FOUR Ponyboy ran as fast as he could to his girlfriend's house. By the time he got there, she was already walking away off to school, obviously mad. He ran up behind her and hugged her from behind. "Sorry I'm late, Ash," he said apologetically.

She stopped walking and turned to face him. "What took so long anyway?" she asked, flipping her long, straight dark brown hair behind her. She looked so pretty with her hair down, Ponyboy thought.

"Sodapop's home!" he answered.

"Oh, well then why didn't you just say so?" she grinned. "Then you obviously aren't going to school, right?" she asked.

"Nope, and you aren't either. I want you to meet him." Ponyboy replied.

"Oh, well okay, then let me go inside and put my books away." she ran back into her house as Ponyboy waited outside the door. A couple of minutes later, she ran back out. "Okay, my sister said I didn't have to go, but only for today. I kind of had to beg her."

Ponyboy smiled. "I had to bug Darry about it too. I'm so excited I really want you to meet him."

"Ash, come in here for a minute," a voice from inside the house yelled.

"Hold on, I'll be back in a second," she ran back inside the house.

Just that second, the gang walked by. Soda was talking to Cora Lee and Johnny. While Dally kicked a rock around. The others were all talking and making unnecessary noise. Dally looked up. "Hey Ponyboy, what are you sitting on the porch for, where's your little 'girlfriend'?" Dallas shouted.

"Shut it, Dal, she's inside." he answered.

"We'll wait with you Pony." Soda said. The gang all walked over and sat on the porch with him.

Ash peeped her head through the front door, and looked around. "You guys can come wait inside if you want. My sister's just about to leave for work, and my brother broke his arm, so he's staying home today too."

The boys looked around at each other. "Sure." Two-Bit said. They all got up and walked inside. Dally plopped down on a couch, and Steve, Johnny, and Cora Lee found chairs. The others sat on the ground.

Ponyboy stood up, and took Ash's hand. "Sodapop, this is Ash. Ash this is Sodapop." They shook hands.

"Ponyboy tells me you've just come back from the war. I hate wars," she said in an attempt to make conversation.

"I don't like them much either. So, when did you guys move here?" Soda asked.

"Oh, about a month ago," she replied.

A girl rushed downstairs dressed in a waitress uniform, and looked around. She had shiny black hair, and was really pretty, just like her sisters. Dallas whistled. Ignoring him, she looked over at Sodapop, and quickly returned her gaze toward her sisters.

"Ash, Cora, I'm leaving for work. I'll see you when my shift's over, and make sure you watch out for Aaron. No more fights for him, he's upstairs in his room." She threw Cora Lee a pair of keys, and left quickly, but not before glancing in Sodapop's direction one more time.

"Was that your sister?" Sodapop asked.

"Yeah, she was just leaving for work. She's a waitress at the Dingo." Ash answered.

"When's her shift over?" he asked.

"Why?" Two-Bit teased. "Soda has a crush!"

"Shut up, Two-Bit. You can't keep your mouth shut for more than a minute, can you?" Soda answered.

"In three hours," Cora Lee answered.

"Oh," Soda said.

"Anyway, are we going to sit around all day, or are we gonna go somewhere?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Ponyboy added.

Someone walked down the stairs with heavy footsteps. "Who are all these people?" a boy around 18 or so asked. He had grease in his hair and was wearing a leather jacket with jeans. He had a cast around his left arm.

"Friends," Ash answered. "This is my brother, Aaron."

"We were just leaving anyway. Guys, I have to go. I have a fight with Tim Sheppard," Dallas said.

"What, what for?" Steve asked.

"Stole his hubcaps," Dally replied with out batting an eye.

"Awesome! A fight, I'm so in." Aaron walked towards the door.

"No, you can't fight again already!" Cora Lee added.

"Well no one will know anything if you keep your trap shut," he replied.

"But, your arm?" Dally motioned toward the cast.

"All the better to whack someone with," he replied. Dallas chuckled.

"Alright, we're outta here."

"Great. Where do you guys want to go?"

"The Dingo?" Soda suggested timidly.