Sorry it's such a short chapter, I've been really busy. I'm still kind of figuring out where this story is going to go. I have a few ideas though. Please review, any suggestions are welcome.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own the Outsiders

"Come one Taylor, you haven't left your house in ages. We'll just go to the diner and grab a milkshake. Just for a quick twenty minutes," Mae was standing in the middle of my room, dressed in a short flowered dress with shiny red heels on. She was beautiful and popular with all of the boys, not so much with the girls though. I guess that's why we were such good friends, I could deal with her. It was probably because I didn't have the jealousy issues much of the other girls around here had. She had beautiful long brown locks that flowed halfway down her back. The clothes she wore were expensive supplied by her doting daddy and his high paying attorney job. I was surprised she had even stepped foot in my room, considering it looked a lot like a hurricane swept through, "Everyone's been asking about you."

"Mae- I just don't feel good yet." It wasn't a complete lie as even though my ribs were feeling a lot better and the bruises on my face had all but disappeared, I had a new pain, like something in my soul had been crushed into a million pieces, way beyond repair. Lying in my bed, shutting out the world was the only thing that I felt like doing.

"It's been two weeks, Taylor and no one's talked to you. Mary-Beth told me that her sister Barbara spoke with Danny and he said that you and Jacob had a fight the night of Timmy's party?" Mae spoke so fast she was almost out of breath; she tiptoed through the mess on the floor and flopped on the edge of my bed. She sat still, waiting for an answer that I wasn't ready to give. "Well fine. If you're not going to tell me anything at least just come out for a quick milkshake."

"I don't know Mae..." I didn't want to go; it was as easy as that, it was easier to just stay under the covers. Mae didn't get that, Bradley didn't either. No one did. So I guess that's why I eventually made myself get out of bed. No one understood and I didn't need them judging me anymore than they already would. I would walk right in there with a smile plastered on my face and act like I was the happiest girl in the world. What I didn't expect was to see Jacob there smiling right back at me.

"Mae- I think it's time for me to go," I whispered in her ear. I'd spent the last twenty minutes sitting opposite of him and all the courage I had about walking in with a smile evaporated when I seen his smug face. He on the other hand never stopped smiling. I wasn't sure I could handle being in the crowded diner any longer. I felt smothered, squished between Mae and my other friend Ashley. Everyone asked me how I was feeling and when I answered with a stern "fine," no one said much more. Mae gave me a disapproving look and whispered, "don't be so anti-social" in my ear. I'd avoided his gaze for the whole the time but when someone's face grazed my leg I jerked my head up, locking eyes with Jacob. He continued to rub his foot on my leg. I pushed Ashley off the bench and bolted to the bathroom. Puking my guts out wasn't something I particularly enjoyed but I couldn't keep it down. I heard the door hit the inside bathroom wall as someone came bustling in.

"Taylor? What in god's name is wrong with you?" I replied with a gag. "Taylor?"

Ripping off a wad of toilette paper I wiped my mouth up and picked myself off the floor.

"Just take me home Mae." I walked shakily out of the bathroom and right out of the diner. Not looking anywhere but the door, hoping I could keep it together until I got out of the restaurant. I whipped the door open and bolted outside, looking at my pink sandals. I wasn't looking where I was going in my rush to get outside and in turn ran into a tall hard body. Knocked off balance I almost hit the ground but was saved by two large hands. When I finally got myself straightened up the hands still had a tight grip on my shoulders. My breath caught in my throat when I realized that it was Dallas Winston who I'd run into.

I was still shaking so bad it felt like my mouth couldn't function at all.

"Sor-Sorry." I apologized lamely. Looking up I was surprised to see he was still looking at me, so intensely that I had to look away before my cheeks began to blush. His fingers were still locked on my arms.

"You made it home alive, huh." He laughed a little and I felt myself tense up. His laugh was a little harsh.

Before I could say anything else the door to the diner burst open, Jacob and his friends, followed by a very anxious looking Mae came spilling out, right behind where I stood with Dallas. He still hadn't dropped his hands.

"Hey grease, what do you think you're doing touching our girls like that?" Jacob stepped a few inches closer. This is not going to go well, I thought. I removed myself from Dallas's grip and turned to face Jacob.

"It's fine Jacob, there's nothing to fight about." I could tell that he was mad. It looked like his girl didn't care if another boy put their hands on her, which I suppose made me look not that great either.

"Are you kidding me, he isn't worth shit, and he isn't going to be touching my girl. He's got enough of those trashy girls on his side." Apparently I was the only one that knew I was no longer Jacobs's girl. From behind me I heard Dallas let out a string of cuss's. I hoped he didn't intend on trying to fight Jacob and the boys. I mean, he looked tough enough, but the four to one odds wouldn't be in his favour.

"Jacob, just go back inside." I met his eyes. H e was livid and I knew this was the only time I'd be able to officially end things between us, outside, with witnesses.

"No, you're my girl and he-"

"No Jacob I'm not. I'm not your girl." I took another breath, just in case I wouldn't be able to get out everything I needed. "We are done. I don't want to talk to you ever again." I added the last thing in just for good measure. I was shaking again, not sure if it was from being scared or the high I was feeling for finally standing up for myself. No one said anything and Jacob's face was contorted into confusion and disbelief. He reached for my arm but before he could grab it I jumped back.

"Taylor...I'm sorry, I really am." This, I wasn't expecting.

"I-no Jacob-I'm sorry...I" Once it came out my mouth I was instantly regretful. Why was I apologizing, I'd done nothing wrong.

"Taylor please." He had a pleading tone in his voice. I wondered how sincere it truly was. I looked at the other boys faces and at Mae's and realized that I was about to look like the bad one know. I was the one that was being heartless and ending things with him. He had done that on purpose, he wasn't sorry.

"No Jacob-"

"Fine you are just a little bitch anyway. Go hang out around them scum. Get pregnant and have ten kids and live in a trailer for all I care. You're finished here, you can count on that. No one's going to want to go anywhere near you after you're around that shit." He spit the words at me so fast he nearly ran out of breath. His chest was pumping up and down. I took a few more steps back just to ensure I wasn't within his striking range. He turned on his heels, the rest of the boys following. Mae caught my eyes and for a moment there I thought she was going to come over towards me but she too followed Jacob back into the diner. I couldn't much blame her. It was almost too much for me to handle and I whipped around heading in the direction of my car. Tears were filling the brims of my eyes and I wanted to get as far away as I possibly could. Unfortunately, for the second time that day, Dallas was standing in my way.

"Sorry, I'm sorry." I mumbled trying to push past him. This time he let me go but as I was walking away I heard him say,

"You say sorry too much." I looked over my shoulder, ready with a retort but he was already walking in the opposite direction.