"How about this one?" Katie came out of the bathroom wearing a two piece purple suit, the top a spaghetti strap and the bottom just an ordinary bikini bottom. At the same time, Summer and I shook our heads. The next one was a red piece, the exact same type. Summer got tired of Katie's choices and went to her closet, picking out a white one, with short bottoms and halter top. It was decorated simple with a few small Japanese flowers on the right side of the top. While she was at it, she picked a few ones for me to try on, throwing them at me. Katie caught the white one and stomped into the bathroom.

"This is why you always pick the outfits first." I told Summer, who was browsing through her closet for one for herself.

"Yes, well, I wanted to see if her fashion sense had improved at all. Apparently not." Summer had this way of making things that were an insult seem somewhat endearing. This was one of them and I giggled. I heard Katie yell a 'hey!' from the bathroom. When she came out, she looked pissed off, but her outfit looked great and I stood up, taking my turn to be under the spotlight.

The first one I tried on was blue that turned into a sea-green as you went across. The bottom was a pair of shorts the same, but the color did its pattern going down this time. When I came out, Summer looked up and shook her head before turning back to the closet. Katie nodded slightly, but told me I should try some of the others on. The next one had a brown halter top, with a butterfly on the far left side and the bottoms was a normal bikini bottom, a butterfly on the left side also. When I came out, they both nodded and Summer brushed past me to put hers on.

Neither Katie nor I had enough money to buy a good bathing suit and we never really had a need for one. Summer had found out and the next time we came over, had a collection of bathing suits for us our size. Ever since, whenever we happen to need a bathing suit, we go to her and she has them, all lined up. It really helped, since now people didn't look at our bags and ask why we had swimming clothes when we had no local swimming pool and certainly not one in the backyard.

Summer looked great in her blue one and we headed downstairs, as soon as our feet hit the patio, we ran into the pool, creating a large splash as we hit the water. It was calm, all the noise from outside vanished and my hair flowed freely. I let myself float back to the top, taking in a deep breath of air. Summer had come up and threw a ball at me, which promptly hit me in the back of the head, then floated on the water. I lunged at it and threw it blindly, hitting Katie.

"Hey!" She yelled and turned around just as I dunked under the water, swimming towards both of them. We got out after 20 minutes and sat on the lawn chairs, warming up. It was warm that day, breaking the chain of cold weather.

"You're lucky." Katie said to Summer, who sat up and looked at her.

"How so?" Her eyes were begging to differ and I watched them. It seemed to hit a sensitive spot. I thought Summer was lucky to, but I never really dared to say it out-loud.

"You get all this stuff and so much money." Katie said dreamily, "Your house is huge, your backyard is about 10 times bigger than mine." It was a lost of all the material things Summer had. Summer stayed quiet and waited.

"Want to know how I think you're lucky?" Katie jumped at Summer's voice and glanced over.

"What?"

"Want to know how I think you're lucky?" Summer repeated.

"Well, um."

"Your parents are always there for you, they're never on extended trips. Your not expected to be the best, proving you can astound people. Your guys tend to not be arrogant and full of themselves. Your friends aren't your friends for popularity. I may have material stuff, but you have everything that matters." Katie looked at her and spoke quietly.

"It's not as great as you think." she said.

"Same." Summer replied. My eyes shifted from each of them and I quickly stood up. Summer watched me with a cool expression, at least they weren't both in a full blown argument.

"I completely forgot, I have to finish this project up! Sorry, I have to go." I fast-walked through the kitchen and down the hall, taking a deep breath before I knocked on Chelsea's door. She answered and eyed me curiously.

"Would you mind giving me a ride to the border." She nodded and then smirked.

"You want to get changed first." I looked down to see I still had my bathing suit still on and laughed before heading up to Summer's room, changing back into my normal clothes. I took my hair out of it's ponytail and brushed it out, noticing it had already started drying. Walking down the stairs, I took a glance out the window and noticed that they were still out there, talking. They didn't look angry, but it seemed like they were still talking about the same subject. It wasn't something I wanted to get on.

"You ready?" I jumped and turned, nearly falling down the rest of the stairs in the process. Chelsea watched me with a cool expression, walking past me and out the door. I followed and we both got into her convertible. In silence she turned on the car and we pulled out of the driveway, starting down the deserted road.

"Why are you leaving so early?" Chelsea questioned, keeping her eyes on the road.

"I have schoolwork to do." I heard her give a short disbelieving bark of a laugh.

"That never stopped you before. Did you all get into an argument?"

