Disclaimer: I only own Bleu. Please review!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~Chapter 13: Two Fights in One Night~*~*~*~*~*~*~

          Darry and Sodapop were going crazy waiting for Ponyboy. I only heard bits and pieces of what they were saying, and since I haven't been here for a while, I came up with the conclusion that Ponyboy's curfew was at midnight and now it was two o'clock. I was starting to get worried also, because we hadn't heard anything about Dally or Johnny either. Then Soda informed me a while ago that he got in a fight with Tim and went to stay at Buck's, and Johnny probably went straight home.

          Just then I saw Ponyboy walk into the house. Darry was sitting on the chair, while I was sitting on the couch with Soda sleeping in my lap.

          "Where the hell have you been?" Darry demanded angrily, jumping up from the chair, "Do you know what time it is? Well it's two in the morning, kiddo. Another hour and I would have had the police after you!"

          Ponyboy looked bashful and answered softly, "I was talking to Johnny and I fell asleep in the lot."

          "You WHAT?" Darry yelled, which woke up Soda.

          "Hey, Pony," Soda rubbed his eyes, "where have ya been?"

          "I didn't mean to, Darry! I was just talking to Johnny and we just sorta dozed off…"

          "Don't you use your head, Ponyboy? Didn't it occur to you that all of us would be worrying our heads off? If I did call the police you too would be thrown in a boys home so fast it would make your head spin. And falling asleep in the lot? You don't even have a damn coat on!"

          Ponyboy's eyes started to water and he looked mad and upset. "I said I didn't mean to!"

          "I didn't mean to! I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I ever hear from you!"

          I would have stuck up for Pony then and there, but I was so afraid of Darry right then. Soda read my mind and started to talk. "Darry…"

          "Keep your trap shut! I'm sick and tired of you sticking up for him!" Darry interrupted Soda.

          Pony exploded. "Don't you yell at him!" he shouted, and Darry whirled around and slapped him so hard he ended up by the screen door.

          Darry's expression turned from rage to surprise to regret in a matter of seconds. "Ponyboy…" he stammered with huge eyes, "I-I didn't mean to!"

          Pony threw open the screen door and ran out. I looked at Darry and Soda, and then I ran out after him.

          Ponyboy was running in the direction of the lot, and when I caught up to him I grabbed his arm. He whirled around to face me.

          "Pony…" I started, then hugged him. He sobbed into my shoulder.

          "Bleu, I'm scared…" he managed to gasp out, "Me and Darry used to get along just fine until mom and dad died, now he can't stand me!"

          "It's ok, Ponyboy," I whispered, smoothing his hair.

          "It's just plain to me that Darry doesn't want me around," he pulled away and started to dry his tears, "And I wouldn't even stay at my house if he did. He ain't gonna hit me again, Bleu."

          I put my arm around his shoulder. "Wanna walk to the park for a while to cool off? Then let's go home."

          Pony nodded and leaned against my shoulder. Deciding to change the subject, I asked him how the movie was.

          "It was pretty boring. It was one of those beach-party movies; ones with no plot or acting but a lot of girls in bikinis and some swing songs," he laughed and added, "Frankenstein was way better!"

          I laughed and we arrived at the park. When we crawled up onto the jungle gym, Pony's face paled and he pointed off in the distance. I spotted a blue mustang driving on the grass towards us.

          "Ponyboy, let's get out of here," I whispered, jumping off of the bars. I bent down and grabbed a couple rocks, just in case things got ugly. I can throw pretty far and my aim isn't too bad, either. Johnny taught me how to play baseball when I was little, and I wasn't half-bad. I reckon I struck him out once.
          "No, stay cool," he objected, lighting up a cigarette.

          "Ponyboy! They're drunk Socs who hate us! That's not a good combination! Let's get out of here!" I repeated, grabbing Pony's arm.

          "Tim is here," he stated, nodding off behind the jungle gym, "He'll come if anything goes wrong. Let's just see what they want."

          I looked over to Tim. Him and Kenny (I think it was; I can never tell his friends apart) were sitting on one of the park benches smoking and talking.

          "Tim!" I cried, and when he looked up I pointed to the blue mustang. He got the picture, and beckoned for Kenny to follow him over to us.

          Tim introduced me to his friend Pete (oops…my mistake) and greeted Ponyboy. Just then the mustang pulled up and five guys hopped out. They were totally drunk; everyone of them were staggering here and there. Ponyboy jumped down from the jungle gym and stood next to Tim, Pete and I.

          "Hey," the guy that was in the passengers seat said, "Whatta know? Here's one of the greasers that picked up our girls. Hey greaser," his voice was unsteady and he took another drink from the flask he was holding.

          "You better watch it," Pete snarled, "You're outta your territory now."

          "Here that Randy? We're outta our territory!" the same Soc mimicked Pete.

          Randy chuckled and swore at us while the rest of the Socs stepped closer. "You better watch it, pal. Next time you want a girl, you pick up your own kind. Dirt."

          That got me really mad, and I cocked my arm back and threw a rock that landed right in the middle of Randy's chest.

          Randy glared up at me and Bob stepped closer, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the Socs. Bob held on to one of my arms and Randy took the other. Tim and Pete flipped out switchblades and Pony cried, "You let her go right now!"

          I didn't need any rescuing. Using the skills I previously showed at the pool, I kicked Bob in the chest and threw more rocks at Randy. They both let go of me and I ran back to my friends.

          Bob clutched his chest and called me a few names that made Pony's ears turn red. Ponyboy picked up some rocks and heaved them at Bob. "You better show respect to a girl, you white trash!"

          Randy scowled at Pony. "We're white trash? You know what a greaser is? White trash with long greasy hair."

          Pete was about to lunge at Randy, but Tim held him back and retorted, "Why don't you bastards to back where you came from. You're snobby parents might be worried."

          One of the other Socs absentmindedly checked his watch. "We're supposed to meet Billy at The Way Out in five minutes!"

          Bob and Randy swore under their breath and jogged to the car. "This isn't over, greasers!" He called us 'greasers' in a tone that you might call a pile of crap you come across left by some big stray dog. That made us all mad, but there was nothing we could do. The Socs left the park and drove off while Tim and Pete put away their switchblades.

          Pony and I turned to them. "Thanks, guys," I said, slapping both of their hands, "We would have been dead meat if it wasn't for you."

          "Hey, no problem. Oh," Tim added as we started to walk back home, "If Dally comes back with a broken rib, tell him that I didn't mean to hit him too hard," he chuckled, and him and Pete sat back down on the bench.

          Ponyboy looked at me with a confused face, and I returned it and shrugged.

          We stopped by the lot before we went back to Pony's house. I stepped on a twig and Johnny groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, y'all." His expression changed when he saw me, "Pony! I told you not to tell Bleu I sleep here!"

          Ponyboy grinned. "I didn't do it on purpose!" his smile changed into a frown as he told Johnny about the fight with Darry and what happened at the park.

          Johnny's eyes were wide. "Cherry and Marcia's boyfriends?"

          Pony nodded solemnly. "Yeah, they were gonna beat Bleu up if she hadn't used those leg moves she showed us at the pool. Tim and Pete came over and helped us out too."

          Johnny looked up at me. "Are you ok, Bleu?"

          I nodded and grinned. "No Soc is gonna beat me up! Now, come on Johnny I'm not gonna let you sleep out here in the cold. Come back to the Curtis' and you can sleep on the couch and I'll sleep on the floor."

Seeing that I wouldn't change my mind, Johnny agreed and we walked back together.