-Ponyboy's POV-
I woke up in my room after an uneasy sleep. I didn't sleep as easily as I could have a long time ago. I spent nearly the whole night awake, worrying about my brother. I looked around me, and saw Soda sleeping beside me. Slowly, I got out of bed, and took my time dressing up and combing my hair. After I was done, I quietly went downstairs, not sure if Darry was up yet. He was.
Darry was in the kitchen, making himself some coffee. I walked into the kitchen and sat down into one of the chairs quietly. He didn't seem to notice my prescence.
"Hey Darry?" I reluctantly said. Darry turned around and looked at me with a slight sign of surprise. I guess he didn't know I was there. All the same, he sat down in front of me. I looked down at the table. "Yeah, Ponyboy? Somethin' wrong?" he asked me. I looked up at him.
"I'm worried about Soda," I said, looking back down. I really was worried about my brother. He changed so much since Dally and Johnny's deaths that it scared me. He was never this angry. Not even at me. The sight of him yesterday, drunk and messed up, brought tears to my eyes; this was not the Sodapop I knew and loved. This new Soda was the complete opposite of my happy-go-lucky brother, and I didn't like it.
I was so lost in my own thoughts that I nearly flinched when Darry was suddenly at my side. He tried not to show any emotion, but I knew it was still there. He wrapped one arm around my shoulders and gently squeezed.
"I know," he whispered. "It's going to be tough on all of us if this keeps up. But Soda has a hard life, Pony. He's only sixteen, and already he lost Mom, Dad, two really good friends, and nearly you. He had to drop out of school to help us out, which means he might not have a bright future. But he tries anyway." He squeezed my shoulder again. "He's gonna pull through. You'll see."
Hearing Darry's words made me feel a bit better. I just wish I knew what was really wrong with Sodapop.
-Sodapop's POV-
I woke up again, the throbbing pain in my head gone. I got out of bed and began to get ready for work. Steve would be here any minute. When I was completely ready, I walked downstairs, and stopped at the foot of the steps. I saw Ponyboy talking to Darry. I didn't want to pay attention to what they were talking about. I already knew; they were talking about me. But I caught what they were saying anyway.
"...he tries anyway," Darry was saying. I saw him squeeze Poyboy's shoulder slightly. "He's gonna pull through. You'll see." I sighed inwardly, leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes. I hated to see Ponyboy so worried over me. But, based on the way I've been behaving lately, I would say he's got a good reason. If only he knew what I was going through. I opened my eyes and walked past the kitchen.
"Hey guys," I said while passing them, not making eye contact with them. Darry stood up and followed me into the living room. I pretended like I didn't notice him. I sat down on the couch and Darry sat down in a chair in front in me. He kept staring at me for a long while, not speaking. I got slightly uncomfortable under his gaze. Finally he broke the silence.
"Soda, we need to talk," he said. I didn't look up at him, but I responded. "What about?"
"Soda, you know very well that things are gettin' way outta hand," Darry said. I continued to stare in a completely different direction. "The way you're behavin' is scarin' us." That made me look up at him. I knew that I wasn't myself anymore, and that my brothers were scared of my new form, but to hear it directly from one of them was a bit shocking. I never meant to scare them in any way, but I can't control myself as well as I used to. "What happened to you that made you change like ya did?" Darry asked, his eyes pleading. I never got a chance to even answer, bacause at that moment, Steve walked into the house.
"Hey guys," he said, leaning against the wall casually. I was glad of Steve's good timing; I didn't want to talk to Darry anymore.
"Come on, Soda," Steve said, walking out the door. "We'll be late for work."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'," I said. I stood up and walked toward the door to follow Steve, but I felt a hard but gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked at it, then turned my gaze to Darry. His eyes were still pleading, asking me to tell him what was wrong. But he knew I wouldn't tell him.
"Darry, I gotta go to work," I said. Darry stood there for another second, then nodded once, removing his hand from my shoulder. As soon as I felt his hand away from my shoulder, I walked quickly out the door. I didn't feel the need to tell Darry anything today.
--
Work seemed to drag on forever. So many things were on my mind, and I kept screwing up simple things up like looking for a tool I needed when all along it was in my hand the entire time. Steve didn't laugh at that today like he usually would. He kept a close eye on me, and I wondered vaguely if Darry put him up to this. Finally, 5o'clock came, and we closed the station for the day. We walked home in silence, which struck me as suspicious; Steve always wanted to talk to me about something. This continued all the way home. As soon as I got into the house, I followed my regular routine: kick off my shoes in different directions, throw my jacket on the couch, miss it, and get myself a glass of chocolate milk. I sat down onto the couch and turned on the TV, Steve sitting next to me. Ponyboy came in a while later with Two-Bit. Darry was still at work, and wouldn't come home until eight tonight.
"Hey y'all," Two-Bit said as he walked in. "How's it goin'?"
"Could be better," I said. I stole a glance at the clock. It read 5:23 p.m. I stood up and walked towards the door. Steve got up.
"Hey Soda, where're ya goin'?" he asked. I didn't look back at him, but put on my jacket. "Out," I said before walking out the door and down the street. From outside, I could hear Two-Bit. "What's up with him?" Then I heard the distant rumble of a conversation going on. I looked back toward the house and kept walking. Once I was sure I was safe from their sight; they could be looking out a window, I sped up to a run. I was gonna be late.
