DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BESIDES EMILY ARE S.E HINTON'S WORK

Life is Short

Chapter 1: The Beginning

"Frig, wonder how this is gonna be like," I whispered to myself walking into the lunch room. At 5'10 and a good body figure I was pretty tall for my age, 15, freshman starting in a new school. I'm originally from New Jersey, but my parents had to move to Tulsa for my father's job. Jeez, ok Em, lets try to make a good impression this year. I go to the snack bar, bought a cookie and Snapple and sat at a round empty lunch table. I scan the people in the lunch room. Oh look, a couple of hotties over there! A couple of bad boys sat at a table about 50feet away from me. They were talking amongst themselves, glancing at me every so often. One blond, bulky guy gets up and walks to my table, giving me a charming smile. K Em, here we go. He sits down in the chair next to me and I give him a little smile.

"Hey babe, haven't seen a good-looking gal like you 'round here, where ya from?"

"I'm from Jersey, I just got here actually." I said with some charm.

"Ah your one of those New York chicks," he said with a little wink. "What brings you to our little town?" I hesitated.

"Uh my father gotta new job here in Tulsa," I glanced a quick look at the table where the guy came from. They were checking me out.

"Well the names Two-Bit, you wanna come sit with some of my buds over there? I don't want you sitting with your lonesome." I took a deep breath.

" Uh, yeah sure," I got up and Two-Bit pushed my chair in and we made our way to the table full of good looking guys with their hair slicked back wearing Levis and denim jackets. Good thing I was always good with guys. I actually had more guy friends than girlfriends during grade school and middle school. Two-Bit and I got to the table and one of the guys wolf whistled, and I gave a little smile to all of them at the table. Two-Bit got me a chair and I sat down at the table.

"Hey babe, you new 'round here?" One of them with a cigarette in this mouth said. He had brown messy hair and a strong build, he was pretty good looking actually, and it didn't really help that I am a sucker for tough guys.

"Yeah uh, I actually just came in from Jersey." I glanced at the guys around the table. One specifically caught my eye. He had tan skin and dark black hair that was slicked back and some of his long black bangs were in his eyes. He wasn't as big as most of the other guys, and he looked younger, but it was just something about him, maybe the mysterious look in his eyes…. He's hot, I like him.

Two-Bit spoke up, " I didn't catch your name baby, you gotta sexy little Jersey name?"

I gave a little laugh, "Um, yeah my name is Emily Raga, but my friends in Jersey called me Em." I glanced at the guy I was checking out, he had his eyes on me, and they were mysterious, I find that hot in guys.

"Yeah well Em, my name is Dally," the one with the cigarette said to me charmingly, he gave me a little wink. "Yeah and uh, that's Ponyboy, Steve, Two-Bit as you already know, and Johnny."

So Johnny is his name. I have to pursue him, I like him. Ponyboy gave me a little smile, he was cute. He had golden hair slicked back and a kind face and looked about Johnny's age. He seemed like your everyday Joe. Steve was bulky, wore an employee shirt, probably works on cars, and he had caps on his teeth. Dally was bulky as I said before, and he has the real tough guy look to him. Like, a guy on the street you would see causing trouble. He was good-looking. Last but not least there was Johnny. He gave me a shy smile and I returned the favor. His dark brown eyes, I just got lost in them, those eyes were so deep, with so much emotion, those eyes were hiding a secret, a secret I had to get out. His eyes were just so beautiful; you cannot get out of their daze…

"So uh, you wanna hang with us after school, maybe show you 'round town and all?" I broke out of my trance. Ponyboy said while looking at the boys, they all nodded with agreement.

