Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.

I walked by myself on the way home the next day after school. Dally had skipped again. I told Two-Bit I was sick and just needed to clear my head for a little while which he accepted and drove on. Neither one of us had seen Ponyboy. I figured he was walking home by himself too. I walked slowly so I wouldn't catch up with him. I just wanted to be alone.

I looked down at my feet the entire way. I avoided every crack in the sidewalk, tiptoeing around.

Tim and I never told Angela what had happened between us. We both knew what kind of blow up that would create. Then one day, she walked in on us and figured it out quickly. She didn't talk to me for weeks until Tim told me to piss off for good and she called to comfort me. I feel like she still hasn't quite forgiven me for it so we don't mention what happened. She doesn't want to know and I don't want to tell her. I just swore never to do it again.

"Someone help!"

The scream came from down the street a little ways. It was loud and more shouts followed it by more boys. I knew the sound of that scream and I knew the tone well enough to know what was going on just down the road. I picked up my pace to where I was running.

Just a few yards away, three boys stood over one who was on the ground, arms up to cover his face from the blows he was getting. The punches didn't stop him from screaming and shouting as he did loudly with each hit. On the ground, there was fresh blood.

I stood back, thinking of the best solution. Ponyboy could hold off the guys for a few more minutes before things got bad so I ran back down the street, running straight into Two-Bit's car.

"Two-Bit!" I yelled, flagging him down. He stopped and stepped out, hearing the screams and shouts not too far away from us. He cursed and went flying down the road.

Shit, Ponyboy.

"Shit, Danni!"

I pressed the cloth gently on the cut on his cheek bone. His face was covered with dry blood and dirt. The bruises weren't visible yet but I was sure they were going to be nasty. "Darry's gonna kill you."

About a month ago Ponyboy got in a fight with some seniors at the drive-in and ended up with a broken wrist. After what happened with Johnny and the Socs, we try to be more careful. Darry was so pissed at Pony that night that Soda had to drive him to the hospital until Darry calmed down. Darry had his fair share of fights in his day. I remember plenty of them. Now, he says if the cops catch any of us, he could lose custody. So lately, Darry has been on Ponyboy and I hard about getting into trouble.

Ponyboy was pretty messed up. Two-Bit stayed over and helped me get him inside and cleaned up before he had to leave to watch his sister while his mom worked the night-shift. It wouldn't be long until Darry and Soda got home.

"What happened?" I asked, putting more alcohol on the cotton-swab.

Ponyboy closed his eyes as I touched his scrap with the cotton-swab. He winced at the sing. "Michael James has been hassling me and Cherry at school. He bumped into her today and made a bruise on her arm so I got upset and told him off. Him and his friends followed me home from school and jumped me."

Cherry was neighbors with the James'. Michael was upset Ponyboy and Cherry were together. He has been for years. His parents and Cherry's were friends and he thought they were the ones who were supposed to be together.

I cleaned the blood off his right eyebrow. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," he said a bit bitterly. "It's just a low blow, bringing five guys to take on one. I could have taken Michael if it would have just been me and him."

"Yeah," I said. "I know. You could have really gotten hurt. How's your ribs?" I helped him take his shirt off, seeing the bruising where some of the guys had kicked him. I hissed at the sight. "Ponyboy..."

"It'll be fine," he said, trying to get his shirt back on. "Don't tell Darry. He won't see it."

"What about your face? He can see that."

He cussed as he lifted his arms up and the soreness of his sides kicked in. He gave up the task and threw the shirt down. "Will you get me some ice?"

I stared at Ponyboy's bare stomach. He had been a bit on the chubby side as an elementary school student but shed all the weight playing soccer in middle school. Now his features were muscular and defined, sharp and angular.

I got up, patting him on the shoulder. He and I both knew ice wouldn't take away the obvious scars and Darry was going to be coming through the door any minute. I felt bad for Ponyboy seeing how hard he was trying. Ponyboy didn't like controversy which is why I think him and Darry butted heads so much. Darry would yell and Ponyboy would shrug it off, paying no mind and then Darry would take it as an attitude issue. They just didn't understand each other.

Right on cue, Darry and Soda came through the front door. Soda caught Ponyboy's eye, dropping everything and rushing to his side. "Damn Ponyboy, what happened?" He gently touched one of the sore spots.

Ponyboy winced and hit Soda's hand away. "Nothin'. It's not a big deal."

Darry slowly walked into the kitchen, standing over Soda and Ponyboy. Ponyboy turned his head despite the fact that he knew Darry had seen the cuts. I went over to him, handing him the ice.

"What happened?" Darry asked using his deep voice.

