Authors Note: wow, its been really long since i last updated. sorry about that. Anyway. This chapter is made up of mostly flashbacks. It also takes place a month later from last chapter. ( also, it takes place in august cuz the story started in july. not sure if i mentioned that). I tired to make more Johnny/Amber action but i really am no good at writing romantic stuff. this chapter took me a while to write because i origonally had it planned to be the second to last chapter but i changed my mind. It's very long, longer than usual because i wanted to make up for not updateing.

Disclaimer: I don't own the outsiders although i wish i did. I only own Amber.

Thank Yous:
XAmberX- thanx so much for the review. i always look forward to your reviews because they inspire me :).
DramaticAngel- thanx for the review. i absolutly love your story Witches of Tulsa and the sequal to it.
Two-BitGortez
Caitym
cjnew91

(Amber's POV)
- 1 month later -

"Wake up sleepyhead!" I heard someone shout as they ran into my room and jumped on top of me. I groaned and turned over to see who it was that had so kindly awakened me from my sleep. I looked up to see that it was Soda who was sitting on top of me.

"Soda! Get off, your squishing me!" I said. He laughed and got off of me.

"Come on Amber, you have to get up." I heard Ponyboy say.

"Ugh, no! Go away, it's to early!" I said, throwing a pillow at him. He ducked and the pillow flew over his head, hitting the wall.

"It's 9:30, how is that early?" Soda asked.

"It just is!" I whined.

"Ok, whatever you say. Come on Soda, lets go" Ponyboy said. Oh thank goodness, I silently said to myself as I heard the door to my room shut. I turned over onto my side and tried to fall back to sleep.

It couldn't have been more than 5 minutes before I heard the door to my room open once again. "Oh no, what do they want now." I said to myself.

"Back so soon?" I asked. No one answered so I figured I was hearing things. Boy was I wrong. All of a sudden I felt an ice cold liquid hit my face.

"Ahhhh! What the hell?" I screamed, as I jumped out of bed. I heard the sound of laughter coming from my doorway and I turned to see Soda and Pony standing there laughing hysterically.

"Why did you do that?" I said slowly and angrily.

"Not our fault that you wouldn't get up" Pony said between fits of laughter.

"You couldn't even give me a warning!" I said.

"No, it's much funnier this way" Soda said once he caught his breath.

"Oh, you just wait! I get you guys one day when you least expect it!"

"Is that a threat?" Ponyboy asked, trying to hold in his laughter.

"Possibly" I said smiling at the thought of what I could do to them as payback.

"Ok, anyways. I need to get dressed now so you have to get out" I said. They both nodded and turned and walked out the door.

5 minutes later I had dried off and was dressed in a white halter top and light pink capris.My hair was in a ponytail with my bangs pushed to the right side of my face. I stepped out of my room and walked down the hallway into the kitchen singing a cheerful song.

"Morning Darry" I said happily, taking a seat at the table.

"What are you so happy about?" Darry asked, giving me a puzzled look.

"Oh, nothing." I said. Darry looked at me for a second and then shrugged his shoulders. I guess he had forgotten.

"Hey Dar, do you know what day today is?" I asked.

"Saturday?" He said looking at me like I was crazy.

"No! I mean what is today?" I asked smiling.

"I don't know. What is today?" he asked.

"Today is my 1 month anniversary of living with you guys!" I said excitedly. Today was August 1rst and I had moved in with the Curtis's on July 1rst. I had lived with them for exactly 1 month so far. One glorious and wonderful month. I loved living with Ponyboy, Darry and Soda. They were so nice to me and living with them finally made me feel like I was part of a family. Johnny and I had started dating. I hadn't seen my dad ever since that night a month ago and I was grateful for it. Darry had called the police and reported everything. Unfortunately, by time the police got to my house, my father was already gone.

-Flashback-
Pony, Soda, Johnny and I had just walked out of the Curtis household and we were now on our way to my house. Darry had called the police and told us to wait at my house until they arrived.

My house was only 5 block away from the Curtis' so it took us about 10 minutes to get there. The police weren't there yet so Soda, Pony, Johnny and I sat on the curb waiting for them to arrive. We were all silent for a minute before Soda spoke up.

