Aww.I luv you guys here at the Outsiders.I'm so happy you seem to like this
story so far.I was posting a story under a different category and they're
all like "You don't have to post so often" instead of asking to update.I'm
glad to be back here. so here it is and all disclaimers apply.please R&R
They had been driving for hours now and were just about there. The radio was blaring but it was set to the passenger side. Soda was sitting next to the window in the front seat and Steve was directly behind him. They were singing along, bobbing their heads and having a good old time.
Two-bit was sitting in the back behind Darry, snoring away. He had been up all night partying so it was understandable.
Ponyboy was in the middle of the front seat between Darry and Soda. The music was so loud, Darry wondered how he could concentrate. Then again, it was Pony. He was still wearing the same take smile that he'd been wearing since he got in the truck.
Keeping his eyes on the road, Darry leaned over so that Pony could hear him. "Pony, you can drop the act." Pony shifted over from Soda's side where he had glued himself and moved closer to Darry. "I don't know what you're talking about, Darry." Pony responded without looking up from his book.
Darry shook his head. "Come on Pony. We both know you're only pretending to be happy. I know you didn't want to come." Pony, eyes still glued on the book, let the smile leave his face. His cheeks were sore. "It's not that I didn't want to come. It's just it won't be the same."
Darry knew this and understood. "I just thought maybe we could start a new tradition---ya know, the five of us." Pony nodded. He didn't feel like arguing anymore.
Darry knew it'd never be the same again. Five years back a good friend of their parents invested some money in a ski lodge. Him and his wife ended up running it. They invited the Curtis family up there every year since for free. They obviously didn't go last year since their parents had just recently passed.
Darry felt they could all use it right now. It had only been a matter of months since Dally and Johnny's deaths. They had all been trying so hard and pretended things were normal. It was obvious that things weren't normal though.
Pony had been working harder than anybody, thought Darry. They were all certain he'd fail last year. Between all the time he missed, and then even when he could go back he wasn't all there. He worked so hard though and he did it. He even did somewhat well. And then he spent the summer reading, and studying, trying to get caught up. Now, school had just gotten back and all he ever did was get up, go to school, come home do him homework, eat a very light dinner, and then study or read until he fell asleep and Soda or Darry would drag him to bed. He just wasn't himself anymore.
Darry knew he had much reason to be upset. He'd lost his mother, father and two of his good friends, almost get sent to a children's home, the whole Windrixville experience, and so much more someone his age should never have to go through. That's a lot for someone of any age to go through.
Still it killed Darry to see him like that. He had so much to offer if he'd only get out of his plastic bubble. He really was an amazing kid. He deserved to have some fun. That was the reason Darry had set up this trip. Besides the fact that it was free, more importantly he realized they all needed it. This realization came to Darry about two weeks ago.
Pony had gotten his theme back a little while back. Everyone finally talked him into let everyone read it. Darry had been the first to read it. That was the day he finished it. He had stayed silent the rest of the day, completely at a loss of words. Everyone found it odd. He was just so amazed at how strong his brother was. That was when he decided this trip was necessary. Darry had still yet to tell Pony what he thought of the theme. Pony had been wondering. Darry just couldn't put it into words though.
Darry glanced quickly at his brother, still amazed. Pony felt Darry's eyes but stayed focused on his book. Because at the present moment, besides driving, there wasn't anything else to do Darry once again remembered. The last ski trip suddenly popped in his mind.
***Their mother had been in the lobby of the lodge, next to the fire, drinking hot chocolate. She loved the ski trips but she also love to get away from it all and relax. Their dad and Darry were getting ready to go skiing on the experienced hill. There was a bunny-slope hill, a beginner's hill, advanced and experienced. Their dad was a really good skier. Darry had done skiing with friends before they started these trips and was also very good. Therefore they could easily handle the hard hill.
Soda wasn't the greatest skier. This was mainly because he spent too much time goofing off and never had the discipline to learn. He spent most of his time on beginner's hill. Of course, Pony stayed glued to his side. Pony had never been skiing before their first family trip but he caught on in no time. He could easily make it with Darry and their dad but he wanted to be with Soda.
When Pony came out ready to go, their dad decided it was time. They had tried before to get him to come with them but had always been unsuccessful. He knew it was time. "Pony, I think you should try coming with us." Pony quickly answered his father. "I think I'll just stay with Soda." Sodapop came through the room still not close to be ready. "Pon, I think you should go with them. I'll go hang with mom for a while." Their dad quickly smiled. "See. Ya have no excuse." Pony still hesitated. "I don't know. I don't think I could do it." Darry could tell he was scared. "Pon, I know you can do it." Their dad tried to convince him. Darry saw the was Pony's eyes lit up when their Dad said it. That was enough for him to come.
They tried to get Pony to practice on the advanced a little bit. Pony had gone down it a few times with ease. But Pony wanted to just skip to the experienced. It was his first time, so they all stayed together. Darry saw his one ski cross at one point. In the tangle of mess, Darry caught a glimpse of his ankle twist and crack as he tried his best not to fall. Pony immediately dropped both his poles and reached down for his ankle. He completely lost control and started to slide down the hill. Darry and their Dad immediately caught him. If they had not been there then he surely would have tumbled to doom. Darry saw Pony's eyes briefly water but Pony quickly blinked them. Their dad picked him up and Darry grabbed all the poles and skis. Pony kept going on and on about how he let them down. They finally got it through his head that he didn't but he had a sprained ankle. But he wanted to go back so badly. The whole ride home, all they heard was how next year he was gunna do it. But he never got the chance.
