In this chapter: The gang invites Kate to go to the rodeo with them, despite Darry not being there. Trouble ensues, and Darry finds out about it afterwards.

This chapter has more gang and a little less Darry in it- I wanted the gang to have some time with Kate without Darry being around because let's be honest, he's the busiest one and there's no way he has a lot of free time.

Darry and I hadn't been dating long, but the gang seemed to accept me almost immediately, which surprised both Darry and myself. He had warned me that some of the guys could be a little 'rough around the edges' as he affectionately described, and it didn't take a genius to know he was mostly talking about Dallas. Still, even the toughest hood of the group had apparently decided I was alright, which was apparent when he was the one that invited me to go to the rodeo one night.

"What do ya say, Kate? Wanna come with?" Dally asked nonchalantly, like it was just a simple thought that popped into his mind.

"Huh?" I asked, my attention suddenly diverting from the conversation I was having with Pony and Johnny to Dally.

While Darry was still working, the rest of the gang had visited me at work one afternoon. All of them plopped down on the barstools and leaned their elbows on the countertop as they sipped on chocolate shakes. Except for Dally, who surprisingly preferred strawberry. Some of the Socy people in the diner had given the guys annoyed looks, but none of us cared. Not even Connie, the owner of the diner, cared about the boys' 'lack of manners' as someone said, or the fact that I was talking to them more than I was working.

"We're going to the rodeo tonight," Steve explained simply.

"Soda's riding again, and we're gonna cheer our buddy on!" Two-Bit adding, shaking Soda's shoulder affectionately.

"You really want me to go?" I asked, surprised that they were inviting me knowing full well that Darry wouldn't be there. He had another long day of work the next day, so we all knew he wouldn't be going out that night. In fact, I wasn't even planning on stopping by his house after my shift because I knew how tired he would be after work and I didn't want him to feel like he had to stay up late because of my presence.

"Course we do!" Soda affirmed loudly.

I raised my eyebrows at him, then looked at all of the guys, waiting to see if any of them disagreed. They all looked at me with anticipation, some of them even nodding, like they actually wanted me to come with them.

Not one to be patient, Dally spoke up after a brief pause in the conversation. "Just 'cause Darry won't be there don't mean you can't go. You can hang with us. Unless you're scared of all us greasers or something," he added with a smirk.

I quirked an eyebrow at him. "Scared of you, Winston? I don't think so." I wasn't sure where the confidence and borderline cockiness came from, but it got Dally to grin and the rest of the gang to laugh.

"We're gonna have a grand ol' time!" Two-Bit cheered loudly, earning more glares from nearby patrons.

Dally noticed the looks and made a move to raise his hand, but before he could flip anyone the bird, I reached out and pushed his arm down onto the countertop. He gave me an incredulous look, but I just stared back at him with stubborn determination. "Leave it alone, Dal. I work here, and I don't need you starting anything."

He huffed out a breath and went back to his strawberry milkshake.

I hadn't been to the rodeo in ages, and I had forgotten how much fun they were. The events, people, the entire atmosphere was just full of energy, and I loved it. I could see why the gang thrived in that type of environment too. With the possible exception of Ponyboy and Johnny, they were all the type of guys that looked for some type of action to fuel their adrenaline rushes.

While the other events were going on, the guys and I all sat together. Once in a while, Steve, Dally, or Two-Bit would wander off for a few minutes then come back to our seats with either beer or popcorn in their hands, which I doubted they paid for. It was fun hanging out with the gang, and it felt strangely normal, despite Darry being absent. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised when they kept including me in their conversations, talking to me like I was one of them. They started asking me all sorts of questions about myself so they could learn more about me, but then it quickly progressed into random conversations that I had no way to anticipate.

At one point, I even had to settle a disagreement between Steve and Two-Bit about who would be the best bull rider of the gang.

"Superman doesn't count," Two-Bit added before I could even open my mouth to answer. "And neither does Soda. He's already in the rodeo, so he's out too."

"So I can only pick from you five?" I asked.

"Right," Two-Bit said before taking another swig of beer. "So go on, tell Stevie that I would be a better bull rider than his weakass."

"Who you callin' weak?" Steve said loudly, giving Two-Bit a glare as he shoved him.

