My heart was instantly pounding fast in my throat as I glanced around for an exit. The only option was the fire escape. I saw brief terror on Curly's face before he disguised it with a twisted grin.

He got up and looked through the peephole, then made a strangled sounding laugh and looked back at me, desperate relief in his eyes.

"Shit it's only Wade!"

I sat back down and made myself look calmreal fastas Curly opened the door and Wade came in, grinning at me.

"Thought you'd be jumping out a window already!"

"Lucky for you I wasn't shooting already arsehole."

Me and Wade grew up together, right next door to each other. It was his house I ran to the night my parents died, blood on my hands and crying for the only time that I can remember.

"So what happened?"

I retold the story of the fight, exaggerating only a little bit. I couldn't really be expected to cover myself in glory fighting one on four anyway. Wade could see how I came off clear enough, he was sitting right next to me. Least I managed to hospitalize one of them, more than they had done to me.

"What are you gonna do Tim?" Curly asked.

He was sitting backwards on a kitchen chair, cigarette in his mouth, looking cool and distant, like he didn't care. I knew better, but he was a tough kid and always put on a good act. Especially in front of me.

"Just lay low a few days. Once that soc is outta hospital this'll all blow over."

"I reckon" Wade agreed. "But you should find somewhere else to lay low."

"Yeah, the fuzz'll be back, I know."

We spent a couple of minutes hanging around the windows scanning for cops.

"All clear" I announced. "Lets get the fuck outta here."

Curly shot me a hesitant look.

"Come on." I punched his shoulder. "You're coming, if the fuzz catch us I'm using you as a human shield."

"Hell the cops would jump on the chance to shoot me!"

I laughed and pushed him out the door after Wade. He always waited 'till he's invited before coming out with me, like he don't know if I want him along.

I guess if I was a counselor I'd say he has a low self esteem, but since I'm his big brother I just say he has the proper amount of respect.

"It's pretty crazy round town" Wade said as we set off in his car.

"When ain't it?" I replied, looking out the window, interested to see what was so crazy.

Wade's car was tinted out so I didn't have to worry about no fuzz looking in the window and seeing me at least.

Usually when me and Wade were cruising the streets we'd be going real slow with the windows down, so every hood and greaser and low born thug could see me and know I was there, watching over them.

So they could feel protected, yeah I guess. 'Cause what's a hero if he don't make you feel at least a little safer?

But mostly so that they understood I knew everything that went on in the streets and in the alleys, behind fences and behind doors. I knew everyone who stepped on my turf.

To stay on top, you always gotta be one step ahead of everybody else.

Today we had all the windows up, but people were still recognizing Wade's car and yelling out, thrusting fists up.Same groups of rag tag hoods and greasers they ever were, but there was something a little different about them too.

"Everybody's waiting" Curly had said.

I understood what he meant, the guys on the street looked tense and impatient, they looked ready.There were half concealed weapons on show, baseball bats, pipes, chains, wheel braces.

"Hey Sam!" I heard Curlycall from the back seat.

I turned to see himleaning out hiswindow waving out to all his mates.

"Fucks sake Curly!"

I reached back and belted him round the ear.

"You gonna wave out to the fuzz too huh? You stupid damn kid."

He slumped back in his seat and wound the window up.

"It was only my friends Tim" he muttered, giving me an angry stare, his eyes as dark as his grease slicked hair.

"I don't care. You think if the fuzz see you in the car they ain't gonna put two an' two together huh?"

Curly dropped his gaze and shrugged roughly.

The kid just wasn't like me, he couldn't think ahead. It wasn't his fault.

"Just be cool, okay?"

"Yeah."

I turned back to the front, feeling the hard knot of guilt in my chest. The only person who can make me lose my temper that fast is Curly, which is pretty weird considering he's the only person I really give a fuck about.

"Tim, what about them pounds?" Wade said. "If the fuzz are looking for you they're gonna be keeping an eye on me too."

"Yeah…" I trailed off, considering.

There was serious money to be made here, and serious jail time to be done if we were busted.

I figured at this time our best option was to move it as fast as we could onto one or two buyers, take a bit of a cut in profit but at least the whole thing could be done and dusted in a day.

