Ponyboy opened the door hesitantly, silently dreading his awaiting task. He entered the room leaving the door ajar. He sat on the side of bed next to his sleeping sister. He wouldn't have had this task this morning if dear old Sodapop hadn't bestowed it upon him, time he could be using to fix his hair or something Pony thought sulking.

She looked so young and small, it must of been true that people look younger when they're sleeping. Almost innocent. Like that was ever true. She was one of the toughest girls he knew, but he only would never admit that to her or even Soda. Pony put a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her.

"Hey... Kit, wake up," he whispered shaking her a bit harder. She grumbled something he couldn't quite make out and rolled over. "Come on ya gotta get up," he said louder this time patting her leg. Pony knew that Darry wanted to leave early and would get mad if they didn't hurry up soon.

Kit simply swatted his hand away and pulled her blankets up over her head. Pony sighed knowing she was being just plain stubborn. "Come on get up... I know your tired but Darry said we gotta leave early to go talk to your principal."

"You'll never take me alive..." She mumbled into her pillow.

Pony sighed, "we don't have time for this." Getting impatient, Pony pulled her blanket off and started pulling her off the bed by her legs, Pony or any of the boys weren't ever very rough with her but he needed her up now!

"Hey let go!" Kit kicked Pony and attempted to get out of his grasp but failed as he landed her on the floor with a loud thud. She was in a bad mood as it was and wasn't looking forward to getting up anytime soon. "Damn it Ponyboy, you're a dead man!" Kit said through clenched teeth getting up off the floor, she didn't even bother to cover up her language, even though Darry and Soda would have a fit if they heard her. Ponyboy quickly bolted out the door shutting it behind him, he knew for a fact she was fully awake now and ready to take anybody who challenged her.

Darry was concerned with the all the noise thinking something or someone was getting broken, and asked, "Pony what's all that ruckus about?"

"Darry I don't have a death wish." Pony told him.

Darry chuckled, "what'd you do to make her so mad?"

Pony looked around making sure Kitcat wasn't in sight before answering, "I pulled her off the bed."

Darry shook his head and went back to getting breakfast ready, telling Pony to hurry Soda up. Pony was about to go to find him when he heard a snickering next to him. Steve who had been on the couch since the night before had heard Ponyboy and Kitcat, and was finding it quite funny that Pony had ran away from his kid sister.

"Hey, shut it Steve.. you haven't ever woke her up before and if you did you would run too!" Pony exclaimed scowling.

"Watever you say kid," Steve said smirking.

"We're only a year apart anyway... it's not that bad," Pony said grumbling as he went to get Soda out of the shower, Steve was a real ass sometimes Pony thought.

XXXXXXXXX

Kitcat looked in the mirror and finished adjusting her ponytail. She sighed knowing that she had to go to school and get this mess sorted out and she wasn't looking forward to it, I'd rather be in bed, Kit thought tiredly. She could hear Pony yelling at Soda to get out of the shower, "I'm coming, I'm coming! Soda yelled back.

That was her cue to leave ther bathroom. She took a quick glance at her appearance again and left shutting the door to give Sodapop some privacy. Not that he needed it, he came out in just a towel anyways as usual.

Kitcat sat down at the table and Darry set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her. Steve was busy working on some chocolate cake and Pony was working on his milk. Darry was drinking coffee like usual.

To be honest, Kit didn't have much of an appetite. She was too damn nervous to eat. Darry seemed to notice her reluctance, he knew exactly what was bugging her but he didn't have the time to address the matter right now, right now he was trying to get a house full of kids to school and work on time. "Come on Kit, hurry up we gotta leave soon," Darry said placing his empty coffee mug on the table and looking to see if Soda anywhere near ready.

"I'm not hungry," She said pushing her plate a few inches away, she wasn't trying to be difficult but she really didn't feel top notch.

Darry looked at her slightly annoyed and sighed, "Kitcat we don't have time for this... at least try an eat something?" She nodded and half-heartedly picked at her eggs as an attempt to appease Darry.

Soda came into the kitchen asking were his DX shirt was. "Laundry," Darry told him. Soda nodded and went back to running all over the house for his stuff. Soda would probably forget his head if it wasn't attached to his body, or if people didn't remind him.

They finished up breakfast and started heading to the truck. Kit didn't eat much to be honest but it's not like the food would go to waste, nothing went to waste in their house, not unless it was something nobody liked, but those boys weren't very picky except for Pony and Kit. Darry was always on them about how skinny they were not that they cared.

