All it's Cracked Up to Be

Summary: It's everything he's been waiting for, and it becomes his downfall. In which Ponyboy realizes college at seventeen isn't everything it's cracked up to be.

Amanda (Guest): Thank you so much! We'll see what Ponyboy does, he does love his cigarettes... Again, thank you so much for reviewing!

Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so much for taking the time to review! I'm glad you enjoyed. :)

Candymouse22: Thank you for your continued support. I hope you continue to enjoy!

Chapter 2

Third Person POV ~November, 1969~

"I'm sorry, Darry," Ponyboy apologized hoarsely, a wet cough escaping from his chapped lips. Once he got his lungs under control, he continued. "I'm not coming home just to get you sick."

It wasn't the fact that he had a nasty cold that kept Ponyboy from going home. The mere idea of facing his childhood home again without his brother there made his hands shake and his chest tighten, and that wasn't due to his cold. He was terrified to go home and face the aching loneliness.

Even though he was sick, Ponyboy couldn't sit idly during fall break, his own head would drive him insane if he did. Instead, he spent the next three days hacking, studying, and running.

On Thursday Ponyboy still didn't feel any better, but he went out for a run anyway. The air was cool, but Ponyboy was weak from a low-grade fever, and he felt hot and dizzy as he ran.

Ponyboy found himself passing near a local park as he ran. He ran by a fountain that looked extremely familiar, with ice forming around the edges.

"Ain't you cold, Ponyboy?"

"You ain't a'woofin'."

He shook his head, willing the memories to leave him alone.

"This greased needs a bath. Get him!"

Suddenly, he found himself lightheaded and unable to breathe. He felt like he was drowning, and he felt himself gasping for breath, but only what felt like water came in. He felt a familiar sensation of being underwater before everything turned black.

OoOoOoO

Ponyboy opened his heavy eyelids to find a blurry, but familiar figure sitting next to his hospital bed. The bright lights made his head pound, but after a few minutes the pounding subsided enough for him to fully open his eyes.

"Hey, Darry," Ponyboy's voice came out in a hoarse croak. Darry grabbed a glass of water off of the end table, helping Ponyboy take a few slow sips of the cool liquid that helped soothe the younger boy's throat.

"How are you feeling, kiddo?" Darry asked softly.

"I'm okay," Ponyboy answered, his voice clearer than before. He blew off the pain in his head, hoping he would be able to get out of the hospital soon.

"Sure," Darry rolled his eyes, seeing straight through Ponyboy's exaggeration. "You get to get out of here as soon as you keep down a decent meal, you know. You're underweight and dehydrated, Ponyboy; you better start eating better or I'll skin you."

Ponyboy felt like a little kid again under Darry's stern orders. He nodded silently, resisting the urge to give his older brother a sarcastic salute and a "yes, sir!"

"Come on, kiddo," Darry said in a softer voice. "You got to take care of yourself if you're going to break track records."

Ponyboy forced a smile, but inside the thought made him sick, because he was hiding something big from Darry.

He had been kicked off the track team.

The day after Coach Patterson had sent Ponyboy home, the auburn freshman showed back up at track practice, praying that his coach would let him run.

Ponyboy ran as hard as he possibly could, but half an hour into the practice Ponyboy was coughing up a storm and could barely keep from falling over from his dizzy he was.

Coach Patterson saw that Ponyboy wasn't up to his usual performance at practice, but he didn't say anything until that weekend at their meet against their rival school, where Ponyboy finished in last place due to his dizzy spells and coughing.

"Curtis!" His coach lectured once the meet was over and they were in the locker room. "What in the world was that?"

Ponyboy felt his ears redden due to the fact that he was getting chewed out by the coach in front of everyone.

"I'm sorry..."

"Sorry don't cut it this time. I'm don't put up with athletes that don't take care of themselves. I can't have you on my team anymore, Curtis. You're out. Try again next year if you can manage to get it together."

Darry broke Ponyboy out of his flashback. "Sodapop wouldn't want you to not take care of yourself-"

"Shut up about Soda," Ponyboy found himself growling, letting out a curse. His voice took on a hard edge he had never dared to use with Darry.

Darry gave his younger brother a hard look, ready to yell at him for his mouth, but he closed his own mouth tightly, deciding just to let it go for now.

Th next few minutes were tense and silent, as Darry fumbled for something to say and Ponyboy balled his hands into fists to keep them from shaking.

"You can't run for the next two weeks," Darry explained, suddenly, breaking Ponyboy out of his thoughts. "You've got pneumonia, a light case of it, but pneumonia all the same. They'll give you a note to give to your coach."

Doesn't matter, Ponyboy thought bitterly, but nodded anyway.

Instead of telling the truth about what happened at track, Ponyboy gave a few weak complaints, pretending to be devastated about missing out on track.

"Can I at least go back to school once I get out of here? I need to keep up with my grades," Ponyboy asked, his voice beginning to take on a frantic edge.

"Just rest up for a few days, Pony, you'll catch up," Darry advised. But what Darry didn't know was, Ponyboy was beyond any catch up attempts. His semester grades were too far gone for Ponyboy to bounce back from. He has failed, and now he was just buying time until it all came crashing down on top of him.

Stay Gold,

- Alee XxX