Author's Note : hey, hope you are enjoying this story so far! A new character + Soda's brief POV are waiting for you in this chapter.

"Cherry, baby," Dallas tried to get her attention, but she was too occupied by Ponyboy making her laugh. He rolled his eyes. Without having anything to do, he looked at the seat next to him. Bingo, Natalie left her purse. Pony was a great distraction. Dallas carefully slid his hand in it.

That guy sure did look like he was in a gang or something, Dallas imagined. He looked like the guys in New York - he thought as he continued to feel the objects with his fingers until he found something like paper and gently pulled it out, and shoved it up his sleeve.

He still decided to bring the drinks to the girls, so he went out with Johnny into the main building, wondering where Soda and Natalie disappeared.

As he approached the entry, he saw a freshly familiar figure - the blonde guy, who was leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette.

"Hey, man," he caught Dally's attention, addressing him, "Come here."

Dallas felt his heart beating faster and faster, he searched with his eyes if there was any danger, but the guy was all alone.

"Johnny, mind if you go stand in the line real quick, I'll join you," he told Johnny, who obeyed without saying a word.

Dallas approached the man. He took off his sunglasses and slid them on the top of his greasy blonde hair.

"Wanna smoke?" the blonde guy offered, "I saw you behind the trucks just before listening to us."

Dallas took the cigarette from him, ashamed.

"To be honest with you, we just wanted to apologize to Natalie for the fight."

"Oh," he approached with the lighter, "You know her?"

"Yes, we met during the fight." Dallas decided not to spill the tea on how they really met. He still didn't know who that guy truly was to her.

"She seems fine." He lit Dally's cigarette for him as he held it in his mouth, "I saw her walking around with one of yours just before."

Now Dallas knew that the guy was a sneak, just like him.

"Yeah, he just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"Mhm," he mumbled something in disbelief. "Be careful who you fight with, James, the guy you fought with might get you in real trouble."

Dallas stayed silent, trying to figure out who they really were.

"My name's Louis." he introduced himself.

Louis. His eyes were sharp blue with a tiny hint of green, Dallas couldn't tell in the dark of the night. As his hand moved, he analyzed his jewelry - silver rings, one of them with a blue diamond. He didn't look like a thief, or maybe he did, Dallas hadn't puzzled things together because he also resembled a Soc but a Greaser too at the same time.

"I'm Dallas." He held out his hand.

Louis shook it as he smirked. There was something about him.

"Do you have a job?"

Dallas tensed.

"No, not really, not right now."

"I can get you a good job," Louis said as he stood up properly and came closer, "If you promise me to keep an eye on Natalie. She's my coworker, we've been friends for a long time, and I don't live around here, so I can't always know if she's in danger."

"Sure." Dallas shook his head, accepting the offer.

"Here's my number," Louis took a small piece of paper out of his leather jacket and approached even closer, whispering in his ear, "If you want a smoke, or you know, something else, you call me."

"Alright," Dallas said, speechless. He tried to play it cool. What kind of work was he about to propose?

He had to ask to be sure.

"Hey, Louis." Dallas interrupted him from leaving, "What kind of job?"

Louis grinned. "Not that kind. It's cool."

Meanwhile Sodapop and Natalie were driving around the town. It felt unreal for Soda to ride in a Soc's car. There was nothing special, she drove very confidentially with her window half open, and her hair being messed up a little bit because of the wind.

"So, how is the guy?"

"The guy?" she asked, not looking at him, "You mean James?"

"The one who was with you that day at my gas station." Soda played dumb.

"He's fine, I guess." she coldly answered.

"Yeah, our guys thought he was a Soc." Soda desperately tried to continue the conversation, remembering the hospital, "Is he your friend?"

"Well, I guess he is supposed to be," she replied, "He helps me with my job."

"What kind of job?"

"Too many questions, Soda." She remarked, as she pulled at the DX, "Are you sure we won't be bothering anyone?"

"No, don't worry about it," Soda answered. He hesitated to open the door for her and obligated himself to do it. She wasn't a greaser, after all, and they were not that close not to be respecting the code.

Soda looked at her. It felt unreal; they were hanging out at the same place where they'd met.

"Do you like working here?" she asked as they entered the station.

"Well, it's okay, I like cars." Soda replied, "But maybe one day I'll find something else."

"What can you offer me to drink?" she smirked playfully, looking around.

"I can make you a coffee."

"I would like some tea."

"Follow me," Soda said as they went to the backdoor. There was a restroom and a little office, where the workers could relax and have some quiet time. Natalie sat down and observed the desk; there were a certain amount of pictures and unwashed cups.

"Are those your pictures?" she asked Soda.

"No, Steve's." he replied, "Mine are on the left."

He left to make her some tea. When he came back, he gently put two cups on the desk.

"What kind of tea is it?" she tried taking the cup in her hands, but it was too hot.

"I think it's green," Soda answered, smiling a little. He didn't enjoy tea.

"You like horses." She pointed out, looking at one of his pictures.

Soda had no interest in talking about his tragic story with the horse he truly loved, but since she asked, he tried to stay calm about it, "Yeah, I do."

"My father has a stable."

"Where?" his eyes lit up.

"He has one in France," Soda's smile was about to fade away, "But he wants one around here too."

"You'll be staying here for a while?" he asked her as he sat next to her.

