"Your position paper on the Russian Revolution is due next Monday, girls," Dr. Hawkinson reminded his Eastern European History class. I sighed, glad the day had finally come to an end as I gathered my books and joined the other girls in a frantic rush to the front door. The week was officially ended at Tulsa Academy of the Sacred Heart for Girls, and we were ready to let it all hang out.

My name is Isabelle Sophie Bouillon, and I'm fourteen years old, in the ninth grade. I have long blond hair and I'm tall and skinny but not the nice skinny. I'm the kind of skinny where you have knobby knees and you can see your pelvic bone sticking out of your body. A lot of girls at school think that I don't eat, but I do. I actually eat a lot more than they do. It was a cold winter afternoon and I was itching to get out of my scratchy uniform. But no, I had to catch two different buses to get home. Unlike most of the girls at school, I lived on the east side of town, notoriously known for being the poor section with all the greasers. I try not to consider myself a grease but I know that everyone thinks of me as one. But I'm probably the only girl in the neighborhood who has their skirt a decent length and can hold a conversation without swearing, well maybe me and Sandy Linkman, Soda Curtis's girlfriend. I live with my Papa, next door to the Curtis's. Their parents just died so Darry, the eldest, takes care of Soda and Pony. Soda's seventeen and Pony's fourteen, like me. I speak fluent French because my dad is from France and I grew up there. I moved to Tulsa 4 years ago. My mama died when we were in France and papa has never gotten over it. He comes home from work as a baker later than when I get home from school, which is late. Sometimes he doesn't come home until midnight. Either way, his best friend is his bottle of Smirnoff.

I stuck my sweatpants on under my skirt and turned the corner to catch the East side bus. It was going to be a long and dangerous ride home. I always managed to run into hoods or really mean rich kids looking for a good time. I pulled my hair out of its bun as I got on the bus and closed my eyes, as I was happy that tomorrow was Friday. We had a school holiday tomorrow, so I was glad I could sleep in. I stared out the window. In France, we didn't have socials or greasers. Everyone was the same. I really missed France and didn't have any friends in Tulsa, to tell you the truth. I had just mastered English but I didn't speak for the life of me. I watched outside the window as it began to rain a little bit. Great, I thought, I was going to have to complete my journey home walking two miles in the rain. I looked at my watch. It was almost 5:45. Most girls at school would be done with their homework, I thought tiredly.

I got off the bus. It was freezing and raining. I was getting really wet and very cold. If I didn't get home fast I was going to get really sick. I began to pick up my pace when I was caught off guard. "Oh look boys, a little greaser girl trying to get home. Well sweetie we're going to give you a good time." Oh no. I kicked the guy only to be held down while they tried to remove my clothes. I screamed for help, but when I was kicked in the head I fell into unconsciousness.

The next thing I knew I was lying on a soft bed. I could smell how clean the sheets were. I'm in heaven, I thought. I've finally reached the Christendom to see mama. "Hey, she's stirring a little bit, Darry," I heard a familiar voice shout.

"Shut up Pony she may still be sleeping!" It must be the Curtis's, I thought. I began to open my eyes and woke up to the Curtis brothers all staring down at me. Oh my God, they're so cute, I thought. I began to get really nervous because I knew I wouldn't be able to talk to them with understandable English. Whenever I get nervous I always speak French.

"Hey," Soda gently. "Are you ok?" Oh my god I was going to freak.

"Soda back away from her. I think she's getting nervous." Darry said. "Besides you know her. She can hardly speak English." He pointed to a mirror. I looked from him to the mirror. I became lightheaded and almost fainted at what I saw. I had a huge black eye and I was cut up everywhere. Darry must have found me while those guys were beating me up and took me to his house. Well, I started freaking out at my appearance and screaming obsentities in French while Pony and Soda kept on stroking my hair and going "Shh, shhh,". I don't know why I was going so crazy. Maybe it's because I had been in such a state of shock. I just kept on screaming.

SODA'S POV

Wow Izzy could not stop screaming. I mean sure how else con you communicate when you barely speak the language. We needed something to calm her down and really fast. I was gonna get a beer but I know her dad is a heavy drinker and she would freak. I was gonna ask Pony when I thought of something. "Hey Darry do we still have that pacifier from when Aunt Lisa was here with her baby?"

"Yeah," Darry said surprised. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, what word is rooted in pacifier? Pacify, right? Well maybe if we give it to her it will calm her down." Ponyboy was nodding in agreement.

"Well yeah that could work," Darry said as he tried to hold Izzy down. For being so bony she sure had a lot of fight in her. "Just get it." I ran to the kitchen washed it off and handed it to Darry. He put it in her mouth and she gradually began to quiet down.

"Man it's actually working." Pony looked surprised.

"Yes Pony it does. We used it on you when you got sick," I laughed, only to get a glare from Ponyboy.

"Well she's drifting off to sleep, so put her back into bed," Darry said. "It's almost 9:30. Her dad should be home soon. I'll go over and get him when I see the light on." He pulled a blanket over her and turned on a nightlight that they used for Pony and his nightmares. They walked out of the room and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Ponyboy, do you know anything about her?" Darry asked, concerned.

"Well, not really. She doesn't go to the big high school. She's really quiet too, like Johnny was." They all winced at that. Johnny had died just three months ago.

"I see her come out of school," Soda piped up. "She goes to that fancy all-girl's school downtown near the DX. Steve and I are amazed that she can afford to go there."

"Well then she has a dangerous ride home," Darry concluded. "Her dad owns that really good bakery and he doesn't get home until really late. We should keep an eye on her," He concluded. Just then he heard a yell from next door. It was Izzy's father. "Come on Soda, lets wake her up. Pony it's bedtime for you."

"Aw Darry…."

"No Pony ten is bedtime. No if and buts about it." Darry was strict with Pony about stuff like that.

I was awoken by Darry only to see my papa hug me in relief. I began to cry as I spoke with him in French about how scared I was. He held me tight with his floury hands and carried me back to our house. What a day. If not for the Curtis brothers, I'd be dead.