"No!" I blurted hurriedly, "I just have to get this done." I could tell she didn't believe me, but she didn't question anymore and I thanked her mentally. The cool air blew across my face and my neck, blowing my hair behind me like a curtain. When we reached the border, it floated down to rest over my shoulders. I got out of the car slowly, trying to decide what I should say.

"Thanks." I said, to which she nodded and then was gone. I tugged on the edge of my jacket and started walking, wondering if I should've said something else. I was walking by the park when I spotted something on the ground, something jean-like. When I picked it up, it was a jean jacket and on closer inspection I saw a crimson like stain. Glancing around, I finally spotted something of a lump on the other side of the field. Someone was hurt! I ran across the field, holding the jacket close to me, and kneeled beside the person. Turning them over, I nearly threw up. It was Johnny, bruised and beaten like I'd never seen. My voice caught in my throat, but when it dislodged, I screamed. The next second it died away and I was running my hand through Johnny's hair, whispering his name. He moaned and tears fell down my cheeks silently. Who would beat sweet Johnny up? Taking off my coat, I searched the pockets for any sort of cloth to at least try to wipe some of the blood off his face. One of my hands were still in his hair and I could see some red on my skin. When I didn't find any cloth, I bit my lip and then used my coat, gently.

"It's okay." I kept repeating, as if to calm myself down, "Everything's going to be okay." Tears were still dripping from my eyes. I didn't want to look at his T-shirt, I already knew it had turned red.

"Camille!" I heard yells behind me and turned, that's when I noticed there was also a trail of blood on the ground, leading to us. Sodapop, Ponyboy and Steve were running towards me. Steve looked a little bothered and Sodapop looked worried. It was Ponyboy that caught my attention though, he looked concerned and was running almost faster than all of them. Sodapop reached us first though.

"It's Johnny." I said, my voice strong although I wanted to just shiver and sob. Sodapop looked over and I saw him tense when he saw Johnny. His head was still in my lap and I was still running a hand through his hair. I was also still crying. Sodapop kneeled down across from me and I heard Steve groan before he did the same. Ponyboy was beside me, quiet and as still as stone. When I looked back at Ponyboy, I saw Two-Bit beside him. There was no comical grin, no laughter in his eyes. It made me want to cry harder. Darry was there and so was Dally. He was cursing under his breath repeatedly and turned away when he cast another look at Johnny. Sodapop gently lifted Johnny from my lap and leaned him against his shoulder talking to him softly.

"Johnny?" Soda said, "Hey, Johnnycake." For a second I really did believe Johnny was dead, but he answered and I felt a small flood of relief.

"Soda?"

"Yeah, it's me. Don't talk. You're gonna be okay." Soda said.

"There was a whole bunch of them." Johnny continued anyway, and I unconsciously hugged his jean jacket closer. "A blue mustang full… I got so scared…" He suddenly started to cry, which just about broke my heart.

"Its okay Johnnycake, they're gone now. Its okay." Soda repeated, in hopes to calm his down. Johnny re-told his story and I found myself shaking, pulling the jacket even closer if humanely possible. That's when I noticed my hand, still slightly covered in blood. I watched it, my tears stopping for the moment. The haziness came over me as I stared at my hand and I had my hand on my mother's shoulder. This one was different, I was actually inside the smaller versions body, rather than from someone else watching them. I turned her over and her eyes were closed, a drop of blood dripping down her cheek.

"Mommy." I cried, shaking her. She stirred and her eyes opened, half-lidded.

"Sweetie." She said, bringing a hand up to cup my face, wiping away the few tears that were crawling down my face. "Get away." I froze.

"I'm not leaving you Mommy." I said, holding the wrist of the hand that was on my face.

"Please, you can't let him hurt you." Her eyes were closing, her grip becoming softer. I held on and heard a grunt to my left. I turned slowly and saw the figure of a man, stumbling closer.

With a snap, I was once again back to reality, except I was staring right at Sodapop and Johnny across from me. Johnny told the end of what had happened and I started to sob; for so many reasons. For Johnny, my mother, my dad, my sister, and myself for not understanding or remembering what had happened.

Everyone looked over at me as I buried my head in his jean jacket, wiping some of the blood from my hand on it by accident, Johnny had stopped for the moment too. I felt someone kneel down beside me and throw his arm around his shoulder, I turned and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Sorry, I-I j-j-just…" I trailed off, sobbing. The person cautiously wrapped there other arm around me and brought me into a hug, I kept sobbing, but tried to calm myself down. Tears had started to stream fast down my cheek again, hot trails of salt water. Eventually, I calmed down, hiccupping ever so often and looked over at Johnny sadly.

