Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders.
Hey guys! Thanks for all the great reviews!
I'm almost to 100. 2 more to go!
Steve's POV
I was in the lobby talking to Twobit when Darry and Soda came back from ICU. To say the least, they looked tired and stressed out.
"What are you guys doing in the lobby?" I asked.
"I'm taking Soda home. Pony's heart stopped when we were in there, and when they were restarting it, Soda passed out. He's exhausted." Darry said.
"Darry, why don't you just stay here? I'll take Soda home. You should stay with Pony." I said.
I was concerned about my best friend too. Besides, I wanted to talk to him. Soda hadn't said a word. What happened in ICU must have shaken him up a lot.
"Thanks, Steve. You're right anyway. I do want to stay here. I just hope the rest of this day is uneventful. It wasn't easy seeing Pony flat line."
He was trying to stay strong, but I could see the fear in his eyes. I got up to leave.
"Come on, Soda. Let's go, so you can get some sleep." I said.
"All right. I guess." He said as he followed me out the door.
"See you later, little buddy." Darry called.
****************
On the way to the Curtis house, Soda didn't say a word until I spoke.
"Soda, why aren't you talking to me?" I asked.
"What am I supposed to talk about?" He asked.
"I don't know. I just know it's not good when you're quiet."
"A lot has happened today, Steve."
Wasn't that the truth? Darry hitting Soda, Pony getting pneumonia, his heart quitting, and Soda passing out. All of that had happened in one day. What else could go wrong? I thought. My question was answered when we came to an intersection. Obviously, the car to the left of us did not know there was a stop sign, which meant he was supposed to yield. I slammed on the breaks, but the car didn't stop in time. The other car crashed into the side of my car in a matter of seconds. We both happened to be wearing seat belts, so we weren't hurt. I hoped my car wasn't too damaged. The guy got out of his car and came running over to us.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention! I'll pay for the damage to your car." He said.
Yeah, he better. I thought. He did seem to be truly sorry, so I didn't want to make a big deal out of this. No one was hurt.
"I hope so." I said.
We exchanged names, phone numbers, and addresses. We could just settle this ourselves. There was no need to bring the police into it. He apologized again, and then went back to his car. There wasn't anyone else around this part of town right now, so at least we weren't blocking traffic. I got out to inspect the damage to my car. It didn't look all that bad, but I was still glad I didn't have to pay for it. I got back in my car and looked over at Soda.
"What's going on, Steve? Why is everything going wrong?" He asked.
"It's fine, Soda. No one's hurt, and the guy is going to take care of my car. It could have been much worse." I answered.
Soda just shrugged and leaned back against the seat.
"Let's go home now."
"We are."
Darry couldn't have been more right about Soda. He was exhausted, but not just physically. He was completely worn out emotionally. I glanced at him and silently wished that something would go right soon. We all needed a break from this rollercoaster of events.
Twobit's POV
After Steve and Soda left, Darry and me just stood there for a little while.
"Shouldn't you go back to ICU now?" I asked.
"Yeah, I guess so. Are you coming?" Darry said.
"Are you sure you even want me to?"
I didn't want to be in the way if Darry wanted to be alone with Pony for a while. He looked at me like I was crazy.
"Sure. Why not? You want to see him, don't you?"
"Yeah. I just don't want to be in the way."
Darry rolled his eyes and grinned.
"Just come on."
When we got to ICU and went inside Pony's cubicle after putting on the necessary clothing, I was shocked at what I saw. There were so many tubes and wires. We were standing on either side of him when he moved a little.
"Could he be waking up?" I asked.
"Maybe. I hope so." Darry said.
Suddenly, Pony's eyes opened and looked all around the room. He couldn't move much because of all the equipment, and he couldn't talk because of the ventilator. This must have terrified him because when he saw Darry, he reached over and grabbed his hand.
"It's okay, little buddy. I'm right here. Soda had to go home." Darry said.
Pony turned his head and looked at me. Glory, he did look scared. He was probably wondering what was going on and why he was here.
"Hey, kid." I said grinning.
I didn't know what else to say. What do you say to a person who's confused and can't talk?
"Pony, I'm going to call Soda and let him know you're awake. Okay?" Darry said.
Pony nodded and reluctantly let go of Darry's hand. I squeezed his shoulder.
"Don't worry. You're awake now. I bet you'll be out of here soon." I said, coming up with some words to make him feel better.
