Chapter 4

*Raine's POV*

"Raine," Two-Bit speaks to me softly, getting my attention as we walk towards Johnny's house. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I replied softer than his tone.

"Is it about what he called you?"

My head shook for a no.

"Was it because of me?" he asked after a few moments.

I didn't answer, just bowed my head and walk a little faster.

"Oh shit," he mumbles under his breath. "Hey, Raine," he turns me around and place his hands on my shoulders. I look at him a little frightened of the action. "I'm so sorry for everything. You know sometimes I get carried away at times."

"Yea, but sometimes it hurts my heart for some odd reason," I admitted sadly.

His eyes widened at my confession and what he did next made me my eyes widened and my body froze. Two-Bit, my crush since I was younger, hugs me tightly around my upper body. I wrap my arms around him still shocked.

"Really I am so sorry Raine," he looks at me with sadness in his eyes. "You're my best girl and I'm going to protect you for the rest of my life." A small smile curls on his face telling me that he speaks the truth.

My heart fills whole again, knowing that I have Two-Bit in my life. My smile curls up as well. He smiles more, kissing my cheek and my forehead sweetly.

"Whoa!" he laughs, seeing something that caught in the wind. "Here! I got me a new hat!" he runs after it making us chuckle at his silliness. "How do I look Raine?" he asked me posing with it.

"You look awesome," I smiled more. "You're crazy!" I laugh at this.

"I don't know why I handed you that busted bottle," he smiles, walking away backwards. "You never would have used it."

"Where you headed?" I asked him.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go play snooker or get drunk again. I'll see you later!" he calls out, disappearing into the night.

"Bye Two-Bit," I blushed with a smile, waving.

"I hate when my folks are fighting," Johnny says, returning to Ponyboy and me. "Let's go to the lot."

The lot is always a nice and peaceful place to think about things or just want to get away from everything. The three of us are sitting on the old, abandoned couch in the lot. I didn't realize that I still have Two-Bit's jacket until I see Ponyboy trying to warm himself up. His jacket smells like Two-Bit and his warmth is still on it. Johnny makes a fire to warm us a bit.

"It was because we're Greasers, Pone," Johnny explains to him, referring about earlier. "Might have hurt her reputation or something, that's all."

"So don't worry about it," I join in, sitting on his right while Johnny on his left.

"Yea, I guess so," Pony says, placing his head on my shoulder.

We all look up to the stars.

"Man, that was a tough car, huh? Mustangs," Johnny comments while Pony yawns from being tired, "they're tough."

"Big time Socs alright," Ponyboy grumbled under his breath. "It's always the same," he says, removing himself from to get closer to the fire.

My eyes close for some peace for myself.

"I can't take much more of this, Ponyboy, Raine!" My eyes open in shock as I look to see Johnny with his head bowed and his hands on his head. "I'll….I'll kill myself or something! I don't know!" he sobs.

"Johnny, don't talk like that," I said sadly, wrapping my arms around him.

"Come on, you can't kill yourself," Ponyboy joins in, sitting on his other side.

"I've gotta do something," Johnny says, not moving.

Ponyboy and I lean him back so we can be close and focus on the stars and nothing else.

"Oh, God, it seems….." he speaks. "It seems like there's gotta be someplace without Greasers and Socs. There must be someplace….with just plain ordinary people."

"It's like that out in the country," Ponyboy says, head on his shoulder. "Away from all the big towns. Out in the country."

I can feel my eyelids becoming heavy and heavy for sleep. Nothing to dream anymore. No more happiness for me. Just darkness.

"Ponyboy! Raine! Guys, wake up!" Johnny's voice speaks through the darkness, shaking us to wake up.

Ponyboy and I fell asleep on the couch.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily, asking for both of us.

"I don't know, I went to sleep, too."

Wind is blistering around us.

"You two better get home, alright? I'm gonna stay all night out here," Johnny switches places with us. "Who'll care anyway?"

"Alright," Pony says. "If you get cold, come on to my house."

"Yea, alright," he falls asleep.

"What is Darry gonna say?" Pony asked to himself.

"What will my parents going to say?" I asked to myself.

We head out of the lot and begin walking towards our street.

"See you tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yea," I answered.

I hurried over to my house to see that Father and Mother still up, looking pissed.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Father screams at me.

"I was at the lot with Ponyboy and Johnny and I lost time," I answered, trying not to get them even more mad at me.

"Lost time my ass!" he slaps me across the face, causing me to hit the couch.

My body bounces into the coffee table. Mother is drinking, not caring of joining in.

I look at him with tears running down in my eyes before running away.

"That's right! Go run away you waste of space!" Father's screams echo in the darkness.

Ponyboy and I meet up both in tears, knowing what happened.