Just a quick note, when I say she has jeans, to go along with the times, they're high waisted since that was the style most girls had for jeans at the time.

Sunlight shown through the window and I blinked my eyes open. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table… 7:21am… I sat up and saw that I was still in my dress from the night before. So it wasn't a dream, I thought. I quickly changed out of the dress and into shorts and a tank top and robe and quietly went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I got out then quickly went back to my room to get dressed.

I put on a plain white button up shirt, blue jeans, black converse, my leather cuff, my gold locket, and my brown leather jacket. I braided my hair since it was still kinda wet. I quietly left the room to go back to the bathroom to get the first aid kit to clean my cut and replace the bandana Sodapop had placed around it the night before. I opened the disinfectant and nearly spilled it when I saw someone walk up behind me in the doorway in the mirror. Ponyboy rubbed the back of his neck and gave a nervous chuckle, "Oh… sorry, Rain. I didn't mean to scare you."

I shook it off and looked down, "It's… it's fine." My voice was quiet. I was still kinda shook up from the night before.

He sighed a bit. "You ok?"

"Pony, I don't… I don't really wanna talk about it right now."

"Alright, I won't force you… but realize Darry and Soda are gonna ask you about last night."

I nodded, knowing he was right. "I'll be right out. I just need to cover my cut." He nodded and walked out the doorway back into the other room.

I got the wrap gauze and wrapped it around the majority of my hand and a little up my wrist to keep it from coming off or loose. I put everything back in the kit then back in the cabinet, then debated in myself whether I should sneak out the bathroom window and just go right to school, or face the two brothers and be bombarded with questions. I finally decided to suck it up, and go to the dining room.

It was Sodapop's turn to make breakfast. The brothers all took turns doing that even before I moved in with them, but now even I was included in the pattern. When I sat down , I saw his notorious green pancakes. They weren't bad, but I just could never really bring myself to eat them. I'm not saying Soda's a bad cook, but I think it was the color that bothered me. The fact that they were green, which is usually the color that food turns when it goes bad, I don't know. Darry was at his usual seat at the table reading the morning paper. Ponyboy was in the living room getting everything he needed for school that day and stuffing it into his backpack. "Mornin' Rain," Sodapop said sitting in his usual seat at the table.

"Sleep ok?" Darry asked and looked up from the paper in his hand.

I nodded a bit, "I guess so."

Soda gestured to my hand, "How's the cut?"

I shrugged a bit again. "It's ok."

Darry set down his paper and gave a concerned look. "Now, what happened last night? Soda and Steve told me some of what happened, only what you told them. But you have to tell me what happened."

I looked at Ponyboy for a sec, who looked at me and nodded when he heard Darry ask about it. I sighed, "Long story short, James showed up drunk and wouldn't leave me alone. That explain it?"

His eyes widened a bit. "Please tell me he didn't…"

I quickly shook my head, "No!... no he didn't do that. He was drunk, he grabbed my arm and then kissed me like that night with those Socs. He only let go cause I slapped him the kneed him."

I saw Soda start to laugh at what I said I did but stopped himself cause he knew the situation was serious. Darry calmed down a bit, "Alright… look , I really think you should try to get a new job. I don't think working there around him is such a good idea."

I nodded. "Alright, I'll stop by after school and quit, I guess."

I didn't really wanna quit. If I didn't work there, my other choices were basically the Dingo and that's it. I mean, I guess I could try to get a job at that record store, but Andrew worked there. I mean, it seemed like he didn't remember that one time, but I didn't wanna take any chances. So my options were, one: stay and work with James, but Darry would probably go there and quit for me if I didn't. Two: Work at the Dingo where random guys would be staring at my chest and behind. Or three: the record store with Andrew the Soc.

It seems like whatever I choose, I'm screwed either way.

I didn't really eat breakfast. One reason: like I said, I couldn't bring myself to eat his green pancakes. They just grossed me out sometimes. The other reason, I just wasn't in the mood to eat. You know how there are people who when they're upset they eat more than usual? Well, I was the opposite. If I was upset about something, I didn't eat till I got over it. I could force myself to eat, but if I did, I usually would start to feel sick and then I'd be sitting there just really pissed off.

On the way to school, I didn't say much to Ponyboy. I didn't feel like talking. I was still just overwhelmed about the dance. I kinda felt guilty when I ran out cause I didn't tell Evie, Candy or Suzie. Then when I got back to the house, I ran to my room without saying a word to anyone and ignored them the rest of the night. And honestly, I regretted it.

"Ponyboy! Rain! Wait up!"

