A/n: Wow! Look at all the reviews I got! You guys are making my life so
good right now. Lol. I've been needing a major ego/moral boost for a few
days now and I can only say that you guys sure know how to do it. And no
flames? Man, I'm actually really surprised but more thrilled than anything.
Thanks for reading and I hope this chapter helps to...do whatever you want it
to do. Haha.
On to the Review Response!
Alsan: Lol, nice. A lot of people are hating this girl. Good, huh? I'm doing my job. It might take awhile for people to catch on to Pony's innocence, but it's there. Don't worry.
griffins95: Wow. Never read one before? Nice! I wasn't exactly going for majorly original, but this is better than I could ever imagine, lol. Here's chapter three for you!
Sulfer101: Oh don't you dare worry. She is a bitch and she doesn't have a good reason... except...well, you'll see... And as for Darry and Soda...you'll have to read to see that one as well.
chloe99: Yeah, stupid lying girl just about describes it. It really takes a messed up person to do something like she is doing... but it happens. It really does.
DaNNi BaBezZz: Hehe, thanks! Is it Pony's? You'll have to wait and see, but I think you can take a nice guess at the answer to that one.
Oblivious Misconception: You know, I appreciate that comment about determining paternity. I knew that and so do some others, but for those who won't believe me because I'm the author, they'll believe it better coming from someone else. I've seen other stories like this for Soda and Darry too, but I thought this would be an interesting new concept.
Bandit-Gurl42: Hey, man, any way I can help, as long as it doesn't go out of it's way to make fun of my story I'm just fine with it. Thanks for the heads up and your comments.
CiCi: Yay! I love your review! It made me sooo happy. It would be really cliché to be anyone else, wouldn't it? I never even thought of it being someone else, except Soda, to tell you the truth. But I'm quite happy I chose to do Pony instead. Thanks for your comments, they made my day honestly, because it's so TRUE. People think of Pony as this innocent little boy who can do no wrong. In this case he might or might not have, but the fact remains that he is human as you said.
shyXshortieXbabe: Lol, your reviews always make me laugh. I love them. They're so blond and bubbly (that's a good thing). Thanks!
Ale Was Here: Aww, thanks for reading! I love your sn. Haha. It's perfect. I'm updating as often as I can.
CrazeLilDreamer: Hey Rocky! How are ya doin' girl? I'm so glad you like this. You're opinion means quite a bit to me because you've actually read some of my others. Thanks for reading and I hope this chapter fulfills your...addiction? Hehe. Thanks.
Outiderslover-0408: You know what? My personal email address is outsiderslover@hotmail.com. How ironic is this? Lol. I saw your name and just about died of shock. It was great. Here's more for you!
Tensleep: Tens! My girl! How ya doin, Sweatheart? I'm so happy you like this. I've told you how much your opinion means to me personally. Gosh, I love you. Lol. Yeah, Jhon told me about that. I don't remember how we even got close to the topic, but he told me all about that and how much he hated it. I'm glad he quit too. It doesn't serve me well to have a husband who smokes. It's a good think he quit before I met him, lol. Jk. Yeah, about Soda having his own car – it just needed to happen, lol. I mean, he's how old for goodness sakes? And lucky you knows how nice it is to have a car of your own. A car isn't all that he has all to himself, but that little bit of info will have to be held off for another chapter or so. If you wanna know what I'm talking about you just ask me and I'll tell you, but I want to keep other people in suspense, hehe. Mean, huh?
Skye Renegarde: Thanks, Skye! Do you mind if I call you Skye? I absolutely love that name...for obvious reasons, but it's been my favorite name for a long time. Well, anyway, I'm really thrilled that you like the plot. Thanks for reading!
Rock:just like you..only better.: Well, excuse me Miss I-Need-A-Longer- Chapter. You're not that great yourself! So you have no space to talk! Jk. Lol. Don't you just love how I'm forcing you to read this online and not listen to it over the phone? You're probably silently thanking me for that. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter because honestly, you are foremost my number concern regarding what you think about this. Yours and Tens's reviews mean the world to me. Check you later!
Dedication: Never done this before for Outsiders section, but this goes to Alli for putting up with having me for a best friend and everything I've helped to put her through this week. I can only say that I've never been more sorry in my life and I'm lucky to have you forgiving me, even though you know it's not my fault.
Enjoy!
Chapter Two
There are times when you don't know what sort of information is headed your way. You aren't sure if you should be scared or worried or even excited for what you're about to be told. The messenger sends you looks and words of confusion, and those don't help out any either. Thoughts race through your mind at torpedo speed and then at times like this, come to a screeching halt once the bomb is dropped.
My blood turned icy in my veins and my stomach dropped to my knees. I couldn't begin to describe any of my previous panicky thoughts; I don't remember them now. But what I can tell you is that what Darry told me in the tension-filled kitchen wasn't one of them.
"Darry... that's impossible. –"
"Oh, don't go there, Ponyboy!" He forced back a chuckle. "Don't even start on the denial. I heard her side of the story and the details match up."
