Hi, everyone! Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites. Let's me know that you all enjoy it. I wrote this listening to Lana Del Ray's 'Young and Beautiful'. I hope you all have the same feeling about the second chapter!

"Cherry."

He says her name and it knocks her out of her shocked staring and she finally smiles at him. It's a small one but a smile. Bonnie, standing beside her, seems confused. She looks between her old friend and this man, trying to figure out the connection. With the way they're looking at each other her and any passerby assumes they used to be together. She didn't even catch that Cherry had called him Pony.

But Cherry looks on him differently than that, more important than even a previous lover. He was a person who gave her a chance to change…and she blew it. She likes to think they affected each others lives equally but standing here in the street she suddenly doesn't want to tell him what she's been up to these past eight years.

"Wow, it's…," he tries again, breathless as he looks her over as if he hasn't seen her in a century not just eight years. Suddenly, for Cherry, it feels like yesterday.

They join for an awkward hug, arms jerking to find the right placement. Her arms wrap around his middle and she pats him on the back a little. His sweater is fuzzy and warm. It smells like soap, cigarettes and cologne. It's not the cheap kind either. She pulls away first despite how good he smells and grins at him. He's got black-rimmed glasses, hair done up a little messy but it suits him. There's something about him that she can't place and it's not like the something that Bonnie's got because despite her shame of how little she has changed about her life she's just happy to see him.

Bonnie clears her throat beside him and she wants to shoot a glare at her but she simply recovers and continues the conversation. She doesn't notice that the ring on her hand is a wedding ring for the first time in a long time.

"How have you been?" she asks, knowing it's a loaded question for her but she wants to know what happened to the boy she once knew. He chuckles and she doesn't know why, running his hands through his hair. She can't remember him when he didn't have grease in his hair. That word sounds so far away. Greaser. God.

"I'm actually here teaching. They're letting me get credits for my Masters degree. I'm studying Literature," he offers at her quizzical glance. She smiles fondly, catching a stray hair that had been hanging by her cheek and swiping it behind her ear. She always knew that he'd go into something having to do with his writing. Secretly, she had read his writing when it had been hanging on Mr. Syme's dirty chalkboard, a fat red 'A' written across it in marker that had bled a little bit. There were benefits to being in so many extra-curricular activities after school that no one would give her a second glance when she had been walking down the hall.

"Oh," she responds and it sounds as if she's disappointed. But she expected this and now she comes to the part where she has to admit to defeat. For the stubborn teenager still stuck inside of her this makes her angry, increasing the shame she feels. She looks for a way out now. She wants to get home to her daughters. For them to remind her about what this is all for. She wants to see there big happy smiles and she wants to have to clean up split orange juice. But only for them.

"You know I've actually got to go-"

"Cherry," Bonnie says, the first word she's said in what Cherry assumes to be a couple minutes. She remembers that Bonnie was asking for money. More salt on her open wound. She takes her checkbook suddenly from Pony's hand and he looks confused. She grabs a pen from her bag, pressing the checkbook onto Bonnie's shoulder and she doesn't catch the confused look between Bonnie and Ponyboy. She scribbles out a check for fifty dollars, not even thinking about her husband who checks the bank account every Friday like clockwork. She hands it to her and shoves the pen and checkbook back into her person.

"I'm sorry you two but I really have to go," she answers their confused glances. She hasn't even introduced them yet.

"Well, I've got a car down the block."

Of course he does.

"I can drive you if you want," he offers.

"Well, I've got to go pick up my daughters from school actually," she sighs. She feels a need to go with him that she can't explain and frankly in this situation where her head is spinning she doesn't want to. He looks a little surprised. Maybe he was under the impression that he had changed her too. It hurts.

"Daughters?" he asks and his eyes go to her hand clutching the strap of her purse as he makes the connection between children and marriage. Suddenly, the diamond ring on her finger seems huge, weighing her finger down with every little movement she makes. She laughs to cover up her discomfort.

"Twins actually," she tells him. It's the only thing she's proud of in her life. Those two little girls are her world no matter how many times they make her want to rip her hair out.

"Well, I'm great with kids. Really, let me give you a ride," he offers again.

Of course he is.

Cherry has to at least making up a little bit for the fact that she just threw fifty dollars away and anything to escape this stranger that has taken over her friend's body. So, she nods and then looks to Bonnie.

