*PoV Darry*
I was sobbing quietly, sat on my bed, trying to read my book. How could they leave us like that? How could the leave me with the responsibility of raising two kids? I looked over at the picture of our family on my bed side table. My mum was standing with her hands on Pony's shoulders, smiling in that sweet motherly way. Stood next to her was dad, or maybe it was me…? No, it was my dad. He was grinning happily into the camera, an arm around mum's shoulders. Pony was smiling shyly at the camera, his green gray eyes shining slightly and his red-ish brown hair blowing in the slight breeze. Soda was stood on the other side of mum; his blond hair slicked back, a goofy grin on his face. I was stood next to dad, the same happy smile on my face. It was been taken a few weeks ago, before the accident.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to quit sobbing. I knew that if I sobbed anymore I would wake Soda up. He was so upset with what had happened, he had broken down in the middle of the service. Pony had stood, as hard and rigid as a stone, with tears making tracks down his cheeks. I had just stood there, hands stuffed in my pockets.
There was a knock at y door and I knew I had woken Soda. "Hey," he said.
"What?" I asked shortly, rubbing my eyes, which I knew were red and puffy.
He put a hand on the door frame. "Can I come in?"
"Fine," I mumbled. "Just don't tell Pony I's cryin'."
He nodded and walked in, sitting down on my bed. I normally don't let people in my room, since I like it clean but the boys like to go through my stuff. I sat down on my bed too, and I felt more tears threaten to fall. Soda placed his hand on my shoulder.
"You wanna talk?" he asked, looking worried.
I didn't want to worry him, so I shook my head. But I really wanted to talk, so I nodded. "How could they leave us?" I asked quietly. "We don't have no more family. Not any that would take us in, at least. And the people down at the state want me to provide for this family, but I ain't old enough! I'm only nineteen!"
"You gonna be twenty in a month," Soda said, looking at me seriously. "You can do it, Darry. I believe in you."
"Even if I was different? Even if I was so different that if I told you, you'd hate me?"
"Darry, I couldn't ever hate you! What's so bad about you?"
My stomach turned. Now or never, I thought. "I… I'm-"
But I didn't get to tell him. A sudden scream cut me off. A loud, piercing scream rang out through the silent house.
"What the hell…?" I mumbled.
"Probably someone outside," Soda said. Looking like his heart had just done a loopy-loop.
There was a knock on the door. Soda got up and opened it, revealing a very startled looking Johnny. I had forgotten he was asleep in the living room, and it seemed as though Soda had, too.
"Hey, Johnny, How y-?"
He cut Soda off. "Ponyboy's screaming in his sleep and I don't know how to help and he won't wake up and-"
Soda and I ran out of my room straight into Pony's. He was thrashing, his blankets tangled around his legs. He screamed again, and I felt my blood run cold. I had only ever heard Ponyboy scream like that once before, and it was an experience I didn't want to repeat. But my mind went back to it anyway.
I was supposed to be looking after Pony, but Melissa, my girlfriend, had been over. She was tall, sixteen and blond. Two-Bit had been proud of me for that, but other than that, he didn't like her. Either had any of the other guys. I was fifteen, so Pony was nine. I wasn't paying attention to Ponyboy, I was making out with my girlfriend.
She had the softest lips I had ever felt, but something was missing from it. Her hands moved up my chest, under my shirt, and I could tell she was getting all hot and bothered, but it just wasn't cutting it for me. Fearing that I was queer, like some boys at my school, I played along. I moved my hands to her chest. She gasped and smiled, pushing herself closer to me. For the first time ever, I had my hands on a girl's tit. I was shocked that it didn't really mean anything to me. But, again, I played along. I didn't here Pony open my door.
"EEEEWWW!" Pony shrieked.
"GET OUT!" I yelled at him. He ran for the hills.
I went back to Melissa, and she back to me. She didn't really like Ponyboy. Her phone vibrated against my groin, and I pulled away. She took it out and spoke into it.
"I have to go, hun," she said.
"Okay." I looked deeply into her eyes, hoping that it look romantic. Apparently it did, because she went all red before she left.
I could hear her walking out through the house and into her car.
"Get out of the way you stupid kid!" I heard her say.
Then I heard a scream. It turned my blood cold and had me running out of the house. Pony was lying, crumpled, in the street, and Melissa was glaring at him, but smiling, with her engine running.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?" I yelled. "WHAT DID YOU JUST DO? DID YOU JUST HIT MY BROTHER WITH YOUR CAR?"
"He was in the way!" she shouted.
"YOU BITCH! GET OUT Of HERE! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"
So, after I had picked up Ponyboy from the middle of the street, she drove off and I never saw her again. I took Pony to the hospital, where the doctors looked over him. He was just bruised, there was nothing broken. I was so happy that I could have cried. I hold him close to my chest as he sobbed in fright.
"Darry…"
Darry…
Darry…
"Darry!"
I looked over at Johnny, who was staring at me and Soda, who was also just standing there. I dashed over to Soda, and started to shake him.
"Soda!" I yelled. "Soda!"
He seemed startled out of a memory, just as I had been. He also dashed over and started to shake Pony. He woke up with a start and a gasp, his eyes landing on Johnny.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"N-no…" Ponyboy replied.
"You were having a nightmare," Soda said, stroking Pony's hair out of his eyes.
"What was it about?" I asked.
"I don't remember."
