Disclaimer: I only own Holly, her mom, Brent, Parker, Mary, Gary, Derek (Socs), Todd, Rudy, Sam, Kyle, Jordan, and Two-Bit's sister's name. LOL!

Chapter 2

            I swallowed unsteadily and felt a lump rise up in my throat. Drunken male Socs, when you're a female, are as dangerous as a wounded dolphin fighting a shark in blood soaked waters. (Wasn't that a great analogy?)

            I looked back for Parker, but he was nowhere to be seen. I wondered where he could have gone.

            I slowly turned around, figuring they would run me over before I outran them. I felt around in my pocket for my switchblade and found that it was in my back pocket. I didn't take it out just yet.

            "Hmm. Well, what do we have here?" one of the Socs said, stumbling out of the car. Looking behind me, I saw a deserted alley. Oh, just splendid, I thought dryly, Out of all the places to be ambushed. I had to go and pick the dark and deserted alleyway.

            "Hey, sweet thing," the same Soc called out. I assumed he was the leader. "Why don't you come on over here and we'll show you a good time."

            I snorted and tried to look tough. I don't think this façade was working very well however.

            I let out a whimper that startled everyone, including myself. I backed up against a wall, and placed my hands behind my back for easy access to my blade.

            The leader, who was wearing a green madras shirt and had his short brown hair spiked up, walked over to me until we were face to face. He touched my hair lightly. "Come on, baby," he whispered, "Come with us."

            I grabbed my switchblade out of my pocket, flicked it open and held it in front of me in about two seconds. Green Madras froze, eyeing the blade.

            "Uh, Gary, that's a knife," one of the other Socs stammered stupidly, "Uh, maybe we should like, go."

            "Fine, Derek. Go start that thing."

            "The what?"

            "The thing!" Gary exploded, "You know, that moving thing? The car! The car! Start the car!" Gary let out a few curse words after that, and in a matter of seconds they were disappearing from view.

            I would have laughed if I weren't so shaken up. Without thinking I automatically started to run to Soda's house.

            I opened the screen door and collapsed on Steve's lap, who was watching Mickey Mouse with Two-Bit.

            "Whoa, there, Holly, you know I'm taken!" Steve laughed, indicating of his girlfriend Evie.

            I wanted to laugh, but I still couldn't. Two-Bit noticed and pulled me into his lap. "Hey, Hol, what's up? What's wrong?"

            "Hmm? Oh, nothing, normal greaser business. I got my switchblade back from my mom and I already found a chance to use it," I said glumly, "Socs' ambushed me next to some alley."

            Two-Bit said something so…wrong…that it made me snap my head around to look at him. He grinned sheepishly at me when I said that I was going to wash his mouth out with soap.

            Two-Bit wrapped his arms around my waist and I leaned against his chest. "So, you have to baby-sit in fifteen minutes?"

            He grumbled, which I took for a yes. Just then Darry opened the door, looking fatigued. I instantly got up and gave him a big bear hug. "Hi Daddy!" I cried.

            Darry and I, we have this bond. I really can't explain it. I guess I look up to him for being the closest resemblance to a father I have, and he treats me like his own daughter. He treats everyone like that, however it never bothers me. I love having Darry as my 'dad.'

            Darry wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head. "Hey there, babycakes."

            "How was work?" I asked, clasping my hands in front of me. I probably looked like a six-year-old.

            "Eh, it was ok. I finished roofing the house I was working on," Darry answered, slumping down in his chair.

            "Pull any muscles today?"

            "Nope, luckily."

            I sat down on Darry's lap. "You didn't carry two bundles of roofing, did you?"

            I stared into Darry's eyes, which were softer, and saw that they seemed…sheepish.

            "Darry!" I shrieked, "You're going to have a million aching muscles when you're twenty-one!"

            "Wow, this conversation seems somehow familiar," I heard Dally say as he walked into the room.

            "Hi Dallas!" I cried cheerfully. Being extra chipper was getting my mind off of the Socs, and I didn't really care anymore. When something bad happens to me, give me five-ten minutes and I'm over it. No questions asked.

            Dally looked at me as if I had just shaved my head. "What's up with you, Holly? Stick your finger in a light socket again? You're bouncing off the walls!"

