Pony's POV
"Hey, Pone, how was your day?" Soda greeted me as I climbed into the backseat of Steve's car.
"Hey, Soda. It was long, what about you?"
"Yeah not bad, pretty slow to be honest."
"Sam didn't show up I see."
"Nope. Dunno what she did all day at home that could've been so fun though."
"Maybe Two-Bit never showed."
"Maybe, though to be honest I kinda thought she would have walked anyway."
"I guess we finally scared some sense into her." I grinned and Soda laughed.
Steve dropped us at home before driving off as Soda yelled out "Glove before love!" so I guessed he was going to see Evie. Steve's middle finger appeared out the window as he turned the corner.
Soda and I walked inside to find Darry still at work and Sam nowhere to be seen. Soda headed off to his room and I started for the kitchen. Man was it hot tonight! I pulled a Pepsi outta the fridge and had downed half of it in one gulp before I noticed a note on the table. I frowned after I read it, Sam had seemed perfectly fine when I left for work today. Soda came in clad only in his work pants and took the Pepsi out of my hand.
"What's that?" He came to read the note over my shoulder, "Huh, I guess we know why she didn't come to the DX. At least the guys aren't here tonight to wake her." He took a gulp of my drink and handed it back to me, then headed toward the bathroom.
"What do you want for dinner?"
"It's too hot to eat. Make something light, a salad maybe, I'm going in for a shower before I melt."
"Salad it is." I muttered and downed the last of the Pepsi. I was halfway through making a coleslaw when Darry got home.
"Hey, Ponyboy."
"Hey, Darry, you sound exhausted, tough day?" He came in and slumped at the kitchen table.
"You can say that again. Where is everyone? It hasn't been this quiet here for weeks."
"Dunno where Two-Bit and Dally are, Steve is out, thank God." I rolled my eyes and Darry chuckled, he knew Steve and I didn't get on, hell I think anyone short of a coma could tell that Steve and I didn't get on. "Soda's in the shower and Sam's in bed." I gestured to her note.
"She okay?"
"I dunno, she was already in bed when we got home. I was gonna finish dinner then see if she was up for eating anything, if she's awake."
"Maybe it's best just to let her sleep for a while. What's for dinner anyhow?"
"Just a coleslaw. Hope you're not hungry but Soda and I were too hot to eat much."
"Not hungry, just tired. Early to bed tonight I think." Soda came out then and the three of us sat down to eat together. It was nice, just like old times and despite Darry wanting an early night he stayed up to play a few poker games with Soda and I. I think he missed the three of us hanging like this.
Soda went to give Darry a massage and I decided Darry was right, no need to go and risk waking Sam up, I'd check on her in the morning. When Soda had put Darry to sleep and came in to bed we lay awake talking quietly for a while and he kept trying to get me to admit my feelings for Sam.
"Fine you want to know the truth, Soda?" I whispered.
"Sure." He answered back quietly, I think he was right on the verge of sleep, well I was about to ruin that.
"Sam and I have been secretly dating for almost 2 weeks, well goodnight." I rolled over but I felt Soda sit up.
"What? No, you're joking. You have to be. Aren't you? Pone, please tell me you're joking."
"You wanted to know the truth." I muttered and Soda pulled me to face him.
"You're dating? Have you thought about this at all?"
"I've thought about it loads of times actually. But I'm not telling you all the details." I grinned but Soda didn't return it.
"Ponyboy! Be serious. Have you thought about what Darry is gonna say? Or do? He'll go ballistic, he'll tan your hide." That wiped the grin from my face.
"We've thought about trying to break it to him but we're waiting for the right time." Soda sighed and lay back down.
"There's never going to be a right time, Pony. Either wait till he's in a really good mood or a really tired one like tonight so he won't have the energy to kill you."
"Sounds like a plan." I laughed quietly and Soda was silent for a bit.
"So, what's it like?"
"Goodnight, Soda." I rolled over again but Soda leant over me.
"I just wanna know how my kid brother likes having a serious girlfriend. Wait just how serious is this?"
"We're not that serious, Soda, we haven't even been dating for 2 weeks yet, and it's great, I like it just fine but can we please talk about this tomorrow? I'm tired."
"Fine, but we will be talking about this you hear?"
"Yeah I hear, now good night."
"Goodnight, Pone." I felt him lay back down and within minutes we were both fast asleep.
XXXX
Sam's POV
When I woke up the next morning I wondered why I was all wet. It was hot but surely I didn't sweat that much. Then I remembered. It all came flooding back to me at once; the Socs, waking up on the toilet floor and knowing, going to pieces like that. I guess I must have bawled myself to sleep.
I sat up and a wet tea towel fell onto my lap. That's why I was all wet, the ice obviously melted during the night. I reached up and gingerly ran my hand along my jaw. It was tender and I hoped the bruise wasn't too big, how was I going to explain that one?
I pulled my shirt up to look at my ribs and was shocked. There was a big dark bruise forming, good thing I could cover that up. I reached up to touch the back of my head and winced. It was the most sore of all and there was a sizable lump, at least no-one would see that. As long as none of the guys bashed me on the head the only injury I'd have to explain would be my jaw.
I opened the door and listened. I could hear someone moving around in the kitchen so at least one of the guys was up. I sighed and went to face the music, wondering which one it was.
I walked into the kitchen and stood against the wall, waiting for Darry to notice me. He turned to me with a 'morning' and did a double take when he saw me. Uh-oh.
