Darry entered the kitchen and left the silent adolescents in the living room. Ponyboy looked over at Soda as if to ask, "Did he know?" Soda shrugged. He hoped Darry hadn't heard them talking. He wouldn't have had to hear much to figure out the situation.

"Hey, Darry." Two-Bit said breaking the silence. "When did you get home?" "About a half an hour ago." Darry said from the kitchen. Soda's eyes widened.

He was left guessing for the next two hours and his stomach hurt from worry. Darry didn't say anything to him. He was acting strangely calm.

Later that night Soda thought there might be hope because Darry still hadn't said a word about it. When Steve and Two-Bit had left and it got late enough for it not to seem suspicious he announced that he was going to bed.

"Hey, Sodapop." Darry called after him. Soda froze and swallowed hard. "Here we go." He thought and turned back around to face his brother. Darry stood up and cut right to the chase.

"Soda, you wanna explain that conversation you were having earlier today?" Darry asked. Soda's heart fell. "Uh, what conversation, Dar?" Soda asked as innocently as he could but he's a horrible liar. Darry just gave him that 'don't you dare even try it' look. Soda sighed and stared at his feet. "How much did you hear?" He asked. "Every word from the second you walked in the house." Darry said. Soda's headache was increasing.

"Darry, can we talk about this in morning?" Soda pleaded. "NO!" Darry yelled. "We are gonna talk about it now! Sit down!" Darry pointed to the couch and Soda slouched over and plopped down, looking up at Darry miserably.

"You told me your girlfriend was a senior." Darry said. "Unless she stayed back about ten years then I don't see how that's possible. Do you? Because if you do, then please, tell me. I would really like to know."

Soda rolled his eyes and placed his head in his hands. "I'm sorry I lied, Darry. I had to." "You did not have to!" Darry screamed. "You chose to. People get to choose whether they're gonna lie about something or not." Darry sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Twenty-eight." He said unbelievingly. "Twenty-eight years old…"

"You're outa your mind, kid. You know that?" Darry said. "I thought you had more sense. It never would've even occurred to me that…"

"Darry." Soda groaned.

"No!" Darry yelled. "Listen to me. Whoever that girl is, she's an adult. When someone is twenty-eight they are an adult. You are still a child!"

"I am not a child!" Soda yelled

"Well you sure aint grown up yet!" Darry hollered back. "You sure aint old enough to be dating a girl her age and you sure aint gonna be dating her anymore. Not while you're in my care, at least. "But Darry!" Soda screamed as he let hot tears pour out.

"So every single night that you've been out these past two weeks…" Darry continued. "Every single night you've been out with a twenty-eight year old women?" Darry was about to blow a fuse. "Will you stop referring to here like that?" Soda said. "Her name is Samantha." "Whatever." Darry said. "Her name is besides the point. Her age is the problem!"

"Awe, Darry." Soda moaned. "Why do you have to be so mad? What's it matter how old she is anyhow?" "Sodapop, I'm not mad." Darry said. "I'm absolutely furious! I don't even know were to start! Soda was crying silently. Darry's yelling was really getting to him. He dropped his head back into his hands. "Sodapop, look at me when I'm speaking to you!" Darry bellowed.

Soda looked up, his eyes filled with tears and his face red from frustration and crying. He stared up at his angry big brother and Darry only looked down at him sternly causing more tears to well up in Soda's eyes. Darry never yelled at him. Why was he now? Why couldn't Darry be supportive about this. Why'd he have to be so protective and worry so much. How come he always had to get mad. He'd get so mad sometimes it was terrifying.

Ponyboy who had been woken up by all this racket had come out of his room to see what was going on.

He watched his two brothers in amazement. It was usually Ponyboy sitting on the couch crying while Darry hollered. For once it was the other way around and Pony knew exactly how Soda felt.

"Sodapop, if you ever…" Darry started.

"Lay off!" Pony yelled. "He gets the point already." Darry and Soda looked up to see Ponyboy standing several feet away, close to tears himself. "Pony, get on back to bed." Darry said. "I aint going back to bed. Not with you out here yelling at him like that. I don't blame you for being upset but why do you have to scream like that? I thought we'd decided that nobody was gonna fight anymore. You two never fight anyways. Why are you starting now?"

"This is not fighting." Darry said. "This is lecturing and it's different. Now go on back to bed, Ponyboy." "It aint lecturing." Pony said. "It's screaming. Why can't you lecture in a soft tone?"

Darry sighed and nodded. "Ok, Pony. You have a point. I will try not to holler so much anymore but I'm gonna find that very hard to do if you don't get back in bed in the next five seconds." "Let Soda come to bed too?" Pony begged as he looked at his weary brother, sitting on the couch. "Can't you guys talk in the morning? Please? I don't wanna hear you out here for another hour and Soda's had enough of your dang venting for one night."

"Don't get wise." Darry said raising his eyebrows. "Sorry." Ponyboy mumbled. "All-right." Darry nodded. "Get to bed. Both of you. But you and me are far from done, understand?" Darry said looking at Sodapop. Soda nodded, getting up and ruffling Pony's hair. "Thanks, Kid."



*Please review and tell me what you thought and be honest. If you need to criticize please let it be constructive. I am all for suggestions too. Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing!!!!!! You guys rock!!!!!!!*