Squee! I feel loved! Lol. Here goes the next chappie, and for all u fluff luvas, there will be some soon, just not yet…I can do that since I am the writer! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH! Lol

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I sat in my room for a while, unpacking what little there was left in the boxes.  I went through the day several times in my head, but I couldn't figure out why Dally and the guys took off like that. They seemed likeable enough, but as soon as I mentioned living on the west side, they all got cold and left. I knew I needed to do some…well research I guess you would call it. I was almost glad the next day was school. Maybe some new opinions would shed some light on the problem the guys had with the Socs.

I was jolted back to reality by my older brother banging on my door. He was 21 and thought he ruled the house…he also thought that I had never had a smoke or been drunk before.  I guess that shows how much he knows then doesn't it. "What the hell do you want Nick?" I called, not bothering to stop my work.

"Mom said dinner's ready and to get your ass down there," he replied in his best man-of-the-house voice.

"I'm sure those were her exact words," I muttered, shaking my head.

Mom and Nick were already seated in the kitchen when I arrived.  I  felt bad for her. She had done her best to keep the family together after dad decided we weren't good enough for him. He found some whory looking blonde in California when he was on a business trip. He came home, packed, and left again.  I was 13, Nick was 17.  Luckily mom had a good enough job to keep us afloat until Nick and I got jobs so we could buy our own clothes and shit.

His departure left me more devastated than I will EVER admit to anyone. I found my comfort in drinking and smoking and hanging out with the 'wrong crowd' as mom called them. Nick found it in nearly killing himself in training for his precious sports, and mom disappeared into work. I was able to hide behind a good-girl act until my grades started slipping and then I got arrested. It popped mom's bubble of having the perfect daughter.  I was maybe 14 almost 15 when I was arrested, got out two years later and am now 17.

Now, because of my mistake, mom made us all eat dinner together every night and I am required to talk to Nick in a civilized way at the dinner table. Man it blows. I eat as slowly as I can, and keep as much food in my mouth as I can.  That way I can avoid most of the conversation.

Dinner was over an hour later. I made it through one more night.  I finished the night off in my room.  I had planned to go out again, but I finally came across my books and found an old favorite, The Odyssey by Homer.  It was an old book, but it was good. Perhaps it is because I love Greek mythology…

I fell asleep with the book on my stomach I guess, because that's where it was this morning when I got up for school.

It only took me a half an hour to get ready.  I felt very confident as I walked to school that day (the school was close enough that I didn't need Nick or mom to drive me).  I had pulled on my shortest black skirt (which isn't very short since mom is very protective), and a pink shirt that was low cut.  When I finally made it to school I ducked into the bathroom to put on makeup and my leather boots. Mom didn't know I had these and didn't need to know either.

I slept through most my classes, bored out of my mind. I saw a few of Dally's gang in the hallway, but they didn't acknowledge me.

Lunch finally crept up in my day, and I was very surprised when I heard a voice calling my name.  "Laney! Hey Laney!"

I looked around the crowded lunchroom only to find Ponyboy Curtis waving me over. "So…" I drawled, "Seems like I am not invisible after all!" I said when I reached his table.

"The guys like you, they really do," he said, pushing out the chair in front of him with a foot.

"Now it all makes sense! You guys give the cold shoulder to the people you like, right? Wow it sure is different here." I almost spit out.

"Naw, Dally is just a bit close-minded about people who live on the west side." Pony explained.

"Why?" I asked, taking the seat her offered me.

"Long story…" He said.

"I got time. It's not like I actually WANT to go to class anyway, so missing it is no big deal…" I said, kicking my legs up on the table to show I was staying.

He explained Dally's affection for Johnny Cade and what had happened to the poor kid.  I knew the blonde soc he was talking about too.  He had made several passes at me. He was truly disgusting.

"Well that makes a little more sense…" I said.

It was all very clear now. This was all a gang war of sorts.  The greasers had their turf, the socs had theirs. I had just ended up on the wrong end of the dividing line and apparently that wasn't acceptable in Dally's eyes. Whatever…

"Hey look, come over to my place after school. We can work this all out," he said, moving in closer. "The guys never could resist a hot chick…" HE said and got up and left the table.

I couldn't stop laughing for the next few minutes. "Nice job kid…nice job!" I called after Pony.

The end of the day didn't come fast enough.  The Socs were obnoxious enough to make anyone puke.  Seems, like the rats that they are, they swam to fresh meat…or anything with breasts and a nice ass. They also were very sexist. Since I'm a girl, I can't do anything, right? Just ask the kid I sent down to the nurse's office with a voice a few octaves too high and a nice black eye…heh…so much for a typical female!

Pony met me at my locker after the final bell rang, then we went to find Johnny, and we headed back to his house.  They were both rather normal kids, and actually nice. It took a while for Johnny to open up to me, but he never shut up after he did. Man oh man…I learned more about this place than I ever needed to know and more about all of the gang than Dally had told me.  We shared stories, and I heard different aspects of stories that Dally told me…and all the parts he left out. It was some fun…but it all ended too soon when I got to the Curtis'…

"Pony, what the hell do you think you are doing?!" I heard Dally yell from the kitchen.  I was lucky enough to have dodged into the bathroom before the fireworks went off.

"I had a friend come over after school!"

"Pony, she's a soc…" I heard the gruff voice of Darry say.

"She is a friend, and I don't give a damn!"

"Watch your language!" Darry yelled.

"You and soda have all the people you WANT over to this house, but I can't? What is that?!"

I didn't want to cause problems so I flushed the toilet, even though I hadn't gone, and stepped out. "Listen, I know when I'm not wanted…"

"No--" Pony started to say, but I cut him off, "Don't worry 'bout it Pony. These guys have their head so far up their asses they won't hear a damn word you have to say." I said, glaring at them

"Hey! I don't think my head can reach my ass…" Two-bit said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Now wait a second!" Dally said, his stormy blue eyes boring into me, but I met his gaze coolly. "Just because--"

"I don't want to hear your excuses! You are just as bad as the damn Socs! No better!" I half yelled. I would have laughed at their stricken faces if I hadn't been so pissed off. "Go make your goddamn assumptions about me. Sonsofbitches…" I said and shoved my way out of the house and let the screen door slam.

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Well well well…seems like things are heating up! Lol, please R&R!