A/N: As I've mentioned before in response to someone's review, this story is based mainly off the MOVIE not the NOVEL. Therefore, my versions of Sodapop Curtis and Steve Randle are Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise, respectively. As such, Rob Lowe has bright, clear blue eyes and thus, Soda has bright, clear blue eyes. That's the same with the sides of town. In the movie, it's North and South, so in this story, it's North and South. The bit I'm taking from the book is about Two-Bit's occasional attendance to class.

She'd never seen eyes quite Sodapop's shade before. It was thoughts of those eyes that helped get Emma through the following school day. The thought of something that was untouched by the whole dirty mess of the day before. His household was a shambles, her life was, if possible, emptier than it had been yesterday, but no matter what, his Sodapop Curtis would still have eyes the color of a clear, blue sky.

She supposed it was just another of those strange things that happened, something that someone had probably tried to explain to her in biology. Somewhere in the geneology on either side of his family, there'd been a person with the prettiest eyes on either side of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Emma was rather glad for that. Because of his excellent genes that gave him crystal eyes and a pretty face, she had a good thought to occupy her mind.

Emma knew it sounded a little bit selfish, and more than a little bit shallow. She had never claimed to be void of either of those descriptions. But, as bad as things had been, she guessed she deserved a little something. Granted, she wasn't the one thrown out of her house or the one forced to bunk with a little brother for the night, but she was plenty affected by it all, herself.

She had drifted through her life for at least a year, probably more, going aimlessly from day to day, having no contact with anyone. However, that had been her own choice. She'd made the decision to emotionally remove herself from their group, deciding to be there only in the flesh. Now, though, they were the ones shunning her, yet it was strange that theirs was completely different than her own detachment.

Emma had been there physically, but emotionally, she was more disconnected from them than she would be a stray dog on the streets. She showed them no like or dislike, no love or hate. They could disappear in front of her eyes and she'd never know it. She stood with them, but looked right through them. She bumped into them in the school hallways but couldn't call near as many by name as could name her.

The Soc circle now, however, talked about her, sneered at her, gave her ugly looks to let her know that there was extreme distaste over her choice. They would leave her to stand alone in a hallway if given the chance, but they wouldn't avert their eyes. They wanted her to know that they were displeased, that they thought her to now be dirty. That she was no better than the Greasers she'd chosen over her own people. How low, thou art, Emma Stratton. How incredibly low.

And then there were her parents. Someone's mother had called her mother, who had told her father, which led to a very long phone call where one thing was expressed clearly and concisely. One thing that she'd known would happen, anyway. "In no way, shape or form are you to bring that trashy girl to our home, Emma. We know that we can't stop you from seeing her, but we can stop you from bringing her home. Where she stays is none of our concern, so long as that place is not our house."

That was the end of that. Emma knew that to be the end of it all before the phone ever rang. She had said as much to Soda as he walked her out to her car. "Soda," she'd said, "I know they're going to tell me that she can't come live with me. We have the room, but my parents don't have the heart. And then I look here, at Darry, and he doesn't have the room, but he has the heart. It's all really messed up."

He couldn't argue. "Darry's got more heart than anybody I know. And don't discount your heart, Emma. You've got a pretty big one." He winked at her and it seemed that his eyes were somehow even brighter. "For a Soc, that is."

She didn't tell him that she wasn't sure she could be considered a Soc, anymore. She just got in Adelle's car and drove it home, where she crammed as much of Adelle's things into her room and various empty rooms as possible. Being Soc… At one time, she thought it was just the money and the side of town she lived on. The South Side Soc. However, looking at things now, she couldn't say that to be sure. With the money, cars, house on the South side… That just made her well-off, well-to-do, and well-kept. Without the circle, without the acceptance of the others, she wasn't a Soc, at all. Neither was she a Greaser just because of marginal acceptance, but she knew for sure that she most definitely was not a Soc.

"Be brighter, lady bug." Emma looked up at the gentle whisper that floated into her ear. Adelle stood beside her, dark hair blowing in the breeze. She moved around to the other side and sat down on the bench. "You've been quiet since we got to school."

"She's always quiet." Steve plopped down beside Adelle. "Not even Soda or Super Dope can get a word outta her."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I am not always quiet, Mr. Randle, I'll have you know." She snorted, then smirked. "I happen to normally talk a mile a minute, but as things have taken quite a change, I thought I'd mix it up and go for quiet for a while."