"What about me?" Dally asked, sounding just a little upset. "Are you forgetting I ride horses, Two-Bit? I could be a bull rider just as easy."

"Well maybe you shouldn't count either," Two-Bit suggested.

"Glory, you're gonna find a way to kick out the rest of the competition just to say you'd win," Pony remarked. Johnny laughed at that, while Steve and Dally seemed to realize Pony was probably right.

"Damn Two-Bit, the kid's right. The only way you'd be the best bull rider is if there ain't nobody else to choose from!" Steve shouted, laughing at the end.

While the argument continued, I looked at all the guys and thought for a moment before I gave them my answer. "Ponyboy."

Suddenly, all of them fell silent and looked at me.

"What about me?" Pony asked curiously.

"I think you'd be the best bull rider of the group," I said evenly. The boys stayed silent, so I figured I should explain. "He's the only high school athlete in this group. He probably has good grip strength from running with a baton for those relays, isn't that right Pony?"

He grinned and nodded his head.

"Sure, he's the youngest, but that might mean he's the underdog," I added. Then I put my hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I'd put my money on Ponyboy."

Nobody said anything about how his ears got red from the attention and possible embarrassment.

"Not to mention he's a Curtis," Johnny added quietly after a moment. "He's probably as stubborn as any bull here. He'd stay on just because someone said he couldn't."

Dally smirked at Johnny's remark, and the entire group nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that," Two-Bit said, looking right at Pony. "You're bullheaded like your big brother." Ponyboy rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the arena, but I say a hint of a grin on his face.

With that "issue" settled, Two-Bit left to get another beer while team roping was wrapping up. Right after he returned, it was announced that the saddle bronc event was up next. We knew Soda was the last to ride in his event, but even so, the guys stayed sedentary in their seats, obviously not wanting to miss a second of his ride. By the time we saw Soda in the chute, we were practically buzzing with energy and anticipation.

Finally, the announcer said Soda's name, and all of us were completely engrossed in what was happening in the arena. One second, there was stillness, then the next, Sodapop Curtis was hanging onto a wild horse with just one hand.

Even though I logically knew it was difficult and dangerous, Soda somehow made riding a feral horse look effortless. He moved along with the rhythm of the bronco, and when the eight seconds were up, he managed to get off the horse's back with relative ease. He waved to the crowd with a big smile as he approached the nearest railing. Every single person there was cheering for him, but our group was easily cheering the loudest.

After climbing over the railing, Soda immediately spotted us and walked in our direction with his smile still plastered on his face. All of us got up from our seats and eagerly approached him.

"So? How'd I do?" Soda asked when we met halfway.

"You were great!" Ponyboy said, beaming at his brother.

"Like a regular cowboy," Two-Bit added.

Soda grinned. Then he tipped his hat, said "thank you," then laughed. "Shoot, I forgot how much fun this is. Maybe I'll have to make this a regular thing."

"Yeah, good luck convincing Muscles," Steve said dryly.

Darry told me about Soda tearing a ligament a couple years back, which ended his rodeo career earlier than Soda would've liked. I knew my boyfriend would be worried about Soda riding one more time, but the money was supposed to be good if Soda did well, and the Curtis brothers could certainly use it. Even so, I doubted my boyfriend would be convinced the money was worth risking his kid brother's physical wellbeing repeatedly. It was probably a one-time thing for Soda to get back in the arena, at least if Darry had a say in it.

"Soda, you won!" Pony shouted.

We all looked into the arena, where a man displayed a large board with the names of the top three finishers in the saddle bronc competition. At that moment, the announcer said Sodapop Curtis was the winner, and our group once again fell into chaos. We all patted Soda on the shoulders or back and congratulated him. After soaking up some praise, he smirked at all of us. "Let's go get my winnings."

The seven of us walked towards our cars, which happened to be parked towards the back of the nearly-empty parking lot. Most of the attendees apparently had gotten there a lot earlier than us, but they also must've either left midway through the events or just sprinted to their cars while we stuck around a few extra minutes after running into a few greasers the guys knew.

As we got closer to our vehicles, I noticed that there were three people standing near the back of my car. A few seconds later, I thought I recognized at least one of them.

