I don't own Outsiders

Johnny and Dallas are alive and well.

This takes place a few years after the story and Pony is now 16.

Enjoy

Ponyboy, a 16 year old boy living in Tulsa a town in Oklahoma in the year 1967.

He loved to read, watch movies, write, and watch sunsets when he was alone.

A simple boy in a harsh town, full of fighting among the Greasers and the Socs.

He didn't really want to be involved with all the violence and such; he mostly tagged along in rumbles just to fit in with the gang. He really wanted to prove he was tough and not some "kid". But his brothers and the group babied him relentlessly. It irritated him to now end.

He was 16 damn it, not some little kid that still plays with blocks and drinks out of a bottle.

Yet despite it all, he longed for more in his life, more than the drive-in theater, dirty streets, the stupid socs, and pretty much in his little home and little world.

So one day, after the last day of school until summer vacation, he ran away to New York City.

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Ponyboy spent weeks planning his trip; he knew his brothers would never let him go so he decided to go in secret. He did a paper route for over a year to make enough money for a while. He packed his clothes and stuff the night before, while his brothers were asleep. When he was done he went outside to a vacant lot and hid his stuff among some bushes.

He left a note on the dresser for his brothers to find when they see that he didn't come home from school. He promised them that he would write and be back before September.

He got on a bus that wax going to the city and sat in the back with his stuff on the rack above him.

As the bus drove away, he soon saw a sign that read "You are now leaving Tulsa". He then closed his eyes and slept.

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"Hey Darry, have you seen Pony?"

Darry was sitting in his armchair reading the paper; he looked up at the clock and saw it was a little passed four. Darry blinked, school was over an hour ago. He shook his head and Soda went into the bedroom to see if Pony dropped his school books in there. When he came out he was shaking.

"What's wrong Soda pop?"

Soda had a letter in his hands; he gave the letter to Darry who dropped into his chair when he read the letter.

Soda went to the phone to call the others.

Letters or no letter, Pony was coming home, they thought.

Days later-

Ponyboy got off the bus and looked around the large buildings and many people walking by. That's when he felt his stomach grumble. He noticed a small restaurant "The Poet's Corner", and went inside.

The place was small and had a stage at the end. A sign on the stage read, "Free-for-all poetry read".

On the stage was a girl that looked about his age, she had long blonde hair, big blue eyes and a confident smile. She seemed…different the girls he knew at home. So much more… sure of herself and stronger as well.

She was just finishing her poem and then the owner came up and asked if anyone else would want to come up. Ponyboy had a few poems in his bag that he wrote while on the bus. He took a deep breath and got up. He walked to the stage and the small audience clapped politely.

He got up, cleared his throat and spoke.

"This is called, "Flying Away".

My soul is in the home that I have stayed in for years and years.

My heart is the people who live in my home and share a piece of heart.

But as years change, so do I and I must find a new home for my heart and let myself fly away.

I would tell myself that taking such a risky idea and I should keep my heart where it was.

But I didn't want to watch the world wiz by as I stayed the same; I wanted to be part of that world that wized by. To grow and let my heart grow. So I want to fly away.

So I want to fly away and land where my heart will grow even more.

The place gave a huge applause and he smiled and nodded.

The owner and that girl came up to him and shook his hand.

"That was a wonderful reading, what's your name?"

"Ponyboy sir."

The man smiled, "Cool name, I'm Mike, I own this place and this is Sally she works at a store nearby… you don't look like you're from around here."

He shook his hand, "No I'm from Oklahoma."

"Wow that's quite a trip, are you staying somewhere" asked Sally.

"No…I just got here."

"Sounds like you need a place to stay…my friend Henry has a room opened at his apartment complex just a few buildings down…why not stay there?"

"I don't think I can afford that…I only have so much money and I'm only staying for a few months…"

Mike thought for a minute then smiled, "Tell you what, you work here as a waiter and that will pay for your room."

His eyes widened, "Really, thank you so much."

Mike smiled, "Come on, Sally and I will take you over there."

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