A/N: Second time writing on The Outsiders, first time writing in Pony's POV. But this fic made me bawl man. I'm not even lying, you have to listen to it with the song to get the full effect. It could have came out better, it's not like how I saw it in my head but I hope you like anyway!
The house was like a tomb.
I was hiding in my room.
As my brother made his way on down the hall."Ponyboy, come say goodbye!"
Darry hollered from behind my and Soda's closed bedroom door, at least, it used to be Soda's bedroom. Now it was just mine. I was reading Gone with the Wind again and I pretended not to hear him until he knocked on the door and it opened, I turned to tell him to go away, I didn't want to say goodbye, I didn't want to acknowledge that there was a war going on and that my brother was going away to die.
But then I realized it was Sodapop.
I didn't want to say goodbye.
And I was trying to deny there was a war,
And that he got the call.
"Hey kid,"
He smiled trying to be cheerful even in a time like this, that's just like him. He sat on the bed we shared, or, used to share and sighed. "Is that a good book?" he asked even though he knew the answer already. I had read this book more than a hundred times since Johnny died, and each time it got better. I just nodded and kept my head down, I wasn't afraid to look at him or nothing I mean, he was my older brother. But he didn't look like himself. He didn't look like Soda.
"Y'know Pony, it ain't li-"
I cut him off.
"Cut the act, Soda. Don't you dare tell me it ain't like you won't be here, because it will be! No matter how many letters you write you'll still be gone, you'll still be off in that war across the world! Darry will still yell at me and you'll be off dead!"
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair and fixed his army tags before he looked at me again, "You got a smart mouth, Pony." He said as he got off the bed and ruffled my hair before turning to leave yet he glanced around the room one last time. "See ya, Ponyboy." Then the door closed and he walked out of the house.
I watched him from my window
Walking down the drive.
It took me a few minutes to let it sink in. He was gone. He was going away, possibly for forever. Sodapop. My big brother. I got up from my chair and ran out of the house faster than I would have if a Soc was chasing after me "Soda! Sodapop!" I called as I raced down the pavement, I saw him pile his bag into the truck and open the door before he stopped when he spotted me. I was out of breath by the time I reached him and gasping for air, man, I gotta lay off those cigarettes. "You," I panted pointing an accusing finger at him "You come back you here." I ordered trying to stop the tears from falling, boys don't cry, greasers don't cry.
Then I ran down the stairway You come back you hear?
Through the front door and I cried
And I let him see my tears
He smiled at me and engulfed me into a tight hug ruffling my hair once more "Hey Ponyboy." He grinned that Hollywood smile that always made girls swoon over him "I'll do anything you want! I'll do anything as long as you don't go, Soda! You can't leave!"
I said I'll give you my rookie of DiMaggio.
I'll do anything you want,
Clean your room, or wash your car.
He laughed then, if you can believe it, Sodapop laughed at me. Here I was sniffling and about to bawl like a baby and he's laughing at me. "Hey Pony, let me tell you something alright?" he took off his necklace that belonged to our father and handed it to me before pulling me into a tight hug
"This is what brothers are for."
I'll do anything so long as you don't go.
And he got up into that truck with his bag full of clothes and his army jacket, and he drove away.
The year was 1967.
My older brother, Sodapop Curtis was a few months shy of 19 years old.
He was drafted to go to war in Vietnam in the summer.
And he died.
But he said, this is what brothers are for.