Disclaimer: I don't own any of S.E.Hinton's charcters...; Descriptions taken from the movie by F.F. Coppola
Chocolate Cake and Car Keys
Darry had finished telling Two-Bit about his outrage, Pony's running away and the dead Soc in the park when Two-Bit took out a cigarette, lit it and got up to get another beer.
"They were seriously pissed off, huh? We were only taking care of their fine ladies while they got drunk." he mused, sitting down again. "Damn, I shouldn't have left them alone. Who'd have thought they'd come back?"
"There was no way you coulda known," I said, finally taking part in the conversation actively. "We should've gone after him right away." I still had the pack of cigarettes sitting in my back pocket so I took one, mirroring Two-Bit – except for the beer.
By now, things were still unclear, but in our heads, several possibilities had formed.
Pony was with Johnny and they had been jumped by jealous Socs who couldn't get over the fact their girls had been with Greaser boys. If it really was that boy with the rings that had caused that cruel scar on Johnny's face - though, it could have been anyone, because rings weren't that unusual - he must have recognized him. He must have been scared to death and used his blade.
Or maybe Pony had been on his own. After all, Two-Bit had last seen them in front of Johnny's place, maybe Johnny was actually at home and just hadn't heard us earlier, or didn't want to hear us, because of his parents.
So, maybe Pony had been alone when the Socs jumped him. He didn't have a blade, but the Socs could have threatened him with one and in his efforts to get away the blade slipped and the Soc got stabbed by accident.
But where was Pony now? Had he run away in panic? Was he on the run because it wasn't an accident but murder?
What about the other Socs? Had they ran in panic? Or had they revenged their friend?
For heaven's sake – was Pony still alive?
We definitely had to go to the police sometime soon and tell them that Pony was missing. Even if I – and Pony – had to go to a boy's home, but we had to tell them, so they could help us find him.
It was unusually quiet for Two-Bit's company. We were all lost in our thoughts. All three of us were trying to blame ourselves for what had happened.
All I could think of was why I hadn't run after Pony. Why? I might have found him before the Socs came. I might have at least have come in time to help them. I might have, I might have, I might have … What use were might haves now that it was too late to use them?
Had it really been only the day before that we had come to help Ponyboy when he had been threatened by those other Socs? Had it really been only last night that I told him I wanted to marry Sandy?
Everything suddenly seemed so unreal, so far off.
"Soda?" Someone was shaking me on the shoulder – from the grip I knew it was Darry. "Soda, you're still with us?"
"Yeah," - I shook my head lightly - "Yeah, sure, why?"
Two-Bit started chuckling while Darry said: "Well, I was asking if you'll manage to walk home or if you'd rather sleep at Two-Bit's."
"Huh?" I really hadn't realised anyone had been talking to me until Darry shook me.
Two-Bit thought it was very funny and his chuckling turned into soft laughter.
"I," I started. Two-Bit's laughter wasn't fair, but this was Two-Bit, you know, the guy you can never be angry at. "Sure I can walk home. I can't sleep anyways."
"Well, you sure seemed to fall asleep two seconds ago." Darry said.
"No, I didn't!" I protested. "I was thinking."
"You?" If the whole mess with Pony wasn't in the air, I'm sure Two-Bit would have had the time of his life at that moment.
"Cut it out, Mathews," I tried to sound at least a little pissed.
"Well, I guess we better go home now. Try to catch some sleep before work."
"Yeah, and as I said, Darry, you two go work, try not to worry too much and I'll go try find out all I can. And when you're off work, I'll come with you to the police."
"Thank you, Two-Bit."
They really must have been talking while I was occupied with senseless thoughts. Funny how sometimes you can shut out everything around you.
At home, I occupied the couch to avoid that horrible evidence of Pony's absence, our bed. I only drifted off several times for only short moments, too antsy and worried to sleep, but too tired to try and stay awake and do something useful.
Darry and I were both up again far earlier than usual. Darry tried to talk me into eating more than only a slice of toast. He told me I needed to eat to have strength for work. I don't know how he managed to eat his sandwich – he had already eaten two when I finished my slice of toast – but I just couldn't get myself to eat.
When I heard Steve's car outside, I hurried out to meet him, shouting "I'll do the dishes during lunch break," in Darry's general direction.
I just wanted to get away, needed a change of scenery, and I didn't want Steve to come in.
I don't know why. If I had hoped that it would stop him from asking questions, I had succeeded at the opposite.
"Hey, we're not late, are we? I wanted to grab some chocolate cake and coffee at your place." Steve turned off the engine, instead of driving off to the DX.
"No chocolate cake today," I answered, sparing with words. Well, actually we did have some, but we hadn't put it on the breakfast table today, we both didn't feel like chocolate cake today. But I didn't tell Steve.
"Why not?" Steve wanted to know.
"Because."
"Something wrong with you?"
"No, I'm just fine," I lied, getting out of the car again. I went inside, took the cake and went back. "Here," I put the cake on Steve's lap, "Now, can we go to work?" I asked reaching over to his keys to start the engine.
"Hang on, Soda!" He pushed my hand away and covered the keys with his own. "Something's not right, not at all. And don't you start using that tone with me. That's not you, pal. I've known you for more than ten years. You tell me what's wrong. Now!"
I let my head fall back against the head rest. I should have known; I could never deceive my best friend.
"Pony's gone." I finally said.
"What? Why? Where?" I wondered if Steve could think of more w-words that could fit.
"I," I began, not sure whether to tell him now and risk that he left me here, telling me I shouldn't go to work, or to try convince him to drive off to the DX and I'd tell him then. I had a go at the latter. "Steve, look, I need to go to work. I need a change of scenery as well as my wage, so, please, can we go now and I'll tell you later?"
Steve looked at me for a while, wondering what to do, but then he gave in, knowing that I was right – after all, he had just said it himself, he had known me for me than ten years.
