…the next week…

Ponyboy, Sodapop, Darry and I all walked into the courtroom. I saw Cherry Valance with her parents, Randy Anderson with his, and mine looking back at me angrily. I bit my lip and look down at the ground when I saw their angry faces.

I wore a ruffled black skirt, a white blouse and brown boots… I had to dress somewhat nice in a courtroom right?

…one hour later…

Ponyboy was released into the care of his older brothers instead of boys' home. He ran to the two with the biggest smile on his face I'd ever seen. The judge called the court to order, now for who I live with: Darry or my parents. Steve and Two-Bit walked into the courtroom since they were witnesses and defense that I should move in with the Curtis'. My heart pounded in my chest. I didn't want to stay with my parents but I didn't want to be put in some foster kids home, either. I wanted to stay with the gang.

I was told to sit in the witness stand and we started. "Your name is Raina Johnson, but people call you Rain. Is that correct?" the judge asked.

"Yes, your honor," I nodded.

"Alright. And you're pressing charges against your parents, Lisa Johnson and Daniel Johnson, for physical and verbal abuse and neglect. Is that correct?"

I sighed nervously, "Yes, your honor. That's also right."

"Ok… so can you explain what exactly has happened with your parents that you are pressing charges against them, please?"

"Sure… for one, just a few weeks ago they did. I got beat up at school and my parents didn't care. They called me stupid and incompetent for letting it happen. Then my dad got his belt and hit my arm. Every time something happens that they don't like, that's what they do." I glanced again at my parents who both looked at me, fire in their eyes.

"And how long have they been doing that sort of thing?"

"Well when I was younger, not really. It didn't really start till I turned eight."

"Have you been staying in their house lately?"

"For the last few years, I've been in and out. This past week I've been staying with the Curtis'."

The judge told me to take a seat and called Darry to the stand. " , is it true that Raina Johnson has been staying with you this past week?" he asked.

Darry nodded, "Yes you honor, she has."

"Did her parents make her stay with you, did she ask, or did you offer?"

"We offered. Since she was feeling well the day Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston died, we offered for her to stay the night since we know how her parents can be."

"Hold on, who is we?"

"My brother Sodapop and me."

The judge nodded and looked over his papers, "Now, it says here that you are trying to become Raina's legal guardian instead of her parents."

Darry nodded, "Yes, that's correct."

"What's your argument that she should stay with you instead of her parents? I have her side of the story but now I need evidence."

"She has witnesses that are here."

The judge looked away from Darry and into the courtroom, "Would the witnesses of Raina Johnson's case please stand up?" Steve, Soda, Two-Bit and Ponyboy all stood up and they judge's eyes widened a bit. He told Darry to leave the stand and called up Sodapop. He was questioned about if that was his real name or not. "On your birth certificate, it really says Sodapop as your first name?"

Soda nodded, trying to hide his slight annoyance from the judge, "Yes it does, your honor."

The judge kinda shook it off. "What is your evidence for Raina's case?"

"Once a few months back me and Rain were out after I left work and she was out after school and I walked her home and it was pretty late. I think around 10:30 or around that. When she closed the door, I heard her parents yell at her and I glanced through the window and saw her mom start to hit her."

My jaw dropped a bit and my eyes widened. I didn't know he knew about that. I bit my lip and looked down at the ground, embarrassed by the scenario he gave. I looked at my parents from the corner of my eye who both looked at Soda nervously and furiously.

The judge then called Ponyboy to the stand. He didn't question him on his name, since he had done that before when he was questioned for his own case. "Alright, now you've already been asked about how your brother takes care of you. But how does he treat Raina?"

"Like she was a part of our family, your honor," he answered.

"Would you please explain how, son?"

"Well like this past week. He offered her to stay over our house, and he offered to do this case for her and try to become her guardian."

"Has she stayed with you and your brothers before?"

He nodded, "Plenty of times, your honor."

