Embracing the Future

Chapter 11: Here

A/N: God, I have some serious updating issues. I'm gonna try to write an original story on so I wanna wrap this one up soon. I don't wanna just end it like that cuz I have an ending in my head-I just need to get to it. So sorry for making you all wait again. On with the story….

"Jeez, Ri," said Ponyboy looking at me and running his hand through his hair to push it back out of his beautiful eyes. He seemed like he had planned on saying more but couldn't come up with anything to say. He knew what the song meant.

He'd be safer when I was gone anyway. My father still hadn't been caught. Sneaky little bastard.

I got up and stretched as the bell rang, demanding we return to our boring classes. I had the sudden urge to flip off the bell, but restrained myself. Instead my eye twitched ever so slightly and I picked up my stack of books off the table, saying "Come on, Pony," and pouted my way out of the cafeteria.

My next class wasn't with Ponyboy, so at the corner of the hall he gave my arm a squeeze and flashed me a smile before turning the corner. I smiled and touched the spot where he'd touched my arm before turning around.

WHAM! I ran smack into someone and fell backwards. I groaned at the books which were now scattered behind me. "Sorry," I grumbled not looking up. As I reached to grab the face down notebook and book, a foot slammed down on my fingers. I gave a yelp and sat back in surprise, holding my poor hand and the books to my chest. My angry eyes flashed up to who did it and my blood ran cold. I dropped the books again. It was the boy with rings that had mugged me and Pony. The boy that helped break my ribs, cut my cheek, pulled my hair, and had watched Ponyboy get stabbed with satisfaction in his eyes. I didn't know if I was more angry or horrified. Didn't they arrest him?

I scrambled quickly to my feet, my breath quickening. Why is all of this happening to me?

The Ring Boy smirked at my reaction. I gave an involuntary shudder and backed up against the wall. He walked closer to me. I opened my mouth to scream and only got out a small strangled cry before he slammed his hand over my mouth his other hand he used to lean himself against the wall, pinning me.

"You almost got me a lot of time in prison for attempted murder you know that?" he asked me quietly, an evil glint in his eyes.

I attempted to move forward and breakaway from him, but that only tightened his hand on my face and he shoved me back again. The second bell had already rung; no one else was out here. No one was going to come and save me. Where was Ponyboy? Oh, right…the bell had demanded he go to class. If I ever rule the country, I am banning bells… I tried to not look like a deer caught in headlights. Now I knew what it felt like to stare down a loaded gun you knew could shoot you at any moment.

"You know, missy," he said the hand that had been leaning him against the wall wandered over to my hip. I froze. He continued, "I don't take kindly to people who do things like try to get me in jail and kick me." His hand started to wander up and down my thigh. MOVE ARRI! I thought angrily, MOVE! But I couldn't…Common, I told myself, Just start with your finger… "But," he went on, "Since you're such a pretty little thing, maybe I can make an exception." His smirk broadened as his hand started to wander up my shirt.

That did it. I bit his hand. He cursed loudly and withdrew both of his hands. I said as calmly as I could, "Don't you ever…" I put my hand on his shoulder, "And I mean EVER…" I kneed him in the groin. "Touch me again, you perverted asshole."

What was that? I thought I saw glimpses of movement and color out of the corners of both of my eyes I was about to turn and look when Ring Boy who had been keeled over clutching his crotch let out a cry of rage and his hand flew out slapping me across the face. I fell backwards, my hand flying to my cheek as my head hit the wall and I slid down it. Why that little-

I didn't have time to finish the thought for just then I heard a slam and yet another cry of rage. It almost sounded like a roar. I was scared for a split second. Wait…hold on, I knew that voice. Oh, God. I thought I was gonna cry right there in my little crumpled heap in the school hallway.

Pony came hurdling down the hall; I could barely make out his look of pure hatred as he flung himself onto Ring Boy. Pony straddled the Ring Boy and drew back his fist. I yelled "NO!" and flung myself onto Pony's arm, stopping his fist. I was trembling slightly and slowly looked up at Pony, my hair slowly slipping out of my face, tears in my eyes. "Arri," said Pony his voice as soft as his face had become upon seeing the tears in my eyes, "Let go of my arm."

I shook my head no, vehemently. I knew he was already on the line of getting taken out of the Curtis house for what happened when we got mugged. Plus when I got held hostage…He was only safe because it had been self-defense. But if he put one TOE out of line…I couldn't let this get him put into a fucking orphanage. "Ponyboy, you can't…you can't." My voice trembled ever so slightly.