"You expecting some trouble, Kate?" Dallas asked, his voice instantly tense. The rest of the guys all had serious looks on their face, apparently ready to fight off whoever was planning to confront me about something.

"No I wasn't," I answered, trying to keep my steps even and act like nothing was wrong. "I think I know who it is though."

"Yeah? You want us to back you up?" Steve asked, sounding almost eager for a fight.

I gave him an appreciative grin. "I'll be fine. Just give me a minute and I can drive some of you to the house. You all can't fit in one car."

"We did it earlier on the way to the diner," Two-Bit offered. "We were real cozy, piled in Steve's car, weren't we Johnnycakes?" he asked as he slung his arm across Johnny's shoulders.

Johnny let out a huff. "Yeah, real cozy," he said sarcastically.

I couldn't help but laugh. "You guys sure are something else, but I don't want you playing clown car if you don't have to."

"Thank God," I heard Pony mutter under his breath, making me continue to laugh.

When we were about twenty yards away from our parking spots, it became apparent that one of the people hovering around my car– the one who decided to lean against the driver's door and cross their arms over their chest– really was who I thought. What on Earth does Caroline want?

Caroline Johnson used to be my friend, but things were a lot different now that we were older. Caroline, my best friend Rachel, and I were almost inseparable when we were younger. We had grown up together, and I practically lived at either of their houses in junior high, but things took a drastic turn when we reached high school.

Rachel and I grew up in the middle class area of town, but Caroline grew up in the richer area. It didn't cause any issues between us until freshman year, when the divide between Socs and greasers was even apparent to us. Caroline suddenly decided that Rachel and I weren't good enough for her since our families weren't as rich as hers. I thought a sudden loss of a friend would be the worst part of it all, but it wasn't. No. The worst part was Caroline Johnson and Darry Curtis dated in high school.

"You guys go on and wait by Steve's car. This should only take a couple minutes," I said confidently. The guys eyed me suspiciously, but they followed my directions and walked towards Steve's car, which was only parked a few spots down from mine.

I rolled my shoulders back and stood up straighter as I strode towards my car.

"Look who it is," Caroline said to her two companions in her annoying, snobby voice once I got closer. She didn't sound like that until she started only hanging out with Socs, and she didn't even bother to stop leaning against my door, which just irritated me even more than her voice.

"I don't see why you'd be surprised. You knew this was my car," I said with a bored tone. I stood right in front of her and stared her down. "Cut it out, Caroline. What do you want?"

She lifted her eyebrows, then gave me a little smirk. "I heard you're dating Darry Curtis. Is that true?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" I asked. "You're the one that dumped him, and that was years ago."

I had a crush on Darry pretty much from the moment I met him in science class freshman year. He was handsome, a jock, and polite, albeit a little quiet and shy at first. It surprised me that even though he was known to be from the greaser part of town, he hung out with a lot of Socs from football and being in some advanced classes. It was nice to know someone that didn't necessarily follow the harsh divides of our messed up society. All of that just made it even harder for me when he started dating Caroline.

They were only going out for a week or two before Caroline's possessive and snotty attitude became even more pronounced. She hardly let him talk to his friends between classes because she was so busy hanging onto his arm the whole time, but he was probably too much of a gentleman to say anything about it to her. Honestly, I felt kind of bad for him. The whole time they dated, I wished he would realize she wasn't good for him and break up with her, but she's the one who dumped him in the end.

There were several rumors that explained why she broke up with him. One was that he wanted to take things slow, which Caroline wasn't particularly known for. Another was Darry had to reschedule a date due to football and she was really upset about it, even going as far as to say she should be prioritized over sports. The rumor that wasn't necessarily said but everyone thought it was that she simply didn't want to keep dating someone from the poor side of town. Considering she started dating Paul Holden shortly after breaking up with Darry, I believed all of the rumors to be true, which was why I was glad they didn't date for very long. Darry deserved better than Caroline Johnson.

"I just had to see it for myself," Caroline said, snapping me back to the present.

"Well, you saw it. Now can you leave?" I asked harshly.

She looked over my shoulder, apparently at the guys standing by Steve's car, then she looked back at me. "I don't see Darry anywhere. You sure you two are really dating? Maybe you're actually dating one of those greasers over there."

