Author's Note: Hey guys. Sorry for the delay. I've had this written for
about a week, but kept forgetting to actually POST it. Minor detail.
Kate: Good going.
Lynne: Shhh! She's trying to do the A/Ns!
Kate: So?
Lynne: Interupting's rude!
Uhm. Yeah. Kate and Lynne decided they wanted to help with the A/Ns. Well, sorta. I said they could 'help' at the ones at the bottom, but obviously that's not going to happen.
Kate: You got that right.
Anyway, my fanfiction.net's been a bit screwy lately, and I haven't been able to go anywhere and see the reviews. But -
Lynne: We wanna help with answering reviews!
Lynne? I thought you said not to interrupt me when I'm talking to the readers.
Lynne: Yes, but...
FINE! But don't annoy me.
Lynne: * grinning * ^_^ Ok!
Kate: * rolls eyes *
~*~Reviews~*~
Burnin' Church Gal = Oh no! You're leaving?!? All I have to say is that the Outsiders section won't be the same without you.
Lynne: * Crying *
Kate: * Arms crossed looking pissed *
Awwww......They really liked hanging with you guys! Hmm...I dunno. I don't think any pairing really should happen between those three. (harry, ron, hermione) I mean, than just two will be all 'involved' and leave the third one out. No one should separate those three...themselves included! Here's an example: Say Hermione and Ron were together. They would always be really close, and leave Harry to find other people to hang with while they wanted to be 'alone' * cough makeout session cough cough *
Kate: You really didn't disguise that very well.
Gee, thanks Kate. Anyway, I'm almost as off topic as you are. ^_~ So come over and drop a review sometime! Kate liked Johnny, I think she gets tired off being the only -completely- evil/bad conscious person here. And I know for SURE Lynne liked Horse...
Lynne: * nods *
And heck, we all liked Sparkey. And they haven't met Thrasher yet!
Lynne: * pokes Man's shoulder *
Umm-hmm? * turns *
Lynne: I think you should get to the other reviews now. The readers are waiting.
Oh. Thanks! * pats Lynne on head *
Alrighty. Till next time, Burnin'!
~*~
Usagibuffy = Poor guys is right. If only you knew what they are yet to be in for...^_~ Thanks for dropping a line!
~*~ Lynn = Hi!
Lynne: You have the same name as me! ^_^
That made Lynne happy. Anyway, Wanna bet I can't do that?? ^___^
Lynne: That's mean.
Sorry. But what can I say? I'll try, but who knows....the story just might write itself. Thanks for the review!
~*~
Remmy de Insane One =) = Hello! Esciten?
Kate: I think she means Exciting. Duh.
Oh. Ok than. That's good! Your welcome monkey! Uh...yeah, I get it.
Lynne: I don't.
Kate: That's 'cause you're stupid
Hey! Cut it out, you two! Bananas come in bunches. I gave Monkey a banana. She said thanks bunches.
Lynne: Oooh! I get it now! n.n
Yeah. Anyways. * reads more of review* Awwww!! Thanks so much! Really? I'm honoured! Now I'm getting all teary-eyed...
Kate: * snorts *
* Glares at Kate* .. * sniffs * Thank you!
~*~
buzzbuzz16 aka Nicole = Hello again! I'm updating, I'm updating!
~*~
Tim the Enchantress = Aloha! Hmmm....Darry's kind of hard to write as, I mean, he's a hood as well as the rest of them, but could be a Soc and was going to go to collage. How do you write as that? I dunno. I tried. I like Pony the best, but Soda's ok. Thanks! Aww...* Pats Tim on the head *
Kate: You say 'aww' a lot.
Well...alright. Whatever. Still, you guys are making me feel so special! Eeep! Is that a death threat? * hides under desk *
Lynne: Ummerz, I think you come out, I mean, you ARE updating now, aren't you?
Kate: The amazing run-on sentence.
Ignore her Lynne. * comes out * Thanks for the review! It made my day!
~*~
Lil Chaos Angel = Hmmm...I've never thought of that before. It does! Good point. Heres some more!
~*~
Baily = Ok! Sounds good to me!
~*~*~*~*~
Alright. I would just like to say, that I have a WHOLE lot more ahead now that I've decided on the future plot line. There's a hella a lot of Pony- angst coming up, so don't worry! ^_~ (Or maybe do...) And more trouble with the Socs...you didn't think that I'd let that Socy that beat on Pony off easy, did you? Nuh-uh!
