I made the character Devlin up because my friend wanted me too. You're welcome buddy, Lol! Ok, hope you enjoy this shortish story about Pony getting jumped and him recovering from injuries. Not the time when he was jumped in the book but a different time. Well, anyways enough of this you enjoy and be sure to review!
I shivered and suddenly wished I had a jacket. It was mid fall and late in the day but it was warm when I left for the movies. When you live in Tulsa, Oklahoma you need to expect anything. I had a feeling that I was being stalked, but I never bothered to check. It was a long walk home and I'd rather not have to worry about anything. I heard a car following me. It couldn't be…. I turned around and saw a blue mustang trailing me. Oh no, I thought and my heart started banging on my chest as if it wanted out. I turned around and started walking a little faster. But it was too late. They were already getting out of the car and surrounding me.
"Hey, Greaser." One of them greeted me while walking around me, and smiling in a creepy way.
"Hey, Soc." I muttered, cursing at them under my breath.
"Why, do we do you a favor?" The Socs smelled like alcohol and shaving cream. The really stank.
"Why, don't you tell me your names…?" I was being sarcastic and I also had nothing else to say.
"Good idea!" The smaller Soc, who I've never seen before, practically yelped. "I'm Devlin, that's Randy, Bob, John, and Jake." He walked forward to shake my hand excitedly. I looked around confused, and the Soc continued. "So, what's your name?"
"Um, Ponyboy…" I replied still kind of confused.
"Nice to meet you, Ponyboy." Devlin said and I studied him. He was tall, was tannish, had dark brown colored eyes, and his hair almost matched the color of his eyes. He was wearing a navy blue sweater, some tuff looking shoes, and those weird looking pants all Socs wore. I'm pretty sure he was studying me too, and I was unsure what to do.
"Devlin, stop socializing with filthy Greasers." The Soc (who Devlin had classified as Bob) said sternly.
"I'm sorry, cousin. But Ponyboy seems so nice." Devlin replied staring at his shoes. I suddenly realized what I was wearing. I was wearing a pair of jeans, a gray t-shirt, and my pair of ratty, old sneakers. I started to walk away but the Soc Randy shouted, "Hey, not so fast Greaser!"
I started running but unfortunately, I stumbled and somebody grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me to the ground. I landed with a thud and groaned. I think that idiot Soc broke my freaking ribs! I felt some feet and fists making contact with my back, stomach, sides, and head. Then I heard a switchblade being pulled out and winced in terror.
"Hey, Greaser. This will teach you to talk to my cousin." I groaned and saw Bob step to the side and let the guy with the switch step forward. The guy with the knife (Devlin said he was John) started inching toward me with the knife held out towards me. I started going wild and screaming for Darry, Dally, Johnny, Soda, Two-Bit, or even Steve. I heard some people running and shouted, and then I heard some punching and fighting. My back suddenly had a very sharp pain and I cried from the pain that was torturing my back. I looked up a little and saw Soda leaning over me and his dark gold hair hung in his face a little.
"Hey, Pony? You ok?" Soda questioned and I groaned and touched my forehead. I looked at my hand and it was red with blood.
"I was coming… from the movies… Johnny… where's Johnny?" I managed to say between gasps for air. Those stupid Socs knocked my wind out. I had a feeling Darry would try to lecture me about walking alone, but he apparently saw I was hurt too much. I shaking like a leaf and I wanted to start crying. You usually don't start crying in front of Darry and Dally but I was going to. I finally started bawling like a baby. I was scared, and hurt, and I felt weak and helpless.
"It's ok, baby." Soda murmured and he looked up at Darry. Soda helped me sit up and I leaned my head on Soda's shoulder. Soda and I both knew my blood was getting on Soda's shirt but he apparently didn't care. I felt kind of sick and I knew felt like I was going to puke.
"Soda, we need to get him to the hospital." I heard Darry's low, tough voice say, and I felt sick and weak.
"Why?" I heard Johnny's quiet voice and I looked in his direction and saw Dally, Steve, and Two-Bit standing next to him. Johnny looked like he was going to cry too. I knew Johnny was worried about me since I was his best friend. Johnny was my best friend, and almost like my third brother.
"Cause' he's bleedin' like a stuck pig." Two-Bit practically shouted and I wanted to tell him to shut his trap. But I couldn't, I felt so weak… And that's all I remembered before I passed out.
When I woke up I looked around and could only see , monitors, syringes, and wires. I also saw some ambulance guys rushing around me. I heard a siren, and my head hurt before I remembered what happened. I looked around for Johnny and Dally but only found Soda and Darry. They had a guilty look on their faces and I felt bad. I didn't want them to feel guilty because it wasn't their fault. And I tried to tell them that but all I could do is groan.
"I think he's coming to." I heard Soda yelp happily and I saw him smiling. Soda tried to hug me but Darry stopped him.