"They're friends," I replied simply. "My boyfriend is busy working tonight. That doesn't mean I can't go to the rodeo with the guys."

She gave me a cold grin, and I knew she was going to try to get my temper to flare. She always liked stirring the pot and causing problems. She pushed herself off of my car so she was standing toe-to-toe with me.

"You seem so defensive, Kate," she said innocently. "What's the matter? Does it bother you that I used to date your boyfriend?"

"No, it doesn't," I said, mostly speaking the truth. It bothered me at the time they were dating, but it doesn't bother me anymore. Caroline and I used to be friends, but we aren't anymore. Darry used to date her, but now he's dating me. Things change. Darry and I have already talked about it anyway. What's in the past stays in the past.

"Really?" Caroline asked, her voice sounding sweet even though I knew she was anything but. Something flickered in her eyes, and I knew things were about to get even more personal than they already were. "It doesn't bother you that we used to make out under the bleachers? Or that we went to the movies in his truck-"

"You didn't even care about Darry, did you?" I asked bitterly, cutting her off. "You probably just went out with him because he was handsome and popular. Hell, you probably dated him because you knew that I liked him. Then when you got bored or he didn't buy you expensive gifts like the rest of your boyfriends did, you left him and got together with Paul."

Caroline shrugged like it was no big deal, which only aggravated me even more. "Paul's more my type."

"Why? Just because he's from the west side and has money?" I asked, but I didn't need a reply; we knew it was true.

"At least he's going to college," she said, sounding more pompous than ever. "Your boyfriend is stuck with just a high school diploma and taking care of his brothers like a single father. He won't ever amount to anything other than being a greaser."

"You think it was his choice that his parents died and the state wanted to take his brothers from him?" I asked incredulously, my voice rising at least an octave. Coming after me was one thing, and I could usually ignore those kinds of comments, but insulting Darry and talking about him like he was trash got my anger to spike, and the fury leaked into my voice. "Darry is the best man I know. He's hard-working, loyal, caring, and dependable, and you're talking about him like he's some gum wrapper that you tossed into the garbage when you broke up with him!"

She shrugged nonchalantly again, which only added fuel to the fire that was my temper. "To each their own I guess."

I continued to glare at Caroline. Darry deserves better than her. He's always deserved better than her.

I let out a loud, irritated breath that almost sounded like a growl. "You're unbelievable, Caroline. Ever since high school, you've been stuck-up, pretentious, and willing to sleep with whoever will spend money on you or make you look good. I don't know why Darry went out with you in the first place."

There was suddenly an angry fire blazing in her eyes. She looked me up and down, then she sneered at me. "What Darry sees in you is beyond me. He could do better."

"Well I'm certainly a step-up from you," I spat immediately. I heard the other two girls inhale sharply while Caroline's eyes narrowed at me.

I suddenly felt a sharp, stinging sensation on my left cheek, and it took a second for me to realize Caroline had slapped me across the face. In the background, I heard shouts and protests from the gang, but my instincts instantly kicked in and I threw a punch at Caroline in retaliation. It happened so fast, I wasn't even sure where I hit her, but she was bent over, clutching her face with both hands.

The other two girls shrieked and ran off. So much for loyal friends that have your back.

"You're going to regret that, Kate," Caroline snapped as she stood up, holding her jaw and glaring at me.

I pointed my finger and her and shouted, my temper on full-display. "You can talk shit about me all you want, but I don't want to hear you say anything about Darry again, got it?"

"What's going on here?" a masculine voice shouted nearby. I barely had enough time to turn my head and spot Paul Holden rushing towards me before he shoved me away from Caroline. "You leave her alone, Kate!"

I ended up on the ground, looking up at Paul and Caroline, but I could hear the guys' shouts not far away.

"Hey!"

"Get the hell away from her!"

"Get outta here, Soc!"

The gang suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking me from both Caroline and Paul. They all had their backs facing me, but I could still tell by their tense muscles that they were ready to brawl if needed. They had let me fight my own battle with Caroline, but the moment Paul showed up, they were there to back me up.

"You really want to start something here?" Paul asked viciously while slowly moving Caroline out of the crossfire.

