Alrighty Chapter 15 here we come! I honestly thought this was going to be the last chapter but it's not. and for those of you who want this story to end well, I'm sorry to disappoint. Sorry it took so long to update but I was stuck. Clearly though, I'm not now. So sorry for the long wait but I hope this chapter makes up for it.

Chapter 15

The drive to the movies was almost unbearable. I could practically hear all the evil thoughts going through Bob's mind. I'd bet all the money in the world that his life goal was to make my life a living hell.

"So Laurie," Bob began. "What movie do you want to see?"

I turned to glare at him. Arms crossed I gave him the look that I didn't care.

"Guess it doesn't matter anyway, we'll see whatever's there." Bob said.

"I'm invigorated, really I am." I stated dully.

"You're a real pain you know that?"

"Oh, I'm the pain, have you looked at yourself lately?" I shook my head and looked out the window.

Bob's anger was flaring. I could hear his breathing get heavier. We stopped at a red light and Bob was still huffing and puffing from his anger when he suddenly pulled out a flask.

"Are you stupid?" I yelled at him.

He gave me a glare type smirk and took a big drink.

The light turned green and Bob sped off. When we reached the movie theater he parked it a spot that just 'happened' to be right near Randy's car. I got out of the car once it was stopped and I slammed the door.

"Hey, watch the door!" Bob yelled to me.

I ducked my head through the window, "Don't even talk to me! If you are going to be drinking then you can forget coming to find me to drive me home. I will not come. If you wanna get yourself killed from being drunk when you're driving, be my guest, but if you think I will get in the car with you like that, then you can just forget it."

I stormed away from the car and went to the chair section. I wasn't planning on watching the movie but I needed to sit somewhere to calm down. As I was sitting there, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"I swear to God, if that's you Bob…" I began as I spun around but stopped when I saw someone who looked exactly like Dally. Of course if it wasn't him I didn't want to look stupid so I just stared at him for a moment. Yeah, I know, great way to avoid looking stupid. I'm a natural.

I blinked out of my trance and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Well aren't you feisty." He smirked, trying to look cool. It was definitely Dally.

"Dally?" I asked. It was the stupidest question.

"Hey Johnny, look she knows my name." Dallas mocked.

I rolled my eyes and turned around as I heard Johnny whisper to Dally, "Hey Dal, isn't she the girl Soda was with?"

I felt another tap on my shoulder and when I turned at automatically asked, "What now?"

"Are you the broad Soda was with?" Dally asked.

I huffed. "Okay, I'm not a "broad" I am a girl, so don't be demeaning. And yes, I'm the "girl" Soda was with, if you must know." Angry now, I turned back around.

There was silence behind me, I must have pissed off Dally or something but I suddenly heard Ponyboy's voice.

There were some whispers and then yet another tap on my shoulder. This was becoming a very big nuisance.

"Would you leave me…hi Ponyboy." I changed what I was saying half-way through the sentence when I realized it was Pony who tapped me. I didn't think it was right if I snapped at Pony when this was only the first time he'd tapped me.

"Hey Laurie, why don't you sit back here with us?" Pony invited.

"No, I can't. I'm not staying." I told him.

"Come on," He insisted. "Soda'll come by later with Two-Bit." He tempted me.

I thought about it. "Alright." I said and began moving to the seats behind me.

I was still really tense from what had happened. I was also really jittery. "Pony," I whispered. "Do you have a smoke?"

Pony stared at me in aw. "I thought you didn't—"

I cut him off. "I do when I'm really stressed. And I am right now."

Pony handed me a weed and a light. "You wanna talk about it?"

I took a long drag. "You are so sweet you know that? You are so much like Soda."

He didn't really say anything to the compliment. But you could tell that it made him happy. He probably tried to hard to be like Soda.

The movie began but I could not tell you what was going on. There must be something wrong with me, I thought. I used to be able to go to a movie, talk throughout the entire film with my best friend and we'd both know exactly what was going on. Now if I had even one thing on my mind, I couldn't even remember the beginning title. I phased in and out at parts and I would try to decipher how long we'd been watching the movie. At one point I leaned over and asked Ponyboy but he just looked at me as if I thought he was a clock so I whispered never mind.

I couldn't believe my cousin would drink and drive. Why do you care? I kept asking myself. He's an ass to you and you know it. As hard as I tried I just could not get over the fact that my cousin was so irresponsible. Even though I did hate him right now, he was still my cousin and I didn't want to see him get killed. I was so in depth in thought that when a figure sat down beside me I jumped practically into Pony's lap.

"Laurie, it's just me. Calm down," Soda said laughing at me.

