Disclaimer- I don't own them, blah blah blah. I do own Corey, blah blah blah.

Evil Punk Rocker- Thank you for that review, it was really nice. Sorry about the wait for this one… Haven't really had time on the comp. with all my studies... grrrrrr……. Lol

oOoRiku4everoOo- YES... but I didn't say that did I? shhhhhh…..

Elven Dragon Rider- lol, a love square I guess is sorta like it… I'm confused… lol

Ekari Turone- Thanks, and for a sec I thought that said it did suck! Lol x.x Before school not good… very not good… very tired before school… I dislike school with a rising passion… I'M UPDATED! YSY! Lol… (heheheh)

lady rose 05-Yes, he did look very good! He was cute! I hope I can update sooner next time…

QTpie4-I'm sorry that Chris doesn't have much of a personality… I guess I should work on it. Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.

DramaticThrasher- Updated maybe? Lol ok I can live with that as long as you like it!

Chapter 7

I woke up on Saturday morning to a crashing sound. Then glass breaking. A pot came down hard, and another glass. I was afraid to open my door. I tip toed to it and creaked it open. I watched fearfully as my father could be seen storming around the kitchen, knocking over everything in sight. He threw a bottle towards my door, and I slammed it just in time. I cringed at the sound of the glass shattering, trying to figure out how to get out. Tears were starting to come out but I stopped them. I was not a cry baby. This wasn't anything, so why should I cry. I ran over to my dresser and threw on a pair of jeans. Then I changed into another shirt, a grey one I think, and grabbed Johnny's jean jacket. I didn't put it on. It had stopped smelling like grease and cigarettes as much, I noticed. I pulled my Converse high tops on and quickly tied them. I pulled my hair into a ponytail, and stepped quietly outside my door, hoping my dad would not notice.

It worked until I took a step, and the broken glass crunched under my feet. He looked over, his eyes red with anger, and grabbed a bottle. I started to make a run for it, but he grabbed my arm. He grabbed it tight, so I knew there would be a bruise there. I closed my eyes.

"YOU'RE FAULT. YOU WERE GOD-DAMN BORN. THAT BITCH HAD YOU. ALL YOUR FAULT," he screamed. My eyes were shut tight, my mouth zipped closed. "YOU CAN JUST GET OUTTA HERE, YOU LIITLE SHIT." Get outta here. Now. My body moved with the voice. Almost out of my control. I opened my eyes to watch as my father raised the empty beer bottle, and bring it down. I also watched as the bottle hit my shoulder, on account of me moving as much as I could. The shards broke into my skin through the shirt. And that side of me started bleeding. I could feel a sharp pain in my neck. Mostly my shoulder, though.

My dad pushed me to the door. I fell on my knees as I scrambled out of it. Once outside I stood up and stumbled down the stairs. My shoulder wouldn't stop throbbing.

I looked over at the Curtis house, and saw Darry in the kitchen. Next to him was Soda, talking away. Darry looked up, smiling, and saw me. He dropped his dishes and said something to Soda. They rushed out of view, and my world turned black.

………………

I opened my eyes and I was in a bed room. I looked around and recognized it as Sodapop and Ponyboy's. I shivered. A pain shot through my shoulder. I breathed in quickly. I looked at it, and it had a band aid on it. I could see little cuts on the edge that had been cleaned out. The bandage looked expertly done, not something Darry could do. I felt along my shoulder and neck. It stung something horrible. I shivered again. I looked at the door way and it was open. I waited a few minutes and saw some one pass by. It was Soda. He looked in and came striding through the door. He smiled a huge contagious grin. I smiled back of course. I shivered again. He sat down next to me, and put his arms around me brotherly.

"You ok?" he asked, looking directly at me with light brown eyes. I shivered again, and nodded.

"Uhhh, would it be stupid to ask what happened? Or would you like to tell me what happened exactly." I looked up to him, and didn't smile. I shivered.

"Are you cold?" He asked. He was doing all the talking. I could never say anything around him. He got up and put a blanket around me.

"Come out when you want to. You can go back to sleep if you want. We gonna be out in the living room for a while." He told me, and left. I heard him talking to Darry in the next room, saying I must be as silent as Johnny, 'cause I never talk around him. Darry snorted.