"Uh, sure I guess, nutin else better to do." We talked about a lot of things, all of us. I learned about Ponyboy, his parents passed away when he was little. Dally ran away from home when he was young, got arrested by the cops at age ten, and lived in New York before moving to Tulsa. Two-Bit is mainly on his own to, he got a home and all, but he just does his own thing. Steve worked at a gas station with Sodapop, Pony's older brother. After all that, lunch was over and I still learned hardly anything about Johnny, it was discouraging. We got up from the table, Two-Bit put his arm around my waist and I gave him a little glare, but I went with it. I didn't want to ruin anything now. I had to go to my last two classes and school would be over. Maybe then I can learn more about Johnny.

It was three o'clock and I waited outside of the school for the guys. I was freezing, wearing only jeans and a tank top in the fall, it was actually pretty stupid of me. I saw the guys come into view from the school main doors. I gave them a smile and they were goofing around. Two-Bit was laughing and put his hand on my waist again.

"So babe, where ya wanna go first? How 'bout my bedroom?" He said with a wink. I gave him a disgusted look.

"Where ya guys hang out 'round here?" I asked them. Two-Bit's hand went to my back jean pocket. I took a little step away from him but he still held onto me.

Dally lit up a smoke. "Eh, wherever," Dally said.

"How bout the drive in movies?" Pony suggested.

"I think that sounds good," I said. I glanced at Johnny, who still didn't say a word yet. I was determined to make him talk. "Hey Johnny, I haven't heard from you, where you suppose we go?" I asked him with kindness in my voice. Johnny looked surprised.

Johnny hesitated. "Uh, I dono…..movies sound ok…" He said shyly.

"Movies it is I guess!" I said with excitement.

The group of us walked to the movies, it took about and hour to get there we were talking about things again. Dally put his arm around my shoulder and stole me from Two-Bit.

"So uh, how many guys has a good looking girl like you pick up in Jersey?" Dally said in a kidding voice. I thought about it, I haven't really had many relationships, just one that lasted about a year.

"Umm, only one actually, how many gals has a smart talking guy like you picked up?" I said coolly. I was actually proud of myself.

"Babe, I don't even remember half of their names." He said with a laugh. Wow. So he picked up a lot of girls in his lifetime, and you can tell just by the way he acts. I glanced at Johnny and he was looking at the ground. Errr why doesn't he talk? But, I like him though, he is mysterious. All he needs is the right girl and he will be fine, and I have a feeling I'm that girl.

We got to the movies around four o'clock and it was already getting dark outside. The guys said they sneak into the movies even though it's a quarter to get in, they don't really make any sense to me sometimes. We were going to stay for the Nightly Double, and the first movie started at six, so we had some time to burn. I sat down outside in one of the movie chairs and Pony sat next to me. Johnny took a seat next to Pony.

"So uh, how's it like up north?" Pony said leaning forward, looking at my facial expression.

" Eh, its ok I guess," I shrugged. "a little different then here, we got gangs and crap. Its dangerous if you aren't careful." A rich looking kid walked passed us.

" Psh you better watch yourself hun, cant trust Greasers." He said to me. Psh wat was that about? Ponyboy gave him a look then looked back at me.

"Greasers? What was that about?" I asked Ponyboy.

"We're called Greasers, its what people call us. They say we're dangerous, which can help if you gotta reputation like that 'round here. If they think your tough they lay off ya."

"You guys are to sweet looking to be dangerous," then I thought about Dally. "Well Dally, he looks tough, not that I'm saying he's dangerous or nothin, he just looks tough." I said to Ponyboy.

"Well Dally is probably the most wild of us, he's gotten in more trouble then most of us next to Two-Bit." Pony said with a little smile.

I laughed, "Yeah I can picture that!" Johnny still didn't say anything. What was it gonna take to get him talk! I'm going to make him talk no matter what it takes.

"So Johnny," I leaned over to look at Johnny, "how old are you?"

"Sixteen." He said quietly. I thought he was younger than that. Dally came over with a cigarette in his mouth and took a seat next to me. He put his arm around me and gave me a dangerous look. I got cautious.

"So uh, what's the farthest you ever got with a guy huh?" He looked at Ponyboy and laughed.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I said teasingly. I gave Ponyboy and Johnny a little wink and they chuckled. I was actually disgusted with him, but I wanted to see what his reaction was. Dally laughed at this.