The two of us turned around and the three girls were running up to us. Candy tightly wrapped her arms around me so tight it was hard to breathe. "Can't… breathe…" I choked out. She let go of me then gave a nervous smile. Then she slapped my arm and her face quickly contorted to one of annoyance, "What happened last night? When we got back to the gym you had us worried sick! Then we called the house and they said that you locked yourself in your room and weren't letting anyone in."

I bit my lip, "Sorry. I'll tell you guys later what happened. Ok?"

They nodded and we got to the school just as the bell rang. Suzie and Ponyboy waved and walked off to their homeroom, Evie went to hers, and Candy and me started off to ours. "Sorry I snapped at you like that," she said as we walked. I waved it off, "It's cool. I deserved it. But I promise I'll tell you later." She nodded and we walked into the class.

The day went by quicker than I thought it would. I didn't see James all day, he was probably sleeping off a hangover. I was one-hundred percent fine with him not being there, that means I wouldn't have to see him when I went to work.

Work…

Darry wanted me to quit so I'd have one less thing involving James to deal with. I understood where he was coming from with that. I just hoped that Rusty would understand and believe whatever reason I came up with. I did kinda feel bad for quitting like I was, but I had too.

I got to the garage right after school, and just as I hoped, James wasn't there. Rusty came in form the garage. "Hey Rain," he smiled.

I gave a weak smile, "Hey Rusty… um, can I talk to you about something?"

"You're gonna quiet, ain't ya?"

"How'd ya know?..."

He laughed, "I've owned this garage for a long time, kid… you learn a thing or two over the years."

I looked down. "I'm sorry."

He blew it off. "It's fine… but, can I ask ya why?"

"Oh… it's cause with my school, and my legal guardian wanted me to focus on my school work rather than work, work."

"Oh yeah, you live with them Curtis boys, don't ya?"

I nodded hesitantly, "Uh, yeah… how'd you know that?"

"That court date to see if that one boy with the weird name would be able to stay with his brothers after him and that other kid ran off. It was all over the papers. So was your case since it involved that oldest boy, Darius?"

I chuckled, "Darrel… but we all call him Darry."

"Plus Two-Bit told me when he was telling me about ya once." He gave a smile.

I smiled back. "Well, I wish I could stay here but like I said, school and everything."

"It's cool, Rain. But if you ever need a job, just come back. The position is always yours if you want it again."

I smiled and nodded, then waved goodbye and left the garage. I gave him back my shirt, which he put in his office in case I did decide to go back. I really did want to keep working there but cause of James… stupid James… he ruined the first job I ever had. Honestly, I didn't wanna let that go without a fight, but unfortunately- I had to.

I walked back to the house, stuffing my hands into my pockets to avoid the chill. No Socs bothered me, but two people in colorful clothes came walking up to me. I gave an unsure look as they walked up to me. "Hey man, what's your name?" the one who was a girl with blonde hair and small braids all throughout asked me.

I wasn't going to tell her my name. I didn't know who she was. "Rose," I lied.

The man with her with small circular sunglasses spoke up, "Want some film?"

"Excuse me?"

"Film… ya know… film."

I realized what the two meant and realized who they were. I quickly shook my head, "No thanks, I'm… I'm fine."

I quickly walked off and left the two hippies there shrugging their shoulders. I got to the house, but not without looking behind me on the way back making sure the two didn't follow me. When I got inside, it felt so good to be inside with the warmth and the heat coming from the radiator. "Anyone home?" I called out, placing my hands in front of the radiator for minute. "We are!" I heard Marilyn call from the other room, and by we, I guessed her and Darry. I quickly went into the other room and smelled coffee. The two leaned against the counter with mugs filled with the smell. "Ok, so Darry tells me that he made you quit the garage," Marilyn said and sent him out of the room.

I nodded, "Yeah, but it was for a good reason."

"I understand, he told me what happened… anyway, you remember my cousin Sandy and her fiancé, right?"

"Yeah… why?"

"Ok, so the two of them are moving here to Tulsa. The place they bought in town is a building with a store downstairs and an apartment, where they're gonna live, upstairs. Long story short: Sandy's opening a book store and she left me in charge of hiring some people. Want a job?" she smiled.

I smiled and nodded. "I can have a job there?"

She nodded, "Of course! I figured you wouldn't want a job at the Dingo with how Evie and Candy talk about it and about the lovely uniforms," she laughed, "And I'll be working there with you too!"

I smiled and nodded again, "Yes I would love a job there, thank you so much, Marilyn." She smiled and nodded.

Here's the new chapter :) to all wattpa people: sorry I took so long to update, I know it's been like forever since I've updated, but fanfiction. Net people can attest to this- I was trying to catch up with the website since I now have this on both websites! Ok, that's my only author's note :P hope you liked the chapter! =^-^=

To wattpad: peace from all the hippies of the world! -RambosDaughter

To fanfiction: bye! =^-^=