I hugged the blanket close. It was one of those really scratchy, thin type blankets. I love those types for some reason. I thought about what my dad said. How it was my fault… and hers. I supposed he meant my mother. I hadn't seen her since… well, a long time.

I looked up at the door way again. Johnny was standing there. I blinked, he blinked. I could hear the TV. It was the news or something like that. He smiled, and I smiled. Then I thought about Chris, for some reason. I smiled again. Johnny came into the room and sat down next to me, looking at the floor. I sat still.

"How's it going, Core?" I looked at the door.

"My shoulder hurts."

"Does your neck?" He asked, looking at it.

"A little." My stomach felt light, and I had a head ache. I'm not sure if they were from the same thing. He stood up, and I stood up with him. I shivered again, but put the blanket down. "Umm, who's out there?"

"Darry, Soda, Pony, and Steve. Two-bit and Dally are out some where." He looked at the floor. "Why don't we go out there." It was more of a command then a suggestion, but a nice command. Not a rude, harsh one that Dallas would make. I nodded and smiled again. We walked towards the door side by side. I quickly touched my shoulder, and wrapped my arms around myself.

"Wait," he said, and put his hand on my fore head. I stepped back for a sec.

"You're burnin' up," he told me, looking into my eyes, with his great black ones. I looked down so I wouldn't stare. Then I thought about Chris as much as I could, getting Johnny out of my head. I sighed. I felt real cold, where Johnny was standing there in a tee-shirt and pants. Probably 'cause I still had his jacket. "Darry, get a thermometer. Quick," he yelled. I heard some one bustle around, and Darry came in front of us. He told me to open my mouth and he stuck the thermometer under my tongue. He kept it there for about a minute and checked it.

"102.3, you gotta go back to bed. Go on, get under the covers. I'll get you a ginger ale." He gently pulled me back to the bed.

"But I wanna go out there," I told him, lying down. My legs felt like jelly. Johnny started to go out, but I asked him to stay. I didn't want to be stuck in there by myself. He smiled and sat down on the bed next to me. I lied down, and looked at the sky outside through the window.

"Johnny, what time is it?" I asked.

"About… 3:00 o'clock."

"In the after noon? Dammit. I only remember this morning. What happened?"

"Ummm, Darry took you to the doctors after the glass accident thing, and you were about half conscious he said. The doctor took the glass out, put ointment on you, and wrapped you up. Well, Darry told me all that at least." I remembered walking in a parking lot vaguely, so I supposed it must be true. I felt the cold chill of sleep wander through my body until I could feel Johnny's weight sitting down at the end of the bed no more.

(Dream) I sat down and played with a toy truck with a 7 year old boy that had sand brown hair and blue-green eyes. My mother sat down on an old chair watching us play.

"Happy 4th birthday!" I saw the boys lips move, but a distant voice came out. It was almost as if they came from outside, not from him. I giggled, and passed the truck to him.

I looked around.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked, once again a far off voice.

"He's sleeping." My mother said. I stood up, and walked to her.

"I'm gonna go get Daddy." I said, tugging on her skirt. My mother stopped me. She told me to hush and go play outside with Ramone. I followed the boy outside, and we played under the sweet Des Moines sky. A while later my mother came out and took the boy away, but left me behind after a swift hug and kiss. She told me she'd be back. I smiled and played with my truck. She didn't come back. (End Dream)

………………

I sat up in the bed, and looked at the clock. It was 7 at night now. I looked down and saw no one at the end of the bed. I got up and walked to the door. I heard voices out in the living room. I went over to the mirror in Ponyboy's room, and combed my hair with his comb. Well, it could have been Soda's comb, I couldn't tell the two on the dresser apart. I looked around on the bed, but couldn't find my hair band. I made the bed, and walked out into the living room.

"Hey, y'all," I said to them. Well, only Soda, Steve, Ponyboy, and Johnny.

"Hay is for horses." Soda said to me. I raised an eyebrow, and finally got it after about 5 seconds. I looked at him with a "that's not really funny, but oooook" expression, and sat down next to Johnny and Ponyboy on the couch. Soda went back to talking to Steve.

"How ya feeling? Darry gave you some medicine, but you was half asleep," Ponyboy asked me.

"I feel much better. But I'm real hungry. Where's Darry?"

"He's at work," Pony told me.

"Oh, ok. Hey, wanna go out to the diner? You too, Johnny. And I guess them if they want to." I said pointing to Soda and Steve.

