Julie missed her first period class, but managed to get to math before the bell rang. She took her seat next to Sarah and threw her head down on her desk. "What's wrong with you?" Sarah asked.

"Oh my God, you have no idea. I don't even know where to begin," Julia said.

The teacher started the class and Sarah had to be content with exchanging glances with her friend as they reviewed the homework from the night before. Julie tore a piece of paper from her notebook and scrawled, "Where's Two-Bit?" on it before slipping it across the aisle to Sarah.

Sarah read the note and shrugged her shoulders. Julie tried again, "Does he have first lunch?" she wrote. Sarah nodded upon receiving the message.

First lunch was early, so she would have to leave class soon to get there in time. She raised her hand and asked to go to the bathroom. When permission was granted, she moved as fast as she could.

The coast was clear, so she walked past the lavatories and turned to enter the tunnel. At least, everyone called it the tunnel, it was a long corridor with no rooms emerging from it. The darkness of the windowless, desolate maze creeped her out a little, but it connected the junior high school to the high school. Julie ran when she entered it, hoping to not get caught. Once the tunnel had been traversed she resumed normal speed and hurried to the cafeteria.

Two-Bit and Steve were spotted at once at their usual location in the back of the large, crowded room. Had the weather been nicer, they would have left the building. Lucky for her, periods of rain continued. She raced up to them and called Two-Bit's name.

He turned in her direction and said, "Hey, little Curtis! Cutting class, I see?"

She screeched to a halt in front of him. "Shut up and listen! I need you to drive me home at one. Meet me in the parking lot."

"Nuh-uh! I ain't aiding and abetting. The big guy will murder me."

"Darry knows! It's ok. I've gotta get back to class before I get caught. Just be there!" She spun on her heels and ran back the way she had come, dodging kids as she went.

"Well, that was weird," Two-Bit said to his friend.

"Eh," Steve said around his apple, "she's kind of a weird kid."

Two-bit asked, "Think Darry really told her to leave school?"

"Doubt it," Steve said without a concern.

"Well, I don't like it. Something's wrong here." Two-Bit took his self-appointed job as protector of all the kids at school very seriously. It was the reason he remained in high school , even though he liked to play up the fact that his too fun-loving attitude prevented him from graduating and joining the real world. Since the Curtis' accident, he knew the worries of his best friend regarding caring for his siblings, and stepped in to help without a second thought. He planned to take Julie home at one, but this felt strange.

Steve and Two-Bit were sitting on the hood of the car when Julie ran out of the building and into the parking lot, her Converse slapping on the pavement to take her away from school as fast as possible. She opened the passenger door, lifted the seat, and crawled into the back without saying a word to either of the boys.

Two-Bit waited until they cleared the lot to begin deciphering this riddle. "So, what's goin on, Jules? Why you leaving school like a bat outta hell?"

Julie ignored the question but asked, "Are you going back for Sarah later?"

"Of course, after I drop Steve at the DX. Now, come on. Spill. What's the story?"

"Shut it, Two-Bit!" No way was she saying anything to anyone until she talked to her brothers. She couldn't quite grasp what was happening anyway. Was Darry really not mad at her? He promised to kick her ass if she got in trouble again. Not that she would blame him. She royally screwed up this entire situation. If she had just kept her mouth shut and let Harper have his way, Darry wouldn't have to fight with the school, or miss work. She could stay in the class. Of course, the class wasn't helping much with her not understanding and Harper not helping. Nothing made sense.

"Hey!" Steve yelled, knocking her out of her brooding. "Don't be like that! Seems to me he's doing you a favor."

Julie found the best target for her anger in the boys in front of her. "Are you kidding me? He's always looking to leave school." She felt stupid. This was a dumb argument, but for some reason she could not fathom, she kicked the back of Two-Bit's seat hard enough to lurch it forward and cause the car to swerve.

Both boys yelled at her, and Steve reached back and grabbed her foot. Half his body leaned over the seat as he yelled, "Quit it!" in her face.

The boys rarely put a hand on Julie. It was a rule amongst the gang that physically hurting any girl was off limits, Julie and Sarah in particular. As a result, Darry had a firm rule with Julie that she could not hit any of the boys. It would be unfair since they could not retaliate. No one wanted to face Darry's wrath, so these rules were sacred, which made the scene Julie caused that much more uncharacteristic. It stunned the three of them into silence for the remainder of the ride.

When they reached the Curtis residence, Julie muttered a thanks and climbed over Steve, out of the car, without a backwards glance.

"That was weird," Two-Bit said.

"Yeah. Take me to work. Maybe Soda knows what's up."

OOOOOOOOOO

The car entered the gas station, screeching, on two wheels. Or at least that's how it felt to Steve by the time Two-Bit stopped in front of the door. Soda exited the station laughing at his friend's antics and wiping his hands on a rag. "Hey, guys, little early there, aren't ya? School's got at least another half hour.

"Uh, yeah," Steve said, turning his wide eyes to Two-Bit for an explanation.

"Hey, Soda," Two-Bit said, "any idea why I just dropped Julie off at your house?"

The grin left Soda's face. "What? No. She cut class?"

"Looks that way."

"Fuck. Darry's going to kill her."

"Well, that's just the thing. She said he knew. She found me at lunch and said he told her to tell me to take her home before last period."

"That's a lie!" Soda said. "Why would she do that?"

"I gotta tell ya, buddy," Steve said. "She didn't look like she was lying to me."

"I was with them both this morning. Darry reminded her to go straight home after school. Not before." Soda started pacing and slapping his pockets. "Shit. He's gonna fucking kill her. I gotta get home before he does. Steve, can you cover for me? Please?"

"Of course. Go."

Two-Bit walked back around to the driver's side saying, "Hop in, Soda. I'll take you home then I'll go pick up Sarah."

With one last thanks to Steve, Soda jumped into the car and Two-Bit exited the DX as fast as he had entered it.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.