Chapter Six:


School the next day was even worse.

By then everyone had heard about Bob Sheldon's murder, and it was all anyone was talking about. Sitting in class, I could hear the whispers all around me, could feel the eyes watching me. I tried to ignore it, tried not to let it get to me, and even took it out on my pencils when I couldn't help it.

By the end of my morning classes I had broken all of them.

When the bell rang, I grabbed my books off of the desk and hurried out of the classroom. As I slipped out the door my teacher glanced in my direction and I saw a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. She's a nice lady, Mrs. Graham, the kind who's real good about not judging you by your social standing. Darry had her when he was still in high school.

But if there's one thing I can't stand, it's pity, and so I clenched my teeth and kept my eyes straight ahead as I made my way through the halls as quickly as I could, pretending not to notice how everyone turned to look at me as I walked past.

Pushing open the double doors that led to the parking lot, I stepped out into the bright sunlight, its warmth washing over me. I was so relieved to be out of that building and way from the crowd of nosy students that I didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind me until it was too late.

"Well, well... look what we have here, boys."

I stopped, my arm tightening around my books, holding them against my chest. I scanned the parking lot, hoping to catch the gaze of one of the greasers who were hanging around by their cars, but no one had noticed my predicament yet, and I wasn't about to show weakness by calling for help.

I fight my own battles, even if that means I don't win. Darry is always ragging on me for that, saying my damn pride is going to get me killed one day.

He's probably right.

I turned around to see three Socs standing behind me, all dressed in khakis and button up shirts. "What do ya want?" I demanded, careful to keep my voice indifferent.

"I want a lot of things, honey," one of them, a good-looking jock by the name of Eddie, said with a smirk. "A new Mustang, to win the lottery, a six pack of beer, to pound a few greasers into the ground..."

"What do ya want with me?" I clarified calmly, resisting the temptation to make a snide comment.

"Your brother killed our friend," one of his companions growled.

"Then maybe your friend shouldn't have tried to drown my brother," I retorted, my eyes flashing.

"Watch your mouth, girl!"

"Only if you watch yours, creep," I snapped.

"She's a feisty one, isn't she, boys?" Eddie said, his lips curling up into a hungry sort of grin as his eyes raked me over. I clenched my teeth, my fingers twitching to just deck him in the face. "Maybe we ought to put her in her place, don't you think so, Greg?"

Put me in my place? My lip twitched at that. Nobody puts me in my place.

Greg grabbed for me, but I stepped aside quickly, easily avoiding his hands. "Don't touch me," I warned, my tone cool and low, an unspoken threat of what would happen if he did. He was bigger than me, about Dally's build, but I figured I could handle him well enough.

It was his buddies I wasn't so sure of.

"Oh, look at the tough chick," Greg snickered, and when I stepped away from his next lunge, I found Eddie's hand wrapping around my arm. He whirled me about to face him, causing my books to fall to the ground.

"Get your hands off me!" I demanded sharply.

Eddie grinned coldly. "Or you'll do what, baby? Cry?"

He'd asked for it. Lord, Darry was going to skin me, but he'd asked for it. I drew back my fist and slammed it into his pretty-boy nose as hard as I could, and sent him reeling backwards, clutching his face.

"Jesus!" he cursed, his voice sounding nasally, and I had the satisfaction of seeing blood trickling our between his fingers. "She broke my damn nose!"

Greg and his buddy moved towards me, and I spread my feet apart a little, giving myself better balance for the fight that I knew was coming. I'd taken a lot of gymnastics classes when I was younger, that's what gave me such skill on the high dive, and it was beneficial in a fight.

"You're going to regret that, bitch," Greg snarled.

"Now, now," a familiar voice called coolly, and I turned my head to see Steve approaching, his jaw tight and that dangerous look in his eyes. Flanking him were three more of our kind, all with unopened blades in their hands. "There's no need for name callin'."

"Stay out of this grease," the third Soc barked. "Mind your own business!"

"This is my business," Steve retorted coldly, coming to a halt at my side. He glanced down at me for a moment, his brows furrowed as if he was worried, then he looked back at the Socs and scowled. "There's four of us, and three of you," he observed.

"Five," I corrected.

Steve didn't show any reaction, except to correct himself. "Five."

"Like the girl here could do much damage," Greg snorted.

"She broke his nose didn't she?" Steve shot back, nodding at Eddie. "Now ya'll best beat it before we do a lot worse."

