I do not own The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton does :)
I'm so sorry it's taken this long to update guys; I just had some writer's block :(
On another note, it has been exactly a year since I first published my first story on fanfiction!
"If you don't eat your ice-cream then I'll eat it for you," Sodapop threatened, eyeing his younger brother's almost full bowl of the sweet vanilla treat. The teenager had already eaten one bowl and was on his second, curtesy of Darry since the oldest Curtis didn't want to 'be out of shape' for work.
"Sodapop, let your brother take his time. I'm sure he'd rather enjoy it, unlike you," Darry smirked. Sodapop frowned.
"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, his mouth filled with ice-cream. Ponyboy grimaced and turned away in disgust, pulling his bowl of ice-cream towards him.
Darry sighed. "You're rushing yours, Soda. Do you even know what it tastes like?"
"Well…it's not my fault ice-cream's so good. I just like to-"
Ponyboy tuned out of the conversation, and absent-mindedly began to mix his spoon in his bowl so the ice-cream began to get rather creamy. The boy was thinking back to the time at the grocery store, where Sodapop had run into that man with the cart. The man didn't seem to like the youngest Curtis that much, the boy gathered. After all, he seemed to want to get away rather quickly after Darry had introduced him.
Why though? Pony hadn't done anything wrong, not that he knew of anyway. He'd been a little shy so he hadn't looked at the man properly and had childishly ducked behind his oldest brother for shelter, though he'd done it before and nobody seemed bothered.
Well, it's not like Pony cared. He'd never see the man again, right?
XXX
"Jenny, I don't know what to do. I really, really don't," Frank said to the picture he was facing. "You know, I'm sure if God didn't want me to have that boy then he wouldn't have showed him to me again. It was like magic, Jenny. It really was."
The light, rosy-cheeked woman in the picture continued to grin. Frank grinned at her; she was so beautiful.
"I mean, it ain't like I wanna replace you and the boys or anythin'. No, no, nothin' like that. But it's been almost fourteen years now, honey, and well…maybe the priest is right. Maybe it's time to move on. That boy, Jenny, he's just like how our Benny was, but he was like Danny too."
Frank picked up the portrait of his wife and two sons, staring at it happily. He kissed Jenny, and then Benny, and then Danny. When Benny hit the age of ten he insisted on being called by his true name: Benjamin, though Frank never complied with his son's wishes. He'd always be his Benny.
"Ponyboy's such a unique name…" Frank whispered, placing the portrait down. He looked towards the sofa, where three, silent people were sitting. Frank gulped. "Time to go away now. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he smiled, looking back towards the picture.
The woman stood up, her baby in her arms, and the boy next to her followed them out of the door. Frank flinched as the front door slammed shut. They'd be back tomorrow.
Oh what was he talking about? They were always there anyway.
The man picked up the portrait once again and turned it over - so the three faces couldn't look at him anymore.
XXX
"So, all your homework's done, right?" Darry asked Ponyboy, who was sitting next to Sodapop watching the TV.
"Yeah," the boy answered tiredly, rubbing his eyes and yawning slightly. Darry smiled.
"Alright, little man, I think it's time for bed now," the man stated.
Ponyboy sat up sharply. "I ain't tired," he claimed, crossing his arms stubbornly and staring at the TV as if it was his job.
Darry sighed. "C'mon now. Brush your teeth and get into bed. I'll tuck you in," he promised, though his voice wasn't playful like before.
The youngest Curtis pouted. Sodapop was rubbing his eyes and slouching on the couch too, yet Darry wasn't hounding at him to go to bed.
"Five more minutes," Ponyboy expressed, not moving from his position.
"Ponyboy," Darry said sternly. He really wasn't playing anymore. Ponyboy growled.
"Alright, alright," he groaned, pulling away from Soda and stomping off to the bathroom in a huff.
Why'd everybody treat him like a kid? It was 9:30, and while he'd always had that bedtime, he knew kids in his grade who didn't even have set bedtimes by their parents! And Soda wasn't even that much older than him!
"He's always cranky when he's tired," Darry sighed, shaking his head.
He hated to be the bad guy, but Pony did have school the next day. Besides, 9:30 wasn't a bad bedtime; 9:30 on school days and 12 on weekends, unless he was going out. Yeah, Darry was being perfectly reasonable. Pony just needed to be reminded who was in-charge.
"I know someone else like that…" Sodapop muttered under his breath.
Ponyboy dragged the toothbrush across his teeth as if his mouth was his enemy. He hated brushing his teeth and wanted to get it out the way as soon as possible. Though it didn't feel so hot when he felt parts of his gums split; no doubt he'd have an ulcer come morning. His mouth was now bleeding but he could've cared less.
The boy made his way to his and Soda's room after saying a quick goodnight to Darry and Sodapop. Undressing rather quickly, Ponyboy climbed into bed, taking his copy of Gone with the Wind off the nightstand and flipping through it. Nobody, except maybe Johnny, would ever understand his love for that book.
"Oh, Scarlett," Ponyboy said softly, reading the book with sheer enthusiasm. He thought back to the movie adaption of the book that he and Johnny had saw together. Man, Vivien Leigh was something else though.
Darry crept in a few minutes after he'd started reading the third chapter. It was a long book, but Ponyboy loved reading, and always hated it when a book had to come to an end. So yeah, this was perfect. Unfortunately Darry had to ruin it by taking the book right out of his hands, placing the bookmark in it (Ponyboy had previously had the bookmark on his lap) and setting the book down on the nightstand.
Ponyboy pouted again. Darry just shook his head and gave his brother a faint smile.
"Night, little man." Darry rubbed his brother's hair and gently kissed him on the forehead before tucking the boy into the covers. Then, very quietly, he walked back out, turning the light off before he left.
The youngest Curtis felt his lip tremble slightly. No doubt by tomorrow he and Darry would be back to arguing, as always. This was why he cherished these moments as much as he could. Too bad Darry couldn't see it that way.
XXX
"We have been running low on English teachers, Mr Howard. I'm so very happy to see how eager you are to join our school."
"I've heard great things about it, sir," Frank smiled.
"I have your schedule right here, along with other important things such as your registers and any other things needed. Feel free to come down to my office at recess or lunch if you need anything. If you can't find me then try the teachers' lounge," Mr Ryans explained.
"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Of course, Mr Howard. If I hadn't found you those weeks ago we'd probably be in trouble. I'm just glad you made this decision."
"I am too, sir," Frank smirked.
Just one more day. Then he'd see Ponyboy again. His dream…his son.
AN: There's the second chapter guys! The next update won't be as long! I'll try and get my other stories updated very quickly too! But you know how school is :) Thanks to everybody who has favorited, followed and reviewed this story so far; I can't thank you all enough :)