A/N: Hi who ever reads this. I got some reviews with the phrase "JOHNNY DEPP LOVES YOU" but I don't think many people read the little note thingies. But that's ok, I don't mind, I'm happy, I got back together with my ex. Ok, must continue on with the sad story even though I'm so happy. Ok here we go...........

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone. ANYONE. Well I do own Tara. I guess.

The ride home with Dally was kinda awkward. We both didn't say anything for a long time until he broke the silence.

"So...how are you holding up?"

I knew he was talking about my mom.

"I'm okay." I said quietly. I was really kinda messed up but I didn't feel like telling anyone that.

The rest of the ride was quiet. I thanked Dallas, and walked up the steps leading to the hotel door.

My dad stormed out of the building. He bumped into me, for a second not seeing me.

"Oh excuse me" he said without looking at me.

"Dad? It's me." I said.

"What? Oh, Tara, thank god! Where the hell were you? I was worried sick!"

"I was walking around the park, then.....uh, I ran into some friends." It was obvious that I was lying, I didn't have any friends.

"Oh, ok, well you could have told me before you left. You know how dangerous it is to be out alone at night here."

"I know, but you were finally asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

"Well you can wake me up next time ok?"

"Ok dad."

"Are you hungry? Let's go out to breakfast."

"Ok, but let me change first." I said shocked that he hadn't noticed how dirty my clothes were.

I went upstairs; I couldn't believe how messy the room had gotten after one day. I remembered how dad had an anger issue. He never abused me or mom, but he would throw a vase around here and there every once in a while. He couldn't help it. Mom tried to get him to an anger management class, lots of times, but he wouldn't listen. He said he could control it. I noticed the broken chair on the floor. Maybe its harder to control than he thinks it is.

I moved the stuff lying around to the sides, and made my way to my backpack. I took out some clean underwear, a clean bra, a dark blue t-shirt, and jeans that were splattered with paint.

I took a quick shower, and got dressed in my clean clothes.

Dad was waiting for me when I went downstairs.

"There you are. What took you so long." He asked. He probably didn't notice my wet hair.

"I took a quick shower. I'm ready now, let's go."

We walked to the dingo; it was really full when we got there. We had to wait for at least half an hour before we were seated.

"What would you like today?" the whorey looking waitress asked us. She was wearing a tank top, with her bra showing at the top, a really tight mini skirt that was about 5 sizes too small for her, and 4 inch heels.

"Uh, I would like the egg special. What about you?" dad asked looking at me.

My eyes were still focused on the waitress. "Uh, some coffee would be fine."

My dad gave me a weird look. "You've got to eat." He said.

"Uh, yeah I guess toast is fine."

"We don't have toast hunny." The waitress gave me bored look.

"Uh....ok. Then can I have some orange juice."

My dad gave me weird but concerned look.

"What?" I asked.

"Honey, you ordered coffee a while ago." I looked at my dad all funny.

I sighed. "Oh, yeah. Um, just the coffee then."

"Okay." The waitress chewed hard on her gum. I looked at her in a nasty way. How could she possibly wear those shoes, those clothes? Seriously, did she even know that she looked that whorey? I would never dare wear clothes like that!

"So, uh, how are you holding up?" I was dreading that question. I didn't want to hear it, or think about it.

"Can we not do this dad? I'm really not in the mood to talk about it." I said in a low voice.

I tried to get my mind off the subject and think happy thoughts. That failed when I remembered that I would have to go to school on Monday. Maybe I could convince dad that I'm in no mood or condition to go to school for a while. There was roughly a month left of school anyway. Maybe I could just skip it. I've got mostly A's. I can afford to miss a couple of weeks.

"Hey dad?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he stared into my eyes for a while. But it didn't feel like he was really looking at me. It felt like he was looking straight through me.

"Can I skip school? I really don't feel like going. Besides there's only a month left of it and....."

"It's ok honey. I understand if you don't want to go." He cut me off.

I exhaled. I was glad he was gunna let me skip. I nodded.

