"I was just … so mad after you told me who he is and what he does. I didn't mean to," Her voice was shaking. "Oh God, I don't want to go to jail." At this moment Pony walked up to them. "What's going on?" He blinked sleepily. Darry just looked at him, not knowing what to say. "I…" Tiffany swallowed hard, "I shot Andy." Pony's jaw dropped and he now had the same look on his face as Darry.

"Alright," Darry finally said, "don't panic, first we got to hide this," he pointed at the gun. "Oh, I didn't even realize I still had it," then she looked down and added, "I can't believe I got mixed up with someone like this. He isn't dead either, I saw him move as I was leaving."

"How exactly did you leave, people must've heard the gunshot." Pony asked baffled.

"I… I jumped outta the window. I heard people running up to the room and I just jumped. I don't care if he dies, he is such a bastard," she added. In the meantime Darry took the gun out of her hands and wrapped it in a paper towel and went into his room.

He was back in a minute. "I think you need to calm down Tiffany, I'll get you a pillow and a blanket. Please try to fall asleep. In the morning we'll go visit Soda." "Poor Soda," Tiffany sobbed, "it's all my fault."

"We need to find out what happened to Andy, is he going to press charges. I'll go down to Buck's in the evening and find out from Buck what happened." Darry said Pony was thoughtful for a minute, "Buck will know you are hiding something if you show up there, you never go to Buck's."

"Good point," Darry agreed, "we'll have to ask Dallas to go. He goes to Buck's all the time, he'll just casually find out what the deal with Andy is, Buck isn't going to suspect anything."

"Thank you so much," Tiffany said, she was still shaking. "I'm scared of what he might do to me if he survives."

"Don't worry," Darry replied firmly, "we have an upper hand on him."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember I told you about the violin he stole, we'll just threaten him to tell the cops about that."

"Oh, God I hope it works," Tiffany sighed, finally walking into the room. Darry brought the pillow and a blanket and she settled down on the couch

The next day they went to visit Soda. "I'll give you some time alone," Darry said, pulling Pony's hand to stay in the hallway.

"Thanks," Tiffany turned around. Then she opened the door to Soda's room and walked in. His eyes were closed. "Hi Sodapop," she said.

"Hi," he said weakly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit, but I have a second lease on life so I'm not complaining."

"Listen, your brothers told me what happened I'm really sorry. Just so you know I sort of broke up with Andy,"

"What do you mean sort of?"

"Well…Darry told me what happened and I was so mad I…I shot him."

"You shot him?!" Soda yelled sitting up in bed, "Remind me to never get you mad." Tiffany smiled, but there were tears in her eyes. "I really like you Soda if you will have me. I guess I was just blinded by Andy. He was from a big city, rich, well to do. Everyone seemed to do whatever he said. But what he did to you is …

so" she wiped a tear, "so low. I can't believe I was interested in someone like that."

"Come here Soda," smiled. She walked up closer to the bed, and he grabbed her hand. She started sobbing.

"Oh, please don't cry."

"You could've died," she sobbed.

"But I haven't I'm here please don't cry." She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"I'll be home in a couple of days. For now you can stay with my brothers."

At this moment the door opened a crack and Pony stuck his head in – "May we come in?"

"Of course."

Pony walked in and waved for Darry to follow him.

"Hi Soda," he walked up to the bed. Looking at Soda's facial expression Pony figured Tiffany told him what happened. "So you heard the news of the day huh." Pony smiled. Soda nodded, "I can't believe you actually shot him," Soda said turning to Tiffany.

"And with his own gun too," she smiled for the first time since it happened. They stayed a little longr, then headed home.