She got in the back of the truck and let Pony sit up front. She wasn't in the mood to have a lecture before they got there.

Steve got in his truck, and Soda came running out behind him with one sneaker on his foot and the other in hand, Darry was behind him yelling to get a move on.

Darry got in the truck and started driving. Kit wanted nothing more to make a run for it, but of course she couldn't. She would just have to get this whole thing over with, there was no turning back.

XXXXXXXXX

They had dropped Pony off first since he started school and hour before her she almost wished they hadn't, she wanted the company besides Darry's. Then they went to her school. Neither of them had said anything on the way there, what was there to say? Kit though Darry was just tired but something else told her otherwise.

Now they were waiting at the office to go see the principal. This wasn't helping Kitcat in anyway she just felt sick, Darry squeezed her hand for reassurance. The secretary finally told them to go in.

Darry noticed Kitcat's unwillingness to move, and gripped her hand lightly and led her along, Kit was slightly thankful for the extra support. The closer they got to the door, the sicker Kit felt. They entered the room, Darry shutting the door behind them. No escape Kitcat though, no escape.

Mr. Hammon, the principal motioned for Darry to sit in the chair next to Natalie's parents. Kit stood beside him as Natalie was next to her parents. Natalie was scowling with her blackish, blue eye and her parents didn't seem too happy to see them either.

Mr. Hammon was a in his middle fifties, sporting that greying comb-over look. He was a wrinkly somewhat plump man who didn't like them, as in greasers. Being as biased as he was, Kitcat was not a big fan of him, neither was Darry even if Kit didn't know it at the time.

"Mr. And Ms. Hill, Mr. Curtis, as you all know the girls got in quite a spat yesterday." Mr. Hammon said motioning his hand towards the girls,

He cleared his throat and continued, "these matters of course cannot and will not be taken lightly." "My first thought was suspension of Kitcat but since it is her first offence, I was made to reconsider," he added with a great deal of distaste.

"Both girls will be subjected to detention during rescess today and the rest of next week, and I expect a full apology from Kitcat to Natalie... is there any questions or concerns?" Mr. Hammon leaned back in his chair quite content with his judgement.

Natalie's father was the first to speak, "Mr. Hammon I don't see why Natalie has to receive detention as well," Ms. Hill was quick to add, "she has already suffered enough, I don't think she needs detention on top of it, do you?"

Mr. Hammon held up a hand as if to silence them, "I understand your concern... but as protocol states I must hold both girls responsible for their actions, Natalie must take her share of the blame and Kitcat as well."

Looking quite defeated Mr. And Ms. Hill sat back in their seats shooting their "poor" daughter sympathetic looks. Darry finally spoke up and said quietly "Kitcat... go ahead and apologize to Natalie." Kitcat wanted to know why Natalie wasn't being forced to say sorry as well, but Darry's firm look told her to just get it over with.

Kitcat stood up a little straighter and began, "Natalie I am sorry for punching you, what I did was wrong and my behavior was completely uncalled for, I hope you can forgive me." The thing that surprised Kitcat the most was that she was actually sorry, even if Natalie deserved it.

Natalie scowled at her and begrudgingly said she forgave her. The girls were made to shake hands, Natalie's parents and Darry followed suit. Darry reached out and shook Mr. Hills hand who gripped his tightly saying, "If your sister ever harms my daughter again, I will not hesitate to see its taken care of properly."

Darry gritted his teeth trying to remain calm telling him, "Good day Mr. Hill." What a piece of work he thought. If Natalie was anything like her father, she must of been one pain in the ass.

Mr. Hammon dissmissed their "meeting". Then the girls off to class so they wouldn't be late.

Darry stopped in the hallway of the school and waited for Kitcat to come out of the office. "Alright I gotta head to work and you better get to class." Darry said pulling Kit into a hug and planting a quick kiss on her head. " I'm really proud of the way you handled that in there that took a lot of self control." Something about the way Kit acted made her seemed more mature than Natalie, it made Darry proud of her.

"Thanks Dar," Kit said smiling, "have a good day at work... and you better not strain yourself ya hear?" Darry grinned, "Alright Missy, and you better be good," he told her ruffling her hair. "Kay Dar," she said watching him leave. Kitcat headed to class, glad it was a Friday and happy she had one less problem to worry about.

A/N: hope you like the story so far, sorry I haven't posted, I have school and so yeah... anyways if there is something you would like to happen in the story or one of the characters you like, to have a interaction with Kitcat, please just say so in the comments, all ideas are welcome! Thanks for reading,

Sincerely,

Snowy💟