Ok, here is the next chapter. Thanks everyone for reading. Especially thanks to Chick1966 and greaserlover55 for following and thanks FrankElza for reviewing and following. Please read and let me know what you think. Enjoy.

A few weeks passed by. I needed a fix every day, and I was a little concerned that I was getting addicted, but Andy was right it did make you feel good and like things were alright and not shit like they really were. It made me not care about my parents anymore even though I got more than one beating during these weeks. I didn't feel such despair and I didn't need to be running crying to Curtis anymore like I used to. I was able to handle things on my own.

On Saturday I finally went to the Curtis. I was always there on Saturdays, and if I didn't show up they would get suspicious. I stopped by the lot and got my fix before going though. We watched TV for a little while and played a few poker games. I won 4 times out of 5. When it started to get dark "Let's go to the lot," Pony suggested. "Maybe we can watch the stars if you don't mind." My heart jumped. I couldn't let Pony meet Andy. Andy didn't care to cover up that he was using. He'd do it right in front of Pony just like he did right in front of me. Probably would try to get Pony into it too and would surely mention that I was using too.

"Johnny," Ponyboy interrupted my thoughts

"Huh?"

"Are we going to the lot?"

"You know Pony, I've got to confess something. I don't really like going to the lot anymore."

"How come?"

"It reminds me of that night with me killing Bob and everything…"

"But that happened at the park not the lot and we've been avoiding the park ever since."

"Yeah, but the lot is where it started… I… I just don't feel comfortable going there you dig?" I felt terrible lying to him, but I had no choice. There was no way I'd let him meet Andy and find out my secret.

"Fine," Pony replied, "but where have you been staying the nights when you weren't at our house if you didn't go to the lot?"

"At the junk yard," I lied. "You know where some homeless people made their camp."

"You got to be careful over there." Pony sounded really concerned, frightened even.

"I know, I know," I replied just to calm him down.

"Let's go to the drive-in," he suggested, "and maybe we can watch the stars there once the movie is over."

"Sure, let's go," I replied. I'd go anywhere he suggested and do anything he suggested just as long as it wasn't going to the lot. So we went to the movies, and hung outside afterwards, then Pony went home and I went back to the lot.

The next week was like the one before. Things were finally falling into routine that I liked. I slept at the lot and got my fix every morning. Andy claimed the car seat, so I had to sleep on the ground even though initially I didn't want to do that, but I had no choice. I snuck into the house a few times to change my clothes. I waited till my parents were out or sleeping.

On Thursday during the lunch break I met up with Pony. We always met up by the lockers and then waited for Steve and Two-Bit and drove to this diner to get something to eat since greasers never ate at the cafeteria. Pony showed up almost right away, and we were waiting for Steve and Two-Bit, when these two socs passed by us. I hated them. I hated everything about them, but mostly how they always acted like they were better than us, smarter than us, and how they jumped us all the time. I looked at them passing by so cocky and arrogant. I wanted to fight them right there and then. I was so sick and tired of them. Everything about them irritated me – their semi-beatle haircuts, their madras shirts and their short pants.

"Hey, nice haircut," I yelled at them before I even knew what I was doing. I didn't care I just wanted to fight them. They turned around in disbelief that I just mouthed off to them like that. Pony was staring at me with round eyes. He looked at me like I was crazy, because I never, ever started fights. I avoided them as much as I could. I was not like Steve or Two-Bit, who enjoyed a good fight. And besides, I was of small build so the chance of me beating someone as opposed to being beaten was really small. Pony didn't know that it was the drugs talking. The drugs made me aggressive and overconfident and prone to violence. But I really liked how it felt. Like I was on top ofhte world.

After the initial shock the socs turned around and started walking towards us.

"What did you say? You fucking shit," the taller of the two yelled.

"You heard me," I replied, hatred in my voice. They were coming closer, and their intention was clear. They wanted to fight. I slouched and hooked my thumbs in my pockets, trying to look tough.

Without waiting for them to get even closer, I walked forward, met them half way, and punched the tall one in the stomach really hard. He then grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. I got out of his grip and punched him in the jaw. He took a few steps back, but didn't fall.

I looked over at Pony. He was fighting the other one, and he was losing. Suddenly, I felt a pang in my stomach. I got Pony involved in this. It wasn't his fault that I felt like fighting, and now he was being beat up. I punched the soc in the shoulder then shoved him across the wall, hoping to finish him and go help Pony, but who was I kidding. The soc was much stronger than me and could handle me just fine. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and delivered a few blows to my face. I felt blood running down my face. Strangely enough though, I didn't feel the pain only hatred. Suddenly, there were five of them. I don't know where the other three came from. Two of them started beating on me, and one went to help the other soc beat Pony. He didn't need help though, he was finishing Pony, and I felt extremely guilty about that.

The crowd started gathering around. The three socs were able to push me from one to another until I finally fell to the floor. I had blood smeared all over my face and my hands. Not even ten minutes passed, but it seemed like this was going on forever.

Finally, I saw Steve and Two-Bit making their way through the crowd. Steve attacked the two that were pounding on me, and Two-Bit went to help Pony. Suddenly, the crowd went "Uh," and people started running in different directions. What was the matter? I thought. Then I saw the principal making his way through the crowd. Our coach following him closely.

"Break it up," the principal barked, and tried to drag me off of the soc

I was attacking. The coach did the same with Steve. He was holding Steve, while Steve was still waving his hands in the air as if trying to hit the soc. The socs that were beating on Pony tried to run, but the principal stopped them quickly.

"Running won't help," He proceeded to say, "I know each and every one of your last names. In my office! Now!" With a heavy head I followed the principal to his office. I felt so guilty - now Pony was going to get in trouble because of me. I looked over at him. He looked terrible. His whole face was smeared with blood and there was blood on his shirt. His jeans were ripped at the knee.

All of us walked into the principal's office. "Will someone tell me what happened?"

"They started it," the tall one, the one that I attacked said. , "He started it," the other one pointed at me, and I saw Steve and Two-Bit frown. I'm sure they assumed that the socs started it, because neither I nor Pony would ever start a fight. Before today that is.

"Is that so Mr. Cade?" I nodded. I hated myself at that moment. What was I thinking?

"You should've known to walk away," The principal spoke to the socs, "Use better judgment next time. You can go now, while you four get detention for a whole week." The socs snickered when they heard that.

So for the whole week, including Saturday, we had detention, while the bastards walked away with a slap on the wrist.