what happens at the drive-in ?

Cherry, her friend, Marcia, and Ponyboy strike up a conversation, and Cherry asks about Soda, because she knows he works at the gas station. Ponyboy admits that Soda dropped out of school, a fact that embarrasses him for his brother. Johnny returns, and is clearly nervous around the girls. Soon Dally comes back with Cokes, but Cherry throws hers in his face. Dally "smiled dangerously," and gears up to harass her some more, but Johnny reaches out and stops him. Ponyboy notes that Johnny is the only one of the gang who could stand up to Dally without getting punched, since "he was the gang's pet." Instead, Dally storms away and doesn't return.

The girls invite Ponyboy and Johnny to stay with them, to protect them. Cherry points out that she notices a huge difference between them and Dally; they're not "dirty." But she does say that she admires Dally. Ponyboy soon learns that the girls had come with their boyfriends, but had left them when they realized the boys were getting drunk.