"Eh he'll get over it." I muttered mostly trying to convince myself as I kept walking.

I eventually got there and to my luck Soda was working he looked really down though, which was understandable of course.

"Hey Soda how ya' holdin' up?" I asked as I went over to him as he was at the register.

"I don't know man.. I'm worried, I knew I should've went after him last night.."  He sighed as he held his head in his hands.

"What do you mean? What happened last night?" I asked raising my eye brow.

He bit his lip as he looked around to make sure the store was empty as if he was telling some top secret information. It confused me so I looked around too before he started speaking.

"He came back at like 2 in the morning because him and Johnny fell asleep in the lot, Darry got all mad at 'im and slapped 'im then he ran away." He explained as he looked down at the counter, "I just watched 'im leave when I should have ran after 'im.. god I feel so stupid.." He groaned.

"You're not stupid Soda, if anything Darry's the stupid one. He knows how emotional the kid is." I tried to comfort him, I was about to say something else but the bell rang letting us know that the door opened.

We both looked over and saw a group of soc's walk in. They were laughing as they glanced at us then disappeared into the not so tall aisles.

"Ey, watch those knuckleheads for me will ya'? If anything else comes up missin' the big boss is gonna fire me." Soda explained.

"Oh yeah, piece of cake." I shrugged as I left the register and walked over into the aisle they went in, "Didn't your mommy's teacher you that taking what's not yours isn't okay? I hope you guys plan on payin' for those I mean we all know you can." I said as I caught them red handed shoving snacks in their pockets.

"Mind your business greaser. Or you're gonna get hurt." One of them grinned making the others chuckle.

"Awe boo hoo.. you see the cashier right there? His names Sodapop, says so on his birth certificate. Now he can't directly do anything but if I give him the signal he can easily go outside and gather up the whole neighborhood in seconds, now let's see that's.. 1.. 4.. 6 of you and about 20, if not more of us, that you have to go against. I mean after all you are in our territory. So what's it gonna be pretty boy?" I asked raising my eye brow as I grinned at the look on their faces as they glanced at each other.

They put all the snacks back throwing them on the shelves silently walking out as one bumped my shoulder on purpose on his way out, "This isn't over yet, just you wait greaser.." he whispered in my ear.

"What? What do you mean you wanna kiss me? That's disgusting man!" I spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear as I backed away from him, "Y'all better be careful I think he might be contagious!" I yelled at them as he left the store more angry and glaring at me.

I saw Soda at the register laughing as he shook his head, "you're so weird Y/n."

"Hey it works though doesn't it?" I asked as I went back and behind the register sitting down on the ground leaning against the wall.

"I mean yeah I guess so. No one's ever gotten mad at you? Like really mad?" He asked.

I nodded, "oh yeah definitely, Dal got mad at me earlier, oh and yesterday that's why I got beat up I told him to take me out to dinner. Guess he wasn't interested." I shrugged laughing a bit.

He shook his head as he leaned against the counter, "what are ya' doin' here anyway? Don't ya' have school?"

"Well yeah but after I left your house this morning I went to Buck's cause Dal was there and fell asleep but then the cops came and by the time they were done it was already almost 9 so there was no point in going." I shrugged.

"Come on Y/n, you know you're a smart kid. School would benefit you, you could get good grades a good job and get get the hell out of this shithole." He sighed as he looked down at me.

I couldn't help but laugh at his words as I shook my head then looked up at him, he had a completely serious look on his face.

I scoffed and shook my head, "You're funny Mr. Dropout. I'm not as smart as you think I am, definitely not enough to get into college and get a stupid degree. Plus why would I wanna leave? All you guys are here." I asked smiling.

"And when we're not?" He asked with a hint of pity in his voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked my smile slightly fading.

"Well.. Ponyboy is pretty darn smart so he'll most likely leave for college as soon as he graduates highschool, Johnny will probably move with him even if he doesn't go to college." Soda stared to explain.

"Okay.. but that still leaves you, Darry, Steve, Dal, and Two-bit." I said confused.

"You're right, but Darry will most likely go back to school so he can do something with his life and I'm already planning on moving away with Sandy once Ponyboy's old enough, Two-bit has his mom and little sister who's to say he's still gonna be with us like he is now you know? And Dal.. eventually he's gonna grow up and do something with his life. Now where does that leave you? Running the streets like a hooligan 24/7 for the rest of your life?" He continued.

I thought about it for a moment before I looked down at the ground and shrugged, "Sure, if that's what fate decides then yeah I guess, sounds fun. Still not gonna get me to go to school, thanks though." I said playing it off as I stood up and patted him on the shoulder, "I gotta go, I'll see you later okay? Let me know if there's any updates on Ponyboy and Johnny."

