xxx

Soda was quiet, staring at his brother. "Pony, this isn't funny."

"I'm not lying." Ponyboy's voice was flat, low, and pained. He wasn't lying.

But Soda couldn't believe it. "You're lying."

"I'm not lying. I'm telling the truth."

"YOU ARE LYING!" Soda stood up at an intimidating height. "HE WOULDN'T DO IT! YOU'RE LYING!"

Pony began slowly again. He knew it would end up like this. He'd known it all along. It was so predictable. "I'm not lying Soda…"

"YOU'RE LYING!" Soda was screaming, sobbing, tears were running down in face. And then, in a movement that seemed couldn't be possible, he raised his hand and struck Pony as hard as he could across the face.

Ponyboy stumbled back and fell off the couch, landing on the floor with a loud crack. He couldn't believe it. Soda had hit him. That older brother he had always loved, always worshipped. The person that had meant the world to him.

He was truly lost now. He didn't even look up as Soda left the room, screaming in disbelief, or when Two-Bit came in and helped him onto the couch.

xxx

Soda walked, stabbing the sidewalk with his feet in anger and disbelief. How could Pony lie to him? Why would he choose Steve?

It's not Steve. Steve likes Pony. Steve likes me. Why would Steve do this to me?

He arrived at the gas station, where Steve was helping prepare a car. He stood at the corner of the building until Steve caught up with him.

"Hey Soda," he said.

"Steve…" Soda broke off. Then he started to yell out all his accusations, "Pony said… Pony told me… Ponboy… DID YOU DO IT?"

Steve looked down at the floor. He didn't even try to lie. "Yes."

Soda's world fell apart. He felt faint, and started to stagger. He would have fell straight to the ground, but Steve caught him, looking at his best friend in concern. Soda punched him in the face.

Steve's lip was bleeding, but he tried to explain. "Soda…"

"I TRUSTED YOU!" Soda said, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I TRUSTED YOU! DARRY TRUSTED YOU! PONY," his voice cracked in pain, "TRUSTED YOU! AND HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO HIM?"

"Soda… I don't…"

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!" Soda went on, now sobbing. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? YOU WERE MY BROTHER STEVE, YOU ARE MY BROTHER? BUT HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO PONYBOY? WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS? WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS? I can't believe you Steve…" his voice quavered, "all along, you just played along. 'Oh, Soda, it's going to be alright. He's going to be fine.' But Pony's never going to be fine again, and it's all your fault. You broke him, Steve. You broke him, and you broke me. I can't believe it Steve."

"Soda, I'm sorry… I didn't mean it."

But Soda didn't listen. He turned and walked away, sobbing his heart out.

"Hey, Curtis." It was Bryon.

xxx

Darry came home from work early, to check on Pony. He came over to see Two-Bit, looking worried at a feverish Pony on the couch.

"Hey, Ponyboy," said Darry, rubbing him on the back.

Pony turned over, and opened his eyes. Darry saw a large red mark, bleeding on his face, like someone had dug his nails into it.

"Oh my God Pony, what happened?"

"It was Soda," Pony said, barely over a whimper. "I told him…" he started crying, "I told him who hurt me."

"Honey," Darry bent down to his level, stroking his back, "who was it?"

"I can't…" Pony broke off at the edge of a whisper. "I can't tell you… you'll hate me too."

"Baby," Darry said, looking into his eyes, "Soda would never hate you."

"He hates me now," Pony said. He cried as hard as he could into Darry's shoulder. Darry held him the way Soda had held Johnny in the vacant lot. "It'll be ok, honey, it'll be ok little buddy."

Pony finally stopped crying, and leaned back. "Darry, it was Steve."

The blood drained from Darry's face. "Oh, God."

"I'm sorry Darry, I didn't know… I should have listened to you… I'm so sorry…"

"Shhh… Pony, it wasn't your fault. Just be quiet and go to sleep, ok? Two-Bit, you stay here? Thanks."

Darry headed out the door. He was going to find Soda and set things right.

xxx

"Hey," Soda said weakly to Bryon. "I guess you heard that then."

"I heard enough," said Bryon with a shrug. "Look Curtis, it'll be alright. It was just sort of like what happened with Mark. Mark was my brother, and my best friend. But he got wound up in something bad… and I just had to do the right thing. That's why I went to tell you about Pony. The person I was before would have just left him there. Life changes you, Curtis. I lost my brother. You lost your friend. But I'm still here, and I've gotten over it. I've tried to move on, and you will too."

Soda understood. "Thanks Bryon."

Bryon shook his hand. "Go do the right thing, Curtis."

xxx

What does Darry do? Review.