DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Outsiders. : )

Steve pulled the car up in front of Evie's house and honked. He let the steering wheel out of his death grip and turned to Sodapop. "Change of plans—we're not going to that game."

Soda's eyes went from worried to disappointed. "We have to go to the game, Steve. If we don't Sandy's gonna be expectin' me to take her to the movies." He looked at his hands. "I ain't goin' to no stupid movie."

"Yeah, well I ain't gonna be caught by Brooks in his own damned car, nuh-uh, no way."

"Come on, man. My excuse for skippin' out on seeing that What's Up with the Virgin Wolf? or whatever it's called was the game. I told her I've never missed one before."

Steve honked again. "Damnit, Soda—so we'll see Batman or something, all right?"

"What are you so freaked out for? It's not a big deal, he ain't gonna see us."

"What if he does? Even on the off chance that he don't call the cops or do his best to get us fired, he'll tell his daddy, and my dad'll hafta pay. You know Earl Brooks runs the refinery?"

"What kid in his right mind would go cryin' to his dad when he could just settle it then and there?"

"A Soc, maybe."

Soda turned so he was faced toward Steve. "Okay, so we'll drop the girls off at the field, then we'll go park the car somewhere safe where Wayne won't find it, then after the game we'll go back and get it and bring it back to the DX. No one'll have any idea it was missing."

"I'm really tied of listenin' to your ideas. Mine are better."

"No, you're not thinkin' clearly 'cause you're thinking about Evie. I've already had a first date with Sandy so my head ain't fuzzy. Besides, if we took them to the movies then we'd of borrowed this car for no reason."

Steve sighed and gripped the steering wheel again. He had to agree somewhat with Soda. Since meeting Evie he had been a little preoccupied … Maybe he really wasn't thinking clearly … No, he was confident his mind was as sharp as ever …Though it was true he was never one to do things in vain, especially something as big as stealing a Soc's car … Shit. "All right," he said. "We'll go to the damn game. But if we get caught, or arrested, or anything unpleasant happens, I've got no problem blamin' the whole thing on you. Got it?"

Soda laughed and patted Steve's shoulder. "All right, buddy, I wouldn't doubt it."

Steve couldn't help but laugh too. He honked again. "Where is Evie? I've honked like three times."

Soda peered out Steve's window. "Maybe you should go knock on her door. Girls like that."

"Hell no," he replied, turning to look at Soda. "That would mean I'd hafta meet her dad. I've met girl's fathers before and it ain't pretty."

"Meeting the girl's dad is easy. You just sweet talk 'em, same as you do the girl."

"Ya know, for some reason, I don't think her father would like me callin' him 'Babe' or 'Darling'."

Soda began to laugh, and at that moment, Evie emerged from her home. Soda saw her first. "Hey, man," he said, ceasing his laughter. "There she is."

Steve looked out his window and stared. There was Evie, walking down her front porch steps, clad in a skirt short enough to get her sent home from school, and a tight, light-colored blouse that Steve very much appreciated. Her wavy hair bounced as she walked, and … something else did, too, Steve couldn't help but notice.

Soda clapped him on the back. "Damn straight, happy birthday to you! You can thank me for that," he motioned to Evie, "later."

"I ain't thankin' you for jack. You ain't the one lookin' good in a skirt over there."

"Let's keep it that way."

"Now get in the back, Evie's riding shotgun."

Soda climbed past the front seats into the back, nearly kicking Steve in the face. "Get out and open the door for her. Girls like that, too."

"Hush up, Soda."

Evie walked up to Steve's window and tapped it lightly. He rolled the window down. "Great car, Steve. Is it new?"

Steve laughed uneasily. Did she know it wasn't his? "Uh, yeah, it's new."

She noticed Soda in the back. "Hi," she said. She looked at Steve again. "Steve, could you come inside real quick? My dad wants to meet you."

Steve shot a look back at Soda, who laughed quietly. "Sure, I could come in for a bit."

"Thanks." She started back through the lawn.

Steve got out of the car and closed the door hard. He gave Soda a meaningful look.

"Ain't my fault, man," he replied through laughter.

He pulled his comb out of his pocket and began the walk up to the front door.

XXX

Walking inside, he gave his hair one more swipe with the comb, and returned it to his pocket.

"It looks like you spend more time on your hair than I do," she said. "I'll go get my dad. Make yourself at home."

He looked around the small living room he stood in. Tiny, but tidy. Tidier than his place. That would make sense—she's a girl; she probably cleans. He sat awkwardly on the sofa and waited.

A moment later, she was back in the room, this time with her father. Steve quickly stood and shook his hand. He immediately regretted that. The man had a vise grip, and seemed to be sizing Steve up by how well he mirrored it. Mr. Davis was over six feet, but wasn't the terrifying giant he'd imagined. He looked over-friendly in an "I have no problem killing you," kind of way.

"Daddy, this is Steve. Steve, this is my dad," Evie said as Mr. Davis let go of Steve's hand.

"Hello, sir," Steve said.

"So you're the infamous Steve, huh?" Infamous?

"I am."

"Evelyn talks about you quite a bit."

Steve grinned widely. Evie talked about him quite a bit. Bumbling fool no more, Evie talked about him quite a bit! "Does she?"

"Dad!" she said in a half-whisper. He shrugged.

"What? You do, don't you?" She rolled her eyes at him. "Evelyn, honey, will go get a couple glasses of lemonade? You must be thirsty, huh, Steve?"

