Joni is leaning against the brick wall, staring up at Curtis. Big surprise. Ponyboy isn't looking down at the rusty haired broad. He keeps throwing glances at a girl with thick, brown hair that is sitting pretty close to Douglas. Man, Joni. The guy doesn't even like you. I walk up to the group and move close to the girl I thought was worth fighting for.

"Hey, babe." I whispered in her ear. "I need to talk to you." Jennings comes up and pushes Joni behind him.

"Who the hell are you to even talk to her?" I give him a death look and reach for Joni again.

"Come on, Joni I just wasn't to talk. Over by that red caviar. Curtis and Jennings can watch if they want to." She keeps her arms crossed across her chest, but looks back at her little secret service.

"I'll only be a minute." Before either two guys can protest I drag her over to the car.

"Joni, baby, listen to me." I grab her face so that her hazed green eyes are focusing on my dark ones. "You don't understand. It was for your own good." Joni raises her eyebrows and keeps a tough face.

"So you exchanging saliva with a tramp like Higgins was for my own good?" I tighten my grip on her face.

"Joni…" I lean my face forward and let my lips graze hers. "I want you, not Donna. If you can't see that, then you're the one that's fucked up." I loosened my grip and start to pull away. Joni leans forward and nearly knocks me over with a fiery kiss. But then she pulls away, tears brimming her eyes.

"I guess I' m pretty fucked up." I exhale sharply as she jogs back to Curtis and Jennings. I hesitate only a second and then take off after her. I grab her arm and pull her towards my chest.

"Joni, why? What makes you fucked up? Come on, baby; it's all right." She doesn't sob or bawl like most chicks, but shakes and shudders something awful. "Are you cold? Here." I take off my brown leather jacket and drape it over her shoulders. "Is that better?" She nods and leans her limp body against mine.

"I'm fucked up because everything is screwed up. Look at Ponyboy. He's starring at that Cathy girl and doesn't even look at me. But you always are looking at me; but you get wild on a snap." I scoot closer to her and grip her hand.

"In a fight, you don't know if a guy's got a blade up his sleeve. But you still go for the punch even if he does have a blade that can slice your arm. You take the punch so you can win." Joni is still staring into my eyes, but gets off the concrete to brush off her jeans.

"I take a lot of punches, Curly Shepard. But common sense tells me some fights can't be won." She starts walking away to Curtis.

"What if sense is wrong? Isn't you who decides what's right for you?" She turns around and flips her light red hair. I swear she smiles.

"Then I guess you have to win that rumble before you try to go to the next fight." And she was next to Curtis again. He smiles down at her but his eyes are dead. It makes me sick.

XXX

We're at the movies. We being the Shepard gang; and a couple of chicks from the wrong side of the tracks. We all are piled into three cars; while Tim and his new broad are doing god knows what in another.

"Hey, Curly. What action do you wanna do tonight?" I glance over at Kevin. He is jumping up and down with excitement and bulging his eyes out.

"First thing is stop acting like a fucking rabbit on dope." Kevin stops jumping. I look around at the group. Robby, Kevin, and Harris. All of them younger than me; except Harris. Harris is sixteen and high every second of every day. I don't have a problem with a little shot of heroin every once in a while, but if you do it twenty four-seven; you look like a walking zombie.

The swollen red marks run up and down your arm; so the whole word can see you got high last night. Your eyes became bloodshot and droopy. The most stupid thing though is the fucking dopey smile you get on your face. It makes you look like shit. I shake the images away and go back to smoking on my light. I can see the little white puffs that form in the air as I blow. I'm focusing on the smoke; and so I don't see a dark figure walking up to the car.

Bang!

I jump at the sound of knuckles against glass. I still can't make out the figure that's leaning over the car. I get out anyway and push to guy back.

"Who the hell are you?" I demand. The guy is leaning against a motorcycle. I can barely make out dark shades and a wicked smile.

"That's none of your concern, Shepard. I'm here to tell you something; so listen up good." I glare at the guy who steps closer into the light; revealing rusty brown hair and a built body decked out in leather. "Your brother is giving me some hard shit. Tell him to stay on his side of town for good."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" the guy chuckles and looks down on me.

"I don't like to start brawls unless they're necessary. If you just tell Tim Shepard to stay in the subs, we can get along just dandy." He mounts his motorcycle and gears it up.

"Wait! He's gonna want a name." The guy lowers his shades to reveal hot black eyes looking right on.

"The Motorcycle Boy." I blink; he's gone.

Great. So now there's a rival gang leader wanting more turf and willing to fight for it on my platter. It was Tim's problem; sure. But what is his problem will become my problem, and I sure as hell don't need any more problems.

And I still had to get Joni back. She said something about winning the rumble before you can fight…

"Hey Shepard!" I whirl around. The last thing I need is a pissed big brother coming my way.