The Tastee Freeze was busy when we arrived later that evening, which isn't unusual since it was one of the few places in town that both socs and greasers went to. Even the middle class kids went there.

I saw some people that I knew from school, but I was sure that they didn't know who I was. I can usual walk through the halls and sit in class without anyone noticing that I'm there unless I'm with one of my friends. It probably wouldn't be any different outside of school.

"What are you getting, Johnny?" Steve asked.

"A banana spilt," I replied. It wasn't everyday that I got to have a sundae and a banana split sounded like a good choice.

The waitress arrived and took our order, somehow managing to ignore Two-Bit's attempts to flirt with her. She took our menus and walked away, her blonde ponytail swaying as she walked.

"What are you all doing here?" We all looked up to see Dally pulling up a chair and sitting down at the table.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Steve asked.

"Shoot, I'm just here out of boredom," Dally said with a yawn. "I spent most of the day at Shephard's, but then his little brat of a sister decided to bug us."

"We're here because Soda decided to bet Darry earlier when we were playing football," Steve said, glaring across the table at Soda. "Losing team has to buy the winning team sundaes."

"That was dumb," Dally commented. "Even I know that Darry's team always wins, and I rarely play with you guys."

I gave Dally a look af admiration, but knew that he didn't see it. He always told it like it is and didn't take garbage from anyone. For some reason, I admired that even though I could never be like that. I'm not even sure if I would want to be like Dally, but I still admired him. He was everything that I never could be. Tough, cool, and smart. He knew the score and that was something worth liking.

"Do you want anything?" The waitress asked Dally when she arrived with the sundaes.

"A hot fudge sundae, extra hot fudge and don't forget the nuts," Dally replied.

I ate my banana split, eating the whipped cream first. As I ate, I could almost remember the time my folks had brought me there. I don't remember why they had took me out for ice cream. Maybe it had been my birthday, or maybe my old man wanted something to eat after some Cherokee meeting. All I knew was that I had sat on the booster seat and ate a dish of vanilla ice cream, and that I was still too young to understand that trips to the Tastee Freeze with them would be unheard of after that. Drinking would become the main source of their spending if it wasn't already.

"Johnny, how's your banana split?" Darry asked, breaking into my thoughts.

"It's good," I said.

"What are we doing after this?" Soda asked.

"Going home," Darry answered. "You and Pony have school in the morning."

"Don't remind me," Soda mumbled as he finished the last of his sundae. "Maybe I'll get sick before then."

"Don't count on it," Darry said. "You know mom won't let you stay home unless you're in the bathroom throwing up."

"What's wrong with school?" Ponyboy asked.

"Being dumb," Soda whispered and I noticed that Ponyboy pretended not to hear him. Ponyboy never liked to hear Soda say that he was dumb, but he didn't understand that Soda's teachers always expected him to live up to the standards that Darry had set. I almost could, because I saw it first hand. Ever since grade school, teachers would compare him to Darry while I was labeled dumb because it took me longer than others to understand stuff. Steve was lucky, he got to be in the average classes where they didn't seem to judge you as much.

"You're smart, Soda," Darry said. "I know you are."

"Yeah," Steve agreed. "Those teachers don't know anything."

Dally sighed and stood up. "I think I'll head out. Are you coming, Johnny?"

I stood up, buttoning my jacket. "I'll see ya'll later."

"Bye Johnny," Ponyboy said and the others gave a small wave as I went to catch up with Dally who was already walking out the door.