Chapter 3:

"Look at what we got here," said a guy as he walked over to us. It was only him. "What a lovely couple we have here."

"We're not a couple," I said as I let go of Johnny. "Johnny, run when I say three. I'll distract this guy for you," I whispered to him. "This guy is dangerous."

"I ain't leavin'," he said. "If it's true about this guy bein' dangerous, you're in more danger than me."

"Put I know this area; please go when I say three Johnny," I said.

"Hey broad," he said. "Why don't you come with me if you're lookin' for a good time."

"I'm not looking for a good time," I said as me and Johnny stood up. "Excuse us; we need to get to school." As Johnny and I walked pasted the guy, he grabbed my arm.

"You have plenty of time before school," he said. "Come with me."

"Johnny go now," I said as I tried to pull away. Johnny ran down the alley after I managed to get free. We ran together but we soon split up because the guy was after us. I went the wrong way on propose so the guy wouldn't focus on Johnny. I turned a corner and saw it was a dead end. I was about to run back the way I came when I saw the guy in front of me. I backed away while he came toward me. My back hit the wall and he grinned. He reached into his back pocket, pulled out a blade and advanced toward me. I nervously reached into my pocket and pulled out my blade. The guy stopped in front of me and laughed.

"It's cute how you're pretendin' to be dangerous," he said. "Now, come with me quietly and I won't hurt you."

"No," I said.

"It's your choice," he said as he grabbed my arm and forced the blade out of my hands. Then he picked up my blade, put his and my blade in his pocket, and pulled me toward the way we came. I pulled back but he was stronger than me. Just as we turned the corner, he stopped, turned around and hit me in the stomach. I fell onto my knees so he lifted me onto his right shoulder and had his arm around my waist. We were about to exit the alleyway when we saw someone standing in his way. I looked to see who it was and it was…Curly! What is he doing here?

"Drop the broad Max," he said. "She's mine already."

"Really; I saw her with another guy," he said.

"That was my younger brother idiot," he lied. He was good at lying.

"I didn't know," he said as he put me down. "Here; take your broad back." Then he shoved me into Curly and he wrapped his arm around my waist. I looked back at Max and saw he was staring at us.

"Follow my lead Cassandra," Curly whispered into my ears. I nod my head. He brought his face closer to mine and I kissed him on the lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he placed his hands under my shirt. I let out a small cry but not loud enough for Max to hear.

"I'll leave now," Max said as he left. I stopped kissing Curly and let go of him. Curly didn't let go of me though.

"Thank you Curly for saving me," I said. "Can you please let go of me?" He pushed me against the wall and looked at me straight in the eyes.

"I only saved you because I didn't want a drug dealer havin' my girl," he said.

"Curly please let go," I said.

"No," he said as he kissed me on my lips again. I tried pulling away but I was against the wall and Curly's arms around my waist. He stopped kissing my lips and looked at me. "Don't you dare scream," he said. He moved his lips down to my neck and his hands up into my shirt. I'm glad I wasn't wearing a skirt today.

"Curly," I said in a pleading tone. "Please stop."

"No," he said as he hands moved over the area Max hit me. I jumped when he touched it. Curly looked at my eyes then down at my wound. He kneeled down, lifted up my shirt and examine my stomach. Then he kissed my stomach ad later I felt his tongue on it. I tried pulling away but he caught my wrist. "You would rather do this somewhere else that isn't out in the open?" he asked as he looked up at me.

"I don't want to do it anywhere," I said. "I'm not ready."

"I think you are," he said as he stood back up. Then he pulled away. I looked surprised at him. He actually stopped and that was a good thing. "You owe me a night with ya," he said. "Come on; you're brother will be wonderin' what happen to ya." We walked out of the alley way and down the street. The sun was up now. We saw Johnny and the gang coming our way. Dallas ran toward me and hugged me once he got close to me.

"Don't you ever pull that stunt again Cassandra," he said. Then he looked at Curly. "What the hell are you doing here Shepard?"

"He saved me," I said.

"Are you sure he wasn't the guy that attacked you?"

"Yes," Curly said. "I would have been gone by now if Curly hadn't shown up." Then he walked past the gang and headed east. Dallas let go of me and we all watched Curly walk down the street.

"He's one strange guy," Soda said.

"He is; he can be dangerous and yet caring," Steve said.