Here it is!
Lynne: ^_^
Kate: -_- * gets poked by Man * ~_~ * harder poke * ^_^
^_^
Kate: * glances around * -_-
~*~
(Soda's POV)
Bitch. How dare she? How fuckin' dare she?
She was NOT going to take Pony away. I wouldn't let her. I didn't even know if my little brother was going to LIVE and this lady comes up and demands to see our 'legal guardian'. Aka, Darry.
Oh, I'm sorry. Her name was Mrs. Dawson. Sarcasm intended. Bitch.
Darry got pulled into a room off the hall by the ambulance paramedic, and Steve, Two-Bit and I had just sat in our seats nervously. Than this lady came up to us and introduces herself as 'Mrs. Dawson'. She pulls out this pile of papers from her bag and pushes them in my face.
"Where's Darrel Curtis?"
Like I was going to tell her.
Than Two-Bit finally caught on she was a social worker, and started yelling at her. Steve and I stood up, and Steve pulled Two-Bit away from her. I stood face to face with the social worker, slouched with one hand in my belt hoop and glared at her.
She was a middle-aged lady with shiny black hair pulled back into a bun. She had on a bright yellow dress with little flowers on it, and had a black bag at her side. She thrust the papers in my face and insists that I tell her where my 'legal guardian' is.
Darry picked that moment to walk in with the doctor. I didn't even turn and look at him, but Steve and Two-Bit did. I still glared defiantly at the lady.
Darry decided to be all business like, and calmly extended his hand to the lady.
"Hello, I'm Darrel Curtis." He said quietly. If you didn't know Darry that well, you'd wonder why he didn't look like he cared his brother might get taken away. But if you did, you would see that he was nervous and worried as hell.
Mrs. Evil-Bitch smiled at Darry, showing white teeth. Her smile was so fake.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Linda Dawson." She said politely, her eyes squinting in pretend cheerfulness.
The lady held up the papers again.
"I have the legal right to retain Ponyboy from your custody." She said smoothly, her pleasantness forgotten. She sneered his name with distaste.
"I don't think that will be required, Ponyboy has been fine in our custody." Darry told her. He clenched his fist slightly behind his back, unseen to the social worker.
"Fine?" Dawson almost shreaked. "You call almost being tried for murder, being raised by his two hood brothers, and almost being beaten to death FINE?"
Now Darry was mad. I stood behind him. As much as I would love to sock that lady, it wouldn't help us keep Ponyboy with us much.
Darry took a deep breath, than let it out. His eyes were smouldering. Funny, I guess being called a hood in the middle of a hospital with his little brother in intensive care by someone trying to take away a family member didn't make him feel too hot.
"Ponyboy is raised best by his family, us." Darry said quietly. "I will take this to court if you can't understand that. Ponyboy needs his family, people who care about him not just some people he's forced to live with. In my little brother's best interest, I suggest you leave him with us."
Dawson glared daggers at us. She clenched her papers, and thrust them back in her little black bag.
"If I have any reason to suspect that Ponyboy isn't receiving proper care, he will be out of your house in less time than you can even call a lawyer." She spit, than walked swiftly down the hall.
"Well, that went well." Steve muttered, sitting back down and lighting a cigarette.
Two-Bit grinned half-heartedly, and slumped in the chair next to Steve. "Well, well, well, it seems Superman hasn't lost his touch."
Darry rounded on him and raised his fist, but a doctor walked by and gave him a disapproving glance. Darry pounded his fist into his palm instead.
I laughed; we all knew my older brother couldn't stand being called Superman. But my thoughts strayed back to Pony.
"How's the kid?" I whispered. Steve put a hand on my shoulder.
"He'll live." Darry sighed. I breathed out in relief. "He almost didn't though. He took quite a beating. Oh, and if anyone asks, you two are our 'cousins'." He directed the last bit to Steve and Two-Bit.
"Comm'n." I said, getting up. Steve glanced at me questionably. "What? We're gunna go see him."
~*~
"Please please please please please please get me out of here!" Pony begged.
