. They are literally in all of my classes.

The movie is started and I kept watching with all my heart. Even if it was a stupid beach movie made for girly socs, I still get into my movies. some enough, the bell rang.

"Woohoo, I'm free at last!" I shout and run out the door and out of school.

It's not that I don't like school. I love learning and am actually really smart. It's just the last week is an utter waist of my time. I start to walk since I'm not wearing good pants for running.

After half an hour of walking, I finally see our house. when you look at it, it looks like a middle class home of the thirties. but, that was thirty years ago. The white of the house is now grey and dingy. The windows are old and the one in the bathroom and my bedroom is broken. our floors are old and creeky. Over all, the house is plain nasty, but it's starting to feel like home already. I turn the knob of the piss yellow front sore and push with all my might because the hinges are rusted badly.

"Peas, you home yet?" I call from the living room.

I throw my bag onto the flor and pull off my shoes. I guess she's not back yet. Wait what time is it? I look at the clock in the living room and see it's only 3:30. She won't be back until 5. I might as well watch some tv. I turn on the tv and it's the news. Usual Peas, watching the news to check the weather and stuff. I am about the change the Channel when something catches my attention.

"It's been two months since three boys saved the lives of toddlers trapped in a fire. Fourteen year old Ponyboy Curtis and sixteen year old Johnny Cade where in a local park the fateful night that lead to the saving of these young kids. they were jumped from some boys on the other side of town. They beat Johnny Cade and were drowning his best friend Ponyboy Curtis when he did the only thin he knew to do, he stabbed one of the attackers. They ran away to a abound ones church in Windrixville and hideout for one week. another friend if theirs found them and when the church was a blaze, the boy ran into the fire, saving the children. the boys are doing fine now." a reporter says and she shows the pictures of those boys who were in all my classes. They killed a Socs? Tuff!

I fell asleep on the couch until I here the door open and slam shut.

"Who, what no clowns!" I scream, panting.

I see that only Peas has come home. she gives me the "what the fuck" look and I laugh.

"What's for dinner?" I ask.

"We are going over a work friends house for dinner." She says putting groceries away.

"What! But what if he's a bad cook? Oh god, what if I get sick. Is he a Socs? I will kick his ass if he is a Socs." I say getting angry.

"Carrots, calm down. He is a greaser and lives across the street." she says and I run into the living room an jump onto the couch to look out the window.

The house looks just like ours except it was a bottom porch and ours has a balcony. I see some commotion inside and relax. Maybe it won't be so bad.

"Is it just going to be you me and him?" I ask

"No he has some if his gang over and he has little brothers." she says.

"A gang? What kind of gang?" I ask not scared just curios.

"Just a close group of friends." she says.

"Tuff enough." I say and lie back down on the couch.

"No napping for you missy. I need you to bake one of your awesome chocolate cakes." she says

"But I'm tired." I whine causing her to give me "the look". the look to listen and shut the fuck up.

"Fine, when do we leave?" I ask walking into the kitchen and pulling out the ingredients.

"An hour. And you better behave or mark my words-" she says but I cut her off.

"-or I'll pay and it'll suck. Yeah I know." I say sighing.

"Okay, I'm going to take a shower." she say and she walks up the stairs.

I mix the cake batter quickly and stuff it in the oven. I run upstairs and open the door to my room. We've been here for only two days and it already is a mess. my room is small, all it has is a bed, a desk, and a bookcase. The window is broken so all there is are some curtains. There was a wood floor some where, but know it is covered with papers, books, and clothes. There's a comb of two here or there.
I look for the familiar purple covering in the sea of books ad pick it out.

I hear the kitchen timer go off and run back down the stairs and take out the chocolate cake. after letting it cool, I frost it with my homemade chocolate frosting and put it on the one plate I found in the house. it is as old as the house but, the nicest.

"Carrots, you ready to go?" Peas asks from the living room.

"Let me fix my hair first." I say and run all the way up the stair into the bathroom.

