"No . . ." I breathed. I suddenly felt light headed.

"What?" asked Darry gently.

"I- hey . . !" Suddenly I lost my balance off the horse, and started tilting to the side. "No . ." my body started tilting toward the ground. I tried to pull myself back up by grabbing near my legs, but lost all balance and fell.

"Danny!"

Darry grabbed my wrist, but my weight pulled me back. I felt him grab my other wrist, but it was too late. I had already fallen . . . the thing was, that he fell with me.

I hit the ground hard, landing on my back, and moreover my shoulder. Darry fell right on top of me, and though pain ached through my body, I was so bewildered. Shocked almost. I closed my eyes, and breathed hard. I thought to myself, this can't be happening. I shut my eyes hard, hoping that when I opened them, I'd be in my room and everything that had just happened would be a big nightmare.

I was almost sweating . . . from the excitement, the anger, the exhaustion. No more, I can't take it. One thing at a time, please . . .

I suddenly felt a gentle hand brushing my face. It went down my cheek, and again touching my lips. A sudden rush came through me. A feeling that I had never felt before. If I could, I would have cried. But a good cry. I bit my lip. I opened my eyes slowly. I saw his blue green eyes look into mine. They've never looked that way before. So soft, so caring. He leaned over to kiss me.

"Darry. . . ." I pushed him off and rolled off. I slid my hand in my pocket.

"That was uncalled for, Darry, leave me alone," I said backing away and finding my way to the door.

"Danny, I'm sorry, I was senseless," he moved closer to me. I was afraid, for once, and trying to quickly get away. I was not ready for anything like this to happen. He moved closer to me, and the closer he got the farther the door got. He caught up with me and started to reach for my hand.

"Darry, no . . ." I whispered. I heard a sudden shriek, and I looked up. "Emjay!" She was running away from the house, her white coat gleaming against the back round like meadows. "No!" She was galloping farther away.

I started to sprint. Right away, right past Darry. I sprinted as fast as my legs would, and it started to throb already. Emjay looked back. Thankfully, she started to slow down. I could hear Darry running behind me. I started to run faster, until I got close enough to Emjay. I touched her side, and we were both

running with the wind. I bent my knees and leaped.

I didn't quite make it up, but I was on her. I tried to pull myself up to ride her, but it hurt and she was going too fast. I just held on to her neck, and hoped everything would turn out ok. God, I hope it did.

"Come on girl. Hurry," I murmured.

Suddenly I flew off. I met the ground in a hurry, tumbling off. It happened so fast. I caught a glimpse of a rope tied around Emjay's neck. She was being pulled by Buck Merril. Damn him.

"I just don't feel too hot with either of them right now," I said to Steve, as we walked around the park. The same park where the murder took place. It brought horrible feelings, but sometimes the best place to be is where you least want to be. At least then you know that feeling isn't creeping up behind you because. . . it's already there.

"So Buck doesn't want you to see Emjay anymore?" asked Steve.

I shook my head. "He's some character. . . dammit Pony."

We stopped clear in our tracks. We stood in front of the fountain where the Socs tried to drown Pony. Steve looked at it but quickly traced his eyes back on the floor. I clenched my fists, and looked up. I bit my lip. Pony I was there with you, but why wasn't I there when you needed it? I thought angrily to myself. Whose fault is this?

"Let's go Dan," said Steve.

I nodded, and went along. We walked a couple of blocks more, and we couldn't talk about anything. It was all too devastating. I hardly had any sleep the past few days, and I didn't think the guys did either. Steve had stayed with me at my house at night because I couldn't go back to the Curtis' home. Steve didn't mind because his dad threw him out of the house. It wasn't the first time anyway.

"Do you know the news?" I asked after a while.

"Nope. Soda just said that he needed to see us because he has some important news. That's all he said."

"Keep it coming!" a voice said.

"What the hell is that?" asked Steve.

"Two Bit, you idiot!" I said running over to him.

Three Socs were ganging up on him, but Two Bit was having fun with it. He was a good fighter, but no brains. He fought them single handed, no heater or nothing. The Socs saw us approaching and only grinned. They liked it even more when they beat us up because they thought it had some sort of value. They were doing it even more because they blamed us for killing one of their people. If you ask me, I thought it was a pretty acceptable loss.

I quickly got out my chain, but before I could a Soc took a swung at me. I ducked quickly, and as I got back up I took a swing at him. I had hit him across the jaw, but it didn't seem to hurt him. Steve and Two Bit were busy fighting their own Soc, but that was fine. This Soc was mine.

I swung the chain, and across the neck it scarred him. He gave me a look, and grinned. As I was going to take another swing, he grabbed the chain, and tugged hard. I pulled up to him, and he kicked me in the stomach.

"Uhh..." I groaned, and my knees almost fell. He swung me hard across the face, and I can feel the pain all over again. His hand still gripped on my chain, but I wasn't letting go either. I heard someone else groan.

Steve was down. Lucky shot, damn you, lucky shot! I thought as I went down.

