"Sodapop Curtis, get in here." Darry called from the living room.
"What'd I do?" Soda asked, innocently. He walked out of his room and into the living room where Darry was looking at the mail.
"What's this?" Darry held up his report card.
"Um, a piece of paper?" Soda tried.
"Don't get smart." Darry warned. "I've had a hard day and I ain't in the mood for it. Just explain why every grade on here other than gym is below a C. How are you gonna get out of the fifth grade if you keep bringing home grades like this?"
"I dunno." Soda mumbled, leaning against the wall and wishing he got school just as easily as Ponyboy.
"And another thing. Why is almost every one of your teachers complaining about your behavior?"
"They don't like me none." Soda said, shrugging.
Darry rolled his eyes. "Well how bout explaining these grades? Don't you pay attention in school?"
"I dunno." Soda said again.
"That ain't an answer." Darry said, irritated. "I'm serious, Sodapop Curtis. You can't keep getting grades like this. You need to start trying harder. And according to the notes your teachers gave me your behavior's gonna havta change too. Your English teacher says you never quit talking. Your science teacher says you don't participate in class and you're always noisy and making remarks. I'm not even gonna get into what your history teacher said."
"I just don't get school." Soda said. "I don't understand any of it. And it's boring, Darry! Everything and every subject is boring and I don't get it. I try, honest. I'm just stupid Darry."
"Stop it. You ain't stupid. You just don't understand it. You probably learn differently than the other students. I'm gonna get you a tutor."
"No! I don't want one."
"I know but you've gotta raise these grades up, little buddy."
"I can't."
"Yes you can and you will." Darry said firmly. "I'll help you, don't worry."
"But I don't want a tutor. It's already bad enough that I havta go to school five days a week for six hours. You don't have to go and have someone come teach me more junk every week!"
"Soda, I know you hate school but you can't very well keep bringing in grades like this." Soda sighed. " And you need to start behaving in class as well."
"But I get so bored." He whined.
"Well then be bored without disrupting the other students and driving the teacher crazy. Understand?"
"Yes." Soda sighed.
"Good, and speaking of school that Abraham Lincoln report's due on Friday and you're not even done with the book yet."
Soda sighed. "Can't I do it tomorrow night?"
"No, you need to finish the book by tomorrow night so you can have at least two nights to work on the actual report. I'll help you."
"You've got work." Soda said, flatly.
"I'll help you before I go and if you really need help I'll stay home at night. Now go read, ok?"
"In a few minutes, Darry."
"Uh uh. Now. Maybe you can finish it tonight."
"I can't finish it tonight. I hate reading and I have four chapters left!"
"That's exactly why you're gonna start now." Darry said. "Mrs. Clerk will be here in a couple hours and I don't want you going near the TV tonight. You need to read as much of that book as you can I'm gonna tell her too so don't try and pull something." Soda sighed and retreated to his room to read the book that he hardly even understood.
"Soda, play soldiers with me." Pony walked out of their room.
"I can't. I have to read that book." Soda grumbled looking at Darry. Darry ignored the look and went in the kitchen to finish the spaghetti.
"Well hurry up and read it so you can play." Pony said.
"I'll try." Soda mumbled.
"Ponyboy." Darry said. "Go take your bath."
"Awe, not now. I'm busy." Pony said, setting up the hundreds of tiny green soldiers he'd gotten for Christmas the year before.
"Would you just for once not complain about keeping your hygiene in tact?" Darry asked.
"What's hygiene?" Pony asked, still staring at his soldiers.
"It's how clean someone is. Now go take a bath. You look like you've been playing in dirt."
"I was. Me an' Bobby found gold in the school yard." Pony said.
"I bet you did." Darry said. "Well, go clean your rich self up then."
Pony got up and went into the bathroom to fill the tub. "Darry, do we have any bubble bath?"
"Um, yeah. I think there's some under the sink but I'm not sure. And Pony don't put so much in this time, ok? Last time the whole tub overflowed."
"I know." Pony said. "I'll be careful." He turned the water on and closed the plug. Then he bent down near the sink and opened the door to search for the bubbles. "Hmm, shampoo, Darry's shaving goop, toilet paper..." Pony looked through the various things before reaching for a small bottle in the back and brining it out. He opened the lid and poured it into the running water of the bath, slowly so it didn't all go in like the last time.
Soda stared at the starting page of chapter nine. "Why do I need to know when he was born? What in the world does he have to do with me?"
"Who?" Pony asked, sitting in the tub. The bathroom door was open and he could hear his brother talking.
"Abraham Lincoln." Soda said.
"Someone shot him at a theatre because they didn't like him." Pony said.
"I know." Soda said, picking up his baseball and throwing it against the wall and then catching again. He repeated this process again and again.
"Soda, what are you doing in there?" Darry asked.
"Nothing." Soda said, throwing the baseball again.
"It sure doesn't sound like your reading."
"It's boring." He said.
Darry sighed and dried his hands on a rag before walking into his brothers room. "You'd better have at least two more chapters read tonight and your not gonna make any progress by sitting there and throwing that baseball, so pick up the book and get to reading it." Darry said.
