Chapter Nine

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I woke up to the next morning to the usual noise: Darry yellin' from the kitchen, Two-Bit doin' as he pleases... the radio on high... The only thing that pissed me off about it however, was someone...

Slap... Slap. Slap... slapslapslap --

Slappin me in the face!

--WHACK--

Was that a pillow?

"Up, Stevie boy, up!"

It was Soda... of course... moron!

"I'm up, I'm up -- shut the hell up, Soda -- I'm up!" My hands immediately went to my eyes and I had a slight grumbling in my stomach. Thinking back to the previous night (being dead asleep on the couch) I remembered I hadn't eaten anything since break at the DX. And the more that I thought about it, the hungrier I got. Food. Now.

"Glory Hallelujah, Stevie boy! For a minute I was worried!"

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked around. Soda was bouncing up and down on his feet, and that usual smile was plastered in his face.

I rolled my eyes at him, and noticed Pony stumbling into the room -- still half asleep.

"Hey, Ponyboy!" I called, "What's a good word to describe Soda?"

He stared at me with a blank expression for a moment, as if thinking. Then a smile came to him, "Zonked."

Soda immediately stopped his bouncing and a confused expression came over his face, "Huh?"

Pony smiled lightly and I couldn't help but bark, "It means Stoned, Soda."

"Hey!" Two-Bit laughed cheerfully, walking into the room with a beer in hand, "That works perfectly!"

Sodapop simply shrugged and the smile returned. He turned to me, his eyes twinkling happily, "Guess what, Stevie boy! guess what!"

I sighed and sat up cross-legged, "What, Soda?"

"I spoke to Dar."

Well, that made no sense. Did it?

"Huh?"

"I spoke to Dar." He repeated. His smile now growing.

Okay, c'mon. Was I really supposed to understand this 'zonked' moron buddy of mine so early in the morning?

"Okay..." I blinked, "So?"

"So..." he replied, his bouncing rapidly increasing, he cleared his throat, conducting a mock sophisticated air. This only thing I could think of right then and there as I stifled a yawn was: 'Buddy, you ain't fooling no one.' "He says you can stay."

What? I almost fell off the couch in surprise. Clearing my head I shot up straight to face him. Had I heard him clearly? Had Darry really said it was okay?

"Yup!" he yelped, now giving in and jumping up and down.

I sagged in relief. Yes. I could really stay... I could really get away from the old man...

I was free.

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Sodapopluv99: Thank you thank you! XD

Hahukum Konn: Thanks to you too! And I can't wait till you update "Twilight's End" (Hint Hint)

Again, sorry for taking so dang long... I've been writing stuff on FictionPress and on top of that High school starts in exactly one week, and let me tell ya, I'm dreadin' it! But that also means that it'll be a little harder for me to update... but no matter how long it takes, I WILL finish this story! Which remind me, Please review? Please please please? You have no idea how amazing I feel when I see 'REVIEW ALERT' as the headline of my e-mail!

And as far as my writing on FictionPress, would anyone care to take a look at it? (hopeful smile) well, incase you do, my penname is FiresFlame.

Till next time...

--BlackLightningDX