A/N: O.k, this is another curtis sister story. Duh! And I know you see alot of them, but I hope mine will be a little more different. Also this story is dedicated to Two-Bits babe! ( My best friend) who is completely in love with Two-Bit and who has been so supportive of my stories! I'd also like to thank my other friends, Snickie and Ponysgirl! Love you girls! Anyways, hope you enjoy the story and please review! I'll be sure to thank my most dedicated reviewers! ; ) Remember, this is my first fan fic so please be easy on me! - Sodasgirl27

Disclaimer: I do not own the outsiders ( unfortunatly) and sadly not sodapop: ( Oh well, at least I can dream! I only own my Ocs and the plot. Props to S.E hinton!

A Place in this World

Chapter one- Johnny's switchblade

I exploded into laughter as I sprinted across the lawn, water balloons in hand. Yeah, water balloons. I don't know how it started, but me and the rest of the gang were having a water balloon fight. I know its stupid, but it was a Sunday morning and on Sundays, the whole gang got together and hung out and Darry never let me play football with them unless they were going to go easy. I couldn't stand it when Darry treated me like a baby. I was sixteen for gods sake! I guess it was because I was a girl, which in my oppinion, wasn't a good excuse. Then again, he treated Ponyboy the same way.

Anyway, I kept on running, water baloons being pelted at me in every direction, one suceeding in hitting me on the back. I felt the cold water gush down my back and a shiver went down my spine. It was Spring, but it was pretty warm out and the sun was shining. I took an extra burst of speed and launched myself around the corner of our house, the balloons splattering at my heels. I skidded to a halt to try and catch my breath but someone had grabbed me by the arm. I oppened my mouth to shout but a hand covered it and I was pulled into the shadows of the bushes beside the house.

" Shhh." Someone hissed in my ear and I fell silent. Seconds later, a group of four boys stopped a little ways in front of me, all trying to catch their breath.

" Where'd she go?" One asked as he clutched his sides, breathing heavily.

" That way." Another one said and the group ran in the opposite direction. I let out a breath I had been holding in, and the arms released me.

" That was close." A voice said as I moved out of the shadows, followed by three boys.

" Got any more balloons ?" Dallas Winston asked, lighting a cigarette. " I ran out."

Dallas winston was a good-looking Greaser with quite the reputation. He was very tough, with a bitter grin and a good build. We had met him when we were younger, and he had left to live on the wild side of New York at age twelve, and came back when he was fifteen. He had been arrested at the mere age of ten and they had a file on him down at the police station. From getting arested and boozed up to riding in rodeos and jumping small kids, you name it Dally had done it. He was a good buddy to the rest of us, and even to me, although personally he could get on my nerves at some points.

By the way, in case you don't know, me and the gang are Greasers. In our neighborhood, people are classified into three groups. There was us, the Socs, and the middle class. Socs are the West-Side rich kids, they wear madras shirts, drive expensive cars, throw beer blasts, wreak houses, and jump us Greasers for fun. Greasers are for everyone who lives on the East Side, like us. We're poorer than the Socs and middleclass and more wilder. Greasers are almost like hoods, they steal things, drive old cars, and have gang fights once in awhile. The biggest way to identify a Greaser is by their long greasy hair. Its how all the Greasers wear their hair, all the guys anyway. I was a Greaser girl. Greaser girls get just as bad a reputation as the guys, we're poor and loud and swear and giggle and wear too much eye makeup. Our dresses and skirts are too small and tight too, and the only guys that would look at us were our kind of boys, Greasers. I wasn't like your average Greaser girl though. I wasn't innocent but I'm not as loud and don't wear eye makeup and I make my own clothes with the sewing machine my mom left me.

Our parents died in an auto wreak, and the only way me and my three brothers were allowed to stay together is if we behave. Darry, my older brother, was our guardian. I missed my mom and dad terribly. I had been so close to them. I missed me and mom doing girl stuff and cooking and I miss dad wrestling with me and calling me his ' little sunshine.' Sometimes I still cryed over them but only to myself. I didn't want my brothers to worry.

I handed a water balloon to Dally and replied. " So whats the counter attack?" I looked over at the other two boys, my younger brother Ponyboy and Johnny Cade.

Ponyboy was the youngest out of our gang as well as my kid-brother. He had very light brown hair, so light it was almost red and greenish-grey eyes. I loved his eyes, you can tell by just looking in them that he was a very creative and imaginitive boy. He looked just like my twin brother Sodapop, which I guess makes him look like me. Handsome as Soda, Pony was one of a kind. He was smart, quiet around the gang, and kind of lacked in common sense. It didn't matter though, I knew it was just because he was a dreamer and it made me angry when Darry gave him a hard time. I loved Ponyboy so much, I wouldn't be able to live without him.

