Disclaimer: I do not own S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" or Ed Sheeran's "The City". All rights go to them. Enjoy! Xx – K

(A/N): I'm so sorry for the slow update! I'll try to do better next week!

Chapter 9: The City

This town is alive,

With lights that blind keep me awake,

Put my hood up, unlace and tie,

The street fills my mind,

Don't control what I'm into

I had woken up at around five a.m. and I couldn't go back to sleep. I turned over and looked at Dally. I'm surprised he didn't try to do anything with me last night. I looked at his swollen nose and newly formed black eye caused by the fight with Travis. Bridget was probably worried sick about me by now, but I really don't care anymore.

I got out of bed and put on some new clothes. I fixed my knotted hair, then lied back down next to Dally.

"Mornin' princess."

"Shit, I wake you?"

"No, I woke up a couple of minutes ago. It's almost time for school, you want me to take you now?" his voice was so groggy that it just made me want to kiss him so I did.

"What was that?"

"A good morning kiss."

He got up just in his underwear and searched for his pants. He finally found them and threw them on along with a shirt. "You ready to go?"

"Yep."

We walked downstairs and Dally took Buck's keys and headed out the door with me behind him. The ride to school was uneventful, but I did have to nudge him a few times to prevent him falling asleep. We finally got to school, and because it was pretty early, almost no one was there.

I got out of the car and just waved goodbye to Dally. He was acting sort of strange but I pushed the thoughts away and walked into Will Rogers. There were a few people there. I walked to my locker and Lori popped up behind me.

"Enjoy your first day?"

"I guess…"

"What do you have first today?"

"Science."

"Oh, I love Mrs. Janet!"

"Yeah, she seems nice."

We just kind of stood there next to each other awkwardly. I knew she wanted to ask something, but seemed scared to ask. She finally took a deep breath and let it out.

"You're dating Dallas Winston, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I hate to sound mean or anything," here we go I thought, "but have you heard his rep?"

"Yeah, I know what I've gotten myself into…"

"I don't mean to sound like your mom or anything, but please don't do anything stupid with him."

I don't mean to sound like your mom. That was the thing I hated about my mom when she was alive. She wouldn't have ever given me boy advice, let alone

advice at all. She just didn't seem like a mom.

"I won't. But he's really not that bad."

"One more thing…."

"Yeah?" I said getting annoyed.

"Your brother is Travis, right?"

"Yeah."

"I realized how he was looking at me yesterday. Did he say anything about me?"

"I don't really talk to him."

"Oh, well I gotta get to class. See you around, Scarlett!"

I got my books and decided to get to science nice and early. When I got in the classroom, the only people there were socs. Great, I thought. Then, I realized it was the kid in the varsity jacket with a couple of other guys.

"I don't think that's any of your business."

"Your brother is."

"What?"

"Your brother keeps picking fights with my friends at football practice and school. Tell him to cut it out or else…"

"Or else what?" He picked up all my books and threw them all around the room. Right when he was throwing my last book, the door opened and it was Curly. He looked around at the scattered school supplies then looked at me and the soc. "Hey, stop messing with her!"

"And what are you gonna do about it pal?"

Curly shrugged off his back pack and swung a punch. Within a couple of seconds, the two boys were beating each other into the cold classroom floor. A few minutes later, the bell rang and a few students came walking in, one of which was Pony.

"What's going on?" he asked me.

"They were throwing my books around and then Curly walked in."

"They gotta stop before Mrs. Janet walks in."

Right when he said that, Mrs. Janet walked in as if on cue. "Boys! Boys!" she shouted. They stopped and walked to their seats giving each other death glares. After the teacher gave a few announcements, I got up and gathered my books. Mrs. Janet was so oblivious that she didn't even realize I got up. I picked everything up and was walking to my seat when the soc who fought with Curly grabbed my arm. "You forgot this, greaser," he said, handing me a composition book. "And I'm not bluffing about your brother."

"Everything okay back there, David?"

"Just fine." He shot me a glare as I sat down in my seat between Curly and Ponyboy. As science went on, the glares didn't stop.