"Camille…" I looked up into the person that was holding me, Ponyboy. "Were you the one that screamed?" I flushed lightly, remembering what I had done when I saw Johnny.

"Yeah." He made a face and turned to Johnny as I had done before.

"Take him to our house." Darry said, motioning to Soda. With slight difficulty, Sodapop picked Johnny up and started to walk back towards the Curtis' house. Ponyboy helped me up and walked beside me, out of the corner of my eye I saw him watching me. As far as I could tell, he was trying to figure something out. About what, I wasn't sure.

---

"Is he going to be okay?" I asked Darry as he wiped away the rest of the blood. Most of it had clotted and there wasn't anymore open bleeding.

"He'll be fine." Darry stood up and I realised how much taller he was than me, even more so than Ponyboy was. I looked over at Johnny, who was staring at the ceiling. Darry left to the kitchen and I kneeled beside the couch Johnny was on. Everyone else was in the living room too, but it was completely quiet. Dally was making me nervous, the way he stood in the doorway with this angry look on his face.

"I find that guy…" Dally growled, which made me tense. It reminded me of those Socs that had attacked me. A hand flew to my stomach and I pressed there, feeling pain shoot through quickly. There must be some bruising. I got up and went to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Lifting my shirt a bit, I saw the purple and blue bruises, wincing as I did. I didn't think I got off unscathed. With a sigh, I looked at my face. My hair was blocking the far part of my cheek and I moved it away to see a barely noticeable bruise. How come no one had noticed this? With a heavy sigh, I walked out of the bathroom and onto the porch, sitting on the steps. No one noticed me leave, I could get up and go home and it would be all over with. Johnny worried me and that's probably why I wasn't leaving. I barely knew him, but I felt responsible.

"Oh, what have I gotten myself into." I muttered, scuffing my shoe on the step below me. The sun was setting and I watched it, noting the colors spread across the horizon. The door opened behind me and I saw Ponyboy staring at me. I patted the seat beside me after a moment and then turned to the horizon. He could go back in if he wanted. He sat down beside me and we both watched the sunset in silence.

"Do you watch the sunset a lot?" Ponyboy asked and I shook my head.

"I'm usually busy doing something else." He turned back and watched the colors as I had. "Do you?"

"Usually." He hesitated, which made me laugh.

"There's nothing wrong with watching a sunset." I said, smiling. Ponyboy took a deep breath and turned to me.

"Does Amber know?" I froze and slid away from him a little.

"Know what?"

"About your dad." I backed away until I couldn't anymore.

"How…What… When." I couldn't speak, my tongue twisted in my mouth. Ponyboy watched me as I tried to find the right words.

"I came to your class," He spoke slowly, "to see what you were doing for lunch," At this part his ears went red, "and I saw you talking to your teacher." I looked at my feet.

"He left, didn't he?" Ponyboy said and I nodded, not looking at him.

"Way to ruin a moment." I said, my voice cracking. He looked nervous and placed another arm over my shoulders, expecting me to pull away. I moved in closer, glad for the warmth and comfort.

"Why didn't you tell anybody?" He asked and I looked at him.

"Because that would make it real." I confided, tears welling up in my eyes. He gently squeezed my shoulder.

"Johnny…" I said, which made Ponyboy tense, "why… he's always so quiet and… I don't know the word." Ponyboy was watching me, I could feel his eyes on me.

"His dad beats him." I froze and looked at Ponyboy, wide-eyed.

"What?" My breath got caught in my throat. I would've never guessed that. Sure, he was always quiet and jumpy, but… that isn't something I ever would've thought of. "That's…" I trailed off, I wasn't sure what to say.

"Why is he still in that house?" I whispered, becoming agitated. It was a dangerous situation, why wasn't he getting out of it? Ponyboy gave me a hard look.

"They'd take him away. I think he'd rather be with the gang in that house, rather than go off somewhere else." It made perfect sense, but I leant into Ponyboy more, becoming somewhat uncomfortable.

"Isn't he afraid that he'll…" Die. The word hung over the conversation heavily and I felt tears pool in my eyes again.

"I'm sorry." I said, pulling away to look Ponyboy in the eye, "I'm sorry." He looked startled.

"For what?" My eyes were loaded with tears.

"About your parents." He tensed and his eyes shut off. I leant away and the moment was gone. "I really am, I wish I could've helped." It was an invitation for him to talk to me if he needed to. With that, I stood up and walked down the steps. Ponyboy didn't follow this time, probably more angry than worried for my safety at my prodding.