"Why don't you show me some of your moves later?" he said seductively.

"Nah I'm ok with that." And I got out of Dally's grip. He nodded at me and gave me a silly little grin. He knew I can talk smooth. "Johnny, wanna come with me to get some cokes?" This is my chance. Come on Johnny say yes!

"Uh sure." He said nervously. He got up and stood beside me, we walked to the concession stand together. Emily Melissa Raga this is your chance, TALK TO HIM!

"So uh Johnny," Psh not a good conversation starter. "Do you like school?" Psh wow smooth Em, real smooth. Johnny hesitated.

"Uh yeah, its ok I guess…..doesn't really do me any good." He said and looked at me. His face is so hot! "I don't ever get anything outta it, it bores me dead actually."

"Yeah I'm not really fond of it either." We were silent the rest of the way and we bought cokes for everyone. I didn't do a good job trying to start a conversation with Johnny, as you can all see.

We got back to our seats and there were two guys I have not seen before. One of them was really handsome, he looked about eighteen. The other one was older, about twenty, and he was buff, there wasn't one inch on his body that didn't have muscle on it. I heard Ponyboy talking to them.

"Yeah that's her." I heard him say. The eighteen year old came up to me, shook my hand and gave me a beautiful smile.

"Emily I believe?"

"Yes," I said with a warm smile. His smile is so cute!

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sodapop, Pony's older brother, hope you like it here."

"Thanks." I said to Soda. Wow he is handsome! The muscular, older guy came over and greeted me.

"Hey I'm Darry. Nice to meet you." He said to me. He had a very stern face. He looked like he doesn't get out that often, like he isn't living as wildly as his brothers. Soda, he looks like someone who is always happy, and Darry, he seems kind of uptight. And Ponyboy is just, normal, I can't really describe him.

Johnny and I sat down next to each other, and the movie was starting soon. Two-Bit and Steve eventually arrived, drunk I might add. We watched the movie, and I sat between Pony and Johnny incase Dally tried anything. When the movie ended we didn't feel like watching another Paul Newman action film, so we walked home, it was about eight o'clock. We were just talking about the movie and stuff.

"Shit man that movie sucked," Dally said. It was kind of obvious that it came from him. "What kinda action movie has no babes in it?" He laughed with Two-Bit. We got to Ponyboy's house first, so all three of the brothers went home and said goodnight to us. Two-Bit and Dally left to go hunt some action. All that were left was me, Johnny, and Steve.

"You gonna bring her home?" he said to Johnny.

"Yeah I'll take her, you go Steve." Johnny said looking at Steve.

"K, bye, nice to meet you Em." Steve said to me.

"G'night." I wasn't really tired, I just wanted to spend time with Johnny.

"So, you want me to walk ya home?" Johnny asked me.

"I'm not really that tired, you wanna just hang at the park?" Johnny kind of flinched at this.

"Ok, sure." It was really cold now. I have no idea why I didn't bring a jacket, I mean Johnny was cold to but at least he had his denim jacket.

We got to the park and we sat down and lied on the grass staring at the stars. It was such a clear, beautiful night. You could just stare at the stars forever and get lost in them.

"Gosh sure is pretty out huh?" Johnny turned to me. "You can just get lost in them, escape from here and just look out amongst the stars." Wow was he reading my mind?

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking," and I turned to him and leaned my head on my elbow. "When you need to escape from all the excitement all you need to do is look at the stars."

"Yea, me and Pony watch the stars at night, maybe even for hours a couple of times." Johnny looked back up at the stars and so did I. I couldn't believe this was happening. There was such a connection between us. We were so emotionally entwined with each other. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. He didn't move or flinch of anything so that was good. I closed my eyes and I felt an arm wrap around me, holding me close. A couple moments after that I felt a light kiss on my forehead. I smiled and fell asleep.