"Guys, his friends! They're coming after us!"

I yelped and ran faster. I wasn't no track star like Pony, but I could run real good. Dal and Johnny sped up with me. The three of us was going like hell was hot on our heels. Honestly, I guess it was.

A red Mustang drove by as we ran. The driver, a blond Beatle-cut Soc, leaned out and shouted "Hey, greasers! Go get a haircut!" Now, my hair's not greasy at all, but that hurt. It shouldn't have. The gang got that daily, wasn't nothing new. It's just like a little needle in my heart every time someone insults me and my family because of who we are and where we come from. Not our fault, y'know? Not our fault we ain't fancy

I guess those Socs were good for one thing, though. The buffoons chasin' us detoured and started some jazz with the Mustang crew. I laughed quietly to myself. One-track minded fools, they were. Looking over at Johnny and Dallas, I saw that they were holding in laughter at the other greasers. One was trying to pull a Soc out of the car through the window and the other two were busting the windows in with pieces of pipe. Idiots.

Dallas, Johnny, and I went a little farther before slowing down to a stroll. Dally snickered and cussed at the greasers good-naturedly. "Oh, cut it out, blondie," I laughed. "What are we gonna do now, y'all?"

"I'm takin' you home, spitfire, then me an' Johnny are gonna go look for trouble. Your brothers would beat me black and blue for lettin' you come along." Dally smirked. Dammit, that boy knew how much I hated being left out of trouble. Darry was so scared of me, Pony, an' Soda gettin' taken away that he refused to let me find trouble. I had to watch myself all the time. It got old real quick.

I huffed angrily, knowing that arguing wouldn't get me anywhere. Dally wouldn't take no for an answer. Soon enough we got to my house. I could hear Mickey blasting clear out to the yard. Oh, lord. Two-Bit was home.

"See, Holly? You'll have Two-Bit for company," Dally chuckled.

I shot him a dark look. "Go to hell, Winston.

"Ladies first, Curtis."

Dally laughed and I just glared. He gave me a shove towards to gate with a "Go on, girl!" and left. I sighed and opened the gate, letting myself in before letting it bang shut. I made my way up to the house and shoved the door open. "Honey, I'm home!"

Two-Bit grinned up at me from his place on the floor. He had, you guessed it, a beer in one hand and a piece of cake in the other. "Glory, girl, you look mad. What'd ole' Dal do this time?"

I rolled my eyes and snatched his beer, taking a big gulp of it. "Made me come home while he and Johnny went out to have fun. I swear, Darry's rules make life way harder than it should be. Don't get in trouble, don't break the law, don't get caught, duhduhduhduhduh. It's awful annoying."

Two-Bit laughed. "Shoot, Darry's just lookin' out for ya. He wants ta keep you safe. Can't have you and them brothers a yours gettin' thrown in homes, now can we?"

Whatever. I took another gulp of beer. I had about as much affection for Darry as Pony did. Darry and me just didn't dig each other. I was like Soda but with more Pony. It was hard for Darry to be with me; I was just too much like my twin sometimes. There was also the fact that, yes, I had a social life, and Darry's rules were constantly getting in my way. I just wanted to have fun. What else is life for?

"Hollyberry Curtis," Two-Bit said as he took his beer back, "if your brother catches you with that beer you're done for."

I snorted. "You just want it for yourself, you little shit."

He set his beer down and hooked an arm around my neck, pulling me down and messing up my hair. "That's big shit to you. You're forgettin' that I got three years on you, little shit."

I punched his arm and squawked, "Let go of me, ya filthy hood! Yer messin' up my hair!" He cackled maniacally. Finally I just clamped my teeth on his wrist. He shrieked in a totally manly way and shook me off. I smiled as he inspected his skin for blood.

Two-Bit groaned. "You left teeth marks!" I looked at his arm and there were indeed teeth marks marring his skin. I laughed to myself. "It's not funny, Holls!" I laughed harder and he cracked a smile too.

"I dunno, Two, it makes you look kinda tough," I said as my laughs subsided to chuckles. That's Two-Bit for ya, always there to help you laugh. Dally leaving me here had me mad to high heaven, but Two-Bit calmed me down. He's like that, y'know? He can make me smile by doing just the dumbest things. He's my best buddy.

"Hey, Holly?" he asked, snapping me outta my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Can you get me another beer?"

"Get it yourself, you lazy bum."

"But Hooooollyy-"

"ALRIGHT! Just shut up!"

"Now was that so hard?"