I've never hated summer, it's when Darry stops yelling at me to do my homework and I can go play football with the gang, or see a movie, or do whatever I want. This summer was different though. It was always hot, hotter then normal and because of that nobody wanted to do anything. Darry took longer hours because the sun was up longer, and Soda's hours changed so that he wouldn't get home until the sun was setting. Johnny didn't want to go much farther than the lot, and even when we did go there we could only play a few minutes of football before the entire gang was ready to collapse. So instead of doing the things we normally do, we sat around at my house trying to stay cool most of the time. Two-Bit would put on mickey mouse and all day we would sit around trying not to move.

It got so hot out a few days ago that the power went out! Nobody has been able to fix it either, so instead of watching Mickey we had to find other ways of entertaining ourselves. Dally brought over some cards and we've been really into playing poker, although none of us have much money so we bet with cigarettes. I currently owed Johnny a pack and a half, but it was okay because Two-Bit was a horrible liar and owed me nearly three packs. Dally was in the lead though, we all owed him something.

"Hey, I fold. I haven't gotten a good hand in nearly an hour" Two-Bit said lighting up a cigarette and blowing a perfect smoke ring. That was it, the game was over. I had folded a while ago and Johnny's hand was crap, I could tell. I closed my eyes and laid my head back, trying not to concentrate on the headache I was getting.

"I hate this heat!" someone said, crashing through our screen door. It was Steve, but I wasn't sure why. Steve took another shift and was working full time with Soda down at the DX now.

"Steve, why aren't you at work? It's not nearly quitting time" I asked, but I don't think he noticed, because he just kept going on about the heat.

"This heat is crazy! how to they expect me to work on cars all day when it's 105 in the shade? I told them I couldn't work anymore today and left, I swear I was about to pass out!"

"But what about Soda, now he's going to walk home alone in the dark, his shift doesn't end until the sun starts setting." Johnny asked. We all knew why he was the one asking though, ever since he got jumped he has been really jumpy about it. He knew it wasn't safe for Soda to be walking home all alone, especially if there wasn't daylight out.

"Calm down, Johnnycake" Steve said, plopping down on the couch next to him. "I told Soda I would pick him up later." Not a minute later Dally came out of the bathroom whistling to himself.

"Well, how 'bout another game of poker?" After a little persuading Johnny, Two-Bit and Steve were all in. I wasn't going to play though, I had been playing that game for three days straight and hadn't been particularly lucky either. I pushed Two-Bit off the couch and spread out, I was going to take a nap.

XXxxxxxXX

The nap never happened, but the day did go by a little bit faster. Before I knew it, Steve was leaving and the sky was turning orange. Finally. I hopped off the house and toward the door.

"Hey there Pony, where do you think you're going?"

"Dally, I've been stuck looking at the same four walls all day, I'm going out to the lot to watch the sunset." Concern struck everyones faces, they knew I was being stupid. Heck, I knew I was being stupid to go out there alone at this time of day, but I was going stir crazy and just needed to spend some time outside. Two-Bit got up and walked towards me.

"Okay kid, but don't be too long, if Darry finds out he'll skin us all. Take my blade, just incase" he said, handing me his blade. I didn't have one, Soda didn't either until about a month ago. Darry wouldn't let us, he had his reasons, which seemed pretty reasonable when he explained them to us. I was always with somebody, and everybody I was with had one, that was the easiest way to explain it.

"Thanks Two-Bit" I said and left walked out the door.

The lot wasn't far away, and I had almost made it there before I noticed a blue mustang following me. I wasn't going to go home, I had only been outside for two minutes. I walked a little faster, hoping they would leave me alone, but they didn't.

"Hey grease!" one of them yelled. I kept my head down and continued to walk. "I said hey grease!" he repeated. He sounded really angry, which frightened me. I looked up at them but didn't say anything. A few of them laughed and made some comments about my appearance. When the didn't stop making fun of me I said:

"guys, just leave me alone" It didn't sound as tough as I wanted it to, and I guess they could sense it. They stopped their car and started to get out. My palms were sweaty from fright, and there was a huge lump in my throat. I didn't know what to do, so I started running as fast as I could for the lot.

I had gotten there, but tripped shortly afterword. I started to stand up, but one of the Soc's had already gotten to me. He hit me as hard as he could across the face and when I was on the ground again, he sat on me.

"Don't try and run from us grease" he said, the other catching up and ready to pounce. "We're bigger, and stronger, and have more of us tan you do" One of them kicked me in the sides. It was one of the most painful things I had ever felt. All of the wind in my lungs was knocked out of me, I let out a yell, but was smacked across the face again.

"QUIET GREASE!" the one on top of me said. He looked up at his biddies for a moment "Maybe it's time we teach this hood a lesson" He shifted his weight just a little bit and I was able to wiggle my way from underneath him. I got to my knees and started to crawl, but one of the soc's had kicked me and I was face down on the ground. I hit my chin on the cement and was pretty sure I was bleeding now. A hand took me and rolled me over, I tried to get the blade Two-Bit gave me out of my pocket. After a few attempts, which were difficult because I was getting kicked everywhere. One of them saw it.

