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Chapter 3

I simply stare ad he gets up and heads for the door, everyone else motioning for me to follow them. Once outside in the evening chill, do I come out of my shock. "Darry that's really nice of you to offer but I really couldn't impose…"

His large hand in the air stops al words from leaving my mouth. "Esmeralda its fine, really. The whole town knows our door is open for anyone needing a place to sleep for the night. Take Soda's old room for tonight at least."

I sigh in defeat. It's been a very long time since I slept in a bed and it's obvious he's not going to let me say no. "Alright. Just for tonight. Thank you." When he nods I turn to Steve's truck to grab my stuff. He steps in my way, arms crossed as he leans against the truck bed. "Might as well leave it. I'm headed that way. Soda you riding?"

"Yeah. Darry we'll see you at the house."

With that, we pile back into Steve's truck and head across town to a small house. Steve parks by the curb and we all pile out, Steve grabbing my stuff and Soda putting his arm around my shoulder as he leads me through the gate and inside the house. A loud snarl causes me to squeak in surprise. Turning to my left, I spot a boy stretched across a large couch. His arms crossed over his chest and ankles crossed. His head is turned to the side. He's wearing a pair of jeans filled with wholes, a white tee-shirt, and a black leather jacket. His hair is blonde and reminds me of a wheat field.

Sodapop's laugh at my squeak wakes the boy up, who looks back over the arm of the couch with a glare. "Where the hell have you lot been?"

Steve passes by us and puts my stuff by a doorway before flopping in a chair. "I've been working unlike some people." Steve turns to me and jerks a thumb ti the boy who is now sitting up on the couch. "That's Dally Es."

I nod. Dally glares and turns to me, a sly smile as he looks me up and down. "Not bad Steve."

I glare down at him, hands on my hips. "I'm not Steve's. I'm Esmeralda."

"What kind of dumb name is Esmeralda?"

I huff, going to sit by Soda on the floor. I would have sat by Dally but he's getting on my nerves. "It was my mother's name."

Dally opens his mouth to say something just as Darry, Ponyboy, and Johnny walk in. "Shut it Dally. It's been a long day."

Johnny goes to sit by Dally, seeming to relax more. Dally throws an arm around Johnny's neck and rubs his knuckles against his head. "How you doing kid?"

Johnny shrugs Dally off and fixes his hair best he can. "I'm good Dal. Thought you we're staying at Buck's."

"Na. We got in to it over some money he owes me. Roughed me up a bit more than I expected him too. Came over to sleep it off a bit." Dally shrugs, sitting back.

Ponyboy stops next to my bags as he starts back in the room from what I guess is a small hall way. He looks over at me and points to my guitar case. "You play guitar?"

I smile softly; the only time you see me with this smile is when I'm singing, playing, or talking about my guitar. "Yeah. Stayed with an old man in the country once and he taught me to play in the evenings before bed. When I left he gave it to me to remember him by."

Ponyboy gets quiet for a second before turning a shy and slowly growing red face to me. "Will you play something before you leave?"

I smile. "I'll play anytime you'd like. I love too."

Darry's voice catches my attention. "Where all have you been?"

I rock back on my butt and hold my feet as I look to the ceiling as I think. "I started out in the Carolinas, heading for Tennessee, left there for Kentucky, went through Ohio, Pennsylvania, spent about three weeks in New York, caught a boat to Michigan, train to Nebraska, and finally a bus to here in Oklahoma."

"Man you've been all over the place huh?" I smile at Ponyboy with a nod. Standing up, I stretch my hands over my head. "I hate to just ditch you guys with questions but I'm beat. I'm going to head in for the night. I'll answer some more questions tomorrow."

"I'll show you around town tomorrow." I turn at the doorway to see Dally's eyes gazing into mine. With a nod I turn and head back into the room Ponyboy had pointed out as mine. Without even changing from my cloths, I flop on the bed and I'm instantly asleep.