"It was nice seeing you," she smiles, easily playing an old friend and not a confused housewife like she has become. Bonnie nods and still seems a little shocked, the crumple check in hand where Cherry had placed it a moment ago. She pulls Cherry in for a hug once the shock wears off and Cherry, again, is the first one to pull away.

"You know where to find me, okay?" Cherry reassures her before leaving Bonnie on the sidewalk as traffic goes by, honks erupting from drivers eager to get somewhere they aren't.

The car ride takes only about twenty minutes or so. Pony's never been really much of a talker so it doesn't surprise her when the ride consists of the radio playing low, exactly a little too low so she can't hear it and them trying to toss small talk back and forth. Finally, they settle into a comfortable silence. It's comforting and that surprises her. The only time she speaks is when she directs him to her daughters' school. It's in the suburbia surrounding Oklahoma City, lower upper class and full of developments dotted with lots for sale and new homes. The old homes that are still lived in are beautiful, renovated and large.

The school is a small one but made of bright red brick with a small picket fence to the side where the kids are playing. They arrive just on time, children are seeking out their parents that are standing outside the school and mothers holding the hands of their children dotingly crossing the half-circle rode that loops around the parking lot from the street. She follows Pony's suit as he gets out of the car and she's actually glad when he doesn't rush over and open her own door for her like her hands don't work. She readjusts her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

Pony gives her a reassuring smile, telling her that he'll follow her. She enters the crowd of parents and youngsters alike. The glass door of the school opens and closes so frequently she thinks they should just put a door stopper and let the kids fly out. Pony and her stand outside, waiting for those two little blonde-haired bobbing heads to come out of the open and shut door but the crowd trickles to nothing.

Cherry's worried, scanning around looking for her kids. Pony obviously notices and puts a reassuring hand on the small of her back, "Maybe they're inside?" he offers.

She nods and lets out a sigh of relief. Maybe. She wanders into the kindergarten, looking around and finally she stops at the receptionist. She tells her the last name and all of a sudden the receptionist looks uncomfortable. Cherry's terrified more than confused. The receptionist directs her to her daughter's classroom and inside is where she finds the two of them. Katie is sitting next to her sister, calm as always, kicking her feet as her feet doesn't touch the ground in the large chair she's sitting on. Her hair is tied into two pigtails and her little backpack is on the floor sitting against the seat legs. The room's walls are painted with finger painting art and cheesy little posters remembering them to wash their hands after going to the potty and the elderly woman sitting at the desk is looking over her glasses with beady eyes at what Cherry assumes to be papers on the desk.

Cherry's heart drops when she sets eyes on Stephanie. She's sitting next to her sister, eyes red and puffy from tears. Her hair is a mess and her book bag is nowhere to be found. She rushes over and calls out their names. Katie only looks up and grins but Stephanie runs over and clings to her mother's skirt, beginning to cry again. Ponyboy stays at a respectable distance, unsure of what to do really.

"Sweetie, what's wrong...," Cherry asks, combing her fingers soothingly through her daughter's hair. She picks her up, allowing Stephanie to push her face into her mother's neck. Her teacher, obviously aware now of the commotion, wanders out. Her posture is as straight as a stick and she looks something like a bird with her large nose, beady eyes staring at Cherry through her glasses.

She hands Cherry Stephanie's bag.

"Your daughter...," she begins, grinding her teeth together. "I caught playing...doctor with a boy her age at playground time."

She can tell this woman is judging her, harsh eyes staring at her, taking in everything about her appearance. Even the fact that the man with her is not her husband. She's not ashamed or embarrassed. Her daughters are perfect. It's what children do. All she can feel is hate from some woman who doesn't know her obviously thinking she's a bad mother.

"This behavior is not acceptable at our school," the woman hisses. "I don't know what you allow in your household-"

Cherry holds out a hand for Katie, "Kate, we're leaving."

Kate hesitates, as if trying to pick who to obey.

"Now, Katherine," Cherry snaps and Katie immediately jumps up and clings to her mother's hand. She turns to leave before turning around and for the first time speaking her mind.

"Take the stick out of your ass."

Looks like Cherry's had enough for one day (one lifetime really). I hope you all enjoyed and as always concrits are always welcome!

-nuseble