I laughed, and shrugged. It was a week later, and my little brother showed definite signs of improving. In fact, he was almost better. I regarded Ponyboy critically. He raised an eyebrow, an expression he learned off of Two-Bit, and crossed his arms over his bare chest.
He had a few scars on his neck, and a big white bandage across his chest. His left shoulder had a bandage wrapped around it with rusty- coloured blood still showing through. A long thin scar cut across his chest above the bandage. The colour was returning to his face, he looked pretty much ok.
"Well, how bad is it Doc?" Ponyboy asked sarcastically. He hated being stuck in bed. That I knew.
"With some hard work, and intense care you may yet pull through, Son." I said seriously, than leaned over and half-tackled him into a lying position. I placed my hands behind my head and lay next to Pony on the bed. I stared at the ceiling.
"Gosh, they sure as hell need a more interesting roof, huh?" I muttered, gazing on the white roof.
Pony lifted his arm lazily and flopped it over my head in a lame attempt to hit me. "You're tellin' me!" I pushed his arm off.
"Soda?" He said quietly after a while.
"Mm?" I mumbled, closing my eyes.
"Go home and get a life. You have work. Hang out with the gang or something. Sleep for once." He said, and pushed me off the bed.
I fell to the floor with a thump, and that's when Darry, Two-Bit and Steve decided to walk in.
"Uhm. Sodapop?" Steve asked; crouching down next to where I lay crumpled on the floor next to the bed.
"Yeah, what?" I asked perfectly calmly from the floor.
"Any reason you're chillin on the floor, or is it just for kicks?" He asked. Two-Bit was laughing hysterically on the other side of the room.
I sat up and grabbed his DX cap of his head and put it on.
"Nah, certain kid brothers just aren't playin' nice." I said calmly as I stood up and brushed off my jeans. I grinned at Steve. Pony snorted from the bed.
"And some brothers don't ever play nice...." Ponyboy muttered.
"Hey, shut it, kid." I said, and pushed him down as he started to sit up again.
"Aww, lay off won't ya Soda?" Pony whined.
"Common, go to work before you get fired Sodapop." Darry said from where he was leaning on the doorway.
"Yeah, yeah." I muttered, and followed Steve outa the room, but not before hitting Pony on the arm.
"Hey!" He yelped from the room as I left. I stuck my head around the doorframe and grinned at him. Darry shoved my head out the door and Steve pulled me down the hall.
"Seriously though, how's your brother?" Steve asked as we left the hospital.
"Well, he still carries too much roofing, despite our threats to skin him..." I ducked as my buddy tried to hit me over the head.
"No, the other one you stupid Greaser." He mumbled as he lit a cigarette.
"Ahh, he's tuff. He ain't gunna drop dead any time soon, anyway." I said, scratching the back of my head as we walked down the road to the bus stop. "Tell me again why Two-Bit won't let us use his car?"
"'Cause you used up all the gasoline last time." Steve said, squinting his eyes and looking down the street for the bus. "You shoulda though of that before ya left him to fill up and pay."
I shrugged.
"Darry's car?" I asked. Steve raised an eyebrow. Two-Bit really shouldn't a taught us that.
"You really think Darry'd let you borrow his car?" He asked, staring down the street again.
"Prob'ly not. But ya never know..." I muttered as the grey steel bus rolled up.
Steve and I filed into the bus, receiving a glare from the driver. Steve and I didn't pay; we had no money. But since Steve just happened to be fingering his switch, he left us alone.
We strolled through the bus, looking for some seats. Instead of free seats, we got glares and disapproving looks. Surprise, surprise.
We got close to the back of the bus, and saw the very back row was free. We sat down and put our feet up on the seats ahead of us. The doors shut and the bus started. I glanced around the bus for any Socs, but there were none there. Mostly, Socs don't take the bus, only the Greasers and middle class.
The bus started to roll down the street, and we passed a couple of blocks before it started to slow down again to pick up more passengers. The door swished open and three Socs stepped in. Oh shit. They paid the driver, and turned to the seats. They saw us down at the back and started walking towards us. As they got closer, I recognized them.
They were three of the guys we fought in the ally a week ago. One of them was the guy who beat up Pony.
I stood up, and Steve stood beside me. Three to two. We could still take 'em.
"Get off the bus Greasers." Pony's guy spat. I guess they recognized us, too.
"Nah, I don't think we want to." Steve said, taking a drag on his cigarette.
