This has to do with Pony's and Steve fight that I mentioned in Chapter two of "Maybe I am sick" I'm putting it as an individual side story and a chapter…so yea.

Authors Question: Is Ponyboy in the 7th or 8th grade? He's 14...so wouldn't he be in the 8th?

******

Ponyboy was sitting on the living room floor. His Grammar book and a library book were both open on either side of him. Two Spirals laid opened, one was placed beside the Grammar book, while the other was on his lap, the black pen in his hand writing quickly as he looked back and forth between the library book and his Spiral note book, at times the blue pen, tucked above his ear, would fall and he'd stop and place it back on his ear and continue writing.

"Hey Pony!" Soda came in. And immediately stopped, taking in the scene of his little brother. He let out a slow small whistle, scratching his head. "Glad I ain't got to do that anymore." He crotch behind Pony to read over his shoulder. " Borrowed Children." He read from the top right hand corner of the open book. "Sounds like a deep book."

"It is." Pony murmured. "Its by George Ella Lyon. Its about a girl who lived during the 1930's, the time of the Great Depression, he mom got sick so Mandy, the girl in the book, had to give up school and stuff to take care of the family."*

"Wow that's tough. For homework?"

Ponyboy nodded. "Writing a short Essay, a what- would- we -do -if -we -were- Mandy type of thing."

Soda straightened up, and walked to the cough, collapsing on it. "Steve and I are gonna grab a burger or go to the movies -something- you wanna-"

Pony shut his library book and spiral. "Steve Randle? Steve doesn't like me."

"Aw Pon! He likes you just fine."

"I don't think so Soda."

"You've been stuck in this house all weekend, you coming or not?"

Ponyboy sighed, and slumped his shoulders then shrugged them.

"Good." Soda nodded before standing back up, "Steve should be here in 30 minutes or so."

*

20 minutes later, Steve Randle came though the door, his hair done in its swirls, and a long neck beer bottle in hand. He was dressed in black jeans, white muscle shirt, and a black-jean vest. "Soda you ready?" He called without a 'hello'.

"Yea in a minute! Just to let you know Ponyboy's coming with us okay?" Soda poked his head out of the bathroom for a second then ducked back in.

"Sure why not, he always comes." Steve murmured under his breath, intending for Pony, who was sitting on the couch, to hear. "Kids job is to tagalong isn't it?"

"I didn't ask him if I can go, Steve. He asked me." Pony said so quietly, Steve barely heard him.

"Isn't that what you always say? Shoot, don't you know the word 'no'?" Steve voice had an edge of anger.

"I say no but he insists." Pony's voice rose a fraction.

"Ya know kid. Have you ever though Soda would like just one day off of carryin' your leash!" Steve was standing over Pony now. "Even after the whole Sandy thing, all he cared about was you! For once he could've had some kind of happiness that didn't involve you. Have you ever though he might 'a wanna go meet someone or somethin'?

"I tell him he can leave if he-"

"He is afraid you'd do somethin' stupid again! Like what you did Saturday- you run off scarin' the shit out of him! Oh, lets not forget the big show you gave two months ago…you know the show that cause Dally and Johnny to die!" Steve anger rose dramatically, his fist were balled, and his eyes seemed to pierce daggers through Pony.

Pony stood then, his fist balled also. "That wasn't all my fault!"

"What the hell is going on here?" Soda entered the room then, his eyes widened when he saw the two people he cared about face to face.

"It-it wasn't my fault…" Pony repeated, his voice grew softer, but Steve's voice remained.

"Not your fault! If you would've have used that ~so-called~ smart-ass brain of yours two of our guys wouldn't be buried six-feet-under!"

"Steve stop it!" Soda yelled, now he was getting angry "It was NOT Ponyboy's fault!"

"Have you ever thought about it Soda! Damn, if this boy didn't tell Johnny to run away he'd be alive!"

Steve never yelled at Soda before, only if they were playing. "Don't yell at him, he didn't do anything!"

"Shut up kid! I wish you were dead…we all agreed that we could go on without any body but Johnny! Now he's dead!" He threw the bottle and it crashed against the wall near the television. "You might be Sodapop's brother but I hate you Ponyboy Michael Curtis. You don't know how bad I want to hit you right now." That said, Steve turned on his heel and bolted out the door, almost knocking into Darry who had ran in sometime hearing all the commotion.

"…the hell." Was all he could force out as he looked at both his younger brothers.

