The first "I love you".

"Fine Pony, but only tonight. If you want a car, you're gonna have to start working and buy one yourself," Darry told me, handing me the keys. I'd been asking him to borrow his car every Friday night for months now, ever since I got my license so I could take Emily out, and he'd been getting pretty fed up with it.

"Thanks, Dar. I'll be back by midnight," I called from the doorway.

"Make it 11. Don't do anything in my car... And nothing to drink," he yelled back. I nodded and went to go pick Emily up. She got in wearing a red dress and a new nose ring.

"You look beautiful," I told her. She blushed. It was already 7:30, and we didn't have plans to go out to dinner first, so I asked her if see'd already eaten. She said she had, so we went right to the drive in.

"What are we seeing?" She asked.

"Bonnie and Clyde," I responded. I had no idea what it was about, but once I snaked my arm around her waist and puller her close, it didn't matter. We watched, but didn't exactly pay attention. It was just the two of us in the car, in complete silence other than the whispers of the actors. I turned the sound down and Emily looked at me. I kissed her. She placed her arms on my neck. I pulled her into my lap. The kissing lasted a few minutes, and we were smiling when we were done.

Emily moved to sit next to me, and laid her head on my shoulder. She turned the sound all the way down.

"This is nice," she whispered. I nodded, and then decided that it was time to do something. To say something I should have long ago. "I love being with you," I told her. That wasn't exactly what I wanted to say. She smiled.

"I love being with you too." I smiled back, and got ready to say something I probably should have months ago.

"Emily... we've been going out a long time now," I started. She gave me a funny look.

"Is this the 'we're breaking up' or 'we should get married speech'?" She asked. I laughed. Maybe we should get married.

"Neither... uh. Emily, I have something to tell you." My arm tightened around her. She put her hand on top of my thigh.

"What is it, Ponyboy? You know you can tell me anything!" She exclaimed. I knew it was true. I decided to just spit it out.

"Well, first of all, I'd never break up with you," I said, starting off easy. She stared at me.

"Emily?" I asked, my face inching closer to her. "I love you." It was the first time I had said it, and the best kiss we'd ever had.

"I love you too, Ponyboy." She sounded excited. And she looked pretty happy too. Her smile was beautiful.

"Y-you do?" I asked. I was surprised she said if with such ease. She nodded.

"Did you doubt it?" I didn't, not for a second.

"Nope."

"Neither did I."