Johnny Cade was second youngest out of the gang, as well as the youngest, with a slight build. He had long heavily greased hair, that managed to fall in shaggy bangs across his forehead. He had big black eyes, scared and suspicious, in a tanned face. He was everyones kid brother, and was always getting beat by his father or ignored by his mother unless she was really pissed. I loved Johnny like a brother, and it always upsetted me seeing him coming to our house after being bet up. He was such a good kid, and so quiet, he didn't deserve the beating he got from his dad.

Both Ponyboy and Johnny shrugged and switched their gaze to Dally. For a moment, Dally didn't speak and merely flicked his cigarette butt and then he replied " Sneak attack. Rain, you go with Johnny and the kid comes with me. We attack from both sides."

We all nodded, and I waited for a moment until I followed Johnny to the other side of the house. I hated being told what to do, especially from Dallas. I've been told millions of times from Darry that I was incredibly stubborn. It annoyed Darry, I guess because it caused me to back-talk alot to him. It wasn't my fault I was set on my arguments and was independant. Independant, was what I called it, but not even I could argue with myself that the real word for it was stubborn.

Me and Johnny snuck around the side of the house, in search of our opponents. " Do you see them?" I asked him, as he tiptoed behind me.

" No." Johnny whispered back. " Wait! I hear something!"

There was the sound of cracking twigs and footsteps from the front of the yard and I caught by breath.

" Should we attack?" I whispered to him.

" Might as well." Johnny replied. " On the count of three. One--."

"Two." I added

" THREE!"

We jumped out from behind the corner and started throwing water balloons at the unsuspecting victims. But the victims were throwing back and soon I was splattered with water. With how small the yard was, it was surprising we couldn't see who we were throwing at, but I guess we just assumed it was the rest of the gang.

"STOP!" Someone from the other side roared just as me and Johnny ran out of balloons. The throwing stopped and I gasped as I realized that we weren't throwing water balloons at the rest of the gang but at Dally and Ponyboy, who were both sopping wet.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Dally shouted angrily as he stomped over to us, followed by Ponyboy. " You're not suppost to hit us."

" We couldn't see who it was we were throwing them at!" I shouted back in anger as I stepped up to Dally. "And you two were throwing them too!"

This remark was not a smart one. Anyone who had any sense at all would know not to sass Dallas Winston, let alone stick up to him. It was another one of my bad traits, speaking before I actually thought through what I was going to say. Reckless, I guess you could say. I knew better, but I wouldn't just sit back and let Dally blame it all on me. Me and Dally were the only two out of the gang that picked fights and said what we felt if something pissed us off. I guess thats how me and Dally got into so many arguments and fights. Dally was dangerous when he was angry, with his eyes blazing when he was in a dangerous mood but I had a temper to match Dallas Winstons. My temper had caused me to get in lots of trouble, which triggered my reckless personality to make me do things that I would regret. It was the same with Dally, only he had no regrets. When someone made him mad or said something when he was angry, he would clobber them over the head. It had happened to everyone in the gang at one time or another, except me and Johnny. No one fought with Johnny, not even Dallas. Like I said he was the gangs pet. Me on the other hand, I think it might have been because I was Darry and Sodas kid-sister. If Dally tryed to hit me, Darry would lose it. Even though not even Darry will tangle with Dally in one of his moods, when I came into the picture Darry could be over-protective. I wished he wouldn't, I didn't want people to think I needed my older brother to stick up for me, and sometimes I just wished Dally would ignore Darry and just hit me. Sometimes when I got pissed, it amused Dally to watch me get all hot and angry, other times it drove him insane. One of these days, I knew he would hit me.

Dally scowled at me and oppened his mouth to shout back but Johnny interupted him in his quiet voice. " Wait, if yall are here, then wheres--?"

But at that moment, there was the sound of triumphant yells and water balloons were being thrown at us. I jumped behind Dally as the three boys came running at us, pelting water balloons and hooting like crazy. Johnny and Ponyboy took off running.

"Hit the girl, not me!" Dally yelled as he picked me up and put me down in front of him, then took off running.

" Dally!" I shouted as I ran after him but I didn't get too far because at that moment my twin brother, Sodapop, tackled me to the ground.

" Hello there, little sis." Soda grinned as he sat on my stomach to hold me down. " Fancy meetin' you here."

I felt it ironic that Soda would call me 'little sis' and 'kid sister' when I was only twenty minutes younger than him. I think he liked having that sort of power over me though.

