I am sooo sorry I didn't update last night! I know I promised and I got the four reviews (thank you for those), but I got kicked off the computer sooner than I expected... Enjoy the chapter!

The owner of the voice appeared in the kitchen. He grinned at Sodapop. He was…wow. Yeah, wonderful description but he was. He had brown hair that had red streaks where the light hit it. His gray eyes had forest-green specks in them, giving them a dreamy affect.

Darry's voice sliced through my thoughts. "Ponyboy, this is Carmen, Carmen this is my brother Ponyboy."

I said something real intelligent like, "Um, uh, hi."

Ponyboy raised one eyebrow and murmured "Hello." His voice was sorta deep and musical. The kind that girls love to hear.

The evening was uneventful after that; Two-Bit proposed a game of Truth-Or-Dare which was immediately shot down. We ended up just goofing around. Doing absolutely nothing. Just how I liked it.

I did, however, notice Sodapop still looked at me from time to time. So did Ponyboy. Whenever his eyes met mine, all thoughts of Soda (or anyone else for that matter) hopped a freight train to China and didn't plan on coming back any time soon.

I found out the Curtis boys were practically orphans. Their mom and dad had died in an auto wreck, a few months before. Darry worked two jobs to support them and Sodapop had dropped out of school to work full-time at the DX.

"What about your parents? You hardly talk 'bout them." Darry pointed out.

Hm…should I lie or tell the truth? Lying sounded pretty good. 'I love my parents there great!' or 'We're working things out, they work often so…' In truth? Mom and I were getting along better. I still haven't called my dad though.

"My mom is the chief of police here and my dad owns a Ford dealership back in California." I explained, hoping that would end the topic. No lying needed. Dallas laughed.

"Oh, yeah I met your mom!" Two-Bit laughed too.

"Dally's had a record since he was ten-years-old livin' on the streets in New York," Steve explained. I simply nodded. Yeah, that makes sense. Dally's eyes flashed murderously.

I found out a few other things that night. 1) Johnny's parents yelled and beat him.

2) Two-Bit had a little sister. 3) If I ever needed a place to crash, Darry said his sofa was always open. And last but not least: 4) These guys were closer than any family I've ever met.

They laughed at Sodapop and Two-Bit's jokes. They teased each other about girls. They made fun of Ponyboy when he got bored and went to his room to read (much to my disappointment).

At ten-thirty I tried to leave, unsuccessfully.

"Please stay, we'll call your mom and let her know!" Sodapop pleaded.

"No, really you guys! If I stay too late I won't be let out of the house for a year!" I protested weakly. I wanted to stay, but it was getting freakishly close to eleven. Mom would be home any minute.

"Meet us here tomorrow?" Johnny asked. It was the first thing he'd said in awhile.

"Um, sure." I responded automatically. Darry eventually drove me home in his old, blue pick-up truck.

"Where ya been?" was my greeting when I unlocked the front door.

"Out with my friends, I told you this morning," I reminded my mother. She raised one delicate eyebrow suspiciously. She was wearing her fluffy white bathrobe and pink slippers. Her hair was wet and stringy around her face from a shower. It was obvious she had been home longer than I had anticipated.

"I want to meet them."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Call your father," Mom reminded me as she spun on her heel into her room.

I reluctantly picked up the phone one the coffee table in the living room. I dialed the number I knew by heart and listen to the rings. Once, twice-

"Hello?" a voice I had been hoping to hear.

"Austin!" I cried enthusiastically.

"Finally you called me. I was begging to think you forgot your own flesh and blood!" I smiled.

"Yeah, I've been busy."

"With what? School doesn't start for another week!"

"Uh, I met some people. I have friends here ya know!" I joked simply.

"What are there names? Do you guys play with your dollies together?"

An image of Dallas holding a baby doll crept into my head. I burst out laughing.

"No, they're guys."

Silence. Uh, oh.

"Have you told Mom that you're spending the entire day in a house full of boys, doing who-knows-what? Or should I change that 'what' to 'who'?"

I could feel my face heat up. "Not yet…And you know me better than that Austin!"

"Carmen!"

"What? I can't have guy friends? How sexist is that!" I exclaimed.

"Just…be careful Sis," Austin said solemnly.

"I'm always careful."

Dad was supposedly at work so not long after I hung up, I went to bed.

"WAKE UP!"

I flew out of bed and my head collided with something hard.

"Ow, damn girl! You'd think the house was on fire!" My eyes pried themselves open and I realized I was nose-to-nose with Dallas Winston.

"What the hell? Get outta my room!" I cried, suddenly conscious of what I was wearing. Black Mickey Mouse bottoms and a teeny-tiny tank-top. Dallas grinned and stood up straight.

"Your mom was nice enough to let us in on this fine morning," he said as he sauntered out the door.

"Us?"

Dally's blonde head poked back in. "The guys are raiding your fridge," he informed me.

I grabbed the first outfit I saw and ran to the bathroom. Jeans and a plain white t-shirt. I also quickly brushed my teeth and pulled a brush through my mop of hair. I starred into the mirror. My brown eyes starred back. I hope my mom poisoned them.

"Carmen, you're up early." My mother smiled pleasantly at me.

"It's a miracle!" Two-Bit cried dramatically.

"A train couldn't wake this girl up! One time, when she was little-"

"Mother!"

"Well, excuse me!" She grinned.

"Why are you guys here so early?" I turned to my so-called-friends.

Sodapop smiled innocently. "It was Dally's idea," he pointed a finger at Dallas.

"Was not!" Dally protested.

"Was too!"

They went back and fourth.

My mom pulled me into the living room. "I like your friends, Sodapop is cute."

"Mother!" Ew! That's like, just sick!

"I'm sorry, gosh!" She put her hands up in defeat. "They just showed up! I wasn't going to turn them away.."

I knew she wouldn't. "Don't you have to be at work," I pointed out.

She checked her watch and practically flew out of the house with a quick "I'll see you when I get back!"

Everyone (with the exclusion of Darry, who had to work) was lounging about my kitchen eating what looked like chocolate cake.

It's not that I didn't want them here it's just…I don't know. It's like acknowledging that I'm fitting in here. And that was not going to work.

"I like your mom, she seems nice," Two-Bit said. The guys nodded in agreement. I jumped up onto the counter next to Ponyboy and let my short legs dangle. Next to him I looked like a midget. When we were standing my head barely cleared his shoulder.

"She's okay."

"What grade are you going to be in?" Johnny asked me randomly.

"Ninth."

"Me too," Ponyboy said and nudged me with his elbow. "Maybe we'll be in the same classes."

"At least there'll be one familiar face." I tried to contain my joy. Classes with Ponyboy, what fun that would be!

What events do you think should happen next? If you have some ideas, message me! I'll put your name in the disclaimer, so you'll have full credit.

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