Lin:well I have redone this chappy a little. Hope u ppl like it!~.^ R+R pleaz

~*~PONYBOY'S POV~*~

Finally. Track had just ended and I was planning on going home by car. We had done extra laps, so it was late, and the sky had darkened and stars shined. The moon had just peeked over the horizon an hour ago. I sigh as I sit down for the first time in hours and rub tenderly at my throbbing legs.
"Curtis!"
Painfully I crane my neck to look up in front of me, where my coach stands, looking at me.
"Do you have a ride home? Are you taking the bus or leaving by car?"
"I am going to have one of my bros pick me up," I shout back and he eyes me for a moment, as though he doesn't trust me. Last year I had been stupid enough to not do so and walk home alone. I never did that again as I had been jumped. bsp; Finally, he dropped his piercing gaze. "All right. Be sure you do." Slowly, he turned from me and made his way to the bus. He got in, and minutes later, him and about twenty other children were off. Sighing, I get up; I really didn't want to as for I had ran so much I felt like I would fall any moment now, and made my way to the telephone booth.
Thinking for a moment, I call home. Anyone could be there. One of the gang or Darry or Soda.
After a while, and about 10-14 rings later I gave up. Hanging up the phone, I dig in my pockets for a other quarter. I found a dime.
Slipping it in the slot, I wait for someone to answer. Finally, I hear someone pick up.
"Hello. This is A.I.H lumber and hardware store department. May I help you? " I pause, and slowly say, "Uhhh, can I have Darrell Curtis please, ma'am?"
There was a "Just a moment please," and a pause. Soon the woman was back on. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid he has just left. May I take a message?"
"Oh," I felt a little fear ebb at the back of my mind, but shook it off. "No. I just wanted a ride. I'm his little brother. But thanks, anyway. uhh. . . bye."
After a short goodbye, the woman hung up and all that was there was the dial tone. I dug in my pockets and found the last two coins I had. A nickel and a dime. I knew I didn't have any other coins, so I didn't even bother to look.

I held the coins and inserted them into the phone. I called the only number I could think of.

"Hello," answered a sweet voice at the other end of the phone,"Who's this?"

"Ponyboy, ma'am," I answer shakily, "Ponyboy Curtis. I was just wonderin' if Two-Bit was there, 'cause I need a ride home.

I heard a yelp and a thump; obviously Two-Bit had taken a trip down the stairs.
"Yes he's here," his mom says, and I hear Two-Bit ask in the background, "Who is it, Mom?"

"Why, it's that nice lad, Ponyboy; he's wonderin' if you'll pick him up to give him a ride home." I hear Two-Bit whop and run out the door, and his mother yells, "Wait! I haven't told you where he is, yet!"

A few minutes of awkward silence, and I hear a creek. "Umm, Mom?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Where is he?" I have to laugh, and through my giggles, I say, "At school."
"He's at his school, dear."
There is a yell of, "Thanks, mom!", as his mom and I exchange goodbyes and hang up.

; Not too long after the call, Two-Bit's car came racing down the street and stopping in front of the school. I quickly made my way, thankfully, to the car.

"Hop on in, kid!" I thankfully get in the car, sitting in the passenger's seat. Getting ready for some very reckless driving, I put on my seatbelt. With Two-Bit, there was no question in what would happen.

The ride home become very exciting. We had stopped at a fast food restaurant and ate our hearts out, then we had crashed into a car in front of us, got pulled over twice by the fuzz, and had gotten into a race with a few other Socs, which we won 'cause of Two-Bits recklessness. But, finally, we had made our way home.
The lights inside were on, bathing a bit of the yard in a yellow glow, and someone was pacing in front of one of the windows. Soon I found it to be Darry. He saw us, jumped quickly to the door, an d once we were parked, Soda and him were in the yard.
"Ponyboy!" Soda immediately tackled me to the ground once I stepped out of the car, and he gave me a bone-crushing hug. "I was scared half to death the Socs had jumped ya, or you were hurt or somthin'!"
"Pop, get offa him. He needs to breathe," came Darry's low voice. It sounded both relieved and still frightened.
Soda complied and helped me off the ground. Two-Bit was standing on one side of the car, smiling, while Darry was standing in front of me and Soda, arms crossed.
"Why didn't you call?" asked Darry.
Anger ebbed at me slightly but I cooled down.
"I did, but you were gone from work, no one was home, so-"
"So he called me!" came the chirpy voice of Two Bit.
Darry looked down to me and I shrugged, "Didn't seem like a bad idea to me."

Two-Bit but in, "And it wasn't. We had a reeeeal fun time."
Darry cocked a eyebrow, "What did you do?"
"Just went somewhere to eat an' stuff," but with the look Darry gave Two-Bit, he added meekly, "An' got in trouble with the fuzz, raced some Socs, and crashed into the car in front of us a block down from here."
Darry sighed, "Two Bit," he posed, as if to torture poor Two-Bit, who looked like he was about to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, "How many times do I have to tell ya, don't drive like a crazy idiot when my kid brother's there?!"

