A/N- Hey all! Sorry about the wait- again- put I've been really busy
lately. Here's chapter four, and please review! This is for my kick-ass
beta-reader Phoebe, who saw me through a really tough time recently. I
couldn't have gotten through it without her! Also a special thank-you to
Wesly, without whose constant prodding-lol- I probably wouldn't have gotten
this up so soon! Thanx for your support girl!
The next morning, Saturday, dawned clear and sunny, a great contrast to my mood. I was still having dreams about Mom and Dad that woke me sweating in the middle of the night, and I was too worried about Ponyboy's dreams to think much about mine. Plus I had grounded him the night before, and I knew as I got dressed that he was going to be impossible that day. I went into the kitchen and began fixing breakfast: eggs, coffee, and the chocolate cake that had become part of our lifestyle. I was feeling a little better when Soda came out of his room.
"Morning, Darry," Soda said cheerfully as he sat down at the table. He sipped some coffee, made a face, and poured himself some chocolate milk.
"Morning, Soda," I answered. "What are you doing today, anyway?"
"I'm picking Sandy up for the game tonight, but nothin' else." It was then that Ponyboy stormed into the room and slammed into his chair.
"Good morning, Ponyboy," I said neutrally. "Want some breakfast?"
"No," Ponyboy said sullenly. "Why don't you get off my case for once?" Soda stared from him to me, looking very uneasy. I struggled to keep my temper in as I turned around to face Ponyboy.
"You know, this attitude problem of yours is really starting to bug me," I said, a lot more snappishly than I meant to. "It's your own fault you're grounded." Ponyboy stared at me, then shoved back his chair and stormed into his room. I groaned and flopped back into my chair. Soda put his hand on my arm and said softly,
"Just give it time, Darry. He'll calm down." I nodded wearlily and we finished breakfast in silence. Ponyboy stayed in his room all day, only coming out a few times for food. Around nine that night I decided to go check on him. I was sick of us fighting all the time now. 'It wasn't like this before', I thought. Before Mom and Dad...I swallowed the lump in my throat and knocked on the door.
"Ponyboy?" I called. No answer. I knocked on the door louder and called again. Maybe he's asleep, I thought. But when I opened the door I found he window wide open and Ponyboy gone.
The next morning, Saturday, dawned clear and sunny, a great contrast to my mood. I was still having dreams about Mom and Dad that woke me sweating in the middle of the night, and I was too worried about Ponyboy's dreams to think much about mine. Plus I had grounded him the night before, and I knew as I got dressed that he was going to be impossible that day. I went into the kitchen and began fixing breakfast: eggs, coffee, and the chocolate cake that had become part of our lifestyle. I was feeling a little better when Soda came out of his room.
"Morning, Darry," Soda said cheerfully as he sat down at the table. He sipped some coffee, made a face, and poured himself some chocolate milk.
"Morning, Soda," I answered. "What are you doing today, anyway?"
"I'm picking Sandy up for the game tonight, but nothin' else." It was then that Ponyboy stormed into the room and slammed into his chair.
"Good morning, Ponyboy," I said neutrally. "Want some breakfast?"
"No," Ponyboy said sullenly. "Why don't you get off my case for once?" Soda stared from him to me, looking very uneasy. I struggled to keep my temper in as I turned around to face Ponyboy.
"You know, this attitude problem of yours is really starting to bug me," I said, a lot more snappishly than I meant to. "It's your own fault you're grounded." Ponyboy stared at me, then shoved back his chair and stormed into his room. I groaned and flopped back into my chair. Soda put his hand on my arm and said softly,
"Just give it time, Darry. He'll calm down." I nodded wearlily and we finished breakfast in silence. Ponyboy stayed in his room all day, only coming out a few times for food. Around nine that night I decided to go check on him. I was sick of us fighting all the time now. 'It wasn't like this before', I thought. Before Mom and Dad...I swallowed the lump in my throat and knocked on the door.
"Ponyboy?" I called. No answer. I knocked on the door louder and called again. Maybe he's asleep, I thought. But when I opened the door I found he window wide open and Ponyboy gone.