For once I have nothing to say in my A/N except that I really enjoyed reading -Alle-Cade-'s review. I should make Sandy start talking like that :-P.

God Bless Steve's butter fingers, eh?

"Naomi."

Sherecognized the voice right away, and squeezed hereyes closed. Damn. Sodapop. She felt a mixture of joy, anger, love, hate, happiness, and dread. Wow. This was complexed.

"Naomi, I have to talk to you."

"Yeah?"She tried to sound as nonchalant as she could, but it was hard.

"The people you're hanging out with... the ones in the park..."

"Listen, Soda, we've already had this conversation," she said tiredly, "I don't know why you're so concerned about them."

"Who's the guy with theblack hair? That one you spent all Christmas with?"

"Who's that girl with the blonde hair that you've spent the last year with?"

"My wife who tricked me into marrying her."

"Well. I guess yours is worse than mine."She smiled sweetly.

"Look, about the ones in the park- I know they're probably nice, but you don't know if you can trust them-"

Sheshookher head. "You bloody hyporcrite."

"What?"

"I don't know if you've already forgotten, but I remember your stories about when the Socs would come into the East side to beat you guys up. Do you remember why?"

"Because we were greasers, Naomi, and that's all-"

"Using the word 'were' lightly. Did you know that Ponyboy got punched in the stomach at school the other day by some rich kids? Times are changing, true, but they aren't quite done yet. They stereotyped you, and judged you, and now you're doing the same thing to the hippies."

"Naomi, can you seriously tell me that none of them that you know have done drugs?"

"You know what? I can't. I think they've all tried it. So what? Two-Bit's a bloody drunk, but he's one of the greatest guys I know."

"You know what drugs do to their minds, Naomi, they could hurt you, and they wouldn't mean it, but they'd still do it. They might not be in control of their actions."

"Oh, this is rich. You're worried about me getting hurt?"

"Listen, just be careful-"

"I'm careful. I'm damn careful. Do you know what I wonder? Why people get into relationships, when they know it's just going to hurt them. Why do people fall in love when it's just going to break them? I'm being careful, Sodapop, I'm careful not to let myself care about anyone anymore."

He looked shocked. "What do you mean?"

Sheshrugged.

"Everyone who loves gets hurt. It doesn't do any good. So... I'm through with it. I'm through with caring. I don't know... I'm just... hardening myself, or something. So nothing can touch me. I'm though with being hurt."

Sodapop felt a sickening lurch of farmilarity.

"He was talking and talking in the car. I don't remember a whole lot of it,I was real dizzy. But he said he was crazy for trying to keep Johnny out of trouble. He said you should look out for yourself, and nothing can touch you. He said, 'You'd better wise up, Pony... you get tough like me and you don't get hurt.' But it didn't help him, Soda, he still broke like everyone else..."

"No," he said, "Don't, Naomi, it doesn't work, it won't help-"

"Just... don't worry yourself about me anymore, okay? I can take care of myself."

Sodapop stood there for a little while afterwards, thinking of the last person he knew who tried to harden himself beyond caring. He couldn't let Naomi become like that. Poor, sweet Naomi who was hurting because he'd been stupid. He couldn't blame her, she just wanted the pain to end. He knew how she felt, he was feeling the same pain. He loved her almost beyond comprehension, and he was staying away from her lest Sandy hurt her in whatever way she was planning. If he didn't leave her alone, she'd be hurt in some way he didn't know right now. If he let her go, she'd go down the same path as Dally Winston.

He couldn't let her do that. He remembered Ponyboy on that night more than a year ago.

"Dallas is gone. He ran out like the devil was after him. He's gonna blow up. He couldn't take it."

So he had to makehis choice. And he had to make it fast.

On her way home, Naomi walked by a supermarket. By chance, a bright orange add on the window caught her eye.

Local Talent Wanted

Talent Scouts Jamie Woddrume and Christofe Maeves are judging a talent
competition. First and second runner up awarded $100 each, winner moves
on to national competition.

Tulsa Auditorium February 12

Naomi smiled ironically. Funny, this should be on the one year anniversary of the competition that had earnedhera spot in LAPA. Both would be life altering if won, and she was positive she could take this one by storm.

I'm sorry that was short, but I'll have another one up as soon as I can.