People Don't Change (Dally Winston)

Chapter 5

The car's engine abruptly cut off as a group of boys stepped out. They stood there, silhouetted in front of the headlights. I recognized them. They were the same guys who had been staring at me at the drive-in.

"I haven't seen you around school before," one of the boys slurred.

"She just moved here," Soda said, moving slightly to block them from me, "and we don't want no trouble."

"We're not looking for trouble. We just thought that this young lady might want to come for a tour of Tulsa with us," the well dressed boy replied, smirking at me. Earlier, Two-Bit had mentioned something about a social group called the Socs. I assumed that these boys were what he had been talking about.

The speaker and one of his friends suddenly lunged towards me, while the remaining Socs attacked Pony, Soda, and Johnny.

"Run!" shouted Ponyboy, just before a punch landed directly on his cheek. I turned to run and didn't look back.

Footsteps pounded after me. I was tired and breathing heavily at this point, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't let them get me.

Left, right, left, right. I moved faster than I ever had before, turning corner after corner. Eventually, the Socs fell behind. I stopped running and nearly collapsed.

Looking at my surroundings, I suddenly realized that I was completely lost. Absolutely nothing even looked familiar. I couldn't go home, and I couldn't go to find the gang.

I tried to retrace my steps, but I just got confused. Hadn't I passed that house before? Just when I was about to give up, I felt a hand roughly grab my left arm.