Between trying to fix the two cars and helping customers, I was very busy that evening. I had spent enough time on the cars to figure out that they were tuff at some point. One was clearly a red fifty-seven Chevy that had white leather seats at one time. The other car was a Mustang. Both cars needed quite a bit of work. Inside and out. It was going to take more than just one day to get the cars fixed.

"Steve, you can go home. I'll see you tomorrow morning." George, one of the manager's, said from the enterance to the garage. He looked at the cars. "Those need a lot of work."

"I know." I mumbled as I walked past him.

"You can fix them." George said placing a hand on my shoulder. "The boss wouldn't have left them for you if he didn't think you could do it."

"Yeah." I said. "I'll see you tomorrow, George."

I got in my own car and drove to the Curtis house. When I got there, Darry was reading the paper and Ponyboy was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework. Soda sat on the couch watching The Ed Sullivan Show on the television. Aside from no longer having their parents around, they were a perfect family. Or at least perfect compared to my family. My dad is a loud obnoxious drunk. He yells at me almost every day and every few days, he kicks me out of the house. Then the next day, he'll give me five dollars and will promise that it'll never happen again. I learned a long time ago that promises were meant to be broken. Unless the promise is from Soda.

"Don't just stand there, Steve. Make yourself at home." Darry told me.

"Yeah, sit down." Soda said patting a spot next to him on the couch.

I walked across the room and sat down next to Soda. I noticed that Ponyboy looked up briefly from his homework then down again. Ponyboy and I don't dig each other much. He's an okay kid. But he tags along with Soda and me too much. I know Soda asks him to come with but, I wish Ponyboy would get some friends who are his own age. Soda and I are two years older than him. There has to be a few fourteen year old greasers around.

I know Ponyboy doesn't like me anymore than I like him, but he'll never admit it. He doesn't like to hurt Soda's feelings.Soda is probably the only reason why Ponyboy and I can get along. Neither of us want him to be hurt or disappointed.

"There's some chicken and mashed potatoes if you're hungry." Darry said. He put down the paper and looked at me. "I heard your dad kicked you out again."

I nodded but kept my mouth shut. I mean how would it sound telling someone that you wished your father was dead when their own parents were dead? I remembered Mr. Curtis and how he used to take Soda and me to the park on the weekends to throw the football around. Mr. Curtis was the best father I knew and now he was gone. Mrs. Curtis was a good mom, too. She always had chocolate chip cookies for us.

My mom isn't a drunk like my dad. But she never takes my side. She always sticks up for the old man. Even though he's almost always wrong. When he's yelling at me to get out of the house, she usually just stands back chewing on her nails. Just once I'd like to see her stand up to him. But I guess she's afraid of getting hurt if she does. She just looks back and forth between dad and me with tears in her eyes. Sometimes, I feel guilty for making her upset, but just likewith the promises, I learned at a young age that if you hide your true emotions, no one can hurt you. And if you develope an anger at the world, most people will leave you alone.

"Steve, go get something to eat." Soda commanded playfully, pushing me off the couch.

"Thanks a lot, pal." I said standing up. "Okay, I'll go eat."

"Hi, Steve." Ponyboy mumbled as I walked past him.

"Hey, Ponyboy." I mumbled back as I helped myself to meatloaf and potatoes.

"There's only water to drink unless you want coffee." Ponyboy told me. He pointed to where Soda was sitting. "Soda drank the last of the chocolate milk."

I sat across from Ponyboy, not bothering to get anything to drink. I just ate in silence. Wondering if I should try talking to Ponyboy. But since he went back to his homework, I decided not to. I wouldn't know what to say to him anyway. Soda's the only one who can get the kid talking. Sometimes Two-Bit can, but only if Ponyboy is in a certain mood. He usually keeps to himself. Especially now since his own best friend recently died.

Johnny and Dally's deaths hit us hard. But Johnny's hit Ponyboy the hardest. They had just spent a week together in some old church. And suddenly, Johnny was gone. Ponyboy hasn't been the same since. He's more distant. And quieter than usual. I know Soda and Darry have been worried about him. Even I've been concerned for him and I don't dig him that much. If something ever happened to Soda, I don't know what I'd do. I guess I'd be in a state of shock and denial, just like Ponyboy.