…three weeks later…

Things finally began to calm down. Darry, Sodapop and Steve were all going back to work consistently. Me, Ponyboy and Two-Bit all were back at school. Two-Bit had actually started to look for an after school job- which I was proud of him for. He still drank sometimes, but not as much as he used to. He was changing his habits, but in a good way. He would still joke around and such, he wouldn't be him if he didn't. But anyway, we all started to get used to the fact that two of our own were gone, but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't nights that I didn't have nightmares of what happened that night.

There was still some heat between Greasers and Socs. The fact that us Greasers won the rumble kinda determined that Socs couldn't come to our part of town but outside our turf, that was a different story. Greasers were still Greasers. Socs were still Socs… nothing's changed. I longed for the day that it would finally change, and everybody would see each other equally.

In the end though, we're all people. Just different lifestyles, that's all.

Anyway, the rest of the gang had gotten used to the fact that Two-Bit and me were dating. We never got too intimate when they were around since it was still a sensitive spot and we were only dating a little over a month. Sodapop would always keep a good eye on him. I didn't ask him too, I trusted him, but I guess for the moment Soda didn't. I don't know.

Ponyboy was doing pretty bad in school ever since the court date, which was completely understandable. I mean, since we were all readjusting to life, it was harder and unusual. With everything that happened, especially to Ponyboy, it was overwhelming.

Darry and him had been getting along pretty well, but they would still argue. I couldn't stand it when they would argue cause it was usually about the same things. Sometimes it seemed like those two never realized how lucky there were to have each other as a real family, but that's what I thought. It just bothered me though how much they argued.

Apparently, while I was at school, Two-Bit ditched and got a job. I walked to the address that he gave me when he called me after school. I knew I shouldn't have walked alone through town especially since it was getting dark, but I hated to hear the two fighting. Darry, Sodapop and Ponyboy knew I wasn't gonna be home for a while, but I'm pretty sure they didn't know I'd be walking alone.

I got the where to the address Two-Bit gave me was. It was some body shop, not like the DX where Sodapop and Steve worked, but it was the same exact place- just with a different name. I saw hime looking through some things behind the desk and his back was toward me. I quietly walked in, more like tried to walk in quietly but the bell after the door went off. He jumped up a little, turned around and smiled when he saw me. "Hey you," I smiled and leaned on the desk. He leaned on the other side and pecked my lips. "Did you walk hear alone?" he asked.

I bit my lip, "Maybe."

He sighed a little with worry. "No one bothered you, right?"

I shook my head.

He sighed again. "Alright, but try not to walk in town alone, alright? You know it's dangerous."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just couldn't stand to listen to Ponyboy and Darry argue. It's pathetic how much those two fight, sometimes."

"I thought they were getting along better since Pony got back?"

"Well they were, but they're nearly back to the way they were. I can't even imagine how Sodapop is handling them."

"Yeah… well anyway, I get off pretty soon. Wanna grab somethin' to eat when I'm done?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Two-Bit!" I heard someone call by one of the cars in the garage. Both of us turned in the direction the yell came from. "Come finish up this last car!" Two-Bit rolled his eyes a little, "My boss."

I nodded and he went to the car his boss called him to. I went outside and sat down on the bench on the sidewalk cause I wasn't allowed to hang out in the shop unless I had a car. Sure, it was stupid to be waiting in the middle of town in the dark, but honestly- I didn't really care at the moment. Besides, it couldn't take too long to finish up one car, right?

…thirty minutes later…

Ok, so maybe it takes a while to finish up a car. I still sat outside on the bench waiting for Two-Bit to come outside when he was done. I was looking down but looked up when I saw headlights of a car. They turned the corner then about a minute later, came back around and to the corner. When the car reappeared for a third time, I got nervous and went back inside. When I walked in, Two-Bit came from a room in the back. He quickly looked at me chuckled, "Have you been in here the whole time?"

I shook my head. "I was outside and a car drove by about three times. I got nervous so I came in here."

"This was all supposed to be over…"

"You and me both know that it'll never be over."'