These stairs are getting annoying fast. I grease my hair back up into its greasy pin up do and walk back down the stairs

"You're carrying the cake." I say grabbing my book.

"Fine but don't read and walk again." she say grabbing the cake and walking ahead of me.

"Whatever." I say completely ignoring what se sad and opening my book.

We walk for a few minutes in silence before Peas says something.

"Stairs." she says and I step over them.

"Doo-" she starts to say before I walk right into the door.

I land with a thump right on my back. I groan and the wind is knock right out of me.

The door opens and a big man around Peas age looks at me.

"You okay little lady?" he asks putting his hand out for me to grab.

I grab it and he pulls me up.

"Good Carrots, are you okay? Did you brake your glasses?" Peas asks examine me and my glasses.

"Can't, breathe." I sputter out wheezing.

"Oh inhaler." she says grabbing my blue inhaler from her purse and I suck in the medicine.

"Come I'm and sit." the man say leading us in.

I walk into the living room to see six guys in the living room. two where wrestling, two were seating in the couch and one was sitting on the floor watching Mickey Mouse.

"Dally, Steve move over" the man says in a voice so strict even I would listen.

I sit on the new empty spot wheezing for a few seconds before my breathing goes back to normal.

Now all eyes are on me and how I'm doing.

"What a fantastic first impression" I say laughing.

"My names Carrots." I say handing my inhaler back to Peas.

"Is that-" some starts to say but I cut him off

"Yes that's my real name." I say smiling.

"Well that's one interesting name." a boy with long sideburns says.

"Oh shut it Two-bit." another boy with complicated hair and funny teeth says.

"Hi I'm Sodapop." A boy that looked like a movie star says shaking my hand.

"That an interesting name Soda." I say smiling.

"Well you know Two-bit," He says.

"That's Steve," he says pointing at the guy with the hair and teeth.

"That Dally." he says pointing to the guy with a cold look on his face.

"That's Johnny." he says pointing at the kids from the new report.

"And that's Darry, my older brother." He say pointing to the man that helped me.

"Wait, we're missing someone." Soda says.

"Soda have you seen my sweatpants? You know the grey ones?" The other boy from the news report says walking down the stairs.

He has only a towel wrapped around his waist. He doesn't realize that me and Peas are here. that is until everyone starts laughing when I start to blush.

"Um Ponyboy..." Soda say trying to hold back his laughter.

Ponyboy's head perks up and he realizes that there are girls in the room.

"Ah." he says and run up to his room.

Everyone starts laughing except me. poor guy, He looked so embarrassed.

"Hey lay off him." I say before I realize what I'm saying.

"Oh calm down, just a joke." Steve says a little annoyed.

"Well he didn't find it to funny did he?" I ask with a cold hard look on my face.

"Hey girly, relax." he says and the really annoys me.

"Don't tell me to relax." I say a little louder than before.

"Carrots." my sister warns me, telling me to cool it.

I turn around and am about to sit down when he says something that pushes me over the edge.

"Lucky you're a girl." He mutter and I tackle him.

"Hey what are you doing!" he yells fighting my grip. it's no use, I have him pinned better than paint to a canvas.

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't kick your sorry ass." I say smirking.

No one says anything, they just look and smirk.

"Carrots, get off now." Peas says again.

I jump off him and smirk. He's an okay guy.

"She sure is a feisty one." Two-bit say laughing at Steve.

"Dinners ready!" Darry yells from the kitchen.

The guys run into the dinning room and I follow.

*seating arrenment*

Darry Peas

Dally Two-bit

Steve Sodapop

Johnny Pony

Carrots

There were only to seats left when I walked in. the head of the table or across from Johnny. I decide that i rather sit next to Johnny so the head of the table it is.

"So, what's for dinner?" I ask

"Chicken, potaoes, and carrots" Soda says and Steve chuckles.

"Oh yes Steve it's hysterical." I say glaring at him.

"Ponyboy, hurry down or you'll miss dinner." Darry yells from the kitchen and then someone, I'm assuming Pony, run down the stairs.