The other two boys stopped beside us, aiming their water balloons at me.

" Surrender?" Two-Bit Mathews asked me as he cocked an eyebrow at me and bounced the water balloon up and down threateningly.

"Never." I gasped as Soda was tickling me.

" Alright then." Steve Randle, Sodas best buddy, said " Fire!"

And the two of them began to throw them at me as Soda held me down. I gasped and shreiked in laughter as the cold water hit me, gushing down the front of my shirt and freezing my skin. I just realized how stupid it was for us to be having a water fight in Spring, maybe we should have litsened to Darry.

"Hold on!" I cried, trying to catch my breath as the coldness had made my breath get caught in my throat. " Why are you only attacking me! Why not the rest?"

"Because your the weak link." Steve said in his usual cocky tone. " You're the girl."

"I'm not the weak link!" I protested. " Pony is! He's the youngest!"

There was a pause. " You're right." Two-Bit said thoughtfully. " Grab the kid!"

The three boys sped off, and I followed, sopping wet. At that moment, Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy came around the corner holding water balloons, they seemed to have got more amo. There was a blur of water and yells until someone shouted " Hold up!"

Everything stopped and I could see Two-Bit holding Ponyboy up with Soda and Steve aiming their water balloons at him. " Don't make a move or the kid gets it!" Me, Dally, and Johnny froze to watch the struggling Ponyboy.

Two-Bit grinned and cocked his eyebrow. " Do you surrender now?"

I looked around and spotted the hose and a plan formed in my mind. I looked at him innocently and said in my most convincing voice. " Yeah, we do!" There was a pause.

" Ya do?" Two-Bit asked, dumbfounded. He knew better then anyone how stubborn I was, and how I never gave up on anything. He, along with Soda and Steve and the rest of my team, were confused.

" Yup." I replied as I backed up slowly toward the hose. " Yall are just to good for us."

"We don't surrender!" Dally exclaimed incredously. " Do we Johnny?"

Johnny caught Dally's eye but he still looked confused. I backed up again. I was so close to the hose. As Dally argued with the rest that they didn't surrender, I jumped down and grabbed the hose. I sprayed Two-Bit who yelped and dropped Ponyboy and the water fight began again. After awhile, me, Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy were declared winners after we had cornered our opponents and soaked them.

Shivering and gasping for air, we all headed into the house, dripping water everywhere. We sat down at the table as Darry came in from the bathroom, and I guessed he was getting ready for work since he looked showered. " Pony!" He said suddenly, a frown on his face. " Your soaking wet! Dry off and change before you die of pneumonia!" I caught Pony's annoyed look before Darry scolded us too, and told us to dry off.

Darry is my oldest brother as well as our guardian and the strictest person I know. Hes tough, cool, smart, and twenty years old. He is six-feet-two, muscular, and broad shouldered. He has dark drown hair that is short and grease-free and and cold pale blue-green eyes. Hes determined and cold and doesn't understand anything that isn't fact. He could be real handsome if he weren't so cold.

After we were all dry and wrapped in towels, we sat down eating the chocolate cake that I had baked last night. I perched myself on the counter as I litsened to the boys conversation, or more, Two-Bit going on about meeting some girl named Kathy.

"--and I told her, I said it's either let me buy you a coke at the Dingo or I'll beat the head off ya and she said yeah!"

Two-Bit Mathews was the funniest guy I had ever met in my whole life. He was the biggest wisecracker I know, and his grin was enough to make anyone laugh. His real name was Keith, but nobody called him that, I don't even remember ever calling him it. He was named Two-bit because he always had to get his two cents worth in. You couldn't shut him up, and usually no one tryed to because with him around, your bound to never be bored. He is the oldest one out of the gang besides Darry at 18 and a half. He's six feet tall, had a stocky build, grey eyes, and long sideburns that he was very proud of. He's most known for shoplifting which is how he got his prized possession, his black handled switchblade. He once got me an expensive bracelet for my birthday and when I asked him how he managed to afford it, he merely replied that he had picked it up before giving it to me. He liked fights, blondes, and school. I had no idea why, but he had told me he went for fun and jokingly said to watch out for me. I don't know what I'd do without him, he kept me in stiches on my worst day and for some reason, I felt close to him.

I rolled my eyes and said. " Only you, Two-Bit, would ask a girl out like that."

Two-Bit grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at me. " You better watch it, or I won' t teach you how to drive next month."