Soda put the ball down reluctantly and picked the book back up, forcing himself to read. Darry was satisfied so he walked out and knocked on the bathroom door in the hallway. "Ponyboy, you ok?"
"Yup." Pony said.
"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes guys." He said.
"What are you making?" Soda asked.
"Spaghetti."
"Yum." Soda said. Darry walked back into the kitchen. He was nearly finished making it when he heard a big thump and Pony starting to cry. He put the spoon down and ran back to the bathroom.
"What happened?" He asked. He rushed in, finding Pony on the wet bathroom floor holding his head and his backside.
"I slipped." He cried.
"You ok?" Soda asked, bending down beside his brother. Darry lifted Pony up to his feet, without falling on the soaking floor himself.
"How many times have I told you to use the mat when you get out of the bath because this is exactly the kind of thing that will happen?" Darry grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his shivering brother. "What'd you hurt?"
"Everything." Pony whimpered. "And I hit my butt on the floor and my head on the wall."
"Ok." Darry said. "C'mon, kiddo. Get some pajamas on and we'll put some ice on your head so you don't get a bump. Soda, get back to reading."
"But Darry-"
"He's fine. Start reading again." Darry repeated himself. Soda walked back into the bedroom and picked up his book, grumbling. Pony sniffled and got on his pajamas while Darry went to get an ice-pack. "Let's see your head." Darry walked back in. Pony stood still while his brother felt the back of his head where he'd hit it. "Yeah, your getting a bump." He placed the ice on it. "Hold it there."
"It's cold." Pony complained, holding it.
"That's the general idea." Darry said. "Now do yourself a favor and don't soak the bathroom floor like that." He walked in to mop up all the water.
"Yeah." Pony said, wiping his eyes.
Soda looked up from his book as he heard a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" He jumped up.
"I will get it." Darry said, from the living room. "You read." Soda sighed and flopped back down.
Pony walked out and found Darry and Mrs. Clerk speaking. The women looked over when she noticed him. "Hi, Ponyboy. How are you?"
"I'm ok." Pony said, going back to his soldiers.
Darry made a mental note to himself about working on Pony's manners before turning back to Mrs. Clerk. "Um, Soda's in his room reading for a report. He needs to keep reading up until bedtime, so don't let him fool you. He knows he ain't supposed to watch any TV tonight."
"All-right." She said.
"Other than that you know the routine, right?"
"Yes, don't worry. Everything will be fine." She smiled, kindly.
"I uh, I really appreciate this." Darry said. "It's really a big help. I-"
"Don't worry about it." She said. "You're doing a fine job, Darry. Your parents would both be proud."
Darry swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded his thanks. "Well, I gotta go. Pony be good, ok?" Pony nodded. "Sodapop, I'll see you tomorrow morning!" He yelled.
Soda jumped off his bed and came running out. "Can we stay up till you get back?" He asked.
Darry rolled his eyes. "No, I'm getting back real late."
"So?"
"So, you'd better be asleep long before that time."
"If I finish two chapters before it's time for bed can I watch some TV?"
"Yes, If you actually read them. No skimming. I gotta go, c'mere. Darry reached over and hugged Soda and then Pony goodbye before hurrying out the door.
**********
Soda was jolted from his sleep as he heard a piercing scream directly next to him. Pony was sitting up in bed soaking with sweat. Soda immediately pulled his little brother into a hug, calming him down right away. Darry came running in a split second after. "Ponyboy." He sat down beside his distort brother. "Was it the same dream, honey?" Pony nodded. "It's ok now." Darry comforted, rubbing his back.
"Do you remember any of it?" Soda asked. Pony shook his head again before breaking down and sobbing.
"C'mere, little one." Darry picked him up off the bed and cradled him. "Don't cry, honey. Your ok. It's all-right." Darry repeated over and over again. Suddenly Soda started to cry. "Sodapop? What's the matter?" Darry asked, concerned.
"Nothing." He said through tears. "I just hate seeing him so upset. That's all."
Pony lifted his head up and turned to his other brother. "I'm ok, Soda. Don't cry." Soda gave him a teary smile.
"All-right. You guys need to gets some rest."
"I don't wanna go back to sleep." Pony said.
"Well you gotta get some shut eye. C'mon, I'll stay with you." Darry put Pony back in bed and got in the middle of both his brothers, pulling both boys close.
"I'm afraid to go back to sleep." Pony said.
"I think your all dreamed out, Pon. C'mon, close your eyes. Me and Soda are both right here. Your safe as can be."
"Wake me up if you think I'm dreaming again, ok?"
"Yeah, I will." Darry said.
"You ok, kiddo?" Soda peered over Darry to look at his younger brother.
"Yeah I'm ok, Soda." Pony smiled at him. Soda smiled back and lied down.
"What about you? You ok?" Darry turned to Soda. Soda nodded.
***********
"Wake up! Your late, your late, your late!" Soda jumped up and down on the bed.
Darry moaned and rolled over onto his back, opening his eyes and remembering that he'd fallen asleep in Pony and Soda's room. "What are you doing? Quit jumping on the bed." He said sternly.
