6:35pm on a Sunday evening, the sun was just disappearing from behind the trees, the clouds. It was a nice view as I watched the sun set from the living room couch, the front screen door wide open and letting the warm spring air breeze in.

I lay sprawled on my stomach, how restless could I be or look? For the first time in history, I was truly and unfortunately bored out of my mind. Ponyboy had his head in a lame book for school (Come on, it's the weekend, why does school have to follow you everywhere!), Darry was-as always-working over time today, Two-Bit and Dally were making trouble at the rodeo, and I think Johnny tagged along with them.

Steve? Well, he was catching his Z's on the living room floor, right next to me on the sofa and as I watched him snooze, I thought of the one thing that I couldn't get out of my head for the past 24 hours.

The one thing I was disgusted and not on the best of terms with, the one thing that annoyed me with a passion.

The Thing I'm describing is none other than Jara Pagan. I didn't understand how I could have a girl like her on my mind; the last time I thought this much on a chick was when I first met Sandy….

But Jara didn't even slightly compare to Sandy. She never would and probably couldn't either.

Sandy had natural blond hair; her golden locks stood out especially on summer days.

Jara had the darkest hair color I've never seen before; it probably blended in with the night if I ever caught her one of these days somewhere other than the school hallways.

Sandy's chine-blue eyes were one of her best features, she could be furious with you yet those eyes always stayed a deep blue.

Jara had weird ones to tell you the truth. One moment, that day when I helped her from the pesky Randy (Which I'm still waiting for a thank you), her eyes were a shady brown but yesterday, when I touched her soft cheeks, they were a deep green. I presume they were a hazel, could practically turn any color if she wanted. All right, I'll give her credit for her eyes, I couldn't deny that.

What else? Hmm…. Oh! That's right, back to the backstabbing bitch, every time Sandy laughed it surprised me. For a Greaser girl, her laughter was extremely soft, like an angel fallen from heaven. I did anything to make her laugh, just to hear it once made my day.

Although, Jara's wasn't bad either. Being the narrow-minded Greaser I am, I had the notion that all geeks laughed with a snort or through their noses.

Jara was different though; it was not soft, yet not loud. Just…. soothing? A nice, rich chuckle.

Sandy's skin was a rosy-light tone, every time she walked into a room, she glowed. Hey, don't they say pregnant women glow?

Jara's skin was so pale, I'd could confuse her as a Vampire. Has she ever even seen sunlight?…Thing is, it's not terrible. It makes her stand out, she's defiantly not like any other girl I've met and she of course not like any other nerd out there.

Oh god, what have I've been doing? I'm actually giving Jara Pagan compliments! Jeez, what the hell is wrong with me? It had to be the warm weather, yeah; the air was getting a little musty up here.

I grumbled, stretching my leg out and accidentally kicking sleeping beauty. He quickly, almost alertly woke and sat up, his head darting around the place. I always knew that Steve slept on edge, I guess I would too if I lived with his father.

"What the hell happened!? Is there a fire?" He asked, his voice groggy and raspy.

"Nope" I grinned at him from where I still laid.

"A rumble?" He passed a hand through his un-ruly curls.

"Not even close" I replied, shaking my head and touching the hard wood floor.

"Then why did you wake me up, Soda!" He scolded more than he asked. 

I managed to shrug, "Accidental, go back to sleep…" I sighed, my blink lasting for what seemed like an eternity of bliss.

Steve nodded "Ok!" and with those lovely, and wise words, he was out like a light bulb once more.

"What's the matter, Sodapop?" I heard Ponyboy's voice fill the room as he entered. I sat up, a smile spread on my face as I stared at my little brother "Long time, no see" I commented, gesturing the book he held in his hand "Thought I lost you forever there"

"Sorry, Have to catch up on my school reading, I have an exam on Monday…not a lot to do lately, huh?" He stepped over Steve's snoring form, and sat down next to me, his feet plopping up on the coffee table. "You can say that again…." I muttered, sinking back into the seat and crossing my arms. "Things have been slow, and yet I have so much to do!" I groaned, pretty much referring to my bet with Bob and the miracle job it would take to make Jara into a knock out, somewhere deep in me I knew she had the potential, I just wasn't showing it right now, too much doubt filled me first.