"I think so, yes." Natalie brought the cup closer to her lips, "My parents live here on and off, and they finally decided to stay. They also want me to start studying something useful, like medicine."

"And what about it? You don't feel like it?" Soda sincerely asked as he saw her eyes fill with disappointment.

"I want to do something completely different." She stated, "Hence my friend James."

"So, he is your friend," Soda squinted his eyes playfully, "I thought you told me that you don't have them just yet."

"He's an old friend," she specified, "It doesn't count."

Soda was about to say something, but she cut him off by placing her hand on his thigh, "Don't catch his eye. He doesn't like any friends, only the ones that look like Cherry and act like her. He can be evil."

"Okay." Soda finally breathed out.

"He shouldn't see me with anyone, neither you or Dallas or any of your mates." She looked straight into his eyes, "You've seen the blonde guy at the movies; he's an old friend of mine; we work together for James, he is the only person he tolerates and yet to a certain degree."

Soda tried to puzzle things together. The blonde guy and Natalie worked for James, the man that they fought at the DX.

"You still don't want to tell me what kind of work you do?" Soda approached, but she backed off.

"No, it's a secret, Soda." Natalie removed her hand from his thigh and placed her teacup back on the desk, "But it's nothing illegal, don't think that way."

"You keep it secret from your parents?"

"I guess you can put it that way." She looked away.

"That makes us even," Soda tried to change the subject, "You saw me with a girl, I saw you with a guy."

"Oh, no way." She sighed, smiling, "You sat beside her way longer!"

"How do you know?" he smirked.

Their eyes met. Soda was getting better at her teasing game. She was alluring. They were all alone at the office, seated close to each other, her hand traveling across his body a minute ago. It reminded him of the night, of him holding, feeling her soft hands touching him. How could he not be attracted the few moments that he saw her?

He already knew that the way she intended to call him a friend wouldn't have worked out for him in the long term - something was hiding underneath that word. But it made him wonder: in what way did she view James and the other blonde guy; she rode with her boss in the same car, sported the finest clothes, and Natalie rested her head on the blonde guy's shoulder.

Jealousy was being born underneath these questions - Soda sensed it. He wasn't the type of guy to feel it as quickly - even with his ex-girlfriend, Sandy, he was willing to accept her cheating, but this time he disapproved of Natalie having male friends because he didn't know more about them just yet.

Indeed, Soda wanted to be unique, but how could've he stand out if Natalie already told him not to be seen by James?

Soda's POV.

She looked stunning. The office lights were dimmed, no noise outside except for the flies and other bugs hitting the window now and then.

Her blonde, silky hair lay on the denim jacket I gave her earlier. The material of her turquoise dress that was supposed to cover her knees was lifted a little higher up and revealed her bare thighs. I wanted to touch them.

She saw me analyzing every bit of her and moved her head forward, and I naturally did too.

I felt as if I was on fire. Natalie's mouth slightly opened, and I slowly started to lean in. She tilted her head to the left side, and as I felt her breath on my lips, I gently let mine touch hers.

It was a brief but tasteful kiss that she gave me, without the tongue, but it still heated me pretty badly. She put away a strand of her hair behind the ear and looked straight into my eyes.

"We should go back." Natalie unexpectedly interrupted my thoughts.

End of Soda's POV

"Steve, where is Soda?" Kathy asked him impatiently. Dallas and Johnny were already back with the drinks and a new friend.

"I don't know," Steve started to get annoyed, "Ponyboy, where's your brother?"

"I don't know." He shouted back from the front row, rolling his eyes.

"He's safe, don't worry," Dallas commented and glanced at Kathy, winking at her, "I'd love to keep you company, doll, but I got stuff to do."

Dallas hinted at Louis, who grinned all along with a devilish smile. Dallas needed to know more about him. He sensed that Louis could've helped him with the money, and besides, he looked like someone Dallas would hang out with, like the guys in New York. Careless, free. He had money to do it - Dallas didn't.

"Will you introduce us?" Johnny asked as he was about to go and sit beside Cherry and Ponyboy.

"Yeah, this is Louis." Dallas sat down next to Kathy. Louis greeted everyone and shook their hands one by one; girls seemed to like him. He was a real people pleaser.

"Louis?" Steve cracked a smile, trying to relax.

"Yes, a friend of Natalie, you remember, the blonde girl I rescued." Dallas mimicked the long hair.

"Oh, please." Johnny rolled his eyes, remembering how he literally kidnapped her.

When the film was about to end, Soda and Natalie finally showed up, and of course, all eyes were on them.

"Let's just wait for them at the parking lot," Natalie suggested.

A few minutes later, Ponyboy was the first to walk out with Johnny and Cherry, who was holding Natalie's purse; behind followed Steve, Evie, Kathy, and finally Dallas, ridiculously laughing about something with Louis.

"I almost froze to death!" Kathy exclaimed as she approached Soda, shivering. But once she saw Natalie wearing it, her cheeks became reddish.

"Here, you can have it." Natalie said, smiling in the most obnoxious way, "I kept it warm for you."

Louis gasped, as well as Ponyboy, who was shocked; Dallas couldn't hold it and was about to die from laughter; meanwhile Steve was extra irritated.

"Come on, Nat, let's go." He gently grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around, facing the parking lot, still chuckling, "You made my night."

Soda stayed silent.