Yes, I'm updating whoop dee doo. Ugh, why don't I feel hyper right now! This is so frustrating. Okay, well, I decided to pay a little DIShonor to that cursed "holiday" we like to call Valentine's Day which is unfortunately coming up soon in the next couple a' chapters...maybe this one. Oi, maybe I should go to bed...no! I-can't–must-update!

And thanks to my reviewers to whom I am sorry I can't thank properly right now:

...God, I'm so confused–which reviews are for which chapters!...

Dreamer for lyf: Well, I was going to reveal that in this chapter, but I just decided like, 2 seconds ago that I would completely torture you guys with a short chapter and having the whole thing not deal in any way w/ the whole Dally and Angie thing.

Gloryblastit: A review glitch sounds scary...but anyway, thanx for za compliment and...I don't know about Johnny. Maybe he broke up with her, maybe he didn't...

Bleezie: Um...really strange image of a bald head...like on Toys Story...well start pastin' those follicles back on that scalp 'cause your just gonna tear them out again: I'm not even going to address the cliffhanger in this chappie...wow, I'm really starting to not like my own self...cool!

streetpanther1: sigh I knew this would happen. Everyone else reading this is rooting for Johnny...tisk, tisk...but hey, I love Dal too.

Vincenza: It just took me a million years to spell your name right...I'm beginning to feel a little bad. All of you were waiting for an amazing update or something and I'm giving you...this.

Ponyboys-girl3: I can't promise anything...I'm just improvising this chapter b/c it's been bothering me to get up at least one chapter this week.

Enchantinglyeuphoric: thanx. God, I'm so deprived of good words today! FRUSTRATION!

The Good Girl: Yes, yes. That's what I said...

x CelluloidTears x: Why is everyone trying to make me feel guilty! I'm going to let you down right about...now.

Chapter 14: Romance

Natasha's POV

Johnny Cade. I couldn't believe it. He'd broken Angelina's heart.

This afternoon, I had waited for almost twenty minutes for her to show up after I didn't find her waiting in her usual spot outside of my class after school. I had called her house when I got home and there was no answer. I called once again later that evening , but this time, her mother answered and told me that she had gone for a walk. Now, I was on the way to the Curtis's house which was only a little down the road from Angie's.

I'd only been there once, but it wasn't too hard to find, considering you could hear everything going on inside down the block.

I hadn't seen Two-Bit around since the night of the double-date, which I could hardly remember anyway. I didn't really like any of his friends at all...not that I really knew them or anything...well, I don't really know exactly why I don't like them. They're no worse than anybody else, I guess...but they're just kinda wild. I'd heard the stuff Dallas Winston did. Everyone had. I just couldn't be friends with people like that.

Johnny was quiet all the time; I didn't even know who he was until Angelina mentioned him one day. I don't really know what she saw in him, though. I mean, he was nice, I guess, but it wasn't like he ever spoke. I didn't think he was all that great lookin' either, kinda scrawny and always slouched over. He wasn't ugly or anything...just not anything special–especially compared to Two-Bit.

Two-Bit wasn't hard to notice, being as loud as he was. He was almost three years older than me, but still acted like a little kid. I was a big fan of his hair, but his side burns kinda remind me of Elvis or something.

I trotted up the steps, reciting my plans in my head for the thousandth time: just ask for Two-Bit and leave, ask for Two-Bit and leave. They all kinda made me nervous so I was just gonna go if he wasn't around.

I knocked on the door and waited a while. I could hear inside arguing over who was going to answer it.

Finally, after what seemed like years, Sodapop Curtis opened it. Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" just about smacked me in the face and echoed throughout the neighborhood.

"Who are you?" he asked rather rudely, squinting at me.

"Um," I stammered, trying to see over his shoulder, "I-I'm N–Angelina's...um...friend."

He leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed and looked up toward the sky for a very...long, strange silence.

His lips pursed and a finger pointed at me, "Nooo."

"Um, excuse me?"

He was grinning now and a finger was pointing in my general direction, "It can't be."

"It can't be what?"

"You–you're the girl that got drunk that time!"

Oh God, I thought, Can't anyone just forget that?

I sighed and pushed past his doubled up figure into their living room.

"Hey, has anyone seen Two-Bit lately?" I asked, raising my voice over the sound of the TV. No answers. I never knew television was so mesmerizing.

I was about to turn and leave when I saw Johnny. He was holding some ice cubes wrapped in paper towels over a purplish-yellow bruise on his left cheek, staring blankly in the direction of the TV screen.

"Geez, kid," I began, walking a little closer to him, "what happened to your face?"

He looked up at me, then back down at his lap, as if deciding how to put it into words. Well, he didn't have a chance to do any of that, considering I answered that question about two seconds after asking it.

"Well, whatever it is you deserved it!"

Everyone turned to stare at me as I marched past a dumbfounded Sodapop and straight into Two-Bit Mathews.

"Well, hey," he started, holding me loosely by my arms in front of him.

A minute ago, I would have stopped and taken the time to at least said hello, but instead, I pushed past him and continued down the steps.

"Hey," he said again, but sounding rather annoyed and curious at the same time, "where are you going?"

He jogged up to me and I tried to walk even faster than I was already.

He crossed in front of my and stood in my path.

"What's wrong?" he asked holding me in the same position he had before.

I shook my head, frustrated at his persistence.

"Natasha–wait!" called an out-of-breath voice from behind me.

I turned and saw Johnny running towards the two of us.

"I–" he paused to catch his breath, "I know she's probably mad, but–"

"Mad!" I turned on him again, probably making my advantage in height very obvious, "She's too devastated to probably be mad!"

"I know–I'm sorry, just...I'm sorry."

I just stared at him, getting angrier and angrier by the minute. I didn't know what to believe anymore.

Heh heh heh. This turned out a lot more relevant than I thought it would. Why is this called "Romance"? I have no clue, but it sounds cool! And to Mrs. Benji Madden: lol! I'm so happy to have a brand new reviewer! Well, I HOPE I can find the heart to update soon...but in the meantime, review!