Ponyboy looked at me oddly "Like what?" He asked, his head turned.

"Uh, I meant the DX and all" I lied, I didn't want Pony to know anything about the bet, I didn't like lying to my youngest brother since I told him everything most of the time, but this was different.

"Oh" he nodded, and rested his head back. That was the end of the subject; Ponyboy could let things go easily.

I gave him another grin, and shaking my head I turned back to stare at the turned-off television set.

"You want to watch some TV?" I asked, without looking at my brother's reaction, I leaned forward to reach for the remote control, but stopped when I heard Pony's voice,

"Jara?"

Jara's POV

I stood behind the screen door, my hand clasped tightly onto Soda's brown leather jacket. I could see that I had interrupted a brotherly moment, or something, so I kept quiet for time being.

Until Ponyboy's gaze landed on me, He quickly situated himself higher and with surprise written all over his handsome face, he said "Jara?"

I wanted to melt, and I quickly scolded myself for being so damn pathetic. He had barely even said two words yet and I already wanted to jump his bones.

I shook my head from the temporary dazed that overcame me, blinking I replied "Uh, hi"

Soda jerked his head in an instant, getting to his feet even faster "What are you doing here?" He asked, a bit hostile I noticed.

He opened the screen door, and I backed away a bit since he was invading my "Personal space", He had broken my freakin' "Bubble"!

"I-I-You left this at my place" I stammered, intimated by his sudden aggressiveness. I shoved his jacket to him, tying to get some space between the Greaser and I.

His gazed dropped onto it as I handed it to him, his lips forming an "oh".

"You were at Jara's house?" Ponyboy questioned as he stepped out onto the porch, he kept staring back and forth from us.  I nodded, looking at him strangely. Hadn't he known?

Soda glanced at his brother and then turning to me once more, he gave me a "Shut Your Trap" expression.

Oh, he was embarrassed to be seen with me, was it? I pursed my lips together, and decided to keep my mouth close even though I wanted to let one on him right about now. Explode and give Pony the details about how his older bro had touched my face, told me I had pretty eyes- and maybe he would get jealous by that, claim me as his. Whispering into my ear that I had won his heart and from the beginning I had always been the girl of his dreams, forever his.

"Jara was just about to leave, weren't you?" Soda's urgent voice broke into my impulsive daydreaming, and I glared at him for that. "Aren't you going to at least say thank you? You know, it's rude not to. It's not like you were raised by a pack of wolves…." I said, trying to clearly stall so I would have more time to get closer to the youngest Curtis' brother. He laughed, and Sodapop frowned. Breathing hard, he unexpectedly took me by the arm and pulling my frigid body to the side, he said in a hush but firm tone "How the hell did you get my address?"

"I asked, now let me go" I shook him off to only get held tighter then before, his grasp enticing around my upper arm. My eyes were wide and my mouth was left slightly ajar.

"I want you to leave. Now" He ordered, his face seldom and serious, leaving a sharp jaw line visible.

"Is that a threat?" I retorted, countering him. I had no idea why I was being so menacing today. I guess I woke up like this, got up from bed thinking I wasn't going to take crap from anyone this very day. I highly doubt it.

"Take it as you want" He practically growled, his tone of voice low and leaving me wondering if this was the same Sodapop Curtis every girl in my Gym class are always talking about.

He was extremely close at this point, his breathing shallow as if he were smelling my perfume. He took a long pause, until I felt him slowly release my arm, I saw Pony by his side now "Soda, what's wrong with you? Jara was just returning your jacket and you know how much you love that one" He tried calming Soda down who was suddenly looking away from me, not holding my eye contact at all.

Pony gave me an apologetic look, and I waved it off, "To make your brother happy, I'll leave. Sorry for being such a burden, I didn't realize" I said, some part of that response was dripping with sarcasm.

"No!" and un-familiar voice cut in like a needle dropping on pins. Everyone standing on the rusty porch turned simultaneously to stare at Steve Randle, the Greaser who had stepped on the end of my dress the first day of school last year, making it rip- I can't even bare to recall the nightmare again. Half the student body saw me in my underpants!

Randle came out and staring at Soda intensely, he said to me "No, don't leave".

I scrunched up my nose a bit, getting suspicious of what these Greasers were up to or were they just legally insane?

TO BE CONTINUED…