Darry is six and Sodapop is two and Ponyboy was just born.
When his parents come home one day with a little blue bundle in his mothers arms and a smile on both of their parent faces, Sodapop knew somethings are gonna change. His mother goes directly into their room with the baby still in her arms, just giving Sodapop a tired smile from her way to the room with Darry close behind her, asking her to carry the little baby.
Sodapop stays in the living room, sitting on the couch with a frown on his face. How could his father had forgotten that he had promised that they would go to the park this morning, and with this baby coming to the house Sodapop knew they weren't going anymore.
''He's your little brother, Pepsicola.'' His dad tells him as he settles down next to him, and then pinches his nose as a playful manner ''You will take care of him from now on.''
''Why?'' asked Sodapop, his hands up in his face and a frown still on his face. Why shall him take care of a baby that their parents had randomly brought to the house? and also, why didn't his mother have the huge belly she had before?
''Because he will look up to you and try to be just like you, and you have to be sure nothing bad happens to him.'' Darrel Curtis answers his son's question, while looking at him, mostly sure that he won't understand, after all he's just two years old.
Mr. Curtis then changes and sits down on the recliner, once he's sat he reaches out his arms. His son going to his arms and sitting on his knee. ''And a way to take care of him in not playing right now and being quiet, so he can get some sleep buddy.'' Mr. Curtis tells him while running a hand through his son's soft baby hair.
Sodapop has never wanted to play in the park so badly in his life, but decided to do what his father says and just sit down on his father's knee and do nothing, hoping to be quiet enough for the baby that was now his little brother.
Not without being a little upset.
o
He was walking in the jungle, big trees were around him, monkeys up there with bananas in their hands and making strange noises that him and Darry would try to make but never succeed.
All around him is different.
The sky is purple, the clouds are yellow, the trees are blue... it all seems so magical with colors everywhere! He loves it, he likes how everything is different yet still has the same shape and serve for the same purpose. The trees are homes for the monkey and the birds, the sky is still up and the sun is there. Sodapop walks around and the blue leaves, trying to explore, he finds everything so exciting and magical. But everything gets even a thousand times better when he sees a man with a smile on his face and waving at him. He suddenly walks towards him and has a bag on his back, Sodapop gets curious as to what this man could have in his bag in the middle of a blue jungle and is about to ask him why is he here and what does his ba-
''MOMMA!'' a loud scream from someone that wasn't himself wakes him up from the best dream he has ever had, followed by footsteps coming from his parents' bedroom and going to his little brother's room.
He tries not to be a little bit upset because his little brother is still a baby, as his mother tells him. But it's just too hard not to get upset when you're having a good dream and then you're waken up in the middle of the night by your brother.
Darry is eight, Sodapop four, and Ponyboy two.
And Sodapop? well, he tries not to, but he's a little upset.
oo
Darry is ten, Sodapop six, and Ponyboy four.
Their mother tells them to go outside for a little bit while she gets the food ready and both Darry and Sodapop obey. Walking down the little steps on the front door and then sitting down on the floor, they hear the door open and there is his dad with a little Pony in his arms.
''What about a little game of football before dinner?'' He says with a playful tone in his voice and both Darry and Sodapop smile, excited for some football.
At that time it wasn't really football for the three of them and his dad, mostly just dad throwing the ball and them trying to catch it, running across the yard, laughing loudly and their heads with a trail of sweat by their ear.
''No, I don't want to play'' said Ponyboy once his father puts him back on the ground, his hands going up to his face as a signal about what's going to happen.
''Buddy you just said yes five seconds ago!'' his father told him kneeling in front of him, and tried to keep Pony's hands out of his face in an effort to stop the tears that were about to go out from the boy's face.
''Darry tell me I slow and no play good!'' the boy started again and his hands up to his face again, trying to hide his tears from the people around him.
He wants to be tuff, just like Sodapop.
''Did he tell you that?'' his dad asked looking at him and Ponyboy nodded. Mr. Curtis let out a sigh, took Ponyboy's hand and lead him back inside house with the football still on his hands, not before quickly glancing at the elder boy with 'the look' they knew so well.
Sodapop lets out a sigh and knows that they're not gonna play football anymore, instead they're going inside and he will have to sit with Ponyboy on the couch while his dad and Darry have a talk about what to and what not to say to their little brother.
And he's upset.
ooo
Darry is twelve, Sodapop is eight, and Ponyboy is six.
Sometimes on sunday mornings, the Curtis house would be woken up with the smell of pancakes filling the house. They would jump out of bed and immediately go to the kitchen, happy to eat the delicious pancakes that their mother would have made just for them and no one else in the world.
Sodapop wakes up and throws the covers to the side rushing to get there first, because that way he can rub it in Darry's face that he's faster than him, wearing nothing but his white underwear that he sleeps in. He runs even though he realizes it's no use when he sees a little back facing him. A little boy was sitting on chair and the table was too big for him.
''Morning baby, you hungry?'' His mother asks him with her back turned to him and Sodapop wonders how does she do that because not once has her sight left the pan infront of her. Soda lets out a low 'yes' and walks to the table where sees his little brother with a plate of chocolate cake in front of him.