The judge asked Ponyboy to return to his seat. Next he called Two-Bit up. He was kinda hesitant in saying his real name in front of the whole court, there was nothing wrong with the name Keith, he just didn't like it. The judge asked him to tell a time when Darry helped me and my parents didn't. "A few months back, we were all out their house except Rain. We heard something outside on the front porch. Darry went out to see what it was then a few minutes later came back in with Rain. I remember she had cuts and bruises, she was kinda pale, too. Looked like she was gonna pass out. Darry cleaned her up and took care of her. She said her parents were furious about something, I don't really remember what, but they did that to her."

I remembered that day. Dallas tried to be funny and said it looked like I'd been in a rumble. I slapped his arm for that wise-crack cause I was in no mood for jokes. I stayed at the Curtis' house for a month without going home for that.

The judge then called Steve to the stand. He was the only one of us not questioned about his name, which I thought was pretty nervy, but oh well. What're ya gonna do?

"One time Rain got jumped at night. Johnny found her and called us all over. We brought her to the hospital and Darry, Sodapop and Ponyboy stayed there all night to make sure she was ok," he explained.

That was a good year ago. I didn't remember much of that week. I remember being in the hospital the day it happened, then the next morning before I had surgery cause I had a broken ribcage. I remember they all said I was in and out for about a week, which I remember nothing of. I didn't know they did that. They never told me that part. I turned to look at the three brothers who still looked forward at Steve. After he finished, the court was given a ten minute recess while the judge looked over what information he had and thought about everything he just heard. I walked out of the courtroom and leaned against the wall in the hallway. I was looking down at the ground. When I looked up, I saw my parents walking toward me. My heart pounded out of my chest. "How dare you do this, Raina! Bring us to court and have those… delinquents! Try to be in charge of you instead of us!" my mother growled.

"They're not delinquents! They took better care of me than you two ever did! You two deserve whatever punishment you get!" I yelled at my parents. I was done dealing with them and their crap.

"Don't you dare speak to us like that!" my father yelled.

"No! You can't tell me what to do anymore! I'm sick and tired of you two doing whatever to me! You two deserve this! You're people are the worst parents in the whole world and you treat your own daughter like trash and have made my life a living hell and I hope you two die in prison!" I yelled so loud that people were staring at us.

My dad raised his arm and slapped me in the face, and I fell to the ground. I put my hand to my cheek and looked up at my father, who was walking closer to me. I leaned closer to the wall till a figure stood between us. I knew it was one of the guys, but I didn't look up to see who it was. I was too scared to move. Ponyboy leaned down in front of me, "Are you alright?" I shrugged and he helped me off the ground and brought me to the other side of the hallway. I was shaking as much as a Chihuahua. "Rain, try to calm down," Steve said.

One of the police officers throughout the court came over by us and two other cops went by my parents. "Are you alright, miss? I saw what happened," he said to me. I looked up at him and nodded a bit. "You should press charges against them," he suggested. "That's actually why we're all here. My older brother is trying to become her legal guardian and a restraining order too," Sodapop answered for me. "Well after that stunt, you all have a good chance of winning the case," the cop said.

We walked back into the courtroom and the police officers from the hallway were now all talking with the judge. I hadn't said a word yet so far after the whole thing in the hallway. I guess this was "being paralyzed with fear" was. I was still shaking and Two-Bit said I was pale as paper. The judge called order in the court, "Based on what has been presented before me today, and under recent circumstances, Raina Johnson will be placed into the care of Darrel Curtis… Lisa and Daniel Johnson, your hearing for your charges will be next month but until then you will be placed in the federal prison. Case dismissed."

A smiled formed on my face and so did the gang. "We better get your stuff so you can move in with us," Sodapop smiled. "Congrats, kid," Two-Bit smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I laughed as we all left the courthouse. I glanced at my parents who were being put in handcuffs and brought out of the room. I smirked at the sight. They glared at me as they walked past me and I copied their action. Two-Bit stopped them before they were escorted to the police car. "You two deserve whatever hell you get!" he yelled and I held in my laughter as I saw the look on their faces as they were put in the car.

Hi! This is my new fanfiction! Like I said, I started this on watt pad and still am but I wanted to put it here too! I hope you like it! By the way, I know it seems like a lot happens to Rain, but that's like and always happens to the main characters so yeah :P anyways, I hope you read this fan fiction cause I'm still kinda to writing on this website so yeah XP bye till next chapter!