A/N- Hey everybody! Yes, after five months I'm finally updating! I have no
idea if anyone still wants me to continue this story- BESIDES Wesley; yea,
girl, you've made that pretty clear, lol- so feedback is really
appreciated! Thanks a lot!
I stared in silence and shock at the open window, counting to ten so I wouldn't lose it. Why had he done this? He was never this impossible. Or at least he hadn't used to be.
I ran out of the room and into the living room, where Soda was playing poker with Steve and Dally.
"Soda," I said, my shaky voice betraying my panic. "Where's Ponyboy?"
Soda stared at me in confusion. "What do you mean? He's not in his room?"
"No, he's not in his room," I snapped. "If he was, I wouldn't have asked."
Soda looked at me, hurt. Before I could apologize, Dallas spoke up.
"You didn't know?" Dally shook his head. "Stupid kid. Always doin' stuff like this." He lit a cigarette. "Anyway, he's at Buck Merrill's, doing some shit with Tim and Curly. I guessed you knew, or-"
I didn't even give Dallas time to finish. I tore out of the house and jumped in my car. Buck Merrill's? Tim and Curly Shepard? Like Pony wasn't in enough trouble; oh, no. He had to go and pull something like this. What am I gonna do with him? I wondered. Can't this kid ever use his head?
I don't know how fast I was going on the drive to Buck's, but I'm betting I broke a few speed limits. When I got there I ran inside the door, trying to ignore the smells of beer and tobacco, plus the ever-present strains of Hank Williams. When I saw Curly Shepard, I grabbed him by the shirt collar and slammed him against a wall.
"Ponyboy. Where is he?" I demanded. Curly must have seen I wasn't joking around.
"In the back room, with Tim and the guys," Curly snapped, pulling away from me.
I dashed into the back room and saw my little brother, leaning against a doorpost, talking to Shepard and drinking a beer. I could tell by the way he was swaying and the glazed look in his eyes that it wasn't his first one.
Ponyboy's drunken eyes widened and cleared just a bit when he saw me. "Darry-"
I grabbed Pony's ear and dragged him outside. Thrusting open the passenger door, I shoved him inside before going around and getting in the car myself. It was about ten minutes before I trusted myself to speak. "Darry-" Ponyboy said again.
"What the hell were you thinking?" I shouted. "You were already grounded, and then you pull something like this? Damn it, Ponyboy-" I banged my fist against the dashboard, taking a deep breath. "I could lose you guys if the state found out about this. You hear me? I can't lose you guys. Not now, not ever."
Pony groaned and leaned back against his seat. "I know. I know. I just- I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get out."
"Fine," I said, starting the ignition. "But next time you check with me before 'getting out', here? We'll talk about your punishment for the drinking tomorrow. You won't be seeing the light of day ever again, kiddo."
We drove in silence for a while before Ponyboy spoke up again.
"Darry?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't feel so good."
I sighed and pulled over. It was gonna be a long ride home.
I stared in silence and shock at the open window, counting to ten so I wouldn't lose it. Why had he done this? He was never this impossible. Or at least he hadn't used to be.
I ran out of the room and into the living room, where Soda was playing poker with Steve and Dally.
"Soda," I said, my shaky voice betraying my panic. "Where's Ponyboy?"
Soda stared at me in confusion. "What do you mean? He's not in his room?"
"No, he's not in his room," I snapped. "If he was, I wouldn't have asked."
Soda looked at me, hurt. Before I could apologize, Dallas spoke up.
"You didn't know?" Dally shook his head. "Stupid kid. Always doin' stuff like this." He lit a cigarette. "Anyway, he's at Buck Merrill's, doing some shit with Tim and Curly. I guessed you knew, or-"
I didn't even give Dallas time to finish. I tore out of the house and jumped in my car. Buck Merrill's? Tim and Curly Shepard? Like Pony wasn't in enough trouble; oh, no. He had to go and pull something like this. What am I gonna do with him? I wondered. Can't this kid ever use his head?
I don't know how fast I was going on the drive to Buck's, but I'm betting I broke a few speed limits. When I got there I ran inside the door, trying to ignore the smells of beer and tobacco, plus the ever-present strains of Hank Williams. When I saw Curly Shepard, I grabbed him by the shirt collar and slammed him against a wall.
"Ponyboy. Where is he?" I demanded. Curly must have seen I wasn't joking around.
"In the back room, with Tim and the guys," Curly snapped, pulling away from me.
I dashed into the back room and saw my little brother, leaning against a doorpost, talking to Shepard and drinking a beer. I could tell by the way he was swaying and the glazed look in his eyes that it wasn't his first one.
Ponyboy's drunken eyes widened and cleared just a bit when he saw me. "Darry-"
I grabbed Pony's ear and dragged him outside. Thrusting open the passenger door, I shoved him inside before going around and getting in the car myself. It was about ten minutes before I trusted myself to speak. "Darry-" Ponyboy said again.
"What the hell were you thinking?" I shouted. "You were already grounded, and then you pull something like this? Damn it, Ponyboy-" I banged my fist against the dashboard, taking a deep breath. "I could lose you guys if the state found out about this. You hear me? I can't lose you guys. Not now, not ever."
Pony groaned and leaned back against his seat. "I know. I know. I just- I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get out."
"Fine," I said, starting the ignition. "But next time you check with me before 'getting out', here? We'll talk about your punishment for the drinking tomorrow. You won't be seeing the light of day ever again, kiddo."
We drove in silence for a while before Ponyboy spoke up again.
"Darry?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't feel so good."
I sighed and pulled over. It was gonna be a long ride home.