Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story except for Lerissa.



A/N: I know a lot of people don't like Cherry, but I think she is ok, and that's why I'm gonna make her less of a snob in this story. Also Lerissa is the main character in only some of the chapters, I'll give the other characters the honor too.





Lerissa



"Shit, why in the hell are they here?" Steve said shooting a concerned look towards Johnny, then glared at the direction of the girls.

"Who are they?" I tried to look confused; when I try I'm a very good actress.

"Two fucking snobby broads," Dallas said shrugging, "maybe I could scare them away."

"I don't think they're gonna start fightin' us," said Two-bit in a serious voice, and I couldn't help but agree with him.

As the girls got close enough they said hi, and sat in the row in front of us, turning so they could see and talk to us.

"Johnny, I uh…I need to apologize to you," Cherry said her eyes looking over-bright.

"About what?" Johnny asked quietly.

"About not coming to see you while you were in the hospital. I mean I don't blame you for killing Bob, because if you didn't then Ponyboy would've drowned, and he was also the one who beat you up, and in some way he deserved it all, but I still needed time to get over my shock. You weren't my problem…I was," Cherry said this all very fast but her voice grew quieter and quieter, and silent tears ran down her pale cheeks, "I'm so sorry."

Johnny had tears run down his cheeks too, obviously he was remembering that he had taken a human life, even if it was in self-defense, "no, I'm the one who is sorry, I killed your boyfriend, and I'll understand if you hate me forever."

Cherry shook her head and jumped over her chair and went to Johnny's side and bent down hugging him, "I can't hate you, not after the way you saved all those kids by risking your life, not after how you don't complain and seem miserable about how you can't walk anymore and care only about the lives you saved, not after the way your nice, sweet, caring, smart, and brave, the way Bob would never be. He could be pretty amazing too at times, but if you really think about it the world needs you more than it needs him, and after all the drinking and driving, and all the other dangerous stuff he and his friends did, I knew he had a very dim chance of becoming 20."

The two of them hugged for a few minutes in total silence, their faces buried in each other's shoulders as quiet tears streamed down their cheeks. Both of them were totally obvious to the bewildered stares the others were giving them. When they pulled away they stared at each other warmly and Johnny quietly spoke up.

"So you've really forgiven me?"

"Of course, it was your forgiveness that I asked for," she said, and then Johnny smiled, a brilliant smile that made his whole face glow.

"Then we're cool."

Cherry sat down on the chair closest to Johnny's wheel chair, and the two quietly watched the movie, with a new sense of peace. Then Marcia invited Two-bit to sit next to her, and again they were involved in a bizarre conversation only they understood. I could see that Soda was getting bored with just sitting there staring at the screen, and I was right 'cause a few minutes later he and Steve were too caught in their arm wrestling match.

To my left it was Ponyboy, who was watching the drama themed movie closely and to my right it was Dally who was chewing his popcorn rather loudly, with his feet on the chair in front of him.

I wasn't really into the movie since it was bout some old music teacher's life, so I decided to start a conversation with Dallas who didn't look too into the movie!!!

"Did you grow up in NY?" I asked and turned my way and blinked a couple of times.

"How the hell did you know?" he looked at me very suspiciously, and I grinned thinking this was gonna be fun.

"Let's just say I can tell stuff, just by the way someone looks or acts," my grin widened, "like I know that you have a unloaded gun, that you only use for a bluff."

"Really? For all I know, you're guessing all this stuff," Dallas shrugged.

"I am, but there pretty good aren't they?" Dallas only snored in respond, "I'm also guessing that you really hate school."

"You bet, we have to learn so much useless shit, it's almost unbelievable," and I waited for Dallas to stop swearing, to answer.

"You mean there isn't a single class that you don't hate all that much, not one a class that you can stand without falling sleep in less than 5 minutes?" I asked this very softly, and Dallas looked at me with an unsure look in his eyes, but it was gone in less than a second.

"No!"

"Your lying, I saw it in your eyes that there is one class you don't hate 100%," I was lying too, there was noway Dallas' eyes would betray him like that, he had WAY too much control over them, but I was a good actress and I thought I could pull it off, but Dallas was also a very good actor and when he rolled his eyes at me I knew he wasn't fooled, "Oh come on Dallas it wouldn't kill you to say which class you hate the least, are you possibly that much of a coward?"

Jackpot, I thought happily, from the dark expression that had now formed on Dallas face, I could tell that I had hit a nerve. I had now dared Dallas to say what he hated to think let alone say out loud, and there was noway Dallas Winston would back down from doing a dare.

"Fine, the subject I hate the least is chemistry. It's makes me think of how I could invent some new poison and sneak it in the cafeteria food, making all the dumb Socs sick," he said bitterly.

"Hmmm, and I though you had no clue bout all the fun you could have at school," my eyes were sparkling from excitement, Dally Winston and I could have the most amazing time possible in school, his brain worked to break rules!!!

"Your not as perfect as you look are you?" Dally smirked, seeing the my mysterious smile he laughed, "maybe after you register it won't be so bad."

"Of course not, I guess you haven't been breakin' rules cause you wanted to stay true to your promise to Johnny huh?" he didn't answer, but his expression became emotionless and that was enough of an answer for me, "I've been breaking school rules since I remember and I'm a pro at not getting caught, with you brilliant ideas we're bound to become an invisible team, and there'd be no such a thing as getting suspended, so you wouldn't have to worry bout not being able to take care of Johnny while he is in school."

"Why don't you prove how invisible you are at not getting caught, first," Dally crossed his arms.

"Fair enough!" I said turning to the movie a wide grin speared across my face. I wasn't really watching the movie but instead thinking about my great plan to show my skills to Dallas Winston. This was going to be a lot of fun!!!