TallemeraRane- Lizzie is 16, Pony is 14. The part where I refered to Lizzie as 14 was past-tense, and Pony's age was a mistake.

Vampire-Slaying-Greaser-Gal- there will definately be some romance in the future, that is for certain.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I hope you all continue to read and enjoy this story as it progresses
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Chapter Two:

Emma and I got off work about an hour before the game, and Tessa was waiting on us in the diner parking lot, so we walked to the stadium together. Darry doesn't like it when we walk alone, just us girls, because we're easy targets for the Socs to harass, and sometimes even our own kind will get a little mouthy with us, but I wasn't worried. All three of us could take care of ourselves, and hold our own in a fight.

And if it got bad enough, I always carried a blade. Dallas had given me the one I kept hidden in my jacket, insisting that it wasn't safe for me to go around without one. I'd never had to use it, and I hoped I never would, but I carried it anyway, just in case.

When we got to the stadium, I got a large popcorn to share with the girls and a Pepsi with the money Darry had given me, and lent Tessa some of my own money so that she could get herself a drink, too. We found seats at the top of the stands, where we always liked to sit, and settled down to wait for the game to start.

Curly and some of his buddies had been hanging out under the bleachers, smoking cigarettes, but they came up to join us as the game began. Billy Janson and Mike Crammer both go to school with us, though they show up about as often as Curly does. Billy has brown hair that he keeps combed back tight against his skull, held in place with a surplus of hair grease, and sharp blue eyes. He's kind of on the quiet side, real moody like, but he digs okay. Mikey's a loudmouthed kid with bleached blond hair and eyes as black as coal. He can be sort of callous at times, but Tessa's got a thing for him, so I didn't mind having him around.

"Heard your brother got jumped," Curly commented, leaning against the back of the bleachers. "He okay?"

"Yeah," I replied, pulling my jacket a little closer unconsciously at the thought of what had happened to Pony. "He's okay. They just shook him up a little, that's all. He's got a tuff looking bruise, and cut that might scar a bit, but other than that he's okay."

"Good to hear," Curly replied, inhaling another drag off his cigarette. "Them Socs are askin' for trouble. One of these days they're gonna get the stompin' they deserve."

"Wouldn't surprise me," I responded, taking a sip of my drink. "Tension's been mountin' lately. It's gotta blow apart sooner or later."

"I'm hopin' for later," Emma said, reaching across my lap to snag a handful of popcorn. "Things are bad enough without all-out turf wars breakin' out."

"Don't worry your pretty head, doll," Curly said nonchalantly. "If the Socs want trouble, we'll give 'em trouble. And they'll regret ever messin' with us Greasers."

"Don't call me that," Emma scowled. "I'm not a doll."

She was, though, she just couldn't see it. Her what blond curls fell softly on her shoulders, and her green eyes were full of fire and determination. She was about five-foot-six, the same height as me, with a willowy form that a lot of girls envied. She had dimples, two of them both perfectly adorable when she smiled, and she had faint traces of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She was a doll, whether she thought so or not.

"Whatever you say, Emma," Curly retorted, knowing by now not to argue with her. "Mikey, pass me those cigarettes, would you?"

Mikey was too wrapped up in flirting with Tessa to hear him, so Curly sighed, and reached over to yanked the carton out of his jacket. Mikey barely even noticed.

"He's dead to the world," Curly muttered.

"He's not the only one," Emma pointed out, and I followed her gaze back to Tessa, who was smiling broadly, laughing at something Mikey was saying. "If Tes smiles any more, her face might fall off."

I smacked her playfully. "Don't say things like that," I scolded, but couldn't help smiling. Tessa was a pretty girl, with straight black hair and dark green eyes, but she didn't pursue boys very often. Her father had left when she was little, and her older brothers had both been in prison since she was eleven, so she didn't have much practice in dealing with the opposite sex. Emma had given her some pointers, though, and apparently that had boosted Tessa's confidence.

Billy said something to Curly, who leaned forward to peer over the heads of the people in front of us. Emma tapped me on the shoulder, her lips curved into a smirk. "Don't look now," she said. "But here comes your dreamy brother."

I rolled my eyes, used to Emma drooling over Soda. She used to have a crush on him when we were younger, but she grew out of it. She insists that now she just has a healthy appreciation for his good looks.

I glanced down towards the bottom of the stands, and, sure enough, there was Soda, starting to climb the steps with Sandy on his arm. Steve and Evie were just behind them, engaged in conversation, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. What he could possibly have to talk about with her? It wasn't like Evie knew anything about cars or drag races or rodeos. What was there for them to talk about? Who uses what brand of hair dye? The latest gossip around school?

