"Hey, Half-Wit. Get me another beer while you're in there!" Steve yelled.

"It's Two-Bit!" Two-Bit's voice yelled back from the kitchen. He walked in with two beers, popping the cap off on one of them with the handle of his switchblade. He chucked the second beer at Steve who missed. The bottle shattered on the wall behind the couch, spraying Steve and I with the amber liquid and small shards of glass. The cap bounced comically off of Steve's head. Two-Bit's laughter boomed through the house, and I scowled at him.

"Damnit Two-Bit!" Steve growled, shaking glass from his hair. Two-Bit continued to laugh as he perched himself against a wall.

"S'not my fault you're a bad catch, Steve," Two-Bit grinned.

"Guys, shut the hell up, will ya?" Darry growled, motioning to Ponyboy, who was asleep and propped up against Tim's leg. Tim chucked the bottle of what must've been his tenth beer that night on the floor. He looked down at Pony asleep against his leg. I think he had just realized Ponyboy was there. Tim shook his leg, startling Pony. Ponyboy jumped, looking around the room rapidly. Tim laughed and stood up.

"I'm goin' to Bucks," he mumbled, "see you guys tomorrow."

"You're not driving, are you?" Darry asked. Tim shook his head as though he actually cared about driving drunk.

Tim stumbled over to the door and pulled it open. He froze on the spot, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"Hey, doll," he said teasingly.

"You're nauseating, hood," a woman's voice responded from the porch.

"Who is it?" I yelled at Tim.

"It's Cherry," Tim answered, his eyes still fixed outside the door, the smirk lingering on his mouth.

"Come in, Cherry," Darry told her, "and leave her alone, Tim." Cherry slipped past Tim, who was scowling. I saw him mouth something that looked like 'damnit', and then he slammed the door behind him. Cherry smiled at Pony, sitting in the spot Tim had previously inhabited.

"Thanks, Darry," Cherry smiled at Darry, too. Darry nodded and smiled back. Her voice was rough and was slightly depressed. Matted red hair was bunched behind her ears in a ponytail. A baggy, grey sweatshirt drooped off her shoulders and gathered around her knees, where I saw several rips and tears in the worn jeans she was wearing. Ponyboy sat up and looked her over, frowning.

"Hey," I said as I sat down on the arm of the chair she was sitting in. "What's wrong?" I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her a bit closer. Cherry shook her head as tears began to slowly well in her eyes and buried her head in my shirt. I looked up at Darry with wide eyes, unsure of what to do. Darry mouthed 'her boyfriend' at me and I nodded, knowing full well what he meant. Today, one year ago, began the events leading to Johnny and Dallas's deaths - Bob's death. I stroked Cherry's hair in an attempt to comfort her. She never responded, and I just kept stroking her hair.

Ponyboy looked at the floor. I bet he was thinking of how Bob had tried to drown him before he was stabbed by Johnny.

In spite of myself, I smiled, thinking of how I was actually holding Cherry Valance. I have had a crush on her ever since she drove up to the gang last year to become our spy.

Ponyboy liked Cherry, too. I could tell just by the way he looked at her and acted when she was around. I didn't let anyone know that I liked Cherry. Not Darry, or Two-Bit. Certainly not Two-Bit. He'd probably let it slip when he was on one of his drunken ramblings. I'm not even sure I would ever tell Steve. I trust him and all, but I just can't be sure he wouldn't tell Pony just to get a rise out of him. I knew they hated each other, and I couldn't do anything to fix that.

I pulled to corners of my mouth down from a smile to a straight line. Cherry was upset, and it would look suspicious for me to be smiling while I comforted her. No one seemed to notice I had smiled, so I patted Cherry's back.

Ponyboy was turned around looking at Cherry, a sympathetic look on his face. He probably understood what Cherry was going through better than the rest of the gang. Johnny was his best friend. He pursed his lips and stood up, sitting down again on the opposite arm of Cherry's chair and rested a hand on her back.

Cherry pulled herself from my chest and hurriedly wiped her eyes and smiled weakly. She mumbled a quick apology and looked up at my with watery eyes.

"Thanks, Sodapop," she muttered. I nodded and gave her a small smile. She looked at Pony, then Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit, who had all remained quiet while Pony and I confronted her.

"So, what are you guys up to?" Cherry asked.

Steve shrugged. "Not much. We were just drinking and stuff like that."

"Want a beer?" Two-Bit offered, and then was hit upside the head by Steve. Cherry smiled and shook her head.

"No," she declined. "No, I'm ok." Cherry looked up at Pony, who was slumped on the arm of the chair. His eyes were only half open.

"You should go to bed, Ponyboy," Darry said slowly. I think he had downed a few beers himself. "You shouldn't be up this late on a school night, anyway." He looked at the clock, his eyes popping momentarily. I glanced over at the clock as well - 1:00.

Ponyboy frowned and sighed when he looked at the clock. He stood up, stumbling slightly due to fatigue. He smiled at Cherry and said goodnight, retreating down the hall and into the room he and I shared. The door shut and the room remained silent, regardless of the continuous tickings from the clock hung on the wall.

I swung my arm around the back of the chair and looked at Darry, who looked as though he was about to fall asleep. Cherry noticed this as well and looked around at the rest of the greasers, each of them either seeming really tired or really drunk. In Two-Bit's case: Both.

"You know," Cherry broke the silence, "I should really go. Darry snapped out of his tired state and looked at Cherry.

"You can stay. We don't mind," I told her. Cherry shook her head.

"No," she stated firmly. "My mom doesn't know I'm here. I'd hate to worry her. Besides, you guys look like you'll drop at any moment." She stood up and smiled at me, and I grinned back.

"Alright," Darry sighed, pushing himself up from his chair. "It was great seeing you, Cherry." He walked over to where Cherry stood and gave her a brief, comforting hug. Cherry hugged Darry lightly as he patted her back. Darry released her and she took a step back, waving at the gang.

"I'll see you guys later," she smiled. "Thanks again."

Two-Bit, Steve, and I waved as she closed the door behind her. I yawned and stretched an arm over my head, finally realizing how tired I really was. Darry threw himself back into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. The room continued to remain eerily quiet, the clock ticking away in the background.

"Shit, man," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. "I'm going to bed. See ya in the mornin'." I stood up and made my way to mine and Pony's bedroom and opened the door.

Ponyboy was sprawled out on his stomach, his arm dangling off the side of the bed. The light from the hallway flooded into the room, illuminating the books, dirty laundry, and random objects that littered the floor.

I stepped over a pile of Pony's book's concealed by a t-shirt, and sat on the bed. I kicked off my shoes and flopped onto my back, too tired to bother taking off the rest of my clothes. Ponyboy hadn't taken any notice of me coming in.

"Ponyboy?" I asked wearily, turning over to look at the back of Pony's head. He didn't answer or even move, so I concluded he was deep in sleep. I smiled and tossed an arm around Pony and closed my eyes, falling asleep immediately.