AUTHOR'S NOTE: So this is my first short story in a long time. I feel I should warn you. If you don't like romance stories, and don't like new characters added to The Outsiders, than you won't like this. Also, be warned, though I am ashamed to admit it... I am sometimes a little over the top. I try to tone it down, but sometimes I just can't. Also, thought I brought Johnny back from the dead, I had originally left Dally dead. After reading lots of other stories posted here, I realized that Dally seems to be one of the more popular characters. I decided to resurrect him too. Maybe in future chapters or stories, Mr. Winston will make an appearance!

I haven't seen the TV show, so I based the stuff I have in here on the book and the movie, as well as some of the other books by S. E. Hinton which had some of these characters (namely "That was then, this is now" - for anyone wondering who Cathy is, or what I meant by 'The Ribbon').

Finally, I really did do my best to recreate the characters. I don't think I did a very good job at times though. Still, it's an exercise in writing and I hope to get better at it as time goes by. Any advice/suggestions regarding character behaviour, or how to tone down the melodrama, PLEASE let me know.

I'm extremely nervous about posting this. So... here goes! I hope someone out there enjoys it, anyway...

Disclaimer: Guess what? I don't own The Outsiders, though I did create Ava...

When the bell rang out over the PA system, Ponyboy Curtis jumped out of his seat, threw his math books recklessly into his backpack and headed out the classroom door as quickly as possible. Finally, he thought, Math class is over. I thought it would never end. He had to hurry too, since Two-Bit would be waiting for him in the parking lot. They were going to head over to the DX to meet up with Soda and Steve.

He was deep in thought about the take home math test he had stuck between the pages of the text book. He had no idea how he was going to get through it. It was due on Monday, and he had big plans for both Friday and Saturday nights, which left him only tonight and Sunday to get the whole thing done. Math was not a strong point for Ponyboy, and he knew it would be a struggle to get through the logarithms in time, to say nothing of getting a good mark.

At least his marks had improved, though, he pondered as he shoved his way through the crowd of students gathering in the halls. Sure, his tenth grade year had been a tough one. In fact, he had barely made it through, what with Johnny killing the soc. If he hadn't done so well in English, and gotten the doctor's notes, then he knew he would be in tenth grade again this year, instead of in the last haul of eleventh.

But then, Johnny's miraculous recovery had had something to do with his grades improving too. As he rushed down the stairs to the High School's main level, his thoughts once more turned to Johnny, and the past year.

He had thought Johnny was dead for sure, the way his hand had slid from Ponyboy's arm, the raspy words escaping past the cracked lips: Stay Gold. But then, he had never heard of a coma before a few weeks later, after his own recovery and the hearing. Maybe if he had heard of one, he could have explained it to Dally… He stopped himself suddenly. He wouldn't think of Dally yet. He'd promised himself he wouldn't think of Dally at all until his friend was released. It was nearly too much to bear and if there was one thing he had learned over the past two years, it was that he shouldn't dwell on events he couldn't change.

When the word came, nearly two months after the hearing, that Johnny had woken up, Ponyboy couldn't decide if he was dreaming or not. He thought it had to have been a dream, but when he stood over his best friend's scarred body, and realized Johnny still couldn't stand, or even feel anything below the middle of his back, Pony decided that it was less of a dream and more of a nightmare.

And then there was telling Johnny about Dally. If a burned up body and broken back hadn't been enough to kill his best friend, then Ponyboy was sure that this news would be. Johnny didn't move, speak or eat for days. It was like he had died all over again. Ponyboy had almost wished that Johnny had died that night months earlier. At least then he wouldn't have had to face Dally's imprisonment, and his parents' never ending abuse, not to mention the new hearing which was brought up. Reliving the night of Bob Sheldon's death would be torture for sweet, gentle tempered Johnny Cade. And yet, for some reason, God had decided to put him through all of that, on top of everything.

When things were looking at their worst, though, a miracle had occurred. First, it was just a twitch. Johnny's mother had been there giving him hell over all the trouble he was causing, and Johnny had gotten so worked up. Ponyboy remembered hearing her from where he sat in the orange plastic chair outside the room. He'd been staring at the paisley wall, pondering how garish the clash between the chairs and the paint, when the door slammed and Mrs. Cade came out, her cheap, red high heels creating a staccato of clicking, echoing through the empty hall as she stormed out. He had stood up and gone in. Johnny was laying on his back, and tears were rolling out the edge's of his dark eyes, which were shut tightly. When he heard Ponyboy come in, he didn't say anything.

"Johnny.." Ponyboy said, placing his hand on Johnny's shin. It was then that he felt it. The leg, from the knee down, twitched. Ponyboy nearly jumped out of his skin, and Johnny stopped crying, in shock. "Johnny! Did you feel that?" Ponyboy had gasped, letting go of the leg and taking a step back. Johnny had hoisted himself up onto his elbows, and stared at his feet, his eyes wider than Ponyboy had ever seen them.

