THUNDER CRACKLED AND boomed in the dark sky as Ponyboy and I made our way into the group of greasers. Dally had run off, claiming he had to change for the rumble. I swear he reminded me of a girl with the way he was with his clothing. He had to have the perfect outfit for every occasion. I loved teasing him about it.

I push my way to the front, dragging Ponyboy with me, keeping my face emotionless as I stare back at all the Socs that stand a few feet away.

They all were laughing, antagonizing us from afar, most of them held flasks and bottles in their hands. Some of them were drunk. That could be a major advantage or disadvantage depending on how much they consumed.

There were as many of them as there were us, maybe more. We might be outnumbered. I stuff my anxiety down, there may be more of them, but the greasers had the upper hand. For one, we were on our turf, and we knew the layout better than they did. I could run through this junkyard with my eyes closed and not hit anything and I assumed the majority of others felt the same.

Plus, the Greasers were cheaters in some ways. Fighting was one. Anything on the ground was a free game.

"You stay close, you hear?" I mutter to Ponyboy. I was hoping we would be able to slip out of the fight once it started to die down and run home so Darry never knew we left in the first place. But we would only be able to pull that off if we didn't get hit. In a fight, no matter who was winning, most of the time both parties were gonna come out with a few bruises and scrapes.

Ponyboy nods in response, his face void of emotion as he glares at all the socs. I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "You think we'll win?" He questions. I think back to Johnny's words just barely hours ago.

There's no point in fighting, Angela. They will always win in the end.

I couldn't lie and say he was wrong. I wasn't stupid. But I couldn't just let Ponyboy's anxiety eat him up before he even gets a hit in. "Time will tell, brother," I reply with a reassuring nudge of my shoulder.

I watch Ponyboy Adam's apple bob in his throat as he gulps, my gaze turns ahead as I watch Darry step up to the group of rowdy Socs. They quiet down as the one on the front steps up to meet Darry in the middle. I recognized him instantly as Paul Holden. Hom and Darry were friends back when he was in high school. He even came to our house a few times to play football in the yard with Darry. Sometimes, he would've stayed over for dinner and r and then gone home.

He was always kind to me and funny at times. "How are you doing little lady?" He would ask me. To which eleven-year-old I would reply, "I doing mighty fine, Mr. Paul."

He always found it funny that I called him Mr. Paul. He said it made him feel like he was in a business meeting.

It's crazy to think that I used to sit across from him at my family's dining table. He would compliment my mother and have hearty laughs with my father and Darry. Now I would be fighting him.

"Hello Darrel, long time no see," Paul speaks first, his voice is sharp and professional. So different from the way I remember him talking.

"Hello, Paul," Darry replies in a tone just as sharp as Paul's.

"I can take you." Paul shrugs carelessly. I feel my hands ball into fists at his careless threat. Paul and Darry were both big in size. But Darry had more bulk from working on roofs all day. He had more than Paul, and I'd put ten dollars on him if they were to fight alone.

Darry is about to reply and is cut off by a new, familiar voice. "No way you're startin' a rumble without me!" I watch with my jaw dropped as Dally runs towards the two groups. He wore a leather jacket with nothing beneath with a pair of blue jeans that clung to his muscular legs. This was his rumble outfit?

I was about to laugh at him but perked up as a soc slammed his fist into Ponyboy's face. And just like that, the rumble began before Ponyboy could fully hit the ground

I lunge for the soc that punched Pony. I grab him by the back of his head and yank him down as I jam my knee into his abdomen. "How do you like it you rich prick?!" I snarl as he falls to the ground. I kick him again in the same spot I lived, causing a groan of pain to fall from him as he clutches his stomach. I shake the pain from my throbbing hand trying to ignore it.

My victory is short-lived as I feel someone grab me from behind and slam me on the ground. Pain shoots through me as the wind knocks out of me. Rain starts to pour from above heavily, making the ground beneath me slick. I forced air through my bruised lungs, but it wasn't coming fast enough, making me feel lightheaded.

The soc that bodyslammed me looks down at me, he stalks towards me as I scramble away, a sneer on his face. Just as he lunges for me, a fist comes in contact with his jaw, knocking him cold.

I whip around mentally cursing as Darry looks down at me with a glare. "I thought I told you to stay home!" He yells above the pounding rain as he yanks me to my feet. I shove him out of the way as a soc tries to hit him from behind.

