It's not the same down by the sea

Since the Gidget came to Waikiki

You hear the native boys all sighin' way down on Maunalua Bay

'Cause when the Gidget goes Hawaiian

She goes Hawaiian all the way

xxx

1962 - Senior Year

The next year and a half passed quickly. Soda and I fell more in love every day and the world kept changing around us. Pony was growing up and looking for more freedom in a place where it wasn't safe for a dreamer like him, I was practically living with the Curtis's as my father had walked out on us the previous year and my mother had dissolved into a drunken mess.

However, life had still given us reasons to be happy. Darry had won his battle to keep Soda and Pony out of the boy's home, letting us all breath a sigh of relief. Soda and Darry were working steady enough to pay the bills and put a little aside for Pony to go to college. I was in my senior year and had had very little trouble with Randy and his friends since that day in 10th grade. I was looking foreword to finishing school and getting a job...I was secretly hoping Soda and I would get married...but I sure as hell wasn't going to admit that out loud!

One Friday night I walked home from school with Pony, Johnny and Steve getting there a few minutes before Soda got home from work.

"Hey Dally" I said to the hood sitting on the front steps of the house.

"Hey Ali," Dally answered.

"When'd you get out of the cooler?" Johnny asked, Johnny worshiped Dally. Dally never got pushed around by anyone, and was confidant and cocky...the exact opposite of Johnny.

"Got out this morning, found out that little broad Sylvia been two timing me again while I was in the joint."

We all nodded, thinking the same thing, it wasn't like he was all that faithful...nor nice to her to begin with.

"So...what are ya doing around here for fun these days?" Dally asked looking at the three of us. Dally was a tough hood, the real deal in our little group. He had grown up in New York and been involved in some shady things. However, under all that was a nice guy, not that anyone but Johnny and I really saw it. He had a tough exterior, but seemed to feel a need to protect the weaker people around him. In this case that was Johnny and I.

"Hey darlin'" Soda said coming up behind me and wrapping an arm around my waist as he kissed the top of my head. "What's up Dal?"

"Just trying to find something fun to do tonight, maybe the Nightly Double, you guys in?"

"Naw, I'm taking Evie to the football game." Steve answered.

"We'll go! Right Soda?" I asked turning to look at him.

"Sorry baby, but I just came home for dinner, boss asked me to close tonight."

"Oh, alright, we're out then." I couldn't help but sound slightly disappointed.

"Johnny and I will go, right Johnny?" Pony asked.

"Sure." Johnny said quietly. Ever since Johnny had been beaten up badly by a few socs a few weeks back he had been even more quiet then normal, skittish even of his own shadow.

"I was planning on getting drunk" Two - Bit said, "but if I don't get to wasted I'll come find ya."

"Why don't you go too Ali? You'll be getting back same time as I'm getting home from work."

"Sure, long as the boys don't mind, I don't want to be the tagalong." I smiled at Dally.

"Naw, no one minds if Ali comes, right boys?" Pony and Johnny agreed readily.

"Alright then, I'll go out with the boys tonight, AFTER I make sure everyone gets dinner. Everyone be ready to eat in an hour please!" I headed inside, dropping my book bag in Soda's room before heading into the kitchen. Soda joined me there a few moments later and we talked about our days while I made spaghetti and meatballs.

An hour later I had 7 boys sitting around the table eating hungrily. Years ago I had learned to take my helping before the boys sat down to eat. No one talked as they shoveled the food down, I figured that this was the first meal of the day for a few of them so I sure as hell was staying out of the way.

After dinner all the boys disappeared into the living room to watch Mickey, and Soda went back to work. I was in the kitchen starting the dishes when Darry came in and grabbed the dish cloth. "How was school today Ali Cat?" Ever since my father had walked out and Matthew had more or less stopped talking to me Darry had stepped up in my life.

"Eh, it was ok. I'm just counting down the days till I graduate, and get the hell out of there."

"Don't be in to much of a rush little one, enjoy these easy years, no big responsibilities." I looked at him. "I know you do a lot to take care of us kiddo, I just mean the added pressure of a job and all that."

I smiled at him. "I'm in no rush for anything Darry, I just don't want to be told what to do anymore, when to eat lunch, when to go to the bathroom, and such."

"Ya, I can't blame you there Ali, I don't miss those parts of school either." Darry said laughing as he finished drying the dishes. "But in all seriousness, you've taken on a lot to help out this family since our parents died, way more then we can even express our thanks for...I don't know how we would have done this without you some days."

