A/N: S. E. Hinton owns all rights to the characters in The Outsiders and her other stories, I only own my imagination. I also don't own the rights to the Simon & Garfunkel song that I used for the title, it just happened to fit like a glove. Last but not least, I don't own the rights to Acquainted With the Night. Please don't sue me! I apologize for the formatting in this chapter, my computer was being finicky. Let me know if you'd like me to continue this story any further.

I woke up early on Friday morning. Today's the day. I thought, Today, I'll tell Cathy that I love her. Darry was right, I needed to make it special. I decided to ask her out to dinner after my classes let out. There weren't any good movies playing, and I didn't feel like sitting through any more dramas or war flicks. They hit too close to home these days. I combed my hair back after rooting around the closet for something to wear. I'd found one of Soda's old shirts that happened to match my eyes. "Green's a good color any way I wear it." I mused, surveying myself in the cracked mirror. "I hope you don't mind too much, Soda. I'll wash it before I return it, I promise."

Breakfast was chocolate cake and coffee. No eggs today. We needed to go shopping. I dumped hot chocolate mix into my coffee. Some kid in my creative writing class said that soldiers do that to make it taste better. I wouldn't know about the soldiers, but the chocolate certainly cut through the bitterness. I cut Darry a slice of cake and poured him some coffee when he padded to the table. "Thanks, kiddo," was all he said.

"Welcome. Hey, I gotta run, so I'll see you later." I breezed out the door and soon found myself on campus. I don't remember how I got there; muscle memory is funny sometimes. As I walked out of math class, I saw Cathy standing in the corner of the hall. Now's my chance! I steeled my nerves, shifted my book-bag onto my shoulder, and promptly became a stuttering mess. "H-hey, Cath. How's it going?"

"It's groovy. Is something wrong, Pony? You look a little pale."

"No, um, I'm alright. Hey, d'you wanna go out tonight? I have a pretty light homework load, so we could go to dinner, if you wanted."

"Sure. Where would you like to go?" Her slight smile only hinted at her dimples. Man, I dug her smile.

"There's this little Chinese restaurant called Lotus Garden that my brothers and I really dig. I'll pick you up at 6.30, okay?" I wiped my hands on my slacks. I was getting better at this.

"Sounds great. I'll be there with bells on! Hey, maybe you should lay off the coffee, Pony. I think it's starting to affect your nerves."

"I'll switch to decaf next time. See you tonight, Cath."

"Groovy, baby. Bye." She waved before melding into the crowds of students. Since I'd finished for the day, I went home to think up a plan of attack.

"And then I got nervous. I think she noticed."

"Chicks always notice stuff like that. What'd she say?" Darry asked.

"She told me to lay off the coffee."

"I meant about the date, but that's a good idea. It certainly isn't doing you any favors."

"Oh, she said she'd love to go. We're going to Lotus Garden after I pick her up at 6.30."

"Good. Just be normal, okay? Chill out for a while before you get ready, it'll settle your nerves a little bit. That's a nice shirt, by the way."

"It's one of Soda's. I didn't think he'd mind."

"I don't think so either."

I was a nervous wreck as I drove to pick Cathy up. No amount of aftershave I wore could make up for the fact that my insides were in knots. I knocked on the door, only to be greeted by Mrs. Carlson. "Hello, Pony. Cathy will be out in a few minutes, why don't you come in and make yourself at home?"

"Thanks, Mrs. Carlson. How's M&M doing?"

"This week has been rough. He's been spending a lot of time at the library lately, which keeps him out of trouble, but I'm worried about him. He's too quiet."

"Hopefully next week will be better. Libraries always improve my mood, maybe he's the same way." Cathy emerged then, radiant as ever, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ready to go, Pony, or has my mom talked your ear off already?"

"She isn't that bad, you should see Two-Bit's mom. She'd have both your ears talked off before you even stepped over the threshold. Bye, Mrs. Carlson, we'll be back by 10, at the latest."

"I'm not worried. Go have fun, you two."

Lotus Garden was strangely empty for a Friday night, and aside from a couple of families and the occasional group of friends, we were the only ones there. "It's usually busier than this, there must be a game, or something." I said, as a waiter handed us our menus.

"I think there's a football game over at Will Rogers tonight. I don't know who they're playing, though. I'm not a huge sports fan." Cathy replied, scanning the menu. "Should I order the most expensive thing, or are we on a budget?"

"Order whatever you want, we like just about everything here. I really liked track and field, but Darry's the football nut in our house."

Once we'd placed our orders, we talked for a while longer, and I just couldn't get over how beautiful she looked. The wine colored sweater she wore made her skin glow, and her hair cascaded around her shoulders like a shadowy waterfall. The candles lit up her eyes too, and I almost lost my train of thought a few times. They were like grey rain in autumn- light and soft; a little sad. Our food arrived quicker than normal, since it was a slow night, and it offered a much needed distraction for both of us.

We didn't have to be back until 10, so I thought we'd go for a spin after dinner. "I wanna show you how the sky really looks at night, Cath. You'll love it, trust me."

"I don't think you'll ever know how much you amuse me, Pony. Every time I turn around, you show a new facet of yourself that I've never seen. It's honestly fascinating." Cathy steadied the leftover boxes as we bumped along a dark country road. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"Yeah, crazy."

"You can't go someplace you already are, Pony."

"Says you, Cath. I don't follow the rules of logic because I make my own. Anyway, here we are; grab that blanket from the back, would you? I don't want you getting cold."

We sat on the hood of the car, surrounded by the country. The black ribbon of road melted away, and we were left in a field of stars that shone like an infinite number of tiny diamonds. The moon was only a sliver of her former glory, burned orange for the harvest. "It's so beautiful, I could cry." Cathy whispered.

"Now you've become acquainted with the night."

"What?"

I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain- and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light. I have looked down the saddest city lane. I have passed the watchman on his beat and dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet when far away an interrupted cry came over houses from another street. But not to call me back or say good-bye; and further still at an unearthly height, one luminary clock against the sky proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. I have been one acquainted with the night.

"Who wrote that?" Cathy picked at a frayed edge of the blanket.

"Robert Frost. He's my favorite poet; he always knows the perfect way to encapsulate everything I've ever felt. Even after all these years, I can quote his poetry backwards and forwards." I laughed softly, unwilling to disturb the stillness.

"That's one of the things I love about you."

"Wanna know what I love about you?"

"Sure."

"Absolutely everything. I love you, Cathy Carlson, and I know it's taken me a ridiculously long time to say it, but I hope it still means something."

"It means the world to me, Pony." Even in the darkness, I could tell she was smiling.