Warning this is mostly flashbacks

I sit with the gang before my date with Lucy. We all sit in a silence before Two-bit states, "you know the only thing keeping Lucy from being a Soc is us. I mean she's a cheerleader, she's in with the Soc group, she gets good grades, and she has a chance to leave Tulsa unlike the rest of us."

"Do you think she'll ever leave?" Ponyboy asks.

"I don't think she wants to," Darry says. "I mean if she wanted to, she would've left already."

"Did you ever wonder if we're the ones holding her back from leaving?" Steve asks. "I do, all the time. She deserves better. I mean she was a model for the longest time."

"That was before," I sigh. "I mean before she got close to us. She was our friend...loosely, but none of us were really close."

"You two were always close," Johnny speaks up. "You're the only reason she's actually in this gang. She wasn't close to any of us minus you."

"We never really saw her when she was a model. So why did she come to this here first?" Steve asks.

"Doesn't anybody ever listen to Johnnycake, he just said it. For Sodapop!" Dally yells then he whispers. "She also had a crush one Steve."

"I remember that," Steve smirks. "We had a little thing going on. No big deal."

"I remember the day she came back from her modeling job," I think back to that day.

Flashback

Lucy bursts through the door smiling, "hey boys. Did ya miss me?"

"Lucy!" I yell as I charge over to hug her, but I knocked her down in the process. "I missed ya so so much boo-bear."

"I missed ya too Pepsi, but can ya get off me?" She chuckles lowly.

"Oh yea sorry," I laugh as I get off her then help her up.

She goes over to Darry, "hey Dar, what's up?"

"Nothing much Lucy," he smiles as he gives her a small side hug. "How was the modeling gig?"

"No chocolate allowed," she spoke three simple words, but the whole room filled with gasps as the boy all had the same horrified expressions on their faces.

"Oh my god!" Two-bit finally speaks up as he looks down at his chocolate cake. "How?"

"I was just thinking about the day I come home," she smiles. "Soda there's some chick Alison, who wants to meet you. She's my best friend and she's moving to Tulsa in a few weeks. She has blonde hair and blue eyes."

"I'm in!" I yell happily.

"Perf....ect....perfect" she giggles as she walks over to Johnny and Ponyboy ruffling up their hair as she laughs. "How are the boys?"

"Good," Pony fixes his hair.

"I'm doing alright," Johnny shrugs. "We all missed you though."

"Awe I missed ya'll too," she smiles as she walks over to Stevie jumping into his arms as she pecked his cheek. "Hey Stevie-o, I missed ya so much!"

"Missed ya too Lucy," he bites his lips. They never dated, but they did crush on each other slightly. If she wasn't so focused on her modeling career they probably would of been a thing.

Flashback over

"She was quite the girl," Steve whistles.

"Yea," I smile thinking back. "I liked her from day one."

"Do you remember how scared she was when she first came back to Tulsa?" Ponyboy laughs.

"Well it wasn't when she first came back it was more when we had our first day of school she was so nervous," Steve chuckles.

"I don't see why," I add in. "She's really smart.

Flashback

"Lucy calm down," Two-bit says in a calming soft tone. "It's gonna be okay."

She shakes her head, "I've only been to modeling school in the last year and a half. They're all dumb!"

"You're smart though," Steve points out.

She sighs loudly, "I guess. I mean I can solve any equation."

"You read my book in less than a day," Pony points out.

"You're a science wiz," Johnny blushes looking over to her.

"You correct me on all my spelling," I laugh.

"You help me in history and I'm a few grades above you," Darry states.

"Five," she states.

"See!" The boys and I all yell.

"Okay. Okay." She laughs rolling her eyes. "I'll see you after school Darry. Have a good day."

"You too guys," Darry jogs off.

She walks over to me leaning her head on me as I wrap my arm around her, "why are ya'll so protective over me?"

"You're our girl, Lucy," I say in a duh tone.

"I guess," she shrugs as we walk into class.

Flashback Over

"How 'bout when I joined the gang?" Dally asks.

"She hated you," I laugh.

"Sooo much," Two-bit adds.

"It was great," Darry even chuckles.

Flashback

"Lucy!" I tackle her to the ground.

