A/N: I'm back! Did you miss me? :)

This is a fanfiction I had been planning on writing for about a month now, but I was waiting until I was done with The Last Sunset so I didn't have too much to do and I could give my full attention to one fanfiction. So here it is! I'm going for the good old classic, "Ponyboy gets sick" fanfic. Hope it's not too cliché!

I don't really have a schedule when it comes to updating, I'll try updating when I'm not busy, mostly. I'm still in school, and especially according to my parents, school comes first, so it'll all depend on how much time that takes away from me! I'll try to be as fast as possible, but please bear with me.

Reviews are my favorite thing, so please feel free to leave a beautiful message telling me what you thought about the chapter! It's always highly appreciated! I also apologize for any grammar mistakes, English is my second language so I'm just doing my best over here! ;) Stay gold.

XxX

*Pony's POV*

On school days, it's always the same routine. Darry gets up first and fixes breakfast. Sodapop gets up shortly after that, showers and gets dressed, and then he wakes me up so I can get ready after him. But that morning in late October started out a little bit different than usual.

When Sodapop woke me up, I immediately knew something was up. My head was killing me and I felt like I had razor blades in my throat.

"Hey, Pony, wake up," Soda said, shaking my shoulder slightly.

I stretched and groaned in protest. My whole body felt sore.

"Come on, Pony, Darry's gonna flip if you don't get up," Soda insisted, shaking my shoulder more firmly.

"Okay, okay, Soda, I'm up," I groaned, forcing my eyelids heavy from sleep to open.

"Someone's in a mood today," Soda said, frowning. "You feeling okay?"

He laid a hand on my forehead. I groaned inwardly. He really needed to stop worrying about me all the time.

"You seem a little warm…" he started. "Maybe I should get Darry."

"Don't," I said, sitting up in bed to try and prove that I was alright. "He's got enough on his mind. It's probably just a cold. I'll take a bunch of Aspirins before I go to school."

"Pony… Remember last time you said that…" Soda started, biting his lip.

I knew he meant the day I'd told Two-Bit I was okay to fight in the rumble, and I had ended up delirious in the hospital for three days. Sodapop and Darry barely mentioned it anymore, since it was right after Johnny and Dally died. It was still hard to think about it, so any allusions to that night was practically forbidden within the gang.

"I'm fine, Soda," I assured him in my most convincing tone. "It's just a cold."

Soda finally decided to leave it. He sighed and stood up.

"Fine," he said. "But if you are, make sure you hurry up. Darry says breakfast is ready soon."

I nodded and with that, he left the room. I stood up and was automatically hit by a wave of dizziness. I took a moment to steady myself and the feeling faded after only a few seconds. Aside from that, I felt okay. My throat and my heart hurt, but it was nothing an Aspirin or two wouldn't cure. I caught myself coughing a few times, and I did feel a little dizzy, but I figured I'd feel better as the day dragged on. I had a track meet after school and the coach was counting on me. I had barely been able to catch up since I got back to school and I couldn't afford to miss another meet.

I walked out of the room, ignoring the dizziness as I walked. I locked myself into the bathroom and took a good look at my reflection. I didn't look sick. Maybe I was a little paler than usual and my eyes seemed more shiny and tired, but I blamed it on my tired state. I showered, greased my hair as usual and got dressed. Finally, I took three aspirins from the bottle in the bathroom cabinet right before Darry called for breakfast.

"Pony, breakfast is ready!" he called as I was walking in.

"I'm right here, Dar. No need to shout," I answered, plopping down into a chair.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," Darry apologized, sitting down into the chair next to me.

Two months ago, he would've told me off for having an attitude with him, but ever since I came back from Windrixville, he's been more patient with me. He doesn't yell as much as he used to. We get along better now.

I picked at my eggs more than I ate them. I wasn't really hungry, to tell you the truth. I wasn't nauseous or anything, but I still didn't have much appetite. That seemed to catch Darry's eye.

"Not hungry, Pone?" he asked between two bites.

I was about to answer but I was interrupted by a few coughs. Darry frowned. Shit.

"You feeling okay, Pone?" he asked, settling his fork down. I exchanged a glance with Sodapop. He just shrugged and took another bite, meaning he wasn't gonna tell on me.

"I'm fine," I answered. "I'm just a little under the weather that's all."

Darry seemed to buy it.

"Well, if it gets worst throughout the day, call me at work. I'm serious. You know the number," he said, finishing his plate.

I nodded. Just then, we heard the familiar sound of the screen door slamming followed by the sound of Two-Bit's loud voice, making my head pound even more.

"Morning, Curtises!" he yelled at the top of his lungs as he and Steve ran into the kitchen.

"If you keep doin' that, Two-Bit, I swear I'll be deaf before I turn eighteen," Sodapop said, walking over to the sink to get started on the dishes.

Two-Bit laughed openly at Soda's comment.

"Good morning to you too, Pepsi-Cola," Two-Bit said, patting Soda's back rather harshly.

"Hey come on, move it, Pony. You gotta get to school," Darry told me as he was putting his working boots on.

I got up, giving up on finishing my breakfast, emptied the rest of my half-eaten breakfast in the trash can before joining Sodapop in helping out with the dishes.

"Leave it, Pony," Sodapop said. "You gotta get to school."

"You sure?" I asked, suppressing a cough, my mouth still throbbing.

"Yeah, there's not much to do anyway," Soda insisted. "You sure you gonna be fine?" he added in a low voice.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Okay, but if you don't feel good and you don't wanna call Darry, call me," Soda added.

"I will," I answered.

"Come on, youngsters, enough with the lil' secret chitchat," Two-Bit interrupted loudly, the pain in my head spiking again because of him. "The world is awaiting!"

I sighed, picked up my book bag that I had left on the couch last night and was out of the door with Two-Bit and Steve, still fighting against the dizziness. The sky outside was grey and heavy with clouds. I suspected it was gonna rain sometime today.

XxX

I immediately regretted coming to school today. By the time lunch was over, I was aching everywhere, my head was killing me, my stomach felt upset, my throat hurt so bad I could barely swallow and my dizziness only seemed to be getting worst. I had on a sweater and I was still freezing. I guess I looked as bad as I felt, because when I was met by Two-Bit at my locker, his usual wisecracking grin vanished.

"You feeling okay, kid?" Two-Bit asked as I picked up my books for next period.

I sighed and leaned against the locker, the coolness of the metal against my skin providing me with some comfort.

"I feel awful," I answered honestly. There was no point in lying.

Two-Bit touched my cheek with the back of his hand and frowned.

"You're pretty hot, Pony," Two-Bit stated.

"Thanks," I said as I burst into a small fit of dry coughs.

"Maybe you should go to the nurse or something," Two-Bit suggested, ignoring my comment.

"No," I said decidedly, slamming my locker door shut. "Darry or Soda would have to get off work and we can't afford it."

"I can give you a ride home right now if you'd rather go to bed," Two-Bit offered.

I shook my head. I knew the rest of the gang had been looking out after me more than usual and as much as I appreciated the thought, sometimes I thought it was slightly annoying.

"I'm just gonna finish my afternoon. I got a track meet after school. Coach'll kick me off the team if I miss more practice," I explained.

"Pony, he'll get it if you're sick, man," Two-Bit said.

"No, he won't," I assured him. "I'll be fine, Two-Bit, I'll go home afterwards and go to bed."

"Pony, it's pouring buckets outside. You don't wanna be running in this weather if you're sick. You could get worst," Two-Bit insisted.

I was about to answer, when the bell rang.

"Don't worry about me, Two-Bit. See ya later," I said, turning around and heading straight to Biology, already looking forward to going home.