For the next few days they didn't see each other. Ali went on, figuring that she probably wouldn't see them again. Talk of what had happened with Bobby went around the school so quick you could almost seeing it flying around. A few girls came up to Ali questioning her about the incident. A few ended up glaring at her and telling her she had no business refusing the most "popular guy in school". When they would say this she'd smile at them and say softly, "I think I can decide by myself."

At lunch Ponyboy saw her. He knew she went to his school but he had never seen her. It sort of surprised him. She was sitting at a lunch table with a group of people. It didn't look like she really talked with them much but she was laughing over something they had said. Her blonde hair had a side part and was held in place with a burette. She was wearing a blue skirt and the same shoes as the night they had met. She had a lighter blue sweater on, and it showed that she was from a family with money. When she saw Ponyboy she smiled broadly and waved him over.

As Pony walked over the other girls at her table gapped in awe and then excused themselves to go to the bathroom.

"Why hello Ponyboy, fancy seeing you here." Ali said with her southern accent and a smile.

"Hi." He said, blushing slightly since everyone in the lunchroom had to be staring.

"Why, don't be shy, come on and sit down."

Pony sat down opposite to her and whispered, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Jumping slightly, Ali leaned forward and whispered with a curiosity and seriousness, "Do what?" With a moment of hesitation she smiled and laughed richly, letting her higher voice ring out. "Will you stop worrying? I don't see what all of you worry about anyway! I've heard about 'greasers', and I don't care!" Quieting down she said in a normal voice, "Besides, no one else has been as nice to me as you and your friends have been."

Pony sat still for a few minutes and smiled. "You know Soda said he was planning to visit you tonight. I wouldn't of told you but I thought you might want to know."
Ali smiled. "Thank you Pony." Ali said softly.

"What are you doing?" A deep voice said from behind Pony.

Ponyboy's POV

The first thing I noticed was a hateful glare wipe out Ali's happy face. I didn't want to turn around. I had a feeling who'd be there. I'd heard the rumors that Ali had told Bobby Hatcher to get lost after he'd asked her out or something similar like that. I turned, ignoring my mind.

"Hey grease, what are you doing hanging out with a nice girl like this? Can't you get your own kind from the streets? Stop spreading disease to us!" He said getting close to me. I stood and put my hands in my pockets. I would take him if I had to, but I didn't want to get into this again.

"Hey greasy, answer me!" He pushed me as he said this and Ali stood, walking around the table and in front of me. She smacked him across the face and glared with hate.

"I invited him here." She said through her teeth, "So get lost."

"So you've sided with the greasers huh?" Bobby said almost close enough to hit her. She didn't even blink with the threat, "Let's see how far you make it."

As Bobby walked away Ali sat back down and looked at me, "Are you okay?"

I stared at her in shock for a moment then nodded.

Ali stood in front of her mirror. Why was she worried about how she looked? So what if she heard that Sodapop Curtis was coming to see her… he was just a boy. She glanced at herself in the mirror again. After putting on mascara she sighed and fell over on her bed. Strains of hair fell in her face and she brushed them away. She glanced at herself in the mirror and sighed. She wanted to go to sleep suddenly, even though she knew she should stay awake. Her eyes began to feel heavy and soon she was dozing.

"Hey, wake up." A voice said in Ali's ear and her eyes fluttered opened. She was staring into dark brown sensitive eyes.

"Sodapop Curtis?" She said sitting up boldly, "How'd you get in here? My parents aren't home…"

"Your window was opened." Soda said, smiling widely like a little boy who had something interesting to show his mother.

"You scoundrel." Ali said smiling and pushing him playfully, "Don't you know not to do that to a sleeping person?"

"Well you did look peaceful…." Soda said trailing off.

"So… how've you been?" Ali said smiling up at him. His eyes were still warm and sensitive and he smiled back at her.

"Just fine, whanna go somewhere?"

"Sure." Ali said with a wide smile on her face.

A/n: Yay… start to the "not-date"… hehe… thanks to my reviewers! I LOVE YOU! (my public lol…. –cough hack cough-)