"Oh, look! he's got a blade!" He swept down and took it from my hand and sat on me again, digging his knees into my ribcage. "Well two can play at that game" He ripped open my shirt and pressed the blade up agains the side of my neck. I tried to scream, but no sound would come out. I closed my eyes, ready to be killed right there. One second seemed like an eternity. I felt the blade dig into my skin, but I also felt the soc's weight fall off me sideways. I heard some yelling and opened my eyes to see the soc's scrambling back to their car. I had been saved.

"Pony, pony can you hear me?" It was Soda! I opened my eyes, he was leaning over me, looking like he was about to cry.

"Soda?" I said, finally able to get a sound out of my mouth. He brushed my hair back.

"Yea, baby, it's me" he said so calmly, trying to keep too much worry out of his face, but I could see it in his eyes. Tears welled up in mine, I knew I was going to start crying, but didn't know if it was okay to. I wasn't sure how badly beaten up I was, if if was just a few scratches, I would feel bad crying because I was no where near as hurt as Johnny was the day he got jumped.

"Soda. Is it okay, is it okay to cry?" I asked him. He picked me up and held me.

"Yea hun, it's okay to cry." and then together, we started to cry. We cried for what could have been hours, but I know it wasn't that long because Steve came up to us.

"We might want to get the kid home and cleaned up before Darry gets home." He said, obviously trying not to step on toes. Soda loosened his grip on me and wiped his nose on his arm.

"You're right." He said, his voice trembling. He stood up and helped me to Steve's car, which was surprisingly clean. The ride was quiet, I spent it trying to steady my breathing but it didn't work out too well.

Soda helped me out of the car and into the house. It's not that I couldn't walk, but Soda was making sure, and probably make everything easier on me. Steve was ahead of us and held the door open. When Soda and I stumbled across the threshold of the house, the room went quiet and everyone stood up. I could hear Dally swear under his breath. Two-Bit ran up to us and asked what was wrong, but was given a look by Steve telling him to shut up.

Soda sat me down at the kitchen table, Steve was right behind him with a first aid kit. I had some cuts and scrapes on my face and arms from hitting the cement, but none of those were too bad. The one that was really terrible was the cut on my chest. It started on my right, in between my neck and shoulder blade and went diagonally down to the middle of my chest. Soda cleaned up the cut, and had Steve stand me up and steady me with my arms spread out as far as I could. Soda took a bandage and wrapped it around me in every which way. By the time he was done, you would have thought I was fully clothed. Soda then took me, hugged me, and walked me down the hallway.

"You lie down baby, rest and calm yourself. I'm going to start making some dinner. I'll be in the kitchen and the gang is in the living room. If you need anything just holler." Soda started to leave the room, but I stopped him.

"Soda?"

"Yea hun?"

"Can you tell Two-Bit I'm sorry. I lost his blade, well, the soc's took it." Soda smiled a little bit.

"Sure, anything you want."

I went into the kitchen to start dinner, but we had nothing but stale bread and canned fruit that might have expired a year ago. The power was out, I was sweating, and my mind was racing. Ponyboy had just been jumped, he looked so scared and there was nothing I could do to help him. I looked out the window, it was getting darker, Darry would be home soon. Oh gosh, Darry. He's going to see Pony and blow a gasket! And I'm going to be the one who will be blamed. Soda, you're supposed to look after him. I started to pace back and fort across the kitchen, my head in my hands. What do you think I was doing? I had to go to work too, I had to spend all day being a gas boy in 110 degree weather! And to top that off I had to fight off two soc's who could have killed my brother! I thought of when Johnny was hurt, he looked just as scared and his face was twice as swollen. And then it hit me. Johnny. Johnny has been jumpy about everything ever since he was jumped a few months ago, he saw Pony walk in today and couldn't ask any questions. I couldn't take it any more, I sat down on the floor of the kitchen, against the wall that hides the kitchen from the living room. I sat there and started to shake.

I don't know how long he had been there, but he was. Dally sat next to me, on the floor and everything. "Cancer stick?" he asked, pushing the pack towards me. I gladly accepted and lit it, letting the smoke fill my body. I calmed down slightly, my hands were still shaking, but I was feeling better. "Soda?" He said after a few minutes of letting me calm down.

"Yea Dal?" I looked up at him, he looked concerned, but still somehow cool. I don't know how he did that, look cool even when he wasn't feeling cool. I was pretty sure I didn't look cool.

"Is there anything I can do, you know, to help?" I had to think for a moment. I didn't know how anyone could do anything, I didn't even know what was going on at the moment. After lots of thinking I was able to respond.

"could you get some groceries?" He looked slightly puzzled. "I want to make grilled cheese. It was Pony's favorite as a kid" Darry half smiled.