"You know what a Greaser is?" One of the Socs asked. He had on a red and tan football jacket.
"White trash with long hair?" I mocked. Gee, these guys weren't very original. Pony had told me of his 'encounter' a long while ago. I guess that was a common insult, if you could even call it that.
They looked kinda surprised at that one, Me'n Steve just stared them down.
"Is there a problem?" The bus driver called down from the front. He sounded scared. Suddenly I realized that everyone in the bus was staring at us. I truly didn't give a damn.
The Socs seemed to care. They didn't seem to want to start anything. I guess they didn't want their names in the paper for causing a 'social disturbance' or something.
The guy in the middle who had beat on Pony glared at me. I wanted to punch him, but I saw Steve outa the corner of my eye shake his head slightly.
"I will kill the kid. I don't care how many off you try to stop me, I will kill that bastard." He said slowly. He than turned, and he and his friends got off the bus again. The driver seemed pleased they still paid for nothing.
I fingered him as he walked away, and one of his buddies turned around and saw. Whoopdee-do, some more Socs were pissed at us. That wasn't what bothered me.
What bothered me was that I had met up with the guy who beat on Pony again, and didn't beat him up. What bothered me was that he said he wanted to kill my little brother. Well, tough, I wasn't gunna let him. He hurt him once; it wasn't gunna happen again.
We sat back down, and soon we were at the DX. Steve pulled the string about twenty times more than needed, and we received even more glares as we got off the bus. Steve and I just grinned at them.
I walked up to the DX with Steve, not wearing my shirt but wearing Steve's hat. Whatever. Everyone knew I worked there anyway.
There was already a crowd of girls there expecting us. Socy girls too. I strolled up to one of them, and grinned at her.
"Hey doll." I said, leaning on one of the gasoline pumps. She giggled, and her friends looked jealous. This was fun, always was.
"Hey, Sodapop, you're workin' register today." Steve called from where he already had the hood up to a car.
"Alright." I hollered over to him, and went to go inside. Before I could open the door, a Socy girl with bright red hair held it closed.
"Well, hello there missy." I said, raising my eyebrows at how she wouldn't let me go inside. She looked familiar somehow.
"I'm Cherry, Cherry Valance." She said, brushing that red hair out of her eyes.
"Hey, aren't you that friend of Pony's that's spying for us Greasers?" I asked quietly. She quickly glanced around before nodding.
"How is Pony? I heard from Marcia that her boyfriend and his friends were in a fight with a couple of you guys a couple days ago. She said they almost killed one of you, but the Greasers won in the long run." She sounded sad, I guess she didn't like the constant rumbles between the social classes.
"He'll live. He got beat on pretty bad, though." I replied. She nodded, looking up at me with those sad green eyes. So that's why Pony didn't mind it anymore when someone made a comment about his green eyes. "Who is her boyfriend, by the way?"
Cherry looked at me, confused.
"Big, brown hair, blue eyes..." She stopped at the look on my face.
"So he's the fucker who beat up Ponyboy." I whispered. Cherry didn't even flinch at my curse.
"I'm sorry." She said quietly. I glanced up at her, she was looking at me with a sad, regretful expression.
"I'm going to hurt him bad the next time I see him." I muttered. She didn't say anything, just looked down. "What's his name?"
"Jake." She said. "Jake Carson."
"Soda!" Steve yelled from where he was working on a car. "Get in there!"
Oh right. I was working. I scratched the back of my head, flashing her a grin.
"Well, it was nice talking to ya, little lady, but I gotta get going." I said, and she stepped out of the way of the door, smiling.
"Nice talking to you, too. Soda, was it?" She asked as I opened the door. I nodded. "Ponyboy talks about you a lot."
"Good things I hope?" I asked, holding open the door.
"Pretty much." She said with a soft smile. She gave a little wave good bye and walked over to the rest of the girls.
I closed the glass door and watched her go from behind the counter. She was one fine-lookin' Soc.
~*~
Author's Note: Another chapter done! On to the next one before I get more death threats from the reviewers.
Lynne: Review!!!!!!
Thanks, Lynne. How about you Kate?
Kate: Review.
Thank you! Ok, that's it. You guys can go now. * Kate slumps off, and Lynne waves happily before bouncing off *
I should go too. Dinner. You heard the consciences, review! Please?
