Annabelle's Daisys.

7-2

"What's your brilliant, beyond brilliant idea?"

"Well," I said, chewing the inside of my cheek. "I got some money, let's go up to the Dairy Queen."

Two-bit looked hesitant.

"Oh, what! 'Cuz I'm a girl, I can't pay?" I chuckled, and swung down, babying my bad leg. "C'mon, guys, it's 1957, okay? We women have the right to vote, and we can pay too."

At the Dairy Queen, we sat at the counter, and the guy behind the counter, nearly Two-Bit's age stared me at me the whole time I was walking in.

Speaking out of the corner of my mouth, I leaned into Two-Bit a little, and asked, "He's looking at me, right?"

"Sure as hell better not be looking at me like that." he breathed back.

"What can I get you?" The boy with the name tag Rodney smiled sweetly, obviously addressing the whole of us, but only having eyes for me.

"Erm..." I looked behind him at the menu. "I'll have a barbecue sandwich, and a Coke."

"Same." Said Pony edgily.

"Me too." Johnny said quietly.

Two-Bit seemed to be eyeing Rodney angrily, but he said he'd have the same thing too.

After our food came, and I payed, my patience grew thin with the blonde-haired, green-eyed, fountain boy staring at me.

"Excuse me," I said loudly, throwing down my sandwhich, making Johnny jump out of his skin. "But, can I help you with something? Are you hungry, do you got heartburn?"

"No, you're just one fine peice'o'work..."Rodney leaned in a bit closer to my face and laughed. He touched my hair, and I cringed back. "Your daddy must have been a baker, because you've got a nice set of buns."

Two-bit slammed down his sandwhich, and pushed the kid back.

"Hey, man, you get them grimy pawns offa her!" He pulled his fist back.

"Keith!" I cried, tugging on his arm, digging my nails into the flesh. "Let'em go, you're gonna get yourself into some awful trouble!"

Two-bit relaxed his grip, but a fist came and punched the boy in the face anyways.

My head, and every other in the joint, whipped to see my avenger.

Sunlight glinting of his silky golden hair and making his dark brown eyes dance and blaze with anger was Sodapop Curtis, with a dangerous sneer on his face.

"Where in Sam Hill'd you come from?!" Johnny and Pony exclaimed. Two-bit grabbed his jacket, and Pony grabbed my hand, and dragged me out.

"I'm real sorry you had to see that, Annabelle," Soda said softly. "I just couldn't let him say things like that to ya."

"I can handle myself, Soda." I sighed angrily. "Thanks, but I really could've-"

"Soda, she held off some tramp with a busted Pepsi bottle earlier." Two-bit laughed. "Really, she didn't need your help."

"You did what?!" Pony asked in my ear.

"Later," I whispered back. "If we're alone."

"I'm glad it was you who did it, man," Two-bit shook his head and squeezed my shoulder as we walked. "'Cause he'd be in an ambulance."

"Oh, hush up." I laughed uneasily.

Pony, Two-bit, his girl Kathy, and I went back to my house, Soda went to hunt down Sandy, and Johnny made his way back home. Out on the roof below my bedroom window, I layed a sheet against the hot shingles, and relaxed for the first time in more than 4 days. Ponyboy lit a cigarette, looking out onto the blazing red sunset between the trees.