Tom and Charlie were already gone when Ponyboy got to work on Monday, and Leslie was sitting behind the counter. She was trying to read a book, but Pony could tell just by looking at her that she wasn't paying attention to it. She was absently playing with the star necklace that he gave her with one hand and clicking a pen open and closed with the other. She always did things like that when she was nervous.

"Leslie," he said.

She looked up, and her eyes lit up when she saw him. "When'd you get here?"

"Just now," he said. "Came in the back."

She stood up and was out from behind the counter in a flash. Before he could process what was happening, she had her arms wrapped tight around his waist. He hugged her and ran his hands up and down her back.

"I was worried," she said. "I didn't know what had happened. I never heard from you after the party."

"It's alright," he said softly. "Everything is gonna be fine."

"Is Darry mad? I bet he hates me now," she said.

"No, no. Everything is fine. He said you called and apologized."

She nodded. "I wanted to do whatever I could, but I didn't know if it would help."

"He goes for that sort of thing," Pony said. "Loves it when people step up and take responsibility."

Pony held her for another minute and then pulled out of the hug. He took her hand and led her toward the counter.

"What'd he do to you?" she asked.

He shrugged. He wasn't sure how to tell her. "He went pretty easy on me."

"'Doesn't really tell me much. Did he lecture you on how you shouldn't drink or something?"

"No. Think he figured the hangover did a good enough job of that."

"It was a bad one, huh?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm getting a headache just thinking about it."

She looked down at the floor. "Sorry."

"Not your fault," he said softly.

She looked back up at him. "We can still see each other, right?"

He nodded, and he could tell that she was relieved.

"There's a bit of a catch, though," he said. "For two weeks, I'm not allowed to see you unless he's there. You're only allowed over Friday and Saturday nights."

She nodded. "Not bad at all."

He cocked an eyebrow. "You think?" He hadn't exactly thought she would be mad, but he didn't think she'd take it as well as she did either.

"Could've been worse," she said. "We'll have fun. We can make Jiffy Pop, and then Two-Bit and Amy can come over and we'll all play Candy Land."

Pony laughed. "Doesn't sound half bad when you say it."

"It won't be, I promise," Leslie said.

"'Gonna miss going to Lovers' Lane with you."

"You went seventeen years without action before you met me," she said. "I don't think a two week break will kill you."

"I beg to differ," he said.

She smiled mischievously at him. "Well, there's always the break room."

XXX

The two weeks went by slower than Ponyboy expected. He tried his hardest not to think about how little time he could spend with Leslie, but school wasn't a good enough distraction. On weekends she got to come over for a few hours, but they could hardly even hold hands because Darry was always hovering near by. Pony and Leslie tried a few times to start make out sessions in the break room at work, but Tom or Charlie always interrupted them. One time Joshua walked in when Pony had his hands up Leslie's shirt, and after that they were too afraid to try again. He was relieved when his shift Friday came to an end. He was dying for some time alone with Leslie, and the next day he and Two-Bit were going to go see Steve in Norman. It was a welcome change from not being allowed out for the past two weekends.

"You're a free man now," Leslie said as they sped across town in her car.

"Yeah," he said. He rested his head on her shoulder. "And not a moment too soon."

She took one hand off the steering wheel and put it around his shoulder. "I second that."

The needle on the speedometer climbed, and Pony tensed as they got closer to the street that would take them to Lovers' Lane. It had been two whole weeks since the last time he and Leslie were there, and he was afraid he had forgotten everything that she'd taught him. He closed his eyes and started mentally running through everything he was supposed to do. When he opened his eyes again, he realized they weren't on the road to Lovers' Lane after all. They were in a neighborhood of nice two-story houses.

"Leslie?" he said. "Where are we?"

"It's a surprise," she said.

They drove a few more blocks and then pulled into a driveway.

"This is my house," she said. She smiled. "And my parents are out for the night."

Pony's eyes got huge. All he could do for a good two minutes was stare at Leslie. He was too stunned to speak, but he knew in the back of his mind that he had been quiet for too long.

All he could think of to say was, "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me."

Leslie burst out laughing. Pony sat awkwardly in the passenger seat until she composed herself.

"I'm sorry," she said. She giggled. "But, Benjamin, I want you to know I'm available to you."

That time he had to laugh with her. She took advantage of the lightened mood to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and then get out of the car. He followed her into the house.

"You want a tour or something?" she asked.

Ponyboy was already distracted by the pictures of Leslie's family that were hung above the fireplace. There was one of her parents on their wedding day, Leslie's high school senior portrait, and a picture of a boy in a graduation cap and gown.

"Is that your brother?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. That's from when he graduated from college."

Pony looked at the picture for a few seconds longer and then looked at Leslie. "Ya'll look alike."

She smiled. "I wonder why?"

Pony laughed nervously, and an awkward silence settled on them. They both knew what was going to happen, but neither one of them wanted to talk about it. They were too nervous to move things forward, and Pony thought that they might end up just standing in front of the fireplace for the whole night.

Leslie's voice startled him. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

Pony looked at her, and she kept talking.

"Just … things have gotten pretty far, y'know? And we've been together for three months now. I thought it would be a good way to celebrate your punishment being over," she said. She paused for a second. "But if you're not ready, I won't be offended."

A million thoughts went through his head. He didn't know what to tell her. He wanted to, that was for sure. He'd been thinking about it for the past few weeks, but he was terrified that he wouldn't be any good. Leslie had been around the block once or twice, so she knew the difference between a good lay and a bad one.

Pony looked down at the floor. "What if I'm not any good?"

Leslie slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. "It doesn't matter. I love you. I think I love you more than I've loved any other boy."

He smiled. "I always hoped that the night I lost my virginity would start with quoting The Graduate."

Leslie smiled back at him and giggled. "Well, we don't want to waste the perfect moment, right?"

"Right," he said.

"My room's upstairs."

His heart skipped a beat. He couldn't decide if he was more terrified or excited, but he heard himself say, "I'd like to see it."

I own a DVD of The Graduate, but I don't own the rights to the movie.

Not sure how people will react to this chapter, and I want to know what you guys think. Any kind of reviews make my day! :)