Okay silly me i forgot the disclaimer last chapter! *smacks forehead* anyways i dont own anybody/anything except Rockelle, her mom, and her evil stepdad Kevin. you'll find out about him this chapter. Thanks to all who reviewed! ok on with my story! When I woke up, Darry, Soda, Pony, Steve, and Two-Bit were staring at me and Johnny. "What?" I asked. "That was adorable," said Two-Bit.

I chucked a pillow at him. I missed. "Two-Bit, as my best friend, you should know I'm not a morning person."

He laughed.

"It's not morning anymore," Ponyboy said. "It's 12:30"

"Glory! Johnny wake up!" I shook Johnny's shoulder. "Cade, wake up!"

"Huh? Wha?" he asked sleepily. He blinked a couple of times then looked at us. "What?" Poor confused Johnny. Ponyboy handed Johnny a piece of paper. It was a picture he drew of me and Johnny asleep on the couch. "Oh." That was all Johnny could say.

"I'm gonna go home and cleaned up. Anybody wanna walk with me?"

"I will," Two-Bit said.

"Me too," Johnny and Pony said in unison. With that we all walked out the door. When we got to my house, I was gonna invite them in but decided against it when I heard something break. "See you in a little bit," is what I said instead. Even Two-Bit knew nothing about my stepfather being a drunk.

I snuck in quietly. In fifteen minutes, I had showered, got dressed, pulled my hair back in a ponytail, and put on a light coat of make-up. I was almost out the door when I heard a voice behind me.

"Who's jacket is that? It's too big to be yours."

I was almost out the door!! I took a deep breath then answered with, "It's Two-Bit's jacket, Kevin." I looked at the jacket. It was twice my size but it was comfortable and Two-Bit's. What more of a reason do I need?

"I hate those kids you're always with. Stop seeing them."

"No," I mumbled.

"What did you say?" Oh great, I ticked off the bear when he's already angry.

"I said 'No'. Look, they're my friends. Two-Bit is my best." Kevin slapped me. "Don't talk back or disobey me!" He slapped me again.

I couldn't think of anything to say so I opened the door and ran for it. I started crying. I hated Kevin with every once of my exisitence. I hated him. I hated him. I hated him! But with all of my crying, thinking, and running, I had no idea of who I would run into.