"I'm coming." Ponyboy says and sits next to Soda.

"I'm Carrot" I say turning to Ponyboy, might as well break the ice.

"I'm Ponyboy." He says blushing.

"Wait a minute, I know you two." I say looking at Ponyboy and Johnny.

They look at each other and I could see the fear evident in their eyes.

"You two are in all of my classes." I say and the fear is gone from their eyes.

"Oh yeah, you're the new girl everyone was talking about." Two-bit says.

"Glad to know I'm the center of the school's attention. It's what I live for." I say laughing.

"Hey Pony, Johnny, I heard something happened in your first hour today? was it those Socs again?" Two-bit asks and I can see the anger starting to burn in his grey eyes.

Pony and Johnny had a cool face on but I can see in their eyes they were terrified. I can tell they don't want the rest of their gang to know what happened.

"Oh no nothing happened, it was the movie we're watching. we were watching Wet Side Story. it wasn't them it was the two fighting gangs you heard about. Pony and Johnny were in that class with me." I say smoothly, covering for them.

"Good, I guess they actually are backing off since the rumble." Soda says.

"Foods ready." Darry says placing the food on the table.

Everyone pretty much lunges for the food. taking every crumb they can get like they won't eat for days. I grab a chicken breast, a helping of potatoes and a pile of carrots.

"Phea could you pass me the salt." Darry says and I burst into a fit of laughter

Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy.

"It's not funny Carrots." Peas says and she huffs in annoyance.

"What? I'm confused." Two-bit says.

"No ones called her Phea since she was six. That when my mom would make her wear dress and pretty shoes but she would get them so muddy." I say laughing even harder.

"Everyone at work calls me Phea and I'm fine with that" she snaps at me.

"Fine, should I start calling you Phea, Phea." I say emphasizing her name the second time.

"No Peas is fine." she says.

"Peas?" Dally asks

"Yeah, you know Peas and Carrots." I say laughing, a snort wiggles it's way in a few times.

"Geez, you're worse than Two-bit." Steve says.

"Wow, worse than Two-bit! thank you so much, it's an honor." I say waving my hand like a princess.

Two-bit laughs at that one.

Soon enough, everyone finished dinner and we all head out into the living room. Well, not everyone, Darry and Peas wash the dishes. I sit on the couch next to Johnny and Ponyboy.

"How old are you?" Ponyboy asks me.

"Fourteen, what about you two, sixteen?" I ask, but I already know both their ages.

"No, I'm fourteen and Johnny sixteen." Ponyboy says and Johnny smiled and nods.

"You guys wanna come outside with me for a minute?" I ask, I have to talk to them about what happened in English.

"Sure." the say.

"Hey, wear you three going?" Dally asks.

"To watch the sunset." I say coming up with an excuse.

What? I like to watch them anyway.

"Sure, to watch the sunset." Dally says with a smirk.

"Shut your trap Mr. Winston." I say walking outside onto the front porch, followed by Johnny and Pony.

We sit down in the steps, and for a minute its quite. no cars or loud greasers, just quite.

"What happened in English?" I ask, breaking the ice.

"Just some Socs picking on a bunch of greasers." Johnny says but I can tell he's lying. he keep glancing towards Ponyboy.

"I can tell you're lying." I say and the look at each other.

"Well, ever since a little incident we had with a flhighly ranked socs we kinda have a target in our backs." Ponyboy says nervously.

"Why don't you tell anyone? besides me." I ask

"Well, they would freak out if we did. the Socs aren't bothering anyone else so why mess everything up?" Johnny says.

"It could get ugly ad quickly too." I say

"It'll be fine." Johnny says.

"Thanks." Ponyboy says.

"For what?" I ask

"For covering for us." Ponyboy says.

"Hey, it was no big deal." I say smiling.

"Hey let's head inside." Johnny says after the sun sets.

We walk in ad it's just like when I walked in the first time except Darry is reading the paper and everyone is eating my cake except Dally.