"Easy, Pepsi-Cola. We are in an ambulance and Pony aint lookin' too good." I sighed and was happy to hear his voice. I saw darkness again, but this time it was a peaceful darkness.
When I woke up I was in a room with more monitors and wires. I had a really bad pain in my back, somewhere between my shoulder blades. I remember the Socs had a blade… Maybe they stabbed me for talking to that kid… Devlin, I think was his name. I think he was pretty nice, for a Soc. He was like Soda. Except he reminded me of a helpless, innocent, curious puppy. I wonder if he's new in town, because most Socs would want to jump Greasers. But maybe he was just different.
I flagged down a doctor after a while. "Doctor… Doctor… Doctor, get your fat butt in here!"
The doctor finally appeared as if by magic and asked, "What's wrong?"
"You tell me. What's wrong with me?" I asked and I'm pretty sure the doctor was scared of me.
"Um… Well, you were stabbed in the back. Not very deep, it was easy to repair. We stitched up your gash and back and they should be fixed in a couple of weeks. Other than that… broken ribs and some facial swelling." The doctor explained it, but I wasn't listening. I was thinking about Devlin and Cherry and all the other nice Socs.
Finally the nurse came in. "There is a group of people here to see you. Doctor, the patient in room 318 refuses to let us put an I.V in." The doctor looked relieved and said bye and hurried out. When the nurse walked out with the doctor Dally, Johnny, Two-Bit, Devlin, and Cherry walked in. I was a bit surprised to see Devlin there but I knew Cherry would come.
I smiled cheerfully at them and yelped, "Hey, guys!" I wasn't in pain anymore, and I just wanted out.
Dally just smirked, Johnny and Two-Bit and Cherry smiled in relief, while Devlin looked guilty. "How they treatin' ya, man?" Two-Bit asked setting a pile of books on the table. I shrugged even though I really wanted to tell them it was like a place I won't even mention.
"I heard the Socs whipped ya." Dally still had an amused smirk on his face while Cherry and Devlin gulped and looked guilty.
"Shut up, Dallas," Cherry warned, "So, Pony…" Cherry looked around awkwardly then I noticed a couple of tears sliding down her face. She had a straight face up but I knew that she was very sad to see me like this.
"So…" I said just as awkwardly, maybe even a little more awkwardly. "Don't cry, Cherry. It's not your fault." This only made her cry harder and her emerald green eyes looked pained.
"But it is," she sobbed, "Bob didn't like that we were spending so much time together. And even when I told him nothing was going on he didn't believe me."
"It's also my fault. Randy is very over protective over me since I'm younger and he doesn't like Greasers talking to me." Devlin's dark brown (black?) eyes looked at Cherry's seriously.
"How old are you?" I asked curiously even though, he couldn't be under fifteen.
"I'm thirteen." Devlin replied as he looked through a book Two-Bit brought in.
"I thought you were fifteen." I was looking at Dally and he looked extremely bored,
"Well, it's neither of your faults it's the other Socs." I finally decided and Devlin and Cherry both looked very relieved.
"Hey, Pony you wanna eat somethin' other than this hospital crud?" Dally asked and from the sly smile on his face had a feeling he had something planned.
"Sure." I replied shooting him a suspicious glare, to which he replied with a bigger smile.
"Ok, get up." Dally commanded and I did so. He shooed everyone else out and tossed me a bag.
"What's this?" I asked wondering what weird thing was in this bag he gave me.
"Some clothes. Or do you want to go with your butt hanging out." Well, actually he didn't say butt, but Darry would kill me if I repeated that. My ears got red and he smirked, "Get dressed." Then Dally left me in that empty, white room to get dressed. After I got dressed, I let everyone back in. Johnny quietly walked back in and led the others. He was especially quiet probably because there was a Soc he didn't know there.
"Ready kiddo?" Two-Bit asked with a smile so happy I can't describe it. I nodded and Devlin, Two-Bit, Johnny, and Dally walked out. As I started to walk out, Cherry called me softly, "Wait, Ponyboy!" I turned around and walked toward her.
"Yea?" I was wondering what she needed from me.
"Bob, he's sweet sometimes." Cherry looked pale and embarrassed so I wondered what she was going to say.
"Hmm…" I was waiting for the catch.
"But, I don't really like him. I mean how is it possible to like a guy who keeps beating up my friends. Savvy?"
"I know." I replied hoping she wasn't breaking up with Bob because of me.
"You do?"
"I understand perfectly."
"You do?" Cherry looked shocked and relieved. "Great."
"You don't like Bob because of me." I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
"No, because I saw Dallas Winston again." Cherry smiled and continued, "I told you if I ever saw Dallas Winston again I'd fall in love with him."
I giggled a little and said, "Well, why don't you tell Dally that." Then I pointed to the door where Dally had been standing for a couple minutes.