"Duck down," I hissed, tugging on her arm. I wasn't at all in the mood to have they join us. "Maybe they won't see us."

"Hey, Sodapop!" Emma called, making a point of standing to get his attention even as I pulled her back down. It was too late, though, Soda had seen us, and was now headed in our direction, a grin on his face.

"I'm gonna kill ya for this later," I growled at Emma, but she didn't even bat an eye at the threat, and I couldn't say anything else as Soda dropped down beside me, draping an arm over my shoulder.

"Hey, there, li'l sister," he drawled, helping himself to some of my popcorn. "Fancy meetin' you here."

"Quit that," I scolded, swatting his hand away from the bag in annoyance. "Go get your own popcorn, Soda."

"That's okay," Soda said cheerfully, popping another handful into his mouth. "I'd rather eat yours."

I scowled, so he plastered a sloppy kiss on my cheek, making me scowl even more as I rubbed furiously with the sleeve of my shirt. "Quit it, Soda. What do you wanna bother me for anyway? Aren't you on a date or somethin'?" I looked pointedly past him where Sandy stood beside Evie and Steve. "Evenin', Sandy," I said politely, smiling at her. She and Soda had been going together for a long time now, and I liked her, so I figured the least I could do was be nice to her, even if I wasn't in the best of moods anymore.

"Hi, Lizzie," she replied, smiling back. "Enjoyin' the game?"

"I reckon," I nodded. "How about you?"

"It's been alright so far," Sandy answered, her china blue eyes darting to Soda, giving me the impression that she'd been paying more attention to him than the game. She nodded past me at Emma and Tessa, who I knew had a few classes with her at school. "Hi there, girls. Havin' fun?"

"Some of us more than others," Emma replied dryly, gesturing with her cup to Tessa and Mikey, who were still off in their own little world. "Hello, Steve, Evelyn," she adressed the others.

They replied in kind, and Soda held out my popcorn to Steve, allowing him to take some. I sighed, realizing that they weren't going to go away. Evie greeted me, and by some miracle I managed to say hello back without gritting my teeth. I don't know why I dislike her so much, there's just something about her that rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's all the hairspray she uses to hold her dark curls in place, or maybe it's the overdose of make-up and the incessant snapping of bubble gum. For whatever reason, I just don't like her.

Now Sandy is a different story. Her golden locks are natural, and she doesn't wear that much make-up. She's got a gentle laugh, real kind, you know? Had she come from a better home, she'd have made a good Soc, I suppose. She's a nice girl, which is more than I can say for Evelyn Parker.

Steve reached for more popcorn, and I slapped his wrist, harder than I'd swatted Soda, and harder than I'd meant to. "Glory," he muttered, rubbing his skin as he glared at me. "What's with you, Lizzie?"

"Maybe I just wanted to go one night without havin' the likes of you hangin' around," I snapped. "Did ya ever think of that?"

"Oh?" Steve retorted, his eyes flashing. "Then maybe you should have changed your plans when ya heard we were comin' to the game, huh?"

"Maybe I should have," I replied hotly.

"Awww, be quiet, you two," Soda said, not bothered by our usual arguing. "I'm tryin' to watch the game here."

"Shut up, Soda," we both grumbled, but we begrudgingly complied.

Soda rolled his eyes, and turned his attention back to the game.

About an hour later we were all headed out for the parking lot together, and Curly and his buddies took off, no doubt to go hunt some action, leaving us alone with Soda, Steve and the girls. Steve and I had bickered through most of the game, but without the caustic edge of our earlier encounter. I still wasn't sure why I'd lashed out at him the way I had, he'd just made me so angry all of the sudden. As for Steve, he'd made an effort not to upset me further during the game, though it was obvious he didn't know what had unnerved me so bad.

The scary thing was, neither did I.

If you asked me who won the game, I couldn't tell you. We don't really go to watch the game, just to hang out. Back when Darry was still in high school, he was the captain of the football team, so I used to be really into cheering him on, but since then I just don't find the game as interesting.

"I'm hungry," Soda complained, his arm draped around Sandy's shoulder. "Let's head over to the diner and get somethin' to eat."

I grimaced a little at the thought of eating greasy food, but thankfully no one seemed to notice except Emma and Curly, who both knew about my extra hours. "That sounds great," Steve clapped his hands together eagerly. "I'm so hungry I could eat an entire cow."

