After walking around town, looking in Jade's usual spots of interests, he found her slumped up at a local dinner sipping a cup of coffee. He breathed heavy panting and lighting up a smoke right before he grabbed onto the metal handle of the diner door. The bells tied to the metal bar jingled loudly and clanked against the glass window. It certainly did it's job of getting people's attention. Everyone within eye shot turned to looked, including Jade. Everyone saw little interest in Ponyboy except Jade, and a waitress. Jade scowled and the waitress smiled.

"What can I get for ya sug'?" she said as she popped her chewing gum and smiling again as she pulled out a pad and pen.

"Can I get a Coca-cola?" he asked as he continued to study Jade's expression. The waitress nodded and turned to the pop dispenser.

"What are you doing here?" Jade huffed, resuming her staring contest with her cup of coffee.

Ponyboy ignored her question. "Ya know I see you do that a lot. Stare into things. You know cups of coffee can't talk back Jadie." he suggested, "You can always come to me. Sometimes I think you forgot about that." At those words the waitress had served him his tall glass of Coke. He placed his straw in the glass and slid it close to take a drink.

"Look, Pony. I know. You're one of my best friends. But even friends can have things they don't always want to talk about."

"Jade I practically tell you everything!" he snapped. "You are like a big sister to me!" he was slightly angry. "I love Angel and Heaven, but I have grown so close to you!"

Before he could continue Jade cut him off, "Everything!? Bull- a big pile of bullshit Ponyboy!" she raised her voice. "What about Johnny? Huh? You don't talk about that. So don't tell me you tell me everything."

Ponyboy's heart sank a little by hearing his name. "I can't believe you'd even mention him." she made it as if someone had just knocked the wind out of him. He tried to catch his breath from the blow of her words, "You can't sit there and act this way! My reason for even asking is because I love you!"

Jade began to feel slightly sore herself for being so hateful about something so sensitive. She knew it was heartless of her to even throw those words out. It hurt her too, whether she expressed it or not, it hurt.

"Pony, hey, I'm sorry." she was sincere.

"I know you are. That's why I'm not mad." he hung his head. His mind flashed back to memories with Johnny, before, and after he was injured.

"Look I should go." Jade said as she finished off her coffee in a few big sips.

"Where are you going?" Ponyboy asked generally interested. He was determined to stay around her to watch out for Tim.

"Ya know, around." Jade huffed . "No where special." In those few words Ponyboy knew where she was trying to go. He wouldn't let her.

"Well I'll come too." He said matter of fact, and stood from the booth.

"No, Pony, really, it's cool." She rushed to raise her hands almost in protest. "Go hang out with someone ya know your friends from school and whatever."

"Jade, you and the gang are my only friends, I don't hang with anyone else." He paused, "Hey I got an idea let's go to my house and watch a movie."

"Pony I really have stuff I need to do…" she said in protest again, but he cut her off.

"C'mon, it'll be cool. Scouts honor." He raised two fingers and grinned a crooked grin.

Jade sighed and threw a few bucks onto the table. He smiled genuinely and she swooshed her arms toward the door to shoo him out of the diner.

Once outside the both looked over themselves and the area for any rival gangs or more over the Soc's who liked to drive down Greaser turf and rustle them up. Not seeing any threat they started the walk back to Ponyboy's house.

The time must have flown by because what was two PM became six-thirty PM and Darry and Soda were walking through the front door. Darry shuffled off his work belt and boots as he opened an envelope skimmed it over and passed it to Soda.

"Well, well, well. Look what I have here Ponyboy." Darry said in an ominous tone. He flashed the letter and smacked his lips. Ponyboy went pale white as he stared at the fanning letter.

"What?" he said shakily.

Darry busted into a cackle and laughed. "You should see your face boy!" Soda joined in the laughing while Ponyboy stayed frozen.

"We got this from school Ponyboy, you made all A's this semester!" Darry hooped.