I smiled a little awkwardly, I wasn't looking for thanks, I liked helping out, made me feel more needed then I ever did at my own house. "Your welcome Darry, but I mean...its what you do for family." I jumped up and gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek, before leaving the kitchen and joining the boys on the porch to head to the Nightly Double.

We walked through the slowly darkening streets of Tulsa, the boys slouching, trying to look tough while I walked alongside, amused at how hard they were trying.

We got to the movies and slid under the fence to avoid paying, we all had money on us...but that wasn't the point. As usual Pony reached back to help me under the fence, I always seemed to have a hard time getting my hips through.

Once we were in we grabbed seats in back row of plastic bucket seats. Some dumb beach movie was playing and I was already regretting coming, this was going to be a boring night.

A few minutes later Cherry and Marcia came over and sat in the seats in front of us. Cherry was speaking angrily about how she wouldn't be out with Bob when he was drinking, and she was going to enjoy her movie.

I saw the gleam in Dally's eyes a moment later, maybe this was going to be an interesting night after all. Dally put his feet up on her seat, just close enough to her back for her to be bothered by them.

The girls started whispering to each other, Cherry obviously deciding to say something to Dally or not.

Dally smirked at me "Man, I'd love to get me a piece of that...I wonder if all her hairs are red?"

"Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap" She said evenly with a look that could kill.

"Whoa, I think she hates me. Do ya? Do ya hate me doll?" Dally asked inching closer to her, this was not going well.

"You'd better leave us alone, or I'll call the cops."

"Oh my, you've got me scared to death, you should see my rap sheet baby."

"Just leave us alone, why don't you be nice and just leave us alone?"

"I'm never nice baby, want a coke?"

"I wouldn't drink it if I was in the desert! Get lost hood!"

Dally laughed and strolled off, maybe he'd get me a coke?

"You gonna start in on us to?" Cherry asked looking at the boys.

"Really Cherry?" I asked

"Oh, hey Alice, I didn't even see you there." Jesus was I invisible? "I've missed hanging out with you, surprised you'd hang out with trash like that."

I shrugged, there was no use trying to explain it to her, she'd never understand, never had.

"We're all greasers" Pony said, "Same as Dally."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

Dally rounded the corner with his arms full of cokes. He handed one to each of us before handing one to Cherry, sitting down next to her. "Here this might cool you off."

She looked at him in disbelief for a moment before dumping her coke over his head, "That might cool you off, greaser. After you wash your mouth and learn to talk and act decent, I might cool off too!"

I couldn't help but laugh, I had never seen someone (especially a girl) stand up to Dally like that and for the first time ever I couldn't help but admire Cherry a little bit.

But then Dally smiled, I knew that smile and it was not something you messed with. "Fiery huh? Well that's how I like'em." He started to put his arm around her, but Johnny reached over and stopped him.

"Leave her alone, Dally."

"What did you say? What did you say you little shit?"

"I...I said leave her alone Dal."

Dally ran a hand through his hair "I can't believe this...god damned little shit" he muttered as he walked off to cause trouble somewhere else.

"Okay Greasers, your finished!" Someone clapped their hand down hard on Johnny's shoulder and he let out a little yelp. Pony and I turned quickly, to figure out what we were up against when we saw Two-Bit laughing behind us. "Sorry man, just playing" Two -Bit said ruffling Johnny's hair.

"Are you stupid?!" I yelled. "You just scared the crap out of him, you know better!" I fussed.

"What happened?" Cherry asked innocently.

"Johnny got jumped a few weeks back, by a soc, one who was wearing a lot of rings." I maintained eye contact with Cherry, both of us knowing that her boyfriend Bob wore a lot of rings.

"Hey, Alice, it's alright, he didn't mean no harm." Johnny said quietly, touching my arm.

"I know...sorry I yelled Two-Bit."

"It's all good Ali Cat, now who are these two grandmas you sitting with?"

Everyone laughed, that was Two-Bit for you. The rest of the evening passed quickly, the boys chatted up the girls and we all made fun of the dumb beach movie on the screen. It was a nice, normal night.

A/N – The song is Gidget Goes Hawaiian by James Darren. When I think of dumb beach movie I think of the 2 Gidget sequels, the first one was quality and James Darren is hot!

Hope you enjoyed the longer chapter, figured since it had been a few weeks I owed you. Make a very miserable high school teacher happy and send me some reviews please! 10 reviews gets you another chapter this weekend!