HI there. Here's chapter 4. Well thanks to all the people who reviewed (it makes me feel special!) Special thanks to Sodapoplvr and Red-leader-South who are my actual friends from school. (By the way jess, I know Darry is yours! Lol)

Disc: This is stupid, it's not like I'm going to say: "I own all the outsiders!" I mean, duh we don't. But anyway, I own anyone you don't know.

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That morning, I woke up cold and alone. I guess no one is home. Er, wait. Strange noises are coming from Mac's room. Oh god, eww. I really don't wanna know what he's doing with his date from last night. I sat up and looked outside. It's still dark! Oh, no wonder. I glanced at the clock. It's only 2:30 a.m. Why am I up this early? What happened last night? I got a sick feeling in my stomach as it all came back to me. I touched my cheek gingerly and felt a stinging pain. A huge purple bruise had formed across my entire cheek. Great.

I walked to the bathroom where I found Trinny, barfing. Surprise, surprise. Sometimes I wish I had a mother. I could never call Trinny my mother; she may be my biological mother, but she's not really my mom if you know what I mean. I suddenly remembered my journal that I shoved into the back of my cupboard. I can't believe I forgot about it. Taking great care not to knock over my candles (which I did anyway) I gently pulled out my tattered old, red journal. I flipped through the pages and watched as my handwriting and spelling changed throughout the years, starting from clumsily drawn letters from 1st grade, ending in pretty cursive from 8th grade. Opening to an empty page, I started like this:

Notes 1/23/67

Here I am, in a new town, new house. Can't believe I forgot about you.

Ponyboy probably thinks I'm some humongous idiot now, after last

night. Some chick who can't even keep a bunch of fucking Soc's in

line. I wonder if he even likes me. Maybe I should just stop hoping.

Dad would know what to do in a situation like this. He always knew

what to do. Hold on, I think I hear Trinny getting up. No, she was

just trying to get up, then falling immediately. Stupid little bitch.

Sorry for my language. Ever since he died, I've been picking up

Some pretty bad habits. I really hope Mac doesn't find out about the

bike. After we took Pony to the hospital, I walked back and almost

forgot the bike. Smooth aren't I? I had to double back and get it. Then

I attempted to ride it back, and almost totaled it in a tree. Now there's

A whole mess of branches and leaves stuck in the tires. Shit. I was

supposed to clean those out last night, but I was too tired. Damn, I'll

have to do it now, before Mac wakes up. I'll write more later.

I closed my journal and stuffed it back in the cupboard, knocking over a few more candles in my attempt. I trudged outside to the back where I sloppily parked the bike. The metal gleamed wherever it wasn't covered in smears of mud and leaves. Shit. Shit, shit, shit! This'll take me ages to clean. I picked up the bucket I had brought from inside and filled it with icy water from the hose.

"Damn." I muttered as I realized I forgot the soap. After hurrying back into the house to get it, I began the long process of cleaning it. This would have gone well, if I hadn't have been interrupted by a scream.

"Sam! What the hell did you do to my bike!" Mac came storming out, pulling a petite girl with black, glossy hair by the hand.

"Nothing," I said, trying to cover the last spot that wasn't cleaned. "I'm just being a nice sister."

"Nice, my ass! Sure looks like you was doin' something to my bike!" He roughly let go of the girls hand and ran over to me. A second later, I found myself meeting the ground again as I was shoved by Mac.

"Don't ever, ever, fucking touch my bike!" He was belting me in the jaw and on my bruised cheek. You better believe that hurt. I heard little shrieks and gasps coming from his date.

"Oh, Mac! Can't you stop?" The girl was screaming at him. Stupid chick. He's not above hitting his own date if she bugs him. Yep I was right. He let go of me and punched her hard in the shoulder.

That drove me nuts. I pounced on him from the back and started socking him in the back of the neck. I didn't care if I killed him. I don't love him. Thoughts were racing through my head until I was forcibly thrown back by Mac. Geez. I'm sure smart. Mac's a million times stronger then me, and I thought he wouldn't be able to throw a little 90 pound girl over his back? I sat up, feeling woozy and saw a shaky hand out in front of me. It was the girl.

"You ok? You shore have a tough brother." She talked funny, but was nice.

"I'm fine. I get that a lot. Are you ok?" I sat up and tenderly pressed on my now bleeding jaw.

"Oh yeah. He didn't hurt me too bad. I'm Janie, by the way."

Ahh. The one Soda was talking about. She was way too nice for Mac. He needed a girl who was as tough as him.

"Sam," I put out my hand and she helped me up. "Boy, I probably look way worse then I did before."

"You look all right. Here, lemme take you to my house. I live with my roommate, Melissa. I can try to clean ya up a bit."

I was very grateful that she said that. I do not want to see Mac again for a long time. Even though he'll probably forget about it. He's like that. He can't remember when he beats on me and always asks me if Trinny did it.

"Thanks. I don't really want to go back inside my house." We walked a little ways and passed the Matthews home. Eventually, we reached a small, little apartment house.

"Melissa won't be up yet. Lordy if she'll be up by noon. She sleeps like there's no tomorrow." Janie giggled and opened the door to apartment 12A. It was cute, not fancy, but cozy.

"I'll go find our first aid kit. Hold on." I lowered myself into a fluffy armchair. I was asleep before Janie returned.

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"Hey there sleepyhead! I figgered you would be tired, waking up at 2 in the morning and all." I heard someone bustling about in the kitchen and a warm smell reached my nose. Opening my eyes, I saw Janie standing over me with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a few cotton balls and an assortment of other bottles and jars.

"Wow. Uhh, what time is it?" My voice was raspy and it stung when I talked.

"It's about 1:00 in the afternoon." Yelled a voice from the kitchen. I guess that's Melissa. Who's that? Oh right, the pretty matching girl. I almost laughed when she came out holding a tray that held a steaming cup of tea and some toast. Even her pajamas matched her earrings and accessories.

I sipped my tea slowly as Janie cleaned my wounds and tended to my bruises.

"Wow. Your brother sure can pack a punch." Melissa spoke gently and was sponging off my forehead with a cool cloth. "Ya know, he asked me out the first day ya'll arrived." Melissa said with a shudder.

"Really? Damn git." I moaned. I ached all over. Maybe I can just come live here. These people are already more my family then my real family, and I've known 'em for what? A day?

"I feel so bad for ya. I saw your mom." Janie was saying.

"Her mom? Soda told me her mom was a real nice little lady. Said you said so." Melissa looked confused. Oh no. My cover's blown.

"I don't.. Well… Uhh.." I tried to think of something to say, but Janie said it for me.

"Oh. I get it. Ya don't like to tell people 'bout your mom, so you tell 'em that she's like a friend to ya." Tears started welling up in my eyes and I mentally ordered myself not to cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

"I," A tear was balancing threateningly on my eyelash. "don't have a mother. I have a drunk." Here they come. Floods of tears came shooting out of my eyes like fireworks on the 4th of July.

"Oh, Sam." Melissa stroked my head and wiped my tears off my face. After that, I started spilling out my heart. I just sat there, telling these girls every detail of my shit-filled life. When I finished, there was silence. Not bad silence, good silence. And I felt like I lost weight or something. I felt better then I had in a real long time.

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Ok then, there's chapter 4. I won't be able to post chapter 5 till next weekend, I've got school. (groan) Sorry it's kinda short. See ya.