1Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders, if I did, my name would not be Grace, and I would not be writing on Fanfic.

Chapter 1

I stepped out of my house, walking down the old, broken down steps. A slight breeze swept across me, and I held my sweatshirt tightly.

"Hey, come on, baby. We can't be late," yelled Todd, my soon to be ex- boyfriend. We were going on a double date with my best friend, Marie, and one of her ever changing boyfriends, Austin. I was going to break the news to him after the movie, I just couldn't wait any longer. We had been going out for about 2 months, and I could tell then all he wanted was sex, but I wouldn't give it to him, that pervert. I ran down the steps, the wind blowing in my light brown hair. It had only been a little over a year since I had to bleach it blonde, but it was still a little bleached at the ends. I turned my head to the left, and as I was walking down the steps, so was some one at their house. It was like slow motion, us walking down at the same time. It was Ponyboy, and I hadn't seen him since, well since only about a week before that. Of course I saw him in school, we were in the same grade, but I hadn't talked to him since my 15th birthday.

I turned my head again. "Yea, I'm coming, hold your horses," I yelled as I latched my gate. Ponyboy was watching me out of the corner of his eye, I could tell. I jumped over the edge of the convertible's door and sat down next to Todd. He rushed away and we passed Ponyboy, Todd laughing as a little dirt flew on Pony as we passed him.

"Todd! That was mean, I know that kid. What? Wait, don't laugh, it's not funny!" I yelled at him, looking back at Ponyboy and seeing him standing there, looking after the car a little sadly. It broke my heart. Todd was a middle classer, but turning into a Socy type person with each passing day.

"Oh come on babe, it's not like ya know him that well. I mean, what did ya guys ever do together? You're not friends." He tried to kiss me quickly while at a red light, but I turned and pretended like I was interested in looking at something else, which happened to be the DX. And Sodapop was outside filling up a car. He looked up briefly, then did a double take. I looked a little over his shoulder. The Curtis's were just all haunting me that day, it seemed. Who would I see next? Darry?

"Well, just for your information, he was my best friend about a year ago. If you payed any attention to me, you would have known that. You know what happened."

"Wow, what ever, babe. That doesn't matter, come on, it was a long time ago. And it's not like you knew them for that long. God, that kid that died, you only knew him for a couple months, right?"

"That's not the point. They ar-were my friends, please respect that."

"Yea, I respect you. Anyways, oh, Austin, you see that football game last Friday..." And so he left me to think to myself. Some great boy friend, huh. Marie tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around, and she pointed at Todd, and raised her eye brows. I nodded in confirmation that yes, I was going to dump him that night. She leaned back nodding, and Austin wrapped his arms around her. She started chewing some gum, snapping it loudly. I thought about how I wanted to see Ponyboy, maybe talk to him more. And the gang too, of course. But I really was confused, I kind of didn't want to talk to them, too, if you know what I mean.

"Hey, we're here, babe," Todd said as he pulled into a spot in front of a movie screen. The movie had just started, and Austin and Marie started making out all of the sudden. Quietly, but still... I was like... okay. Todd looked over at me, and started leaning.

"Is it possible to watch the movie? I've wanted to see this," I said. I didn't want him to think he was about to get a free make out session for free with me. He looked over at the screen for a little bit.

"But-"

"No." He started getting a little mad.

"You know-"

I decided that I wasn't going to put up with this. I motioned towards Marie and Austin. He smiled and nodded.

"Hey, guys, me and Corey here are gonna get some stuff, you want something?" Marie waved us off. I sighed and got out of the car.

"Todd, can we go for a walk, it's nice out." He shrugged. We walked out of the theater together, and I steered him towards the way we took here. I was silent.

"So-"

"Okay, we need to talk."

"You just won't let me get damn word out, will you, woman." I frowned at him.

"It's not working out between us, got it?"

"What?"

I breathed in. "Todd, I think we should break up. No, you know what? We are. I don't think, I know." I stopped walking, and he kept on walking for a second, then turned back around.

"Babe, are you dumping me?" He asked, getting mad.

"Don't call me babe, and never call me woman. Don't call anyone that, no one likes those names, okay?"

"No one dumps me. I've never been dumped, and it's not going to happen."

"Well there's a first time for every thing, babe," I said through clenched teeth.

"Don't never talk back to me," he said, pointing a finger. I put on a disgusted face.

"That was a double negative, idiot." Todd came up to me, and slapped me across the face with such force, it knocked me backwards.

"I said, never talk back to me, bitch." I stared up at him amazed. I tried to go around him, but he pushed me all the way down. "Get down on the dirt were you belong, greaser." I gaped at him, wondering how my old boyfriend turned into this monster...

The next thing I knew two people were on top of Todd, and another was pulling me up. I turned around and Sodapop was in my face.

"Get the hell off me, I can do whatever I want with her." I heard Todd yell.

