Disclaimer: Don't own the Outsiders.

Note: Tra la la. Thanks for the reviews!

The next day Velma had got to school early. She saw the guys sitting on the front steps and none of the socs seemed to wanna go past them. She went up to them and sat down , " Hey.." Her legs were slanted slightly, ankles crossed and hands folded on her lap. She looked out and noticed they guys were smiling at her..." what?" She asked them, highly confused by their stares.

"Nothin.." Two-Bit was trying not to laugh. But what amused them was the way Velma was sitting...and the way she was dressed. She looked like a little kid. She had on a long navy blue shirt with a white button up blouse and a white silk bow in her hair.

The first classed went by pretty slow in the morning. The best class in the morning was English, one of the only classes she had with Ponyboy. It was just before the lunch period. The teacher assigned a project, with a partner, on the book of your choise, and that was suppost to be due tomorrow. He had to leave the room for a few minutes, and in that time, everyone was suppost to pick their partners. Alot of the boys, for some reason that she was too innocent to find out, wanted to be her partner. They all had a weird look in their eyes that made her uncomfortable. But then Ponyboy sat by her and asked if she wanted to work on the project with him, and Ponyboy being the only she felt she could trust in this class, She said Yes.

By then end of the class, They had decided to do the project on Alice's adventures in Wonderland and Through the looking glass. Pony was going to draw and color some scenes, and Velma was going to write a description of the drawings. Also, Velma agreed to go over to Ponyboy's house to work on the project because Pony didn't seem to like the idea of going to the other side of town.

When the lunch bell rang. Velma said she'd meet Ponyboy outside and went to her locker to get something. She heard footsteps behind her, but didn't think much of it...untill she left someone push her into her locker. She turned around and the pounded on the door of the locker, begging to be let out. All she heard was laughter fading. She sat down, her knees up to her chest , arms folded and she put her head down. She couldn't beleive that she fit in sitting down.

Sometime after school, Ponyboy had over heard afew socs saying that that had locked some girl in her own locker...Thats probably why I didn't see her at lunch... He ran down the hall, only to be stopped by Two-Bit.

"Where you goin' in such a hurry, kid?" He asked.

"Velma's locker.."

"Why?"

"I think she's in it..."

"And...what makes ya think that?"

"Over heard some guys from my English class...upset that she wouldn't be partners for the project.."

"How long as she been in there?"

" Since Lunch, I think.."

They then both ran to her rescue. Two-Bit started to work the lock.

"Wait.." Ponyboy raised an eyebrow, " How the hell do you know her combination?"

"Oh," Two-Bit laughed, "I kinda watched over her shoulder earlier..." His grin widened as he opened up the locker and looked down at her.

Velma's head raised up to see the smiling face of Two-Bit and Ponyboy. Two-Bit took her arms and pulled her to her feet and out of the locker. She stumbled abit from being in that position for so long, but Pony helped her stay up right till they got to Two-Bits car. He dropped the two of them off at Ponyboys house then drove off, saying he something to do and might drop by later.

Ponyboy had helped Velma inside and she sat down on the couch.

"Odd...I thought someone'd be home by - " The door opened suddenly..

"PONY!" a voice yelled, and then Ponyboy got tackled to the floor and then it looked like they were fighting...

"Soda! What the hell are you doing?" Ponyboy was yelling. " Get off me!"

"No!"

Velma watched quietly from the couch as this went on for about 10 minute before tall, very mucsled up, intimidating looking man in his very early 20's, came in and pulled them up off the floor, " Knock it off, both of you." He turned around and his eyes fell on the small, red-headed teenaged, slightly nervous looking- girl on the couch, that was sitting in a very proper manner. Obviously a soc... He thought to himself. He turned to face Pony and motioned to the Velma , " Whos the kid?" He asked.

" Oh. Thats Velma...Velma..These are my brothers Darry and Sodapop..." Pony said, " We're goin' to be workin' on a book project for English Class."

Soda had gotten on the couch and stared at Velma, his head tilted to the side " Oh? So she's in your genius classes too?"

"Their not genius classes, their Advanced..." Pony rolled his eyes.

"So, What book are you doing for the project?" Darry asked.

"Alice's adventures in Wonderland and Through the looking Glass" Ponyboy told him

Soda scrunched up his nose, " Aint that a little kiddies book?"

"Its a Classic.." Velma said quietly.

"Oh! So you talk!" Soda grinned and Velma felt herself turn red and looked at the floor.

Ponyboy went into his room and took out his skecth book, drawing pencils and his old, ripped up copy of the book and went back into the living room and sat down on the couch beside her. She had pulled out her notebook and her newer, neater copy of the book and they began picking out scenes.

They were nearly done when Darry came into the living room, " So, Velma, You wanna stay for supper?" He asked her.

"Oh...um.." She looked over at Ponyboy, who gave her a little nod, " Sure..."

As Supper was being served, She noticed that the potatoes were a paler shade of orange that the carrots. When Ponyboy noticed this he burst out laughing, Soda and Darry started laughing too, " How'd you manage do to that, Soda?" Pony asked stopped laughing. Sodapop just shrugged. The 3 guys just dug in while Velma took small, dainty bites. The guys were talking , laughing and eating at the same time, while Velma kept quiet and Steve dropped by and got himself a place and joined in the guys poor table manners. She hadn't eating supper with people since she was 5. Usaully she'd just be sitting at the dining table by herself...

After supper, Velma help with the dishes, then She and Pony went back to doing their homework. It only took about an hour to finish. They were all sitting and talking in the living.They heard the rain start comming down, and the drops getting louder, and louder..then there was a loud clap of thunder with a bright flash of lightning, making Velma jump. Darry, Soda and Steve laughed at her slightly.

"What? Don't Socs like thunder storms?" Steve asked with a laugh

Velma looked down at the floor..

"Leave her alone, Steve" Ponyboy said crossly.

Darry stood up, " Come on, I'll take ya home.."

Velma looked up at him and got up and followed him in silence outside to the truck.

Another note: Enjoy. 3