"Sure. Hey Soda, wanna go to the diner? Me, Johnny, and Corey are going."

"Nah, that's ok. Me an' Steve are taking Sandy and Evie to the drive in tonight."

"Ok, we'll see you later."

Ponyboy, Johnny, and I got up and left the building. We were talking about family, and how Ponyboy was bugged about having Darry as an older brother.

"Damn, you guys must be glad to be only children." Johnny shook his head.

"Nah, man, it's a real bore. I'd be glad to have a Soda around, or even a brother like Darry. What about you Core?" He asked me. I looked up at the sky. I had never told them. But they had never asked.

"Ummm, actually… I have a brother…" I told them, looking at the side walk underneath my feet. I kicked a rock. They looked at me.

"You do?" Ponyboy asked. I nodded. I answered their silent question with an almost silent 'he lives with my mother.'

"Oh… hey, I almost forgot you had a mother. Heh…" Ponyboy said to me.

"Everybody has a mother, stupid." I told him back. It was slightly funny that we were talking about my family when I had just had that dream less then an hour ago.

"What's his name?" Johnny asked me.

"Ramone… I haven't seen him since about… 10 years ago. I think he left on my birthday, it's kinda blurry. Heh, great birthday present, ain't that." I looked over at them. I really couldn't see how people mistook Johnny for being 14. He really did look about 15 or 16. To me at least. But Ponyboy looks about my age, maybe older. Maybe that's on account of he turned 14 about a day before I moved here. Well, anyways, I kept walking without saying another thing about my family, and they got the idea.

"Hey, on Monday I get to see what part I got. I can't wait…" I said trying to make small talk.

"Nice," Johnny said. We got up to the diner around that moment. Johnny held open the door for Ponyboy and me.

"Aww, a born gentle man. Ain't that sweet?" I told Ponyboy. He laughed and Johnny blushed.

"Hey, I ain't no gentle man." He said as we sat down in a big booth.

"Oh, really. What's one nasty thing you've done in your life that you've really meant, Johnny Cade?" I said looking up into his deep black eyes, which made me want to keep looking at them. But I forced myself to look away, at the menu.

"Uhhh… I… uhhh… I guess nothin' really bad. I mean it's not like I've never been in a fight before."

"Ha, I know but you're still a gentle man. I mean you're definitely not a Dallas. But he's not totally horrible I guess. I mean, he can be nice at times."

"Yea, Dal's alright. He's tuff."

"Damn, I still don't get you guys's tuff and tough. I think I may have used one of them by accident, but it's weird to hear it." I looked over at Ponyboy, but he was staring off at the door. I looked over at it, and guess who I saw him staring at? None other then Nakia.

I waved her over. She walked to us, and I asked her if she was going some where.

"I was gonna meet Janie here, but she didn't show, I guess. So I gotta just go home…"

"Nah, you can sit with us," Ponyboy stole out of my mouth. I moved over on the bench so that I was across from Johnny, and Nakia was across from Ponyboy. I looked back and forth from them, and Nakia was looking at her lap. Ponyboy was looking at his menu again, even though he always gets the same thing here. I passed Nakia mine, and looked over at Johnny again. Before he could say something, I blurted out, "Me and Chris are going out again tomorrow…"

"Oh, really…" I saw something flash in his eye. Was it hurt? Anger? Sadness? I don't think I'll ever really know, but it probably wasn't anger. Johnny Cade could not get mad. He could get scared, but not angry.

Johnny looked down at the table, up at me, and then back to the table, in about 2 seconds in all. I did the same thing, pretty much.

The waitress came. "Hey, how are y'all doin' tonight? I'll be your server this evening, my name is Steffi. Can I get y'all some drinks?" She was about 15 or 16 it looked like, and was staring down Johnny with a huge, friendly smile. I narrowed down my eyes.

"Pepsi."

"Pepsi."

"Pepsi."

"Same as 'em," I told her.

"Ok," She said, scribbling the drinks down. ", are y'all ready to order?"

"Yep," Ponyboy said, "I'll have the cheese burger and fries." Johnny pointed Ponyboy, meaning he would have the same.

"A side of fries please."