I scowled. I hadn't learned to drive yet, I had been so busy with school and work that I never learned when Soda did, and I had wanted to badly so I asked Two-Bit.After all, I was going on seventeen! I would have asked anyone, and I'd actually rather learn to drive in anything but Two-Bits old car that always had something wrong with it, but everyone had been so busy. Two-Bit apparently couldn't teach me to drive until next month for some reason, he wouldn't tell me. But I think he just wanted to blackmail me with it, he had already got me to wash his car and bake him chocolate cakes. After all, what reason would he have that he couldn't teach me? He didn't work and besides that, he was pretty lazy.

" Rain Curtis get your ass off that counter!" Darry scolded me when he finally noticed me sitting on the counter. I stuck my tounge out at him as he turned around and I slid off the counter to sit next to Soda. I had already finnished my chocolate cake and I watched Soda gobble his down too. Still holding my spoon, I dipped it in his cake and took a bite, Soda scowling, but I could see the twinkle in his eye.

" How many times do I have to tell you, Ray? Keep your mitts of my cake!"

I grinned at my twin brother.

We looked alot alike, both of us had golden blonde hair that was sleek and silky, mine rippling down my back whilst Sodas was greased back. We both had dark brown eyes, like dad, that could be dancing with laughter or blazing with anger. Sodas not as tall as Darry and slimmer with a finely drawn face. I had a slender figure that was curvy and tall, although my head reached Sodas ear and my eyelashes were long and my lips full. We were both reckless, happy-go-lucky-and grinning. Soda, however was more thoughtful while I could be impatient. I had more of a temper then Soda and was far more stubborn, although if you made Soda angry, I pity you. Sodas one of a kind. He can get drunk without touching a drop of beer, he gets drunk from just living. I love Soda so much, besides the fact that we obviously have a connection being twins and all, he understands me and always litsens to my problems. Soda is extremely good-looking, the most handsomest person I have ever met, and sometimes people just love to admire him.

" So, what are yall doing today?" I asked as I attempted to steal another piece of Sodas cake but he knocked my fork away.

" Working." Darry replied " Which reminds me, I've got to go work out." Darry used to be on the football team, and even though he wasn't anymore, he like to keep fit. Darry headed off to go do push-ups in the living room.

Steve looked over at me. " Do you need a lift to Jerry's, Rain?"

I worked part time as a waitress at the local restraunt, Jerry's. I worked after school and on weekends to help support the family like Darry and Soda. Soda had dropped out to work and because he said he was dumb, which I didn't believe. I wanted to drop out like Soda to help out more, but Darry refused to let me do it. Not even with my stubborness could I convince Darry to let me. He said with my good grades, I didn't need to drop out and we were doing fine. I told Darry the reason I was working was to help pay bills and stuff, but Darry had told me it was because I needed money for College was the reason he let me work at all. He didn't argue becuase he knew how I get, but I knew he really thought it was for college. I didn't want to go to college. I wanted to stay with my brothers and if I did leave, I'd miss them like crazy. But Darry wouldn't hear it. He's almost as stubborn as I am. I found it incredibly annoying, especially since Soda was allowed to drop out and not me. Darry seemed to let Soda do whatever he pleased while he was strict around me and Ponyboy because he was the youngest, and because I was a girl. I never held back in telling him this, and although we fought, we still loved each other dearly.

I looked at Steve.

Steve Randle was Sodapop's best buddy since grade school and seventeen years old. Hes tall and lean, cocky and smart and wore his greasy hair combed out in complicated swirls. Cars was the one thing Steve was good at, he knew then inside out, and could drive anything on wheels. Both him and Soda worked at a DX, the same gas station and it got the most customers then any other gas station in town. I knew Steve really well, and the whole way Steve and Soda had met was when I had lost my dolly in grade one and Steve had found it and gave it to me. Him and Soda had talked about cars, how they would work with them together, and I guess they were right. Steve was like a brother to me, he could be really cocky and could be a little up-front, but we were very close.

"Yeah, thanks Steve." I replied trying and failing, to take the very last piece of Sodas cake. " You working at the DX, Pepsi?" I asked Soda, finally managing to stick my finger in his icing and smear it on his nose.

"Yep--race you to the shower!" Soda challenged me and the two of us raced to the bathroom almost running over Darry who shook his head at our imaturity. "Will you two ever grow up?" He called after us, but I didn't hear him because I managed to pull ahead of Soda and run into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I started laughing as I hissed through the door in a playful voice. "Sucker!"

