"Hey where you guys been?" It was Two-bit.

"Dally where is he?! I know you know where he is!"

"Whoa! Calm down, Darry. I don't know nothing. I just said they were headed to Texas, but I don't know for sure. Now when I say I don't know I mean it." When he said that Soda pulled him aside. He said something to him, but I couldn't hear what. Dally shook his head, and after that Soda handed him what looked like a letter. Dally then took it and said, "Well, I best be going. Bye!" He then whispered in my ear, "I love you." When he said that I smacked him. He then said "Okay Okay I'm sorry. You know I'm just messin' with ya, baby." He left right after that. I hated when he did that. He always did it to me, but of course I never took him serious, but every time he said it, it was like he knew that I liked him.

"Well, me and Steve best be getting to work."

"Yeah I gotta go too."

"Hey Soda can I help you guys out today. I mean I don't got nothin' better to do. Please."

"It's a pretty rough job, but I know you can manage. I guess you can come and I'll pay you twenty-five percent of my paycheck. Deal?"

"Deal." I was really glad I had something to do that day. I mean without Ponyboy and Johnny, what else could I do? Either way I liked spending time with Soda and Steve. They are always fun to be around. I'd probably have a boring life without them around, and without Soda, I'd have no one to talk to. He was the only one that understood me. Ponyboy would understand too, but I felt more comfortable talking to Soda.

We finally got to the gas station. It wasn't too full so I was glad I chose a good day to work. "So. what's my job?"

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Um. you could um. wash the cars if they need cleaning?"

"Hell no! Can I help Steve in his mechanic job? I mean, I'm really good at mechanics, and you of all people know that."

"What do you say Steve?"

"Um. no."

"Okay fine you could go put the gas in the cars. If you want to, of course."

"Nah, forget it. I'll just hang here, and watch you guys work. Maybe Two- Bit or Dally will stop by, and then I'll leave."

"Okay, I guess. It'll be boring though."

"Yeah, I know, but it's not like I have anything better to do."

"Okay, well gotta work now." So, he went to go do his job, and Steve his. I waited for about two hours when Dally came asking for money.

"Hey! Soda, buddy. Can I have 50 bucks? I met some girl out in the Dingo, and I really want to take her out."

"I got the money, stupid," Steve said.

"Aw. just give him the money, Steve."

"You know Dally you could use that money to pay me back, but then again it would be more like Soda and Steve were paying me, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, shit! When did you get here?"

"Long before you did. Now were you just pretending you were going out with some girl, or were you really?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out. See you later, baby." He left, and then came back a minute later. "So are you gonna give me the minute or not?"

"No," Steve said. Soda then snatched it out of Steve's hand and said, "Here, but you have to pay us back."

"Okay, fine I will." Soda gave Dally the money, and was about to leave.

"I'll pay you back.next week." He then was headed out when I said, "Hey wait up, I'm coming with you."

"Well then hurry up!"

"Bye Soda. Bye Steve. See y'all later." I then left and caught up with Dally. "Now you have 100 dollars to owe or 99 I guess."

"Nope, only 50. Here." He handed me 49 dollars.

"Oh my God! I just saw you borrowing money from Soda and Steve, and you give me the money any ways. I can't believe you, and why didn't you just tell them you needed to pay me back? Why did you have to use some lame excuse like going out with a girl?"

"Because.I just did. You wanna go anywhere? The Dingo, drive-in, ice cream, burgers.anything?"

"Well.I guess ice cream does sound good."

"Then ice cream it is."

We went to go eat ice cream. We stayed there for about two hours, just eating and talking. I guess this was his way of saying sorry, and unfortunately I fell for it. I just couldn't stay mad at him. That whole time I just wanted to grab him and kiss him, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't let desire take over me. I had to remember that he was a nobody, but I couldn't. I had never felt so much love for someone, and I hated that I felt that for him.

"So.how 'bout we go for a walk somewhere, or are you busy?"

"No. I'd like a walk."

We went over to the park. At that time there were couples everywhere. When I saw them I kept seeing me and Dally in a total make-out session. I knew I had to, but didn't know how. At that exact moment Dally leaned over and kissed me. He grabbed me around the waist in such a gentle manner that I just had to let myself go.

"How 'bout we do this somewhere else?" he whispered in my ear.

"No.um.I really ought to get back. I have a lo." he stopped me from saying anything else with a final kiss.

"Okay fine, but let me take you home."

"Fine." We got to the Curtis' house, and I gave him a final kiss and said bye. I hated to leave him, but I knew that I had to. I could not let my love turn into desire. I knew I wanted him, but I couldn't let him know that. I also didn't want to end up hurt. I wanted didn't want to love him anymore, and I would do everything in my power to stop myself, but my heart won't let me.