Buck still hadn't returned from wherever he stormed off to, and after hours of cleaning his bar with the gang I'd come to two — maybe three — conclusions on what could've possibly happened to him.

1. He somehow got lost in town, even though he's been living in Tulsa ever since he was born.

2. He got jumped by some douchebag-socs and is severely injured, lying on the concrete bleeding out or something.

Or..

3. He's still pissed and is refusing to return to his own bar, but I'm pretty sure this theory's true because he has no other place to go and it's starting to get late.

Although I was still pissed at what he had said about me earlier, I decided that I should talk to him about it, rather than ignore it altogether. Hopefully, we could sort this out because I actually want to be his friend. Plus, I don't want to be kicked out on the streets. I wouldn't have anywhere to go, and asking for help felt like a weakness.

On another note, I haven't spoke to Dallas either since this morning after our conversation about I don't even know what. He wasn't avoiding me, but he certainly wasn't talking, or even looking, at me. It felt like he wasn't like he wasn't telling me something, and I desperately wanted to find out what it was he wasn't sharing. The only interaction we've had since this morning was mostly between him and Sodapop.

"Soda, man, you've been cleanin' that window for an hour," Dallas said with an eye roll.

Sodapop shook his head and waved Dally away as he said, "Back off, Dal. It's all about precise and precision."

Dallas' eyes rolled to the back of his head. "They're the same thing, stupid," he remarked. I chuckled at his comment, only to earn a quick glance and then watch him walk away, again.

There was a strange vibe in Buck's bar today between it being completely trashed and almost ruined by the socs and Dallas storming out, only to return later with a dangerous look of masked determination on his face.

»»——⍟——««

It was seven o'clock by the time the everyone finished cleaning up the bar. Everyone reeked of chemicals and was completely miserable from all the work and effort it took just to get the place back into a somewhat decent shape. Buck would need to buy new chairs and more liquor, but other than that everything was back to normal.

As I walked out of the back room, Sandy and Evie approached me with matching smiles, eyes filled with hope and excitement.

"Hey Diana," Sandy greeted politely. "Evie and I were going to have a girls night at my place tonight, and wanted to know if you wanted to come too."

I gave the two girls a hesitant look, about to decline their offer, but Evie spoke before I could. "Come on, it'll be cool. Our sleepovers are always a blast."

Sandy nodded along. "You don't want to miss it," she said with a bright smile.

"Fine," I gave in.

"Yay!" Sandy beamed, jumped up and down happily.

Evie smiled and sent me a small nod. "Grab your things and meet us outside, we're taking Sandy's car."

With a simple, "Okay," I turned on my heel and made my way up the creaky steps of Buck's bar and motel.

I walked down the hall and into my room, where I stuff random necessities into my backpack. After grabbing everything I thought I would need for the sleepover, I stepped out of my room and shut the door, mentally debating on whether or not I should knock on Dallas' door, but deciding against it. Maybe I should just give him some space, let the whole thing blow over, and then talk about it sometime tomorrow.

As I walked through the bar, I waved goodbye to all of my friends and thanked them for their help today. Then, I made my way to the parking lot on the side of the building, where I found Sandy's car already ignited. I slid my hand into the door handle and pulled it open, so I could slide into the backseat of her red, rusted car. The two friends had been laughing about something over the soft, pop music that played over the radio before greeting me.

"Hey, D!" Evie exclaimed.

"What did you just you say?" I asked. My brows knitted together in confusion as a wave of déjà vu washed over me.

Evie's expression matched my own baffled one. "I said 'Hey, D'," she repeated unsurely. "You okay?"

I nodded with my eyes gazing off into the distance absently as I thought about the nickname that Todd had also called me. "Yeah, sorry, I'm good."

"Anyways," Sandy spoke up, changing the subject. She was really good at that. "Buckle up, girls!"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No one wears seatbelts, Sandy."

Evie laughed along. "Yeah, hate to break it to you," she agreed.

Sandy rolled her pretty eyes. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," she sighed as she pulled her car out of the parking lot and drove off.

After the short car ride, Sandy drove into a relatively nice, small neighborhood with plain and identical white houses lining each side of the street. The neighborhood definitely wasn't as expensive or extravagant as the socs', but it was an upgrade from the tiny house the Curtis' lived in.

