A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for the absence. Here's #3 for you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders

I never really liked Steve. I don't know why I just didn't, but here we were. Just the two of us, in my living room, with his arm around my shoulders. The tv was playing some none sense show that we both weren't actually watching. He would look over at me, smirk and pull me closer. I just stared at the tv.

Soda had taken and extra- long shift at work, and Darry took Pony out to get some new Track shoes. The gang hadn't been over in a while, so I made my self comfortable on the couch. Soon after, In came Steve.

"Ignoring me is real rude, you know." Steve had scooted a little away from me so he could look at my face.

"Yeah, maybe you should tell the 'gang' that sometime." I got up and walked into our kitchen. Setting the glass I had been drinking out of in the sink. I wrapped my arms around my waist, and looked out the door. Steve had cockily, rested his arms out on the back of the couch. He kept looking around like he was waiting for me to come back. I looked at the back door, then at Steve.

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Our backyard had a broken wire fence around it, separating it from the other houses yards. I had ran around to the side gate, and took off running. It was awfully cold for it being Sunset and all, but I ran anyways. I had reached Johnny's house when I heard yelling and screaming.

His house was small and brown. Its paint was horribly cracked, and it just looked like it was about to collapse. There were scattered pieces of trash all across his yard. It was a sad house, no doubt. I had never really gotten a good look at Johnny's house before. I suddenly knew why he always thought ours was heaven.

I heard another scream and jumped back a bit. I knew just what was going on, and I didn't know what to do. I had remember this character I played once. She had this outstanding courage, and did anything she wanted. She was a like Angela Shepherd. I looked at my pink dress, and my black polka-dotted neck tie and sighed.

His door nearly fell down when I pushed it open, and the smell of alcohol smacked me in the nose. His living room consisted of a small tv and a ripped, pathetic sofa. There was trash all over, and his mother laid, passed out, mouth open, on the floor. I looked and saw the kitchen was a sink and an icebox. There was no table just some chairs, two were broken. There was a room connected to the living room with one large bed and some clothes all over the floor.

As I walked further into the house, I heard the screams come from a room with a broken door. I came closer and saw, a small light green room with one dirty mattress in it, and some clothes in a pile by the wall. I walked into the room and saw it was connected to a bathroom, Johnny's father was standing in there. His back to the mirror, and he was yelling all kinds of bad things. There was a meek "I'm sorry" The his father raised his hand and punched something- Hard.

I shook my head, and ran into the bathroom to see, Johnny on the ground soaking wet, clad in only his jeans, in a ball on the ground. His father took off his belt and had whipped Johnny a few times, him just curling up more.

I don't know what came over me but I grabbed Johnny's fathers arm, and pushed him back. He looked at me, his eyes were all strange. He was drunk. I picked up Johnny as fast as I could, and half ran half dragged him outta the house -His father yelling at us the entire way.

Johnny was shaking so hard, I couldn't hold him still. And once we reached the lot, he collapsed and started bawling. I gently sat down and held him. He held on to my arms, and cried, getting my neck all wet. After a few minutes, he calmed down, he was still shaking but he stopped crying.

He looked up at me and softly said, "Why'd you do that?"

I smiled softly then put my hand on his cheek, "Johnny, I don't know."

He half smiled then looked down. I realized we were still holding each other, and I smiled to myself, and leaned my head on his shoulder. He gently patted my arm, then stood up.

I suddenly realized he didn't have a shirt on. He had his arms around his chest and he was looking at the ground.

I stood up and nodded toward my house.

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Evie Harrison's birthday was today. She was turning 16. She had invited me, Kylie, Sandy Johns, Sylvia Rogers, and Angela Shepherd to come over and play some games and party. I didn't really know her, but she was Kylie's good friend. So I went anyways.

As I walked up to her door, I heard all the girls laugh and swear loudly. I knew I wouldn't fit in. I knocked twice. Evie opened it, beer bottle in hand. She was wearing a black low cut shirt, and a tight red skirt. She smiled at me the grabbed the pink bag I had and walked me in.

They were all sitting around her room. They were all wearing tank tops and tight mini-skirts. I had on a tank top yellow shirt, with a sea green skirt that touched my calves, and a black belt. They all looked at me, sized me up and went back to their conversations.

For about 2 hours they were talking about their boyfriends, and then Sylvia started a game of truth or dare. They all avoided me, and it was about half way in when Evie finally asked, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

She smiled the said, "Have you ever… Kissed a boy?"

I looked at her, cocked my head to the side, and said "Girl, please."