The rain doesn't let up and we sprint to Soda's car when he gets off to avoid getting drenched. My clothes haven't fully dried from earlier so I'm shivering the whole way to the Curtis' house and Soda laughs at me.

"You're going to get pneumonia sitting around in those wet clothes." Darry lectures and I roll my eyes. He sighs, "Pony go get her something to wear."

Soda is in the shower, Pony is working on homework in his room, and Darry is working on bills in the kitchen so it's just me when Two-Bit stumbles in around 10. He's carrying a case and from the look in his eye he's been through a few beers already. Its's still storming outside so he's dripping wet when he sits down on the couch.

"What'sya up to kid?" He slurs and opens two beers handing me one.

"Nothing much just looking at some homework." I motion to the papers in front of me.

"Let's go find some action." He tugs on my sleeve but I stay put.

"I'm tired Two-bit." He grumbles something about no fun, finishes our beers, and is back out the door.

"Did I hear Two-bit out here?" Soda wanders out from his room a while later.

"Yea he left though. Is it cool if I sleep here?" I knew it was but I still always liked to ask.

"Course Ames. I think I might call it a night too, it's been a long week."

He heads off and I turn out the lights. There is a blanket on the couch already that I pull over myself. I'm not asleep long before a body crashes down on top of me. I let out a yelp and the body jumps up, "Shit didn't realize someone was there." I don't recognize the voice and it's too dark to see; but soon I hear snoring from across the room and figure it's safe to go back to sleep.

In the morning the boy is still asleep on the floor and I recognize him as one of Tim's gang. When I stand to go to the bathroom he sits up, "Your Tim's sister?"

"Step-Sister. Who are you?" I expect him to be agitated by my tone but he gives me a lazy smile.

"Right. I'm Zack. Tim got thrown in the cooler last night, said to tell you to stay away from the house."

"Where's Curly?"

"Wade's I guess. So you're going to stay here right?" I'm annoyed by the way he says this. It's too early to be told what to do, especially by a guy I just met.

"I'll consider it." He drops the smile.

"Tim said..."

I cut him off, "What Tim doesn't know wont hurt him."

"Look he went out of his way to make sure you knew he wouldn't be around so I suggest you just do what he says."

"What does he care?"

"Hell if I know. If my sister was this mouthy I wouldn't give a shit what happened to her." He says this loud enough that Darry wakes and emerges from his room.

"What's going on?" Zack takes one look at Darry and decides to drop the tough guy act.

"Look don't kill the messenger. It's no skin off my back if you head back." He retreats out the door out of Darry's stare.

"What was that about?" Darry turns to me and I repeat to him the message Zach had been told to deliver.

"I don't know what makes him think he can tell me what to do. He's not even really my brother." I whine.

"Look if Tim doesn't want you going home I'm sure he has a good reason." I guess I should have expected Darry to be on Tim's side but it still hurts my feelings. My face must show it because he adds, "It looks like Tim has taken some interest in your well-being and I wouldn't push that aside just because you're too hard headed to take instructions." Darry ruffles my hair and I push him off.

"Fine. You're probably right." I concede and sit back down on the couch to sulk.

I spend the next few days sitting around the Curtis' and wearing Pony's old clothes. It's Monday before Curly calls. We have the day off school since the power is still out from the weekend storms.

"Amy phone." Darry hands me the receiver.

"Yea?"

"Guess you decided to listen to Tim after all." I can tell Curly is grinning, Zach must have talked with him; but his voice sounds strained.

"Yea. Are you ok? You don't sound so good."

"Just got in a bit of a fight Friday night. That's what Tim got hauled in for. Bastards called the cops. I made it out before they got there though."

"Oh..."

"I'm picking Tim up today, want me to stop by and get you?"

"Yes." I can't wait to change out of these oversized sweatpants.

"Alright I'll be over in an hour or so."

"Ok." He hangs up.

Darry is waiting for me to hang up the phone so I tell him, "Tim's getting out. Curly's picking me up soon." He nods.

I figure the horn outside is for me so I hurry out before he decides to leave. I get in the back expecting Tim and Curly to be up front. When I realize that it's just Curly he laughs, "We still have to pick up Tim. Come up front." I climb over the seat and buckle up. I notice Curly doesn't have one on and he kind of smirks.

I gasp when I take a look at Curly's face, "What happened?"

Curly shrugs, "I told you we got in a fight."

"With what?" Curly chuckles at that.

"Some boys at Buck's. Soc's came looking for trouble."

"Well you look like shit."

"I look tuff."

"Sure." I never understood the boy's fascination with being tuff. It all seemed pretty silly to me. I liked avoiding looking like I just took a beating.

"Zach said you gave him some attitude when he talked to you." Curly has a hint of annoyance in his voice.

I wanted to tell him Zach was a prick and that he should just be glad I listened but settled on, "Sorry." Curly raised an eyebrow at my uncharacteristic response.

"You ok?"

"If you guys can try being nice I guess I can too." I look at him from the corner of my eye and smile a little, "But don't get too used to it." Curly cracks a grin.

"He didn't tell Tim so don't worry about that." Curly says it like Zach did me some big favor.

"So what if Tim knows. I didn't go home did I?" My self control only went so far.

"Look you're girl so maybe you don't understand how gangs work; but Tim doesn't like when people question him. He has to look tough. If people know his little sister doesn't even listen to him they're going to start thinking he's not all that tough. You dig?" Curly seems frustrated when I don't respond, "You can't make him look like a fool in front of people. They expect you'll just listen because that's what they do." I didn't really understand but I didn't want to piss Curly off so I shake my concede,

"Sure but I think that's stupid." I say the last part under my breath but Curly must hear me because he smacks me upside the head lightly.

"Just play along ok? Bug Tim as much you want to his face; but not in front of other people ok?"

"Ok." I rub my head and Curly smiles.

"Good. Here we are." I've been to the prison before when Steve, Soda, and I got hauled in for disturbing the peace. It hadn't been a big deal and they had released us all to Darry after a couple hours. I had had to wait in a separate room from the two of them with a prostitute who looked high out of her mind. She kept telling me how she had been like me arrested for shoplifting and now look at her. Nightmares of her haunted me for weeks afterwords because she couldn't have been more than 17 and I knew I didn't want to end up like that.

"Can I wait in the car?" I hated the thought of going back in there and it wasn't like Curly needed my help.

"Scared?"

"It's just creepy in there."

He tilts his head, "When you ever been in there?"

"Last year." Curly looks like he wants to ask more but it must be time to pick up Tim because he gets out leaving me with a, "Don't steal the car."

I'm grateful when they get back because there's a creepy guy sitting in the car down the way from us who won't stop staring at me. I climb back over the seat when Tim slides into the driver's seat.

"Didn't want to come in to greet me?" Tim turns to me.

"She said it's creepy in there." Curly interjects.

This time Tim tilts his head, "What were you at the jail for?" I'm not sure why I glare at Curly it's not like Tim will care that I've been arrested before.

"Steve, Soda, and I were messing around downtown and got arrested for disturbing the peace." They both break into a laugh and Tim pulls out of the parking lot.

"What were you doing that disturbed the peace so much?" Tim finally asked and I kind of smiled.

"Just handstands, cartwheels and stuff." This time they are howling in laughter.

"Fuzz has nothing better to do than arrest a couple gymnasts?" Tim mutters.

They are both in good spirits and I'm starting to think I can do the whole sister bit when we walk in the house to find Sharon on the floor with a knife stuck in her chest, my Dad covered in blood, and a gun to his head. He looks at me with something in his eyes that I've never seen before, "Take care of her boys." And then his brains are on the wall behind him.