AN: The next couple chapters might be just some things here and there that Ponyboy does in New York. I'll put in some Soda and Darry POV too. Pretty much a filler chapter. Read on! And review!
Ponyboy's POV
(2 month's later)
Its been two month's since Mike has been sent to prison, and everyone in the gang has pretty much accepted me as leader. Well, Eric still has some problems with it, (we never got along in the first place) but he shuts up real quick after a punch in the face. Ha. Ain't life great?
Anyways, being leader is… I cant find the words to explain it. It's a lot of things. Fun, hard, stressful, thrilling, and, occasionally scary. But what I like most about it, is the respect I get.
It is really weird though. I'm fourteen, and leader to a gang total of eight, hoods, that are mostly older than me. Chris told me that age doesn't matter in a place like New York. What matters is who the baddest down kiddie is on the streets. Down kiddie. Chris told me a down kiddie is a tough guy who doesn't back down. Yeah. New York has way different slang then Tulsa.
I go to Jay for advice, since mike was his brother and leader, Jay did pick up some stuff. Dean was pissed that mike chose me to be leader. He wanted to take leadership. But he did accept me like the rest. For some reason, the gang thought I was meant to be. I didn't ask questions, I just went with it.
For the last two months, I've been collecting information on the backgrounds of my gang. I started with Danny. He was easy. He actually couldn't stop talking about it. That boy just doesn't shut up. Well, he is the youngest, so it kind of fits.
He told me that his mom left his dad. His dad turned to drugs, and started saying that his mom left because of Danny. That bastard. Danny couldn't take it anymore and ran away. That's when he met the gang.
Plain and simple. I felt bad for Danny. He was so young to have no parents. At least he has the gang. My god, he's only thirteen! Well, that's life.
Chris says he has his dad. But they don't get along. He says they don't really like each other. His dad's an alcoholic. But not the violent type. So he told me not to worry. He doesn't know anything about his mom. He tried to ask his dad a couple times, but his old man refuses to say anything. He stays at his house most nights. But when he has an argument with his dad he comes to the warehouse to sleep in one of the old rooms.
Snatcher says his mom is alright. Nothing really wrong with her. His parents are divorced. He hates his dad, but wont tell me why. He never stays at the warehouse, says at night it gives him the creeps. But he seems pretty happy with himself.
Jay says that him and mike ran away from the state. His dad was murdered, and the state was gonna put the two in a boys home. But they were gonna be separated. They didn't want that and ran away from Chicago all the way here. And this all happened when mike was only nine! They found the abandoned warehouse and made it there home. Wow. That was a long story actually. Jay was very sad for a whole week after sharing that with me.
Dean, Tony, and Eric wont say anything. I tried different approaches but they just walk away or change the subject, so I gave up.
Okay. Enough thinking, more doing. Back to the present.
"Okay guys, lets do plan A." I said, as Jay, Snatcher, and I, walked up the parking lot to the store.
We were about to do some shopping. That's what the gang calls it when we go to shoplift, or in general, steal. Snatcher is the best shoplifter we have in our gang. I'm pretty good myself, but you can never go wrong with Snatcher.
We walked in the store, and continued on with plan A. This is how plan A works: Me and Snatcher head somewhere in the store. We separate. We shoplift what we need or want. We do all this while Jay distracts the clerk girl at the sales counter. And then when were done shoplifting, Snatcher and I sneak out the back door. Jay meets us out there in a couple more minutes.
That's pretty much it. Very simple. We have other plans too, but we like the simple ones.
I took some bread, peanut butter, apples, a six pack of beer, some Pepsi's, a box of cookies, and aspirin. Snatcher took milk, four packs of kools, a six pack of beer (like always), a lot of chocolate bars, some cheese, a jar of jelly, and ham. A couple minutes later, Jay came out behind us.
We put all the stuff we shoplifted, in a bag we keep by the back door of the store. I picked it up, and we started our way to the warehouse. The bag weighs a lot, but I got my build up in the time I've spent in New York, so it really wasn't too heavy for me.
We reached the warehouse, and dumped the food off to the side. Snatcher each handed us a pack of kools. We murmured our thanks and lighted up a cigarette. The cigarette made me calm down from the walk here. Everything was going fine.
I've learned that almost everyone in the gang has been in jail before. Everyone except me, Danny and Jay. Chris has been to jail. He said its rough. He was there for three months. He got out early for good behavior. But he didn't say what he went for… makes me wonder.
What ever it is, I wont push him for answers. I'm not fixing for a time in jail. I'm gonna try to stay clear. That might be hard, since I'm a gang leader. But I can try, right?
I've changed a lot, and I know it. I feel… more confident, and wild. I feel tough and bad. And the scariest thing about this is, I like it. That's right. I like it. It makes me feel good. It gives me a buzz, just like beer. I feel wild and free. I'm started to not care about my past. Maybe I'll be ready to go back home soon…
But then, what about my gang? How can I leave them? They've grown on me, I'll admit. They're like my new family. I really don't want to leave them but I know I'll have to sooner or later.
Sodapop's POV
(3 months later)
Its been about three months since Pony left. I feel empty. I feel like my baby brother ran away and took half my life with him. I miss him so much. I want him to come home. I wait everyday. I wait for him to walk in the front door, and be okay.
I cry at night. I hate sleeping alone, without my baby brother. I worry that he's sleeping alone out there, having a nightmare, or in trouble. I feel helpless.
The gang knows it too. They know I'm sad, but they don't know how to help me. Darry does all he can to comfort me but it doesn't work. The only comfort I want is from my baby brother.
Ponyboy is gone. That's all I think of. I want him back! But I have to wait. Wait for him to come back on his own. Why? Why did he leave? When will he come back? What if something happened to him? I hate these thoughts. But they nag me all day.
I still go to work, I still continue my life. Only because of my slight hope that he'll come back. Come back home. Where he belongs.
I hang on to that hope, and try my best to think positive.
I need hope. Hope is all I have. Come back, baby, please!
AN: So? Did you like this chapter? Any request on what you might like to happen next? Cuz I just might take it! Please keep reading! Reviews are nice!