She looks up at me laughing, "yes Sodapop."

"We have a new member!" I yell excitedly.

She wipes her face off laughing a little, "say it don't spray it Sodapop."

"Sorry," I blush as I get off her pulling her off the ground and dragging her by her wrist. "C'mon!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She laughs as we run down stairs.

When we get down stairs Dallas whistles at her smacking her butt. Wrong move. "Oooh hey cutie. Why don't you come over here and tell me all about yourself? Now!"

She turns around with this look in her eyes, "excuse me, but I am not an object. I'm a lady. You treat me with respect and don't you dare ever smack my butt ever again!"

"I'll do what I want. I get what I want and I want you!" He yells through gritted teeth.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you how to talk to a lady?" She asks.

"Nope," he shrugs.

"Well somebody should," she rolls her eyes.

"You'll fall for me princess," he walks over to her grabbing her waist in an attempt to kiss her.

She pushes him off her, "oh trust me, I won't! I don't know who you are, what you're about, or why you're here, but I know you're gonna treat me with respect. I have a name, it's Lucy and you will call me by it."

"I prefer the term princess for you, princess," he says with venom dripping in his voice.

"Haven't you ever learned if you talk bad you're gonna get soap in your mouth?" She asks as she twirls her hair.

"Nope," he smirks. "Wanna teach me?"

She walks into the bathroom swaying her hips and comes back out with a bar of soap in her hands, "I'd love to."

"Then do it princess," he opens his mouth.

She gladly pops it in his mouth, "now you better treat me with respect or else."

He takes it out throwing it at her, "I'd rather not princess."

"Oh that's it!" She yells before walking right over to him and smacking him across his face then marching upstairs.

Flashback Over

"Some things never change," Dally smiles. "I'll always smack her butt and call her princess. Sorry Sodapop"

"Yea, but now it's like your guys thing," I point out. "I mean you guys always go back and forth now. It's just how you two are."

"I love it," he smiles. "She's my princess."

"She's my doll though," Soda bites his lips.

"We all lover her," Pony laughs.

"Didn't you guys kiss in the DX?" Steve asks.

Flashback

"Sodapop?" Lucy asks as she sits on the hood of the DX where my dad works. We always hang out here

"Yea Lucy," I turn to look at her.

"Do you like me?" She blushes her southern accent coming out like angels in her voice.

I walk over to her cupping her cheek, "of course I do. I mean you're stunning, sweet, funny, tough, loving, caring, and so much more."

She looks down smiling to herself, "I like you too." She leans in and I find myself leaning in too until out lips touch. We kiss with our mouths open, but there's no tongue involved although I feel something. It's like a tiny spark going off. I've kissed a few other girls, but none felt like this.

"Ewe!" We hear people yell.

Lucy and I pull away to see Darry and Ponyboy standing there. Lucy blushes a deep red as she hops off the car, "I should go. Bye guys."

"Lucy wait!" I yell after to her.

She turns around her long curly black hair flipping as she does she giggles slightly, "I'll see you tomorrow Sodapop."

I smile biting my lip, "I'll see you tomorrow Lucy."

Flashback over

"Lucy was always something special," Darry smiles.

"Our gang would fall apart without her. She's the glue that holds us all together," Two-bit smiles as he looks at all of us.

"She's perfect," Steve smiles.

"She's golden," Johnny says softly.

"But, she has her heartaches too," I remind them. You see the guys see all the beauty, love, and nice things in Lucy, but they don't always see all the pain in her life. "Do you guys remember the time we found out she got abused?"

"How could anybody forget?" Johnny sighs. "It was even worse than when ya'll find out about mine and that's hard to do."

Flashback

The door opens and closes with a slam. The whole gang including my parents look over to see Lucy with the most scared, weak, hurt, and heartbroken look on her face. I rush to her side, "what's wrong Lucy?"

Her real expression gets replaced with a fake smile, "nothing I just got chased by some Socs. No biggie."

I could she was lying and so could the rest of the gang. If anybody can handle the Socs it's Lucy. Darry walks over to her with sympathy locked in his eyes, "Lucy what's really wrong? You can tell us."