"He still is a kid" he said cooly, got up and left the room. I could hear the door slam a few moments later. I stood up too, finishing my cigarette. The pack he had given me was still in my lap, I picked it up and put it in the pocket on my DX shirt.

In the living room, Steve was filling Two-Bit and Johnny in on what had happened, or at least what he saw happening. Before I could get all the way to the living room, Two-Bit yelled "Hey, it's getting dark! I can barely see myself!"He started to wave his hands in front of his face in a goofy way, which made me and Johnny chuckle a little bit.

"Here" I said, tossing him a big candle my parents had gotten at a Christmas exchange a few years ago. They never used it, they said they never needed to use it, which was true. They really didn't need to use it, but does anyone actually need what they get for Christmas? I sat down next too Steve and took out another Cigarette.

"Don't worry Soda, It will be okay" Steve said. I shook my head, but didn't believe him. The truth was, I was worried. I was worried for Pony, for me, for Darry, and for Dally, although I knew he would be fine.

XXxxxXX

Dally had made it home faster than Darry had, which was strange because it was dark out. I didn't care though, the longer I didn't have to tell Darry, the better. I got a pan heated and ready for grilled cheese.

"Hey Dal?" He was still in the kitchen, emptying out a bag of ice into the sink and placing beer cans in it. He turned around and I could tell he was listening. "Could you go ask the guys if they are staying for dinner?"

"Sure Soda." He cracked a beer and walked into the living room. It wasn't but a few moments later that he returned. "We're all staying for dinner, Johnny and Steve want to know if they can borrow the couch tonight"

"They know how it is, if they need a place to sleep, we will give it to them."

"I'm gonna go ask the kid if he wants anything" Dally said headed to the sink, making an ice pack with some of the beer ice and a plastic grocery bag.

"Tell him that he should come out soon, dinner will be ready any minute"

"Kay Soda." and he walked off towards our bedroom.

Making dinner went by a lot faster than I expected, Johnny came in and helped by heating some tomato soup out of a can. I could tell he was concerned about Ponyboy, they were buddies, but he never asked anything.

"God Soda, you make the easiest dinner there is to make and end up burning it?" I expected it to be anybody but Pony. He was standing in the kitchen entryway with Dally, half of his face was absorbed in the ice pack. Johnny shuddered a little bit when he saw Pony, but I think I was the only one who saw it. I tried to shake off my scared feeling around him and walked over to muss up his hair.

"Give me a break. Extra cheesy grilled cheese! sometimes the cheese burns a little bit! I'd like to see you do any better!" But before Pony could answer, someone walked through the door. It was Darry.

"Soda" Pony said quickly "Can you go tell Darry. I don't want to do it, I really don't. Johnny and I can be setting the table or something." I really didn't want to do it, but I know it would be better if I did it. I sighed.

"Sure hun. Dally, this means you have to finish the grilled cheese. There's only one more to make, it can be yours" Dally can't cook to save his life, he has ended up burning nearly everything he tries to make for others. I remember there was one time when Pony and I were both sick, Dally came over and was going to make us some eggs, but ended up burning them so badly we had to throw away the pan. I haven't let him cook here since.

Darry was sitting in the single chair in our living room. He looked really tired. A thin bead of sweat masked his face. He was reading the paper, he does that at night now because of how early he gets up. In fact, there was one day he left the house before the newspaper arrived.

"Hey Dare" I said. It came out as more of a question than a statement though. He looked up from his paper, he obviously wasn't getting much out of it.

"Yea Soda?" This was it, I had to break it to him. I was really scared on the inside, but I suppose I didn't show it on the outside. Us greasers can do that, we have to be able to do that.

"Umm, well I have something I need to tell you." Darry's facial expression changed instantly. He knew something was wrong. His eyes squinted a little bit.

"What is it, hun?" I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. Pony thought he was the only one afraid of Darry, well he was wrong.

"Well, Steve was driving me home from the DX today, and we passed the lot" I took a pause and looked over, Johnny, Steve, and Two-Bit had stopped their game of poker and were all looking at me. I swallowed again "I looked over and saw a blue mustang and some Soc's. One of them was sitting on something, the other two were laughing and kicking whatever it was. Well..." I didn't know if I could say it without crying, so I just spat it out "Ponyboy got jumped." Darry was immediately on his feet.

"Is he okay? did they pull a blade on him? where is he? What happened? Who was it?" He spat out so many questions I couldn't understand them all. Thank god everyone else was there. Two-Bit had jumped up and walked over to Darry, who looked like he was about to explode.

"Dare, calm down. We fixed him up, he's fine. He's getting ready for dinner. He's okay, no need to worry" Two-Bit said. Darry took a deep breath and calmed down a little bit, his fists were still clenched though.

"Come on, bro. Dinner's ready" I said, we all got up and walked into the dining room for some grilled cheese and tomato soup.