"Darry," Pony called down from on top of this abnormally tall phone box (just for you hairibos!). It was one of those old fashioned ones, with a telephone that didn't work that no one had bothered to replace. All the windows had been smashed out long ago. "If me and Johnny never get down, will you come visit us?"

"Yeah, sure we will Pony," Darry said absentmindedly. "Pony, how'd you get up there."

"Oh we climbed on to a window ledge. How often will you visit? Will you come even if it's raining?"

"No," said Soda. Pony looked hurt.

"Pony, we'll come everyday, almost. Now concentrate. I want you to tell me how you got up there."

"It was Johnny's idea," Pony said quickly.

"No it wasn't!" Johnny protested. Darry sighed.

"I don't care who's idea it was, just tell me how the hell you got up there."

"You shouldn't say hell," Pony said, looking down at Darry. "You told me that was a naughty word."

Darry fixed Pony with one of his 'if you don't shut up this minute I'll rip your head off' stares. Pony quickly began to explain how they got onto the phone box.

"We went inside it, climbed on top of that window ledgey thing there, grabbed on to that top bit there and sort of swung up didn't we," he turned to Johnny who nodded. "Be careful though, it hurts your fingers." Pony held his fingers up to prove his point. Although no one could see anything, they all nodded in agreement.

"How are we supposed to fit into that gap?" Darry asked Dally. Dally shrugged.

"We're not," he said flatly and disappeared round the other side of the booth.

Darry thought for a minute. "Soda..." he began, looking hopefully at his brother.

"No!" Soda cut him off before he even suggested it. "There is no way, no way I am getting in that."

While Soda and Darry were arguing over this, Dally was inspecting the phone box from the other side. He saw a little kid on the side of the street carrying a bucket.

"Here kid," Darry called, going over to him. "Give us that bucket."

It wasn't a question. The little kid looked scared out of his mind and handed over the bucket without hesitation. Dally took it and chucked the water inside it over the road. A lady yelled at him to be more careful as it splattered over her jeans. Darry cussed at her and set the bucket upside- down by the phone box. He climbed on top of it and could just about lean on top of the booth.

Both Pony and Johnny screamed as Dally's head and arms appeared to their left. Soda and Darry stopped arguing, craning to see what had frightened them.

"Stop your screaming you idiots. It's me," Dally snapped, grabbing hold of Johnny's t-shirt and pulling him towards him.

"Oh it's ok, it's only Dally." Two-bit said. Soda and Darry looked at him.

Dally easily lifted Johnny down then tried to reach for Ponyboy. Pony slid away from him, right to the other side of the phone box.

"Pony come here," Dally huffed, standing on tip toes to try and reach him. "I'm gonna get you down you dummy."

"Pony he won't drop you," Two-bit said. "I don't think."

"No," Pony said, beginning to pout. "I don't want to."

"Come on Pony, we've been out here long enough already. It's time to go home." Darry was starting to loose patience with Pony, he had a million things to do before work this evening.

Pony shook his head and crossed his arms. "No, your cross with me. I don't wanna come down, I don't wanna spanking." He sniffed as fear began to replace his anger. Darry sighed.

"Pony I don't have time for this. You knew it was wrong to get on that phone box, but you still did it. That was naughty, you know what happens when your naughty."

"I ain't coming down!"

"Come on Pony. You were scared earlier."

"I'm more scared of you."

That got Darry. He walked over to where Dally was balancing on the bucket and shoved him off. He got up on it himself. He was slightly taller than Dally and leant on top of the phone box more easily.

"Pony," he said quietly so only he could here. "If you come down right now, I promise you won't get a spanking."

Pony thought for a minute. "You promise?" He asked, already starting to move towards Darry.

"Yep, cross my heart," he secured his arms round Pony's waist and stepped carefully off the bucket. He carried him round to where the others all stood. "You are so grounded young man!"

Pony didn't seem to mind though, he just clung to Darry's neck, feeling safe for the first time that afternoon.