Katelyn's POV

I wondered if Jasper really meant what he said about checking up on me. The thought that he would brought me some comfort, but I still wasn't happy with the whole situation and was going to keep trying to change my dad's mind.

"Why did you guys come here?" Pony wanted to know. I was actually wondering the same thing. Not that I didn't want to see Ponyboy, but I wasn't sure what had possessed Two-Bit to come.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing. Ya know. We haven't heard from you since Soda called you a week ago. "

That didn't sound like the only reason, but it was hard to tell with Two-Bit. He pretty much did whatever popped into his head.

Pony shifted a little awkwardly, "I don't know about y'all, but I'm starved."

We went back around to the front of the house and Ponyboy unlocked the door.

"I still think I could have gotten in another way." Two-Bit was mumbling to himself.

As I looked around the inside, I had to give Rachel credit for one thing, she had great taste in decoration. Things were expensive, no doubt, but they weren't gaudy and she never went overboard. The mantel over the fireplace was adorned with photos of her, much younger, with two little boys.

"Who are they?" I asked Ponyboy, wondering if she'd had children.

"That's Darry and Soda" He remarked.

"Really?" That got Two-Bit's interest. "THAT'S Darry? He's so….scrawny."

I laughed along with him. I wouldn't have recognized Darry either, but Soda had the same reckless grin as ever.

By this time Two-Bit was off exploring the rest of the house. "Hey look at this!"

I entered the room he was in and saw the shelves of model cars. "Wouldn't Steve like to see this. Man. Someday I'm gonna have me a car like one of those."

"Hey," Pony interrupted, "You're not supposed to be in here. And don't touch that Two-
bit." He grabbed the car out of his hand and placed it carefully back on the shelf. "If Mark notices anything out of place we'll be in trouble for sure."

"You're no fun Pony."

"Life isn't all about fun." The words were spoken with disdain. "Let's get something to eat."

"What do you have?" Two-Bit opened the icebox and examined it's contents and then began listing them: "Lettuce, carrots, broccoli….ain't she got something besides rabbit food Ponyboy?"

"Nope. She's a vegetarian."

"Then what have you been eating?" Two-Bit ate as little vegetables as he could get away with.

"It's not THAT bad Two-Bit. Though I have been eating a lot of peanut butter."

A small dog bounded into the kitchen and began barking and jumping around our legs.

"Princess sit." Ponyboy commanded.

The dog obediently sat and, let me tell you, this had Two-Bit's full attention.

"That dog listened to you Ponyboy. It actually obeyed you." He was clearly awed, which Pony and I both found amusing.

"Sure she did. She can do other things too." And he proceeded to have Princess lie down, roll over, jump, speak, and then he lifted her up and had her give Two-Bit a kiss.

"I'll be" Two-Bit said, "Someday I'm gonna get me a dog man, and we're gonna be best pals, just like Mickey and Pluto. And I'm gonna teach him all sorts of tricks…."

Pony and I simply rolled our eyes at each other and proceeded trying to find something that wasn't "rabbit food" to eat.

The front door opened and Princess ran off, yapping, to see who was here.

"That's probably Rachel." Pony informed us, "She said something about having some of her friends over."

"Rachel, you got new curtains. They really add a lot to the room." It was spoken with such airs that I doubted she really meant it. That was one of the things I disliked the most about rich people; they were always saying things they didn't mean.

"Oh Rachel, is your nephew still living with you?" They were apparently oblivious to our being a few rooms back.

"Yes, do tell us how that is going. I still say it was incredibly charitable of you, taking him in to help out like you did."

"What?" Two-Bit wasn't too happy with what he was hearing. "Charitable? She didn't do anything out of charity."

"Well now, that's not what I heard." Came a third voice, "I thought Rachel had asked him to come."

"Oh no, they asked her." They were talking as if Rachel wasn't even there. "After their parents died, the oldest one decided that he just couldn't manage to keep all of them so he asked Rachel if she could help out a little. That's when Rachel so graciously opened her home to Ponyboy, even got him a great job."

That was the most ridiculous, sappy story I had ever heard. Darry practically begging Rachel to keep Ponyboy. Ha!

At this point, Two-Bit really couldn't hold back any longer. He burst into the room and marched over to Rachel.

"You really think you're something don't you? Making up stories just so you can look good. Ponyboy may not want to say what he's thinking because you're his aunt, but you're not my aunt and I don't care what you think. You're a selfish, no good, lying….." Two-Bit's list continued and Rachel grew pale with shock.

Pony and I had followed him into the room and stood by, speechless. We were so busy paying attention to Two-Bit that we didn't notice anyone open the front door until a tall man came and grabbed his arm.

"I don't allow language like that in this house, young man. I suggest you get out." The man's voice was strong and firm.

Two-Bit jerked his arm loose and faced the man. "If I were you I'd be more worried about the lies and the…."

Pony turned to me, "You better get him out of here before he makes things worse."

He didn't have to tell me twice. "Come on Two-Bit" I said, giving him a hard push towards the door. "See you later Pony." I sent him an apologetic look and left with a still raging Two-Bit.

Once outside I turned towards Two-Bit, "What were you thinking? You know you could have gotten Pony into a lot of trouble."

"I couldn't help it. She made me so mad."

"I know, she made me mad too.." I really was just as angry as he was, but I knew that blowing up like that would only make matters worse.

"That Rachel is so….so…." Two-Bit clinched his teeth in anger and was silent for the rest of the long walk back to the bus station.