CHAPTER 1
PONYBOYS P.O.V
As I sat and stared out past the tree, the sun setting, I felt right. I felt like I could think about Johnny and Dally without getting upset. Even thought sometimes I still blame myself for what happened; now I know I can keep on living. I held my breath as the sun slowly disappeared. And I remembered the sun rise that I had watched with Johnny, back in Windrixville. It began to get cold and I thought it about time to go back home. Darry would kill me if I came in any later. I usually came here to watch the sunset. Once I had stayed out all night. Just sitting here, under the bridge, watching the sun set and rise. Darry grounded me for a week when I got home. I stood up and brushed the dirt of my jeans. I started walking, making my way to the dirt path that leads me back home.
"Hey!" I froze. I hadn't been jumped since that night at the park. I turned around to see no one but Curly Shepard. I relaxed, breathing out.
"Hi Curly." I said quietly.
"How you been?" he asked. He caught up to me and we began to walk.
"I been alright." I said.
"Yeah, Tim wasn't too happy when he found out." Curly said. I nodded, understanding all he was saying.
"So when did you get back?" I asked.
"Just a few days ago. I've been with Tim and everyone. And I thought I might as well come see my bestest friend." he said, nudging me in the ribs. I smiled.
"Yeah, it's been awhile." We had now reached the back roads. I never walked on the main roads anymore. I preferred the quiet back streets.
"Anyway, I gotta go. See you at school tomorrow." he said and he turned down his street.
"School?" I yelled after him. He turned and walked backwards, nodding at me. "See ya!" I yelled after him as he disappeared into his house. I walked a little more quickly. It was getting dark and I was pretty hungry too. I got to the house and ran up the porch steps, to get inside where it was warm. I slammed the door shut and sighed. Everyone looked up at me, from where they were seated at the kitchen table.
"Hi." I said, sitting down next to Two-Bit. They all grunted, too busy eating.
"Where you been?' Darry asked, as I dug into my food.
"I was just out." I said.
"Where?" Darry asked. I rolled my eyes. After we promised Soda we wouldn't fight, we hadn't had many fights. But sometimes Darry wanted to know exactly where I'd been and who with. Which was really annoying. Wasn't I allowed any privacy?
"I was..at the park." I said. Darry seemed happy with that, as he nodded at me. We finished the rest of the meal with the usual conversation. Soda rambling on about his many 'adventures' that day. Two-Bit making his own little comments about everything Soda said. And with Steve giving me a death stare when I had to reach over to his end of the table to get the salt. I ignored him. That seemed to be working.
"Pony?" Soda said. I looked up, startled.
"Yeah?"
"You wanna come out with me and Steve tomorrow night?" He asked. I shrugged. Sure I wanted to, just to show them I was still Ponyboy. But then again I wanted to know what Curly Shepard was doing. Maybe he had something better to do. "Alright then." Soda said, taking his plate to the sink.
Me and Soda had to do the dishes that night. I washed them and he dried. I took my time; I didn't want to have to sit around all night again, doing nothing.
"Come on, hurry up!" Soda complained. I sighed and turned to him.
"No." I hissed. He looked at me, startled and went back to drying the dish I had set in front of him. "Where are you and Steve going tomorrow anyway?" I asked.
"Oh we're going to walk around town. Find a party or something." Soda said, completely forgetting what had happened two seconds ago. I nodded, as if I actually cared about whatever it was he was talking about. I had my own thoughts to concentrate on.
"Oh wait!" I said, interrupting Soda. "Curly said something about going out tomorrow night. So I might go with him instead."
"I don't know. Curly's a cool kid, but I know what he goes out and does." Soda said.
"Look Soda, can't you cover for me?" I whispered. I didn't really need to whisper, since I could hear Two-Bit's laughter. But I had to be careful. If Darry found out I was even thinking about going behind his back tomorrow, he'd kill me.
"Ok, fine. But just this once." Soda said, before Two-Bit came in.
"Heya, Curtis Brothers." he said, draping both his arms over Soda and I. I rolled me eyes at him.
"Please don't ever say that again." I mumbled.
"Why?" he asked.
"Look, I know it's coming from you, but really it sounds stupid." I said, passing the last plate to Soda. Two-Bit coked an eye-brow and looked at Soda. But Soda didn't say anything. Just laughed.
"Fine." Two-Bit said, going back to the lounge room. I dried the water off of my arms and went to my bedroom. I closed the door and sat on the bed. I pulled the letter Johnny left for me, out of my desk draw. I read it once over and then I just stared at it. I really wished I could stay who I am. The person that I was when Johnny and Dally were still here. The guy that everyone liked, even if it was just a tiny bit. But I didn't like that person anymore. In fact nobody did. No one likes a guy who reads and watches sunsets. So now I was going to be Ponyboy Curtis. Newest member of Shepard's gang.