Wow. I thought up the perfect ending for this.

I don't own the Outsiders.

Dally POV

My leg jiggled with nerves at the breakfast table on my first day of school. Darry looked over at me sympathetically and put a comforting hand on my knee, forcing me to stop.

I smiled up at him, as I moved my brown eggs around on my plate. Soda had separated the eggs and died the yolks red and the whites green, making a truly disgusting outcome.

"Eat up Dal! First day of school! you should be excited!" Pony grinned at me, and I attempted to grin back. "I'm real sorry Dal, but I wont be in any of your classes or your lunch, but I'll check in with you if I see you in the halls ok? And I'll be showing you to your classes, so don't worry about getting lost."

I nodded noncommittally. I had heard it all before, but I was still worried. Would I be laughed at for taking eighth grade classes when I was almost 18? I wan't stupid, Darry always assured me. I just didn't have the years of schooling the other kids had.

Darry was going to drive us today, because it was my first day and Pony wanted to be there early to show me around a little bit.

I was glad to be a part of the morning rush as Two-Bit, Steve, Darry, Pony, Soda and I piled into the car. We were going to drop Soda and Steve off at work, then the rest at school, and finally Darry would drive to work.

I clutched onto my backpack tightly. It was Soda's old one and it had the initials "SPC" on it, but I still loved it. Soda had told me how he had got it as a present from his parents, and I could tell that it meant a lot to him.

Pony lead me to my first class, and I sat tentatively on the edge of my seat, waiting for the rest of the class to enter. To look busy, I began to unpack my beaten notebooks and textbooks out of Soda's backpack.

"Nice bag." A sneering boy with long black hair spoke. I looked up when I realized he was talking to me.

"Thanks!"

"I was being sarcastic." I smiled. I had no idea what that meant, but I didn't want to show it.

"Whatcha laughing at hood?" I was taken a back by the word. I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing an old shirt of Darry's and some relatively new sneakers.

"I'm not a hood!" I was insulted by the word. This kid sure was full of himself.

"You are if I say you are."

"What do you call yourself then?" I wasn't trying to be rude, and I winced when it came out that way. "Sorry." I muttered, blushing deeply. But this kid was a hood. He wore a leather jacket and I could see the handle of a long switch blade poking out of his pocket. He projected a sort of dangerous aura, and the other kids were avoiding him with timid glances of pity in my direction.

"Watch it Winston." I grinned at the boy, and he looked so shocked, he nearly toppled off the desk that he was maintaining his "cool guy" stance on.

"You'd better stop laughing at me Winston. I could tell my brother to beat you" he swore and I gasped. Some kids behind the hood snickered at my gasp, but after a look from the boy, they shut up.

"Do I know you?"

"Do you- Well of course you fuckin' know me!" I winced at the swear again. "Winston, what the fuck is your problem?"

"Stop saying that."

"What?"

"Stop swearing." He looked at me incredulously.

"No! You don't tell Curley Shepard what to do!" I grinned so widely, it hurt slightly. I got up from my seat and gave Curley a sort of awkward hug. He shoved me so hard, I fell backwards.

"What the fuck man!" He almost sounded scared. "What are you, some sort of fag?"

"Stop swearing." I muttered as I clammered back to my feet. "And whatever a 'fag' is, I'm not one. I'm just glad to see you 'sall."

"You don't like me! Why are you glad to see me?"

"I don't like you?"

"Well of course, that's what I said, ain't it? Man, what's your problem today?"

"Nothing!" I blushed deeply. I didn't want the whole school to know that I had lost my memory and was stupid now.

"Yeah whatever man. Whatever you've been smoking, don't do it again! What are you smokin' fag weed?"

"I don't smoke."

"Yes you do! Dallas Winston smokes. You and Tim smoke all the time together-" Curley was about to go on, but I cut in.

"Your brothers in jail." I cursed myself for being so rude. Why couldn't I just be tactful for once and tell him nicely?

"Whatever fag, I don't give a fuck."

"Stop swearing!" I said, more indignant than ever. "And of course you care. He's your brother! And he isn't just there for a month or two. I'm really sorry Curley, but he's there for life."

Curley looked shock, but regained his countenance quickly. "I don't care."

"Well I do. And I don't care if you help me, but I'm gonna get him out of there."

"Why do you care so much? I'm his brother, and I care less than you."

"I'm his brother too." Curley stood there, open mouthed, looking slightly ridiculous.

At that moment, before he could say anything, the teacher walked in, and instructed us all or sit down in our seats.

"Good morning class. We have a new student today, Dally Winston." I nodded shyly at her and blushed. She was very pretty.

"He's not a new student! He's a dropout that's so stupid he has to go back to eighth grade!" I felt tears rise in my eyes because of the hurtful words, but I didn't let them fall.

"Children." The teacher took a deep breath, and looked at me questionably. I nodded at her, letting he know that it was ok to tell them. "Dally has suffered some amnesia. He will hopefully be moved up to his age group soon, but in the meantime, I will not stand for any bullying or harassment. Y'all understand?"

There were murmured yeses and general muttering of consent.

Curley POV

What the kid said, stuck with me. I may not have been very smart, but I knew enough to know that if he was Tim's brother, he was also my brother. Come to think of it, I had no idea what my father had done after he left us. It was all together too possible that he had had Dallas in an affair while he and mom were still together.

I shuddered at the thought. The kid used to intimidate me, now I was scared. I didn't know if I was scared of him or for him, but I sure as hell didn't like being scared.

And the news that Tim was in jail for life...that hit home. My brother may not be my favorite person in the world, but he's the reason why I'm tough. He keeps the state off me and Angel's backs, and he was the leader of my gang, a more important role in my life than my brother.

I swaggered through the hallways with no destination. I knew that I needed to leave. I hated school, and I only showed up for the first period class because the teacher was hot.

As I walked to the front entrance where the car I had hi-jacked was hopefully still waiting, I noticed a boy being pushed into a locker.

Usually I wouldn't care, but this particular act of violence caught my attention because the victim was my supposed "brother."

Honestly, I didn't know whether to join in beating him up or help him. On the one hand, I had my rep to think about. On the other, he did claim to be my brother and he could be useful to get information on Tim.

I compromised by peering around the corner like a gossiping girl as the three boys began to beat him up.

"You know, you're the only greaser we've never uh...initiated. Bob was scared of you, and wouldn't let us gang up on you, but Bobs gone now, and theres no one to save you."

This would be the point in the movie when the hero steps out from their hiding place and makes a long speech before punching the lead Socs in the jaw as the audience lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding.

But I was no hero, and I never claimed to be.