Coming back from the bookstore I decided to head to the hospital, not really in any mood to see Aunt Fiona.
I knocked on Two-Bit's door and Pony opened it.
"May I come in?" I asked him.
" 'Course you can!" I heard Dally call from inside the room.
Pony moved aside as I walked in, "I thought it was two people only."
Dally smirked, "I have my ways."
Steve came in with cans of beer and howled, "Got the kind you like, Two-Bit!" He tossed Two-Bit, Dally and me one, soon making fun of Pony 'cause Pony didn't drink.
I asked Dally if there was any news about the Soc.
"Cherry doesn't know anything," Pony jumped in.
"Nor does Marcia," Two-Bit sighed.
"They ain't thinking about a rumble, are they?" I had to bring up the possibility.
Steve drank his beer, "As much as I would love to stomp they heads in I don't think they got the balls after last year."
"And after my drunken ramblings," Two-Bit chuckled, "Maybe if I called him Professor instead of 'stupid' he wouldn't have shot me."
"Maybe if you didn't get drunk he wouldn't have shot you," I said sarcastically, "Ever think o' that, Two-Bit?"
"Naw, don't even bring that up," Dally said, "See, Two-Bit woulda done it anyway, wouldn't ya, Two-Bit?"
"I woulda cussed him out about my dirtied up Mickey shirt," Two-Bit began, "and cut him with my shop lifted switch, but wait! Who lost that, again? Who didn't have my prized possession? What's his name…? Pony, you remember the culprit?"
"I'm pretty sure the transaction happened in this very hospital," Pony played along, "with a man named DALLAS WANSTON!"
Pony took my beer and dumped it all over Dally's head, Steve cackled and Two-Bit high fived Pony.
I laughed as Dally wiped his wet hair out his eyes, "You little shit, Ponyboy."
We laughed as Dally began to chase Pony, Pony running out the door and Dally sitting back in his seat.
I barely saw Pony behave like the rest of the gang. Most times he wasn't very cooperative with the joke, but today he decided to be.
As Steve pretended to drink the beer out Dally's hair, the door swung open, Soda running in and punching Two-Bit in the jaw.
"What the hell?" I stood from my seat as Dally and Soda began to struggle.
"Who else would it be," Soda began as Dally lifted him and carried him out the door, "than the stupid drunk?!"
I followed Dally as the nurse ran in to tend to Two-Bit.
Dally pushed Soda on a bench outside the hospital, "What in hell, man?"
Soda stood, "Terry's pregnant!"
Steve showed up and dropped his beer at this.
Soda charged at him, "Was it you?!" I held him back as he yelled angrily at his best friend.
Steve became pissed, "I got Evie! 'sides, I hate the preppy whore!"
"You son of a bitch!" Soda pushed me down and punched Steve, Steve giving him a good blow to the stomach.
They fought for a while, but soon Dally managed to pull out his gun and fire into the air making everyone stop.
"Jesus Christ, shut up!" he yelled, pulling the two apart, Steve's lip bleeding and Soda's black eye apparently worse, "Much as I love a good fight-"
"Was it you?" Soda looked up at Dally.
Dally simply glared at him with the same kind of expression Pony had made to Two-Bit.
In my horror, he looked at me, "Sweet…"
I stammered, "N-no, man! Never! I-"
"You liar! You have had every opportunity, you've never had a girl, you lover her brownies, you pretend to be a part of the gang, y- why? You pretend so you can hook up with our women?! Huh?!"
"Bullshit, Soda Curtis!" I yelled at him, "I may be 'new' to the gang but I would never in my wildest dreams do it to pick up chicks! Especially those of my friends!"
I had a feeling Soda would lunge at me, but Dally held his firm in his hand.
Soda gulped and seemed to remember something, " 'Terry and Darry sitting in a'…"
He sprang away from Dally and sprinted into the street, all three of us chasing after him.
"Soda!" Steve called, "Soda, goddamn it!"
"He was rambling!" I called, "Two-Bit was drunk! Soda!"
I soon saw Soda run toward Darry, whom was reading the paper on their front porch.
"Darry!" Soda angrily yelled.
Darry looked up, "Soda?" he stood and put the paper down, walking off the porch, "Aren't you supposed to be-"
"You motherfucker!" Soda came up and punched big brother so hard that Darrel Curtis fell backward.
Even though the three of us couldn't make it across the busy road we could hear everything pretty clear.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Darry began to stand, but Soda punched him down.
"I see how you two are together! And you couldn't keep your hands off, could ya?" Soda punched, "You couldn't find anyone else, could ya? Huh?!"
Dallas, Steve and I were now able to run across the street once Dally showed his gun to all the drivers.
Darry pushed Soda off and grabbed him by his shirt, "Who are you talking a- CALM DOWN!" Soda still fought, "Who are you talking about?!"
"Sandy!" Soda stopped fighting as we made it over.
"You mean Terry." Dally corrected.
Soda began to cry, "I love her," he completely broke down, "I love Sandy…"
Darry let go of Soda's shirt and pulled him into a hug. The two of them fell to the ground, Soda grabbing his brother bawling.
The three of us watched. Darry still held him, "I know you do, Soda," Soda sobbed, "I know you do."