He nodded, "Alright, but stay close to me." I nodded and we walked out the body shop. He wrapped his arm tightly around my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around his torso. "Just in case, you got your blade, right?" he whispered. I nodded, "You got yours?" He nodded and we continued walking. I bit my lip nervously and I was shaking a little. "Just try to calm down. Try not to be so nervous, cause then they'll see you shaking and hurt you." I nodded slowly and tightened my grip around his torso.

We were nearly to the diner when the car drove up close behind us. "Just keep walking," he whispered and we walked a little faster. I could feel my heart nearly beating out of my chest. We quickly went inside the diner and to one of the booths. "That was close," he sighed a little. I did the same and nodded a little.

…one hour later…

"You sure you wanna walk home? I really think we should take the bus," he suggested. I shrugged, "Either way, we'll run into Socs so we might as well just walk." When we were almost to our part of town, the same car from before drove up behind us. It wasn't Randy and his crew, they stopped bothering Greasers the day of the rumble. This was some red car I'd never seen before. I got a little closer to Two-Bit as the people in the car got out and walked toward us. "You Greasers out a little late, don't ya think?" one smirked.

I swallowed nervously, Two-Bit tightened his arm around my shoulder. "What's your problem? We didn't do nothin' to ya, we're just trying to get back to our side," he snapped.

"Greasers need to be put in their place." The Soc looked at me. "This broad yours?"

I tightened my hold on Two-Bit's torso and gave the Soc's a dirty look. "None a' your business."

One Soc yanked me away from him and the two others held him back. I struggled to get out of the one's grasp but it was no use. "Oh!... so you wouldn't mind if I did this?" I quickly switched my gaze to the one Soc who was talking. Both Two-Bit and me were trying to get free the ones holding us, but it still wasn't working. The one Soc grabbed my face by my chin then smashed his lips against mine. I tried to pull away but his hold on my face was too tight. I could hear Two-Bit yelling at them angrily.

He finally pulled away and threw me to the ground. I groaned a little and glanced up. I saw Two-Bit break away and knocked out the two Soc's who held him back, before. He then knocked down the one who kissed me. The other jumped on his back but he flipped him over. Pretty soon, the four surrendered, rushed to their car and drove off.

I was still on the ground and he leaned down to help me up. "Rain, are you ok?" I put my hand over my mouth and gagged, "It tasted like alcohol." Beer I could handle, to some extent, but alcohol was another story. I got up off the ground and he wrapped his arms around me, "Let's get back to the house." I nodded and we quickly went back.

When we got back, the three Curtis' brothers ran past us to the front porch, laughing their heads off. The three sat down on the porch trying to catch their breath. "What was that all about?" Two-Bit asked them. They all stood back up still breathing hard and trying to calm down. "We had to take care of something important and decided to race back home," Darry answered, letting out a slight chuckle.

"So how was your night?" Soda asked.

I opened my mouth to answer but nothing came out. Ponyboy took a step closer to me then backed up, his face full of confusion, "Is that alcohol in your breath?"

Soda's eyes widened. "You weren't drinking were you?" Soda asked nervously.

I groaned a bit and buried my face in Two-Bit's shoulder. "No, she wasn't drinking," he said, "You all know she don't drink. Some Socs got us on the way back and one kissed Rain to get me mad."

"Wait, what happened?" Darry looked mad now.

"Some fancy red car drove up to us on our way here and they started bothering us. It was four Socs. One grabbed Rain, two grabbed me."

I basically cut him off, "The other one grabbed my chin and kissed me. He threw me on the ground and Two-Bit scared 'em off."

"You weren't hurt too bad, right? Either of you?"

"My wrist kinda hurts since I fell on it and my mouth tastes like alcohol." My voice was quiet.

"You alright, Two-Bit?"

He shrugged a little, "My shoulder's kinda sore but that's it."

"So that nasty cut on your lip don't hurt?" Ponyboy asked him. Two-Bit moved his hand to his lip and flinched a little when he felt the cut. He pulled his hand away and there was a little blood from the cut on his fingertips. Darry sighed a litte, "Alright… everybody inside before they decide to show up."