"Pony, you know its not your fault. Steve's just upset-"

"No…Soda. You wrong. For once I can say it…" He sniffled and touched his cheek, almost surprised to find out he was crying. Then he turned to face both his brother, and mustered up a small sad smile. "I'm sorry you guys…I slowed down your lives…and I'm sorry…Steve's right."

"Pon-"

"No Darry, he's right. Eve-Everything's my fault…and all I can say is that I'm sorry. Gosh…I really am sorry!" Ponyboy broke down, his face wrinkled up and the tears fell like water down a water fall. He let out a frustrated scream before jumping over the couch and into the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind him.

"I'll kill him!" Surprisingly that comment came from Soda and he went for the door but was stopped by Darry.

"Pony comes first, we will deal with Steve later."

"I know but he had no right!"

"I know lil' buddy. Steve will get his, don't worry 'bout that. Pony is first right now."

*~*

For nearly 30 minutes Soda and Darry sat at the bathroom door, listening to Pony's sobs.

"I never heard him cry that much…" Soda whispered, fooling with a piece of string dangling from his blue and white checkered blouse.

Darry nodded, "I don't remember him crying at all these two months, you?"

"Naw…he whimpers in his sleep and stuff, but no tears."

"What's going on here?" They looked up to see Two-bit coming towards them. "Steve was at the lot breaking bottles and stuff…he seems very pissed. So…what all did I miss?"

"I wouldn't mention Steve around here for awhile, he blew up at Ponyboy just because Soda invited him to go with them."

"Oh rough…" He was silent "That's the Kid crying in there?"

He was answered with nods.

"Honestly, its about time. Pony was gonna crack sometime….sound like he's having an emotional break down."

"And what would Keith "Two-Bit" Matthews know about break downs?" Darry raised a curios eye brow.

"Ah. Not much this chick came into our Health class one day and talked to us about Mental health like that. She said if a person keeps their feelings in long 'nuff they just go…ka-boom!" He sat down beside them. "I'll bring the pamphlet sometime so you guys can look at 'em"

"Maybe…" Soda sighed and brought his knees to his chest. "Its not his fault…he's just a kid…he didn't kill Johnny and Dally…"

"We know…he just doesn't. I believe Stev- I mean -HE knows too, he just pissed and depressed and blew up at Pony."

There was silence after that, only the sound in the house was of Pony's whimpering and sniffling.

**

Five minutes later, the crying stopped, and a soft click of the lock brought the 3 boys, in front of the door, to their senses.

Two-Bit stood and walked over to the couch, he didn't want Ponyboy to feel too crowded.

Slowly the knob turned and the door was pulled open.

Pony emerged his hair messy and eyes red. He didn't look up when Soda and Darry both put their arms around him in a small group hug.

"I'm sorry…" Pony said once again.

"Shh baby, it okay." Darry stroked his youngest brothers hair…Pony's hair, which had grown more in the two month a little under half was still blonde the rest was coming back to his natural color.

Once Pony spoke about keeping it blonde….wonder is he still wanted to keep it bleached?

They broke apart and Pony looked over and gave Two-Bit a smile depressed smiled. "I'm really sorry Two-Bit." He looked down for a short time as if think about what to say, then he looked back up and slowly walked towards to older boy. "Re-remember the movies, when you said that we couldn't get along without Johnny? You were right…I hope you can forgive me someday."

"Dang Ponyboy, I didn' mean it like that!" Two-Bit grabbed Pony's shoulders "You're the only one, out of all of us, who really have a chance of makin' it! You have a chance of bein' something' …and doin' somethin' with your life!"

Pony just kept the same sad smile plastered on his face. "Soda…had to drop out so he could work full time at DX…just to keep me in school, and Darry…he's only 20, and he has 2 jobs. My fault. I'm just a big burden. You guys are wrong…Sorry …" He pulled away from Two-Bit.

"I better finish my homework, its due tomorrow after tryouts. Boy do I wish I had English first or second block." He walked over the where he had left his homework and at back on the floor.

Grammar book to his right side…

…Borrowed Children on his left side…

…blue spiral rested on the Grammar book…

…Red spiral on his lap…

…Black pen in hand…

…Blue pen tucked behind his right ear…

..greenish-gray eyes scanning the book before he wrote anything in his Spiral.

The way Sodapop had found him…before anything happened.

Like nothing happened.

~&~&~&~&

Well that's the Side Story _The Fight_.

The book Borrowed Children wasn't published during the time of The Outsiders. But I remember reading that book in 7th grade. Isn't Pony in the 7th or something…or the 8th?