I finally finished my shower and waited until my hair dryed as Soda got his. Then, I pulled my long hair up and pinned it then changed into my uniform; a t-shirt that said ' Jerry's' and a belt skirt that went around my waist, with pockets for her pen and pad. I applied light eye make-up. I looked in the little mirror, satisfied with my appearance. By just looking at me, people thought I was a soc, with my naturally shiny looking hair, and the homemade clothes that I wore, until they figured out I lived on the east-side.I didn't mind, being a greaser girl didn't classify who I was, but I still felt uncomfortable when people commented on it. I got out the necklace that my mom had left me and clipped it around my neck. It was my moms most prized possession before she gave it to me, it was a real diamond necklace that she had wore on her wedding day. It was an heirloom, and now my most prized possession.

I walked out into the kitchen, but the boys only ran their eyes over me then looked away. I guess it was because I was Darry and Sodas little sister and that I was real good friends with them all that they never tryed anything with me. I loved them all, but I couldn't see myself being anything more then friends with them.

Two-Bit let out a low whistle. " Shoot Rain, you look like one of those soc girls."

I grinned in amusement. " You mean like one of those snobby proper rich girls? Nah, I ain't like them."

"You look like them." Two-Bit corrected me. " I ain't saying you are them, 'specially not the rich part, Greaser girl."

We didn't mind calling ourselves ' Greasers' amongst the gang, it was kind of playful then.

I laughed as I followed Steve and Soda out the door. " See yall later."

I climbed into Steve's car and Soda and Steve got in the front. " How're you getting back home?" Soda asked me as Steve started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

I shrugged. " Probaby walk. Why?"

" You shouldn't be walking by your lonesome." Soda replied instantly. " What if a pack of Socs get hold of ya? I ain't itchin' to be picking up my sisters pieces of the side of the road somewhere."

" You worry too much, Soda." I laughed. This was so ironic that Soda and Steve laughed too. Soda wasn't much of a worrier, his fun loving attitude prevented him from ever worrying. He was only worried when something happened to the gang. I knew he was just looking out for me. Steve blasted the radio and we drove on down the dirt road.

Steve pulled into the driveway of the little restraunt. " There you go, Raindrop." Steve said. "Have fun."

"And let us know if any of the super Socs are giving you trouble."

" Yeah." I replied as I opened the car door and climbing out. " Bye boys."

I shut the door and watched as they drove away, the sound of faded music blasting on the radio, following them. I headed into the restraunt just as the afternoon customers started to come, then I set to work taking peoples orders, handing out menus, cleaning tables, and bring people their food. Most of the customers were from the west side so I was used to running into Socs, although I tried to avoid it. My best friend Helena Harper, who is also a Greaser girl, seemed to around the same lines.

" Rain, you can go take the people by the windows orders." She said in a low voice to me when she came through the double doors into the kitchens. Everyone just called Helena, Honey, and hardly anyone even knew nor remembered her real name was Helena.

Honey lived not far from me and she was a good escape when I wanted to get away from the boys. Honey was an only child and lived in a little rundown house with her alcoholic and emotional wreak of a mother. Her father ran out on them when she was only seven, and her mother was still a mess after all these years and mostly stayed at home and cried. So, Honey took care of her mother and worked constantly so I saw very little of her. She was a dropout like Soda. Honey was as sweet as her name, kind, hard-working, determined,industrious, and had grown up far too fast, she kind of reminded me of Darry, although she was only fifteen. She was very pretty with long naturally blonde hair that fell around a heart-shaped face and light blue eyes. She looked more like a Greaser girl then I did, with her too small clothes which were only small because she'd had them for years and she looked like she was untaken care of and neglected, which was partially true.

" Um sure." I replied, opening the double doors and soon regreting it. The people were three Soc boys around seventeen or eighteen.

I groaned. Just do it I told myself Just take their order and leave. Taking a deep breath, I walked determinedly up to the Socs table and said in my most falsely cheerful voice. " Hi, can I get you anything?"

The Socs who were all fooling around and laughing all looked up at me. A rather good-looking one smiled slyly. " Hey, I'm David Wilson." I tried hard to stay friendly, but an intense hatred was pounding through my veins.

"Your order?"

" Yeah, three cokes." David glanced up at my name tag. " Rain."

I jotted down the order on my notepad and I could hear the Socs snickering. I ignored them and headed back to the kitchens, feeling their burning stares on my backside.

" Thanks a lot, Honey." I growled at my friend as I came through the double doors and grabbed three glasses.

" I'm sorry!" Honey exclaimed defensively. " But you know how much I hate Socs!"

"And I don't?" I grumbled as I filled up the glasses and put them on a tray. Then, I headed back to the Socs. I placed a glass in front of each of them.

" So, do you work here often?" David asked me, completely ignoring his Coke.

" Partime." I replied as I gathered up their menus. David handed me money.