"Why didn't you tell any of your relatives about your father Amber?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess I was just afraid that he would do the same thing to them that he did to my mother." I said.

"Yeah, I guess I would be too if I were you." He said.

"Maybe we should go in the house and get your stuff Amber?" Johnny asked.

"No, Darry said to wait out here for the police." I said.

"That's ok. I agree with Johnny. The police probably won't be here for at least another 15 minutes. They don't care about greasers like us." Soda said.

"Ok come on Soda, don't say that." I said sadly.

"Why? It's the truth" Ponyboy said. Great way to brighten up the atmosphere guys, I thought to myself. All this negativity was really bringing me down.

"Fine, we can go inside, just don't touch anything in case the police need it for evidence". I finally gave in.

The inside of my house looked like a mess. There was some dried blood on the floor in the hallway. There was a hole in the wall just outside of the living room and the TV we had was shattered. I walked into the kitchen and saw the table broken and chairs, knives and forks scattered all around on the floor. My father must have gone on a rampage and destroyed the house I thought. Thinking of my father made me realize something. He wasn't in the house. I quickly ran up the stairs to my fathers room; ignoring the strange looks that I was receiving from the others. I kicked open the door and saw that all of his possessions, well almost all of his possessions were gone. I ran around searching every inch of his room. Searching for something, anything that could act as a clue to help me find out where he was.

"NO, NO, NO! this can't be happening!" I screamed. Right after I said this I heard the guys all run up the stairs and appear at the doorway.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked worridly as he walked into the room.

"He's not here!" I said aggravated.

"Who isn't here?" Soda asked.

"My father! He's gone!" I said. Johnny walked over to me and gave me a hug.

"Come on, lets just get your stuff and leave" he wisphered into my ear.

We walked out of my father's room and into mine. I grabbed two duffel bags and stuffed all of my clothes and possessions into them. I didn't have a lot of things so fitting them into the bags wasn't a problem. When I finished getting all of my things Soda, Pony, Johnny and I walked outside to wait for the police again. To my surprise, they were already outside waiting for me and Darry was with them. They asked me a few questions and said that they'd search for my father. If he wasn't found in a week then they would assume he was in a different state and wouldn't be back to hurt me anytime soon. With that said, Darry drove us all back home. When we reached the house everyone except me and Johnny walked up to the door.

"Hey Amber. I was wondering if maybe, you'd like to go out with me. You know like on a date?" Johnny asked quickly.

"Sure. I'd love that." I said smiling.

"Well, I better be going. Tell the guys that I'll be in the lot if they need me."

"Ok Johnny. Night" I said as he turned and walked down the road.

- end of flashback-

I sat at the kitchen table smiling at the memory. It was the day Johnny asked me out. It was also the day that I came to live with the Curtis' and let that hellhole that I called home forever. They never did find my dad though.

- Flashback-
It was around 2 in the afternoon and I was sitting on the couch in the Curtis' living room. I was snuggled up on the couch with my boyfriend, Johnny watching TV when I heard the doorbell ring. I went to get up off the couch but Johnny grabbed my waist and pulled me back down.

"Don't leave" he said as he kissed me.

I smiled. "Come on Johnny I have to get the door. I'll be right back."

He pouted and let go of my waist. I got up and answered the door.

"Hello, I am Officer McKee. May I speak to Miss Amber Baker?" a tall police officer asked.

"I am Amber"

"Well, I have some news on your dad. It could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. It seems that we can't find him and it's been over a week so I am sorry to inform you but we will be giving up the search. We have concluded that he has left the state and won't be coming back here anytime soon." The police officer said.

"Ok, thank you." I said sadly.

"Have a nice day miss"

"You too" I said smiling as I shut the door.

- end of flashback-

I must have spaced out for a few minutes because Darry started to shake me.

"Humm?" I said.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

" Yeah why?"

"Because I have been calling your name for the past five minutes." He said.

"Oh, sorry Dar. I must have spaced out. What do you want?" I asked.

"I was just wondering if you wanted any breakfast?"

"Umm, sure why not. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" I said laughing.

"ok, oh and also. I was thinking. Why don't we go out to dinner tonight. Us and the gang. I mean. It is a very special day as you said yourself."

"Sure Darry" I said smiling.

there's the 14th chapter. next one up soon :). review!

xo Sara ox