Hey guys! I've got this computer all to myself for a few hours so I figured I'd type out a new chapter while I could! Haha.

To a few of my reviewers…

Mushs-grl13: Yes. They are sort of drifting. Don't worry. Everything will turn out the way it should. Thanks for the review. It was very sweet.

TIM'N DALLYS GURL: Don't worry. I don't think you'll be disappointed in the end. Thanks for the support.

Sodapop's#1gurl: Yes, I'm thinking of something…drastic. Maybe some new OCs. Maybe she does need more friends. Thanks for not forgetting me!

ForzaAzzurri09: Thank you. I was worried it would seem dull. Hopefully, the next few chapters will be better. Thanks for not forgetting me too!

Angeloves1: Yeah, I would have totally forgotten about my story by now. Haha. But then again, I don't have the best memory in the world…Thanks for sticking with me.

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The next couple of days went by very slowly. Melissa and I finally finished the house and it surprised me how different it looked. It didn't look expensive or 'socy', but it did look cozy and welcoming. It probably only seemed welcoming because it felt like the only place I was welcome.

I had only talked to Dally,Two-Bit, and Melissa over the last few days.

It felt horrible not being at Soda's house. It wasn't that I missed Soda. It was just that missed everyone else. Everyone hung around their house and I was only visited when I was remembered. I suppose it was easy for them to forget about me.

Dally and Two-Bit were the only ones who saw me every day. I had a strange suspicion Two-Bit only came around to get a glimpse at Melissa, but I appreciated it none the less.

Strangely enough, Dally and Two-Bit never came around to talk about Soda. We only talked about what kind of trouble they got themselves into and what was going on 'on the street'. They kept trying to get me to go places with them, but I always refused.

I spent my days brooding and getting over Sodapop. The main thought that I was always focused on was that I would never have to go through this again. After this, I would be done.

I was getting a lot better and I finally decided it was time to leave the house.

Dallas and Two-Bit were both sitting on my front steps smoking when I came outside. After a bit of small talk, they asked me if I wanted to go to a party at Buck's with them. I surprised them by saying yes.

"Princess Joey is finally leaving her castle!" Two-Bit feigned shock as he held his chest in a manor that suggested a heart attack. I laughed at him.

"You aren't gonna get drunk and jump me again are you?" Dally always had a perverted sense of humor. I shot him a glare and rolled my eyes as Two-Bit burst out laughing. I punched him in the shoulder as I returned my attention back to Dally.

"No, I am not." I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to look indignant.

"Damn." He cursed as he stood up and smirked down at me. I was used to Dallas Winston cracking those kinds of jokes…just not towards me. I took it as a compliment. Maybe he really didn't see me as a kid. I was, after all, almost fifteen. I chuckled at him and went inside to change my clothes.

I grabbed a pair of faded jeans and a blue tank top. I left my loose braided pig-tails in and put my navy blue baseball cap on. I laughed at the way I coordinated as I pulled on my blue converse.

When we finally made it to the party, I wasn't as shocked as I was last time. There were still people practically going at it everywhere, but it was something I was expecting at a party like this. Two-Bit headed off in the direction of a pretty blonde as Dally put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you get drunk again, don't tackle a stranger." He winked at me before he disappeared into the crowd. I was glad he left. I must have been blushing horribly.

Two-Bit and Dally told me that Soda, Steve, Pony, and Johnny were at the movies so I didn't have to be worried about bumping into any of them. Of course Darry wouldn't show up either. He was always working and he wouldn't be caught dead here.

I didn't have anything to worry about.

I decided I need to have some fun and I felt the party would seem a lot more fun if I was a little drunk, so I headed towards the kitchen in search of something alcoholic. I walked in to find three guys sitting at the counter pouring tequila shots.

I had only been drunk once before so it didn't take too many to get me totally wasted. I was having fun though so I didn't care.

"Okay, I draw the line at five!" I was laughing again. It was obviously due to the large amount of alcohol in my system, but I didn't care. I was thinking clearly, I was just amused. Highly amused.

The guys laughed at me as they poured my last shot. I quickly 'threw it down' and threw my hands up in victory.

"You're so wasted" The blonde one laughed at me. Hell, I was laughing at me. He seemed to be the more sober of the bunch. Still tipsy though.

"Nu-uh!" I chuckled a bit and looked around the bunch. Aside from the blonde one, there was a brunette and a boy with black hair on either side of him. They were even drunker than I was.

"I'm drunk." The brunette proclaimed.

"Yes, you are." I tried to keep a straight voice, but I cracked and burst out laughing.

"If you're this funny when you're sober, I'm going to have to get to know you!" The blonde one was definitely getting there. I didn't really see how that was funny, but I was laughing anyway.

"My name's Andy." I don't know why he chose this time to introduce himself, but I was glad I finally had something to call him.

"And I'm Nathan." The black haired guy on his left slurred his words to the point where they were almost gibberish.

I laughed at him as I turned my attention to the brown haired one to get his name.

I stared at him for a good minute or two before he finally spoke.

"Huh?" Man he was drunk.

I laughed again.

"What's your name?"

"Alex." Now he was laughing too. We were so drunk.

After another shot that I had talked myself into, I had forgotten who was who.

"Okay, so blondie is Andy. The brown haired one is Alex," I looked at the one with the black hair, "and you're Nathan?" I was so confused.

Andy nodded.

"I'm bored." Nathan decided loudly. We all laughed at him.

We ended up playing a game called twister with a few other people. I'd never played before, but I thought it was hilarious. Nobody was doing any 'grabbing' or anything so I didn't have to worry. We were just having fun…Of course that probably wasn't what it looked like to someone walking by…

Of all the people to walk by, of course Sandy had to be the one to see me.

"I knew you were a whore." She had her hands on her hips and I felt like walking over and slapping her silly.

"I'm playing twister." I grumbled at her.

"Sure you are…" With that, she turned and walked out of the room. I rolled my eyes as I realized it was my turn. Andy and I were in the worst position. We were both practically tangled in each other. Not that I minded.

I flicked the spinner and it landed on green. Everyone groaned as I laughed. In going to green, I knocked two people out of the game and made myself a bit more comfortable. Andy was laughing as hard as I was as Nathan and some girl recovered from the fall and took seats on the floor to watch the game.

In the end, Andy and I tied because Alex came and pushed us over. I didn't care. I was still a bit drunk so I thought it was hilarious.

We started another game and Dally and Two-Bit came in right as I got eliminated and laughed at me. Two-Bit was VERY drunk and Dally appeared to be right up there with him.

Before we left, I told Andy, Alex, and Nathan where I lived. They were a lot of fun to hang out with and Andy was very cute in a boyish sort of way. He wasn't a boy though. All three of them were seventeen.

I had found out they all lived as far from my house as you could possibly get without crossing into soc territory, which wasn't extremely far, but far enough that I couldn't walk there alone.

I'd just have to hope they wouldn't forget about me or where I lived.

That night, for the first time in a long time, I fell asleep with a big smile on my face.

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Whadda ya think guys? Like the new characters? Yay or nay?