He would've liked to have said, "No, thanks," but this man was intimidating without being threatening. He questions were more like statements. "Dad, we'll have drinks at the game. We need to go or we'll be late," Evie told her father. Steve was glad she, at least, could protest.

"I'd like to get to know Steve, hon. Just go get us a couple glasses of juice, won't you?" Again with those question-commands. She rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. "Please, Steve, have a seat," Mr. Davis said once she was out of sight. Steve sat, and Mr. Davis sat next to him. "So, Steve …"

"Yes, sir."

"That short for Steven?"

Steve cleared his throat nervously. "Yes, sir."

He leaned forward so his eyes bore deep into Steve's. "So, Steven, you like my daughter very much, yeah?"

"Yes, sir."

"You know her curfew is ten o'clock?"

"I do now. I'll have her home by ten. Sir."

"Good, good. You drink, Steven?" His eyes narrowed even more-so.

Steve felt his ears get hot. He'd been grilled by over-bearing parents before, but Mr. Davis could've made an Olympic sport out of it. He could've been saying, "I love puppies," and it would make a kid fidgety. "No, sir," Steve replied. "I just turned seventeen; I'm not allowed to drink alcohol." He prided himself on his ability to lie, even to the most browbeating authority figures.

Evie returned then with the lemonade. She handed two glasses to her father and Steve. "Thank you, honey," Mr. Davis said. "I was just catching up with Mister … Randle, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"I noticed that car you pulled up in. It's nice. Pristine, really. That a '55?"

Steve smiled a bit. "Yes it is, sir."

"It's still in such good condition; you must've saved a lot for it?"

His smile faded. "Yeah, it's in great condition."

Mr. Davis eyed him, not speaking.

"Dad, we really, really need to get going. The game's going to start without us."

He paused for a moment. "I guess I'll let you two get goin' on your date," he began. Phew. "But Steve, let me tell you something." Damn it. "I'm entrusting the safety and wellbeing of my only daughter to you. If anything happens to her, if you get her back here a minute past ten o'clock … things will be ... unpleasant." Steve sat his full lemonade glass on the table and stood, nodding.

"Dad."

"You two go on now."

Thank you, God.

She grabbed Steve by the arm and pulled him out of the house. "I'm so sorry about my dad," she said as they walked back to the car. "I didn't think he'd act like that."

"That's all right," he replied, and walked over to open her door. "No big deal." She took her seat in shotgun and he closed the door, before getting back in the driver's seat. "Sorry we took so long, Soda."

He stretched and yawned. "No problem, man. I just walked to the DX again and filled your car's gas tank, but I hardly had enough time."

"Don't even start pullin' that sarcasm shit, 'cause mine'll knock you out," Steve replied.

"And mine'll knock you out," Evie added.

Steve snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Don't try me, Randle. I've made boys all over this city cry."

Steve smirked. "They were cryin' about something." He thought for a moment that she'd be offended, like most girls would be, but she laughed. This was a strange occurrence—days ago he could hardly get a coherent sentence out around her without sounding like an idiot, now he was back to his old self.

"Yes, they were."

Soda broke in, "Come on, man, let's go. We're gonna be late pickin' up Sandy."

Evie turned back to see Soda. "Oh, my God, I can't wait to see her. It's been forever."

"You two know each other?"

"We used to go to school together."

"Well, ain't that lovely, Steve? A couple of friends, datin' a couple of friends." He smiled charmingly.

Steve headed towards Sandy's place. "Yeah, it's lovely."

XXX

"All right, Soda. Get in, and get out. Please," Steve told him once they'd reached Sandy's house.

"I'll be back in a jiffy. Don't worry." Soda stepped out of the car and bounded up to her front door.

Evie turned to Steve. "This is exciting. I haven't seen her in forever."

"Y'all were good friends?"

"Pretty close. We ran with the same group in junior high."

He nodded, but said nothing else. Conversation starter, he was not. He needed a prompt, and he lacked.

Evie took the lead. "I'm glad you called me."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Mmhmm. Baseball's not exactly my idea of romantic, but …"

"Well, it's just, my buddy really wanted to go. He uh … never misses a game." He chuckled a bit at the last part. "Next time we can go somewhere more entertaining."

"We better." Her bright red lips formed a sultry, yet innocent smile. Steve had never before found any one girl's lips so interesting, or inviting. He felt drawn to them, he felt …

"Evie!"

… Like his ears might bleed. He looked to his left out the window and saw Sandy, all smiles, standing with Soda. "Damn, that was right in my ear."

"Sorry, uh," she turned to Soda and whispered something. He whispered back. "Steve. Sorry, Steve." She ran around to Evie's side of the car and opened the door.

"I haven't seen you in over a semester!" They hugged and began talking so quickly Steve could only catch every few words. He looked questioningly over at Soda, who shrugged, shaking his head.

"Come on, Sandy, we've gotta get going. The game is gonna start soon," Soda said, walking over to her side.

She slowly stopped her hyper-discussion, smiled happily at him and took her seat. He smiled back and climbed in after her.

Steve shot Evie an odd look. Sandy seemed just a little too sugary-sweet for him. "So are we all ready for this damned game?"

Soda put an arm around Sandy. "Let's get outta here."

Steve put the car in drive. "Hallelujah."

Hah, well that was thoroughly boring. At least I updated quicker, eh? I promise it'll get more interesting soon—this was kind of an awkward chapter. But I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Comments/Concrit are appreciated.