A/N: Hello everybody! Welcome back to this story, I know that it's been a while. But I'm back! Hopefully for good this time, but you know, we'll find out I guess... Fingers crossed guys. Anyways sorry for the long wait guys. If you want to know what's going on I posted a chapter in Moments 2 explaining it all, but if not, that's cool too. Anyways, here's the chapter. Enjoy!

Paige's POV:

As soon as my eyes flutter open they fall back shut again. I groan against the sunlight as I sit up, slipping out of bed and closing the curtains to stop the burning of my eyes. Perching on the edge of my bed I rub my eyes and then brush the stray pieces of my fiery hair out of my face.  I yawn, glancing at the clock. 

1:00

1:00! 

"Shit!" I jump up off of my bed and scramble to stuff some of my belongings into a grey and pink duffel bag. Snippets of last night's escapade run through my mind as I'm rifling through items of clothing and shoes among other things. After I found that dead body of a Soc boy laying in a pool of his own blood  I made a beeline through the park for Buck Merril's place-I hear that's where Dally stays a lot of the time if he's not at home. It was my best guess. And not for the first time in my life, I guessed right. 

I was sprinting so hard that I almost didn't stop in time a ran through the door. I hauled off on the door and a rather annoyed looking Buck Merril threw open the door growling at me and asking what I wanted. When I requested to see Dally he just shook his head and led me inside. I knew that I didn't really know him that well, but I didn't care. I had to find out what happened with Ponyboy and Johnny. I didn't really know what reaction to expect from him, to be honest, I was a little bit nervous. However when Buck pushed open the door and Dally caught sight of me my nervousness turned to confusion. He had so many mixed emotions written all over his face that I couldn't even begin to count them all, let alone figure out what was going through that head of his. Although, to be fair, I don't know if I want to know. 

I didn't even have to mention the boy's names for Dally to know what I wanted. He just sighed and seemed to war with his inner thoughts. Then he clasped his hands together and looked at his feet. He spilled all that he knew. Ponyboy and Johnny had been attacked by a bunch of Soc's, and when they tried to drown Ponyboy, Johnny stabbed one of them. They came to him, and then Dally sent them on a train to Windrixville. I had just missed them, maybe by five minutes at the most. The carpet floor was even still wet from a certain, dripping Ponyboy. 

I never got a word in edgewise; never even got to open my mouth. He told me everything I needed to know, including that the only way to get to them...was to take the next train to Windrixville and head to an abandoned church on Jay Mountain. And that next train...is at 4 o'clock this afternoon. And that is where I'm heading, why I'm rummaging through my belongings to make sure I have everything that I will need. After all, I don't know how long I will be up there for...or if I will even be able to find the place. 

Zipping up my bag I rise to my feet and sling the bag over my shoulder. Pacing over to my bed I drop the bag onto it and head back over to my closet. Stripping off my dirty clothes I slip on a new pair of jeans, a black ad white striped crop-top, and my boots and leather jacket. After I brush out my hair quickly I just let it drape down my shoulders and back in it's natural loose waves. I pick up my bag off of my bed and sling it over my shoulder again. Starting out my bedroom door, my mother comes out of her bedroom door at exactly the same time as me. 

"Where are you going, Paige?" 

Inwardly I cringe. I was planning to make it out unnoticed and call my parents later with an explanation. My mind races. "To Anita's."

"Who's Anita, hun?" My mother looks genuinely confused. 

"Remember the other night when I was telling you about that new science project we're starting in chemistry? Well Anita is my partner. She asked me to come over today to work on it and then stay for a few days," I bluff. 

She thinks it over for a moment. "Fine. That's alright with me."

How did she buy that..?

"Thanks, mom," she leans over and kisses my cheek. "I'll call you if I need anything."

"Alright, Paige. Have fun."

"Bye, mom." 

As I jostle down the stairs I can't help but laugh to myself about how I just pulled off the  biggest bluff of my life. I'm gunna' end up paying big for this one. I know I will.  

Letting the door slip shut behind me I head for the Curtis house. Darry will most likely be home after what happened last night; he can't be feeling too great about it. I saunter down the street, not in much of a hurry. I've got a couple of hours to kill. When I make it to the Curtis house I jog up the pathway and the stairs to the front door. Before I push the door open I hear a crunch underneath one of my boots. I move my left foot to reveal a crumpled piece of paper. Picking it up I attempt to read it, but my muddy boot print is all over it. It's not legible. 