''Mom'' he whines ''You said we couldn't have chocolate cake for breakfast and Pony is eating!'' complains Soda at the sight of his brother with chocolate crumbs on his mouth.
''Soda sit down let me serve you breakfast'' said his mum in a calmed tone with her back still turned to him and her sight still on the pancake she was making, but Soda continued with his whining.
''Mom! It's not fair, you told us we couldnt and Pon-''
''It's okay mom'' Interrupted Ponyboy ''Soda do you want my cake?'' pushing his plate with the slice of cake almost complete except for a few bites towards his older brother with a tired look on his face. Soda had no second thoughts and nodded, bringing the plate closer to him in a matter of seconds. He was about to bring full of his favorite thing in the entire world to his mouth when his mother turns to him and takes the plate from him.
He doesn't get take the bite before his mother takes the plate away from him.
''Ponyboy, I told you not to give your cake to your brother!'' said his mom, while putting the plate aside and kneeled looking at Ponyboy. Sodapop does the same thing and at this moment is when he finally notices the red glassy tired eyes his brother has.
''But I aint hungry and Soda want it!'' argued Ponyboy crossing his arms and looking down. But then, as soon as the words left his mouth, he realizes his words might make his mother angry at Sodapop so he looks at his mum again. ''But please dont get mad at Soda, is my fault, not Soda!'' Ponyboy says quickly, nodding as if with his little head nodding his words would have a bigger impact on his mother.
His mother just sighed while looking at him ''Are you tired?'' she asks him simply, to which Ponyboy nods. ''Go to my room and lie down with daddy for a bit, okay?'' Ponyboy nodded and jumped off the chair, walking to his parents' room. Sodapop just watched the interaction in silence, but he as well eyed the slice of cake next to him, but then just watched his brother walk to the room.
Ponyboy had already reached the door and was about to completely turn the knob when he came back running as fast as his little skinny legs could do.
''You not angry with Soda, mom?'' He asked his mom with look of genuin concern on the little kid's face, not common at the short age this boy had.
''No Ponyboy, I'm not angry at Sodapop, now go rest sweetie!'' His mother replied and the little boy went back to the room to lay down next to his father, with the soft breeze of a sunday morning coming through the window that his father always opened before he went to bed.
His mother sighed as soon as he heard the door close, signaling the boy was now inside the room and could no longer hear what was said in the kitchen. She walked to the table and sat down next to Sodapop.
''You know Sodapop, your brother loves you too much and I'm really happy for that. But sometimes he tries to please you as much as he can and most of the time he doesn't think about himself but what you will think about him. And that worries me, that in efforts of making you happy, he hurts himself.'' Said his mom while putting a few pancakes on a plate for him and his brother.
But he doesn't listen.
She then tell him to go tell Darry to wake up and come eat breakfast. And that is no fun, and also, he didn't get to eat the chocolate cake Ponyboy gave him.
And that makes him very upset.
oooo
Darry is nineteen, Sodapop is sixteen, and Ponyboy is fourteen.
One night after a big game meant party for the Curtis household, mostly for the kids. It meant having Johnny, Dallas, Two- Bit and Steve around for dinner and only Darry would be missing but it was because he was out with some friends from his football team. Probably going to grab some dinner and then get drunk off his ass and finish the night by making out with some of the cute cheerleaders.
But yesterday was one of those nights.
Tonight was a normal night, which meant not special dinner, not friends at the table, and going to bed at 9:30, and Ponyboy at 8:30 because he had track practice in the morning. Except for one thing, Mr and Mrs Curtis went out for dinner.
The three were already in bed when loud knocking woke them up from their sleep. Sodapop opened his eyes but was too lazy to get up, letting Darry take care of whoever was at the door. He tried to conceal sleep again by closing his eyes and letting his mind wander... making him drift off to sleep again in no time but soon woken up by the light hitting on his face. Someone was opening the door, and considering the hour and the situation it could only be one person.
''Pone close the door I'm trying to sleep here!'' Sodapop grumbled, but not losing the hint of joke behind his words that always assured Ponyboy.
''No Soda, you might want to see what's going on.'' replied Ponyboy from the door, just his head inside Soda's room, as if he was scared that by opening the door a little bit more something bad would happen. Sodapop recognized this and knew something was wrong. His little brother always obeyed him, no matter how stupid his request was. Unless he was scared, or too upset to do anything even if Soda begged. And he always stormed in his room, opening the door as much as the door could,
''Why?'' said Sodapop and stood up, with nothing on but some underwear and an old shirt he wore when he went to bed, walking to the door with his eyes still squinted a bit because of the bright light. Ponyboy opened a bit more the door, just enough so Sodapop could walk through, and then walks to the main door with Sodapop behind him.
Sodapop knew something was wrong, no, very wrong from the instant he saw the red and blue lights flashing through the curtains from the livingroom window, he had this instinct in his gut that something horrible had happened.
But he knew he was right, the moment he noticed the look of fear and sadness in his older brother's face from the door. Two officers at the other side, both with a pained expression, but also pity. Those officers felt pity at the three brothers.
After being told what had happened, Sodapop was upset.
Very, very upset.
ooooo
I was bored, and it's 4 am so I thought, Why not?
thank you for reading and I would absolutely be delighted it if you gave me some comments, critique, or tips on how to make my writing better!