"Yeah thanks, I can see that now." I joked back. Then I turned to Ponyboy. "Sorry." I whispered. He just shook his head in the I-have-no-idea-who-you-are kind of way.

"I didn't know you were going to be here." Soda said to me.

"Yeah well, it was kinda forced on me."

Soda gave me a puzzled look.

"Trust me, you really don't want to know."

Soda took that as the time to change the conversation which I was glad for. "So how's the movie?"

Of course he had to choose the one topic that I knew nothing about. "I'm not the best person to ask for that question." He just stared at me. "I've kinda been off in my own little world. Honestly, I don't even know what the movie's called."

"If you didn't wanna watch the movie why'd you stay?" He pressed.

"Well, Pony noticed me and told me to stay but I told him I didn't want to and then he told me that you were going to come so I decided to stay." I rushed towards the end embarrassed of what he'd think.

Of course, me being the self conscious person that I am, I thought he would laugh in my face, but instead he kissed me lightly. I let out a smile and tried not to let myself go beet red. I highly doubt that it actually worked.

We turned our attention to the movie though I paid no attention to it. Soda put his arm around me and after a short while he became fidgety. I noticed it and I looked at him. He noticed me looking and did his cocked eyebrow thing. I almost died. And I also forgot my reason for looking at him in the first place.

I finally remembered and I said to him, "Troubles sitting still?"

He kinda of laughed and then offered a suggestion. "Wanna go for a walk."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, anything's better than pretending to watch the movie."

Pony must've heard our conversation because he asked where we were going.

"We have to go for a walk, you're brother is incapable of sitting still." I laughed.

Soda grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. "I dunno if we'll come back here, if we don't, I'll see you back at home. Let Darry know too." Soda told Ponyboy who nodded. Soda and I walked out of the drive in hand-in-hand.

"So where are we gonna go?" I asked.

"I dunno, where do you wanna go?" He asked back.

I sighed. "The park." I suggested.

He didn't answer but he walked in the park's direction so I figured that where we were headed.

When we got there I let go of his hand and became a very big child. I went up on the jungle gym type thing and sat at the top, my feet swinging insanely. Soda walked up to the jungle gym and stood almost under me. I thanked the Lord that I was not wearing a skirt.

"Are you having fun?" Soda asked with a crazy grin on his face.

I nodded and kept swinging my feet. "I feel like a huge child." I told him.

"Are you gonna come down?" He asked me.

"Nope, you're gonna have o come up here."

Amazingly he mad his way up and sat beside me. I leaned back and looked up, gazing at the stars. "Wow." I let out.

Soda followed my gaze upwards. "Pony loves doing this." He said.

"And you don't?"

"I just don't get it like he does. Probably 'cause he's smarter than me."

"Soda, you don't need to be a genius to enjoy looking at the stars."

We locked eyes for the longest while and then I broke our trance.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Sure." He answered.

"How come you weren't in school those days? Was it because of me?"

"I was hopin' you weren't gonna ask this question."

"So it was because of me."

"No, but you aren't gonna see me in class anymore."

"Why?" I stared at me, anticipating his answer.

"I dropped out." He stated dully.

"What? Why?" I was shocked.

"Bills aren't getting paid. It was a waste of time for me to be in school anyways. I wasn't learnin' anything. So I dropped out to take on a full-time job to help Darry with the bills."

I couldn't believe this, Soda dropped out of school. I was going to be alone in some of my classes. But I guess I still had some of the guys…

"Are you mad at me?" He asked.

"It's not my decision that makes your life. Yeah I'm upset that I won't see you in school, but you did what you had to for your family. And I like that. You put your family first and that's sweet." I leaned into him and kissed him softly.

We stayed a while longer at the park and then Soda offered to walk me home. I told him it was far to walk and he just looked at me. "Exactly." He said.

He held my hand for part of the way. His hand soon found my shoulder and then my waist. He pulled me to him as we walked and I noticed that when he held me, even like this, I felt safe with him. Sure I'd had boyfriends before but I never felt safe like this. That's why when we came to the corner of my street I stopped and put my arms around his neck. I guessed that he knew what was coming because he kissed me passionately. He hands caressed my back and my fingers found their way in his hair. I was pressed against him and although everything was so intense, the kiss was softer than ever.

The kiss ended (too soon I might add) and he grabbed my hand to continue walking me home. When my drive-way came into view I froze. Bob had beat me back home and I was screwed.

So I hope you liked the chapter. Please remember to review because they have been so GREAT! (minus one. *ahem* FLAMER) Anyways, I really hope you liked it, and I'll try to update sooner next time. =D