Ponyboy's POV

I looked down in horror at the limp body. The blood was spreading fast. I never had a problem with blood before, but this was a lot. I never knew the human body could hold that much of the crimson liquid. I took a step towards them and peered over Deans shoulder to see the face of a boy I recognized to be a member of snakes gang. Well, at least its someone I didn't like. my dark thoughts echoed in my mind.

I then looked up to see snakes holding a heater at his side. I watched him in terror as he slowly smiled evilly. The two hoods of snakes looked fearfully at their leader, and took a step back with shock evident in their face.

"That's what the bastard gets for stealing my money and runnin off with it." snakes snarled in a low voice.

Mike got to his feet then, and I noticed his shirt was covered in the dead boys blood, along with the front of his jeans. "You fucking bastard! You just shot one of yer own damn hoods! I'll make sure ya regret this, snakes! I'll make sure yer kind stays out of my territory. I don't like having a lowlife murderer in our neighborhood." he threatens in an anger filled voice that would make an army of demons back down.

Snakes eyes hold a bit of fear in them for a moment, but he quickly masks it. "He brought it on himself."

Anger flared in Michaels eyes, but was interrupted when we heard sirens speeding this way off in the distance. Snakes exchanged a dark look with his gang, before turning back to Michael.

"I hope I wont have to see ya anytime soon, Haden." snakes said, using mike's last name. Then he did something very unexpected. He handed the gun to Mike, and stormed of in a hurried pace with his gang on his heels.

Chris, Dean, Michael, and I stood there, dumbfounded and in shock, of what just happened. My mind was spinning with so many thoughts, I was sure I was about to explode any second. What the fuck just happened? Did snakes just shoot one of his own? Is this real? Am I having a nightmare? What the hell is happening? Why the hell would he give the heater to Mike?

Not even a minute later, two police cars surrounded us and four cops came out pointing guns at us and yelling at us to put our hands up and for Michael to drop his heater. We did as we were told and the fuzz swooped in to restrain Mike, since he was the only one of us that was covered in blood and was holding a pistol. The cops tried to push the rest of us back, but I got past them and to Mike as he was shoved into the back of a cop car.

"… I didn't do it! It wasn't me! It was snakes!" Mike was shouting at the cop.

"Yeah, yeah, Haden. We know yer rep. ya ain't gonna fool us with that bull crap. We all saw ya with the damn heater so drop the act." the cop hissed at him.

"It wasn't him! It really was snakes!" I yelled once I reached them. I was still pretty dazed, but had sense enough to know I had to reach Michael.

"Yeah! It was snakes! Not mike!" I didn't even realize that Chris and Dean had come up behind me.

The cop looked us up and down. "So this is yer crew. Huh, Haden? Well, sorry buys, but the evidence is plain to see."

"Ponyboy. Guys, its okay. I know there's no way outta this one. Snakes set me up! Ponyboy, I want ya to be the leader of my gang." Michael said, and he looked totally defeated.

What? Everything was happening too fast. He wanted me to take over? But I've only been here for a week! Finally recovering from all the shock I was in, I responded, "What! Ya want me to be leader? Have ya gone insane Mike!"

Mike smiled. "I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon. My record is too high. Snakes is pretty new to the streets of New York. I don't know how bad his record is. But I see something good in ya kid. I see talent. I think ya can handle it. Ya seen how I do things. Please Ponyboy. I want ya to do it." he begged me.

I didn't know what to say. I've never imagined being a leader of a gang before. I made a quick decision. "I'll do it." what was I saying?

He smiled, and looked at me approvingly. "I knew I made the right choice." I didn't know what he was talking about. "Take the gang in a whole new direction, Pony, lead them the right way. And make sure ya beat snakes ass for me, okay?" he said.

I nodded and smiled. "Sure will. We'll make sure snakes get what he deserves." I promised.

The cop drove away with mike in the back seat. And me, Dean, and Chris, were left in the now empty parking lot.

Dean and Chris were staring at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling uneasy.

"Mike made ya leader." Dean said in a far away voice I've never heard from him before.

"Yeah! Yer the new leader, Ponyboy, whoa." Chris looked at me in awestruck.

"Yeah. So?" I asked.

The two looked at me like I grew two heads. "Its not very often a leader gets to choose the next leader. Usually the leader never gets the chance, and the gang has to fight over who gets title."

I was confused. I still didn't understand how gangs in New York worked. "Why doesn't the leader get a chance?" I asked.

Chris and Dean exchanged glances. "They end up dead or in prison."

Well that made me feel great. I sighed. "Well, this is gonna be an adventure." oh boy, how right I was…

AN: yay! Finally I updated! Sorry for the wait! I started a new story called 'Life's secrets' please review! It makes my day!