Disclaimer: I do not own "The Outsiders", they belong to S.E. Hinton. The only thing I do own is the plot and any new characters

Running With The Wind

Chapter 1:

Summary: Things have been going good at the Curtis house. Ponyboy and Darry have began to undestand where the other is coming from when they talk, Soda hasn't had to be the middle man in disputes anymore, and they've become closer overall. When Soda meets a girl one night, she has an impact on him, along with the rest of the gang. But what happens when info. on her family is revealed? What also happens after Soda recieves a letter that changes everyone's lives around him?

A/N: Hey Everyone! This is my first Outsiders fic. (suprisingly), and I have always been a fan. So after watching the movie a couple weeks ago I got a ton of ideas in my head to start writing. I'm open to try any ideas that anyone has, so please feel free to message me or leave reviews with them. It is in Ponyboy's pov most of the time, but it will switch quite a bit for the first chapters (even though I'm one of those people who hates it).

A gentle arm was shaking me awake and the sun was streaming through my windows. I let out a "ugh" and rolled over to the opposite side of the shaking. I knew it was Sodapop just by the way he was whispering, "C'mon Pony, you gotta get up. We're all running late this morning anyway. The clocks are all messed up from Two-bit's idea of 'fun' yesterday." I moaned again, and Soda must've taken it as an okay, because he smiled and left. I laid there another few minutes until I actually moved and rounded all my stuff together, while managing to pick out my clothes.

"Ponyboy hurry up why don't you? At this rate we'll be here until tomorrow morning!" Two-bit called from the living room.

"Oh shut it already! I'm coming, I'm coming!" I called to him pulling on my shoes as I headed out of the bedroom doorway.

"Well it's about time!" Two-bit said, "I would've had time to race a snail and tortoise, and you still would've lost the race!"

"Ha-ha very funny," I replied cracking a smile, "You know you wouldn't be nagging me if you would've left everything in our house alone," I said as I headed to Darry, who handed me a piece of toast.

"Well then what's the fun in that? All I wanted to do was set each clock to a different time to see who could see which one was right..."

"Well it didn't work now did it?" Darry asked turning back the sink to continue speedy cleaning.

"Sure it did...for about an hour and a half!" More debate continued on after that as I double checked everything and put some jelly on my toast. Why Two-bit chose this morning to not be late for school, I have no idea. It's not like it was Friday, it was actually Thursday. Not a big difference really, but still a difference none the less.

"You got everything Pony?" Darry asked me as he headed into his room to grab his keys.

"Yeah I have everything," I replied.

"Alright just checking...I'll be home from work around 5:30 just to let ya know. So if you need anything, just call," Darry reminded me.

"Okay, okay, can I go before Two-bit physically removes me from my own house?" Darry smiled and nodded. Soda and Steve, who were on the couch, called good-bye along with Darry as Two-bit and I headed out the front door. It was a pretty nice out for a March morning, with the sun shining and a light breeze. Two-bit was actually making an effort this year to pass high school, even though he and everyone else knew very well that he would be bored out of his mind without school. I guess it was better than being a senior when you're nineteen or twenty years old though.

Lately things had been going pretty well. It's been about a year and a half since everything with Johnny, Dally, the church, and the rumble. Just thinking about it still makes me shiver. Anyway, Soda, Darry and I are usually pretty cool with each other. I can talk with Darry about more stuff than before, and he's learned to trust me a little more, even though I can see the worried-ness in his eyes. Soda and I are as tight as ever...it's hard not to be, especially after everything. Steve and I are pretty decent to each other now and for Two-bit...well he's the same ole goof ball as he was before. As for the Socs...they're still the same Socs. They'll jump us if they get the chance, but try not to let things go too far.

Two-bit and I reached school and parted ways for the day. The day itself after that was pretty much uneventful. I went to class, did the work, and after school I went home by myself. Two-bit was probably picking up some blonde to hang out with tomorrow night, and I really didn't feel like walking over to the DX. By the time that Darry and Soda rolled in that night, I had managed to finish most of my homework and I was watching a little TV.

"Hey there Ponyboy! What's up?" Soda asked as he came through the door and plopped on the couch right next to me.

"Nothing much really, anything exciting happen at work?" I asked.

"Naw...Tuesday's and Thursday's are usually the slowest days of the week."

"How bout you Darry?"

"I...dropped bologna on a guy's head while I was eating on the roof? How's that for exciting?" Darry asked cracking a smile. Soda and I of course had to laugh at this. Darry wasn't exactly the humorous type, but he at least tried to be.

"That'll do," I told him. He nodded and headed into the kitchen to get some dinner started. After we ate, Steve showed up and eventually Two-bit. After last night, Darry could barely take his eyes off him whenever he went into a different room.

"So what we all doin' tomorrow night?" Two-bit asked.

"Nothing yet," Soda answered, "What do you all say to headin' over to the lot for some football and then the DX or somewhere for cokes?"

"I'm in," I said.

"Sounds good to me," Steve said along with Two-bit.

"I don't know..." Darry began to say.

"C'mon Darry, It's football! You're favorite sport. We have to have you there!" Soda told him.

Darry smiled and gave in saying, "Alright, alright I'm in. But if this month's electricity bill is late, it's all your fault."

"Glad I could help in some way or another," Soda replied with his ever so catching grin. The rest of that night was spent watching some Mickey mouse on TV, my attempt to make chocolate cake, and finishing homework. When I say I attempt, I mean that everyone who walked by stuck their hand in the bowl, stole a lick, and either said, "Too sugary!" or "Not enough sugar!" (That remark usually coming from Soda).

The next night, everyone decided to meet in the lot at seven. When it came to picking teams, Soda and Steve decided to be the two captains. Soda picked me and Two-bit, while Steve got Darry. Yes it was two against three, but Darry was easily equivalent to two people when it came to this game. Soda of course was the quarter back, and Darry was for him and Steve. We would all double our positions since there wasn't enough of us though. It was pretty fun to finally be able to play a game with everyone. Seemed like no one had the time to these days. On the last play of the game, Two-bit was blocking Steve on one side of the field, while I was on the other a little further towards where the end zone was to be.

"Soda, I'm open!" I shouted to him.

"Hey! What about me?" Two-bit asked. Soda threw it to me, and was then tackled by Steve, who got away from Two-bit. I caught the ball and began to run, knowing I could be faster than Darry, who was now running to tackle me (or partially anyway. There's no way he'd use all his weight to do so), if I tried. I ran as fast as I could, with Darry's shadow from the streetlight now not far from behind me. Soda and Two-bit were cheering me to run. As I went to dive into the end zone, Darry managed to grab my ankles and fell the ground when I did. Luckily, I managed to score the winning goal, making the score 21-17.

"Good game little bro," Darry said as he helped me up.

"Right back at ya," I replied. Soda and Two-bit came over and spun me around.

"What do the winners get?" Soda asked, "Free cokes?"

"I guess you baboons earned it," Darry said smiling.

"Woo-hoo! Let's head on down to store then!" Two-bit said as he ran the football to hide behind a tree for later use. We all walked down the general store that was about fifteen to twenty minutes away.