[A/N. At the start of this story I said I would be putting in events from in the book and they will come into it soon.]

"Johnny's diary."

Dear diary,

Today was actually a pretty good day.

When I woke up for school (on time for once) neither of my parents were up. So I had a coffee, made my breakfast and left the house. As I walked to school I thought about the English essay I'd almost finished and college. I know some people's parents make a big deal about getting into college, sort of a "when you go to college" because there's no if there, it's always known. And then some people's parents put so much pressure on them to get good marks and get into the best college there is. And then there's my parents- I don't think they even know what marks I get. They have looked at my grades when I bring home my report card but they've never paid attention to it. When I was younger this used to upset me, that they didn't care, and I used to take them over to the Curtis' house so Mrs. Curtis could look at them. And she'd always hug me and tell me how well I did and that sort of made up for the lack of parental care. Of course now I'm older I don't care what my parents think, or don't think for that matter. After all- it's my life.

I didn't have to go my math class first period because I had an appointment with the guidance counselor. As a rule these guys are meant to be pains in the butt, but Mr. Harris is pretty cool really. He's only fairly young, and I think he sometimes actually understands what I'm saying. I've been seeing him every two weeks for the last few months, something I keep well hidden from the gang. In their opinion it would be almost like seeing a shrink and a sign of weakness. Well maybe not all of them, Pony and Darry would probably have understood. But I wasn't going to test this by telling them. I told Mr. Harris I had taken his suggestion of writing things down, and had started a diary a few days back, and he was pretty impressed. He explained that it wasn't for him, or anyone else to read, it was just a way of me getting things off my chest and making myself feel better. In front of him on the desk he had a memo he kept glancing at and then finally he tapped it.

"Johnny, you got a C for history. That's unlike you, history's usually one of your better subjects." He broached the subject, putting his hands on the desk, folded and looking at me thoughtfully.

"I had trouble concentrating when I was working on it." I said slowly.

"Your parents fighting?" He asked, nodding to himself as if he already knew the answer. That amused me briefly, that he could know me so well in so little time.

"Yeah, and the electricity was cut off because one of them didn't pay the bill, so I wrote it by torch." I added.

Mr. Harris sighed. "It's such a shame, you're a talented young man Johnny. I'm sure that if you keep to your standards you're going to be able to get a scholarship to college. Don't let things get in the way though."

"Sometimes it's a bit hard not to." I argued.

"Have you considered spending your lunch hour in the library working on things?"

"I can't." I said automatically. "I spend lunches with Pony and Two-Bit."

Mr. Harris's mouth twitched slightly. "Two-Bit Mathews?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"He's a character isn't he?" Mr. Harris asked. "And he's happily failing again this year."

"Can he stay here forever?" I asked.

"I doubt it. Sooner or later they're going to tell him to leave." Mr. Harris replied.

"That'll break his heart." I said with a shake of my head.

"Yes." Mr. Harris said. "Well Johnny, you better get going or else you'll be late for history."

"Right," I said standing up and gathering my things together. "Same time in two weeks?"

"If you want." Mr. Harris said. He always said that, like he was giving me the choice of whether I wanted to see him or not, although I had the feeling if I said no I'd still have to go. But like I said, I don't mind it. So I nodded and left the room.

After school Pony was going to the pictures and he asked me to go with him.

"What are you going to see?" I asked debating it.

"Anything with Paul Newman in it hopefully." Pony replied.

I had to grin. Pony's got a bit of an obsession with Paul Newman at the moment, but none of us know why precisely. I heard Steve joking that he had a crush on him but Pony didn't bite, so Steve had stopped.

I hesitated. Going to the movies with Pony would have been good, but I wanted to go home and finish off my English essay, so I declined.

"Soon we're gonna' think you don't want to spend time with us." Pony said, but he was just joking, and I laughed too.

"See ya later." He called as he turned off towards the cinemas and I kept on my way home.

As I walked home a blue mustang cruised past me and then it came back and someone yelled out "OI GREASER!"

I felt my heart literally skip a beat, but I didn't comment and kept walking, looking away, like Darry had suggested.

"WANT A BATH GREASER?" They yelled, and I didn't comment again. For reasons which I don't want to go into now and since I don't have the time (I will talk about it later because I believe it's important to get things off my chest, and that's definitely something which is sitting heavily on my chest) socs scare me more than everyone else. To my surprise, and my delight, they drove on, obviously deciding I was no fun, and I breathed a loud sigh of relief. Nonetheless I walked home a little faster.

The last thing which happened today which was good was I found out Dad had gotten another job, so he wouldn't be home when I got up in the morning, nor when I got home from school.

Things are looking up. Of course, I know only too well, things don't always go right for greasers like me.

J.C