"What happened?" He dropped the spatula and made his way over to me, frowning as he carefully took my face and tilted it up.
"So it's that bad huh?"
"What happened?" he repeated.
"I was cleaning yesterday, went to take the rubbish out and tripped down the porch steps." That sounded plausible. Darry winced and went back to the stove.
"Sit down, does it hurt to eat?"
"I don't know, I haven't eaten anything yet."
"How are you other than that? I saw your note."
"Oh right, yeah alright I guess. I think I'm gonna go back to bed after breakfast, just to be sure, though I should get some dry sheets." Darry raised his eyebrows as he paced a plate of pancakes in front of me.
"You, uh, have some sort of accident or something?" He asked awkwardly and I smiled. Well I tried to anyway.
"No, Darry. I went to bed with some ice on my jaw last night to help with the swelling and it melted during the night, it hasn't dried yet."
"That was good thinking. I'll get you some dry sheets before I go then."
"Thanks." I turned to eat, wincing a little. It hurt a bit to chew but it was bearable and I was starving. I got up to put my plate in the sink when Soda bounded in.
"Morning, Sammy! How are you feeling this morning?"
"Alright I think. I'll take it easy today just to be sure." I turned to face him and the smile disappeared from his face.
"What happened to your face, who did that?"
I laughed nervously "Relax, Soda, I just fell down the porch steps yesterday that's all." Darry came back in then.
"I put new sheets in your room, Sam. I want you to take it easy today and see if you can keep down breakfast and lunch before you go anywhere, you hear? Don't overdo it."
"I won't, thanks Darry. I'm gonna go back to bed, you two have a good day."
I walked to my bed and pulled on clean clothes before stripping and remaking my bed. I tried to clear my head as I lay down but I couldn't. I didn't get it. When I was on my own I couldn't stop thinking about what happened and wanted to be with other people to distract me. But when I was with other people it was too hard to force conversation and play happy when I wasn't and I just wanted to be alone. I couldn't win so I did the next best thing, drew the blanket up over my head and tried to sleep.
XXXX
Pony's POV
I stumbled into the kitchen next morning with a huge yawn and sat at the table.
"Morning, Soda, shouldn't you be at work?"
"Morning and no I still got time. Hey, uh, do me a favor and don't freak when you see your girlfriend this morning okay?"
"Shut up, Soda, do you want Darry to hear you?"
"Relax he left for work already, he made pancakes too. They're not as good as my green ones but they'll do." I grabbed the pancakes and syrup and frowned at Soda.
"What exactly do you mean by 'don't freak when I see my girlfriend'? How's she feeling?"
"A bit better, she's gone back to bed. Darry wants her to keep down breakfast and lunch before you two go anywhere. Actually though it's her face."
"What about it? It's perfect" I asked through a mouthful of pancake and Soda rolled his eyes.
"She fell down the porch steps yesterday and bruised her jaw."
"How bad is it?"
"It looks nasty but she was eating alright. Hurry up with your plate, I wanna get these dishes done before I go to work." I got up and made to head toward Sam's room but Soda stopped me.
"If she feels better you and Sam come by the DX later okay? So we can talk." He eyed me meaningfully and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, yeah." I muttered as I made my way to Sam's room. I knocked on the door but didn't get an answer, surely she wouldn't be asleep already? I opened the door quietly and she rolled over to face me.
"Hey." I said as I shut the door and made my way over, sitting on the edge of her bed. "You feeling okay?" I ran my fingers gently over her bruise.
"Yeah not too bad. Darry wants me to keep down breakfast and lunch before we go anywhere though."
"Yeah, Soda told me. That's okay; we can hang around here till you feel better." She nodded but I thought I saw tears well up in her eyes. "Hey what's wrong? Here scoot over."
I lay down and wrapped an arm around her, tucking her head under my chin. She grabbed my shirt front in her fists and I rubbed her back soothingly.
"You're okay, I'm here."
We stayed like that for over an hour until Sam sighed and sat up. It looked like she'd been crying.
"I'm gonna take a shower, it might help me feel better."
"Yeah, okay." I replied as she crawled over me to get some clothes. "You sure you're okay?" She only nodded as she left the room and I wasn't convinced. While she was in the shower I grabbed a pillow and blanket and sat them on the lounge. When she came out I pointed her toward them.
"Lie down." I ordered and covered her with the blanket. "You want TV or a book?"
"TV." She muttered and I flicked it on for her. As I sat with her feet in my lap I kept glancing over at her. She didn't have a fever and she'd kept her breakfast down but I knew something wasn't right. Finally I stood up and she looked at me.
"Lunch?" I offered and she shrugged.
"Sure." I frowned and bent down to feel her forehead.
"I'll make you some soup. Lay still." She ate her bowl of soup as well as some toast and when I'd finished tidying up the kitchen I joined her on the lounge again. After 30 minutes she sat up and pushed the blanket off her.
"Can we go to the DX now?"
"I dunno." I frowned.
"Come on, Ponyboy. I kept breakfast and lunch down and I don't have a fever."
"That's true, but there's something else. You just seem...lifeless."
"The fresh air will do me good." She begged and I caved in.
"Fine. But if you start feeling funny then you tell me and we'll come home."
"I will." She smiled at me but it didn't reach her eyes. I attempted a smile back and followed her out the door. I hoped she was up for this.