I started walking faster not even bothering to look back I already know who it was. a soc. probably lookin' for someone to jump and of course I just happen to be there the car stopped and someone got out "Ponyboy wait a minuet" Cherry's soft voice said I wiped eyes and turned around "oh hey Cherry" I said "I was wondering if you wanted to go out now? then I could drop you back off an we could eat at 7" she said I would never turn down a day with Cherry but right now I had to I was in no condition to talk to someone "well I was thinking maybe 7 would be better so were not buggin' each other the whole day" I said "oh okay well where would you want to meet tonight?" she asked "we could meet at the park and go from there" I said "okay I'll see you tonight'' she said then she got back in her car and drove off. leaving me to start my way home again I finally got to my house and no one was home which was fine by me I needed to be alone anyway. I went to my room and opened the book Gone With The Wind and read the letter Johnny left in it and it hurt real bad tell Dally I don't think he knows, but it's too late to tell Dally anything I haven't been keeping up with reading this book too many memories I couldn't cry anymore my head was gonna explode of a headache maybe I should get tough like Dal said it would be better than drowning in my sorrows I decided that's what I was gonna do I was gonna be tough like Dallas. I picked up his switchblade and put it in my back pocket and I picked up his dog tags I had a hard time deciding to wear them or not I didn't wanna give it off why I had a change of heart but I wore them anyways someone opened the front door and yelled "anyone home?" "yeah in here" I yelled back "Pony?" it was Two-Bit "yeah?" I asked "heard you got a date with a soc tonight" he said "yeah so?" I said "geez I was just gonna say congratulations" he said "yeah I'll be out bopping around town tell Soda and Darry not to wait up for me" I said then I grabbed my jacket (bopping means walking around town its a 60's slang word) and Two-Bit said "where you going?" "as if I would tell you" I said then opened the front door and Soda and Steve were standing there "where you goin'?" Soda asked "don't worry about it" I said then walked past them and started walking down the street smoking a cigarette I walked into some bar and checked the clock it was 5:30 I walked down to the corner store where me dally and Johnny met before the movies and I just messed around smarting off to people at the counter just like Dallas used to do. now I know why he did it, it was fun to watch people's reactions and it made you feel so high in the sky this guy was buying a pack of smokes and I smarted off to him to but he just laughed then left the cashier said "you remind me of this one kid who used to do the same thing" "Dallas Winston" I said "yeah him man he got jailed here so many times for stealing" the cashier said "yeah" I said then I flicked my cigarette at him and walked out it felt good to look at things from a different point of view like Dally's man was he tough and now I feel tough. I made my way to the park for Cherry and there she was driving up to me "hey" she said "hey" I said "you ready?" she asked "if you are" I said "okay" she said then I got in the car and she started driving "where exactly do we go?" she asked "wherever man I don't really care" I said "okay well do you mind going down south side?" she asked a little part of me was saying yes but the rest of me was saying no "lets do it" I said ignoring my feelings "alright" she said "you look really beautiful" I said "awe thanks" she said soon enough we were in south side and driving around "you wanna park the car and walk around?" she asked "sure" I said then she pulled into a parking spot and we started walking down the sidewalk sometimes walking into stores "lets get something to eat i'll buy" I said "okay" she said then we walked into this soc restaurant that I had no reason to be at but I did it for Cherry. We sat down and ordered cokes "so are you okay about the whole situation now?" she asked "yeah I've realized that people come and go and Johnny and Dally were the ones who went" I said "oh yeah" she said "yeah" I said "what do your dig tags say?" she asked "oh these? there Dal's" I said "oh at least you still have some memories" she said "yeah" I said "Pony I really like you maybe we could do this often" she said "you dig okay" I said sounding like Dally she smiled and said "thanks so do you" which made me smile "you know your like the only soc I could fall for" I said "really?" she asked sounding surprised "well yeah why wouldn't you be?" I asked "oh well I don't know probable cause of everything's that's happened" she said "well if there's one thing I learned its that you shouldn't live in the past" I said "you seem to be holding up okay" she said "well what else am I supposed to do not be tough and break down every second?" I said "its okay to cry" she said "nah Dally said if your tough nothing can touch you" I said "don't be like him be yourself I mean that's who I fell in love with that night the real Ponyboy" she said she hit me by surprise when she said love "love?" I asked "yeah it tore me apart to tell you that night to not take it personal if I didn't say hi to you in the hallway at school" she said "oh well I think I love you to" I said then I don't know how it happened but I kissed her she smiled and so did I "we've been through a lot with Johnny killing your boyfriend and then you wanting to be our spy to help in court and then now were kissing you wanna go out with me?" I asked "I'd love that just don't act like Dallas on our next date you dig?" she said "yeah, and keep yourself pretty like that you dig?" I said "yeah" she said then she drove me home "until next week" I said then I got out of her car and watched her drive away man I felt special maybe I'll be like Dally just not around her.