Later,
~Eh, Man
Kate: Good going.
Lynne: Shhh! She's trying to do the A/Ns!
Kate: So?
Lynne: Interupting's rude!
Uhm. Yeah. Kate and Lynne decided they wanted to help with the A/Ns. Well, sorta. I said they could 'help' at the ones at the bottom, but obviously that's not going to happen.
Kate: You got that right.
Anyway, my fanfiction.net's been a bit screwy lately, and I haven't been able to go anywhere and see the reviews. But -
Lynne: We wanna help with answering reviews!
Lynne? I thought you said not to interrupt me when I'm talking to the readers.
Lynne: Yes, but...
FINE! But don't annoy me.
Lynne: * grinning * ^_^ Ok!
Kate: * rolls eyes *
~*~Reviews~*~
Burnin' Church Gal = Oh no! You're leaving?!? All I have to say is that the Outsiders section won't be the same without you.
Lynne: * Crying *
Kate: * Arms crossed looking pissed *
Awwww......They really liked hanging with you guys! Hmm...I dunno. I don't think any pairing really should happen between those three. (harry, ron, hermione) I mean, than just two will be all 'involved' and leave the third one out. No one should separate those three...themselves included! Here's an example: Say Hermione and Ron were together. They would always be really close, and leave Harry to find other people to hang with while they wanted to be 'alone' * cough makeout session cough cough *
Kate: You really didn't disguise that very well.
Gee, thanks Kate. Anyway, I'm almost as off topic as you are. ^_~ So come over and drop a review sometime! Kate liked Johnny, I think she gets tired off being the only -completely- evil/bad conscious person here. And I know for SURE Lynne liked Horse...
Lynne: * nods *
And heck, we all liked Sparkey. And they haven't met Thrasher yet!
Lynne: * pokes Man's shoulder *
Umm-hmm? * turns *
Lynne: I think you should get to the other reviews now. The readers are waiting.
Oh. Thanks! * pats Lynne on head *
Alrighty. Till next time, Burnin'!
~*~
Usagibuffy = Poor guys is right. If only you knew what they are yet to be in for...^_~ Thanks for dropping a line!
~*~ Lynn = Hi!
Lynne: You have the same name as me! ^_^
That made Lynne happy. Anyway, Wanna bet I can't do that?? ^___^
Lynne: That's mean.
Sorry. But what can I say? I'll try, but who knows....the story just might write itself. Thanks for the review!
~*~
Remmy de Insane One =) = Hello! Esciten?
Kate: I think she means Exciting. Duh.
Oh. Ok than. That's good! Your welcome monkey! Uh...yeah, I get it.
Lynne: I don't.
Kate: That's 'cause you're stupid
Hey! Cut it out, you two! Bananas come in bunches. I gave Monkey a banana. She said thanks bunches.
Lynne: Oooh! I get it now! n.n
Yeah. Anyways. * reads more of review* Awwww!! Thanks so much! Really? I'm honoured! Now I'm getting all teary-eyed...
Kate: * snorts *
* Glares at Kate* .. * sniffs * Thank you!
~*~
buzzbuzz16 aka Nicole = Hello again! I'm updating, I'm updating!
~*~
Tim the Enchantress = Aloha! Hmmm....Darry's kind of hard to write as, I mean, he's a hood as well as the rest of them, but could be a Soc and was going to go to collage. How do you write as that? I dunno. I tried. I like Pony the best, but Soda's ok. Thanks! Aww...* Pats Tim on the head *
Kate: You say 'aww' a lot.
Well...alright. Whatever. Still, you guys are making me feel so special! Eeep! Is that a death threat? * hides under desk *
Lynne: Ummerz, I think you come out, I mean, you ARE updating now, aren't you?
Kate: The amazing run-on sentence.
Ignore her Lynne. * comes out * Thanks for the review! It made my day!
~*~
Lil Chaos Angel = Hmmm...I've never thought of that before. It does! Good point. Heres some more!
~*~
Baily = Ok! Sounds good to me!
~*~*~*~*~
Alright. I would just like to say, that I have a WHOLE lot more ahead now that I've decided on the future plot line. There's a hella a lot of Pony- angst coming up, so don't worry! ^_~ (Or maybe do...) And more trouble with the Socs...you didn't think that I'd let that Socy that beat on Pony off easy, did you? Nuh-uh!