" Buy yourself a Coke and come sit with us."

"No thanks." I answered cooly " I'm real busy."

" Doing what?" David asked me as he raised one eyebrow. " Cleaning tables?"

" Working." I snapped, this time unable to keep the irritation out of my voice " Which you wouldn't know of."

David chuckled softly. " Good-looking and funny. Arn't you just the total package?"

I felt anger bubble in my stomach, feeling as if I would explode at any moment and my anger only increased when he paid me.

" Give yourself a nice tip." He told me as I tucked the money in my pouch.

" Thanks." I retorted sarcastically. " Its just enough to pay my rent for the next month."

Who did this guy think he was? He might have thought he was hitting on me, but to me, he was completely insulting me. Plus, he was as arrogant and snarky as all the others, a typical Soc.

David smiled dangerously. " Where do you live?"

" The eastside." I replied. I smirked to myself. This should keep his mouth shut. As I suspected, Davids smile faltered and he looked shocked.

"Your a Greaser?"

I nodded, trying to hold in my smirk. He examined me. " You don't look like one."

" Oh really?" I asked angrily. " And whats a Greaser girl suppost to look like?"

David didn't say anything at first then he smirked and drawled. " Look I want to help. Its obvious you need the money, so how much will you take a night?"

My jaw dropped in outrage. How dare he! And I lost it.

With all my strength, I cocked back my fist and punched David hard in the nose. He let out a shout of pain and fell backwards from the force. There was screams and shouts from the people around the restaraunt but I ignored them. I forgot everything. All I cared about was putting a huge dent in this Socs stupid face. I jumped on top of David, preparing to punch every inch of him. The other two Socs were yelling and trying to pull me off him but I refused to budge. I just wanted to hit the hell out of him, and I did. Between the flailing arms and my cursing, I barely noticed as strong arms grabbed me and pulled me off David effortlessly. I swung around to tell off the person who dared stop me from beating that Soc senseless when my eyes met with a pair of cold blazing blue-green ones.

Darrys eyes.

I felt my stomach flip and I felt dizzy with fear. " Darry?" I asked nervously but I was interupted by the manager who shouted over the ruckus.

"SILENCE!"

Everything was quiet and the manager, a large intimidating man, demanded loudly. " Who is responsible for this?" He demanded loudly, in a ringing voice. His eyes fell on David who had a black eye and blood gushing from his nose and was being supported between his two friends. They pointed at me and in the next couple minutes I was fired and sitting in the front of our Ford, fuming.

I caught sight of myself in the rearview mirror. I looked a mess. My normally laughing reckless brown eyes were dancing waith anger and my long blonde hair was escaping out of its pinned back position and falling into my eyes. There was a snarl playing on my full lips. I looked slightly insane.

Darry opened the car door, climbed in, and slammed the door shut so hard I thought it would fall off. I flinched but was relieved when Darry didn't seem to notice. I wouldn't show that I was afraid of him. I wouldn't show weakness.

Darry started the car, and began to drive, muttering things like, " Completely stupid...what in the blazes were you thinking?...starting a fight in the middle of the restraunt...getting more and more like Dallas..."

I just sat in the passenger seat, shaking with suppressed rage. Finally, when Darry couldn't stand my silence any longer he burst "What in the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking on killing that Soc if you hadn't have stopped me." I snarled.

" Your damn lucky I did stop you! If I didn't you'd be down at the station right now..."

" At least that would be one less mouth to feed!" I shouted at him.

" They would have sent you back anyway." Darry shot. " Because that mouth don't shut up for two minutes! And all it does is sass!"

"Well then you needn't have worried." I shot back.

There was a silence between us until...

"You know you're fired, right?" Darry asked me angrilly.

" Nah, I hadn't figured that out." I said sarcastically.

" How you gunna work now?" Darry demanded. " You have no job, how're we going to pay for you to go through college?"

" I don't know!" I cried, a little hysterical now. " I could always have sex with guys for money, just like that Soc suggested!"

There was silence as realization dawned on Darry and he looked at me, his eyes wide. " Is that why you hit him?" He asked quietly.

I nodded, feeling tears burn my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I was not weak. I wouldn't cry.

" Hey, it's okay Rainbow." Darry said soothingly as he placed a hand on my arm comfortingly.

I sniffed and gulped down the tears that had been threatening to spill down my cheeks. Darry only called me by my pet nickname, Rainbow when he was trying to comfort me and knew I was upset. I realized that Darry was only looking out for me and I suddenly felt like an idiot getting all juiced up like this.

" Why were you at the restraunt anyway?" I asked Darry, trying to get the conversation off what happened in the restraunt.