I felt the muscles in his arm relax and he slowly got off of the Ring Boy and stood. Ring Boy bolted as soon as he was released. I was still kneeling on the ground shaking slightly. When I looked up to watch the coward run, I saw a ring of people around us. When had they come? Among the ring was Two-Bit who put out his arm stopping the Ring Boy in his tracks. All the humor in Two-Bit's eyes had left and they now flashed angrily, as he moved to stand in front of him and totally block his way, "Where you think you're goin', huh?" Ring Boy gulped and glared back over his shoulder at me I shuddered and felt Pony pull me up to my feet and put me protectively into his arms, giving Ring Boy a run for his money in the glare department. I melted into him and clung to him for dear life. Then I noticed with a swelling of my heart that a lot of other people, including Soc.'s were looking at the Ring Boy disgustedly.

Ring Boy was still glaring at Pony, when Ring Boy suddenly hissed, "The girl's gonna get what she deserves," then that evil smirk came onto his face, "You can't keep her safe. Just like Johnny Cade. Haven't forgotten him, have you? Dallas too. I'm sure you haven't forgotten."

Confusion flicked into my eyes and I glanced back at Pony and had to do a double take. The haunted look was there more than ever along with immense amounts of pain, written all over his face. It scared me. Then I heard a deafening roar that almost beat Pony's and whipped my head back around to see Two-Bit slam Ring Boy into the wall, wild fury written all over him. "DON'T YOU EVER SAY THEIR NAMES! YOU GOT THAT?"

The teachers who had been standing clueless and afraid on the sidelines finally leapt in-or at least one did-and said, "Keith, release him!" At first "Keith" wouldn't budge and continued pressing Ring Boy into the wall; he looked like he was trying to just push all the breath out of him. After the teacher gave a forceful tug and demanded again the he let Ring Boy go Two-Bit reluctantly let go.

I finally choked on all the sobs that had been building up in my throat causing Two-Bit to hurry to my side and place comforting hands on my back and shoulder as I buried my face in Ponyboy's shirt. Just his smell calmed me.

They must've taken the Ring Boy away and I heard a teacher, female I believe, demanding the students get back into their classrooms. I heard disappointed murmurs from students and the shuffling of all of the feet, then silence. My ears pricked a little to pick up more sound, as I heard heels click across the floor. I lifted up my head and looked up to see a teacher with straight blond hair that was cut off about an inch above her shoulder and she had warm brown eyes.

"What's your name, sweetie?"

"Arri" I said silently.

She nodded. "Ok, Arri, you have to go to the nurses and have her get an ice pack for that cheek, then go to the principal's office. You need to tell him what happened. Ponyboy, you just go straight to the principal and Keith, get back to class."

Keith looked like he was going to argue for a second then closed his mouth and turned to me and Ponyboy. I smiled at him, "I'm ok." I told him he nodded and gave a small smile back and hugged me and Pony at once before leaving.

Me and Pony turned to leave and I heard the teacher yell, "Oh, Arri!"

I turned and looked at her, and she winked and whispered "Nice job. Girls need to learn how to defend themselves."

My eyes widened as I realized she saw me and then I found myself grinning from ear to ear and nodded, "Thank you."

PONY'S POV:

I gave her arm a quick squeeze and smiled before I turned the corner walking to my next class. I thought I heard a thump but figured that she'd just bumped into the wall. It was Arri after all.

When I opened the door to my next class I though I heard a cry but then told myself I was paranoid, and that the door to this class always squeaks when you close it. I sat down in the back and spaced out the second the teacher said "Good afternoon."

I was staring out the window, moping slightly about how Arri was leaving when I felt the girl next to me poke me in annoyance. Jolting slightly, I looked up to see the teacher glaring down at me.

"The homework, Mr. Curtis." He scowled at me.

"Oh, sorry, hold on." I reached for my notebook and stopped my hand halfway. Shit, I'd grabbed Arri's books by accident. Knowing Arri, she wouldn't have of realized it yet. I sighed in irritation and explained to the teacher. Good thing he wasn't a total idiot and let me out of the room in search of Ri.

I got to the hallway where I left her and was surprised to see a pack of students backs in my way all trying to see something in the center of the hall. A feeling of dread gathered in the bottom of my stomach. I started to push through the mob of students, Arri's books still in my hand.