Stuffing it in my pocket, I proceed through the open door. It's unusually quiet in here. With a look over my shoulder I find something that I overlooked on my way in. Darry's truck is gone. Figures. 

"Hello...?" I call. "Is there anyone home?" When no one answers I figure that no one is home. Turning on my heel, I start to leave, but am stopped by the creak of a door opening and a weak voice. 

"Paige...?"

I turn to see a very red faced and teary eyed Sodapop standing down the hallway. I smile meekly, poor Soda. 

"Is it true...?" Soda whispers in an unstable voice. "What the paper said about Ponyboy and Johnny...? Did they actually..."

I take a breath in and then stop and hold it. My eyes flit to the ground and then back to his teary blue eyes. I exhale. "Yes." 

Soda sighs. "What happened to them...?"

I sigh as well, gesturing with my hands as I explain the story. When I eventually finish, Soda just clasps his hands and stares at the floor, seemingly deep in thought. 

"Soda...?" I ask quietly. 

"Yeah...?"

"Are you okay...?"

"No..." He bites his lip as his eyes once again fill with tears. Although, he seems determined not to let them fall. 

My footsteps are the only sounds in the house as I walk over to Sodapop and pull him into a hug. He doesn't cry, or at least I don't think he does, but he does sigh and hugs me back. 

"I'm sorry that this happened, Soda. I can tell how much your brothers and friends mean to you." 

He pulls back out of the hug to look at me. "I really don't know what to say, Paige, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

We are quiet for a moment while Soda seems to think about what to say next. When he decides, I'm not surprised by his question. 

"Are you going to break it off with Darry?" His sad eyes stare right into mine. 

"No, Soda, I'm not. I'm not gunna' lie, I thought about it. But no. He makes stupid choices sometimes, but he makes me happy." I admit.  

"Golly, you got that right. He makes dumb choices, but he's still my big brother."

I smile at him and he smiles back. Soda's a good kid. 

"Gee, Paige. I hadn't seen him that happy since before our Mom and Dad died.How'd ol' Darry ever find a girl like you?"

My grin spreads across my face and I laugh. "Luck."

Soda chuckles. "You look pretty familiar if I'm honest. Like someone I knew from school."

I laugh. "Same goes to you."

"How old are ya'?" He asks.

"I just turned 17."

Soda smiles. "I'm just about to turn 17."

 "Same grade." I say.

"Yeah." Realization dawns on his face, "You must've been that new student who moved here the year I dropped out." 

I smile, remembering first moving here. "That would be me."

"We could've been friends."

"We still can."

Soda grins. "Deal." 

I smile. 

"Nice talking to you, Paige. I'm gunna' go get a glass of water."

"Okay," I say. 

Soda walks down the hallway and into the kitchen. I follow but stop at Elena's door. I knock on it lightly, but there's no answer. I knock again, harder this time, but there's still no answer. Pushing it open a bit, I stare into the darkness. At the same time, Soda comes back from the kitchen. 

He takes a sip out of his glass. "She went to find Sam."

"Oh okay, thanks, Soda."

He gives me a thumbs up and walks away. I chuckle, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. I take one last glance into Elena's room and am about to walk away when a folded piece of paper on her bed catches my eye. 

"Hmm," I ponder. I flip the light on and step inside. When I reach her bed I perch on the edge and pick up the folded papers. My heart melts a little bit when I realize what they are - letters to Johnny and Ponyboy. I won't read them no matter how much I want to, they're probably pretty private. However, when I leave, I don't put them back down on her blankets. I smile sadly, fold them up, and put them in my jacket pocket. I turn off her bedroom light and shut the door, stepping out into the hall. 

I call a goodbye to Soda as I pass his room and he calls one back, wishing me luck. 

I walk a half our to the train yard, lost in my own thoughts. I wait until the train is starting to pull out that I attempt to get in. I jog beside the train until I reach an open boxcar and then jump onto the side and pull myself in. I tumble into the wall and just lay there dazed. As the train car rattles relentlessly I can only think one thing.

What have I gotten myself into?

A/N: So that's the chapter! I made it a bit longer than usual to make up for the lack of updates lately. I'm so sorry about that guys. Anyways, I hope that you liked this chapter! Let me know with a vote/comment. Thanks for your patience guys. Next update soon! See you soon, Bookies! Bye! - Ella :)