"It's nine a.m." Soda said, grinning widely.
Darry sat up abruptly and looked over at the clock. "Crap!" He yelled, jumping up.
"Oooh!" You said crap!" Soda chanted.
"Don't you repeat that word. Why aren't you dressed?"
"I just woke up."
Darry sighed. "Where's Ponyboy?"
"He's watching cartoons."
"I'm gonna be three hours late!" Darry yelled at nobody in particular. "Get ready for school, quickly." Darry poked his head out of the room to summon his youngest brother. "Ponyboy!" He yelled. "Get ready for school!" Darry then dashed to the shower and washed quickly, not believing how late he'd slept in. "Great, just great, Darry." He said to himself silently.
Soda, knowing his brother wasn't at all kidding when he told him to get ready, dashed into his room and threw on some clothes. "C'mon, Pon!" He yelled.
Ponyboy came loping in. "I thought he forgot. I was almost sure he'd forgotten."
"Well he hasn't forgotten so get some clothes on." Soda said, hopping up and down on his left foot as he put a shoe on his right. Pony got some jeans and a t-shirt out of his drawer.
"Brush your teeth and get in the car. We gotta go." Darry said, coming out of his room five minutes later and running to get his things.
"We're ready." The boys came out a minute or so later with their backpacks.
"No you ain't ready. Ponyboy put some shoes on. Soda do something with your hair. It's sticking up in every single possible direction. And please tell me you guys had breakfast already."
"I didn't. I don't know about, Pony." Soda said. "My hairs fine, Darry." He patted it down with his hand.
"Whatever, we don't have time to worry about it anyhow. Ponyboy, hurry!" Darry bellowed.
"I am." Pony ran back out of his room with his sneakers and pair of socks.
"Ok, c'mon. Get in the car. Let's go, let's go." Darry said, rushing them out the door.
"What about breakfast?" Soda protested.
"We'll pick up something on the way there. Just get in the car." Darry rushed to his side to open the door, realizing he didn't have his keys. He sighed, heavily. "Wait here, you two." He said, running back into the house. He searched through, drawers, desks, under the newspaper, behind the television, the kitchen counter, the coffee table, until he finally found them practically hiding behind the toaster. He snatched them up and ran back outside. Soda and Pony were both surveying the neighborhood from the roof of the car. "Hey!" Darry barked the second he got outside, startling them. "Get off the truck and get in it. I ain't got no time for games today."
Both boys hopped off and got into the car. "Darry, can we get donuts?" Soda asked.
"Yeah, I'm gonna stop off at the Bakery a couple blocks down from your school."
"You gonna drop us off?" Soda asked.
"Shoot, no." Darry said. "You ain't crossing the highway by yourselves. And I sure don't trust you to do that, Sodapop." Darry ventured back a couple weeks before.
"Darry, will you drop me off at the toy store while you and Pony go find shoes across the street?"
"All-right, just stay put, ok?" Darry said, pulling over to the curb to let his brother out. "I'll meet you back here in twenty minutes."
"Yeah." Soda said, jumping out.
"I wanna go to the toy store too." Pony complained as they drove towards towards their destination.
"After you get some knew sneakers you can go in, just as long as you don't ask for anything."
Soda got bored after about ten minutes. The fact that he couldn't afford anything other than a bouncy ball was depressing and he decided he'd go meet his brothers at the shoe store, disregarding Darry's wishes for him to stay put. He went outside and towards the side of the highway. The cross walk was nearly a block away and he didn't feel like walking all that way. So he watched for cars and picked the best moment to get past them, making it through the first lane and then the second, being met by his brothers angry words the second he reached the other side. "Sodapop Curtis! What are you trying to do? Get yourself killed? Do you know how dangerous that is?" Darry asked, coming out of the store, where he'd scene part of the display from the window.
"But I was real careful. I looked-"
"What are you doing jaywalking across the highway?"
"But there wasn't that many cars when I went and I was really careful. I know how to do it." Soda protested. Pony stood quietly surveying the scene, uncomfortably.
"Dang it Sodapop, get in the car. Both of you. Right now." Darry said, walking over to the truck.
"Ok. So it wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done."
"It certainly wasn't." Darry snorted.
"I'm getting a buttermilk donut." Pony announced.
"I'm getting glazed." Soda said.
"I'm getting a large black coffee with two shots." Darry mumbled.
"Darry, what's coffee taste like?" Soda asked.
"I dunno. Coffee tastes like... coffee." Darry said. Soda rolled his eyes. "You're to young to be drinking it anyways. You can have a sip if you want but I don't think you'll like it, less you put twenty packets of sugar in it and you sure don't need that."
"Can I try it too?" Pony asked.
"Yeah, sure you can, kiddo."
"Darry have you changed your mind about that puppy by any chance?" Pony asked.
"Ponyboy." Darry warned.
"Well have you?" Soda pressed on.
"No, I have not changed my mind and you guys can have bagels for breakfast rather than donuts if you bring it up again." They both dropped it and Darry pulled onto the next street.
"What about a cat?" Soda shouted out, excitedly.
"Sodapop!"