"Yeah.. I will.. hey do me a favor?" He asked as I was about to walk out the door.

I stopped and looked over at him waiting for him to speak.

"Promise me you'll think about it? I don't wanna be the one to find you laying in a ditch some day." He said with a sad look on his face.

"Better pray it's not you then." I grinned as I left the gas station walking down the road debating on where to go next.

"Fuck it. Dal here I come." I muttered to myself shrugging as I went to dairy queen to get a peace offering, also known as a burger and fries, and then made my way to Two-bit's place.

"Open up guys! Stella I know they're telling you not to!" I yelled as I knocked on the screen door that was locked. I sighed as I waited for a few more seconds, "I'll give you a dollar if you let me in!"

Soon enough 2 seconds later Two-bits little sister Stella was standing at the door opening it.

"Thank you. Here you go, as promised, and a kids meal." I said as I handed her a small bag with food in it and her dollar she ran off happily.

"Weak!" Dal yelled at Stella as she giggled running to her room as I walked on.

"I have brought a peace offering, in return for your friendship good lords." I announced as I closed the door behind me setting the bag that had Ms. Mathews food in it on the counter since she wasn't there at the moment then went into the living room and handed Two-bit his bag he happily accepted it like a kid getting a happy meal.

I went over to Dal and tried to give him his bag but he just ignored me, "Oh come on Dal, you know you love me. You can't ignore me for long." I said shaking the bag as I grinned.

He tried to ignore me but eventually took the bag from me, "Fine.. you're forgiven."

I smiled as I flopped down in between them, "Great! See I knew you guys wouldn't last long without me."

-Time-skip 2 days later-

Me and Steve were walking down the road, we ran into each other on the way to meet up with everyone else.

Things have been tense since everything happened the soc's have gotten a lot more violent parading all over our side of town trying to intimidate everyone, not that it really worked but they tried you know.

"Hey Cassie's birthday is coming up isn't it?" He asked as he looked over at me.

I nodded, "uh yeah.. in like two weeks on the 13th.." I muttered as I looked down at the ground taking a drag from my cigarette.

"Yeah.. are you guys gonna do anything for it?" He asked.

"Well my dad hasn't done anything since the first year she died but I'm probably just gonna go to the cemetery and take her some flowers." I explained shrugging wanting to change the topic.

"That's cool, I remember she liked flowers, roses to be specific." He said.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "Tulips were her favorite, she hated roses she thought they were basic. You guys dated for two weeks I hate it when you act like you knew her so well." I said annoyed in a bit of a harsh tone.

"Woah, calm down Y/n. We may have not dated for long but we were still friends." He said with a slight chuckle.

"Calm down? How do you want me to calm down when all you ever do every time we talk to each other is bring up my dead sister?" I asked annoyed as I glanced at him with a slight glare, "You act like you guys were the best of friends, like you knew everything about her, you don't even know her favorite flower for gods sake! She told everyone that!"

He stayed silent looking away from me as we walked. I did feel a bit bad I didn't mean to blow up on him like that but for gods sake use your brain once in awhile.

"Sorry.. I haven't really thought about how you felt when I brought her up. I just figured y'know it was something we could bond over?" He suggested glancing back at me.

"You want to bond over my dead sister?" I asked confused.

"Okay yeah that sounds terrible when you say it like that.. I'll stop though, I'm sorry man." He said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Quite with the mushy stuff it's fine don't worry about it." I laughed shrugging his hand off.

We walked for a bit longer making small talk laughing every now and then until it felt like something was off.

It got strangely quiet and felt like someone was watching us. I looked around before turning a round and there it was.

That goddamn blue mustang.

The head lights were off making it almost invisible since it was getting dark but wasn't pitch black yet.

"Steve."

"Hm?"

"Run."

He looked back confused before seeing the car and we both bolted down the road as fast as we could but before I knew it all I heard was a bang.

"Aah you motherfuckers!" I screamed in pain as next thing I knew I was on the ground holding my shoulder.

"Y/n!" I heard Steve yell as he ran over to me moving hand that was now covered in blood replacing it with his as he held pressure on the wound making me hiss in pain. "Come on keep your eyes open Y/n! You can't do this not now!"

I heard the pain in his voice as I opened my eyes looking up at him seeing him look around. "Help! Anyone help! Call an ambulance!"

All I could hear was his cry's for help as my eyes closed again after seeing everyone run over from behind Steve, the last thing I could hear was the voices and footsteps of everyone else in the gang before everything went black, the world around me disappearing..

((I tried to be as accurate as I could with this but if it's not mb😔 cliffhanger hehe🤭