Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders of benefit from anything that S.E. Hinton writes besides the enjoyment of reading it.
A/N: I have no mercy for Steve. He is a jerk, so I hope it doesn't sound too biased when it is in Sodapop's eyes.
Ponyboy's POV
I was reading Johnny's copy of Gone With The Wind that we got at the hospital, the letter still inside it, when Steve and Soda walked in. I laid my book down and started to talk to Soda. I laid it on the counter because Soda was getting chocolate milk.
Steve lit up a cancer stick and, like an idiot, tapped the end of it, ashes falling onto the counter and onto my book. It almost immediately started to flame.
I stared at it for a minute before Steve cursed loudly. Stupidly, he tried to wet it to put out the flames. Eventually, it worked, but not before my book and the letter were beyond gone.
"Steve! Your an idiot!" I couldn't help but scream at him. He rolled his eyes at me overreacting on what he thought was just a book.
"It's a book! Even if it's a library book, it will only be a few bucks to replace!" Steve replied.
"I hate you!" I screamed. Soda looked shocked.
"I hate you! I cannot believe tour freaking out over a stupid book." Steve screamed back at me. I lost it. I pulled out the charred letter and threw it in his face.
"It was Johnny's book and his letter." I confronted him before walking out the door.
Soda's POV
I listened to Steve and Ponyboy argue, frozen. My best friend and my baby brother. I knew how much that book meant to Ponyboy, but I didn't know about the letter. I also knew that Steve didn't know, but he was being really dumb about it. If he payed attention or even cared at all, he would know.
Ponyboy ran out and I followed. I finally got to him after he sat down in the park, next to The Fountain.
"It will be okay, Pone. We will get you a knew book, and you remember what the letter said, right? You can rewrite it. I know it's not as good as you would like, but it's the best we can do." I told him honestly, hoping it could light up his tear streaked face. He sadly shook his head.
"It ain't that Soda. I'm sorry, but he is a jerk. He's always telling me I tag along and not letting me hang out with you, sending me dirty looks if I'm around. I hate it." He told me. I was shocked, my best buddy did this? I didn't know what to do.
I knew they would probably never get along, but I would need to talk to both of them for them to at least be civil.
"How about this, Pone, I'll talk to Steve about being nicer, but he'll talk to me if he wants some alone time. And, we will see what we can do about that book. Okay?" He seemed to weigh the options before nodding and hugging me.
"Thanks for not being upset, Soda." He mumbled into my chest. I ruffled his hair.
"What for?" I asked. He shrugged.
"For not trying harder to get along with him for you." He told me.
"Not your fault, now, let's go home." I told him. We both jumped up and started to run, racing. He of course beat me.
I walked in and motioned for Steve to come outside.
"Steve, why don't you like Ponyboy? I'm the one who asks him to come. It's not fair for him." I told him. He sighed.
"He's a little kid that's always in the way. I don't want to hang with him, I want to hang with you." He told me bitterly. I suddenly realized the real reason, jealousy. Ponyboy has a blood relation to me and had loving parents.
That couldn't be all of it. I thought hard.
Steve's POV
I never told anyone this, but I had a baby brother. He was smart and liked to daydream like Ponyboy. When I first met him he reminded me too much of my brother so I shut him out. I knew it wasn't fair, but it was too late to change that.
"Okay Steve, I talked to Ponyboy. You guys need to be s bit friendlier. If you have a problem, tell me. He will still come with us sometimes. He won't admit it, but he's lonely without Johnny, Steve. Johnny was to him what you are to me." His tone gradually got softer and more pleading. I signed, nodding.
"Okay, I guess that's fair. I'm just jealous that I might loose you to him." I lied. He hugged me and we both went back into the house to find Ponyboy writing something. I glanced down at it.
The note read:
Ponyboy,
I asked the nurse to give you this book so you could finish it. The doctor came in a while ago but I knew anyway. I keep getting tireder and tireder. Listen, I don't mind dying now. It's worth it. It's worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me and I know it was worth it. Tell Dally it's worth it. I'm just going to miss you guys. I've been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you're gold when you're a kid, like green. When you're a kid everything is new, dawn. It's just when you get used to everything that it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be. I want you to tell Dally to look at one. He'll probably think you're crazy, but ask for me. I don't think he's ever really seen a sunset. And don't be so bugged over being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There is still lots of good in the world. Tell Dally. I don't think he knows. Your buddy, Johnny.
A/N: I hope this was realistic and sounded good. I am going to be posting a chapter story soon called Radioactive, which will be co-written with Shattered Aura. Thanks guys and please R & R.
I guess I could continue this if need be, but I'm pretty sure it's done. Tell me what you think.