"Carrots,this is one of te best cakes I have ever had." Two bit says shoving more cake into his face.

"You're welcome I suppose." I say thrown off by all te cal in his fave.

"Anyone wanna smoke?" Dally asks pulling out a carton of smokes and I start to panic.

"Can you put that away?" I ask, gripping the way, shaking.

"Why should I?" Dally says.

"Please, put those damn things away" I shout neevously.

"Carrots, calm down. Its okay." peas says walking towards me.

"No it will when he puts those fucking things back in his pocket." I yell backing away from her.

"Calm down, broad." he says and he lights it.

I can feel bile start to rise in my throat and I dash upstairs where I guess the bathroom is since Ponyboy came downstairs from a showers before dinner.

I reach the bathroom and slam the door shut. I puke everything I just ate in the toilet until just white salva is coming out. I sit against the door and rub my hands against my eyes. it helps calm me down.

"Carrots? You okay?" Ponyboy asks through the door.

Why does he care?

"I-I'm fine." I say as tears threaten to spill.

"Can we come in?" Ponyboy asks

"We?" I ask, scared but not showing it in my voice.

"Just me and Johnny." He says I back away from the door and unlock it.

Pony and Johnny walk in and sit across from me.

"I'm sorry for freaking out." I say looking at my shoes.

"It's fine, we're just wondering why?" Pony says.

I just look at them, I just can't tell them. No one can know why.

"I have a phobia of stupid cancer sticks." I lie.

They look at each other again and I can tell I know I am lying but I guess they decide to srop it.

"Lets get back down stairs." Johnny says and we all get up.

Great, now they all think I'm crazy.

We walk back down stairs and everyone is just like I left them. I hope they just move on instead of ask questions.

"Carrots, you hear the rumor about you and Suzie." Steve asks

"What did that stupid braod say?" I ask annoyed by her name.

"She sais that you tried to lit the library couch on fire. She tried to stop you and you punch her in the face." He says and Two-bit starts laughing.

"Ha, i told her to get off the couch and she called me a slut so I socked her in the nose. Some is so going to get her daddy to buy her a new nose." I say chuckling at the end.

Everyone laughs at that one.

"Carrots, we better get going." Peas says and I frown.

As much as I love school, I hate getting up in the morning.

"See you guys around." I say grabbing my book from the coffee table and walking out of the house.

Peas and I start to walk across the start, I carrying my book and she was carrying the glass plate we brought the cake on.

"So, what's up with you and Darry?" I ask like a girly girl.

yeah, even though I can be a badass, I stil am a girl.

"Nothing is up. We are just friends from work." She says and from the gleam of the moon, I can see the slight pink on her cheeks.

"You like him don't you?" I ask her.

"Maybe, but don't say anything." She says shoving me playfully.

"Oh Peas gotta crush." I sing skipping ahead of her.

"Shut your trap." She say catching up.

We walk inside and I walk upstairs and change into a pair of soft grey sofie shorts and a white sweatshirt with the "Beach Babes" written on it with cheap fabric marker. I don't really want ot take a shower so I quickly shampoo my hair in the sink. I trick I;ve mastered over the years. I walk back down stairs and sit on the couch next to Peas.

"So, how'd you like the gang?" Peas asks as we watch some tv show I don't really care for.

"Soda seems sweet and Two-bit seems like a jokester. Steve is a bit annoying but I think he's an okay guy. Darry seems like a leader to them all, you know what I mean? Johnny remindes me of a beaten puppy, but he's really sweet too. Ponyboy seems really kind and, just different from everyone else, excpet maybe Johnny." I say looking at Peas.

"You should hang out with them maybe." She says

"Peas." I warn, my mood starting to change rapidly from relaxed and calm to aggrivated.

"I just thought maybe you could make some friends for a change." She says annoyed at my bitterness.

"Peas we've talked about this, I had friends once but I've moved on." I shout jumping up off the couch.

"That was two years ago, you haven't had friends since you were 12 years old! You can't be so alone, it isn't right," Peas yells back, with esaperation.

