Chapter Ten

"Where were the two of you?" Darry asked as we arrived home at about midday. "Didn't even leave a note!"

Two-Bit glanced up from the floor and I smiled at him softly. "Out, got a problem, Darry?"

"Yes, I do!" he said looking slightly shocked at my reply, "You don't just leave!"

Sodapop laughed and gave Darry a shove. "Stop being an old worry wart. You're getting old before your time!"

"I am not," Darry replied suddenly looking grumpy.

I giggled and sat down on the floor next to Two-Bit, my legs crossed. "Sorry, Dar, but I think you are too, we need to find you a lady-friend!" I said giggling.

Sodapop burst out laughing, "Yeah! And I was wondering if this one happened to be blonde?"

"Who's blonde?" Two-Bit and I both demanded and then I turned to stare at him before whacking his arm. "Ow," he said sarcastically, as I rolled my eyes.

"Who's blonde?" I repeated tossing back my hair, "That, I want to know,"

"Alice is," Emily said very suddenly from the kitchen as she appeared next to Ponyboy. "Well, in the mind at least. Why? Who is blonde?"

I glanced up at Emily and gave her a smile. "I didn't know you were here,"

"Well I didn't know you were here either," she replied simply leaning against Ponyboy. "So what's up with the blonde? Brunettes are better," she said instantly with a grin.

I chuckled. "Yeah, most definitely."

"Except Ponyboy wasn't a bad blonde," Emily teased as he pretended to hit her. "Cute thing he was!"

Sodapop laughed and I grinned. "Blondie!" we both teased.

"Aw, shut up," he mumbled.

"Who's the blonde, seriously, I want to know now!" Emily laughed sitting on the arm of the couch looking to Sodapop curiously, "Got a new girlfriend, Sodapop?"

"Nah," Sodapop said with a wave of his hand as he smirked. "Not me,"

"Ohh, Ponyboy?" Emily demanded turning to stare at him. "I so knew it."

I laughed, "Maybe Ponyboy does, but I was thinking young Darrel over there."

"Ohh, Darry!" Emily said grinning wickedly. "What's her name?"

Darry, amazingly, flushed. "I'm not telling,"

"Aw, Sodapop?" Emily asked pouting slightly, "Please?"

Sodapop grinned. "All I'm saying is she's blonde."

"But there are lots of blondes!" Two-Bit moaned and I hit him again. "Stop doing that!"

"Why are you hitting him anyway?" Emily wanted to know eyeing us curiously. "Not that I mind, its good fun picking on him."

"Don't you know?" Ponyboy asked her.

Emily raised her brows and pushed back her hair. "Know what?"

"Know about them?"

"What about them?" she asked impatiently, rolling her eyes as she snapped her fingers, "Ohh, so she's blonde, right?" Sodapop nodded enthusiastically. "Do I know her?" Sodapop just smirked and Emily gasped slightly then starting grinning. "Is it?"

"Is it who?" Ponyboy and Two-Bit demanded.

"No!" Emily said beaming. "And she didn't tell me!" Emily wailed stomping her foot slightly. "God, that girl sucks sometimes! Darry, you sly thing!" she laughed as she glanced at her watch, "I've really gotta go, so what don't I know then, Ponyboy Curtis?"

"About Two-Bit and Pixie?" Ponyboy said hesitantly.

Emily shook her head and pulled a bewildered face as she slipped her jacket on. "Can't say I do, but you're both talking I see!" she said happily as she grinned at me as she walked towards the door, "Mom'll be thrilled, she always said Two-Bit was stupid when he argued with you," laughed Emily. "Look, I've got to go, is that what it was?"

"No," I said slowly.

Emily raised her brows, "What? Oh my God, don't say! You've got him to stop drinking!" she said excitedly.

I laughed. "I wish!"

"Damn," she said pulling a face.

"Emily, me and Pixie are going out," Two-Bit said bluntly.

Emily gasped slightly and her blue eyes went wide. It changed into a grin but it was held open for awhile and she looked speechless. She pointed at us and when Darry and Sodapop nodded she let out a laugh and grinned again before mouthing 'Oh my God' then shaking her head and letting out a laugh again.

"Mom's going to die." Emily whispered closing her eyes and grinning before opening them again. "Mom is going to die." She repeated shaking her head with this knowing smile. "I should have known! Ugh, thanks for telling me!" she laughed jokingly. "Oh my God, Mom will be planning your little wedding!" Emily giggled.

I stared at her. "What?"

"Oh come on, now this was so expected!" Emily beamed, "Well, people are waiting for me, ta ta!" she said waving her fingers at us like a movie star before dashing out the door.

"What was that?" I whispered instantly.