"Bastard! She's not fucking property." The two got off him and Todd ran away to the drive in, but not before flipping me off. "Jack ass..." And the two turned away. The one who had been speaking was Two-Bit, and the other was Steve. Two-Bit had his switch out, the one I had handed to Pony a week ago. Steve turned to Sodapop.

"The girl okay?"he asked. Sodapop looked down onto me.

"Yea, Corey, what happened? Why you out with... him?" Sodapop asked.

"He was my boyfriend. Anyways, I have to go home, so I'll see you guys later," I said as I started to walk away.

"We'll come with you. We're going that way anyways."

"No, it's okay."

"But-"

"Seriously, I'm fine." Sodapop looked at me for a second, and motioned for Steve and Two-Bit to follow him to wherever they were going. As they turned the street I sat down on the curb. I sighed long, and I looked down into the street. "Why can't I ever hold onto anything?" I said to myself. Yea, I know, I'm crazy. Get over it. I looked up and saw Marie walking briskly towards me.

"What happened, hun?"

"... we broke up?" I said, looking up at her. She bent down next to me, expertly so her skirt wouldn't show her underwear.

"Girl, you should see your face, it looks worse then when... well it looks bad."

I knew what she was trying to say. She was talking about how I looked one day when my father had hit me across the face. It really wasn't that bad, but it kinda hurt inwardly, too. He 'kicked me out' and I went running to her. That was only about a month after my 14th birthday. Upon instinct I started for the Curtis's, but then kept on walking. But now, my father had gotten better. He still drank, but I wasn't afraid. He was usually too 'high in the sky', if you know what I mean. He found a new women, one of them new hippie type ladies. She had to be like 30. I never really talked to her. In fact, I never really gave her the chance. I didn't want her to go on a rant or something. She was probably one of the type that want to kill you if you eat meat or something. You should have just seen how long and thin and blonde her hair was. I don't really want to know where my father and her met.

"Let's go do something."

"Oh, I got it! Let's go see Angela! Unless she's out with Bryan(A/N– How do you spell his name? He's the one from That Was Then, This Is Now that had dated Angela for a while) or somethin'. We can go check her place." Marie said and grabbed my wrist. I let her pull me up, and off we went to find Angela.

"Hey, what are you guys up to?" Angela Shepard said as we stood on her front porch. I pushed her aside and went into her small hall. I sat down on her couch in the living room. Marie followed suit, and Angela went into her kitchen for a coke.

"Nothin', Corey just broke up with Todd as you can tell." Marie patted my cheek lightly. Angela threw a coke at me, and I caught it.

"Shit girl, he did that? Damn I woulda slapped him right back. Well, at least you broke up wit him, he don't deserve you. He was damn trash."

"You said it. So what you do with Bryan lately?" I asked.

"Hah, I broke up wit him today. No good fucking son of a bitch..."

"Awww, Angie, what he do?" Marie said, trying desperately to open her can of coke. I grabbed it, opened the top, gave it back to her, and she smiled and sipped.

"Him? He didn't do nothing. I was just bored. That no good liar is goin' say somethin' like he dumped me, it's for sure. Why ain't there no good boys in town?" She drawled, and after finishing half her coke, she filled it halfway to the top with rum. She offered Marie some, and then poured some over Marie's bottle. She then offered me some, but I declined. She shrugged, and went back with her story. "Actually, there is one boy... and Corey, you can get him for me." She smiled devilishly.

"What? I can't do anything. You're the one who set me up with EVERY one of the boys I been with. Well there were a couple that weren't, but you get the idea."

"No, not one of them dumb ass liars that think they're all tuff and shit, I mean Ponyboy." I almost spit out my drink. I mean, come on. Imagine Angela Shepard and Ponyboy Curtis actually... dating. I wouldn't stand for it. Well, what I mean is... they weren't meant to be. Well... who am I to get in the way? I caught myself thinking. But he wouldn't date her if the rumor of her being the biggest whore in town got around... I hit myself on the head. Marie and Angela stared at me. "What? We'd be cute together!" She said.

"No, I just have a slight headache. Anyways... Angie, I don't talk to him anymore." I said as I thought of the first excuse I could.

"Well that don't matter. Just... start talkin' to him more, and hintin' about me or somethin'. Play it cool. But I want him to take me to the dance, so do it fast!" She said filling her bottle to the brim again.

I sighed. "... what are friends for?" I said quietly. She, what sounded like at least, squealed and ran over to hug me.

"Thanks girl. Name any boy, I'll get him to hook up wit you. I'll get him to take you to the dance. Well there's George, he's cute, James, oooo he is fine maybe him, and then Aus- wait Marie is datin' him, sorry Marie, OOOO I know! How about Mark! You know Bryan's brother? He is definitely tuff. Maybe I can get him..." She said as her voice trailed out of my head. Marie was pouring more drink into her bottle, it didn't even have coke in it anymore, when Curly sauntered in.

"Hey Curly," me and Marie chanted together, well... she kinda slurred it.

"What you doin'," Angela scowled at him.

