"So, Charlie, what's your last name?" I asked, trying to change the subject away from Buck.

"Miller, what's it to you?" He grinned.

"I was just trying to get some basic facts about you before I introduce you to the gang!"

"The gang?" His face paled and he tugged at his collar.

I stared at him for a minute before I jumped off the barstool and dragged him out the door with me, "Calm down. They're not a real gang, they're like my family."

I heard Charlie swallow hard, "Oh, okay."

He was dragging his heels into the concrete the whole way back to my house, but we eventually got there. I swung open the screen door and shoved him inside. He stumbled, but caught himself before he fell, and everyone looked up at stared at him.

"Uh, hey Jill. Who's this?" Darry asked, setting his coffee mug down.

"Hey guys, this is Charlie Miller! He's really new in town, so I'm helping him make friends." I slapped Charlie hard on the back and said to him with a grin, "See now you have 7 friends! Me, and these guys!"

He glanced at me nervously before turning to the guys and halfheartedly waving, "Uh, hi."

I took control before he could make things any more awkward for himself, "Charlie, these are the guys. There are my actual brothers Darry, Soda, and Pony" I said, pointing at each of them, "And these other ones are basically my brothers, too. There's Steve, Two Bit, and Johnny."

They all gave Charlie some sort of greeting and slowly went back to what they were doing before he crashed into the living room. I gave Charlie a short tour of the house and we made our way to the chairs that were on the front porch.

As we sat down, I said, "See, that wasn't so bad."

"No, I guess you're right. They all seem like nice guys. Is that everyone that you usually hang out with?"

"No, I have other friends, my best friend's name is Marilyn, but we really don't see each other very often, and uh," I paused, "and Dallas."

"Uh oh, you don't sound too happy to talk about this Dallas person."

"No, no, it's fine. He is part of the gang, too, but he hasn't been around in a while."

"Oh, can I ask why not?"

"Well, we went out for a while and we just recently broke up, and I think he's been avoiding me and avoiding what my brothers are going to do to him when he does come around."

"Ah, that sounds…uncomfortable."

I laughed out loud, "Yeah, it really is. But enough about me, what's your family like."

Charlie went on to tell me that he just moved her from Austin with his mom and his two little sisters, Diana and Carolyn, because their dad died and their aunt lived in Tulsa along with his cousins. We shared stories about having dead parents, pretty gruesome, but it was an experience we both shared. We talked about all sort of things, like about what his life was like back in Austin and about school starting in a while. He was going to be a senior at 17 in the same school I go to, just one grade above me. He played football at his old school, so he was going to try out for the team here and I told him that Darry could probably give him some tips.

I was about to ask him about the classes he would be taking when Darry popped his head out the door, "Is Charlie staying for dinner?" He eyed us suspiciously.

He glanced down at his watch, "Holy cow, it's almost 6! I gotta get home or my mom will have a hissy. Sorry, I would love to stay, but I can't."

Darry nodded his head and went back inside. Charlie and I stood in an awkward silence for a few seconds before he spoke up, "Thanks for the good time today."

I grinned, "It was my pleasure. Any time you want to hang out, just come on over."

He stepped down one of the porch steps and hung off the railing before jumping down the others. He pivoted his body back towards me and still hung onto the railing when he said, "That sounds nice, but before I go, I do have a question for you."

I laughed, "You look like a toddler, but go ahead." I looked at him expectantly.

He laughed at my comment, "Would you maybe want to go on a date sometime?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

He sputtered, "I know you just broke up with your boyfriend and all, but I really like hanging out and talking to you and I'd like to see where this goes if that's okay with you."

I cleared my throat enough for my words to finally come out, "Yes. I would love to go on a date with you."

"Awesome," he grinned ear to ear, "I'll talk to you later to see when you're free then!"

I walked him walk away from the house towards his own and he glanced back once and gave me an adorable grin and waved. I smiled from ear to ear before practically bouncing through the front door.

All the guys were staring at me like I was an alien or something, "So what did you guys think of him?"

"Well, from the two seconds that we actually saw him, I thought he was a pretty cool guy." Ponyboy joked.

"Yeah, he seem like a good kid, Jilly. Glad you're making more friends." Darry commented. I rolled my eyes at the friend comment, I had plenty of friends. I had 6 sitting in this very room, for God's sake! And then outside of this house I had Marilyn, and maybe a couple of people that I talked to at school. Maybe I do need more friends… I brushed the thought away.

"Whatever, what's for dinner, anyway?"