"I believe her name is Emily, and she's a human," Ponyboy said with a grin. "So who's the blonde Darry is dating? Why haven't we met her? We met Two-Bit," Ponyboy pointed out.

Darry scowled. "We already knew him."

"You met Jason," I said rolling my eyes. "You all met Sandy, you all met what's her face before that, and er, um, some other people…" I said vaguely.

Sodapop laughed, "I find her points valid."

"I want to know who the blonde is," Two-Bit was musing thoughtfully besides me. "I mean, this has sure been kept quiet!"

I nodded in agreement and folded my arms and stared determinedly at Darry. "Why the secrecy, big brother?"

"It's hardly anyone's business,"

"Sodapop knows!" Ponyboy and I wailed, childish I know. But hey, it works.

"So does Emily," pointed out a grinning Sodapop.

I nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly,"

"What's the big deal? It's just a girl," Darry said casually.

I snorted, "Number one, you like, never date,"

"Number two, you'd want to meet anyone we date," Ponyboy said and I looked at him oddly and he shrugged. "Well for you two he has,"

I nodded in agreement and looked back to Darry. "Number three, she must be pretty special for you to be dating her,"

"Number four, she's blonde," Two-Bit grinned as I thumped him again.

"And number five, Sodapop can't keep a secret, so either way we'll find out." Beamed Ponyboy happily.

I burst out laughing at that comment; Sodapop looked ready to protest but couldn't think up an argument. Two-Bit was still rubbing his arm and Darry looked to be desperately trying to figure out a way to prove that all those arguments were rubbish and darling Sodapop would never tell us anyway, except they were all quite good. He really didn't ever date, not even when our parents were alive, then when Sodapop and I did he had to be introduced to them. And she had to be special, since he never dated. Then of course Sodapop, being born with that large secret telling mouth of his, will one day tell, since that's always been his destined fate. And the blonde thing, well, I'll just ignore that.

Darry eventually crossed his arms and looked at us sternly, but quite defeated. "Fine, you can,"

"Great!" I said happily with a grin. "So what's her name?"

"Katherine."

"Katherine? Ohh, so who is she then? How does Emily know her?"

"Is she Alice's older sister?" Ponyboy asked curiously.

"Alice?" Sodapop and I repeated.

"Yeah, she is," Darry told Ponyboy and then looked at the two of us, and Two-Bit who looked mildly interested. "Alice is Emily's friend, you know, that one who came with Emily to the funeral in September?"

I nodded, "Oh, the girl with light brown hair?"

"Yeah." Darry nodded.

"How old is she then, Darry?" Two-Bit grinned getting into the spirit of things.

"Nineteen,"

"Is she pretty?" I grinned.

Sodapop chuckled, "Of course he'll say yes,"

"Nah, she is, I've seen her," Two-Bit said and I threw him a look as I slapped his arm again. "Dear God, would you please stop hitting me!" he moaned.

I crossed my arms and frowned. "I am going to keep hitting you until you think before you speak," I said through narrowed eyes staring at him. "You are so dense,"

"So are you!" he retorted.

"You both are, and she has a point," Sodapop said rolling his eyes. "Honestly, shouldn't you two stop fighting now?"

"No!" we both replied huffily.

Darry burst out laughing and I looked at him coolly. "Yes, Darrel?"

"You two are so darn pathetic," he chuckled grinning. "You're both just so perfect for each other, you're each as stubborn as the other and neither will admit it! Oh this is good, this will be amusing," he laughed standing up. "At last! Some good amusement,"

"Is that what I am? Amusement?" I asked him in annoyance, but even I couldn't help but grin slightly.

"Pretty much," Darry replied shaking his head as he laughed.

I rolled my eyes. "You're so sweet to me, it's like you don't support our relationship," I said pretending to be hurt as all three of my brothers and Two-Bit snorted with laughter. "What?"

"It's been a day, I mean, it's hardly a relationship," Sodapop said with a grin.

I beamed. "I know, isn't it brilliant?"

"Okay, now you don't make sense," Ponyboy said.

"Oh but I do, since it's full of sense," I ignored him leaning against Two-Bit "See it already is a relationship because we don't need to waste time getting to know each other because we already do!"

Ponyboy laughed slightly. "You're a fool,"

"With a valid point."

"Just don't be doing anything you shouldn't," Darry called out warningly from the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes, "Like I would!"

"Like you wouldn't," I heard all three of my brothers' mumble as I shook my head and giggled.

"I love the trust in this house!"

"As do I," Sodapop said pulling a face. "Like I would blow a secret!"

"Like you wouldn't!" Ponyboy, Two-Bit and I snorted.

"Aw, guys!"