"Don't forget a jacket!"

"I will mom, calm down."

"Don't have an attitude young lady!"

"Yes mother."

"Diane."

She peeped her head around the door frame, raising an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Mrs. Carter looked her daughter over, nervous. "Are you sure you're confident walking around- at night of all times - in a place you don't know well, which also has a reputation for being so rough?"

"Of course, I mean, I've got that 'sassy walk' or whatever you call it. And I've watched enough fights at school if I need to resort to that." Diane responded.

Her mother sighed. "Alright." She said. "But if anything happens, I want you to scream and run. Even if it isn't so... befitting of a young lady. And I want you home an hour after full sunset."

"Okay, okay. Don't worry so much." She kissed her mother's head, a gesture of trust. "And don't spend all night trying to figure out dad's bills."

"Fair enough. Remember an hour-"

"After sunset, I've got it, love you, bye!" She said, flying out the screen door.

After running a good twenty feet from her driveway, she slowed to a walk, clenching her fists. The sun was dipping just over the horizon, illuminating clouds an orange and yellow burst, a different horizon than what she was used to. She wanted her old home back. But she knew why she couldn't.

It wasn't uncommon for workers at the auto plant to come home with scrapes and such, it was a normal occurrence, occupational hazard. But one Tuesday night call from her father's boss made those little bruises small change. He offered consoling words, explanations, and later, fake looking smiles and the smell of sweat masked with cheap cologne. It was a accident, he had said. The odds of scaffolding falling on someone like that was minuscule. There would be family compensation. Don't press charges, there would be a bad rap for the company. He said a lot of things.

Four people died that day.

Three hundred dollars was given to them as condolences. It barely covered the closed-casket funeral and cheap plot.

Two people were left in her immediate family- her mother and herself.

One month was all it took for them to move out and down south for a new start. Her mother had family in Oklahoma. They would take them in. But Diane would have to say goodbye to everything she knew.

There were arguments. Bitter things said. Regretted words. But at the age of sixteen, they had no effect. So there were suitcases and trunks packed, and train rides across the country.

Tulsa wasn't home. Not yet.

It was at that thought, Diane realized that she barely knew where she was. It looked like a park, leaves on trees green with spring, a small pool filled with water, a fountain in the distance. She sighed, and sat on a swing, idly pushing herself a bit.

She shivered. She didn't actually follow her mother's advice on taking a jacket. No, she only had her dress, which was in style, but not exactly warm enough for a cool night. She rubbed the bottoms of her arms, looking around. She was alone.

But she wouldn't be alone for long, because a bit to her left, a group of boys were approaching. She had a good idea of who they were, she had seen them around during her first few days of school.

They were the kids labeled as greasers, hoods, criminals. The idea wasn't too odd. Detroit, home, was gaining a good reputation for such things. She tried to stay out of groups. Then again, they tended to stay away from her. The group, probably six of them, stopped at the other end of the swing set. One of them lit a cigarette. Diane sat up a bit straighter.

"So what's a nice looking broad like yourself doing all alone at night?" One of the taller ones asked. Diane rolled her eyes, not surprised at the comment.

"Minding my own business, and not causing any trouble, unlike yourselves." She retorted.

"Ah, a feisty blonde. Two, have you seen many like 'er?"

"I've had my fair share."

"You could add another to that list."

"I might just-"

She spun her head to face them directly. "You might not do anything to me. I'm not just a pretty face you know."

"Really now? What's your name then, if you're not just a face?" The one that was called 'Two' asked, sliding into the swing next to her.

"Diane. Diane Carter. Also known as not interested." However, she decided to humor them, just a little bit.

He looked a bit crestfallen.

"And you all are? I've seen you at school, you know. You're delinquents."

"Two-Bit Mathews, at your service. This is my gang." He gestured to the others, who watched intently. "Ponyboy," The youngest looking one, who had lit the cigarette, raised his hand.

"Johnny," A small, darker skinned boy nodded.

"Dally," A tough looking blonde waved his hand a bit.

"Soda," Another blonde, though much kinder looking, smiled as he put his arm around Ponyboy's shoulders.

"And Steve."

"Pleasure." Diane said. "And I suppose the rest of you are going to try and pick me up as well? Because I dearly hope not."

There was a general consensus of 'no'.

"Good."

The one Two-Bit (a very... unusual name, she thought) called Soda decided to break the few moments of silence. "So, uh, where'd you come from, Diane? We all know you moved here."

"Detroit, Michigan. Probably heard of it in the news."

"It's where all those riots are, right?" Johnny piped in.

She shrugged. "Yeah, workers and civil rights. Heh, that's the one thing I like about moving down here. It's quieter."

"It's not that quiet, you know. Plenty of stuff goes on around here."

"Like?"

"Just ask Dally, he causes half of it."

Dally almost looked offended. "Ah, nah I don't Johnnycake. But, yeah, there's the usual theft, stores held up, rumbles, the occasional jumping and murder. Old hat." He explained.

Diane shrugged. "I suppose. Detroit's not much worse." It was quiet for a few minutes after that, the seven of them watching the sky, in a mutual understanding of what had been said.

She flinched as she felt something wet hit her head. Looking up, she saw the familiar sight of rain clouds. And then it began to pour.

Hi there reader! Thanks for actually starting ((and finishing)) this not so amazing chapter! It means the world to me. Expect a further chapter, if you want to continue, in the next week or so.