Hey guys! Thanks for all the great reviews!
I'm almost to 100. 2 more to go!
Steve's POV
I was in the lobby talking to Twobit when Darry and Soda came back from ICU. To say the least, they looked tired and stressed out.
"What are you guys doing in the lobby?" I asked.
"I'm taking Soda home. Pony's heart stopped when we were in there, and when they were restarting it, Soda passed out. He's exhausted." Darry said.
"Darry, why don't you just stay here? I'll take Soda home. You should stay with Pony." I said.
I was concerned about my best friend too. Besides, I wanted to talk to him. Soda hadn't said a word. What happened in ICU must have shaken him up a lot.
"Thanks, Steve. You're right anyway. I do want to stay here. I just hope the rest of this day is uneventful. It wasn't easy seeing Pony flat line."
He was trying to stay strong, but I could see the fear in his eyes. I got up to leave.
"Come on, Soda. Let's go, so you can get some sleep." I said.
"All right. I guess." He said as he followed me out the door.
"See you later, little buddy." Darry called.
****************
On the way to the Curtis house, Soda didn't say a word until I spoke.
"Soda, why aren't you talking to me?" I asked.
"What am I supposed to talk about?" He asked.
"I don't know. I just know it's not good when you're quiet."
"A lot has happened today, Steve."
Wasn't that the truth? Darry hitting Soda, Pony getting pneumonia, his heart quitting, and Soda passing out. All of that had happened in one day. What else could go wrong? I thought. My question was answered when we came to an intersection. Obviously, the car to the left of us did not know there was a stop sign, which meant he was supposed to yield. I slammed on the breaks, but the car didn't stop in time. The other car crashed into the side of my car in a matter of seconds. We both happened to be wearing seat belts, so we weren't hurt. I hoped my car wasn't too damaged. The guy got out of his car and came running over to us.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention! I'll pay for the damage to your car." He said.
Yeah, he better. I thought. He did seem to be truly sorry, so I didn't want to make a big deal out of this. No one was hurt.
"I hope so." I said.
We exchanged names, phone numbers, and addresses. We could just settle this ourselves. There was no need to bring the police into it. He apologized again, and then went back to his car. There wasn't anyone else around this part of town right now, so at least we weren't blocking traffic. I got out to inspect the damage to my car. It didn't look all that bad, but I was still glad I didn't have to pay for it. I got back in my car and looked over at Soda.
"What's going on, Steve? Why is everything going wrong?" He asked.
"It's fine, Soda. No one's hurt, and the guy is going to take care of my car. It could have been much worse." I answered.
Soda just shrugged and leaned back against the seat.
"Let's go home now."
"We are."
Darry couldn't have been more right about Soda. He was exhausted, but not just physically. He was completely worn out emotionally. I glanced at him and silently wished that something would go right soon. We all needed a break from this rollercoaster of events.
Twobit's POV
After Steve and Soda left, Darry and me just stood there for a little while.
"Shouldn't you go back to ICU now?" I asked.
"Yeah, I guess so. Are you coming?" Darry said.
"Are you sure you even want me to?"
I didn't want to be in the way if Darry wanted to be alone with Pony for a while. He looked at me like I was crazy.
"Sure. Why not? You want to see him, don't you?"
"Yeah. I just don't want to be in the way."
Darry rolled his eyes and grinned.
"Just come on."
When we got to ICU and went inside Pony's cubicle after putting on the necessary clothing, I was shocked at what I saw. There were so many tubes and wires. We were standing on either side of him when he moved a little.
"Could he be waking up?" I asked.
"Maybe. I hope so." Darry said.
Suddenly, Pony's eyes opened and looked all around the room. He couldn't move much because of all the equipment, and he couldn't talk because of the ventilator. This must have terrified him because when he saw Darry, he reached over and grabbed his hand.
"It's okay, little buddy. I'm right here. Soda had to go home." Darry said.
Pony turned his head and looked at me. Glory, he did look scared. He was probably wondering what was going on and why he was here.
"Hey, kid." I said grinning.
I didn't know what else to say. What do you say to a person who's confused and can't talk?
"Pony, I'm going to call Soda and let him know you're awake. Okay?" Darry said.
Pony nodded and reluctantly let go of Darry's hand. I squeezed his shoulder.
"Don't worry. You're awake now. I bet you'll be out of here soon." I said, coming up with some words to make him feel better.