They had been driving for hours now and were just about there. The radio was blaring but it was set to the passenger side. Soda was sitting next to the window in the front seat and Steve was directly behind him. They were singing along, bobbing their heads and having a good old time.
Two-bit was sitting in the back behind Darry, snoring away. He had been up all night partying so it was understandable.
Ponyboy was in the middle of the front seat between Darry and Soda. The music was so loud, Darry wondered how he could concentrate. Then again, it was Pony. He was still wearing the same take smile that he'd been wearing since he got in the truck.
Keeping his eyes on the road, Darry leaned over so that Pony could hear him. "Pony, you can drop the act." Pony shifted over from Soda's side where he had glued himself and moved closer to Darry. "I don't know what you're talking about, Darry." Pony responded without looking up from his book.
Darry shook his head. "Come on Pony. We both know you're only pretending to be happy. I know you didn't want to come." Pony, eyes still glued on the book, let the smile leave his face. His cheeks were sore. "It's not that I didn't want to come. It's just it won't be the same."
Darry knew this and understood. "I just thought maybe we could start a new tradition---ya know, the five of us." Pony nodded. He didn't feel like arguing anymore.
Darry knew it'd never be the same again. Five years back a good friend of their parents invested some money in a ski lodge. Him and his wife ended up running it. They invited the Curtis family up there every year since for free. They obviously didn't go last year since their parents had just recently passed.
Darry felt they could all use it right now. It had only been a matter of months since Dally and Johnny's deaths. They had all been trying so hard and pretended things were normal. It was obvious that things weren't normal though.
Pony had been working harder than anybody, thought Darry. They were all certain he'd fail last year. Between all the time he missed, and then even when he could go back he wasn't all there. He worked so hard though and he did it. He even did somewhat well. And then he spent the summer reading, and studying, trying to get caught up. Now, school had just gotten back and all he ever did was get up, go to school, come home do him homework, eat a very light dinner, and then study or read until he fell asleep and Soda or Darry would drag him to bed. He just wasn't himself anymore.
Darry knew he had much reason to be upset. He'd lost his mother, father and two of his good friends, almost get sent to a children's home, the whole Windrixville experience, and so much more someone his age should never have to go through. That's a lot for someone of any age to go through.
Still it killed Darry to see him like that. He had so much to offer if he'd only get out of his plastic bubble. He really was an amazing kid. He deserved to have some fun. That was the reason Darry had set up this trip. Besides the fact that it was free, more importantly he realized they all needed it. This realization came to Darry about two weeks ago.
Pony had gotten his theme back a little while back. Everyone finally talked him into let everyone read it. Darry had been the first to read it. That was the day he finished it. He had stayed silent the rest of the day, completely at a loss of words. Everyone found it odd. He was just so amazed at how strong his brother was. That was when he decided this trip was necessary. Darry had still yet to tell Pony what he thought of the theme. Pony had been wondering. Darry just couldn't put it into words though.
Darry glanced quickly at his brother, still amazed. Pony felt Darry's eyes but stayed focused on his book. Because at the present moment, besides driving, there wasn't anything else to do Darry once again remembered. The last ski trip suddenly popped in his mind.
***Their mother had been in the lobby of the lodge, next to the fire, drinking hot chocolate. She loved the ski trips but she also love to get away from it all and relax. Their dad and Darry were getting ready to go skiing on the experienced hill. There was a bunny-slope hill, a beginner's hill, advanced and experienced. Their dad was a really good skier. Darry had done skiing with friends before they started these trips and was also very good. Therefore they could easily handle the hard hill.
Soda wasn't the greatest skier. This was mainly because he spent too much time goofing off and never had the discipline to learn. He spent most of his time on beginner's hill. Of course, Pony stayed glued to his side. Pony had never been skiing before their first family trip but he caught on in no time. He could easily make it with Darry and their dad but he wanted to be with Soda.
When Pony came out ready to go, their dad decided it was time. They had tried before to get him to come with them but had always been unsuccessful. He knew it was time. "Pony, I think you should try coming with us." Pony quickly answered his father. "I think I'll just stay with Soda." Sodapop came through the room still not close to be ready. "Pon, I think you should go with them. I'll go hang with mom for a while." Their dad quickly smiled. "See. Ya have no excuse." Pony still hesitated. "I don't know. I don't think I could do it." Darry could tell he was scared. "Pon, I know you can do it." Their dad tried to convince him. Darry saw the was Pony's eyes lit up when their Dad said it. That was enough for him to come.
They tried to get Pony to practice on the advanced a little bit. Pony had gone down it a few times with ease. But Pony wanted to just skip to the experienced. It was his first time, so they all stayed together. Darry saw his one ski cross at one point. In the tangle of mess, Darry caught a glimpse of his ankle twist and crack as he tried his best not to fall. Pony immediately dropped both his poles and reached down for his ankle. He completely lost control and started to slide down the hill. Darry and their Dad immediately caught him. If they had not been there then he surely would have tumbled to doom. Darry saw Pony's eyes briefly water but Pony quickly blinked them. Their dad picked him up and Darry grabbed all the poles and skis. Pony kept going on and on about how he let them down. They finally got it through his head that he didn't but he had a sprained ankle. But he wanted to go back so badly. The whole ride home, all they heard was how next year he was gunna do it. But he never got the chance.