Ponyboy slowly pressed the cold ice onto his face. He hesitated before speaking. "Got in a fight."

"I can see that," Darry stated matter-of-factly. "With who?"

"Michael James."

Darry breathed out deeply. He shook his head, going over to get a beer out of the fridge. "You alright?"

Ponyboy nodded, still biting his bottom lip. "Yeah."

Darry came over to his other side, examining the damage. "Gonna leave a nasty scar. You hurtin' bad?"

Sometimes, Darry is like this. He's nurturing and kind and acts like he cares and he does in his own way. It's only rarely we all actually see it. I didn't know Darry well enough to tell you if this was his true personality but I did like it when it came out and I didn't protest to it any.

The school was abuzz with the news of Ponyboy's fight. Rumors were flying. Fights happen here all the time and this is what happens every time. People talk about it for a day or two and then it's just another fight to add to the list.

The Socs vs. the greasers. It's the typical cliché. People don't see that though. It's been going on here since any of us can remember. Our parents even talked about it way back in their day. The poor side and the rich are separated by the two. It's the barrier. It doesn't serve as a barb fence.

"Danni," Randy called me over to him as soon as I entered the class room.

I sat my books down and went over to him.

Randy's mom is my boss which makes things even weirder between us. They own quite a few businesses in town and his dad works at the hospital. Randy's been rich his whole life but his parents hadn't. They've worked for years before Randy was born to get themselves to the other side of town and they finally did it, leaving everyone else behind as they did.

Randy was my first real boyfriend. Normally in our neighborhood, you rarely saw the two sides mixing. We were young. That's what everyone said our excuse it. Maybe they were right. I mean, look at us now. We don't even talk.

I sat down in the empty seat in front of him.

"I just wanted to let you know, I had nothing to do with that fight with Ponyboy."

Dally casually walked into the room, eyeing Randy as he spoke. "Yeah, I'm sure you didn't."

"Dally," I warned. I turned back to Randy. I gently smiled at him. "I believe you. Thanks."

Dally snorted, blowing out smoke from the corner of his mouth. "You gonna fall for that? C'mon, Curtis. It's your brother we're talkin' 'bout. You don't think this guy was right there with his buddies throwin' a punch?"

Randy stood up, sizing up to Dally quickly. "This doesn't concern you, Winston. Butt out."

I put my hands between them, trying to do my best to force them apart. "Hey, just drop it."

Dally pushed me away with one arm, bumping chests with Randy. "What are you gonna do about it, ape face?"

Before Randy had time to form a comeback, Mrs. Wilson entered the room, clapping her hands together and yelling at us to all take a seat. Unfortunately, Dally had other plans than to just sit.

"You think you're better than me?"

Everyone had their eyes on the two. I could see my seat just a few feet away and thought about booking it over to it but two barriers stood right in my way. I stood back, watching just like everyone else in the room.

Randy shook his head. "I wouldn't compare myself to you. You're just some kid trying to be something he's not."

"Boys sit down!" Mrs. Wilson tried to break the two of them up yet she stood in safety behind her desk.

"Go sit down!" I hissed at Dally, pulling him back over to our seats on the other side of the room. Too bad for me it was like trying to move a bolder.

Dally jerked my hand off of him, going back towards Randy. "I'd like to see you say that outside this class room."

"Name a date."

Mrs. Wilson was fuming by this point. She stood back and watched, eyeing at us as a warning. I knew she'd go get the security guard at any minute. She wouldn't handle this herself.

I pulled on Dally's arm again. "C'mon. Just forget about it."

Randy huffed and slipped back over to his desk. He didn't take his eyes off Dally, giving him a self-worthy glare. Dally opened his mouth again and lunged but before either of us could blink: "Ms. Curtis, Mr. Winston, detention!"

"I don't think you're supposed to smoke in here," I said, watching the smoke float up to the ceiling.

"That so?" he asked, pulling his feet off of the desk and leaning closer to me. He was staring at me, his dark brown eyes piercing mine, causing me to avert his eyes as my face flushed. "You feelin' all right?"

I tucked my hair behind my ear to keep from feeling his breath. "I'm fine, why?"

"You're looking whiter than usual." He got closer. "Am I making you nervous or something?"

I shook my head before I lied it down on my desk. "We're not allowed to talk either."

"Yeah, you're a real rule follower," he said sarcastically.

I kept my head on the desk and breathed out. I didn't even want to look up at the clock. I knew much time hadn't passed. With each ticking second, was another second Darry would expect me to walk through the door and each second that past that I didn't, the angrier I'm sure he got.

