"Darry won't let me move out."

Emma blinked and shook her head. "What?"

"Darry won't let me move out." Adelle tapped her fingers against the table, her nails thrumming against the wood. Lunch was just starting, and though they both had the full period to waste, it would move by fast. Weird, how it seemed that class went on forever and ever, but lunch seemed to be fifteen minutes long, sometimes less.

"I wasn't planning to stay there forever, ya know." She opened a milk carton, then stared inside. "Just long enough for me to figure out what I was doing. But, Darry said I was too young to be living on my own, so he's not letting me move out. I either have to go back home, or I gotta stay there."

"Is that so bad? I mean, do you really wanna live on your own?"

"I guess not. Bills and all that responsibility." She shook her head. "That's a lot for a sixteen year old, ya know." Adelle shrugged. "But, it's beyond me not wanting to be a nuisance now, and it has entered the territory of really, really weird."

Emma cocked an eyebrow. "Weird?"

"Well… it's me and three guys. Five if you add in the fact that Two-Bit and Steve act like they practically live there. And Soda… you'd love this. Soda's got this thing about walking around the house naked or almost there. And they don't close the bathroom door, either. I don't know how many times I've walked in on Soda or Pony because Darry's the only one that it has occurred to that the door should be locked."

"If it were that much of a screwed up thing, though, Darry wouldn't be making you stay. I'm sure it's something you'll get used to."

Adelle pursed her lips. "You're playing devil's advocate. You don't play devil's advocate, Emma, you play my advocate. Which means you're only partially paying attention, and that means that you're off in dream land. And who are you going dreamy over? Could it be—Soda? No, you don't go this grade of dreamy over Soda, anymore."

"Could you please, stop? And what do you mean, this grade of dreamy?"

"You're too serious. When I walked up, you were thinking about something, and when you're thinking about Soda, your eyes go far away. It's like you're in some kind of dream land, and you're usually kind of upset when you're snapped out of it. This time, though, you look almost glad that I got you out of it. So, you can't have been gone over Soda."

"I'll have you know that I'm never dreamy—" Emma stopped and pursed her lips. "Okay, so sometimes, I go dreamy over Soda." Adelle laughed, and it was infectious enough that a small giggle came from Emma's lips. She covered her mouth, brought herself to control, then said, "Honestly, can you blame me? His eyes alone are to die for. And he's got a cuteness to him. Not like, physically cute, because that's stating the obvious. I mean… something about him when we're alone. He's nothing like Dallas Winston, that's for sure."

"And, at least, we come around to the real thing that has you not paying attention to people who walk up on you." Adelle grinned and twisted a raven strand over one slender finger. "Dallas Winston is on your brain."

"How could he not be? Ever since I met him, all I can think about his how much I hate him. He's so cocky and sure of himself, as if I want anything at all to do with him. As though I really care if he likes me or not. I don't, by the way. I don't care if he likes me or hates me."

"Soda would rather he hate you."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"There's that what again." Adelle rolled her eyes. "You should really come up with a new phrase for shock. What is becoming very painful to the ears."

"Adelle…" Emma groaned. "Come on, Adelle, I'm not in the mood for games. What did Soda tell you."

"Tell me? Well, he told me nothing. However, I did overhear him talking to Steve this morning before they left for work. Of course, I was trying to get Steve to come to school instead of going to work, but he said he had to go to work. And, since he was ditching, that gave Two-Bit an excuse to ditch. So, now—"

"Now," Emma interrupted her, "you can tell me what you actually overheard."

Adelle narrowed her eyes, but the minor itch of anger at being called on her rambling didn't last long. Adelle knew that she tended to ramble. She was only glad that most of the time, Emma put up with it. And that Steve thought it was cute enough to cackle on and on about. Okay, so the incessant cackling wasn't the best thing, but he didn't yell at her to shut up, either.

"Adelle?"

"Huh?"

"Okay, so now who's lost in a land that's not here?"

"Fine." Adelle sighed. "Well, Soda was telling Steve… Okay, so I'm not going exact word for word here, because I can't remember exactly how he put it. The basic idea, however, was that Dally went after what he wanted full speed, and if he decided he liked you, he might decide he wanted to play with you. And, while they're all friends and such, Soda has no desire to share, especially with Dally. So, I take that to mean—"

"That Soda would rather Dallas hate me than to like me."

"Exactly. Sounds like Soda has decided that he wants you all to himself. Are you going to finally admit that you just might be Sodapop Curtis's girlfriend?"

"I am not his girlfriend."

"Then, what are you, Emma?"

"I'm… Well… I don't really know what I am."

"Trust me," Adelle told her, "you're his girlfriend. If he's worried that someone else might take an interest in you, then he's your boyfriend."

"I don't know about all that."

"Trust me, Emma. I know these things." Adelle giggled. "Okay, I think I know these things, but the end result is the same, and I believe that it could be a good thing. For the time being, at least."

"And how, exactly, have you come to this conclusion?"

"Well, it makes it easier on you, the amount of time you spend at his house. You have your own reasons now, and it's not just because I'm there. That's a good thing, right?"

"I suppose."

"Well, that's good enough. Now, let's finish lunch before the bell rings and we're back to the torturous torment of high school." Adelle sighed and her shoulders sagged. "And forget about Dally, Emma. As long as you've got Soda, then Dally's not worth the frown lines you're giving yourself thinking about him."

"But… I really don't like him, Adelle."

"That's a good thing. It would only be bad if you did like him. That would be very bad, indeed."