Here it is!
Lynne: ^_^
Kate: -_- * gets poked by Man * ~_~ * harder poke * ^_^
^_^
Kate: * glances around * -_-
~*~
(Soda's POV)
Bitch. How dare she? How fuckin' dare she?
She was NOT going to take Pony away. I wouldn't let her. I didn't even know if my little brother was going to LIVE and this lady comes up and demands to see our 'legal guardian'. Aka, Darry.
Oh, I'm sorry. Her name was Mrs. Dawson. Sarcasm intended. Bitch.
Darry got pulled into a room off the hall by the ambulance paramedic, and Steve, Two-Bit and I had just sat in our seats nervously. Than this lady came up to us and introduces herself as 'Mrs. Dawson'. She pulls out this pile of papers from her bag and pushes them in my face.
"Where's Darrel Curtis?"
Like I was going to tell her.
Than Two-Bit finally caught on she was a social worker, and started yelling at her. Steve and I stood up, and Steve pulled Two-Bit away from her. I stood face to face with the social worker, slouched with one hand in my belt hoop and glared at her.
She was a middle-aged lady with shiny black hair pulled back into a bun. She had on a bright yellow dress with little flowers on it, and had a black bag at her side. She thrust the papers in my face and insists that I tell her where my 'legal guardian' is.
Darry picked that moment to walk in with the doctor. I didn't even turn and look at him, but Steve and Two-Bit did. I still glared defiantly at the lady.
Darry decided to be all business like, and calmly extended his hand to the lady.
"Hello, I'm Darrel Curtis." He said quietly. If you didn't know Darry that well, you'd wonder why he didn't look like he cared his brother might get taken away. But if you did, you would see that he was nervous and worried as hell.
Mrs. Evil-Bitch smiled at Darry, showing white teeth. Her smile was so fake.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Linda Dawson." She said politely, her eyes squinting in pretend cheerfulness.
The lady held up the papers again.
"I have the legal right to retain Ponyboy from your custody." She said smoothly, her pleasantness forgotten. She sneered his name with distaste.
"I don't think that will be required, Ponyboy has been fine in our custody." Darry told her. He clenched his fist slightly behind his back, unseen to the social worker.
"Fine?" Dawson almost shreaked. "You call almost being tried for murder, being raised by his two hood brothers, and almost being beaten to death FINE?"
Now Darry was mad. I stood behind him. As much as I would love to sock that lady, it wouldn't help us keep Ponyboy with us much.
Darry took a deep breath, than let it out. His eyes were smouldering. Funny, I guess being called a hood in the middle of a hospital with his little brother in intensive care by someone trying to take away a family member didn't make him feel too hot.
"Ponyboy is raised best by his family, us." Darry said quietly. "I will take this to court if you can't understand that. Ponyboy needs his family, people who care about him not just some people he's forced to live with. In my little brother's best interest, I suggest you leave him with us."
Dawson glared daggers at us. She clenched her papers, and thrust them back in her little black bag.
"If I have any reason to suspect that Ponyboy isn't receiving proper care, he will be out of your house in less time than you can even call a lawyer." She spit, than walked swiftly down the hall.
"Well, that went well." Steve muttered, sitting back down and lighting a cigarette.
Two-Bit grinned half-heartedly, and slumped in the chair next to Steve. "Well, well, well, it seems Superman hasn't lost his touch."
Darry rounded on him and raised his fist, but a doctor walked by and gave him a disapproving glance. Darry pounded his fist into his palm instead.
I laughed; we all knew my older brother couldn't stand being called Superman. But my thoughts strayed back to Pony.
"How's the kid?" I whispered. Steve put a hand on my shoulder.
"He'll live." Darry sighed. I breathed out in relief. "He almost didn't though. He took quite a beating. Oh, and if anyone asks, you two are our 'cousins'." He directed the last bit to Steve and Two-Bit.
"Comm'n." I said, getting up. Steve glanced at me questionably. "What? We're gunna go see him."
~*~
"Please please please please please please get me out of here!" Pony begged.
I laughed, and shrugged. It was a week later, and my little brother showed definite signs of improving. In fact, he was almost better. I regarded Ponyboy critically. He raised an eyebrow, an expression he learned off of Two-Bit, and crossed his arms over his bare chest.