My heart leapt into my throat when I heard Arri's voice before I got to her. Her voice was filled with anger and I only caught the end which sounded oddly like, "You perverted asshole." I shoved through the last students to see Ri standing over a keeled over guy clutching his crotch. Why did he look so familiar? Arri was about to turn away when the boy suddenly let out an angry cry and slapped Arri across the face. My heart stopped for a second as I watched her stumble back and fall into the wall, hitting her head, it almost seemed to happen in slow motion. I couldn't get the glint of the bright ceiling lights off of rings from burning into my eyes as I threw her books onto the ground, startling the people around me, and let out a roar of rage and flew at the guy. This is what track practice is for.

The Bastard looked up just in time for me to see a satisfying look of shock on his face before I tackled him to the ground. Anger was still making my blood boil as my fist pulled back. I was about to slam it into the Bastard's face when I heard a yell of "NO!" and my arm was weighted down. I blinked and looked at my arm. My heart melted. Arri was hanging off of my arm, her head hidden from sight, and she was trembling slightly. She lifted her head up and her hair fell off her cheek revealing the bruise developing on it and the tears in her ears. "Arri," I said quietly. Why the hell was she stopping me? "Let go of my arm."

She shook her head no so hard I thought she was gonna injure herself. "Ponyboy, you can't….you can't." Her voice was shaking and, if possible, my heart melted more. I was gonna be a puddle when this girl was through with me. I got off of the Bastard and Ri was still on the floor. The Bastard fled as soon as I was out of the way. I almost smiled when Two-Bit's arm shot out and his eyes flashed as he stepped in front of the Bastard "Where you think you're goin', huh?" he asked the Bastard who gulped and glared back over his shoulder at Arri. She trembled slightly and I pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in my arms where no one could hurt her.

The Bastard turned his glare on me and I glared back. If only Arri hadn't stopped me…

The Bastard suddenly hissed, "The girl's gonna get what she deserves," then an evil smirk came onto his face, "You can't keep her safe. Just like Johnny Cade. Haven't forgotten him, have you? Dallas too. I'm sure you haven't forgotten."

My melted heart turned to ice and then shattered. I tried not to shake. Their deaths were replaying in my mind and I thought I was going to faint. I saw Two-Bit slam the Bastard against the wall and yell something, but they seemed so far away the only thing keeping me standing was Arri still trembling in a little in my arms. The flames from the burning church were taking me over. I saw a teacher with blond hair making everyone leave. Two-Bit had at some point come over and put his hands on Ri's shoulder and back and Ri had buried her head in my shirt.

The teacher came over and I heard gunshots in the night. The only thing that brought me back was the sound of Arri's voice. "Arri." It said quietly. Arri. Arri was here, in my arms, keeping me grounded without realizing it, saving me from my mind. From my past.

Then the teacher told Arri to go to the nurse and get ice and then go to the principal's, she told me to go to the principal's, she told Two-Bit to leave. Then Arri said, "I'm ok." I'm ok…I'm ok….I saw her smile at Two-Bit before he walked away. She's ok. I'm ok. We're ok. It'll all be ok…

The teacher congratulated Arri and left. Arri turned back to me grinning from ear to ear. She cleared her throat nervously and as we started waking and she said "Well…that…was…uhm…eventful?"

I stopped walking and turned to look at her as she stopped walking and looked at me with puzzlement in her green eyes. I smiled and hugged her tight and kissing the top of her head. She buried her head in my chest again and I sighed and rested my chin on her head. I closed my eyes and smiled to myself. "Arri?" I said.

She gave a muffled, "What-ey?", making me grin again.

"You like eventful things too much."

And she laughed. She laughed and laughed pulling away from me slightly so she could look at me with her sparkling eyes.

ARRI'S POV:

I laughed into his chest. He probably thought I was crazy but I couldn't help it. I pulled away so I could see his expression, my laugh's still filling the air and I said to him, "Well life would be so boring without events though, now, wouldn't it?"

And to my surprise he stared at me for a second like I was a rare pearl from the ocean making my heart flutter. And he laughed. And he pulled me back into him and he laughed and laughed.

And without realizing it he was there, holding me in his arms, keeping me grounded without realizing it, saving me from my mind. From my past.

Ok, I hope that satisfied you all. There probably won't be too many more chapters so I apologize. I'll try to finish it soon. This one took me forever to write so I hope you like it. sighs with a huff and pouts and this was only a small build-up to something that's gonna be in the end. grumbles Oh, well! You're all worth it:)!