Sandy pulled her car into the empty driveway of a house that sat on a corner. Being that there were no other cars parked in front of the house and all of the lights were off inside, it didn't look like anyone was home. I wondered if Sandy's parents were absent like this all of the time or just out for the night.

Sandy unlocked her front door and flicked on numerous lights within her house. She informed Evie and I to go upstairs and settle in her bedroom, while she gathered a variety of snacks including chips, cookies, and candy. Sandy's room had been a medium-sized bedroom, painted a pale pink and decorated with random, complimentary objects that were placed on her desk and dresser. Her bed was a small queen with floral prints on the covers. Above, she had hung up a few framed polaroids of her and Evie laughing about something and her and Sodapop sharing an innocent kiss. I smiled at the photos, hoping that maybe one day I'd make it onto her wall too.

Sandy returned to her room with small bowls filled with the snacks she had grabbed, and a wide grin plastered on her face. "I'm so excited!" She exclaimed.

Evie chuckled and glanced at me. "She's always like this before sleepovers," she explained nonchalantly.

"Diana, is this your first sleepover?" Sandy asked curiously.

I took a brief moment to think about her question, remembering all the nights I'd spent at the shared warehouse with Erica, John, and Todd. We'd all hung out and slept over there, but I didn't really think that counted considering that it was basically our home. "Yeah, it is," I replied with a small smile. I was actually excited about this too, but I wasn't bouncing off the walls like Sandy.

"Really?" Evie asked, a shocked expression on her face.

I nodded and shrugged. "I've never really had close girl friends," I admitted. I frowned subconsciously as I thought about Erica. She had been my only female friend in New York, and although we were as close as I was with Tod, she was like a sister to me. My whole group was like a family to me, and I felt awful for leaving them behind to deal with the mess I created. It was my idea to steal from that new bank, and it was my idea to run away from it all. I abandoned my own family, and I was starting to feel absolutely horrible about it. I had no idea if they were caught and placed in jail, or if they somehow escaped altogether or separate.

As if sensing my sudden sadness, Evie placed a hand on my shoulder comfortingly, while Sandy leaned in and hugged me with a warm smile. "Well, we're honored to be your friends!" Sandy said cheerfully.

I returned her caring smile and hugged her back. I'd never been this bad at hiding my inner feelings and thoughts, but I guess Tulsa and it's inhabitants were beginning to change me.

About a few hours into the sleepover, the snack bowls had been upgraded to just their full bags of food and the girl talk had already begun. Usually, I avoided these kinds of conversations because makeup, clothes, and gossip never seemed to interest me like robberies and cars, but the night was young and I was open to new topics.

"How are you and Soda, Sandy?" Evie asked from her spot on the carpeted floor. She had been laying down with a Vogue magazine sprawled in front of her as she mindlessly skimmed through the words and flipped through the numbered pages.

"We're great," Sandy said as she painted her fingernails a pale, neutral color that closely resembled her skin tone. "He's just been working a lot more lately. I miss him."

"I get that," Evie agreed, nodding in understanding. "He's probably just trying to make more money, for you and his brothers."

"Darry complained about how tight the bills and taxes have been," I added. "He's just doin' his best to help out after their parents.. ya know," I trailed off, not really wanting to bring up the dark and tragic mention of the death of the Curtis brothers' parents. Ponyboy was the first to really open up about their passing away to me. It was school night, but Darry had let him hangout a little later than usual, so I showed him the view of the sky from Buck's rooftop. I watched as he studies the sunset with thoughtful eyes. He was such a dreamer. As the reds and oranges began to blur together with the dark blue color of the fading sun, he had shared the story of how his parents had been in a terrible train accident a few months before I arrived. The topic of conversations was random, but I could tell he needed to talk about it with someone to get it off of his chest. Ponyboy explained how Sodapop shared a room with him because he'd get terrible nightmares. He also admitted that sometimes he felt like Darry really hated him, but I tried to persuade him otherwise. Sure, his older brother was always hard on him with school work and enforcing rules, but Darry was just looking out for Pony. The youngest Curtis was destined for more than just the small town of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"You're right," Sandy sighed. "I'm totally being selfish about all of this!"

Evie shook her head. "Don't sweat it, Sandy, it's understandable." I nodded along, glancing up from the stack of Cds I had been going through, and shooting Sandy a sympathetic look, which she accepted with a smile.

