"Lori, wake up it's been an hour." Soda said sitting on the edge of his sister's bed. She stirred a little bit and slowly sat up rubbing her eyes.

"That seemed longer than an hour." She let out a half-hearted laugh.

"Ok, I may have let you have 5 minutes extra." He chuckled, "anyway, me and Steve wanted to know if you want to come the game with us tonight?"

"Well I haven't really got anything planned tonight… You're sure you and Steve don't mind?"

"Nah we don't mind. It was actually Steve's idea, he thought it would cheer you up!"

"Really?" Lori slowly smiled to herself, though she had no idea why.

"Yep, now come on! Get yourself ready we're leaving in an hour." Lori looked at the clock and saw it was 4, the game started at half 5 so she guessed Soda and Steve wanted get there half an hour early.

"Okay, I won't be long." She smiled as Soda got up of her bed and left her room. She got out of bed and stretched; she quickly ran a comb through her hair and ran to the bathroom to have a quick shower, after her shower and drying her hair she stuck on a pair of denim shorts with a white tank top and a black, plain cardigan. She didn't bother with any make up, only a little bit of mascara. When she was done, it was quarter to 5; she was finished 15 minutes before they had to leave.

"Ready!" She said as she plopped down on the sofa next to Sodapop.

"You plan on going out bare foot?" Steve laughed.

"What?" She asked confused and Steve pointed to her feet, "Oh shit!" She jumped back up and ran to her room, pulling out a pair of old tennis shoes from her closet. She ran back into the living room panting, "Ok, now I'm ready! God I am really un-fit!" Soda and Steve laughed as they stood up.

"Come on let's go!" Soda said getting up and heading out the door, followed by Steve. When they arrived at the school where the game was they got their seats and were just talking.

"Sodapop!" Soda looked down a few bleachers where the girls voice came from.

"Oh hey Sandy!" Soda called over to her and gestured for her to come over to him.

"I didn't know you were coming tonight." She said when she reached them.

"Yeah, do you want sit with us?"

"Sure!" She smiled and sat on the other side of Soda. They started talking, Lori and Steve just sat listening to their conversation, "Oh Evie over here!" Sandy suddenly called.

"Evie? You're not serious?" Steve moaned.

"You don't mind do you?"

"No, he doesn't!" Soda said giving his best friend a look.

"I thought we were sitting down front?" Evie asked as she reached them.

"We were but Soda said we could sit with him!" Sandy said.

"Oh... Hi Steve." She said giving him a flirty smile.

"Hi." He replied without looking at her.

"Well, I'm going to the bathroom! Be right back." Lori said standing up and quickly ran down the steps, she felt rather awkward being there. She made her way down the tunnel to where the toilets were. After finishing her business she washed her hands; not wanting to go back to them just yet she leant against the wall and closed her eyes, she thought she was stupid for going the game. She should have known that Soda and Steve would end up with girls by the end of the night, 'why did I even come? I hate watching these games!' A deep voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Are you okay?" She opened her eyes and saw a guy standing in front of her, she didn't recognise his face. She looked at what he was wearing; he didn't look like a greaser or a Soc.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said standing up straight and slowly backed away from him, even though this particular guy didn't give her a reason to fear him, she still didn't feel comfortable around him.

"I'm Billy." He smiled.

"Lori."

"I know, I've seen you around before." She nodded.

"I should get back to my brother and friend, they'll probably be wondering where I've gotten to."

"They look pretty busy with those two girls." She gave him a confused look, "I saw you with them. I saw that you came down here."

"So you followed me?"

"You didn't look very comfortable; you look like a 5th wheel with them. Thought maybe that you'd want to go someplace else." He said stepping closer to her.

"No, I'm fine."

"Oh come on, we both know you don't want to be here! I know someone who has a party going onto night, we can go there!" He took her hand and attempted to pull her towards the exit.

"No. I don't want to go with you!" She tried to pull free from his grip but failed.

"Why not? It's not like you have a boyfriend!" Before she could say anything she felt a hand rest on her shoulder,

"Actually she does." She turned around and saw Steve standing there with a serious look on his face.

"Randle? You're Sodapops best friend; you can't be dating his sister." Billy let go of her hand and Steve pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Well I am. So keep away from her." Billy huffed and walked away.

"Thanks for that…" She said taking a step away from him.

"No problem." He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets.

"What were you doing down here anyway?"

"Saw Billy looking you, and then when you left soon after he got up as well' I figured it was nothing but when I noticed you had been gone a while I thought I'd come check up on you."

"Oh right."

"He was right wasn't he?"

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"You'd rather not be here?"

"I'm sorry Steve! I thought I'd be up for it when we actually got here but, I guess I'm just not."

"Do you want to go home?"

"My rides with you and Sodapop, I don't really fancy walking." She said, thinking about those Socs that jumped Ponyboy.

"How about this, I go tell Soda you aint feeling too good and that I'm going drive you home. Soda seems pretty busy with Sandy anyway, and I don't wanna be stuck with Evie all night."

"Are you sure? Didn't you want to see the game?"

"I wouldn't be able concentrate on the game anyway; I'd have Evie talking my ear off. I'll go tell him now" Lori nodded and Steve ran up to where Soda was.

"Hey where is she?" Soda asked when he saw that Lori wasn't with Steve.

"She's not feeling too good, so I said I'll take her home."

"You sure?" Soda asked.

"She's 16, why can't she see herself home." Evie snapped.

"Evie!" Sandy shouted at her best friend.

"What! It's true."

"Shut it Evie, you're 17 and demand someone go with you everywhere." Steve said. Evie didn't answer but crossed her arms.

"Ok, tell her get better off me!" Sodapop said.

"Will do, see you later." Steve ran back down the steps to where Lori was waiting. "Okay let's go."

"Thanks Steve." Lori smiled at him.

"No problem." He returned the smile and they walked to his car.

I know, this is a very late update! No excuses only its been Christmas and New year, I'm sorry! But I've tried to make this status longish for you Hope you enjoyed it! Please remember to leave a review!

Hope you all had a good Christmas and a good new year!

Holly xxx