Sandy, Evie and I all made a face at that, but for entirely different reasons. "You gonna be okay?" Emma asked me quietly.

I nodded in reply, then looked up as I found Soda's hand tugging me to his side by the wrist. "Well, now, ain't this nice? I've got both my best girl and my best sister along for the evenin'."

"She's your only sister," Steve retorted.

"That's right," Soda agreed. I was trying to pull away, but he slipped his arm around my shoulder, holding me in place. "And I wouldn't trade her for the world." A sly grin crept across his face. "That is, unless you're offerin' to take her off my hands..."

Steve held up his hands in protest. "That's alright, you can keep her."

I scowled. "Thanks a lot, Steven," I hissed, putting emphasis on his full name.

"You're welcome," he replied with a smirk. "Elizabeth."

"Hey, now," Soda said, trying not to laugh. "No name callin'. You two just try to get along for the rest of the evenin', alright?"

"He started it," I protested, at the same time that Steve insisted it was my fault. I was about to comment when Emma tugged on my hand, pulling me back to walk with her and Tessa. Steve turned his attention back to Evie as she said something, and I couldn't help rolling my eyes.

We managed to all squeeze into Steve's car by some miracle, with Sandy sitting on Soda's lap and Evie squeezing into the space between Steve and Soda up front, making room for Tessa, Emma and I in the back. After a rather cramped ride to the diner, we piled out, and headed inside.

It was a busy night, and the waitresses were rushing around taking orders, so we seated ourselves. Emma, Tessa and I trailed behind the others a little as Soda led the way through the crowd, heading for a booth in the corner. They were just sitting down when a familiar voice called my name from the kitchen.

Wincing, I turned to see Mindy, one of the waitresses, hurrying towards me. "Glory, Lizzie," she cried. "I reckon it's a good thing ya showed, we're swamped. I was beginnin' to think ya weren't comin' in tonight."

Emma elbowed me lightly in the side, signaling that Soda and the others were watching, so I smiled faintly. "I'm not here to work," I told Mindy, knowing Soda would be asking questions when I got back to the table.

"Oh," Mindy frowned. Her eyes darted past me to the booth Soda had chosen, then widened slightly. "Oh," she repeated, this time with understanding. "Of course you aren't. You don't work the night shift. Lordy, I must be workin' too hard, I got myself mixed up. Sorry to take ya away from your group, honey."

"It's okay," I assured her, giving her a grateful look as I followed Emma and Tessa back towards the table. "Good luck tonight."

As soon as we sat down, Soda gave me a curious look. "What was that all about?"

"Nothin'," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "Mindy's just a little stressed. She was hopin' that I'd come in to help out. I feel kind of bad havin' to disappoint her, they really are overworked tonight. Maybe I should give them a hand..."

"Don't even think about it," Soda cut me off. "Ya don't ever spend your nights waitin' tables, no need to start now."

"Right," I said weakly, forcing a smile.

Steve was frowning at me, his brow furrowed, but I refused to meet his gaze, instead turning to Sandy and asking her how school was going for her. She smiled and said it was going just fine, but that Mr. Locke was a real slave-driver. Emma and Evie agreed with her, and soon the whole table was involved in a conversation about the crazy teachers at school, even Soda, who'd had some of them last year, before he dropped out, and had heard the rest of us complain about the others on more than one occasion.

When Mindy came to take our orders, she gave me another apologetic glance, and I smiled at her to assure her she hadn't done any harm. The boys had all ordered burgers, and Evie and Sandy both decided to get chicken fingers, but Emma, Tessa and I stuck with milkshakes. I couldn't eat anything else without being sick, and I reckon they didn't want to risk making me nauseous by eating a burger in front of me.

Sipping my chocolate shake and half-listening to the conversation around me, I found myself staring absently at Evie's hand, where Steve's class ring was on display. Class rings were given out junior year, so I wouldn't get mine till next year, but Steve was a junior, and had given his to Evie the day he got it. Because Soda dropped out, he didn't get a class ring, and so Sandy's finger was bare. I thought that was kind of unfair, that a girl like Sandy, who deserved a ring, didn't get one, and Evelyn Parker did.

I guess that saying about how life isn't fair is true, after all.

Steve glanced over at me, and I tore my gaze away from his ring, looking instead at the pictures on the wall, even though I saw them every day at work. I figured he would turn his attention back to Evie, but when I looked back in his direction he was still looking at me, an unreadable expression on his face.

If I'd looked over at Emma just then, I would have seen the smile on her lips, and the knowing look in her eyes.