Chapter 2:

(Johnny's POV)

Once Rose left the room, I quickly put my clothes on. Did Rose take my clothes off? None of the other girls would have left my boxers on it seems like except Anna. So I guess Rose did. I walked over to the door and opened it. Rose was waitin' for me. We walked into her dinnin' room and then into the kitchen. She handed me a plate then got herself a whole thing of white rice. I didn't get much; just some chicken and noodles. We walked into the livin' and ate in there. Everyone I meet earlier were in there eating. The TV was off and we just ate silently.

"Dang Rose," Paula said breakin' the silence. "Is tryin' to lose weight?"

"Yep," she answered.

"You'll be skinny as a toothpick if you keep this up," Will said.

"I am fat and I need to lose weight," she said. I looked at her and saw she was skinny. Why does every girl think they need to lose more weight than they need to? I will never understand that.

"New subject: what's your friend's name Rose?" Lynn asked.

"His name is Johnny Cade," she answered.

"Wait a sec; you hang around Ponyboy Curtis right?" Abby asked.

"Yea," I said nervously. Abby set her plate down, walked outside and we heard her scream. What's wrong with her? She came back in, sat down, picked up her plate and began eatin' again. But she was happy while she ate. There was silence between all of us. Once everyone finished eatin', Anna took the plates up and went into the kitchen.

"Crystal, do you have homework?" Anna asked.

"Yea; I'll go and do it," Rose said. I guess her real name was Crystal. "Oh we got report cards today," she said as she went into her room.

"Let me see it," Anna said comin' out of the kitchen. Rose came out, havin' a sad look on her face. She handed Anna her report card and turned away from Anna. Then I saw she was smilin'. "You got an A in Science and Art," Anna said. "And the rest are A's too."

"Great work Rose," Paula said.

"Yea; good work," Abby said.

"She's been working hard to get those grades," Lynn said.

"Let's party!" Will said.

"I got the pop rocks," Krista said. As she pulled out some of the pop rocks from her pocket.

"Put those away!" all the girls, except Anna, said. They laughed their heads off after that.

"Krista love pop rocks and Abby loves Ponyboy," Rose said.

"Keep them up," Anna said. Rose turned around and looked at Anna.

"That's all you have to say have to me?" she asked. "I worked my ass off for those grades and all you have to say is to keep them up."

"Watch your language young lady," Anna said as she went into the kitchen again. "Go do you're homework now." Rose stomped into her room and slammed the door behind her.

"Anna, don't you think you could be a little nicer?" Paula asked. "She had been workin' hard."

"Maybe if she'll keep them up I'll be nicer," Anna said. She's remindin' me of Darry when he yells at Ponyboy about his grades. In fact, everyone here reminds me of someone is the gang. Anna reminds me of Darry (yelling at Rose for her grade; plus guardian and older sister), Paula reminds me of Soda (because she's always happy and joking; plus the middle sister.), Will reminds me of Dally (tough), Krista reminds me of Two-Bit (loud and funny), Lynn reminds me of myself (stays quiet), Abby reminds me of Steve (crazy about something like Steve is crazy about Evie and cars) and Rose reminds me of Ponyboy only tougher (she gets good grades and still gets yelled at; plus she's the younger sister of Anna and Paula). I didn't realize how much our gangs are alike until now.

"It's not her fault," Lynn said. "Those two teachers have favorites in the class."

"Stay out of this Lynn," Anna said. "Did you the rest of you do your homework?"

"The club doesn't give homework," Paula said. "It we had homework, it would be to practice your dancin'."

"I never do my homework," Will said.

"I finished my already," Lynn and Abby said as once.

"Krista?" Anna asked.

"My dog ate it," Krista said.

"You don't have a dog," Paula said.

"Shh; no one needs to know that," Krista said.

"So Johnny," Abby started to say.

"You better run or she'll ask you a million questions," Will said.

"I only want to know-"

"Don't start," Lynn said. "You can go into Rose's room." I nod, got up and walked up to her door. I knocked and asked if I could come in. I heard a yes so I opened the door and closed it. The lights were off. I turned them on and saw Rose cryin'. I walked over to her and looked at her. She wiped her face, walked past me and went to her desk in the room. Then she began her homework. I sat on her bed and didn't say anythin'. I looked around her room and saw pictures everywhere. I saw a picture of Rose and a guy together. He had his arm wrapped around her waist and Rose had her arms around his neck. She looks so happy with 'im.

"Who's the guy?" I asked.

"That was my old boyfriend," she answered.

"What happened?"

"Anna thought he wasn't good enough for me. She may us break up. After we broke up, he started seein' someone else. I really don't want to talk about it Johnny."

"Alright." She continued her homework and she finished it in ten minutes. Then there was a knock at the door. The door opened and Paula was standin' there.

"I'm goin' to work Rose and Will is comin'. Do you and Johnny want to come?" she asked.

"Sure," Rose said. "Let me change though." I got up and left the room. Paula and I walked back out to the dinnin' room and waited for Rose. I saw Paula was in a strapless shirt with showed her stomach and a mini skirt with beads hanging from it. She had on high heels and make-up. I know this stuff but I see girls talkin' about what they wear.

"Is she coming?" Will asked. Will was wearing a mini skirt, a jean jacket, a halter top that wrapped around her neck and heels too.

"Yea," Paula said. "Anna, I'm goin' to work and takin' Will, Johnny and Rose with me."

"Did Crystal finish her homework?" Anna asked. Paula looked at me and I nodded my head.

