Darry parked the truck in front of his house that afternoon at one o'clock and got out, walking up to the front door. He had gotten off work early and was very relieved. He couldn't wait to get inside and take a nice long nap. Chasing after his brother at four o'clock in the morning and then waking up three hours later to get ready for work didn't leave him with much energy.

He walked through the front door and his jaw dropped. This was the last thing he had been expecting.

"Mmhhmm." Sodapop moaned opening his eyes slowly when he heard the door slam. "Hey, Samantha?" He shook her gently with his eyes only half way open. "What was that?" Samantha didn't answer because she was still asleep.

"What are you doing!?" Sodapop heard a loud voice ringing in his ears and he opened his eyes fully, looking over to the direction of the voice to see Darry. Samantha was awake now too. She immediately realized the situation when she saw Sodapop's face and crawled off his lap quickly.

"D D Darry?" Sodapop stuttered out sitting up on the couch and looking at the angry man standing near the doorway.

"BIG TROUBLE!" Darry yelled. "You are in big trouble. Get up!"

Soda stood up abruptly. "Darry, I can explain." Soda pleaded. "It's not what it looks like." He said quickly. "Nothing happened."

"Shut up!" Darry hollered. "Just shut up! I am sick and tired or your lies! How stupid do you think I am?" He couldn't believe that even after having all those talks with Soda and grounding him that he'd still go and do this.

"But…" Soda started.

"Don't you even try and talk your way out of this!" Darry interrupted. "It aint gonna work. What are you thinking? Do you…"

"Excuse me?" Samantha said getting their attention. He turned to her. "Well, we finally meet." Darry said smiling at her in an over-friendly way.

"Darry." She addressed him politely. They were both adults. They could sort things out in an orderly manner, right? "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm…"

"I know who you are." Darry said coldly. "And apparently you know who I am so there isn't any need for proper introductions, now is there? Why don't you start working on your goodbyes?"

She sighed but continued "That must've looked bad but he's telling the truth, nothing happened."

"Oh, just get out! Get out of my house and stay away from my little brother before I call the police and report you for having sexual relations with an underage kid and I'm far from kidding!" Darry screamed loud enough for the whole world to hear. Sodapop looked like he wanted to die.

"Darry!" He shrieked trying not to cry.

"It's ok." Samantha whispered to him and walked out of the house quickly before things got even more out of hand than they already were and they were already bad enough.

The door closed behind Samantha and Soda looked over at Darry with sad eyes. "Why'd you have to do that? I told you nothing happened. I didn't m…"

"Sodapop Curtis! You are way out of line, kid."

"But, Dar…"

"I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER WORD!" Darry said so strongly that Sodapop shook.

"Sit down. You and me are gonna have a talk." Darry said. Soda sat back down on the couch and tried to avoid eye contact.

"I've had enough of this." Darry said.

Soda began to play with a loose piece of string on the right leg of his jeans.

"It's ridiculous. Why are you doing this? First your dating a twenty-eight year old behind my back, then lying, then sneaking out, running away… and now you are sleeping with her!? Having sex with someone you're not married to is wrong Sodapop!"

"I know!" Soda yelled. "I didn't!" He jumped up off the couch. Why wouldn't Darry believe him? "We were just lying there together."

"Oh, well that explains why you have lipstick all over your neck and no shirt on." Darry said with strong sarcasm in his voice.

"Please." Soda begged as he started to sob. "I'm looking you in the eyes and promising you."

Darry shook his head but softened his tone a bit at the site of Soda's tears. "Wasn't it just several days ago that you were looking me in the eyes and lying to me?" Sodapop's gaze dropped to his feet. He felt super guilty. "I don't have any reason to believe you and you know it, kiddo. I wanna believe you but I can't."

"Don't you trust me?" Soda said sadly.

"No, Sodapop, honestly I don't. I used to before all of this started but you took advantage of my trust."

Soda sighed and buried his head in his hands. He couldn't' believe this. Darry was going nuts over something that he didn't even do. "Real smart." Soda told himself. "Go ahead and fall asleep on the couch with her. That looks real innocent."

"How long was she here with you?" Darry asked.

"I dunno, she came over at about ten or something." Soda sniffed. "Why are you home so early?" Soda asked. He had been wondering but he didn't get much of a chance to ask when Darry was hollering.

"I just got off work early." Darry said.

Rapid talking could be heard outside and Darry peered out the window to see Two-Bit and Ponyboy. He looked back over at Soda. "You are saved for the moment."

"Hey." Two-Bit said casually as he entered. Ponyboy came in right behind him. Darry nodded as if to say hi. Ponyboy checked out the scene. There was Soda on the couch fighting back tears and Darry, standing with his fists in his pockets. This couldn't be good. "Everything, ok?" Ponyboy asked.

"Hardly." Darry said. "You have a good time at the movies?" He asked changing the subject. Pony nodded.

Soda got up without saying a word and walked into his room. He laid down and put the pillow over his head, sobbing into the bed sheets. He cried until he grew incredibly tired and drifted back to sleep except this sleep wasn't so peaceful because Samantha wasn't in his arms.