Ponyboy began to regain his color but was still in shock. "Wow, that's surprising." He retorted.

"Why!?" Soda spouted, "You're the smartest out of the gang Ponyboy, we are proud of you!"

"So proud even, we wanna take you out. How about a movie, me and Soda promise to stay awake through the whole thing this time." Darry said giving Ponyboy a big slap to the back just like men do to their sons.

Jade smiled at the boys, they did make an awesome trio. She gleamed at Pony. "I'd take that offer Ponyboy." She winked.

"Yeah, let's do it." He chirped. "Lemme go get a clean shirt on."

"Hold your horses there little buddy, we still have to shower, work ya know?" we'll leave at 8 to catch the 9 o'clock showing." Darry said heading over to the bathroom.

Pony got so excited, Jade liked the attention being diverted from her and all of Ponyboy's prying questions.

Once cleaned up the boys were ready to head out.

"Jade you can stay here." Darry said.

"You'll still be here when we get back right?" Ponyboy asked. She nodded and shooed them off with her eyes glued to the TV. Ponyboy hoped she'd stay there until he came back, but in his gut he knew she wouldn't and more than likely run off to Tim's, if Tim didn't come find her first.

After thirty more minutes of TV Jade became bored. She sat up on the couch and looked around for something to do, when she remembered she had a meet up with Tim that day. She slumped over her knee's and held back the tears. After a few minutes fighting the sobs, she had to pull herself together. She grabbed the phone, dialed a number she knew by heart and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Curly, it's Jade. Tim around?"

"Yeah- TTIMM! PHONE!"

"Hello?"

"Hi." Jade responded meekly. No matter what happened he always had that effect on her.

"Baby, I was wondering if you had forgotten about me." he breathed heavy into the phone. "You coming over huh?"

Jade started shaking. "Yes. I can come now." She replied.

"Good," he said husky and deep. "I'll be waiting." And with those last words he hung up the phone.

Ponyboy walked out of the theatre first.

"Man that was great, did you guys like to too!?" he chirped like a small child. Darry and Soda groaned, rubbing their eyes. "And if I remember correctly you said you'd both stay awake, Soda-Pop Curtis!" Ponyboy scolded as he took a cigarette from his jean jacket pocket and lit up.

"I'm sorry Pony. I mean, it was long day today." Soda-Pop yawned.

"Did you have a good time Pony?" Darryl asked genuinely, hoping that it was a good reward for his little brother that had worked so hard.

"Yes sir!" Ponyboy cheered, puffing on his smoke. "Thanks you guys." He added, continually walking in the lead of the others.

Once they had made the walk home Ponyboy practically bust open the door shouting "We're back." Expecting Jade to be there for the announcement, he looked in all the rooms and she was nowhere in sight.

"She must have gone home. Oh well." Darry shrugged. Ponyboy was not happy with this observation. She didn't go home, she went to Tim's and he felt it in his gut.

"Maybe," he agreed outwardly. "I'm just going to call her and tell her about the movie." Pony said as Darry went into the kitchen to cook something to eat.

Ponyboy grabbed the phone and dialed the number. It rang a few times before a deep voice answered the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hey, is Jade there?" he asked trying to mask his voice.

"Who's asking?" the voice snapped.

"Ponyboy," he answered reluctantly.

"Nope Pony." The voice was smooth, and calm now, it had to be Tim. "Haven't seen her today." Ponyboy knew he was lying.

"Are you sure?" Ponyboy asked, almost scared.

"I said NO, is there anything else?" Tim snapped again, this time his breathing matched his voice, husky, deep, and loud.

"No," Ponyboy answered quietly, and the next thing he heard was Tim huff and hang up the phone.

Ponyboy knew he was lying. He knew she was over there, but he couldn't just barge in. Something about Tim scared him. Just knowing that whatever he was doing to keep Jade under his thumb had to be bad, and keep her afraid of him gave him everything to fear. Things were getting serious and Ponyboy knew he was going to need help!