Steve POV
It was just me and Ponyboy in the living room, sitting in an awkward silence after Two-Bit got in the bath, and Soda and Darry went to go talk in private.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Pony asked me from his spot on the couch. I was occupying Darry's big chair; when he came back out, I knew he would make me move.
"From the yelling I heard earlier, Darry found Soda's black eye and he said he wanted to know about it. So I guess they're discussing Soda's black eye," Pony let out a nice and heavy yawn. "What else would they be talking about?"
He shrugged his shoulders at me. "I don't know, I was just wondering… wait, you hear that too?" Pony leaned forward from where he was and scrunched his face. I leaned forward too and tried to focus on what Pony heard, but I didn't hear anything.
"I don't hear anything… maybe you're just going cr- wait… you mean that crying?" I then heard what Pony was hearing. It was the sound of faint crying, not not crying, it was sobbing.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. So you hear it too?" I nodded my head and stood up from the chair that I was beginning to sink into.
"Yes! I do! Who is it?" I motioned for Pony to stay where he was as I walked towards the bathroom door to see if it was Two-Bit by any chance.
I pressed my ear against the bathroom door, but the only thing I heard was the sound of water splashing and Two-Bit hacking his lungs out. Poor thing… even though he does make fun of me, I still feel kinda bad for him. I shook my head at Pony and walked to Darry's door. The crying was getting louder with every step I took. I was about a foot away from the door when I recognized the crying belonged to Soda's. I listened in on the conversation.
"No… no Darry. That's not the problem. I'm not scared…" What are they talking about? Was the only thing on my mind.
"Then was is it?"
"They… they had a blade. And Randy…" Bastard "Randy said he was gonna… he was gonna get Pony for what he did to Bob…" I flinched and scrunched up my face as I harshly pulled my ear away from the door.
"Not on my watch…" I said outloud. I stormed to the living room to get my belongings which was only my jacket and shoes.
"What's not on your watch?" Pony said standing up. I stared at him, then shoved my finger in his face.
"You… you are not to leave this house, do you hear me?!" I didn't mean to yell, but I really didn't want Pony to get hurt after we finally gotten through to each other. Pony sat back down with a scared look on his face. "Look Pony… it's for the best. Trust me! Just do what's best and please don't leave this house, okay?" Pony nodded at me unsurely. I strolled over to him and did something I'd never done to him. I kneeled down and hugged him.
He sat there for a minute while I put my arms around him, but he finally gave in and hugged me back, tighter than I was. "What's going on Steve? Is something wrong?" I let go of him and stood up.
"No… nothing's wrong. Everything's fine, you're fine, I'm fine, Darry and Soda are fine and so is Two-Bit," I started for the door and right as I walked out, I mumbled to myself, "The only people who aren't gonna be fine are the socs and that's for sure."