"Yes she did," Paula said. We all heard a door open and saw Rose walk out. She was wearing a bikini top, a jean vest and jean shorts. Then she had sandals on her feet. Her hair was pulled back by a bandana. "Rose tryin' to pick up some guys," Paula said. Anna came into the room and shocks her head.

"You better not do anything bad Crystal," she said.

"She won't," Will said as she got up and put Rose in a head lock. "Johnny and I will watch her. Won't we Johnny?" Will asked me. I nod my head.

"Don't come here drunk both Paula and Will," Ann said. "You threw up the next day."

"We won't come back drunk to much," Paula said as we left. "Be back at one or two in the mornin' so don't stay up for us." Paula shut the door behind us and we left. "You have your blade Rose?"

"Yea," she said.

"Johnny, do you carry a blade?" Paula asked me.

"Yes ma'am," I said.

"Don't call me ma'am," she said. "Damn boy, I'm only 17. How old are you?"

"16," I answered.

"See; I'm not much older than you," she said.

"So what's going on tonight?" Rose asked Paula.

"Dance contest," Paula said. "You enterin' Rose."

"Yea," she answered.

"What's wrong Rose?" Will asked her.

"Nothin'," Rose answered.

"You sound depressed," Will said.

"It's what Anna said," Paula said.

"I finally get straight A's after mom and dad died and she didn't even say coagulations," Rose said. "It's been tough since mom and dad died. It's been a tough two years. She works all fuckin' day long and doesn't even spend time with us anymore."

"It's hurt her too," Paula said as we stopped. "She could have finished college with her I.Q. I'm a dropout so I can't help you there. We need you to go to college at least." Wow; Paula and Anna were like Soda and Darry.

"I know but it's hard," she said. I looked at Will and she lighted a weed.

"Anyone want one?" she asked. We shock our heads no. "Suit yourself."

"Ever since mom and dad died, we have to be careful how we act or we'll get separated. I don't want to go to the girl's home again," Rose said. "I'll kill myself if that happens again." Paula hugged Rose and rose started to cry.

"Don't kill yourself Rose," Paula said.

"Yea kid," Will said. "We couldn't have gotten out rep without ya."

"That's true but you're the real star Will," Rose said.

"No; when you're pretty mad, you are the star. You get past me," Will said. "That's why you're known as "Double Blade Rose". Now let's get to this club and party!" That cheered Rose up. I wonder why she's called "Double Blade Rose".

"Yea; let's get our greasers asses there!" she yelled. Paula let go of her.

"Remember to keep you greaser asses out of trouble," Paula said as we began to walk again. "Anna will skin me if anything happens to Rose or Johnny."

"Why me?" I asked.

"Believe it or not, Anna likes havin' you around," Paula said. "We haven't had much contact with a boy since Will got drunk three months ago and brought the boy over to our crib. Then they started makin' out and Abby and Rose were in the room." Paula started to laugh. "Anna might have ignored 'em but they the two youngest people in the gang had to walk in on 'em."

"I was drunk; I couldn't think straight," Will said. "Plus that taught Rose and Abby how to do it!"

"Anna is goin' to kill me if she ever sees me doin' that on her couch," Rose said. "Besides, a bed is easier."

"Her mind is gettin' dirty," Will said as she dropped her weed and stomped on it with her foot. After five more minutes of walkin', we finally reached the club. We walked around back and entered through there.

"Yo James, the sexy angel is in the house," Paula said. A guy with black greased hair and brown eyes came over to us and hugged Paula.

"Lookin' good girls," he said. "Who your boyfriend?"

"He's actually Rose's boy toy," Paula said.

"You wish," Rose said.

"Rose is enterin' the dance contest James," Paula said.

"Really; I have to see this. You better hurry out there Paula. There are people waitin' for ya," he said. "I'll see y'all girls and guy later." He left and we entered the club. There were so many people there. They were dancin', talkin', kissin' and other things. The music was loud and the lights were bright.

"I'll see you to gals and guy later. I have a job to do," Paula said as she picked up a tray and left us.

"What's first on the list?" Rose asked.

"Drinkin' contest," Will said as she walked over to a table with a bunch of guys and sat down. Rose and I followed her to the table. "I'm in," Will said.

"Sure you can hold it broad?" one guy asked. There were four guys at the table.

"I bet twenty bucks she came beat you all," Rose said.

"It's on," another guy said as he pasted Will a beer. "Say when to go broad."

"GO!" Rose said. They started and Will looked it she couldn't win. However, she finished first! Wow; I wonder if she could beat Two-Bit or Dally. "I got ya so," Rose said. "Twenty bucks please." The guy paid her and Rose and I left. Will stayed there and I guess did another contest. "Want anything Johnny?" she asked me. I shock my head no. "You didn't have to come if you don't like it," Rose said as we found a booth and sat down.

"I know," I said.

"Well we have twenty bucks we won," she said. "I have extra money plus twenty bucks extra." Then a guy came over to our table. He had dark brown hair and green eyes. He wore a boy's tank top, tight jeans with chains and boots. He sat down next to Rose and talked talkin' to her.

"Would you like to dance beautiful?" he asked.

"Not with you," Rose said.

"Why not?"

"I prefer to dance alone," she said. "Johnny, do you know how to dance?"

"No," I answered in embarrassment. The other guy laughed.

"You're her boyfriend and you don't know how to dance?" the guy asked.

"He's not my boyfriend," Rose said. "And either you got away from me or I'll kick your ass."

"Make me move," the guy said. Rose brought her left foot up and kicked the guy onto the floor. She grabbed my hand and we moved out to the dance floor. She let go of my hand and looked at me.

"Lesson one about dancin': move your feet to the music," she said.