Look! A cover image. Yes, I did draw that. :P


I woke up with sunlight blazing through my car window. Opening my right eye I squeezed it shut again. Dumb sunrises always waking me up at the crack of dawn. I brushed a few out of place hairs from my face when I noticed the cheese powder still one my fingers. Licking the sticky powder off my lips I scrapped off the rest from my fingers using my teeth. "Guess that's my breakfast." I thought to myself, the stale taste making me cringe. I wondered how much food would cost. "A simple breakfast of two eggs and bacon would be around a dollar, and adding on tip and tax would add an extra thirty cents or so..." I guess I could afford one breakfast, then I would look for a job. Getting out of the car I heard my food make a squish as it made contact with the ground. Grimacing, I got the rest of my body out of the car and slammed the door shut. I internally cringed with every step, my shoes getting ruined by the mud coating them. After walking into a restaurant I bought a breakfast to go, a couple scrambled eggs and four pieces of bacon. It cost a little more than I expected, about $1.74, but I happily handed over the two dollars, and received the 26 cents back, knowing it would get me a warm breakfast.

"Thank you, ma'am." I thanked the waitress.

"You have a nice day, young one." she responded as waved goodbye.

I smiled to her, but when I turned away I silently rolled my eyes to myself. I mean, I was almost sixteen, I wasn't that young. Opening the bag I crunched down on a piece of bacon as I walk down the sidewalk looking to see if anyone had hung up a sign asking for help. As I continued to eat, walk, and stare at window I finished my breakfast, then promptly ran into a wall.

"Ow..." I muttered, rubbing my sore thigh.

"Sorry about that little lady." I heard a voice above me apologize. I looked up to see Steve offering his hand to help me up. As I hesitantly took it he winked. "Just heading over to the DX. Wanna join me?"

As I stood I gave him a questioning stare. "Why?"

"You got a nice car." he explained. "I'd like to see how she's doing after replacing her battery."

"She?" I questioned his pronoun.

He nodded smugly. "Almost all cars are shes. You haven't named your car?"

"No." I scoffed. "People do that?"

" 'Course they do!" Steve defended. "You're the weird one here."

"Well, I'd love to join you," I put extra sarcasm on 'love'. "but my car is currently parked under a bridge serving as my bed."

Steve gave an exaggerated gasp. "How dare you treat a car with such disrespect!"

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Whatever, it's my car so I can do whatever I want with it."

"Can you at least let me and Soda look at her?" Steve begged. "She's a nice car."

I groaned. "If I say yes, will you leave me alone for the rest of the week?"

He gave me a cocky grin. "Yep, scout's honor." he saluted.

"Fine." I said, exasperated of the conversation. Walking towards the DX sign to the west I told Steve, "Let's find Sodapop Curtis and get this over with."

I could feel Steve's smirk behind me. "Whatever you say little lady."

After ten minutes of walking we finally made it to the gas station. I quickly found Sodapop, surrounded by girls, outside the station. Turning back to Steve I gestured for him to get Sodapop. Smirking, he yelled, "Soda!"

Sodapop turned to face us. He waved.

"Come on over!" Steve made a large waving gesture with his arm. "The little lady over here's gonna let us see that tuff car."

Sodapop took awhile to come over, having to shove off all the girls surrounding him, and said, "Well, hey, buddy." to Steve. "What did you say? Couldn't hear you."

"I said..." Steve made a dramatic pause. " 'The little lady over here's gonna let us see that tuff car.' "

I glared at Steve. "I have a name you know."

Steve waved his hand as if shooing off a fly. "So where's your tuff car?"

"Follow me." I muttered, walking off into the direction of my car. The two boys followed behind me, anxious to see the 'tuff' car. After finally walking under the bridge, I made a dramatic gesture and announced, "Look! It's the tough car! Such amazing-ness." before muttering, "Will you leave me alone now?"

Steve and Sodapop circled around my car, observing every bit of it.

"Mustang?" Steve asked.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I think."

"How much did you pay for this?" Sodapop asked in wonder.

"I don't know, my parents bought it for me." I answered. "Maybe $2,500 or so."

Sodapop and Steve gaped at me. "Really?" Sodapop asked.

I have a small nod.

"That's more money than I've ever had in my life!" Steve exclaimed.

I shrugged again. "My parents had money." Sodapop's mouth opened to speak, but I cut him off sharply. "Can you guy's leave me be? I need to find a job around here, so if you guys wouldn't mind..."

Sodapop closed his mouth, then molded it into a grin. "Didn't I tell you?" he asked. "Ya gotta make friends if you wanna get a job."

"I can find a job by myself, thank you very much." I retorted. "I don't need your guys's help."

"Have you seen a "Help Wanted" sign around here?" Steve asked.

"No." I muttered after a quick pause.

"No one 'round these parts hang one up." Sodapop explained. "Do you know why?"

I guess I got my share of karma, 'cause when I opened my mouth Steve answered for me. "Because they know their employees have friends, and if they have friends, word'll get around that they need a job."

"Why have signs when the word gets 'round in a few days?" Sodapop concluded.