"Wake up." I felt someone shake me. I carefully lifted my head up. It felt like ten-thousand bricks were thrown at me. "It's time to go, Ms. Curtis. Detention's over."

I gathered up my things, following Dally out the door. It was five. Two-Bit and Steve were long gone by now as well as everyone else. It was just me and Dally and a couple of teachers left in the building.

I stood outside in front of the door and looked around. I couldn't call Darry. He'd know then I had detention and would lecture me the entire way home and I was sure to get grounded for a few weeks. Soda would just now be getting off work so he wouldn't be home yet so I couldn't call him.

"Need a ride?" Dally asked, turning around and walking backwards as he crossed the road.

I watched him, hoping that maybe he'd fall. "No."

"Looks like you do."

"I don't."

"Who's picking you up then?" he challenged.

I thought for a minute. Any name. That's all I had to come up with. I could see his bike down the parking lot. It was the only thing down there because most of the teachers had already gone home as well. The shiny slick metal was shining.

I stepped on my left foot and bit my bottom lip. "None of your business."

"You and I both no ain't no one coming to get your ass," he said playfully. "You just gonna stand out here all night?"

I looked down the long stretch of pavement that was completely bare and quiet. No cars came around the corner to the school and by the looks of things, none were going to.

I stomped down the stairs towards him. I pointed at him, grabbing the helmet out of his hands. "Straight home."

He winked. "Of course, Miss Daisy."

The material on the bike was hot to the touch. Dally snickered at me as I climbed into the car. "Just don't let me die. Darry'll kill you."

"Shut your trap and enjoy the ride, Curtis."

"You gotta bring these grades up, Dan." It was eight-forty. It was that time of the evening when Darry would get home and we'd all eat dinner together, just like the loving little family we were and we'd chat about things. Tonight's topic: My grades.

"I got one C right now, Darry. It's not an F or a D. You know I've never made that low before. I'll bring it up," I reassured him, taking a bit of my potatoes.

Darry threw the sheet of paper beside his plate on the table and shoveled another spoonful of food into his mouth. "That's right. You've never made below a B before and I'd like to keep it that way. You're real smart, Dan. You just don't think you are is all."

I circled around my peas. "It'll come up."

"It better. I'd hate to ground you, but believe me, I will if I don't see a B by the end of the month."

I dramatically sighed, getting a stare down from Darry. Soda saved me from another lecture, "Dally got a car."

"Cool!" Ponyboy exclaimed, getting excited. "What kind? What color is it? How much did it cost?"

"You ain't ridin' in it," Darry said sternly. "Dallas Winston can't drive. He'll kill you in no time You hear me, Danni?"

Sometimes I forget Darry and Dally are friends. Darry is just so negative about everything these days, even when it comes to people he cares about. I understand times are tougher than normal and he's had a lot to deal with with Johnny moving in and dealing with the courts after Ponyboy's incident, but I just wanted the old Darry back. The Darry who was nice and my brother.

I gazed up from my food to see him staring me down...yet again. "Why are you singling me out?. I haven't rode with him."

"You better not," he said, waving a fork in my face. "I'm not singling you out. You just don't seem to be paying attention to me. No need to get all excited about it. You are the one that always likes to go against my rules though."

I made a distasteful look. Soda caught on and kicked me from under the table as a warning. I ignored that warning. "I'm the one that always goes against your rules? Like what? Ponyboy's over here talkin' about it. Get on to him!"

"I'm not too worried about Ponyboy at the moment," he said dryly. "I'm worried about you. Dally isn't the type of boy I want you hanging around and I've heard you two have been hanging out together. I know you're into boys now and whatever and I don't want to see you end up with Dally. I'm just giving you a straight up warning."

My temper was rising. Darry had no right to tell me who and whom I could and could not see. "Who cares what you think about the people I talk to anyway? I can talk to whomever I want."

The room got quiet as everyone's forks and spoons hit their plate. Darry was still looking my way. "I have a say in who you talk to. I'm in charge in this house and if I don't want you on a bike or talking to someone, you have to listen."

"You're my brother not my dad."

"Danni just drop it," Soda stepped in.

"I'm your guardian," Darry stressed, his voice raging. "That means I am the one that makes the rules and hands out the punishments. If you don't like the way I'm running things, then the door is right there."

My face twisted into a ball of anger. I narrowed my eyes. "One less kid for you to pretend you give a crap about."

"Go to your room!"

"Gladly!"

I slammed the door to my room and threw myself on my bed. I didn't understand why Darry had to be like this. He was always getting on me about something and I was about sick of it.

I knew one person I wanted to see. One person that I wanted to make me feel better.