This is the end of Part I. But I have more than twice this for Part II and I'm not even finished with it. Hope you enjoy reading it and look for a different story: Picking Up the Pieces: Part II.

Disc: I still don't own the Outsiders but I keep tryin'.

There was a wet towel on my head when I woke up. Darry was reading the paper and Two-Bit was watching cartoons. This looked like a normal day…

Soda and Steve were at the table playing poker. I checked the clock and it said 11 a.m.

"Whoa, how long was I out for?"

Soda folded his hand and told me,

"About a whole day, kiddo."

Without acknowledging the last sentence, I asked,

"Where's Jess?"

Darry told me without even looking up,

"At Becca's trial. She left about an hour ago and she's gonna be back anytime now."

Wow, that was pretty quick for a trial. Trial…Becca could get out! Erk, I hope it's going well. My stomach rumbled so loudly that Steve laughed and tossed me a sticky piece of cake. It was sure good. In the kitchen was the rest of the cake. Half-eaten but I wasn't really picky at this point. Darry's foot was tapping incessently and I could tell he was nervous. Trial…trial…trial. My mind wouldn't get off of it. This was killing me.

There was some sort of ruckus going on outside and the door banged open so loud it made me cringe. Johanna, Emily, Mel, Laurel, Jess, and…Becca came into the house whooping and hollering and still in the proper clothes they'd worn to the trial. It was interesting seeing them in fancy buisness clothes. Becca was throwing back a bottle of champagne which was soon passed around. Darry jumped up,

"You won!"

I yelled back to him,

"Do you even have to ask?"

Steve turned on the radio at some ear shattering volume, just like he likes it and Two-Bit handed out some beers. As soon as they could get it, it was a party. Everyone was dancing and drinking and nobody really cared. Laurel kissed me cheerily and I was glad there were no reprecussions this time. I kissed her back roughly and she smiled broadly at me. After ten minutes had passed, everyone had kissed everyone. Darry kissed Jess. Steve kissed Jess. Jess kissed them both lots and lots. Mel kissed Soda and vice versa. Emily kissed Two-Bit. Becca kissed me. Laurel kissed me. Becca kissed Sodapop. Johanna kissed Two-Bit. Two-Bit kissed everyone and after awhile, I lost track. But heck, it was a good time. After the fourth straight hour, things started to calm down. For the first time in awhile, I was alone with Jess. Ooh, awkward.

"Um, Jess? I—I'm really sorry that I caused this whole mess. I didn't think something like this would happen."

She took a drag on her cancer stick and replied in a stern voice that kind of surprised me,

"I forgive you."

What! I almost ruined her life and she forgives me, just like that? I was so confused. Seeing my face, she repeated,

"I forgive you, Ponyboy."

This was weird.

"But, why?"

She sighed at stared at me. Her eyes had a sort of aspect that Darry's did when he was hacked off. I could see stone in her eyes that she used to penetrate any idea of toughness I had. This made no sense. She said she forgived me, but I could tell she didn't. That she'd like to whack me around a few times right now.

"Because Darry told me to."

Darry did what! She continued,

"He told me that you just let your pride get the better of you and you had no way of knowing what would happen."

I didn't really know how to feel. She stared at me and there was a very awkward silence. I thought about this for a second,

"So, we're…cool?"

She closed her eyes, sighed again and answered,

"Yes, Ponyboy Curtis, we're cool."

The End of Part 1

But Chapter 1 of Part 2 coming soon