"Soda called me and told me that you were planning on walking home." Darry replied, sounding glad that I had calmed down. "So I took my break and came to pick you up."

I laughed. " Good ol' Soda." I said fondly.

" Speaking of Soda." Darry said. " I'm going to drop you off at the DX, with him and Steve, maybe he can knock some sense into you."

I sighed in relief. Darry didn't sound angry anymore. We always had our little fights, but no matter how many we had they didn't get any more easier to deal with.

They pulled into the DX station and I immediatly spotted Soda, surrrounded by a bunch of girls as usual. He spotted us and grinned. He said something to the girls and then came loping toward us, followed by Steve who had oil stains all over his jeans and was wiping his hands on an old rag. Soda leant through the window of our Ford and said cheerfully. " Shoot Darry, I said pick her up not bring her here!" I grinned at his teasing tone and punched him playfully on the arm.

" Shouldn't you be working?" I asked him, unsucsessfully cocking an eyebrow like the way Two-Bit had showed me how. " Instead of flirting with girls that are not your girlfriend?" Soda grinned at me and ruffled my already messy hair that I had shoved in a bun.

" So, weren't you suppost to be working too?" He asked me.

" Rain was fired." Darry said before I could answer Soda.

A surprised look appeared on Sodas handsome face as he stared at me. " Why?"

" A Soc insulted me so I punched him." I replied.

" Glory, Rain!" Soda grinned. " Did you get em good?"

I laughed and replied. " Blackened his eye and busted his nose."

" Good job!" Soda praised me as he ruffled my hair again.

Darry rolled his eyes at us, looking like he wanted to bang our heads together, a look me, Soda, and Pony got alot.

" Do you want us to get them Socs?" Stve asked me grimly. " Who were they?"

" Sounds like Rain did a pretty good job herself." Soda said as he stared at me admiringly." Shoot, if you don't be careful, you'll end up in the cooler."

I returned Sodas grin but Darry scowled. " Look, I got to get back to work. Yall stay out of trouble, ya hear?"

I jumped out of the car and looked up at Darry. " Relax, Darry. We'll be good."

" Yeah." Soda said, pulling me in a head-lock. " We'll babysit the troublemaker."

Darry looked like he'd rather let wild coyotes watch me then those two, but he drove off anyway. Steve turned to me after Soda had released me and said. " So what'd the Soc say to ya?"

I felt my blood turn to ice and I felt defensive. " None of your business." I snapped. I must have sounded more colder then I intended to because Steve looked offended and jammed his fists into his pockets. I felt really quilty.

"Sorry Steve." I apologized to him, and I really meant it.

"S'okay." Steve replied but he still looked annoyed.

" Come on." Soda said draping an arm around my shoulders as we started walking back to the station. The girls that had been flirting with Soda looked huffy when we approached them, I guess they thought I was Sodas girlfriend because they started to file out.

We spent the rest of the day hanging around the station, I watched the boys work on cars and we drank Cokes and fooled around. Ponyboy walked down to see us and Steve got a little irritated but me and Soda welcomed Pony happily. It was starting to get dark and rather chilly when we started off home, drinking our Pepsi's and kicking rocks down the road. Soda was piggy-backing me and was getting quite the kick out of racing ahead with me bouncing on his back, yelling for him to slow down. At the corner of our block, theres a wide open feild where the gang plays football and hangout and we were just passing it when Steve gave a sudden yell for us to come back. Soda dropped me and we headed back to Steve and Ponyboy. Steve was crouched over, inspecting something he had found on the ground.

"Its Johnny's jacket." I exclaimed in surprise. " Whats it doing here?"

"Looks like he left it here." Steve replied as he slung the jacket over his shoulder to take by Johnny's house later. For some reason, I felt uneasy. Johnny never just 'left' his jacket wherever, it was his only one. Suddenly, Steve stopped to examine the jacket more closely. There was a rusty colored stain across the colar. He looked at the ground. There was some more stains scattered across the grass. He looked up across the feild with a stricken expression on his face. Suddenly, a low moan broke the silence of the feild and the motionless dark hump on the otherside of the lot caught my eye. I felt fear rip at my insides and my heart began to ponund faster in my chest, so loudly I was sure the rest could hear it.

"Johnny..." I said in a low voice and I got up and sprinted across the feild. I reached him first, he was laying face down on the ground, and I dropped to my knees beside him.

"Johnny..." I said softly. " Johnny?" I tried to shake him, pull him up anything... but I was frozen in fear.