"You dumb or something? There's six of us and just one of you," Steve spat.

"There's more here," Paul shot back. "Say the word, and you'll have a rumble on your hands, right here in the parking lot."

"Let's do it. Right here, right now!" Dally said.

"Enough," I said, pushing myself up to stand. I pushed through the wall of greasers in front of me, between Johnny and Pony, so I was standing in the middle of everyone.

"There's no need for a fight," I said at everyone, then I looked at Paul. "Just get out of here."

Paul looked like he was about to turn and leave, but because my temper always took a while to simmer down, I added one last thing. "And you might want to ask your girlfriend why she was asking about Darry if she's dating you."

A look of confusion flashed across Paul's face while Caroline looked distraught that I mentioned it. For a moment, I thought one of them would insist on fighting, or maybe even start arguing with each other in front of us, but they must've thought better of it, because when Paul turned to lead Caroline away, she let him.

With the coast clear of Socs, the guys all turned to look at me with varying levels of excitement and astonishment.

"That was amazing, Kate!" Two-Bit said loudly, throwing his arm across my shoulders.

"That was cool of you to stand up for Darry like that," Dally added with a nod of approval.

"That was the best thing that happened today! Even better than winning money!" Soda shouted, throwing his hands in the air. Then, his eyes went from cheerful to worried in an instant. "Glory Kate, your face is bleeding." Before I even had a chance to ask about it or try to wipe the blood away, he produced a handkerchief and pressed it into my left cheek.

"Thanks," I said sincerely, holding the fabric to my skin so he didn't have to. "She must've been wearing a ring or something when she hit me." I noticed Johnny get stiff when I mentioned that, and Dally clapped a hand on his shoulder in a silent display of comfort.

"Your arm's bleedin' too," Pony said worriedly.

I looked down at my left arm, and Pony was right; it was cut up and bleeding. Once I realized how it happened, I laughed a little. "I'm bleeding more from hitting the ground than from getting hit in the face."

After a beat, the guys laughed along with me.

"Damn Kate, you really are one of us, huh?" Two-Bit said, his arm still across my shoulders and shaking me a little like you would do when you were proud of a younger sibling or something. "You sure are tough."

"Of course she is," Steve added. "You see her punch that broad? She's a real greaser."

When Caroline or other Socs called me a greaser, they meant it to be demeaning or insulting, but when the gang said it, it was a term of endearment. The guys had treated me well ever since I started dating Darry, but from that moment on, I wasn't just Darry's girlfriend, I was truly one of them.

As soon as we got to the Curtis house, all of us piled into the living room, sprawling on the furniture. I sat on Darry's recliner, Dally, Johnny, and Pony were on the couch, Two-Bit on the chair, and Soda and Steve sat on the floor, using the coffee table to help count Soda's winnings. They must've counted the money a dozen times before they had enough and started playing a card game.

The guys had told me I should clean the cuts in my skin, but the first aid kit was in the bathroom, where Darry was obviously showering after a long day of work. In a house full of guys, there was hardly any privacy, so they all said they could go grab the first aid kit for me, but I declined, telling them to let Darry shower in peace. Then Two-Bit suggested that I go into the bathroom to 'disrupt' Darry's shower, but that earned him two pillows thrown into his face: one from me, and the other from Ponyboy.

"Your cheek's gettin' a little purple under that cut, Kate," Soda said softly. I hadn't noticed that he was looking at me, but when I realized he was, I spotted a few other pairs of eyes looking at me too. "You want some ice?"

My immediate thought was to say no since it didn't bother me much, but I really didn't need to be sporting a bruise on my face if I could help it. Some people might get the wrong impression, which would be particularly bad if someone thought my boyfriend had something to do with it. "Sure, thanks Soda."

Soda smiled, jumped to his feet, then went into the kitchen. Seconds later, he appeared with a bag of frozen peas, which I grabbed and put on my cheek. I didn't realize the cut was still stinging until my attention was drawn back to it, and the cold felt nice against my skin. "It already feels better. Thanks Soda."

He gave me a soft smile before returning to his spot on the floor.