The rest of the school day was boring. In math, Mrs. Martin surprisingly let me off easy for not having homework or a notebook. Soon enough, it was the end of the day and I was walking to my locker with Ponyboy. As I was walking, David knocked shoulders with me. "See you at the game, greaser."

I didn't say anything and kept going to my locker. I packed my bag as Pony just watched. "You're still going to the game tonight, right? All of us are going and it would be cool if you came…"

"Of course I'm still coming. Ain't no soc scaring me out of missing a football game."

Pony, satisfied with my answer, nodded. As I put my last book in my bag, Steve and Two-Bit walked up. "Ready to witness my last book in my bag, Steve and Two-Bit walked up. "Ready to witness your first Will Rogers football game?" Steve asked.

"I guess."

"You need a ride home?" Two- Bit asked as we walked out of the building.

"No, but could you drive me over to Buck's?"

All three of three of their heads snapped up to me in disbelief. "Buck's? As in Buck Merril's?!" Two-Bit asked, shocked.

"Yeah, why?"

"What the hell are you doing at Buck Merril's?"

"I got into a fight with my family and I'm staying there with Dally until things blow over."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Scarlett."

"Fine, I'll walk."

"I'll take you," The four of us turned around to see Curly.

"No, we'll take her," Two-Bit said defeated. I smiled as he got into the car. He dropped me off at Buck's and I stepped out onto the gravel lot. "Don't do anything stupid with him, Scarlett," Steve warned.

"I won't. We might stop by at the Curtis' before we all go to the game."

"We? You talked Dally into going?"

"Not yet, but I think I can."

"Want me to walk you inside?" Two-Bit asked.

I almost said no, but nodded without saying anything. Two-Bit got out of the car and walked me to the front door.

"Hey Buck! Dally here?" Two-Bit shouted to him across the bar.

"Yeah, he's upstairs."

The two of us were walking up. We opened the door to see Dally in his room talking to a curvy blonde.

"Hey, Dal." Two-Bit said casually. I was trying to keep my cool and not scream out asking who this woman was. Her and Dally weren't doing anything and they were both fully clothed. They weren't even standing together. She was standing by the dresser and he was lying on the bed.

"Well, I guess I better get going," the woman said. As she walked past me, she just looked at me, "See you around." She walked out and Dally got up.

Two-Bit waved off Dally and left so it was just me and Dally. He patted the bed and I walked over and sat on the bed. "Who was that?"

"No one. Just a clingy ex girlfriend."

"Should I be worried?"

"Nah, she just wanted to talk." I nodded while staring at my hands. He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. "It really was nothing."

"You coming to the game tonight?"

"Depends. Who all is going?"

"All of us. You got a cigarette?"

He pulled out a bent cigarette from his jeans and lit it for me. "Then I guess I will," he said, handing me the smoke. I laid down next to him and smoked my cigarette as he smoked his.

"I'm surprised Steve and Two-Bit drove you here."

"I'm surprised too."

Soon enough, all eight of us were at the game. It was almost over and Will Rogers was winning. "What are we doing after this?" Soda asked everyone.

"I'm going out with Evie." Steve replied. "Yeah, I'm going out with Kathy," Two-Bit added.

"What about you, Dal?" Soda asked.

"I gotta handle some shit with Shepard."

"Can I come with?" I asked

"No. No it's… no, that wouldn't be a good idea," Dally said shaking his head vigorously. I didn't really care, but I did want to know what he was doing, but I don't think he wanted me to know so I just shrugged. We all looked at Darry who was the only one really watching the game. "I got my night job that I have to do."

"Oh, okay. What about you, Johnny Cake?" Soda asked as he turned around. "I don't think I'm doing anything but listening to my parents fight."

"I ain't got anything to do. Wanna go get something to eat at the Dingo?" Johnny nodded and Soda turned back around, "Pony, Scarlett, wanna come with?"

"I ain't really in the mood for the Dingo," Pony said.

"Me either. What about a movie?" I asked Pony.