"Cheese burger and fries, no pickles." I told Steffi. What type of name is Steffi anyways? (No offense to any Steffi's)

"Ok, I got it all down, I'll be back with y'all drinks in a minute," she told Johnny, but waved Ponyboy, Nakia, and me away. She came back quickly and gave Johnny's his first, I noticed. She hurried away, waving her butt around. Johnny stared after her.

"Does she seem really happy for some reason to you, guys?" he asked. I shook my head slowly, and we ignored his question. Johnny was hopeless with girls, but I was glad about that for some reason.

Our food came about 7 minutes later, but it felt like forever. I started to eat, the little voice talking away to me. I ate more.

"Hey, Corey," Nakia whispered to me, "You're like, not watching what you eat… literally, I mean, you even put some pickles in your mouth…" I stared down at the almost finished plate, and saw pickle juice on it. I started to get a weird feeling in my mouth. The voice wouldn't shut up.

"Uhhh, I feel sick, I think I'm going to throw up," I said a small lie. Nakia stood up and I rushed to the bathroom. I went into a stall and stood over it for a second. Without really thinking I stuck my finger down my throat once again and threw up. I felt bloated and fat. I remember that feeling so vividly.

I walked back out to the table, and sat down in front of Johnny again.

"You ok?" Ponyboy asked. I nodded and told them I needed a glass of water. I made our bleached blonde waitress go and get it for me. After she asked "everyone" if they wanted something. "Everyone" meaning Johnny, of course.

"Hey look, it's Two-bit and Dally," Ponyboy said. I looked over towards the entrance and they came strutting in. I turned back around.

"Act normal, maybe they won't notice us," I said half jokingly. Johnny sighed.

"Hey look who it is. Y'all double dating or something?" Two-bit said coming up to us. I blew a piece of hair in front of me, and shook my head. Two-bit laughed, while Ponyboy was sitting there blushing something awful. I started to laugh, but caught myself. Nakia was looking at her lap again. Two-bit pushed Ponyboy over and sat down, so Johnny, Ponyboy, and he were all scrunched up. I looked around where Two-bit had been standing.

"Where's Dally?" I asked.

"Right here," A voice right behind me said. I could feel Dally's breath on the back of my neck. I looked around. He was crouching on the seat in back of Nakia's and mine. He stood up, stepped over the back of the two seats, and forced himself in between Nakia and me. I knew how Johnny felt then. We were both up against the wall side. Dally put his arms around Nakia and me. I tried to get away in that tight space, but failed.

"So, what's a pretty little girl like you hanging out with two hoods like these?" Two-bit asked Nakia. She pushed Dallas's arm off of her shoulders.

"I was just having dinner with them. I'm a friend of Corey's." Two-bit looked over at me.

"You have friends? I didn't know that!"

"Ha ha, very funny. Yea, such a surprise. And, Dallas, get your arm off me!" I snapped at Dally. He looked fakely taken aback.

"I'm so sorry, your highness! It won't be done again. I didn't even realize it!" He said to me. I sneered at him. Johnny watched us. The waitress came back, asking us if we wanted dessert. Everyone but Nakia and me said they wanted ice cream. Except Two-bit said something before ice cream.

"Yea, I'll have a slice of you." The girl giggled at the really REALLY bad joke, but shook her head still looking at Johnny. Her blonde hair bounced up and down. That was probably why Two-bit thought she was pretty.

The dessert didn't get exciting, and nor did after words. Nakia left, getting a ride home from her brother. Pony and he talked for a second, and they left. I waved.

"You're still not mad at Dal, are you Corey?" Two-bit asked.

"Mad? At Dallas? Who could ever be mad at Dallas?" I told them, Two-bit snorting a little. Johnny and Ponyboy weren't paying attention.

"Oh, come on, just 'cause I care about ya-" He started to say, but stopped. I looked at him for a second before talking.

"You? Care about me? HA. That would be the day." I looked up at him again, and he stared at me with his iced over eyes. He shook his head slowly. We all walked over to Ponyboy's and my street, and they dropped me off. I waved good-bye to Johnny and Pony, watched as Two-bit ran up to the Curtis's door, and Dallas's retreating back, obviously up to no good.

AN-I'm so sorry I haven't updated lately. I just have had to study for this huge test that's coming up on Saturday for me, it's determining what high school I'm gonna go to. Anyways, thankies to y'all, have a nice read… REVIEW! I LOVE THEM!