Still suffering from writer's block. God only knows what might happen in this chapter as a result.

My only problem is that I feel I'm really not doing much for Sodapop's character... must fix that...

Chapters MIGHT be getting a tad bit shorter. I hope not, but... you never know...

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, Ash, I mean... yeah, it makes me mad, butI already have this bad feeling... I know he's going to choose Sandy. It doesn't matter why, even if he really wanted to be with me... they have the baby.He's not really choosingme or Sandy, he's choosing Marie. I can't say I blame him, it's the responsible thing to do. I guess... I guess you can only take so much without becoming numb, you know?"

"Yeah. But I wish you wouldn't be so cynical, Naomi. Havea little hope."

"This is the thing... I can't force hope on myself, and if I did... well, if he chooses before my birthday, and all the false hope is shattered, that's going to be one hell of a bad seventeenthbirthday."

"I guess... but you'll still have a hell of a bad birthday anyway."

"At least I won't have to cope with the disappointment. Just loss."

"Yeah... hey, I know I don't know her... but is that Sandy over there?"

I turned my head quickly, looking in the direction of the fountain where the little kids played when it was hot, and felt my stomach churn.

"Yeah, that's her." I picked up my guitar and grabbed Ashley's arm, "Let's get out of here, I don't want to talk to her..."

"Too late. She saw you."

I swore loudly.

"Sterling."

"I think so."

"I need to talk to you."

I sighed. "Why..."

"We haven't gotten a chance to talk yet."

"What's the point?" I asked tiredly, "It'll only end in us fighting." She shrugged.

"So be it."

I followed her to a corner... not too far from Ashley, and crossed my arms and regarded her tiredly as she spun on me.

"I don't know who you think you are, coming in here from London and assuming that you can barge into my life-"

I shrugged. "There's not a 'you snooze, you lose'."

"I was there first! You weren't there until... November!"

"So? Sandy, we're talking about a person here. You can't place dibs on someone's emotions. Regardless of who was here first, that won't make difference, because we're fighting over a person!"

"Not just a person! An entire life, and security, a home... a life!"

"Is that what you're worried about? Sandy, tell me something. Would you be putting up all this if Soda lived on the streets, and a really rich guy wanted to marry you?"

She stared at her feet, biting her lip. I emitted a laugh of disbelief. "Oh my gosh-"

"It's not as though you wouldn't, too!"

"Honey, I had the chance at another guy, but I didn't take it! And he'll probably be pretty rich in the future, but do you know what? I'd rather live on the streets with someone I loved than in complete luxury with a guy who was indifferent to me."

"I need the security for Marie! You don't understand! I'd kill for her!"

"You practically have."

"I know! I need her to be safe, and I'm going to put it before all else!"

"Sandy, what about all those cards that are in your house? From your parents?"

She frowned.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"There are cards that say, 'Happy one-month birthday to our granddaughter'."

"What makes you so sure that it's my parents?"

"How the hell could Sodapop's parents send you a card?"

She went silent.

"My God, Sandy, what are you playing at?"

"I just don't wanna be another statistic! You know they say that more and more girls are getting pregnant each year without getting married! All that stuff I went through, I can't go through it anymore. I could go to my parents, and they'd love me to be home. They don't like Sodapop much, anyway. But then, what would I be? A free loading teenage mom!"

"Sweet mother of God, you're doing all this for pride?"

"It's not as bad as you make it sound."

"It's worse! You... you bitch! You're ruining everything, and it's not even for the sake of your child!"

"It is too! I can't have her being made fun of, too!"

"Then find a man who you can be happy with, because God knows that you and Sodapop aren't!"

"How would you know anything about our marriage?"

"Anyone who sees you two can tell you aren't happy."

"I'll suffer for my little girl." She said quietly, and sounded quite defeated.

"The more you suffer, the more she suffers. You're hurting everyone, Sandy, everyone."

She didn't reply, just walked past me and out of the park. I clenched my fists and seethed angrily for a moment. My God, I wasn't sure I could hate her much more.