Disclaimer: No, as much as I wish it were so, I do not own The Outsiders.

"Wake up kiddo."

I groaned inwardly as a rough pair of hands was shaking me back and forth, "I'mawake," I said drowsily.

When I blinked my eyes open Darry's figure was hovering above me. "Glory, what time is it?"

"Five. You were sleeping when Soda and me got home. How long have you been sleeping?"

"Since I got home."

Darry put his hand over my forehead and I shook it off, "I ain't sick. I was just tired." Darry nodded slowly.

"Well, dinner's ready. Better get out there before Soda eats it all."

Something fell in the pit of my stomach. It felt like I was going down a rapid roller coaster.

"I'm just real tired. Can I go back to sleep?" Instant gratification.

"Without dinner?" Darry said, his face written with worry, "Are you sure?"

I nodded, "Yeah. If it's okay."

"Are you sure you ain't sick?"

"Yeah. Just tired."

"Alright. G'night," Darry said. He left and creaked the door shut.

Suddenly I didn't feel so tired anymore. I rolled over onto my side and shut my eyes. It felt like hours before I finally did fall back asleep.

I woke up around four in the morning. My body was unwilling to go back to sleep, so I got out of bed and got dressed. It felt weird, not sleeping in on a Saturday. I went out to the living room and noticed Steve asleep on the couch. It seemed like he'd been there almost every other night for a few weeks now. Not that it bothered me. I mean, if his dad kicked him out for being a "wise-ass" where else was he supposed to go? I walked over to the door quietly, slipping on my shoes and then out the door.

I lit up a cigarette, which was hard because my hands seemed uncooperative with what my brain was telling them to do. I did have a fleeting thought that maybe smoking on an empty stomach wouldn't be good, but it went out just as quickly as it went in. But then I remembered the time in the church when Johnny had told me that smoking without eating would be bad for me, and sure enough I got sick.

"Ow!" I said aloud, dropping my smoke and putting both hands to my head. I felt like someone had just rammed my head into a metal pole. I shook it off and picked up my cigarette. After I brushed some of the dirt off it was okay to smoke, so I did.

I wandered around for god knows how long, and somehow wound up at the park. My headache started to throb a little bit, but I ignored it and wandered over to the fountain. I sat down on the edge and ran my fingers through the water, making tiny ripples.

"Hmmm," I said to the air, "Johnny, I wish you were here."

A lonely pang shivered through my entire body and I looked down at my feet, toying with the hole in my shoe with my toe. I closed my eyes and just breathed. The only noise being that of my steady breathing and the air whistling through the trees.

I opened my eyes as a reflex when the smoke burned down to nip my fingers. I threw it into the fountain and watched it skim across the top.

That's when I started to cry.

After a few minutes when I regained my composure, I stood up and headed back home. The sun was now fully rested in its place in the sky.

I opened the door to my house and Soda hopped over to me and slung an arm across my shoulders, "Where yah been kiddo?"

"Park," I said, "What time is it?"

"Golly, nearly seven."

My jaw dropped. That would mean I'd have to been out for around three hours. It didn't seem nearly that long.

Darry rushed out, "Damnit Ponyboy! Sometimes it don't seem like I can take my eyes offa you for a minute. What's the matter with you?"

"Sorry. I went for a walk," I said quietly, feeling small.

"A walk?" Darry was red in the face, "A walk? Didn't it pop into your mind at one point to write a note to tell your brothers just where you'd be?"

"I didn't think that I'd be out long enough for you guys to be up," I defended lamely.

Darry shook his head, quiet for a moment. It seemed like he was getting ready to yell again, but he sighed and shook his head, "Breakfast is on the table."

My stomach did somersaults at the mention of food and my nose scrunched up. I wanted to decline, but the looks on their faces when my face responded to food made me freeze up and think. "Okay," I mumbled and went into the kitchen, where a single plate sat at the table, taunting me. I made sure I was completely alone before shoving the food into the garbage and shoving some random trash over it. I waited in the kitchen a little while longer before coming out.

"Feel any better?" Soda asked.

I nodded, "Sure do."

Soda grinned at me and threw a pillow at my face,

"Oof, thanks for that," I smiled, "Hey. Did Steve go home?"

"Steve?" Soda looked puzzled, "When was Steve here?"

"This morning when I woke up he was asleep on the couch," I shrugged.

Soda sighed, "Well. Guess he did."

I shrugged my shoulders again, trying to think of something to ease the awkward silence. I wished Two-Bit was there. He was good at that, whether it was subtly or not so much.
Soda messed up my hair and then shot me one of his famous grins. I couldn't help but laugh a little and then shove him aside.

"Weirdo," I said.

Darry shook his head from his big chair, "You're both insane."

"Runs in the family," Soda shot back, patting Darry's head, but retracting his hand before Darry could break it.

Darry couldn't resist smiling, "One day Soda, one day…"

"One day what?" Soda tested.

"One day you're gonna be sorry."

"I'm already very sorry," Soda tried to look resentful, "Sorry I have to look at your FACE!"

"Wow Soda," said an unexpected voice, "Niiiice comeback."

For a moment I thought it was Dally, but when I turned around it was Two-Bit. He waved to us and Soda laughed.

"Hey Two-Bit," Darry said without any expression.

"Hey Superman."

Darry looked over at me, "Hey Ponyboy, when does track start up again?"

I scrunched up my nose in thought, "Tuesday."

Darry nodded.

"Shoot, what is it with this family and sports?" Two-Bit asked.

"I don't do sports," Soda said with a shrug.

"Only 'cause you're too scrawny," Two-Bit said with a smirk.

Soda's eyes flashed with danger and in just a split second he and Two-Bit were wrestling around on the floor.

"God Almighty," Darry said, shaking his head. He rose up from the chair and strode over to the two. He smiled and pulled on the back of Soda's shirt, lifting him about a foot in the air.

"Eep!" Soda squealed, "Put me down!"

Darry shrugged, no trace of any humor on his face, and dropped Soda on top of Two-Bit.

"OW!" They said in unison.

I started cracking up. Soda sat up and stuck his tongue out at me.

"Let's do something," Two-Bit said, somehow finding no reason to move from the laidback position he was in. "Lets go see a movie."

"Okay," Soda said, jumping up and heading to the door, "C'mon!"

A/N: I'm not a big fan of this chapter. D: I'm not sure why, but I felt like I needed to wrap it up. It was getting way too long. Sorry for all the needless text. But I have some ideas now, so it should be getting better.