Author Note

Hi everyone,

I hope you like this story. I know it's a little slow at the beginning, but I promise it will pick up. I need to set the ground work for the story and the lead up. I think it's worth it in the end.

Disclaimer: The Outsiders is owned by S. E . Hinton

Chapter 1

(USC move-in)

Harley's POV:

It was move-in day at USC and it was all hands on deck. Everyone had taken a week of work and school, much to my protest to help me move into my dorm. It would be nice though to have the gang together one last time before they left me here and moved on without me. Move on without me. That made my heart hurt, but I knew it was the right thing. For me, and especially for Pony to find himself without me.

"Hey Motorbike," Steve said with a shit-eating grin. "Soda and I are going to check out your fixer-upper car and your Vespa to make sure that they are all good for you ok?" I started to protest, but Soda said, "It's our pleasure, Motorbike. Plus we are so happy to get you here." Soda looked between Pony and me and gave me a wink. I had to roll my eyes at him. His nerve. "I'm going to go back to the hotel sweetheart," my grandmother said to me. "I love you and I wish you the best of luck. Please stay in touch ok?" My grandmother had tears running down her face. "Of course I will," I said giving her a tight hug. "Thanks for everything." Without her, I couldn't have made this work.

Two-Bit of course had already somehow snuck a beer into my dorm room and had passed out on my desk chair with his head on my desk which couldn't have been comfortable. "Two-Bit … Two-Bit … Two-Bit," I said while shaking my head. I was going to miss this daily, I was going to miss a lot of things. But maybe it was for the best since I put everyone through hell last year. It just left Pony, Darry, and me alone in the room, which was infrequent since the breakup talk. "So…." I said. "This isn't awkward at all." Pony blushed and looked down at the floor. "I appreciate you guys taking the time off and helping me out." Darry came up to me and ruffled my hair. "You know you don't have to thank us kiddo," Darry said. "We are family." I smiled up at him and hugged him. "I'll give you guys a minute to say your goodbyes and I will be waiting for you at the car Pony." Pony nodded while Darry picked up a still-sleeping Two-Bit and carried him outside.

Pony and I chuckled as we watched Darry carry Two-Bit outside. "Pony, I just want to tell you something," I said before Pony could say anything. "I want you to explore who you are without me holding you back. I want you to find your own identity and explore. Heck, get another girlfriend." Pony opened his mouth the protest but I stopped him. "I still care about you, but I want you to be your own person. I want you to be free and reignite your passion, but just to let you know you will always be in my heart." Tears started to slip down my cheek. Pony's lip started to quiver. "But, I don't want to be separate from you," Pony cried. "I want us to be together. Screw what Darry said, he doesn't know what he is talking about." I shook my head. "Yes he does, Pony," I said while caressing Pony's cheek. "He knows what best, as much as it breaks my heart too, it does." I pulled the locket out of my shirt where it was hidden but still around my neck that Pony had given me at graduation. "I'll always wear this ok? I will be back for break and I will call and write, deal?" Pony nodded and then gave me a big hug. "Bye, now," Pony said in a whisper then headed out the door.

I sat down in my desk chair and tried to get settled when I heard a key unlock the dorm room door and a girl with brown curly hair and circular glasses stumbled in. "Do you need some help," I asked. The girl shook her head and said, "No, I've got it. Thanks for the offer though." She set the box on the bed on the other side of the room. She turned back around and introduced herself. "I'm Linda, Linda Carlyle." I stood up and shook her hand. "Harley, Harley Cooper," I said. I looked her up and down and it dawned on me, she was a Soc. The floral dress and white patent leather gogo boots gave it away with the matching headband. This was going to be an interesting year. "What major are you?" I asked with curiosity. "Political Science. You?" Linda asked me. "Journalism and pre-law," I said casually. "Oh, ambitious, I like it," Linda squealed. I winced. This is going to be a long year.

Throughout the rest of the day, I was able to go and get my textbooks from the bookstore and start prepping for classes. I couldn't wait.

Pony's POV:

I was dreading this day, but I knew it would come—Harley's move-in day at USC. Even though Darry had forced us to break up, my heart still skipped a beat every time I looked at Harley. I can't even fathom why Harley agreed with Darry. It's absurd. "This box can go here," Harley told me pointing to her desk. "Earth to Pony." I shook my head. "Sorry," I mumbled. Harley chuckled shaking her head. As I was heading out to the car to grab the last boxes, Steve, Soda, and Mrs. Adams were talking to Harley about something while Two-Bit was passed out drunk already.

I followed Darry to the truck and pulled out the last boxes. "You know you'll see her again right little buddy?" Darry asked looking at me in concern. I nodded. "I know, but it'll still hurt though," I said sheepishly. "You know this is for the best right," Darry said in a serious tone. "You guys need to break it off so she can discover herself here and you without her." I felt my blood boil and I slammed the door shut. "Only you of all people would think," I spat back at Darry and stormed off towards the dorm. I automatically felt guilty but pushed that feeling aside. Darry and I walked into the room with the last of the boxes and Steve and Soda headed out.

