Chapter 5: A Day To Remember

Once Upon A Mouse

Two-Bit's Point of View

"WHAT!" Darry screamed, not believing me. I had to have told him though. Ponyboy should've known better than to have messed around, doing stuff like... That... "You're joking, right Two-Bit?" Darry pleaded with me. It was hard to believe that Pony would be doing stuff like that, because he always used his head about girls, but this was rather unbelievable.

"I wish I was just joking Darry. I walked in on him and that Dana chick and he asked me to..." I started cracking up and laughter and I mumbled, "He asked me to let him... Finish up..." I just couldn't help but break down in laughter. That infamous line would be one I would forever remember, I knew.

"I am gonna beat the tar outta that kid. Him and Dana both! I swear..." Darry said thoughtfully. He was looking down at his shoes when he added, "At least Ponyboy loves her." That was what I had thought. I hadn't ever met Dana before, but I had seen Ponyboy and her up at the Dingo one time, makin' out. That itself was a pretty funny sight.

"Take it easy on him, will ya Darry?" Sodapop interjected. "You said yourself that he loves her, so what's the problem? He's fifteen for Pete Sake's!" I silently nodded my head in agreement. At least he wasn't going to mess up his life with some girl like Dally's old chick, Sylvia.

"I guess you're right." Darry said, giving in with a sigh, "But he's still grounded for a month..." I let out a sigh as well, glad Darry wasn't going to go through with his 'skinning alive' threat on Ponyboy. But what about Dana? Would Darry skin her alive?

"What about Dana? You'll still let Ponyboy see her, right?" Steve said, reading my mind. A lot of people were doing that, reading my mind I mean, and it was getting pretty annoyed about it. You'd be annoyed too if people were reading your mind, wouldn't you? But, it was only right that Dana and Ponyboy got to see each other. That is, if they really were in love, I mean.

"Yeah Dar, let Ponyboy see Dana at least." I commented. Then with a wicked grin I added, "It's the least you can do for that poor girl, I mean your brother did get her knocked up." Steve broke down in laughter and Soda just looked down at the ground (maybe his shoes were interesting) but Darry glared coldly at me with actual hatred, which didn't make me feel so hot, if ya know what I mean.

"Fine. I'll let her come by here once a week, but under supervision, and since you seem to care about Ponyboy so much Two-Bit, you get to baby-sit the two of them, understood?" man, when Superman is looking like that at you, you listen, let me tell you! I could only nod my head, my eyes widening. I'm not scared of Darry, honest, but he could just as easily beat the tar out of me, scared or not.

"Good..." Darry said, tonelessly before sitting back down in the armchair. He sure did look older, what with that tired, helpless look about him. I just couldn't help but feel bad. Darry was my buddy, no matter how many times a week he threatened to knock my head off of my shoulders; I just couldn't help but feel bad. Maybe I should've stopped Ponyboy and Dana. It definitely wouldn't be good if Dana was pregnant. What good would that do Ponyboy?

The clock above the mantle of the Curtis's struck three and just then Ponyboy stumbled in, his head facing the ground and his fist's clenched, but he still had this goofy smile on his face, this honest-to-god, corny-pony, love-struck smirk that i couldn't help but laugh about. "Darry, lemme' explain." Ponyboy mumbled under his breath. He had grown up that much since Johnny and Dally had died, that he was able to speak to Darry without that pleading sound to his voice. In fact, Pony's voice sounded as calm as could be.

"What's there to explain Ponyboy?" Darry started, "We know what happened. There is no excuse for it. Now, where's Dana?" Darry asked him impatiently. Ponyboy looked down the hall and the gang all heard the muttered curse of a greasy, tomboyish girl. I just smiled, trying to shut my mouth real good. I wasn't in the mood to have my head beaten in by Darry when my mind was on other things. Other people actually. What Christina had said about that JC character was still stuck in my mind.

"Don't you go bringing her into this argument." Ponyboy said defensively, standing in front of the bedroom door as if he would fight Darry to keep his hands off of Dana. Maybe that's what love can do for you. It was true, I knew it, because I felt like I could conquer all of the soc's in the world just to protect Christina, even though she herself was a soc.

"I'm not Ponyboy! Honest to god. I just wanted to talk to the two of you." the over-use of the word 'to' was getting on my nerves so I began to sing the Donald Duck theme song, "Who's got the sweetest disposition? One guess, guess who? Who never starts an argument? Who never shows a bit of temperament? Who's never wrong, but always right? Who'd never dream of starting a fight? Who gets stuck with all the bad luck? No one, but Donald Duck!" (A/N: Actually was the Donald Duck theme song back in the fifties and a bit into the sixties, which is the time period of the Outsiders!)

"Please shut up Two-Bit!" Darry said, rolling his eyes. Now that was a rare sight. Darryl Curtis rolling his eyes! Gosh, but Darry was always so tensed up and serious, like a soc. I just grinned at Dar though. I knew not to take him seriously. He was always saying things he didn't mean because he's just like that. He's says one thing but means another, I guess.

"Alright Darry." Ponyboy said, ignoring me completely. I didn't blame him. I think sometimes I get a bit carried away but I don't even know it, and I need someone to kick me into shape and let me know I'm being a total ditz (A/N: Ditz was fifties slang for idiot, in case you were wondering!) "We'll talk to you." Ponyboy finished and I just nodded my head. Ponyboy kind of growled at me and added, "Alone. Darry, Dana and Ponyboy only. No wise-cracking greasers welcome." I took the hint and sat down on the couch. Maybe re-runs of Mickey Mouse would be on or something. I mean, it wasn't my house, so i didn't have to worry about the electric bill and all that crap.

Well, Ponyboy, Dana and Darry went to talk and I pressed my ear eagerly to the door, as did Steve. We listened to every word of it:

Darry: "I can't believe you'd do something so irresponsible, both of you."

Dana: "I'm really sorry Darry. I didn't wanna get on bad terms with you, but I guess I did. Didn't I?"

Darry: "Heck no. Ponyboy should've known better."

Ponyboy: "I'm not saying I regretted it, but how long am I grounded for?"

Darry: "Well I was going to give you a month, but since you didn't regret it."

Ponyboy: "I'm not changing my mind. I definitely didn't regret it Darry."

Dana: "And neither do I, even though if my old man find out he'll beat me to next Tuesday."

Ponyboy: "You could always stay here, Dana."

Dana: "Darry wouldn't let me. Not after..."

Darry: "Of course you can stay here! You're always welcome here. Ponyboy, I decided that you're grounded for two weeks. But Dana can stay here, and you two can hang out, but Two-Bit's baby-sitting the two of you.

I burst into the room at that comment and said, "Yup! I'll be your baby-sitter for two weeks, and boy won't it be fun?" Ponyboy rolled his eyes like Darry had done, and Dana cracked her too-big grin. That grin is what made me cock a eyebrow. I was sure I'd seen that same too-big grin on someone else. But who?

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, just JC, Chewy, Christina, Dana, all of the Street Panthers, and anyone else not from the book.

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