I don't own The Outsiders

Everyone, I'm happy to update another chapter of The Outsiders :)

Warning: Language and violence

Chapter 11

What. . .am I doing?

Those exact words plagued Ponyboy as he nervously walked out of the back door. At first he thought he could cough up the courage to stand up for himself, but it felt like all the chivalry he held was draining from himself. He felt worthless.

"Pony? What are you doing?" A call came from the kitchen. Ponyboy didn't need to turn around to see that it was Sodapop who called him.

"You'll catch a cold standing in the doorway with a t-shirt on at this hour." Soda soothed. "Come back to bed."

Ponyboy bit his lip, lowering his head.

"Soda. . ."

"Yeah baby?"

He gulped, the pit of his stomach felt on fire. "Am I worthless? Cause that's how I feel." Ponyboy didn't go into detail why he felt that way but as always he was guided into Soda's loving arms and held tightly.

"You, Ponyboy Micheal Curtis, are not worthless. In fact, I think you're the most important person, along with Darry, in my life." Soda smiled softly, he patted his brother's back for extra reassurance. Ponyboy felt a twige of a smile form on the corners of his mouth, this pleased Sodapop.

"How about we have dessert BEFORE Dinner tonight, Ponyboy. My treat-"

"Like hell we will!" Darry butted in from the living room.

"-next time." Soda quickly added, fearful of Darry's wrath of breaking the no dessert before dinner rule.

Ponyboy giggled. And Soda smiled softly, for once the home was bustling with high energy, Two-bit had went well overboard with his jokes and slight pranks to the point where Steve started a fist fight, Darry screamed for them to knock it off and Ponyboy, Johnny and Sodapop were left laughing along. Dallas glared at Two-bit and Steve, warning them that if either of them did anything that involved touching him and disturbing his poker game and his cigarette, that he'd join the two.

The home felt light and fluffy once again.

Darry and Soda just hoped it would last.

It was nearly a week after things felt "normal" in The Curtis Home and Darry and Sodapop noticed that Curly Sheppard had taken a liking to their dear Ponyboy. As of this moment Sodapop could be seen staring at Curly, almost burning hold in the back of his curly head. Curly and Tim rarely come this north to Tulsa and when they do it's to stop and probably talk about Socs when things get bad or to get details about a rumble.

But for the past few days Curly came over to "polietly chat" with Ponyboy.

"Damn brat, get away from him!" Sodapop whispered, biting his nails.

Darry rolled his eyes, but still kept Ponyboy in the vision of the back of his eye. Just then as Ponyboy laughed from some joke Curly made, Curly slowly put his arm around Ponyboy's neck and Soda's eyes widened, taking the neerest object he could grab on to which happened to be a kitchen knife, he chucked it at the curly haired boy. Darry watched in horror as in slow motion the knife went sailing from the kitchen to the living room where it just grazed Curly's flannel shirt and landed in the wall.

Ponyboy and Curly were probably pale as ghosts and Sodapop was fuming mad.

Darry skid out of the kitchen taking Soda with him quickly enough for when Ponyboy and Curly turned behind them they could see that no one was in the kitchen.

"Keep yourself calm, Soda!" Darry whispered loudly pinning Soda to a wall

"THAT LITTLE BRA-"

Darry stuffed his mouth with a sock from the dresser.

"I know, but you can't let your anger get the damn best of ya' now what will the social workers say when they see a damn knife wedged into the wall?!"

Soda didn't think about that one. He frowned, spitting out the sock and Darry put him down. Sodapop sighed, counted to three in his head and took a deep breath.

"You're right, Darr, I'm just gonna' go out, apologize and-OH THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Soda's temper was higher than ever seeing Curly slowly lean into Ponyboy while Ponyboy's bright green eyes were wide with innocence and curosity. Sodapop charged at curly like a wild mother animal, swooping up Curly, and tossing him out the front door.

"Bye, Curly! Thanks for stopping over!" He called, smirking as he shut the door.

He was surprised when he turned around to see Ponyboy looking angry.

"huh?" Soda asked.

"Soda. . . .How could you?!"

"Ponyboy, I was only trying to-"

"I HATE YOU!" Pony screamed at Sodapop, Soda's world was turned upside down.

"No.. . ."

"I hate you, I hate you!"

"No. . .No Ponyboy."

"Soda."

"No, don't hate me!"

"Sodapop-"

"DON'T HATE ME, PONYBOY!"

"SODAAA!"

Sodapop shot out of bed, it was dark in his room and by the clock beside Ponyboy, who was sitting up in bed with him, he saw it was nearly three in the morning.

"Soda, it's three in the morning, did you. . . . . have a nightmare?" Ponyboy asked.

Soda abruptly turned to Ponyboy, smiling widely, hugging his baby brother.

"Oh, Ponyboy. My sweet ray of sunshine, you're not abducted." Soda hushed.

Ponyboy was confused but liked the rocking Sodapop did for him and pretty soon that closed his eyes.

"Oh, you're not kissing Curly, I'm so happy."

"Kissing . . .Curly?" That woke Ponyboy up.

Soda smiled, sadly.

"Nah. . .I wouldn't kiss Curly." Ponyboy yawned.

"Oh, good. Even better." Soda rubbed Ponyboy's back.

". . . . I think Angela's prettier."

Soda's eyes shot open.

He was living a nightmare once again. This time it was reality.

". . . What?"

Yeaaaaah... My new story Forever and Ever wasn't working out, so I had to delete it. Sorry folks.

Please review!

-Kylelover101