Moments later, the shower stopped, and after another minute, Darry walked into the room in a t-shirt and jeans, his hair still glistening from the water. Most of the guys were either watching the tv or talking amongst themselves, but when Darry made his appearance, most of them turned to look at him.

"Darry, you'll never guess what happened!" Soda shouted excitedly, looking up at his brother with wide eyes.

Darry smirked and nodded his head in the direction of the coffee table. "Looks like you won, huh little buddy?"

Soda glanced at the table momentarily. Despite counting the money several times with Steve just minutes before, it seemed like Soda had already forgotten about that part. "Yeah, I did, but that ain't it-"

"Your girl over there has a nasty right hook," Dally interrupted, nodding his head in my direction.

Darry turned his head so fast to look at me, I thought he'd snap his neck. To Darry's credit, he had no idea I was going to be there. I didn't even know I was going to the rodeo with the guys until they showed up at the diner. Plus, his recliner was in the corner of the living room, so he didn't know I was there until Dally said something.

The moment Darry saw me sitting there, icing the side of my face, his eyes grew in concern and he visibly paled. "Oh my God, Kate!" He rushed over, kneeled in front of me, then put his hands on my knees, looking worriedly at me. "Are you okay?"

I smiled at him and moved the bag of peas away from my skin. "I'm fine, Darry." He didn't reply, but instead, he gently reached to hold my left arm, which was scraped up and caked with dried blood. I had tried to clean it off with some water and soap, but the scrubbing just made it bleed more, so I had given up until I could get some bandages for it. "It looks worse than it is."

"You should see the other broad," I heard Steve say, but my eyes were locked onto Darry's. He was studying me, trying to see if I was lying about being okay.

"The other girl started it, but Kate didn't even flinch when she got hit," Two-Bit added proudly.

That comment drew Darry's attention away from me and back at the gang. "Where the hell were all of you when this happened?"

"I told them I could handle it on my own," I said softly to Darry, trying to get him to ease up on the guys. "They stayed close by, just in case."

Darry ignored me and kept his eyes on the gang, obviously still upset with all of them.

"We wouldn't be able to do much even if we were standing right there," Pony said softly. "We don't hit girls."

With that, Darry's shoulders finally relaxed a little. It was true; I hadn't seen or even heard of any of the guys hurting a girl, which was something you couldn't say about a lot of the men in Tulsa.

Darry's voice was still tense when he spoke again, but it was at least a little quieter than before. "Why didn't any of you help her clean up?"

"She told us not to!" Two-Bit said, holding his hands up in surrender.

I could tell that answer wasn't going to satisfy Darry, and it seemed like Soda knew it too. "She didn't want us to go get the first aid kit while you were in the shower," he said.

Darry sighed, obviously still irritated. "Well I'm out of there now. Can one of you go get it?" Without a word, Pony jumped to his feet and hustled out of the room.

Darry stayed silent for a moment, probably thinking way too hard about the situation, as he looked at gang. Most of the guys were fidgeting under Darry's glare, apparently uncomfortable with him being quiet and upset with them. Dally was the only one who didn't look uncomfortable, but that was probably because he refused to meet Darry's eyes.

Finally, he turned to look at me. "Who was it?" he asked, his voice softer than it had just been when he had spoken to the guys.

I knew he was going to be mad when I told him, but I couldn't lie. "Caroline."

His eyebrows shot up and his eyes were big. "Caroline hit you?" I could practically see the frenzy of emotions swirling in his eyes. His ex-girlfriend from high school hit his current girlfriend, who also happened to be a former friend of that ex-girlfriend.

I nodded, then grinned a little, trying to get him to calm down. "It's not like it hurt. You know she's not that tough."

It looked like he wanted to say something, but then Pony returned with the first aid kit, and it was a blessing to have something else to focus on than talking to Darry about Caroline Johnson.

Darry thanked his brother for getting the supplies, and as he put some rubbing alcohol on a piece of gauze, he spoke to nobody in particular. "So what exactly happened?"

I was going to answer my boyfriend, but the guys immediately jumped in, excited to tell him such an exciting story. I didn't realize they had all heard the entire exchange between me and Caroline, but I didn't mind either. If they didn't already know how strongly I felt about Darry before, then they did after.