"So…." Harley said with a blush. "This isn't awkward at all." I blushed and looked down at the floor. "I appreciate you guys taking the time off and helping me out." Darry walked up to Harley with a smirk and ruffled her hair. He still thinks of her as family, that's good. Why did he have to break us up though? "You know you don't have to thank us kiddo," Darry said. "We are family." Harley smiled up at him and hugged him. Since when does Darry and Harley hug? That's news to me. My blood boiled a little. "I'll give you guys a minute to say your goodbyes and I will be waiting for you at the car Pony." I nodded while Darry picked up a still-sleeping Two-Bit and carried him outside. The drive home should be a trip with a drunk Two-Bit.

Harley and I chuckled as we watched Darry carry Two-Bit outside. "Pony, I just want to tell you something," Harley said before I could say anything. "I want you to explore who you are without me holding you back. I want you to find your own identity and explore. Heck, get another girlfriend." I opened my mouth the protest but Harley stopped me. I could feel my heart start to sink and it felt like it was being ripped in half. I don't like where this conversation is going. Please stop Harley, please stop! "I still care about you, but I want you to be your own person. I want you to be free and reignite your passion, but just to let you know you will always be in my heart." Tears started to slip down Harley's cheek and my lip started to quiver. Then it dawned on me, that this must be hard for her too. Why did I think she wanted to be apart? She was doing it to help me. What was best for me? "But, I don't want to be separate from you," I cried. "I want us to be together. Screw what Darry said, he doesn't know what he is talking about." Harley shook her head. "Yes he does, Pony," Harley said while caressing my cheek. I leaned into her hand. I will miss this. God, how I'll miss this. "He knows what best, as much as it breaks my heart too, it does." Harley pulled the locket out of her shirt where it was hidden but still around her neck that I had given her at graduation. My heart fluttered. I hadn't noticed that she was wearing it. "I'll always wear this ok? I will be back for break and I will call and write, deal?" I nodded and then gave her a big hug. I smelled her signature scent, which smelled like old books and newspapers. Oh, how I'll miss that and the library will constantly remind me of her. "Bye, now," I said in a whisper then headed out the door before I could do anything embarrassing.

As I walked out to the truck to join Soda, Two-Bit, and Darry I walked past a girl with brown curly hair and circular glasses struggling with boxes. I could tell right away by her clothes that she was a Soc. The floral dress and white patent leather gogo boots gave it away with the matching headband. She carried herself in a stuck-up sort of way and had an air about her which also screamed Soc. I feel bad for whoever her roommate is. I shook my head and chuckled. I hopped into the car with my brothers and Two-Bit who was still asleep and followed Mrs. Adams and Steve to the nearest gas station to head home. Steve and Mrs. Adams rode together because she loved his company. Those two were oddly two peas in a pod. Just don't tell that to Steve's face or he'll throttle you. While Mrs. Adams and Darry were gassing up the cars, Soda turned around in the front seat to look at me. "You doing alright honey?" Soda asked me with a hint of concern in his voice. I knew where he was coming from but I rolled my eyes. "I'm ok Soda, I promise," I said trying to put some reassurance in my voice. But I could tell Soda didn't buy it by the look on his face. Soda squeezed my knee and said, "Just let me know if you need anything buddy. Anything at all. Ok?" I nodded in response. Soda turned around with a sigh.

We drove halfway to Grants, New Mexico, and stayed in a motel, courtesy of Mrs. Adams, much to Darry's protest. Of course, as usual, Soda and I shared a bed like we do at home. I was having trouble falling asleep. All I could think about was Harley and how much I already missed her. I knew it was good for her to be at USC and live her dream, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't miss her. Before I knew it, Soda was stroking my hair which startled me. "You miss her, don't you honey," Soda said in a whisper to try not to wake Darry. I nodded my head because I knew if I started talking I would start to cry. "You know she'll be back for breaks and she will keep in touch." "I know," I said hoarsely. Then I started to cry much to my embarrassment. Soda took me in his arms and cradled me. "Ssh, baby," Soda said in a whisper trying to comfort me. "You'll be ok. Darry and I will be here for you." I don't know how long we stayed like that but I did eventually fall asleep.

The next morning, we started the other half of our long drive home. Two-Bit despite his massive hangover from the day before was a force to be reckoned with on the drive. He was bouncing off the walls. I thought the drive would never end. Finally, we arrived back home that Thursday night. I was dreading school and work the next day. I wasn't looking forward to not seeing Harley every day at work and not being over at the house. I glanced back at Steve, Two-Bits, and Harley's shared house and felt a deep sadness in my heart and followed my brothers inside the house to call it a night. Before I went inside Mrs. Adams stopped me. "Just to let you know dear," Mrs. Adams was saying in a soft voice. "I will always be here for you and I still want the gang coming over to my house once a month for monthly dinners even without Harley. I will also be checking in like usual. Ok?" Mrs. Adams scanned me up and down. "That sounds great, Mrs. Adams," I said with surprise. Then she wrapped me in a warm hug that I sunk into. "Thanks for everything," I said softly. "Thank you for everything, as well," Mrs. Adams replied. "Goodbye now." Before I could say anything else, Mrs. Adams got into her car and drove away.