"Nothing's wrong," she insisted as she rubs her cheek as if trying to blend make-up, but she doesn't really wear that much make-up....normally. "May I use your restroom?"

"Sure thing dear," my mom smiles before Lucy walks into the bathroom. Once the door closes we hear sobbing and water running.

"I'm gonna go check on her," Two-bit stand up.

"She's in the bathroom though Two-bit," Pony points out.

"Yea, but she ain't using it," he states as we hear sniffing from the bathroom.

"I'm coming too," I announce.

"Same," Darry nods.

Two-bit, Darry, and I rush into the bathroom to see Lucy with no make-up on bruised and cut up looking weaker than ever. I walk over to her, "Lucy, what happened?"

"N-n-nothing," she lies as she wipes away tears. "I told you it was the Socs."

"You can tell us what's wrong," Darry hug her tightly. "We love you Lucy and nothing will ever change that."

"I don't want you looking at me differently," she sighs looking away.

"We would never," Steve says as he walks in.

"Yea, we love you," Johnny and Ponyboy say in unison because, by now the whole gang's in the bathroom taking care of Lucy.

She looks away as if deciding what to do then looks back, "it was my dad. I heard he changed after my grandmother died, but I don't know. I don't remember him before she died and he got drunk. When he's drunk he gets angry and he does stupid things."

"What about your mom?" Soda asks as he hugs me lovingly.

"She's always working," She sighs. "Somebody gotta pay for rent."

After that day she moved in with us sharing my room with me.

Flashback over

"She has a lot of pain in her life," I sigh.

"Yea, but we all forget about it because, she's always so damn strong," Dally says angrily. "It's one of the things that makes her perfect though."

"Do ya'll remember when she was depressed?" Pony asks. "It was such a low point in all of our lives because, she's the glue that holds us together."

"Yea, I remember making her eat," I laugh at the bitter-sweet memory. "It was right after our parents died. I honestly think she took it the hardest."

Flashback

"Lucy!" I yell at her.

She looks at me with this broken eyes as tear stains all down her cheeks and all over her face even though she tries to cover it up you can still see them, "what?"

"You have to eat," I inform her. "You haven't eaten since mom and dad died."

"I don't care," she pouts. "I don't need food."

"Yes you do," I say as I push food in front of her.

She picks up the plate and flings the food at me, "I told you I don't want you damn food and I mean it!"

"I'm sorry," I chuckle.

"What's so damn funny Sodapop?" She asks angrily because, when she's really sad she gets super angry.

"C'mon Lucy, loosen up Lucy loosen up. Loosen up Lucy, loosen up! Loosen up Lucy loosen up!" I chant.

She throws a piece of bread at me , "shut up will ya Sodapop?"

"No, not until I make you smile or laugh," I say. "I miss my best friend. C'mon Lucy, loosen up."

"I'm too sad to," she frowns. "I don't think I'll ever smile again."

I grab a pancake and throw it at her, "smile brat!"

She grabs the pancake and throws it back at me laughing, "you're a jerk!"

"Whatever," I laugh as I continue to throw food at her. We end up in a full blown food fight, but I get her to smile which make it worth the mess.

Flashback over

"She's one tough cookie," Steve nods. "I just think people tend to forget that she's a fifteen year old little girl."

"It's 'cause she's so strong," Johnny smiles.

"She grew up to fast man. It just ain't fair, she deserves so much more," Dally shakes his head.

"She's just perfect," I smile. "I'm lucky to call her mine."

"Are you excited for your date with her?" Ponyboy asks.

"Yea," I bite my lip. "I love her and I mean I know she could of chosen anybody to go out with, but she chose me."

"You better treat her right," Darry stands up patting me on the back. "Hold her tight man. She's something special."

"I know," I smile as I look at the clock. 6:00. "I got a date."

"With the best girl in Tulsa," Two-bit reminds me.

"She's perfect!" The whole gang yells as I run upstairs to her room.

The picture on the side is Lucy a few years ago. This is just some insite in Lucy's past. I hope ya'll enjoyed. What is gonna happen on the date? Will they fight? Is this gonna start a relationship or ruin a frienship? Do they actually like each other or is it just a tragidy waiting to happen? Stay gold. Do it for Johnny!

-Beth