"Ponyboy!" Cherry shrieked and slapped me. Not in a mean way, but as if to say, "If you ever do that again I'll kill you!"
"So, you do like me. Huh?" Dally walked over to Cherry and whispered in her ear, "You never told me if you were a real redhead."
"Yes, I am a real redhead. Thank you very much, Dallas." Cherry stood up and brushed her skirt off.
"I knew it!" Dally shouted then his face darkened, "Don't EVER call me Dallas again!"
"Fine!" Cherry yelled motioning with her arm and almost slapping Dally in the face.
"Ok, well are we getting food or not?" Johnny practically whispered from the doorway.
"Not, until this little Cherry girl admits she likes me." Dally was looking at Cherry, who was looking at Pony, who was looking at Johnny.
"Fine! I don't have a crush on you! I just didn't want anyone to know my real crush!" Cherry burst out and there was a silence and I think Cherry regretted saying that.
"Well, little red. Then why don't you tell us!" Dally knew she wouldn't tell but he insisted anyways.
"No thanks." Cherry sat back down next to Pony and Devlin came back in.
"Are we getting food? No thanks to what?" Devlin wanted to get into the conversation.
"Why not?" Dally pretend pouted, and pushed his floppy white-blond hair out of his face.
"Because, it's for me to know, and my crush to find out." Cherry pulled out a hair tie out of her small bag and put her hair up in a ponytail.
"Please, tell us." This shockingly came from Johnny and I had a feeling he hoped it wasn't him. Johnny silently pushed his hair back and I wondered if there was a hair problem or something.
"Ok, fine. Pony I'll tell you and you tell them." Cherry said and motioned for me to sit next to her. She kept her voice low when she told me and I was shocked at what she said.
"Uh… uh…" I gulped and then got up and walked around the room a little.
"Well!" Dally demanded to know who was better than him.
"Come on, Pone." Johnny really wanted to know so I finally told them.
"Uh…" I gulped again, "It's…. me." I was shaking and I was shocked and scared of what Dally would do to me.
"See! One of the reasons I didn't want to tell anyone." Cherry grunted and lay back on the hospital bed. She closed her green eyes and sighed. She sat back up. "Pony, I don't want things to be awkward. It's just I like the way I can talk to you and I never have been able to with anyone else. I never have been able to talk to Bob. He just doesn't listen."
I listened all right, and finally said, "That's ok. But I'm only fourteen. I really wanna stay gold and be a kid. I don't really wanna date." Cherry smiled and nodded and replied, "That's ok. Me too, I don't wanna grow up too quick."
"For Pete's Sake are we getting food or not!" Devlin finally shouted and everyone burst out in laughter.
"Yeah, let's go…" Dally grumbled and I have a feeling he is kind of upset. Everyone left but Pony and Johnny.
"You made a good choice. Girls are trouble I hear." Johnny said and I almost laughed. Well, actually I did. "What's so funny?"
"It's just, that… Didn't Steve tell you girls were trouble?" I was curious and we started following everyone else.
"Yeah." Johnny answered softly and he pushed his hair back just to have it fall in place again.
"And you listened to him?" I asked, because I sure wouldn't listen to that bozo.
"Not, exactly." Johnny laughed, one of those rare laughs you barely ever hear anymore.
"Then why'd you listen?" I questioned and then got into Buck's T-Bird, Dally had parked outside.
"Have you seen his muscles?! They're so BIG!" Johnny replied and this time I laughed. Then my head started feeling faint and dizzy. I felt like I was going to puke, so I did. And luckily I missed the car. But I didn't miss the parking lot. We hadn't left yet so Johnny questioned me, "Are you ok? Do you need to go back inside?"
"No I'm fine." And then I felt dizzy and tired, my head and back were starting to head to the diner. I fell asleep in the car, and when everyone but me got out Devlin woke me up, "Hey, Ponyboy! Pony!" I woke up and Devlin helped me out of the car. Then I fell.
"What, the (beep) did you do to Pony! You are just like all the (beeping) others!" Dally yelled as he grabbed the front of Devlin's shirt and slammed him back into the wall of the diner.
"Dallas!" I heard Cherry cry as she ran from me to Devlin. Devlin was struggling to get away and I could tell the kid was very scared. Then I heard a familiar voice.
"Cherry! Devlin! What the (beep) are you doing!?" The voice yelled. I was too tired and weak to open my eyes but when I heard Cherry respond I knew who it was.
"Randy, Bob, what are you doing here?" Cherry asked and backed away from me and Dally and Johnny.
"I don't know we heard that MY girlfriend is hanging out with trash." Bob yelled then I moaned and my back hurt again. When Johnny walked over to me in alarm, Randy kicked him down. Johnny landed with a thud and he grunted.