Two Bit grinned, "Quite a few." But seeing Darry's face he sobered down and added, "But I think I got it this time." Darry's pretty scary, you know.
Sighing, Darry shook his head, "All right, Ponyboy, since you've eaten already, get to bed. I expect you to wake up early as always and to do your homework tomorrow, first thing."
I sigh, nod, and make my way inside, waving to Two-Bit who had gotten back in the car.
"No need to be harsh on the kid," I hear Two Bit say, "I mean, it's just homework. It wont kill him if he just misses a little." The last thing I heard before I closed the door was Two-Bit's yelp of pain. ~~~~
Ahh. . . Saturday. No school, no pressure, no bullies, just relaxation. I had decided to take a long walk, by my lonesome of course, and had been gone for a few hours. I expected Darry will be furious once I got home. Both he an' Sod a worry too much about me.
Everything went fine for a while, no one bothering me, until I was just a little while away from the lot.
I suddenly, had heard soft footsteps behind me. I stiffen in mid- step and slowly turn my head behind my shoulder. I held my breath as I saw. . . nothing.
Letting out a shaky sigh, I scold myself silently to stop having such an overreactive imagination. It was bad to have, sometimes.
Just before I started to leave, I freeze when I hear a voice, so close to my ear, and I feel the heat of a other body behind me. "Little greaser scared?" Now I knew I wasn't alone.
Terrified, I responded in a shaky voice, still not turning around to look to the person who I knew to be Soc behind me. sp; "This isn't you're turf. My buds will be here if they hear me an'. . . and you'll regret you were ever born. 'Specially if my big bro ever sees you."
This seemed to amuse them, so as they started to laugh, cold voices echoed down the empty streets. I shiver, looking around in hope. What was I talking about. No one was around; it was just a deserted dark street with and a few Socs and me. I started to shiver in fear as I figured that I most likely wasn't gonna make it out. If I was lucky enough to still be alive, I would severely be hurt.
As I felt the Soc next to me get closer, I practically choked on the heavy smell of beer and whiskey on his breath. But what came next surprised me even more. A large hand, obviously the Soc's, ran its way up my leg and between my legs. I gasped and whirled around, clumsily t ripping over my own feet and falling on my bum, I look up to the Socs.
There were four, five Socs in their expensive shirts, and tight new jeans, with pocket knives in each of their hands, minus the one who was closest. A while back along the street there was a parked car. Why couldn't I see the mustang when I walked past it? I mentally hit myself for being so foolish. Greasers don't drive expensive cars like that. The rich kids do.
"Aww, da wittle baby fell," said one. He came up to me and dropped down next to me, and his buds laughed. He, too, reeked of strong liquor. He grabbed me by the shoulders, and I began to struggle. Another, though, was holding my legs. He pushed me gruffly down to the ground. "Maybe I should," he posed as he swiped his hand under my shirt, "make da baby feel better."
I felt scared. I couldn't help it. I screamed. I felt a sharp pain at the side of my head; I must have been hit with the side of his blade. It made me stop screaming, though. So the Socs got the silence they wanted from me. But not for long, as I struggled and tried to buck my way out. That seemed to get him angry, and he started hitting me. Another kicked me in the ribs; I shook at the cracking sound. After a while of being beat, I was worn out.
"His legs are very nice features," said the Soc on top of me, as I felt hands run their way up my legs. "Can ya open 'em for me, little Pony? Let me have a little fun?"
That made me start breathing hard, fully knowing of what they want, as they continued hitting me, letting hot tears spill out of my eyes.
"Aww! The little Pony's scared," said a vo ice of one of the Socs. They all laughed. I couldn't help but let a sob escape. I felt a hand take off my shirt so I was bare chested.
"He's pretty," said the one on top of me, "as pretty as a broad. Pale, smooth skin; big, green eyes; soft hair; slim hips; soft, full lips." After saying that, he let a kiss linger on my lips. I choked on the taste of alcohol, and the others laughed while he slipped his tongue into my mouth.
While he prevented me breaking the kiss, I feel my pants being slipped open. I tear, but suddenly hope flutters in my stomach as I hear a voice. Cold, harsh, yet familiar, in a way. Like I hadn't heard it in years.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing to that kid?!" It was a male's voice. I hear cussing from the Socs, and they get up and leave. Just to scare me even more, or mayb e to warn me, the one on top of me whispers, "I will have you, Ponyboy Curtis," then he dashed off with the others.
I looked up, still in the same state of being half naked with my pants unzipped and unbuttoned. I saw a dark figure kneel next to me. I recognized him once a cloud moved out of the moons way of light. Dally. I gulped. He surely didn't like me. 'But,' said a voice in my head, 'he wouldn't like you to be hurt, right?'
"Golly Pony," sighed Darry, and he helped me up. I didn't do anything 'cept stand and shake. So carefully, like he was afraid to scare me or startle me, he zipped my pants up and put his jacket on me, since my shirt was torn.
Kneeling down, he looked me in the eye. "Pony, they did nothing? I mean, well they didn't rape you, did they?" The very word rape made my insides feel like trash, and my eyes water. I shook my head no as I lifted a hand, wiped away a tear, and looked away. I couldn't, wouldn't, cry in front of one of the most tough guys in the group. I repeated that thought, but I felt a hot prickle at the sides of my eyes, and unwilling tears to come down my cheeks. To my surprise he picked me up, much like my dad or Darry, or sometimes Soda would when I was a kid.
He started carrying me home and slowly I drifted to sleep. I couldn't stand to be awake. I was in pain, oddly cold, and I felt horribly tired, anyhow. Both physically from track and being beat on, and mentally from the Socs.