[I don't know if I told you, but MY STORY takes place in the 80's.]

I SAT ON the counter, not being able to move, just as I was that night. Soda must've known it was them because I looked like I just saw a ghost.

"Long time no see, Winston." Lucas chuckled while grabbing a drink.

Soda moved closer to me and I could feel Steve reaching under the counter for a heater. Lucas and the other Soc's started walking towards us, so I leaped off the counter so Steve could check them out.

Lucas slammed his coke on the counter thinking it would make us jump, but all we did was laugh. "You think that's funny huh, greasers?" He asked with a mean stare.

"I mean, well yeah, because you thought you slamming a coke on the counter would scare us? You've got to be out of your mind." Steve remarked, and rung up the coke.

"That would be fifty cents, Mr. Soc." Steve emphasized the word Soc.

Lucas gave him the fifty cents and then just as he was about to walk out the door, he turned and looked at me.

"You know, we will catch you one day Winston. You won't have your guys to back you up."

I stood there and gulped. There goes walking by myself at night.

Soda looked at me and embraced me in a big hug. "Don't worry, Blue, they won't get anywhere near you."

Part of me wanted to believe him, but the other part of me, well, let's just leave it at that.

When we finished working and Boss gave us the fifty dollars, I grabbed Soda and Steve and ran for the jail. When I walked in, I handed them the thirty dollars because I already paid the twenty dollars when the police officer came to my house.

"Let me guess, Dallas?" The man asked smiling.

"You know it, Matt." I chuckled.

I've been here so many times to bail Dally out, everyone here knows me. He came out a minute later with Dally. When Dally saw us he smiled. "Well golly! I didn't know when you were going to get here!"

He gave me a hug and we walked out the door. When we were walking, I looked at Soda and Steve. "Can I talk to Dally alone for a minute?"

They nodded and I looked back towards Dally. "Dally, I need to tell you something."

He looked at me and lit a cigarette. "Go on."

"I need you to slow down. I had to actually get a job at the DX just to bail you out! I'm sick and tired of the fuzz banging on my door just to ask me to pay them MY money for something YOU did!"

When I finished, he stopped and laughed. "You really think that's going to stop me? You're not the boss of me and last time I recalled, I'm the boss of you."

We walked up the front stairs to our house and walked inside. "Oh really? You're the boss of me? Last time I RECALL being the boss of someone actually requires you to WATCH them! Not go out and party all night and come home drunk!" I screamed.

Dally smacked me across the face and I gasped. His eyes went wide, "Skylar! I didn't mean to!"

I ran out the door and towards the park. It was late at night, but I didn't care. I sat on the swings Soda and I used to swing on and started crying. I can't believe my brother just smacked me in the face.

I heard a car door slam and I glanced up and I took a deep breath. Blue Mustang. Blonde hair. Soc.

Him and his other two friends started walking towards me, and I didn't even move. I just gave them a cold, hard stare.

I reached for my switchblade - that was my dad's - in my back pocket. "Well, two times in one day! I think that's a record don't you think, Mike?" Lucas looked at the guy who handed him the scissors that night when they tried to cut my hair.

"Yes, I think that is a record." Mike laughed.

"What's Ms. Winston doing here on this fine night crying?" Lucas asked, getting closer to my face. I could just smell the alcohol dripping from his mouth.

"None of your business that's what." I snapped and pulled my switchblade out.

He backed up and chuckled. "You think a switchblade is going to scare me? I have two of the strongest Soc guys with me and you only have a switchblade."

[creds to S.E. Hinton for the scene below!]

I stood up to walk away, but he grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear. "Where do you think you're going?"

He picked me up and I kicked and screamed so loud, hopefully Soda and them could hear. "Shut your little trap, Winston!" He yelled and shoved me into the water fountain.

I kept gasping for air every time they let me back up. Then, they shoved me in the water again. "I think Ms. Winston here needs a little alcohol! I don't think she's had any yet!" Lucas yelled.

He poured alcohol all over me and shoved me back into the water. I could feel my lungs filling up with water. Next thing I hear is a shout and a bang and I blacked out.

//

WHEN I OPENED my eyes, I heard monitors like I did when I used to come with mom or dad when they went to work. The hospital.

I opened my eyes and all the guys rushed over to me.

They started talking all at once and the nurse had to move them away from me because I was getting overwhelmed. "One question at a time, please." The nurse spoke and then walked away.

"Blue, what exactly happened?" Soda came up and grabbed my hand. He looked like he's been crying, but I figured it was allergies or something.

I coughed and some water came out. "I don't know, maybe you should ask Dally." I snapped and looked straight at a guilty looking Dally.

Everyone looked in Dally's direction and he leaned back against the wall. "Me and her got into an argument and I slapped her. She went off and I guess Soc's got to her."

Everyone started getting mad, but I started talking again.

"I was sitting on the swings when they came up. You know who I'm talking about Steve and Soda." I looked towards them and they nodded. "They were talking and I grabbed my switchblade out. Then, I started to walk away, but he grabbed me and then they started drowning me. They poured alcohol down my throat and then I heard something and blacked out. Who saved me?" I asked, looking at all of them.

"It was Soda." Darry started, "we were sitting on the couch and Soda said he heard a scream that sounded just like yours. I kept telling him he's just hearing things when finally he grabbed me and Pony and we ran up to the park and found them drowning you. Soda came up behind the blonde headed one and punched him so hard he blacked out. You did too. Luckily, we got there just in time or the doctor said you wouldn't have made it."

When he finished, I looked straight at Soda and smiled. "Thanks, Soda." He looked back at me and smiled.

When we left the hospital, Dally kept trying to talk to me, but I wouldn't even look at him. It was his fault all this happened.