Chapter 26 (Yep, yep, yep! This is from Soda's POV. I wouldn't have
changed it, but this is a vital part of the story and Ponyboy isn't there.)
My mind is flooded with the pain of the past few months. Ponyboy, my little brother..... I'm going to get him out of this. I have to.
She walks in slowly, looking around cautiously until I call out to her. "Thank God, Soda. I thought I'd never find you...and being surrounded by all these criminals...it's kinda scary."
Her eyes are red with dark circles underneath, and I know she hasn't been sleeping. Naw, she's been crying instead. "Sandy! You're finally here. I only have five minutes left, where've you been?"
She shrugs. "Soda, what did you want to see me for? I'm kinda in a hurry."
After a deep breath, I manage, "I want you to tell them Pony and Two-bit didn't do it. I want you to tell them I did it."
Sandy laughs. "Yeh, right...now why would I do that?"
"It's not so crazy! Just listen, first off, Pony's not a bad guy. You know that. You know he's not going to hurt anybody else, and you know that he only hurt Kayla 'cause she ruined his life."
She laughs again. "I'd hardly call killing someone 'hurting.'"
"You owe me, Sandy. You killed me inside and you owe me for that. If you just tell them I did it, I'll forgive you. I'll never mention it again, I'll do whatever you want, darlin', just do this for me, please. You used to say you loved me. Was that a lie?"
Sandy shakes her head.
"Than prove it. Because sleeping with another guy isn't love, Sandy. Do this for the love we used to have. Please, I'm begging you. I'll do anything, just do this for me, baby."
Sandy sighs. "Soda, how do you expect me to explain to them why I didn't just tell them that in the first place? It'll make no sense..."
"Tell them you didn't want me to get into trouble."
"What was your motive?"
"I was mad at her for addicting my brother and mad at you for sleeping around. I would've killed you both, but I didn't have the guts."
"I don't know, Soda... I just..."
She has to say yes. "Sandy, honey, PLEASE..."
"Why? Why do you want to be blamed for this? It's crazy, Sodapop! You don't deserve it...it's not right!"
I'd anticipated this question, and I knew how to answer. "Pony's still in school. He's making terrific grades and he's going to go to college. His future's so much brighter than mine... so much more meaningful... I would rather him have that than anything."
She shuts her eyes real tight. "Ok. I'll cover you for Ponyboy."
"What about Two-bit? Will you cover him too?"
Sandy's eyes get real big. "Oh, you don't know... er...Soda I don't know how to tell you this but... He just lost too much blood...Two-bit's dead."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ponyboy's POV~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The ground is hard and cold. I look around me, not comprehending that this is where I'll be for the majority of the rest of my life. One cheap bunk- bed, a sink and a toilet. No friends, family, jokes or anything. I have the majority of the rest of my life to regret pulling the trigger.
I want to start all over again. If I could have one more chance, I know I could do it. I promise myself that I would mind Darry, and get along with Steve. I'd do anything, if I could just start this all over again...
A large guard is walking down the jail-rooms. Stopping outside mine, my roommate pipes, "you out already?" I shake my head. He says, "well, it sure ain't me. I've got another 4 years, at least."
Nonetheless, the guard opens our jail cell door and says, "Ponyboy Curtis?" I nod. "You're out, buddy."
I can't believe it! "Uh, are you sure?" He nods. "But...how?"
"Apparently that girl finally admitted that her ex-lover did it. It a long story, yours is. It's all over the news! The guy who did it's got 12 years jail time at the least."
I freeze. I literally can't move. "Uh, that boy, the one you called her 'ex-lover.', his name Sodapop?"
He nods.
My mind is flooded with the pain of the past few months. Ponyboy, my little brother..... I'm going to get him out of this. I have to.
She walks in slowly, looking around cautiously until I call out to her. "Thank God, Soda. I thought I'd never find you...and being surrounded by all these criminals...it's kinda scary."
Her eyes are red with dark circles underneath, and I know she hasn't been sleeping. Naw, she's been crying instead. "Sandy! You're finally here. I only have five minutes left, where've you been?"
She shrugs. "Soda, what did you want to see me for? I'm kinda in a hurry."
After a deep breath, I manage, "I want you to tell them Pony and Two-bit didn't do it. I want you to tell them I did it."
Sandy laughs. "Yeh, right...now why would I do that?"
"It's not so crazy! Just listen, first off, Pony's not a bad guy. You know that. You know he's not going to hurt anybody else, and you know that he only hurt Kayla 'cause she ruined his life."
She laughs again. "I'd hardly call killing someone 'hurting.'"
"You owe me, Sandy. You killed me inside and you owe me for that. If you just tell them I did it, I'll forgive you. I'll never mention it again, I'll do whatever you want, darlin', just do this for me, please. You used to say you loved me. Was that a lie?"
Sandy shakes her head.
"Than prove it. Because sleeping with another guy isn't love, Sandy. Do this for the love we used to have. Please, I'm begging you. I'll do anything, just do this for me, baby."
Sandy sighs. "Soda, how do you expect me to explain to them why I didn't just tell them that in the first place? It'll make no sense..."
"Tell them you didn't want me to get into trouble."
"What was your motive?"
"I was mad at her for addicting my brother and mad at you for sleeping around. I would've killed you both, but I didn't have the guts."
"I don't know, Soda... I just..."
She has to say yes. "Sandy, honey, PLEASE..."
"Why? Why do you want to be blamed for this? It's crazy, Sodapop! You don't deserve it...it's not right!"
I'd anticipated this question, and I knew how to answer. "Pony's still in school. He's making terrific grades and he's going to go to college. His future's so much brighter than mine... so much more meaningful... I would rather him have that than anything."
She shuts her eyes real tight. "Ok. I'll cover you for Ponyboy."
"What about Two-bit? Will you cover him too?"
Sandy's eyes get real big. "Oh, you don't know... er...Soda I don't know how to tell you this but... He just lost too much blood...Two-bit's dead."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ponyboy's POV~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The ground is hard and cold. I look around me, not comprehending that this is where I'll be for the majority of the rest of my life. One cheap bunk- bed, a sink and a toilet. No friends, family, jokes or anything. I have the majority of the rest of my life to regret pulling the trigger.
I want to start all over again. If I could have one more chance, I know I could do it. I promise myself that I would mind Darry, and get along with Steve. I'd do anything, if I could just start this all over again...
A large guard is walking down the jail-rooms. Stopping outside mine, my roommate pipes, "you out already?" I shake my head. He says, "well, it sure ain't me. I've got another 4 years, at least."
Nonetheless, the guard opens our jail cell door and says, "Ponyboy Curtis?" I nod. "You're out, buddy."
I can't believe it! "Uh, are you sure?" He nods. "But...how?"
"Apparently that girl finally admitted that her ex-lover did it. It a long story, yours is. It's all over the news! The guy who did it's got 12 years jail time at the least."
I freeze. I literally can't move. "Uh, that boy, the one you called her 'ex-lover.', his name Sodapop?"
He nods.