He had a few scars on his neck, and a big white bandage across his chest. His left shoulder had a bandage wrapped around it with rusty- coloured blood still showing through. A long thin scar cut across his chest above the bandage. The colour was returning to his face, he looked pretty much ok.
"Well, how bad is it Doc?" Ponyboy asked sarcastically. He hated being stuck in bed. That I knew.
"With some hard work, and intense care you may yet pull through, Son." I said seriously, than leaned over and half-tackled him into a lying position. I placed my hands behind my head and lay next to Pony on the bed. I stared at the ceiling.
"Gosh, they sure as hell need a more interesting roof, huh?" I muttered, gazing on the white roof.
Pony lifted his arm lazily and flopped it over my head in a lame attempt to hit me. "You're tellin' me!" I pushed his arm off.
"Soda?" He said quietly after a while.
"Mm?" I mumbled, closing my eyes.
"Go home and get a life. You have work. Hang out with the gang or something. Sleep for once." He said, and pushed me off the bed.
I fell to the floor with a thump, and that's when Darry, Two-Bit and Steve decided to walk in.
"Uhm. Sodapop?" Steve asked; crouching down next to where I lay crumpled on the floor next to the bed.
"Yeah, what?" I asked perfectly calmly from the floor.
"Any reason you're chillin on the floor, or is it just for kicks?" He asked. Two-Bit was laughing hysterically on the other side of the room.
I sat up and grabbed his DX cap of his head and put it on.
"Nah, certain kid brothers just aren't playin' nice." I said calmly as I stood up and brushed off my jeans. I grinned at Steve. Pony snorted from the bed.
"And some brothers don't ever play nice...." Ponyboy muttered.
"Hey, shut it, kid." I said, and pushed him down as he started to sit up again.
"Aww, lay off won't ya Soda?" Pony whined.
"Common, go to work before you get fired Sodapop." Darry said from where he was leaning on the doorway.
"Yeah, yeah." I muttered, and followed Steve outa the room, but not before hitting Pony on the arm.
"Hey!" He yelped from the room as I left. I stuck my head around the doorframe and grinned at him. Darry shoved my head out the door and Steve pulled me down the hall.
"Seriously though, how's your brother?" Steve asked as we left the hospital.
"Well, he still carries too much roofing, despite our threats to skin him..." I ducked as my buddy tried to hit me over the head.
"No, the other one you stupid Greaser." He mumbled as he lit a cigarette.
"Ahh, he's tuff. He ain't gunna drop dead any time soon, anyway." I said, scratching the back of my head as we walked down the road to the bus stop. "Tell me again why Two-Bit won't let us use his car?"
"'Cause you used up all the gasoline last time." Steve said, squinting his eyes and looking down the street for the bus. "You shoulda though of that before ya left him to fill up and pay."
I shrugged.
"Darry's car?" I asked. Steve raised an eyebrow. Two-Bit really shouldn't a taught us that.
"You really think Darry'd let you borrow his car?" He asked, staring down the street again.
"Prob'ly not. But ya never know..." I muttered as the grey steel bus rolled up.
Steve and I filed into the bus, receiving a glare from the driver. Steve and I didn't pay; we had no money. But since Steve just happened to be fingering his switch, he left us alone.
We strolled through the bus, looking for some seats. Instead of free seats, we got glares and disapproving looks. Surprise, surprise.
We got close to the back of the bus, and saw the very back row was free. We sat down and put our feet up on the seats ahead of us. The doors shut and the bus started. I glanced around the bus for any Socs, but there were none there. Mostly, Socs don't take the bus, only the Greasers and middle class.
The bus started to roll down the street, and we passed a couple of blocks before it started to slow down again to pick up more passengers. The door swished open and three Socs stepped in. Oh shit. They paid the driver, and turned to the seats. They saw us down at the back and started walking towards us. As they got closer, I recognized them.
They were three of the guys we fought in the ally a week ago. One of them was the guy who beat up Pony.
I stood up, and Steve stood beside me. Three to two. We could still take 'em.
"Get off the bus Greasers." Pony's guy spat. I guess they recognized us, too.
"Nah, I don't think we want to." Steve said, taking a drag on his cigarette.