"A Shepard soft?" Dallas said as he laughed. Then everyone else started laughing besides me. Just as Curly was about to turn a corner, I started to run to him. I had to tell him something. He turned the corner and I was half way there. He was a quick walker. I turned the corner and saw he was turning another corner.

"Curly!" I yelled as I stopped. He turned around, looked at me and walked back to me.

"What the hell do you want now?" he said. He sounded annoyed.

"D-d-don't f-f-forget we're meeting at m-m-my place to do t-t-that p-p-project," I said. "And t-t-thanks again for s-s-saving me f-f-from M-m-max."

"Sure," he said as he turned around and walked away. Was he mad at me now? I walked in the opposite direction and back to the gang. Then the gang and I headed to the Curtis house. Once we got there, I grabbed my book and sat down on the couch. Darry went into the kitchen and started making breakfast for his brothers I guess. I started reading my book again. Minute later, Darry came out with plate for everyone. He handed one to me and I kindly turned it down. I wasn't hungry. Darry took the plate into the kitchen and left it there in case I got hungry before school started. While everyone was eating, I finished the book. What Carton said in the last part, touched my heart. He said:

"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

He scarified his own life for Lucie even though Darnay married her. I looked at the clock and saw it was time for us to go to school and Soda and Darry to go to work. We all got up and made it out of the door. We walked silently to school. We spit up and I was walking alone to my locker. I grabbed my stuff for science and history and went to my science class. I sat in the front like I normally do and laid my head down. I had a lot on my mind. This morning events came back into me. My body started to shake. Then my thoughts came to Curly. The way he touched me and the way he kissed scared me inside. He just made me his property without my permission. Then he wanted to make out and I wasn't ready. I see why girls are scared of him.

I felt someone touch me on my shoulder; I jumped and turned to see who it was. I saw it was my brother. He was actually going to sit in the front of the class? I looked at him and saw he was worried about me. "You alright Cassandra?" he asked. I simply nod my head. "You jumped when I touched you and you didn't eat anything today."

"I wasn't hungry," I said as I put my head back down on the table.

"Did Curly do something to you?" he asked.

"No," I lied.

"Did you tell him you had plans this weekend?"

"What day is it?"

"Thursday."

"And we're leaving Saturday morning right?"

"Yea."

"I'll tell him next block." I closed my eyes and Dallas woke me up when class started. Dallas was still in the front. I looked to the back and saw Curly was there. Curly was in most of my class. I turned back around and turned my attention to my teacher. A couple times I almost fell asleep in her class but Dallas kept me awake luckily. This teacher was very strict. I don't know why I'm so tire. Maybe I better conceal on doing the project at my house. The class finally ended. Dallas helped me up out of my seat and we were about to leave when the teacher asked if she could speak to me. Everyone left except me and Dallas.

"You can leave Dallas," the teacher said.

"I know but I'm not goin' to," he said.

"Ms. Winston, I noticed you were falling sleep in class; why is that?" she asked me.

"I don't think I got enough sleep last night. It won't happen again ma'am," I said.

"You're right; it won't. You have detention on Saturday," she said.

"Yes ma'am," I said.

"Wait just a fuckin' second," Dallas said. "You can't do that just because she didn't get one good nights rest. She's always being active in class before today. I see Socs sleepin' and you don't give a fuck about them. Plus we're goin' somewhere with friends and we're leavin' early."

"She was detention on Saturday Mr. Winston," she said. "I expect to see you here Ms. Winston."

"Yes ma'am," I said as I picked up my stuff and left with Dallas behind me.

"Damn bitch," my brother said as he kicked some lockers. "That damn woman hates greasers."

"Don't worry Dallas," I said. "You guys go ahead of me and I'll meet up with you guys after my detention. I have to get to history now. I'll talk to you later brother." I walked away and to my history class. I was almost late but I made it right before the bell. I took my seat next to Ponyboy and our teacher began class.

Class ended and it was time for lunch. Once Ponyboy and I got there, I went to find a table for the gang. Whoever got to the cafeteria first, they person had to go find and save a table. I found a table, seat down and put my head down. I then saw Curly sit next to me. "I heard ya got a detention from that science bitch teacher," he said. "I guess you have to come now."

"Please leave me alone Curly," I said. "I'm really tired."

"We're going to have fun on Saturday," he said as he got up. "Oh; I need you address and here's your blade back." I torn a piece of paper out of my notebook and wrote my address. He gave me back my blade and I put it in my pocket really quick so no one saw. I gave him the piece of paper and he left.