Greg and the other Soc eyed the boys nervously, as if trying to decide if they could take them, but they backed off, helping Eddie to his feet. As he staggered off, he shot me a dark glare over his shoulder that I knew meant he wasn't likely to forget this.

I watched them go until they disappeared back into the school, then whirled to glare at Steve. "I could have handled it myself!" I snapped.

Steve's eyes narrowed. "From where I was standin', it sure didn't look like it."

"Your eyesight must be goin', then," I remarked sarcastically as I bent to gather my books. I glanced over at the other boys and flashed a small, but grateful smile. "Thank y'all for helpin' out. I appreciate it."

And I did. I could have taken care of things on my own, but it was sort of comforting knowing that our kind was watching my back, you know?

"How come they get thanked and I get yelled at?" Steve demanded as he led the way back towards his car, where Two-Bit was waiting, flirting with some blonde. I rolled my eyes as we approached, not at all surprised.

"Because I didn't ask for your help," I answered shortly. "That's why."

Two-Bit looked up and grinned at me. "Hey, there, Lizzie-girl. Those apes givin' you a hard time?"

"Nothin' I can't handle," I replied, giving Steve a pointed look out of the corner of my eye. He rolled his eyes in exasperation as he opened the driver's door. I took advantage of Two-Bit's distraction and snagged the front seat.

"Two-Bit, quit your flirtin' and get in the damn car," Steve demanded in annoyance.

Two-Bit complied, giving me a mock glare as he climbed into the back. We drove over to the little neighborhood grocery store that the greasers favored. It was the usual lunchtime hangout for our kind, and Steve parked his car off to the side while Two-Bit headed on inside to grab some Cokes.

I was going to follow but Steve asked me to wait a minute.

"What?" I asked, leaning back into my seat.

"I just wanted to be sure that you're alright," he said, his brows furrowing again. "They didn't hurt ya or nothin', did they?"

I was tempted to ask why he cared, but I didn't. "No," I replied, shaking my head. "They didn't hurt me. They just mouthed off a bit until I decked that guy, and then by the time they made any move against me, ya'll were there to break it up."

"Good," Steve said, nodding, and for a long moment the only noise in the car was the tapping of his fingers on the steering wheel. It was annoying, and I was likely to reach over and break his fingers if he didn't stop soon, but luckily for him, he did. "How are ya holdin' up?" he asked quietly, and I knew he wasn't talking about the Socs anymore.

"I'm okay," I answered with a shrug. "Just a bit stressed out, that's all."

"About Ponyboy?"

I nodded. "I'm worried about him."

"He's a tough kid. He'll be okay."

"He better be," I muttered. "Or I'm gonna skin him good."

Steve chuckled, and I looked up at him, surprised to notice that he had a rather nice laugh. He had rather nice looks, as well, now that I studied him closely. He was tall and wiry, like Soda, with dark hair and dark eyes that flattered his chiseled features.

"You're a pretty tuff kid, you know, that?" he said, flashing me a lopsided grin.

"I ain't a kid," I replied.

"No," Steve agreed, giving me a strange look. "No, ya sure ain't."

There was something in his eyes that I'd never noticed before, something fiery and intense, and it made me want to look away, but I couldn't seem to tear my gaze from his. My heart was suddenly pounding and my mouth was dry, and I had absolutely no idea why.

And then Steve's hand was coming up to touch my cheek, brushing a stray strand of dark golden hair away from my face, and my whole body felt tight, like I was being stretched in every direction. His breath touched my lips, and the next thing I knew he was kissing me.

When we pulled apart a moment later, the surprise in his expression mirrored the my own. I blinked, parting my lips, trying to think of something to say, but my mind was all foggy and my heart was racing and I couldn't seem to find my voice.

Steve seemed to be in a similar predicament as he stared at me with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe he had just done that.

As luck would have it, Two-Bit chose that moment to emerge from the store, galloping back to the car and leaning in the window to hand us the Cokes in his hands. "That sure was one good lookin' dame in there," he announced gleefully as he climbed into the back seat and began handing out candy bars.

"I thought you were seein' Kathy this week," Steve mumbled.

And I thought you were seein' Evie, I thought darkly, taking a bite out of my chocolate. I'm as much of a chocolate addict as my brothers, but at the moment that candy tasted bitter in my mouth.

"A guy can look, can't he?" Two-Bit retorted with a grin. "Besides, it ain't like Kathy and I are married."

Steve grunted in reply as he started up the car, and I kept my eyes focused out the window for the drive back to school, the car filled with a tense silence that was only broken by Two-Bit's endless chattering.