"Yeah, sure," he said as he looked to Johnny. "No thanks, man. I'll keep Soda company."

We all stopped talking and actually paid attention to the last few minutes of the game. "Hey, they just took out Brian! Doesn't that mean Travis is going in?" Darry asked.

"Is Brian the main quarterback?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah then I guess Travis is in." I looked around the crowd and tried to find Bridget and my dad. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were around somewhere. Dally realized I was looking around and came up and sat next to me.

"You talk to him at all today, Scar?"

"No. Didn't even see him." He nodded and threw his arm around me. Will Rogers scored and it was the final point. Everyone was cheering, but I didn't even realize we won because I was still looking for my family.

"Good thing number twenty eight swooped in. Man, Travis almost messed up the game," Steve said.

"He did?"

"Yeah."

The eight of us got up and dispersed. Johnny, Soda and Darry took off together because Darry was gonna drop the two of them off. Two-Bit and Steve left to find their girls, so it was just me, Pony, and Dally.

"Ya'll want a ride?"

"Sure." We got into the car while Dally drove to the movie house. We got out of the car and went into the first theater we saw. The movie came on, and about an hour in, Pony started getting bored.

"Wanna leave? This movie ain't that good and there's and ice cream parlor down the street."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," I whispered. We got up and walked out. We stepped out of the movie house and started walking to the ice cream shop.

It was a small little parlor with only a few tables. We were the only people there, so it was fine. We both got one scoop of chocolate ice cream and sat down in the cold metal chairs. We talked a little bit about school when Pony asked something I wouldn't expect him to.

"So, Soda really kissed you?" I stopped licking my ice cream cone and stared at him wide eyed.

"Yeah, but that was nothing. Did you know he liked me?"

"He said something about it once, but now he just likes you as a friend."

"Okay, good. I'm pretty happy with Dally."

"Sure."

"What? Don't tell me you doubt him too…"

"Oh, no. He actually seems pretty happy. I'm just surprised, that's all."

We stopped talking for a while when Pony started up a different subject. "Why were you named Scarlett?"

"I have no idea. I hate my name."

"No, Scarlett's a good name. it reminds me of Gone with the Wind. Maybe that's why your mom named you Scarlett. She liked the movie or something."

"I doubt it."

"You should ask her some time." I tilted my head down. And kept slurping at my ice cream a little slower.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot."

"It's fine, Pony."

"Well, I like your name."

"And I like yours." He grinned and shook his head as he got up to throw away his ice cream. I was done with mine, so I got up and threw mine away too. "You ready to go, Scarlett?"

"Yeah, let's go."

The pavement is my friend,

It'll take me where I need to go,

If I find it trips me up,

And puts me down,

This is not what I'm used to.

We walked out into the new fall weather. We had walked about twenty feet when we saw a shiny black mustang. "Uh oh," Pony sighed. I looked at him confused when the car stopped beside us. Pony pulled me back and whispered in my ear, "If I start running, start running with me." The kids got out of the car and I quickly realized it four socs, one of which, was David.

"Well, look at that. Just the greaser girl we were searching for."

"Guys, come on," Pony pleaded.

"Shut up, kid."

"We have a bone to pick with you, Scarlett."

Pony started running, so I started running too, like he told me. But David caught my arm, and tossed me to the ground. Pony realized I wasn't with him, and turned around. Two of the three boys with David started jumping Pony. The one boy left decided to assist David with the task of jumping me. I kept trying to look at Pony, but with David swinging punches, I just couldn't.

"What did I do to you?" I cried out.

"Your hood of a boyfriend and his friends wrecked my car. And your brother decided to almost fuck up our first game!"

"Why aren't you jumping them then?" I squeaked out, with almost no breath.

"You're easier to mess with," he said with a grim smile.

I heard a voice from behind us, "Hey! What's going on here?" I tried my best to see who it was. It was Soda and Johnny. They came over to the fight and started beating the socs while I was in a bloody ball on the pavement.

I heard the mustang vroom off. "Scarlett, you okay?" Soda asked rushing over to me. I saw him rush over but everything went blury. I passed out cold.