As soon as she said it, she wished she hadn't. Adelle's eyes dropped to the sandwich that sat in front of her, and Emma sighed. "Adelle…" She shook her head. "Adelle, look up, huh? I didn't mean…"

"It's alright, Emma. I know things are messed up, and I'm sorry about that. Really, sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just…"

"You just nothing. If some people don't see that you're happy and that it's a good thing, well then… They can just go put their Mustangs and Hot Rods right where the sun don't shine." She smiled brightly, forcing her lips to widen and mentally telling her eyes to sparkle. "Let's talk about good things, huh? Let's talk about… Let's talk about Steve actually making it to school today, because that, my friend, is definitely news to be shared and laughed over."

Adelle looked up, gave a small smile, and it was as close to real as Emma was going to get. When she'd come back to the Curtis house that morning, Adelle had already been up and trying to convince Ponyboy that yes, it was okay to close the bathroom door. She'd been trying to laugh, but that sparkle was missing in her eyes. Even when she looked at Steve, the lightness wasn't there. She hadn't looked at him like he was bad or that he deserved the blame for her situation, but neither had she held the same look she had just days before. She was tainted just enough by everything to darken her, but not enough for her to sink as low as she possibly could.

"Steve only came to school 'cause he was at the house this morning and Darry made him go. Darry said he didn't have an excuse about not being able to get there, and there was no way that Steve wasn't gonna finish school. Now, the real thing to do is get Two-Bit to show up because he can't possibly ever graduate the way he's going."

"Two-Bit ain't never gon' graduate," Steve said with a laugh. He snatched up the sandwich that Adelle would rather poke than eat, and took a bite. Talking around a full mouth, he said, "Two-Bit don't care, neither. If he ain't gonna go to school, he should get a job. How I always end up givin' him money, I don't know. Him and Dally, always wantin' money, and to think I gotta look forward to Dally actually comin' back."

Both girls perked up and stared at Steve. Emma had heard enough about Dallas Winston to know that he was more trouble than anyone else that had befriended the Curtis boys. He was wild and crazy, and it had only been sheer luck that kept him alive the night that Johnny had given over to his injuries. Sheer luck that Darry and the guys had gotten to him first and hid him away. Sheer luck that they'd snuck him off back to New York until everything had called down. And now, she didn't know if the sheer luck were good or bad that he was coming back.

"Dally's coming back?" Emma shook her head. She wasn't exactly sure why she was so nervous over the return of someone she'd never even met, though she thought that could have possibly been the reason. She was just starting to get used to everyone else, and that was most likely because she would have to be if she planned to keep a hold on the only friend she had left. But, someone new… She was sure to lose the ease that she'd just started to gain. "When's he coming back?"

Steve shrugged. "Couple o' weeks? That's what Ponyboy said. He got a letter from him the other day." He shrugged again and swallowed. "No major thing. It's just Dally."

"Yeah, Emma, it's just Dally." Emma could tell that Adelle was trying to be light about it, but at the same time, felt the same apprehension that she did. There was no telling how Dallas Winston would react to the way things had changed. A girl in the Curtis house? A Soc girl at that… It was something different, alright. "And since he's not going to be here for weeks, we can talk about what's going to be here tonight. Steve and I are going to the drive-in and I remember you saying that you would let Soda take you, too. So… are you two going with us?"

"I… I don't know." Emma sat up straight and stared at her. "I mean, I suppose it wouldn't be so bad, and I did say I would, but… I don't know that Soda actually wants to go. Maybe he just says he does knowing that I'll say no and…"

"And nothin'." Steve grunted. "I know Soda, and he wants you to go. So you're goin'. And we'll take one car so's nobody can beg off. Everybody needs a good time." He leaned over and kissed Adelle's cheek, leaving bread crumbs on her cheek. Adelle squealed and Steve laughed. "What?"

"There's bread on my face!" She giggled as she wiped the crumbs away, then looked at Steve. "You're clean, but getting dirty again."

"You like me dirty," he said with a wink. "A little game you play with Dirty Steve. It's fun. You know it."

"Uh uh."

"Uh huh."

He started to tickle her, and Emma was glad to hear the laughter. She was less glad, however, when Cherry, Randy, and a few others passed their table, all giving them evil glares and smirks. They whispered to each other, and Emma knew exactly who they were talking about, even if she didn't know what they were saying. They stared at her and Emma stared just past them, to a place far off, a place that didn't exist. To a place that held Sodapop Curtis and his crystalline eyes, because right then, while Steve and Adelle laughed in their own world, oblivious to the people walking past them… Right then, it was that set of eyes that got her through the moment.