As they took turns telling Darry about the conversation I had with Caroline, Darry went to work on cleaning and bandaging my cuts. Even though he wasn't looking at them as they spoke, I knew Darry was listening because when they recalled certain things that Caroline said, a flash of anger crossed his face for a split second before he forced it to vanish. Meanwhile, I watched the looks on the guys' faces change from anger when it was something Caroline said, to amusement or joy when it was something I did. It seemed like I had earned some respect from the gang, and even if that wasn't my goal when I was talking with Caroline, I was thankful for it.

"Then Paul showed up-"

Darry had just finished putting a bandage on my arm, and the mention of Paul's name made him freeze. Then his head snapped up, he shot to his feet, and he turned to face the guys. "Paul was there?" Darry asked dangerously, his eyes suddenly getting hard and serious.

"Yeah, he's the reason Kate's arm is all cut up," Dally said, acting like that comment wasn't about to make Darry explode. To makes things worse, he kept talking. "He shoved Kate to the ground to get her away from his girl. Then we jumped in."

I watched Darry carefully, and I noticed his shoulders were moving a bit more with each breath he took. If I thought he was upset before, this is about to be a whole new level of Darry Curtis being angry.

"Yeah, except Kate wouldn't let us fight 'em," Steve said disappointingly.

"Real bummer too," Two-Bit added lightly, cracking his knuckles obnoxiously. "I would've loved to have another reason to break some of that guy's teeth."

I could see Darry's hands start shaking with anger. I reached out to hold the hand that was closest to me and gave it a squeeze. "Darry," I said in a stern voice. I waited for him to turn and look at me again. "It's alright. Everything's fine."

"Fine?" Darry shot back, incredulously. His eyes looked like steel as he stared down into mine. "Nothing about this is fine."

He sounded mad, furious even, but it didn't scare me. Not even the fact that he was towering over me as I stayed seated in the recliner made me nervous. I could see through his anger. Hiding behind everything that his voice and body language were telling me, I easily identified his main emotion as concern; concern for my health and safety, and concern about what had transpired between myself, Caroline, and Paul.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" I asked the gang. Thankfully, they all seemed eager to exit the tension-filled room, because within moments, Darry and I were alone.

"Babe," I said softly as I tugged his arm a little. Despite still appearing mad, he took the hint and settled back to his spot, kneeling in front of me. "I'm fine, Darry. I promise."

The anger in his eyes slowly softened as he looked at me. "It shouldn't have happened," he replied quietly, the change in his voice and demeanor almost giving me whiplash. "You shouldn't have gotten hurt, especially not when you were out with the guys."

"It's nice to know that you're worried about me, but do you really think I can't take a punch?" I asked with a smirk. That at least got him to quirk an eyebrow, either from confusion or amusement. "It wasn't even that, really. It was a slap and a shove. I've dealt with worse just from walking through a crowd."

"It's not just that," he said with a shake of his head, sounding like he was in pain himself. He had been looking at the Steri-Strip that he had put on my cheek, but he moved his eyes to meet mine directly. "Caroline was out of line for everything she said and did. Paul too." His lip curled a little at Paul's name, then I heard him mutter something about needing to pay him a visit.

"Well, it's not like I was acting like a saint either," I admitted sheepishly, although I couldn't find it in me to be apologetic about it. "But I still meant everything I said."

Finally, Darry gave me a grin. Then he reached forward, gently put his hand on my cheek, and grazed his thumb over the fabric strip. "Yeah? You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it. I wasn't about to let her say such awful things about you." I felt my eyebrows pinch together in confusion. "What would you think I didn't mean?"

His gaze dropped from mine, and his grin turned downward slightly. "All those things you said about me, like being the best man you know…" he trailed off, like he couldn't believe anyone would say nice things about him. It broke my heart to hear him like that. He dropped his hand and placed in on my knee, still avoiding my eyes. "You know, Caroline's right; I'm not like Paul. I'm not in college and I don't have a lot of money. I won't ever be anything more than just a greaser. My job, my purpose, is to take care of my brothers. I'd understand if you wanted to date a guy that could give you more than I can."

My jaw dropped. Darry, the man I love, was telling me he'd understand if I wanted to break up with him, all because of Caroline. At that moment, I hated her more than I ever had in my entire life. If I see her again, she's going to regret ever mentioning Darry in front of me.