"Listenin' to you dorks rant on about guys. You're tryin' to get Corey a date? Well, if you can't find any-"

"Not you, shit heap. We're lookin' for some one good looking. As in not you," Angela said crossing her arms.

"Well, shouldn't Corey decide that?" he said back, not once looking down at me.

"Just leave, idiot."

"Fine, whatever. And Ponyboy never goes for girls like you, Angela. He goes for more of the," he glanced at me, looking me up and down quickly, "nicer type."

"Shut the fuck up, Curly."

"Hey Curly, if ya wanna take me to the dance, I'd love that," Marie said, standing up and getting kinda... close to Curly. I sprang up, and gently pulled her towards the couch. Curly looked down at her kinda confusedly. He's not all bad, I gotta admit.

"Hey, honey, Austin's taking you to the dance, remember? Why don't we leave. We'll see you tomorrow, Angie. Bye, Curly."

"Okay, bye," Angela said, looking at Marie. "Remind her never to drink." And she closed the door behind us. I helped Marie down the stairs.

"Hahahah, where are we? Oh, are you goin' with Curly? You should. Go. Go now. No, wait, go with Ponyboy. I know you like him. Nah, you prolly love him or something. Wait, what about Mark? Or was that Angie? Or... oh God... I feel sick."

"How much did you drink?"

"I dunno, I found a couple bottles of whatever... something else then what Angie put in my drink... what was that anyways? Well... I did finish the bottle of that stuff from my coke off... but I found something else... oh Lord, my stomach..."

"Wait, let me... you drank her bottles of whiskey? Oh Marie, you know better. Come on, my house is closest. Plus my dad's gone for the week or something, anyways." I said after I caught a whiff of her breath. She nodded and we set off for my street.

"Come on, it's really not farther. Come on, honey. Look, you can see my house. Oh, sweetie, don't... puke." I said as she started throwing up near some one's gate. I looked up to see my home only two houses away. I pulled back her long dyed black hair behind her, and rubbed her back as she threw up what I thought was everything in her stomach. I guess she had never drank before, and she couldn't handle it. "Marie, are you alright, can you take more steps, honey?"

I lead her down a few more feet and she threw up again. This time it was in some one's yard. She knelt down and held her stomach. I closed my eyes tightly, I felt like puking in some one's yard myself. I couldn't stand the smell and sight of throw up. She weakly stood up, and held her hand on her forehead. I heard a screen door open.

"What's goin' on out here?" I heard a man ask. I looked up. It was Darry, stepping out of his house. I knew it wasn't Marie's fault, but I couldn't help but wondering why she had to throw up on his lawn, of all lawns.

"Darry, she's just not feelin' well," I answered, standing close to Marie. I saw Sodapop step onto his porch quickly, looking at me.

"Have you two been drinking?" Darry asked, coming out of the gate towards us.

"Oh, it's not like that-"

"What do you mean, I can smell alcohol from here. You only just turned 15, don't drink-"

"It wasn't me, it was Marie. Now if you'll excuse us, I would appreciate it if you would let us go," I said, almost grinding my teeth.

"I shouldn't let you guys go to you're house alone with her like that. Come inside, at least for a little. Two-Bit comes in drunk some times, and I have some stuff that's good for people when they're like that."

"Darry, you really don't have to."

"I'm not letting you go into you're house unsupervised when some one's drunk."

"Darry, it's my life. We're just neighbor's. It's okay, I can take care of us. Dar, stop acting so... so guardian-ish... well I don't know. Just we're fine." I saw Ponyboy step out onto the porch, next to Sodapop. I glared over at my house, burning a whole in the side of it. I gently pulled Marie towards my home, and she pointed at Ponyboy.

"But, but don't you wanna see Pony... boy? You want to talk to him... wait... who wants to talk to who? I'm confused, I- I think that you need to... do the thing."

I closed the front door of my house.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up or something. Then we can go to sleep. You're gonna have a hell of a hang over in the morning. That's for sure." I cleaned off Marie's face for her, and we went into my bed room. She walked straight over to my bed, and got in it.I changed into some old pants and a large tee shirt, and I pulled out a blanket out of my closet and got onto the floor next to the bed, and used an old stuffed dog as my pillow. I was on the hard wood floor, but I really didn't mind. As long as Marie was comfortable. But it was her fault she drank that much. I didn't have any sympathy of people who drank alcohol, or at least while they we're drunk or tipsy.

I sighed, and fell asleep pretty quickly for having an old stuffed animal for a pillow, and a thin knitted blanket for my coverage.

" 'night," I whispered up to Marie. I got back as an answer silence, except for a small snore barely able to be noticed.

A/N– So, how was that as a beginning chapter? I hope it was okay, I actually have spent some time on this. Well, please tell me what you think! And if it's a while before I update, don't blame me. Play rehearsal is getting harder, and longer, and I have it mostly every day. Please review! Please, no flames, I'm really trying my hardest, I really can't seem to get my stories togather since the end of Left Behind.