Soda reached him next, shorty followed by Ponyboy and Steve. He turned Johnny over and I felt sick to my stomach. Johnny had been beaten real bad, worse then I ever seen him beat before. His face was swollen, cut up, and bruised and there was a wide gash from his temple to his chin. His white t-shirt was stained with blood and I felt a sob escape me. Tears were forming in my brown eyes, a couple succeeding in sliding down my cheeks. I was used to seeing Johnny beat up, but it was nothing compared to this. And it hurt to see the boy that was practically my brother like this. It hurt everyone in the gang.

Steve closed his eyes and muffled a groan as he dropped down beside me. Ponyboy looked absolutely terrified or sick, I couldn't tell which. Somehow the gang had sensed what had happened. Two-Bit appeared beside Ponyboy, his comical grin gone and his grey eyes stormy. Darry had seen us from the porch and was beside me in an instant. Dally was there too, looking sick and swearing under his breath. Finally, I couldn't take it. Tears begun to spill down my cheeks and I started to sob.

Soda lifted Johnny up onto his shoulder and gave him a little shake. " Johnnycake?"

I felt relief flood over me when Johnny spoke Sodas name softly. I had a fearful moment where I had thought he might be dead. "Yeah, its me." Soda said in a soothing voice. " Don't talk. You're going to be o.k."

Johnny tried to tell his story, but he was broken off when he started to cry. This scared me half to death. Johnny never cried, he had been whipped with a two-by-four by his father and I never heard him utter a whimper. That made if worse to see him breakdown now.

I whimpered and stroked the hair out of his eyes as Soda held him. " Its o.k, Johnny--." I tried to tell him but I couldn't in fear of breaking down myself and the sobs shook my body.

Finally, between sobs, Johnny gasped out his story. " I was... looking for our football ttto practise a few k- kicks." He began, his voice trembling. " Aand a blue mmustang with four Socs in it, sh-showed up." He broke off sobbing, and we waited for him to continue. " They ccaught me and beat me up, one of them had alot of rings..."

So that was what cut him so badly. Johnny swallowed and sobbed. " They threatened me--." I got a shiver at all the things they threatened him with, it was sick. That was what scared Johnny so badly.

From then on, I hated Socs. I didn't like them before, but after what they did to Johnny, I hated them with a passion. I was so upset that as I lay in bed that night, I couldn't fall asleep. I could hear Soda breathing softly as him and Pony slept in the other room next to mine. Ponyboy used to have really bad nightmares, so Soda slept with him and I took Sodas old bedroom.

Finally, I had an idea. A way I could feel better knowing Johnny was safe. So I got up and headed to my dresser. On top of my dresser, sat a six inch switchblade, its blade gleaming in the moonlight that was pooring through my window. I had gotten it from my old boyfriend, Jimmy, who had given it to me before we broke up. I had liked Jimmy alot, he was different from the other Greaser guys that hit on me, tough on the outside yet sweet and soft on the inside. We had broken up over some issues about his brother which I didn't know about. I didn't date much, I flirted occasionally, but most guys around here were the same, tough and hood-like.

I picked up the switchblade carefully and headed into the living room. Johnny was lying there, still and silent. The boys had bandaged up all his cuts and injuries, and he was staying on the couch until he was better.

" Johnny?" I said softly as I sat down on the chair that was pulled up beside the couch. I spoke quietly so Darry wouldn't hear me, he had told us to leave Johnny rest and he'd skin me if he found me down here.

" Rain?" Johnny asked weakly. I smiled and pushed the hair out of my eyes.

" Yeah. How are you feeling?"

Johnny looked at me tiredly. " Sore."

I nodded and helped him take a drink of the glass of water that was sat on the coffee table beside him. He took a few gulps and I placed the glass back down. " Look, Johnny. I wanted to give you something..."

Johnny's eyes widened as he looked at the knife. " Whats that for?" He asked in a shaky, small voice.

" I want you to have it." I said examining his face for an expression. " So if any more Socs jump you, you can protect yourself."

He was quiet for awhile, his eyes hovering over the knife and then his lips curved into a small smile. " Thanks Rain." I returned the smile as he held out a shaky hand. I gave it to him and he flipped it around and ran his fingers over the blade, examining it.

I knew he would never let no one jump him again, the way he looked at the blade, and I knew he would use it. I'm not sure if when I thought on giving it to him I thought he would ever use it, I think I just wanted to know that he would be safe. And I was wrong...

A/N: Hope you liked the first chapter! Please, please review. Tell me if you liked it, if you hated it, if you know anything that will help me improve it. Anything at all! I love hearing from you! The next chapter will be soon and will be set to two months later. Thanks!