I put my hands on the sides of Darry's face and tilted his head so he was forced to look at me. "Now you listen to me, Darrel Curtis," I said seriously, but not unkindly. "You're not like Paul, and I'm not like Caroline. I am not leaving you. All of those things I said to Caroline… that's just the tip of the iceberg of how I feel about you." His eyes were searching mine, like he was looking for reassurance, which I was happy to provide. "You're selfless, protective, compassionate, and you are more than 'just a greaser.' You are an amazing man, and I love you."

I saw his eyes immediately dilate. Even though I had loved Darry for a while, we had never said it to each other. I was about to tell him he didn't need to feel pressured into saying in back, but before I could, he pulled me into a slow, passionate kiss.

From day one, it always felt like there were butterflies in my stomach whenever I was with Darry, but during that kiss, it felt like fireworks had exploded throughout my body. I was only connected to Darry by his lips and hands, and somehow, he managed to communicate so many feelings through the small amount of contact.

Once we broke apart, Darry's still-dilated eyes were staring into mine. "I love you, Kate. Glory, I love you so much."

I smiled, then pulled him into another kiss.

A whistle caused us to break apart, and when I turned to look at the person responsible, I spotted the whole gang standing at the edge of the room, like they were ready to bolt into the kitchen if either Darry or I decided to go after them for staring at us. While Johnny and Ponyboy were purposely not making eye contact with me or Darry, the rest of the guys had smirks on their faces. I wasn't embarrassed, but I knew Darry wasn't one for public displays of affection.

"Well ain't that cute," Two-Bit said with a smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Our lovebirds finally said the magical words."

Darry jumped to his feet, making everyone except Soda, Steve, and Dally flinch. "Shut it, Keith. What are you lot doing, standing there like a bunch of creeps?"

"We just wanted to make sure Kate was doin' okay," Soda said with a smile still plastered on his face. "Seems like you have things taken care of, huh Dar?"

Darry took a step towards the gang, and this time, all of them took a step back. "Knock it off, Soda, or I'll have to knock that smile right off your face." I don't know who he was trying to fool; Darry wouldn't hurt Soda. Sure, they might roughhouse and give each other a hard time, but Darry wouldn't truly hurt either of his kid brothers.

"Why are you guys so worried about me? I thought I was a tough greaser," I said with a smug smile.

"You got that right," Dally said with an approving nod. "Toughest greaser girl we know."

"Come on guys, let's leave them alone," Pony suggested. I wasn't sure if he was trying to spare Darry and me from having to deal with the other guys teasing us, or if he just felt uncomfortable. I guessed it was probably a little of both.

Soda grinned at his kid brother. "Pony's right, let's leave these two alone," Soda said. He started ushering the guys into the other room, saying something about eating cake. Then he looked back at me and Darry. "Let us know if you need us to leave the house," Soda said with a wink before disappearing, his laughter following him into the kitchen.

Darry's face and neck started turning red at the suggestive remark Soda made, while I just chuckled from the teasing. "Oh he's just joking Darry," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him back towards me before he had a chance to follow the gang into the kitchen.

After a moment, Darry turned to face me again. Then he pulled me to my feet and wrapped his arms around my waist, causing me to instinctively wrap my arms around his neck. As his skin returned to his usual color, a lustful expression took over his features. "So, I'm dating a real tough greaser girl, huh? Should I worry about you getting into more fights?"

I smirked up at him. "Not unless I see Caroline again."

He chuckled at that. "Alright, but I'm going to be there for backup next time, alright? In case Paul or any other guy shows up."

"That sounds fair," I said casually, but giving him a grin. I loved seeing Darry's protective side, and I knew if a guy even looked at me the wrong way, Darry wouldn't hesitate to show off his muscles.

Darry pulled me in for another quick kiss. After we broke apart, he rested his forehead against mine and looked deeply into my eyes. "You should know," he started, his voice suddenly deep and quiet, sending a shiver down my back. "I've never felt this way about anyone before. I love you so much, Kate. I love everything about you."

"I feel the same way about you," I said genuinely. "You really are the best man I know, and I'm not going to let anyone forget it."