Sandy finished painting her left hand. The nail polish was perfectly placed on her short nails from years of expertise in being a 'girly' girl. She trained her focus on switching the painting to her other hand, and I watched as she steadily dragged the tiny brush onto her nails. "How are you and Dallas?" Sandy directed her question at me without looking up from her artwork.

I shrugged casually, not thinking too much into her question. "We're good," I replied. I examined another Cd and mindlessly tossed it aside into the growing pile I had made. Sandy and I had very contrasting tastes in music.

"Does that mean you guys are going steady now?" Evie piped up, sending me a coy smile and a wink. She had told me awhile ago that she thought Dallas and I would 'be a cute couple,' which I completely disregarded as I literally got up and walked away from her with wide eyes. It wasn't that I didn't like the idea of Dally and I being together, I've just never felt like this about a person before. Usually, I avoided others like they had the plague, only allowing myself to be friends with a small, select group — Todd, Erica, and John. I felt like a changed person in Tulsa though. The moment I stepped in and helped Ponyboy against Bob and Randy, I met people who would probably be there for me the rest of my life. It was nice to know that other people cared for me and had my back.

Dallas Winston was different from the rest of the gang. He and I shared a connection because of our similar pasts. I trusted him and felt comfortable and safe with him. He made me laugh and smile more than I have ever in my whole life. I knew I liked Dallas Winston even when I hated him.

"We're not dating," I answered with an unintentional huff.

"What!" Sandy exclaimed, shocked at my response. She placed the nail polish down on the floor carefully before shooting me a look. "Why not?"

I looked up from the Cds and returned her stare, shrugging for what felt like the seventeenth time. "He hasn't asked me. I haven't asked him."

"Well, damn," Evie sighed. "Someone in this relationship needs to grow a pair already," she chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and reached behind my for a pillow, which I quickly throw at Evie's face. "You're one to talk," I remarked with a laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Evie questioned cluelessly. She was the type of girl who was really good with giving relationship advice, but not being able to listen to her own words. Her stubbornness and unwillingness to admit secrets everyone already knew was also a downside as to why she was single instead of with the boy who she obviously liked.

Sandy put on a toothy grin as she laughed at Evie and her blushing, pink cheeks. She knew exactly who and what I was talking about.

"I think what she's trying to say is why haven't you gotten together with Steve yet," Sandy filled in the blanks for her. I nodded along with a smug smirk on my lips.

"Oh," was all Evie said. She was completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words because deep down, she knew that Steve and her have had feelings for each other for a long time, but neither of them were ready to confess it in fear of rejection and a broken heart.

"Come on, Eve," Sandy pleaded. "It's so obvious you have a crush on him! Just admit it." She put on her best, award winning smile, much like her boyfriend's movie star good looks. Sodapop and Sandy were like something out of a movie or a book; the beautiful and perfect cliche couple.

"Ya know ya wanna," I teased.

Evie throw her hands up in the air and groaned exasperatedly. "Fine! I like Steve Randle! Okay?"

Sandy and I shared a smiley glance before bursting into laughter, while Evie sat there with rosy cheeks and full embarrassment from her confession.

"Great!" Sandy exclaimed, our laughter slowly dying down again. "Now that we got that out of the way, when are you two gonna get together?"

Evie pretended to think as she said, "Hmm, how about.. never?"

Sandy rolled her pretty eyes and groaned. "You're impossible," she sighed.

"But not hopeless," I added with a sudden idea. Both girls shared a confused look, waiting for me to continue. "Let's make a deal, Evie."

"My mom warned me not to gamble," Evie countered.

"This isn't about money," I said with a smirk.

"My mom also warned me not to make a deal with the devil," Evie remarked, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

"You're mom's a smart woman," I said with a laugh. "But it's not that kind of deal."

Evie nodded. "Spill," she gave in.

"If I ask Dallas out, you have to ask Steve out," I explained.

"And vice versa?"

"And vice versa."

"Alright, D," Evie said with a nod. "What's the catch?"

I put my hands up in surrender and shook my head. "No catch."

"Oh, come on, there's always a catch," Evie said.

"True, but not this time," I said with a growing smirk. I stuck my hand out, waiting for Evie to take it. "We have a deal?"

Evie contemplated her options, but eventually reached forward and shook my hand. "Deal."