"No, I don't need anyone. I have books and movies and my stories and you and myself. That's all I need." I screamm louder, my anger building.

"No, everyone needs friends, someone. You are always alone. You watch movies alone, you write alone, you eat alone, you are always alone. You loved your friends, they were like other sister, but you act like they're dead." Peas screams at me.

"That was the goddamn past okay. And stop pretending like you were there for me to tell you all about them every waking minute we were together because we never were, we never are. You were always at school or at work and then you left me and mom with that scumbag of a father. I only had them whe you were gone and then they left. They just lwft and I was all alone and you were never there for me until dad dropped me off with you." I scream, letting out all of the feeling I've kept bottled up inside.

I can see tears in Peas eyes but she doesn't stop fighting with me.

"Well, I'm sorry if I was being a kid and a teen. I had to have some sort of childhood too you know. But not since you came, no I become a mom. Do you think I wanted all that responcibilty at 16? No, I barely finished high school. I'm just trying to help you." She screams back at me and we both stop.

She just said she never wanted me, she didn't want me to be with her. Tears well in my eyes. No, I'm not going to cry. I see a vase that my parents gave to me before they got rid of me and throw it across the window. I grab my leather jacket and run out the door.

"Stop! I'm sorry, don't go." Peas says running out behind me.

"I'm going for a walk, maybe I'll get lost and maybe you'll be responsibilty free." I yell running from the house. After a block, I walk start walking.

I see a lot and decide it looks like a decent place to cool off in. I go to sit on a car seat cover in news paper when I realize I sit on someone. The peraon yells and I pull out my switch blade and pull it to there neck as I pull them out of the pile of papers.

"You piece of- Wait, Johnny?" I say realizing I just sat on Johnny.

"Carrots, you scared the living daylights out of me." He say shaking slightly.

"Sorry, I just got a little spooked." I say chuckling.

"That's a nice switch blade, you got there." He says eyeing the blade.

"It's my most prized possesion. It was a gift from my mother." I say playing with it, pulling it in and out.

"What's on the blade?" He asks.

"It's a snake, it's etched on. That was my nickname from before I moved here." I say.

"That's tuff." He says smiling.

"Wait, Johnny what are you doing here?" I ask confused.

"Oh my folks were fighting, as usual." He says looking at his feet.

" Oh well you don't have to sleep here in this cold lot. I have a extra bedroom you can use." I say.

" I don't want to intrude." He says blushing.

"Oh it's no sweat." I say getting off the old car seat and start walking.

Johnny follows and we walk in silent. It wasn't an awkward one, it was peaceful. We see a person start walking toward us and I pull out my blade, just to be safe.

"Where have you been?" The guy asks and I realize it's Ponyboy.

"Geez Ponyboy, you don't just walk up to people in the night. That's how accidents happen." I say

"Sorry, but your sister is at our house and she's having a breakdown." He says

"Shit, let's go." I say walking towards our block.

"You okay?" He asks loking at me.

"Yeah, I just blew up about some stuff from the past." I say nonchlantly.

He nodds and again we walk in silence.

"You guys going to school tomorrow?" I ask

"Yeah, only a week left." Johnny says

"Yeah, I wish we didn't hsve to go any more. What's the point, we are just watching movies." I say annoyed.

"I know, hopefully it'll go by quickly." I say

We get to Ponyboy's house and I see Darry comforting Peas on the couch. Everyone else had left for the night I guess.

"Peas?" I say

She looks up with tears in her eyes, jumps up from the couch and engulfs me in a hug.

"I'm sorry." She says and I nod.

I don't say sorry, that means I regret what I did and I have no regrets. If I wanted it at the time well, that's my fault and I'm going to have to deal with it.

"Goodnight guys." I say as we walk out the door.

I think moving here was one of the best things to happen to us in a long time.


Author's Note:

Sorry if some words dont make sense or if their are gramatical errors. I tried and I will edit later on. Thanks for reading! I hope you like it.

Kay xx