"You know what a Greaser is?" One of the Socs asked. He had on a red and tan football jacket.
"White trash with long hair?" I mocked. Gee, these guys weren't very original. Pony had told me of his 'encounter' a long while ago. I guess that was a common insult, if you could even call it that.
They looked kinda surprised at that one, Me'n Steve just stared them down.
"Is there a problem?" The bus driver called down from the front. He sounded scared. Suddenly I realized that everyone in the bus was staring at us. I truly didn't give a damn.
The Socs seemed to care. They didn't seem to want to start anything. I guess they didn't want their names in the paper for causing a 'social disturbance' or something.
The guy in the middle who had beat on Pony glared at me. I wanted to punch him, but I saw Steve outa the corner of my eye shake his head slightly.
"I will kill the kid. I don't care how many off you try to stop me, I will kill that bastard." He said slowly. He than turned, and he and his friends got off the bus again. The driver seemed pleased they still paid for nothing.
I fingered him as he walked away, and one of his buddies turned around and saw. Whoopdee-do, some more Socs were pissed at us. That wasn't what bothered me.
What bothered me was that I had met up with the guy who beat on Pony again, and didn't beat him up. What bothered me was that he said he wanted to kill my little brother. Well, tough, I wasn't gunna let him. He hurt him once; it wasn't gunna happen again.
We sat back down, and soon we were at the DX. Steve pulled the string about twenty times more than needed, and we received even more glares as we got off the bus. Steve and I just grinned at them.
I walked up to the DX with Steve, not wearing my shirt but wearing Steve's hat. Whatever. Everyone knew I worked there anyway.
There was already a crowd of girls there expecting us. Socy girls too. I strolled up to one of them, and grinned at her.
"Hey doll." I said, leaning on one of the gasoline pumps. She giggled, and her friends looked jealous. This was fun, always was.
"Hey, Sodapop, you're workin' register today." Steve called from where he already had the hood up to a car.
"Alright." I hollered over to him, and went to go inside. Before I could open the door, a Socy girl with bright red hair held it closed.
"Well, hello there missy." I said, raising my eyebrows at how she wouldn't let me go inside. She looked familiar somehow.
"I'm Cherry, Cherry Valance." She said, brushing that red hair out of her eyes.
"Hey, aren't you that friend of Pony's that's spying for us Greasers?" I asked quietly. She quickly glanced around before nodding.
"How is Pony? I heard from Marcia that her boyfriend and his friends were in a fight with a couple of you guys a couple days ago. She said they almost killed one of you, but the Greasers won in the long run." She sounded sad, I guess she didn't like the constant rumbles between the social classes.
"He'll live. He got beat on pretty bad, though." I replied. She nodded, looking up at me with those sad green eyes. So that's why Pony didn't mind it anymore when someone made a comment about his green eyes. "Who is her boyfriend, by the way?"
Cherry looked at me, confused.
"Big, brown hair, blue eyes..." She stopped at the look on my face.
"So he's the fucker who beat up Ponyboy." I whispered. Cherry didn't even flinch at my curse.
"I'm sorry." She said quietly. I glanced up at her, she was looking at me with a sad, regretful expression.
"I'm going to hurt him bad the next time I see him." I muttered. She didn't say anything, just looked down. "What's his name?"
"Jake." She said. "Jake Carson."
"Soda!" Steve yelled from where he was working on a car. "Get in there!"
Oh right. I was working. I scratched the back of my head, flashing her a grin.
"Well, it was nice talking to ya, little lady, but I gotta get going." I said, and she stepped out of the way of the door, smiling.
"Nice talking to you, too. Soda, was it?" She asked as I opened the door. I nodded. "Ponyboy talks about you a lot."
"Good things I hope?" I asked, holding open the door.
"Pretty much." She said with a soft smile. She gave a little wave good bye and walked over to the rest of the girls.
I closed the glass door and watched her go from behind the counter. She was one fine-lookin' Soc.
~*~
Author's Note: Another chapter done! On to the next one before I get more death threats from the reviewers.
Lynne: Review!!!!!!
Thanks, Lynne. How about you Kate?
Kate: Review.
Thank you! Ok, that's it. You guys can go now. * Kate slumps off, and Lynne waves happily before bouncing off *
I should go too. Dinner. You heard the consciences, review! Please?
Later,
~Eh, Man