We ate in silence for a while until some hoods tried to get a fight going with a couple of penguin look-a-like socs.

"You wanna get it on bitch? Let's go right here, right now." One of the greasers yelled.

"I really don't appreciate these young men just coming in here and breaking our peace." Dad mumbled. "They ain't got nothing better to do except to fight. Why not get an education, learn something. But no, these good for nothing hoods will never be worthy enough for anything, if they keep up that attitude."

I stared in my cup of coffee. I had already burned my tongue three times, so I was waiting for it to cool until I took another sip.

"You know dad, most of them do go to school. It's just their rep you know, is what keeps them in trouble. They have to be tough and cool, but that doesn't mean they aren't worthy of anything." I said quietly.

"Huh?" was my dad's reply. He wasn't paying attention. He never did. I didn't feel like repeating myself every time I spoke up.

"Never mind."

After our not so quiet breakfast at the dingo, we returned to the hotel.

I took out my journal that my mom had given me two years ago for my birthday. I had never written anything in it. I decided maybe it was time I started to.

Dear Diary,

I dunno what it is that irritates me so much about dad. He's just so, uncaring. He never listens to me, and never approves of the things I do. It's not like they're bad things. Because I've never really done anything bad. I have always been a good girl. Now that mommy's gone, life will be hard with daddy. For all I know, he might start hitting me, or abusing me. I'm not saying that he scares me, but he has this anger thing, that he can't control, and sometimes it gets out of hand. He's come really close to hitting me before but mom always stood in the way, and he would just break something instead. But now that she's dead, there's nothing stopping him from hitting me. I just hope that's all he does. I don't really know how to spend my time in this cubicle of a hotel room. I am so bored. Dad has forbidden me to go outside without him, even though sometimes I really feel like escaping from him and just being on my own. We had a talk just a while ago. He told me that I am never allowed to hang out with the kind of hoods that were at the dingo today. Hard to the core, greasers. Well who am I suppose to hang out with then? I have got nothing to do. Maybe I will run into Ponyboy and his brothers again. They were oh so nice to me. Anyways, I think dad's back from the store. I better go help him carry the bags inside.

Tara

I closed the journal, put it in my backpack, and then helped daddy with the bags. Good, I sighed, he had gotten my tampons. It was kinda hard to tell him to buy such a thing at first, but he had nodded, and got them. I took them to my backpack, and put them under my clothes. Then I helped dad with the rest of the groceries.

Well it's been 6 days since we've moved to our new house but it feels more like 15. Even though I can't believe it was only 5 days ago, I was sitting on the couch with my mom, eating cookie dough ice cream, discussing our summer plans; time has passed by so slowly. I almost died of boredom, but I don't even know if that's possible. I hope I don't starve to death. I haven't been hungry at all so I haven't eaten much in the last couple of days. All I did was to sleep and watch tv. Dad hasn't been going to work; he took off some time so we could settle in our new place. I was actually kinda happy that we moved here. We're only a couple blocks away from the Curtis'. Dad arranged for my mom's sister's daughter to come for a visit to improve my mood. According to my dad, we used to get along real good when we were younger. I don't even really remember her. All I remember is that she has blond hair and blue eyes. Just like my mom and her sister. I have got red hair and green eyes, like my dad.

I got up and walked over to my back pack, which now sat in the corner of my bare room, and took out my diary. I hadn't written in it for 5 days now.

Dear Diary,

I am bored as hell. There's nothing to do. I haven't seen Ponyboy or his brothers for over a week. I just can't stop thinking about them. I wonder if they're still wondering whatever in the world happened to me. Daddy's being really annoying. He keeps on asking me how I'm doing, and every time I say I'm fine, when really I'm hurting so bad that I want to punch someone in the face. I can't help it, I miss mom. Anyways, I don't really feel like writing right now. I must obey my father and go do the dishes.

Tara

Al right well it's taken me long enough to write these not so long 5 pages. I'm kinda in a hard place right now. I just needed to get them settled in their new house, and stuff. And in the next chapter, the gang will reappear. ENJOY! oh and please review. ;)

Tara