Dally whirled around and shoved Devlin toward them. Dally marched over and grabbed Cherry's wrist and basically threw her over to them too. "Take them and leave."
"What!? No! Dally!" When Bob took her tiny wrist in his hand she quickly pulled her wrist back. "Bob, it's over! You don't even listen to me!" Then Cherry marched back over to Dally's side and firmly stood.
"Whatever." Bob replied coolly, not sure what to do. "Come on you little twerp." Bob took Devlin's hand and then Devlin pulled his hand away. Then he stood next to Cherry and crossed his arms. "What'd you say, you little (beep)!?"
"I'm staying with my friends." Devlin rephrased hoping he wouldn't be beaten for that.
"No, you two go. I gotta figure out how to get Pony to his house. And how to help Johnny." Dally shoved them back over towards the impatient Socs waiting.
"Fine…" Cherry and Devlin growled at the same time as they crawled into the blue mustang. Randy and Bob cursed at the Greaser boys before climbing back into the car and driving. So I lay there half conscious and Johnny sits there trying to coax me to get up. But then Dally gets impatient and picks me up and tosses me into the backseat of the car. Then he zooms away at least at 85 mph. I sit there with Johnny inspecting my ribs and making sure I got no further injury. Dally drives us to my house and knocks on the door and Darry answers.
"Hey, Dally." Darry said and he didn't have a shirt on because it was like 4:00 A.M and he was sleeping.
"Hey… will you come get your baby brother out of the back of my car?" Dally asked and while him and Darry walk toward the car Johnny talks to me softly.
"Pony, please get up. I know you're tired… I am too. You need to go inside and sleep." Johnny said and I answered with a moan and this made him start crying a little.
"Johnny would you like to stay with us?" Darry asked Johnny as he picked me up. I yelped a little and my legs felt numb. I think they fell asleep. And I was very tired, and hungry, and thirsty and I wanted to thank Johnny for staying with me but instead I fell into a peaceful darkness called my dreams.
The next morning I wanted to take a shower because I felt grubby but I couldn't due to my stitches. So I decided to at least wash my hair. I managed to wash my hair in the sink brush my teeth. I scrubbed my teeth and brushed my hair. I felt sick so I didn't feel like using hair grease so I let it flop all over. My hair was flopping all over and I looked like a wreck. I found Johnny sleeping at the table with a bowl of cereal next to him. He must have gotten breakfast then fell asleep. Then I wondered when did we get cereal?
Soda must have heard me because he came out and yawned, "Mornin' Pony. I didn't know you were supposed to get out of the hospital." Sodapop pulled out some eggs and ham and told me he was going to make green eggs and ham. "Ok?" I was confused and I wanted to have a Pepsi but Darry wouldn't let me until my stitches came out. Heaven knows why though.
Johnny woke up and I sat next to him, "Mornin' Johnnycake!" I felt a pain in my ribs and yelped. Soon Steve, Two-Bit, Dally, Darry, Soda, and Johnny were all in the same room.
"Hey, guys… As you know I've been in the hospital. And Cherry told me something." I started and tried to avoid looking at Steve.
"Yeah, so?" Steve said annoyed, he didn't like me getting all the attention and I knew it.
"Cherry, told me…" I gulped, "That's she likes me."
"Oh my God…" Everyone murmured except Dally and Johnny because they already knew.
"My little friend has a girlfriend? I'm sooo proud!" Two-Bit fake sobbed into a pillow. Then Soda's hand met the back of his head.
"Wow, Pony. I never thought you even thought about girls." Darry mumbled and I heard.
"Ok, Cherry's not my girlfriend and I don't want one." I admitted and everyone was shocked.
"You're (beep) right you don't want on!" Steve yelled eying up Johnny since he told him that first.
"Pony, you picked up a pretty Soc girl and you're letting her go? You aren't any brother of mine." Soda pouted thinking about many Soc girls he has liked.
"Like Robert Frost says, Nothing Gold can stay. And I'm gonna enjoy that until I can't anymore" I said before reciting the poem.
"Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour,
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay."
"What the (beep) does that mean!?" Steve hollered and everyone else (except Dally and Darry) looked teary eyed. "Go ask Johnny, I'm going to the movies." I shrugged before running out the door. Johnny followed me and we headed off for the movies.
"Aw," Two-Bit pouted, "Now we'll never know what that means." Everyone glared at him but nobody bothered to hit him.
Maybe after the movie I'll go to the lot and watch the stars. Maybe I'll go home. I dunno, I'll decide later. Besides, I got my entire childhood to "stay gold".
Ok, so that's the end. I'm still kind of new so yeah not very good or whatever. I forgot to disclaim up there so…
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, and I am in love with Ponyboy and Johnny! Lolz ;) I also don't own the poem, Nothing Gold can stay. All rights go to S.E. Hinton and Robert Frost.