I nodded slowly. "I see." shooing the boys away from my car I leaned against the side. "So, why would anyone want to be friends with the new girl in town?"

Steve shrugged. "You got any good qualities?"

"I'm guess I'm pretty patient." I said. "I mean, I've dealt with you this long."

Sodapop snickered, while Steve scoffed. "I'm good at keeping someone in a conversation." I continued, starting to count on my fingers. "I don't deal with any bull crap from stupid people, I'm good at getting others attention... and I can listen, and follow, instructions." I turned to the two of them. "That able to get me anywhere?"

"Sounds like you could work at a store." Steve said. "Maybe you could help around the DX."

"Would that mean I would have to deal with you all day?" I asked. "I don't know if I could do that..."

Steve laughed. "Don't you worry little lady, I work on the cars." he assured me. "You'd have to deal with Soda here, instead."

"Least Curtis here knows how to shut his trap." I pointed out.

"I have a first name ya know." Sodapop said.

"I stand corrected." I muttered. "He sometimes knows when to shut his trap."

"How old're you again?" Steve asked.

"I'm gonna be sixteen on the tenth." I answered. "So that's in, what, two days?"

"Well, I was working at the DX when I was sixteen, so I think you could work over there with no problems." Sodapop said. "Besides, we don't have any gals working over at the station."

I blew a stray hair out of my face. "I'll think about it." I then proceeded to open my car door and grab a bag of chips out of the passenger seat. Noisily opening the bag I stared at the two. "How much does it pay?"

"Not bad, around five dollars a week." Sodapop answered. He reached for a chip and I smacked his hand away. He rubbed his hand as if I had really hurt him.

"My chips." I chastised him. "No touching."

Steve laughed. "Little lady-"

"Winter." I corrected him. "My name is Winter, stop calling me little lady." Steve floundered with his words, clearing never been corrected like that. "I told you I don't deal with bull crap from stupid people."

Sodapop laughed and patted me on the shoulder. "If you work at the DX I think we'll get along well."

I grinned at him, but side-stepped away from his hand, still lingering on my shoulder. "Well don't think that you're excluded from the stupid people. I just can't tell with you 'cause you don't spit out as much stupidity as Steve." I teased.

Steve stuck his tongue out at me.

"Mature." Sodapop commented. "Real mature, Steve."

I stuck my tongue out back at Steve and blew a raspberry. Steve and Sodapop laughed at my child-ness. Giggling along with them, I felt happier than I had since I arrived in the little town of Tulsa. "I'll consider joining the DX."

"You should, it's good fun." Sodapop said.

Steve chuckled. "You would say that. You always have all the girls on you."

Sodapop blushed, but smiled. "Yeah, I guess so."

"You have a habit of blushing, you know?" I asked him. The blood on his cheeks rushed up to meet the red on his ears. I giggled. "That's priceless."

"You dig good, Winter." Steve complimented me. For once he called me my name. "If you can get Pepsi-Cola to blush, you dig good."

"Pepsi-Cola?" I questioned.

"My nickname." Sodapop explained. "Dad gave it to me."

At the mention of his father I saw his eyes darken. Once again I put the subject away in my mind. "So, Curtis-"

"My name is Sodapop ya know." he interrupted. "Soda for short."

"Isn't Curtis also your name?" I countered. "It's your surname, ain't it?"

Sodapop paused. "True, but I prefer to be called Sodapop or Soda."

"Okay." I nodded. "Make you a deal. If you can tell me the traditional name for your first name, I'll call you Soda;Pepsi-Cola if I'm feeling nice.."

"Um..." Soda pondered for a minute. "Fore...name?"

I raised my brows in mock surprise. "Good. You could have also chosen given name." I explained. "You and your brother are pretty smart. What grade're you guys in."

"Ponyboy's in tenth grade..." Sodapop picked at his nails. "I would be a senior, but I dropped out."

"Oh." the soft sound of surprise left my lips. "I wouldn't think of you as a dropout."

Sodapop chuckled. "Yeah, thanks."

"Any reason?" I asked innocently, not wanting to push the subject.

Sodapop fingers continued to fidget and pick. "I was dumb."

I softly put a hand on his shoulder. "I know my opinion doesn't matter, but I don't think you're dumb." Steve's stomach gurgled with hunger, and I took a step back in surprise. I quickly looked at Sodapop, then laughed. "I think I've occupied you guys enough. You all should get back to work, I'll just look around for a place to eat."

As I started to walk away I felt a warm hand grab my wrist. Turning back around I saw Sodapop looking at me with thoses eyes. I had a quick flashback to yesterday, when we landed in this same situation.

"You know, you can come and eat with us." Sodapop offered

I smiled, but my logical mind thought for a second. "I don't really know if I could afford that."

"I'll pay." Sodapop stated. "Don't you worry."

I tapped my chin in mock thought. "Okay."

Sodapop looked like his face was about to split with his smile. I returned a smaller smile, then turned to follow Soda.


Easter egg! Notice how when Soda corrects Winter, she calls it interrupting, but when she corrects Steve, she calls it, well correction. Also, Steve called Winter by her real name! Tell me if you find the last "Easter egg" in a review!