            I giggled and got off of Darry's lap. Two-Bit got up too, and said, "I'd better be heading home. Mom'll kill me if I'm late babysitting again."

            "Can I walk you home?" I asked, not waiting for an answer and walking through the screen door.

            "Since it's obviously pointless to say no," Two-Bit grinned, "Sure, why not?"

            We walked a block in silence before Two-Bit spoke up. "So, did you wanna talk to me about something or get some extra exercise?"

            I sighed. He hit the nail right on the head. "Two-Bit," I hesitated.

            "What? Come on, spit it out."

            "Have you ever been jumped?" I winced, because maybe this was a personal question. I had been scared out of my mind when I got jumped, and I knew that guys didn't like sharing their feelings. Especially with girls.

            Two-Bit swallowed, but he didn't seem scared or nervous. "Yeah, Holly, I've been jumped before."

            I was really pressing it, but I asked, "Were you scared?"

            Two-Bit cracked a grin. "Hell yeah! But the key is not to let them know you're scared. That's like…" he paused, figuring out the right words to use.

            "Like soaking yourself with gasoline before lighting a match?" I offered.

            He snapped his fingers. "Exactly! It's extremely dangerous, not to mention stupid."

            "Were you scared?" he asked me softly.

            "Yeah," I said, staring at the ground, "I was really scared. I didn't know what they were going to do to me."

            I felt him put his arm around my shoulder. "It's ok to be scared, Carson. Hell, especially with those Socs."

            "Yeah, I guess." I mumbled softly. Our conversation was cut short when we reached Two-Bit's house. After saying goodbye, I started off towards the Curtis'. Maybe I would say hi to Angela, too.

            After I walked a block, I heard a loud whistle. I spun around and found five Brumly Boys staring at me with interest.

            "Hey there, Holly," one of them said in a deep voice that made me uncomfortable, "What's up?"

            I was about to run away when they quickly formed a circle around me. We, my gang, don't really get along with the Brumly Boys that much. They're from one of the suburbs not too far from Tulsa. They truly loved being hoods, which made them different from our gang. These guys were rough, tough, mean and very dangerous. And of course they ambush me. This was not my day.

            "Er, hey guys." I said with a quivering voice, "What's up with you?" I tried t remember what Two-Bit said, not to look scared, but it was just not working for me. My voice wouldn't stop shaking, and neither would my hands. I felt my throat tighten up and my stomach turn cold.

            "We were just thinking about you, Holly," the same Brumly Boy said. I remembered his name…it was Todd Chapman. The other boys were Rudy Jones, Sam Turner, Jordan McGowan and Kyle Smith. They all pretty much looked the same-dark greased hair with cold black eyes. Except for Todd-he had lighter brown hair.

            "Oh, you were?" I replied. What else was I going to say?

            "Mmhmm." Todd moved forward and Jordan and Sam closed the gap behind him. Now Todd joined me in the middle of the circle. He ran his fingers through my hair and stepped closer to me. Instinctively I backed up, but a Brumly Boy roughly pushed me against Todd, making me collapse against him.

            Todd tightened his arms around me as I tried to shove away. He pressed his cold lips against mine and I felt his hands on my back.

            "Mhhfm!" I tried to scream, but his lips held mine. Finding no other way out, I sprang my knee up and hit him where it's not meant to be hit. He instantly drew away from me and sank to his knees, groaning. I felt impact against the back of my knees and spun around, falling. Kyle had kicked me from behind.

            "Put her in the car," I heard Todd gasp. I guess I hit him pretty hard, and tried not to feel sorry for that…dork.

            It suddenly registered what Todd had just said. Put me in the truck?

            I opened my mouth and screamed. Rudy clamped his hand over my mouth and roughly dragged me to a beaten up black car. I was shoved into the backseat along with Todd and Jordan. Kyle took the wheel, and Sam and Rudy scrunched up in the front.

            I was deadly afraid. Had anyone heard me scream? What was going to happen now?

            Just then, out the back window, I almost passed out from relief. I had this overwhelming urge to start laughing as I saw the whole gang, plus Tim get into three cars and start speeding after me.

            But we had a head start. Would the gang ever catch up to us?

            My heart sank as I heard Sam tell Kyle that there were guys behind us. It almost stopped pumping when Todd flicked out a switchblade and held it to my throat.