"Missed me?"

Dally and Darry came over and luckily the Socs were outnumbered. Dally, who had made that sly remark, took one slug at my Soc, and he went down. Blood trickled out of his mouth.

"Back off," I gritted. "He's mine."

Dally shrugged, and took out the heater he had been carrying since the Socs started beating people up more. He claimed it wasn't loaded and that it was just for a bluff, but I failed to believe him.

"I'm just warming him up for you," hissed Dally, and went to help Two Bit.

I got up, unsteadily at first, but I regained my strength as the Soc weakened. I took one good yank at my chain, and it caught free from his hand. As he got back up, I wrapped the chain around my knuckles. I held the chain tight.

"I'll give you a skin fight," I said, and punched him across the face. The chain left a hard scar, and more blood came out of him. I punched him again, with the same fist, making sure my chain got every inch of skin off his-

"Don't kill him," muttered Darry, as he grabbed my wrist.

"He's finished," said Two Bit, "let's go."

We ran. Ran to the Curtis because there wasn't time to get caught by the fuzz. Ran to their house because there was no where else to run. The Curtis' home was like a safe house. Soda was waiting there with a letter in his hand. He looked worried, sad, concerned.

"What's that?" asked Two Bit.

"Never mind," said Soda stuffing it in his pocket. "I have something else to tell you guys."

I unwrapped my chain from my knuckles and looked at all the blood. It was covered in blood, and rusted some parts of the chain.

"Remember Darry and I told ya'll that we were gonna get a hold of the Socs to settle these fights that's been goin' around?" asked Soda seriously. "Well we've got the deal. In two days, seven O' clock, it'll be the greasers verses the Socs in an all our war. Tim and Company are gonna rumble with us against the big shots who were friends with Bob- ya know the guy Johnny killed. It's all set."

Soda was grinning at the end of this.

"What kind of fight is it?" asked Dally.

"Skin," answered Soda, "and before I forget. We've got a spy,"

"Who?" I demanded. I ain't never heard of anyone getting a spy. Apparently this was new to me- to us. Everyone usually stuck together with their own turf. Soda gestured for the spy to come in from the hall.

"Hey, the chick!" said Two Bit.

Cherry, the red head from the drive in, approached in front of us. I looked at the boys reactions, and they seemed to be pleased. I was the only one not digging this.

"You gotta be kidding me," I whispered, rolling my eyes. I was so sick of Socs.

"Look," started Cherry. "I'm just tired of all this fighting. I know as clear as day that this was our fault. Bob's friends shouldn't have been messing around with Pony and Johnny, let alone try to kill him. I know we're wrong, and this has to end some way. Might as well be the better way, by giving you guys the upper hand."

"Traitor," I hissed. "Traitor to your own turf, and soon enough to ours."

"Danny," said Soda.

"No!" I protested. I ran out the house. I had to get out there. Everything was going weird, going crazy. What the hell was going on?

"Danny," I heard Steve call from the house, "Danny you can't go out there alone!"

I'll take my own chances, I thought angrily. I went to the place I knew no one would dare go into. Home.

Alone again I felt. Inside my home, as my parents stayed later than I wanted them to at work. I sighed. I didn't cry. I just wanted to forget how, the way some of the guys did when they were younger. I was feeling lonesome. A knock came at the door.

"Come in Steve," I said.

I felt good that Steve was staying with me at nights. It felt good that someone was there to protect me, even though it was just a night's worth. Steve hardly broke a promise to anybody.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I said looking up. I froze. It wasn't Steve.

"Tell me what's wrong. You know you can trust me right Dan?"

"Why can't any girl say no to you?" I asked holding Soda's hand. Soda held it tight, and smiled. He let go.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well. . . the guys seem ok with Cherry being spy. Dally set out to umm . . ." he looked at me. "He went to visit Pony and Johnny. Actually he'll be doing that tomorrow probably, or the next day. I can't tell but he told me he had plans."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded.

He was silent. I understood. It was Dally Winston.

"I know how Darry feels about you," he said in a low voice. I looked at him meaningly.

"No- I don't know how he really feels because only he would know that, right?" he said. "But I know you're important to him because he doesn't want to lose you like he lost mom and dad. And he doesn't want to lose Pony and Johnny. Hell, I know how you feel about Dally."

"Damn, does the whole gang know?" I asked irritably.

"Dan it's obvious ain't it? You're all over him. We just didn't want to say anything because we didn't want you to get mad."

"I don't know who to go for," I said. I was kind of embarrassed to be talking to this with Soda. He just sighed.

"Whoever you want. We just want the best for you. . . Danny?"

"What?"

"Are you going to fight?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well you don't like skin fights. You almost cracked when you fought like that last time. It wasn't a nice sight."

"I can take it."

"You ain't as tough-"

"Don't you dare say it Sodapop Curtis, I can handle a skin fight," I said crossly.

A break in the door scared us both, and it swung open. Dally stood behind it.

"Danny, get over here. You're coming with me."