"And let you have all the fun?!" I yell back as I slam my fist into the soc's nose and push him back on his feet, knocking him over.

"It's not safe, go home!" He barks as he rips the Soc up from the ground.

"Less arguing more fighting!" Two-Bit yells from not too far away. He was on top of a Soc's back, punching and laughing as the Soc tried to shake him off.

"Yeah, Darry!" I yell back with a grin.

He delivers a strong punch to the jaw of the Soc he had dangling above the ground. He drops his limp body, pointing a finger at me "We're talking later." He says before being yanks into a fight with two socs.

I'm about to join when I feel a rough hand dig into my hair and yank me back. "Back for round two, pretty?" The taunting voice whispers in my ear.

My body locks up and a shiver of fear runs down my spine. I recognized that voice all too well. This was the soc who had tried to rape me. I reach behind me, feeling his face for barely a moment before I find his eyes. I dig my fingers into his sockets. An agonizing scream of pain leaves him. "You bitch!" He snarls as he throws me. I slip in the mud, landing against a tree.

I feel my head throb in protest as I try to pick it up and I groan as I feel the back of my head. When I pull my hand away, a liquid too dark to be rainwater coats my fingers.

I look up at the soc, my body going rigid as he stomps towards me. I had nowhere to go. Again I was fucking trapped. I force my body up, ignoring the pounding in my head as I tighten my hands into fists and hold them up, tucking my elbows in to protect my torso.

This seemed to amuse him as he let out a snarling laugh. "You think you can take me?" He taunts.

I glance down at his body. He wasn't bulky like Darry, but I could see the muscles on his arms and the abs under his white dress shirt that clung to his skin.

As I look back up, my eyes catch Dally behind the soc, a tree branch in hand. He gives me a grin and winks as I snap my eyes back to the Soc. "I don't have to do anything, actually," I reply with a shrug.

His brows scrunch in confusion and before he can react, Dally slams the tree branch across the back of his head. The wood splinters and the soc falls unconscious. Dally walks up to me with a grin.

"I had him," I grumble as I push Dally away, not able to stop the grin that climbs my face.

Dally chuckles before running off, "You're welcome, darlin'!" He yells before grabbing a hold of the first soc he finds. He crouches, and as the soc hits him, he springs back up, sending the soc flying. To say it was hot as hell would be inappropriate for the moment.

My body felt heavy and I could feel my strength starting to weaken. I yell as I'm yanked to the ground. Mud floods my mouth, and I sputter a cough as the raw, disgusting taste fills my mouth. I flip around to see the soc Dally had supposedly knocked out glaring back at me. He had his hand wrapped around my ankle. "You're not getting away that easy." He growls, yanking me towards him.

He grabs my face, digging his fingers into the cut he gave me causing me to scream. I fling my arm around his neck and use all my might to flip us around. We roll for a moment and somehow I get on top of his back.

I dig my fingers into his hair and slam his face into the mudded ground, baring my teeth as I let out an animalistic snarl.

Everything his face hits the ground, I start to feel just the smallest bit better. And I don't stop until I hear the satisfying sound of his nose breaking. His screams are swallowed by the mud and I hold his face down until he goes limp, panting heavily.

"Angela!" I hear Ponyboy scream.

My head jerks up, and I kick up from my place on the soc, running to Pony, who had three socs on him. I jump on top of one of them, sending us both tumbling as I wrap my hands around his neck. I grip the best I can before kicking my legs up to send him flying.

I pant, laying there for a minute to catch my breath. I could hear cheering and I knew someone had won. I didn't know who, but when Dally crouched beside me, giving me a giant smile. I knew we did.

"You were fucking amazing." Dally grins, helping me to my feet. I lean against him, my body weak.

"Ponyboy. Get Ponyboy." I tell him as I force myself to stand straight. Darry had handled the other two socs that were on Ponyboy. My youngest brother lay on the ground, his chest rising and falling quickly as he sputtered and gasped for air. Dally rushes to him, sitting him up and smacking his back hard enough that I was sure it'd leave a bruise.

"You okay, huh? Come on." Dally instructs as he hauls Ponyboy to his feet. Ponyboy sputters out a response that I don't hear, the howls and yells of cheer from the greasers too loud.

I move to help Dally with Pony; both of us drop each of his arms over our shoulders, and we start to walk him. "To my car, this way!" Dally yells to me.

"Okay!" I yell back as we stagger away from our cheering friends.