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Soda and Sandy were talking for what felt like forever, but I knew it couldn't have been. I wished desperately to hear what they were saying, my eavesdropping senses tingled madly. A true little brother would have been over there by now, eating up every word, but a loving one would respect his brother's privacy. There was nothing left for me to do but twiddle my thumbs and hope to God that Sandy told him the truth.

"Sodapop! Soda wait —" Sandy shrieked followed by a chocked sob. My eyes darted up in time to catch Soda's faded, blue shirt retreat to the car. Quickly, I followed before I could lose him. After all, he knew where Darry parked, I got out before then.

"Ponyboy," Sandy called, tears streaming freely down her dull, pink cheeks. This was strange to me: why on Earth was she crying now? She didn't seem to give a damn about what happened to Soda earlier when she received his money. What changed?

Then again, she didn't break Soda's heart earlier. Her plan was to skip town secretly, never to witness my brother's depression and now she was forced to live with it for the rest of her life. Breaking Soda was no easy task, but once you get there it's impossible to forget.

"Ponyboy, I'm-I'm sorry ... about everything. Tell him .. please."

Unsure of what to say, I nodded then ran after Soda. It was gonna take a long time for him to heal and the last thing I was going to do was let him do this alone.

xXx

"Where is he?" I asked, slightly panicked that Soda was nowhere in sight. I'd been absolutely positive that he ran this way, but as I pulled the door open, Darry's was the only body exposed.

"Quiet, Pony, he's in the bed," a quick glance back confirmed this. He was laying on his back, observing the stars or at least it looked like he was. Darry tapped on the glass, trying for Soda's attention. "Hang on, Pepsi-Cola. We're leaving."

The trip home was the equivalent of putting the TV on mute, turning off the radio, and kicking the gang out of the house. And I thought the trip to the station was silent. At least that ride had been mildly comfortable with Soda there. Now he was in the back and that left only Darry and I, which inevitably called for awkwardness.

"Hey," Darry asked breaking the silence. "What happened back there?"

I sighed, what had happened? I mean, besides the obvious. Clearly she told Soda the truth, but what else was she lying about? Surely there was more than this fable: you can't hide something this big without others, can you?

"Ponyboy?" Darry pushed.

"It wasn't his, baby." We shared a glance, albeit quick considering one of us was driving, then more silence engulfed us. It seemed to be another few miles before he finally spoke up again.

"Well, I'm glad he found out. He could have spent his whole life not knowing."

He says 'rest of his life' as if Soda was gonna live to be 100. Now, there was a bigger possibility of that, but just because he knew the truth didn't mean he would go back to school.

xXx

It wasn't long before the gang found out about that night, and within a few days, the whole town knew. No matter how hard Soda tried to pretend he was okay, or pretend nothing happened, someone full of pity would walk in and ask him if he was okay. It finally got to the point where one night, Soda walked into our room, fell into bed and never got up again.

"How's he?" Two-Bit would ask every morning before school. I never really knew how to answer this question. Sure we share a bed and everything, but that doesn't mean I can read his mind and the last thing I'm gonna do is ask him. That is, after all, why he locks himself up in his room all the time.

So, in response to Two-Bit's question, I shrug and he accepts it.

Unlike when our parents died, the gang still comes over to help and support Soda. It's become a ritual actually, we all come and sit in the living room and watch whatever is on the TV until Darry comes home and makes me do my homework. That's when Dally heads out with Johnny and Two-Bit, and Steve heads home or prepares to sleep on the couch.

Then there was today which felt different in itself. A new tension built as I watched Steve march up the driveway, his face looking particularly upset (more so than usual). The door slammed as it did whenever anyone walked in, but instead of joining us in front of the TV, he made a beeline for my room. This couldn't be good.

Johnny and I shared a look, a mutual feeling of curiosity and concern. If Steve was in as bad of a mood as I expected him to be in, this could only mean trouble.

Moments later, something big and solid hit the ground followed by a, "What the hell, Steve!"

"I could say the same thing, Sodapop! What are you doing here?"

"I dunno," sarcasm laced Soda's words heavily as he propped himself up on one elbow. The loud noise was Soda hitting the floor and apparently it was Steve's fault, as he held one side of the mattress in the air. "Why on Earth would I be in my house?"

"Wise-ass comments, I see where the kid gets them from." Soda scowled. "Look, man, I've covered your shift at the DX for a week and some days, I can't take it anymore. There's a reason I work in the garage, Soda. I ain't a social person."

Soda's voice lowered, Steve's words had been a shock to him. "You didn't have to cover for me, Steve..."

"Yeah, I did. You're my buddy and that's what we do for each other. But I can't go on like this. I know you're going through some shit," Soda looked down, fiddling with the blanket in his hands. "But you can't just sit around and feel bad for yourself."

Soda was silent, thinking about what all had been said to him.

"I'll bring you your paycheck and tomorrow after school, you're comin' to work with me whether you like it or not. Those broads at the DX, I don't know how you handle them at all. Jesus Christ!" This got a chuckle out of him. It was a rare sound from him in the past few days but hearing it now was like a gentle sigh of relief. Soda was gonna be okay.

"What's so funny, Pony?" Two-Bit asked between his program. I guess Soda's laugh, although it probably hasn't happened yet, was probably enough to get me smiling moronically.

My ears burned suddenly. "Nothin'..." I mumbled.