A Time to Fly
Chapter 1: A/N: This is the sequel to Jacked Up but you don't necessarily have to read it to understand. Please R&R! I love to hear from you guys! Thanks!
Ponyboy's POV:
My stomach is beginning flip and it's only five in the morning. My bag is packed and half of the room is bare. Sodapop's sleeping like a baby but I can't sleep anymore. I wiggle out of bed, careful not to disturb my brother. My one pair of clothes I left out sit dauntingly on my desk, next to my small suitcase. I take the white shirt and jeans into the bathroom while I take a quick shower and fix my hair. I feel sick to my stomach. I'm excited but I'm very, very nervous. My hair is still slightly damp when the bathroom door is pushed open. I jump just as I see that it's Darry.
"Hey Pone, you're up early kiddo." He says.
"Hi, yeah, I just couldn't sleep very well." I reply.
"You're goin' to be fine, sweetie." Darry says hugging me for a second.
"Yeah I know."
Darry smiles at me and says he'll meet me in the kitchen for an early breakfast. I take a deep breath and finish up in the bathroom before heading out to the kitchen. We sit down and eat cereal and eggs. Darry keeps staring at me the whole time I'm eating. I feel like I'm on trial.
"What?" I finally ask.
"Nothing. You're just, growing up so fast. Just yesterday you were a little kid crawling around in diapers." He answer.
"Darry, I'm eighteen. I'm not a little kid."
"I know. I just don't want to believe it, Pone." He says smiling sadly.
The rest of the time, we eat in silence. The sun starts to rise and I just have to get out of the house. I sit on the porch railing looking out at the pale pink-orange late August sky. Darry comes out a few minutes later and sits next to me. I start to shiver, a bit from the cold and nerves. I give a half-smile to Darry and focus on the beautiful painting of the world in front of me. My ride should be here in about an hour. Six thirty is when Cody is coming and picking me up. We're both going to the same college except I'm a freshmen and he's a sophomore. I met him at college orientation and he only lives a half hour from my house and passes right through this section of the town. He's not really a Greaser but he's not a full blown Soc either. He's a nice guy and knows his way around campus. My classes start next week and I'm real nervous.
"Darry, what if I fail a class?" I ask quietly.
"Hey, it's okay. Don't worry about it, kiddo. Just do the best you can. I know you'll be just fine just don't get into any fights."
I sigh and fidget some more. I hear a small racket in the house and a bit of yelling. Well, Soda's up I guess. I've moved my suitcase to the front door so when Cody comes I can just grab-'n-go.
"Pony! Pony! Pony!" Soda yells in rapid-fire mode. "Pony!" he screams again racing for the front door.
Darry sighs and opens the front door to step back inside and stop Soda before he caused a neighborhood panic. I hear them mumbling by the door before Sodapop steps out onto the porch.
"Hi Pone." He says wiping the panic off his face and sitting next to me while Darry steps back inside. "I uh, thought you might've left already. I didn't see your suitcase in the room. When did you wake up sweetie?"
"About five or so." I reply.
"Your uh, hair, is, different." He notices.
"Huh? Yeah. I thought I'd change it up a bit." I reach up and touch my hair.
I hear a loud car shifting down the street. "Well, that's Cody." I say reaching for my suitcase. Soda starts pulling my suitcase out of my hand. "Soda, let go. Give me my suitcase. Please?"
Darry hears Sodapop whimpering from inside and comes out, peeling his hand off of my suitcase handle. Cody's car comes into sight and I start walking down the porch steps, out to the driveway.
"Ponyboy! No! NO! You can't leave! No Pone!" Soda yells reaching for me, trying to stop me.
Darry is holding Soda back, restraining him from running after me. Cody's car is almost in our driveway and Soda wiggles out of Darry's grip, running and tackling me, nearly to the ground.
"Soda!" I exclaim exasperated.
Darry rushes up and pulls Soda off me. "Sodapop, let him go. Just let him go little buddy. He'll be back. He'll call us. Relax Soda." He murmurs.
"Hi Cody!" I greet walking up to Cody's car.
"Hi there Ponyboy! You excited?" he asks.
"Yeah, sure am. Uh, these are my brothers Darry and Sodapop." I say briefly motioning to my brothers behind me.
Darry steps up and shakes Cody's hand while Soda stands behind me and nods once to my new friend.
"Alright kiddo, have a good time Ponyboy. No drinking, no fighting, no girls until I meet them. Got it?" Darry says going over the rules.
I'm a little embarrassed. Does Darry really have to do this now? We've been over the rules a billon times and I'm quite aware about what I am and what I'm not to do while at college.
"Yeah, I got it Darry. I'll be back for Christmas break in three months." I remind them.
"I don't want you to go!" Soda wails clinging onto Darry for dear life.
I nervously smile at Cody and he doesn't seem to be bothered by Soda's emotional hysterics.
"Ready to roll Ponyboy?" he asks.
"Yeah." I answer, eager to get on the road. I throw my suitcase in the trunk, hug and kiss both Soda and Darry before hopping in the car with Cody. He honks the horn and we pull out of the driveway and onto the road. It's a decent drive but I think it'll be fun. As we drive down the road, I look in the mirror and see Darry's arm around Soda's shoulders both of them waving as they grow smaller and smaller until they're out of sight. I'm real worried about my classes. Not to mention that this is my first time away from home without any that I know really well around me. I guess there's always a time to fly. Goodbye Greasers, hello college.
A/N: So tell me what you think! There will be one more chapter after this one so don't panic. I'm am in a short story type of mood though. Anyway, I hope you liked it so far! Please review! Thanks!