I rolled over groaning, trying to re think what had happened last night. Lets see, I thought to myself, party with Two-Bit at Buck's place with that god awful music. Soda left with Steve at eleven to go home. Two-Bit that little son of a bitch talked me into staying. I couldn't remember what had happened after that. I really hoped I didn't run into Pony or Darry. I pushed the covers back trying to shield the sun from my eyes. I walked out into the living room to find Pony starring at the TV.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" I asked. He had the TV up so loud. It wasn't exactly good for a hang over.

Ponyboy gave me a funny look. "It's Saturday, Why are you up so late?"

I smiled and rubbed his hair. "Where's your brother keeping the aspirin at?" I hated lying so I figured I'd just avoid the subject.

Pony got up and returned with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. "Are you hung over?"

I managed to swallow with out hacking my water back up. "That's my business little one, and if I am hung over I'm well over the age to be allowed. However you aren't."

"You sound like Darry." Pony stated pushing back his hair reveling his tired, blood shot eyes.

"Ponyboy, when's the last time you got sleep?" Pony had some crazy idea in his head, that he was the one who caused that accident with Darry's hand. Darry was up late with him after a nightmare. If Darry wouldn't have been tired, the whole thing wouldn't have happened. Darry doesn't know that. I'm not sure if Soda does. He gets up after Darry goes to bed and then watches TV or something.

"Kid, you know Darry would have a heart attack and die if he knew what you where doing."

"He already has chest pains." Pony said in a matter of fact way.

I shook my head. "You can't baby-sit your big brother."

"You know just as well as I do that he shouldn't be at work. That's why he is so pist off, his hand hurts him all the time and he can't take the pain killers because they put him to sleep."

I couldn't exactly say anything, he was right. Darry needed to be home. "There anything to do in this town? I hate television."

Pony just sort of shrugged. "Movies."

"What's playing? You guys are supposed to have a good independent theater." I began searching the newspaper for times.

"How do you hate TV but like the movies?" Pony was starting at me like I belonged in an asylum.

"Movies are a lot better, I love horror films. Television is just boring same plot line in every show."

"Here we go, Return of the Zombies. Showing at the Sinister Theater." I looked at Pony with a questioning glance. Then something caught my eye. It had high rating. "Does Darry let you watch high rated movies?"

"I've been to a few." Pony replied

"Hey, kiddo, you can open your eyes now." I shook Pony who had his eyes closed for the last twenty-five minutes but refused to leave. He was huddled into a ball in his seat. Pony slowly straightened himself up.

"I wasn't scared." He stammered.

I gave a laugh. "I thought you saw rated R movies."

"I have, I just never saw a horror film so gory before. I thought it would be like Dracula or something."

"It's all make believe Pone. Zombies and mummies can't get you."

"They have mummies in Egypt."

"Yes, well Egypt and Tulsa aren't exactly close."

I could tell he was just racking his brains about how they could swim over and eat him the next day or some crazy shit like that.

"You ready to leave now?"

"Yeah" He was trying his best to act tuff but it wasn't exactly his best performance.

"How come you spend more time with me and Soda than you do Darry?" Pony asked.

Oh, shit. "Darry's always at work." I answered.

We went to some hole in the wall diner for lunch. I wasn't sure how we ended up in the art museum. I glanced down at the clock and it was going on eight.

"Ponyboy it's almost eight kid, we got to go." I drove home fast. It wasn't a school night but we didn't leave Darry a note or anything I was expecting to be home right after the movie.

I walked in to face the wrath of the younger brother. "Darry, I'm sorry we got caught up at the art museum and I didn't realize what time it was."

"Next time leave a note." He snapped.

As if on cue, Pony screamed and rushed into the kitchen behind Soda.

"What the hell is the matter you, boy?" Darry was glaring at him.

Pony looked at me trying to catch his breath when Two-Bit walked in laughing with Steve right behind him. They slapped high fives.

"Jesus, kid you booked it straight toward your brothers." Steve smirked.

"Would anyone care to explain to me what happened?" Darry obviously agitated asked.

"They were in my closet, but I didn't know, they started growling and then the door opened. I thought there were zombies or something." Pony explained.

I laughed. "Pony, movies aren't real life, zombies don't exist. The only thing to be afraid of these goons ugly faces."

"That sounds like a good movie for Evie to cuddle up too. What's it called?"

"Return of the Zombies, it's playing at the Sinister." I mumbled and suddenly the room went quite. I could tell Two-Bit wanted to say something but he didn't have the guts to say it. Steve had a funny little smirk to him. Darry veins were about to protrude from his head.

"You took a little kid to the Sinister Theater." Darry roared.

"Yeah" I answered slowly.

"Are you stupid, do you know what kind of movies play there?" Darry didn't give me time to answer. "Skin flicks and anything way above the average rating. Why the heck would you take him there, he already has nightmares are you trying to make it worse."

"Pony, you told me you were allowed to see those kinds of movies."

"You took me to a few monster movies Darry."

Darry shook his head. "At the drive in and the Sinister is different Pony, Sinter, the name it doesn't give it away?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Yeah, you don't know too much, do you? I keep both of these kids far away from that theater." Darry said.

"It won't happen again." I told him. I just retreated to my room.

I keep messing this up. I put my head in my hands. I found my journal and an old picture book. I rummaged through the photos in it. So much for starting over.

"Shay" Soda's voice was on the other side of the door. "You have a phone call."

Soda gave me a huge smile. I couldn't help smile back.

"Hello." I said into the phone.

"Hi, son, how is everything?" It was my Dad. I never talked to my parents while Darry and the boys were home.

"Pretty good." I answered uneasily.

"I have a job for you. Well an interview as a sports writer for the Tulsa Newspaper."

"Are you serious? How'd you manage that?" I knew I was drawing attention from the others.

"Just go to the head quarters down town and ask for Jack Smith, tell him who you are and he will know."

"Thanks."

I wasn't sure what you wear for a sports writer interview. I went through all my stuff. I didn't want to look like a businessman but I didn't want to look like a sloppy fan. There wasn't exactly a happy medium.

I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. My mind was thinking about today and tomorrow and the future. I found myself everyday wanting to tell Soda and Pony who I really was. I some how managed to fall for them. Darry just didn't budge. This just wasn't working. I swung my legs over the edge of bed and stood up. I found Pony and Darry asleep on the couch. I smiled, no wonder he hadn't had nightmares tonight.

I pulled a blanket up to the Darry's chin.

"Shit." I said out loud, Darry's hand was bleeding right through the bandages. I quickly grabbed a towel from the kitchen and slowly wrapped it around Darry's hand. He woke up with a loud intake of breath.

"What's going on?" He looked down at Ponyboy and stroked the top of his hair.

"You're hand Darry. It was bleeding. You need to get that checked out."

"It's fine." He mumbled.

"You're stubborn, you know that?"

"You really don't have room to talk."

I smiled. "Hey, I'm really sorry about earlier, if I would have known I wouldn't have taken him."

"It's common sense not to take a kid who has nightmares to a horror movie." Darry snapped. "You can consider this strike two, three strikes you're gone and not coming back."

"Strike two?" I bit down nervously on my nail.

"Getting drunk, I should have thrown you out then but you're of age."

"I didn't" I started

"Think I knew?" Darry shook his head at me. "I know everything that concerns these two kids, right now you're a threat. I'm not going to let your actions get in the way of keeping my brothers with me. Three strikes and your out of here; you don't get it, we have consequences but you wouldn't know anything about that. Now would you?"

"You said I don't know shit Darry, well let me tell you something. You don't know shit about me either." I spat.