Johnny had been in a wheel chair when they discharged him from the hospital, but he went back everyday for his physiotherapy, and nearly a year and a half later, he was on crutches. Everyday Ponyboy, Two-Bit, or someone would come and help out as Johnny slowly learned to walk again. Now, Johnny had been walking on his own for 3 months, though he still couldn't walk for a very long time without getting tired out and sore.

Ponyboy threw open the school's front door and started toward Two-Bit's Plymouth. Even though Two-Bit had just turned 21, he was still going to school everyday. At least now he was a senior. Ponyboy was sure that this would be Two-Bit's last year, as the faculty were so tired of his antics and wise-ass manner, they would pass him just to make sure he graduated and wouldn't come back another year. Ponyboy felt a pang at the thought of his friend's absence through his own final year of high school. Then he reminded himself: Don't borrow trouble.

"What's up with the big times?" Two-Bit called as Ponyboy neared him. "I thought you'd be waiting for Cathy or something."

"Didn't I say I was going to meet up with you?" Ponyboy retorted.

XXX

Ava Lamont jotted down some final notes as the bell rang out over the PA system. The rest of the class seemed to jump and all rush for the door in a mad dash, while she finished crossing her T's. She brushed her strawberry blond, wavy locks over her shoulder impatiently as she fitted her notes properly into her binder, and gathered up her math text book and calculator. The logarithms take home test would be easy, she sighed, and thought: I wish they would let me in the advanced math class. I feel almost bored… She knew it wasn't likely to happen though and reminded herself she should consider herself lucky they had let her into this class, after missing almost the entire school year.

As she stood, pressing her books to her chest and turning to head out the door, she noticed something on the floor in front of her. Stooping to pick it up, she saw it was a copy of the test. The name "Ponyboy Curtis" was typed neatly at the top of the page. Ponyboy Curtis, she thought as she left the classroom. Isn't that the name of Cathy's steady beau?

She had met Cathy in home economics class three weeks ago. Cathy had stopped her from adding too much baking powder to the biscuits, which had saved Ava from an "F" on the assignment. She was also the first person Ava had met who might be called a friend, since coming to Tulsa last summer.

It might have been boring and lonely for her, those first six months here, if she hadn't still been sick with TB. As it was, she was only well enough to consider company in December, and then her mother and father and brothers and sisters had come to visit, staying the loneliness and boredom until after the New Year.

It had taken all her pleading and begging to convince her aunt and uncle to let her come back to school. But when they saw how hard she studied, and the scores on her placement tests, they had at last relented.

I wonder if Ponyboy Curtis knows he's missing his test paper? She thought as she headed down the hall. She smiled to herself at the strange coincidence. She had only met Cathy a few weeks ago, sure. And Cathy didn't talk a lot about Ponyboy, though she did mention him. It was strange that he had been sitting in front of Ava all this time, and she hadn't know this was Cathy's beau.

She found Cathy in the girl's washroom with some other girls from their grade. They were all giggling and fixing their hair, putting on make up.

"Hey Cathy," Ava smiled as she came in. Cathy turned and smiled back. She still had long, charcoal hair and matching eyes. Ava had instantly liked Cathy upon their first meeting, but what had really solidified the friendship was the fact that Cathy was also very smart, and cared as much about school as Ava did. "I think I found something that belongs to Ponyboy." Ava handed the test paper over to Cathy, who took it and read the name at the top.

"I'm not surprised." Cathy sighed. "He can be pretty bad for losing things, and forgetting things… leaving things behind." Cathy rolled her eyes, and Ava smirked. She knew Cathy was referring to the time Ponyboy had almost forgotten her at the hot dog stand, while on a date at The Ribbon.

"It's due on Monday. Don't you two have a date or something? Do you think you could give it to him then?" Ava asked, tilting her head slightly to the right. She did this out of a habit, something she wasn't sure where she had picked up, but was always acutely aware after she did it. Her older brother Alex often told her she looked like a ditzy blonde when she did it.

"Not until tomorrow night. It's a party for one of his friends." Cathy pursed her lips in thought. "If he doesn't get it started tonight, he won't have time to do it all before Monday. Ponyboy hates math and won't give up either his night with his friends or our date to work on a math test. I guess I'll have to take it to him."

Ava knew what that meant. Cathy had an after school job working in the cafeteria of the hospital on the East side. Since she didn't have a car, it was all Cathy could do to get there on time via the bus. "I can take you. I have my car today." Ava offered. "I can take you to his place, we can drop it off, and then I'll take you to work."

Cathy raised her eyebrows in awe. "Ava, it's so far for you. We live on the other side of town from you, and so is my job."

"It's OK." Ava laughed. "It's not like I have any big plans for this afternoon." You're my only friend, other than Aunt Eileen and my garden, she thought privately.

"Really? Are you sure you don't mind?" Cathy asked again, this time her voice lilting in hope.

"Sure!" Ava laughed. "Anyway, I've never seen the East side of Tulsa, and the way my Uncle Will goes on about it, I'd like to see it. It'll be great to tell him I saw his old stomping grounds."