"I reckon the Vipers would take the lot" I told Wade.

"That biker gang?" Curly asked.

I felt kind of bad talking about this in front of him, even though I guess it ain't nothing he don't know already. It's the life he was born to.

"Yeah them, even though it ain't nothing to do with you" I said.

"Less money." Wade pointed out the obvious.

"And if we get busted we lose the fucking lot."

"Yeah, I know. Do whatever you think is cool."

Like I needed his goddamn permission.

Even though Wade is probably the only real friend I have, I know he never forgets the fact that if I was gone he'd be number one tough guy in these parts.

If I did get busted, I couldn't count on Curly to step up and hold my place. If you're gonna lead people, you gotta be able to take them some place they wanna go.

"Lunchtime" Wade announced, swinging into Dairy Queen.

Twenty minutes later we were done with lunch and back on the street.

"We gonna do the pick up tomorrow." I got back to the business at hand.

"Yeah, we can borrow Buck's ride."

"Not that fucking T-Bird?"

"Nah, his brothers Chevy truck."

That sounded good, something that wasn't ours and wouldn't stand out. The whole thing bugged me though, I almost wished we weren't doing it.

I turned again in my seat to look back at Curly. He was smoking and gazing out the window, his face blank and unreadable.

I caught his eye and he gave me a little smile.

"Don't you go getting no ideas" I told him.

He looked at me, confused.

"I better not hear you been going around telling your fucking buddies you can get 'em dope, got it?"

"What'd I do that for anyhow Tim?" he retorted sharply.

I guess I'd offended him or something, 'cause he don't normally get snappy with me.

He'd slit his throat before he'd betray me, I know that. It's just that he don't always think before he speaks. Actually I reckon he don't ever think before he speaks.

"Where to?" Wade asked, turning to look at me.

I glanced at the time, only 1pm. This hiding from the fuzz was getting old fast, I couldn't go to any of my usual hangouts, including my own house, 'cause those are the places they'd come looking for me.

If Robert Casey was a greaser, the warrant would have been thrown in the bottom draw already. But he was a soc, and I had no doubt his parents had deep enough pockets to keep the cops on my back.

We killed the afternoon over at Buck's playing pool and having a few beers. There was only one entrance to the building and we had a clear view of the street, so I had time to boot it upstairs and down the fire escape it needs be.

I guess I had a few too many drinks for a concussion, because by late afternoon I was using the bar to prop myself up.

"Tim, it's that soc again."

Curly came and leant next to me and nodded his head at the TV above the bar, where Robert Casey's school photo filled the screen.

"Buck, turn the TV up" Curly ordered.

Buck flipped the jukebox off and a second later the TV blared into the silent bar.

Now it was a cop who filled the screen.

"…best for you if you turn yourself in, we know who you are and you will be caught."

The cop's larger than life face stared down at me, his eyes holding mine. Curly smirked beside me and elbowed me in the ribs.

"You will be caught Tim" he hissed, trying to imitate the cops voice.

The cops face disappeared abruptly and a reporter took his place.

"Thank you Officer Banks. As you have just heard, Robert Casey died this afternoon in intensive care at Tulsa Hospital."

A/N: Thanks everyone who has reviewed!

A few replies…

Foxfyre33 – Thanks for the detailed review, it is really great to hear what people are enjoying in the story and what they think is working. I am trying to go into a bit of depth on Tim as I always thought he was the most interesting character in the book! And thanks for the tip on reviews.

MamaCes – Thanks for reviewing! To answer you question about Angela Sheppard, I am writing Tim and Curly as they appeared in the Outsiders, and she didn't show up in that story, so is not in mine. I guess not everyone will agree, but hopefully no one will mind too much :) I find the story easier to write without her, hopefully you will see why later on. I am from New Zealand (the small country at the bottom of the world) so hope I am not making too many mistakes with the American slang, culture, way of life etc. Feel free to correct me if I do!

Starbryte234 – I guess this chapter answers your question about Tim hitting Curly! Sorry I forgot to mention their ages, this is meant to take place straight after the book finished, so as in the book Tim is 18 and Curly is 15.