"How?! Darry, I ain't never even SLEPT with her. It's impossible!" It was the truth. The most I had ever done with her was dance. Maybe I kissed her once, I'm not sure, but I do know that we never went to bed together. The only time that would've ever happened, the only chance it would've come about, was the night of the dance, and believe me it didn't happen. After she disappeared and wandered back rip-roaring drunk awhile later – there was no way. She practically passed out on the ride back to her place and her father was certainly angry enough to not let me past the front door. I wouldn't have done it anyway. She was no more than a friend. Although now I was beginning to question that little aspect...
Darry went silent for a minute. He wouldn't look at me, he didn't move a muscle. I was afraid that was because he was so mad. He was tensed up and the definition of his muscles shown through his shirt clearly. The air was taut with confusion and anger and he was waiting for me to continue. But I couldn't. I had nothing else to say except that. Maybe he thought I was lying, but there wasn't anything I could do except tell him the truth. What more was there to do?
I didn't get it. It didn't make sense. What would provoke anyone to do something like that? There wasn't any way she believed it was true. She wasn't stupid. None of it matched up... Was she so desperate to pin the blame anyone that she was willing to go for the easiest scapegoat? Or did she think that I would go along with it because I was a 'nice guy'? Maybe she wanted someone to take the responsibility that her parents would accept? I'm sorry, but they ain't gonna be accepting nobody. Even I, who had never really seen this first hand until now, knew that... But, did I come across as someone like that? If so, was that good or bad?
"How about we move this somewhere else?" Darry suggested. I was surprised to hear his voice so calm and collected. I didn't expect it last long, though.
"Whatever," I said. "But I'm telling you, I didn't sleep with her." I had to repeat myself. It was the only way I could ever get anything across. People never took me seriously if I didn't. They didn't always when I did, but it was worth a shot.
At least he was being courteous enough to the others by not wanting anyone else embarrassed by our discussion. But either way, I sure hopped Libby knew what she was doing was wrong, how wrong she was, and exactly how wrong she was for doing it in the first place.
Darry closed the door behind him once we got to my bedroom and stood with his back against it. He looked so bemused at the situation, it scared me. The thought kept hitting me that he didn't believe a word I had said and he wasn't going to give in easily. He never did. But how couldn't he? I was the least likely person, I admit it, to end up in a mess like this. You would think he knew me better, but he didn't. He knew me enough to what to expect out of me but he never seemed to know what to think about the unexpected.
My hands were shaking now and the little hairs on my arms were sticking up on end. I pulled a cigarette out of shirt pocket. I needed it so bad.
"Not here, Ponyboy. Not in the house."
I slowly put it down. If I couldn't have it I had to go about some other way of calming myself down. The only other thing that would do that was the obvious. I had to convince him. "Darry, I –"
"I can't /I this is happening," he cut me off. "You know, if you were maybe a little older, it wouldn't be so bad. But no, you had to go and throw your life away for... Damn it, Pony, do you realize what you've gotten yourself into?"
I scoffed. "You can't be serious." I shook my head. "It's not mine! I /b did anything with her!"
"So she's just lying? She came over here with some intricate story about it all and she made up? She's going to flat out lie to your face in hope that you'll believe her?" He wasn't yelling now. If anything he was trying to 'point out the obvious' and make me feel like an idiot. "I reckon you were drunk or something, right?"
"Darry!" It was my turn to yell. He couldn't honestly believe any of it. "Are you kidding me?!" I started to laugh. "You're crazy. I ain't never done nothing with her! Why is that so hard to believe?" This was way past ridiculous. It was insanity and I wouldn't stand for it. Nothing was right about this in the least. "Oh my God..." My whole body started to shake and a buried my face in my hands.
"What?"
I shook my head. He clearly wasn't worth my time or effort. Being typical Darry in an untypical situation was really bad. Especially now. I needed Soda, but how do you tell that to the person now faced with this situation along side you? He wasn't in a mood to be pushed aside. "This isn't happening..."
"Well, it is and now you've gotta figure out what you're going to do about it because I sure as hell ain't gonna take care of this. You're stupidity, your responsibility. This isn't something I can bail you out of this time."
"Oh my God," I laughed again. I should be yelling, something kept telling me, but I couldn't. It was all so out of line.... I couldn't do anything but laugh. It was just like him to do this too. He was always quick to jump to conclusions, especially when the opposing force approached him first. In this case, this force was the largest lie I had ever encountered. And to think there wasn't nothing I could do that would change his mind right now. "Get a DNA test... It's not mine. I'm telling you. Get us a test."
"You can't do that until the baby is born," he said. "And what happens if it comes out positive?"
"It won't."
He went silent again. I couldn't tell where this conversation was going anymore. Darry was too wrapped up in the false idea that this kid was mine to see the other possibility. This wasn't happening...
"She's thinking of an abortion," he said at last.
"What? Why?" The baby might not be mind, but that was a serious decision to make on such short notice. Those things should be thought out more than she was giving it time to be done.
"Why else do people have abortions? She's too young. It's too much responsibility for the both of you –"
"IT'S NOT MINE!" I jumped up from the bed. "My God! Why is that so hard to accept?! I never fuckin' slept with her!"
"Watch your mouth, Ponyboy," he lectured. I wasn't finished though.
"No! Darry, I have every right! She's coming all over here trying to give e somethin' that ain't mine and I don't want a part in! I mean, damn, if she's so confused on who the father is, I don't want nothing to do with it! I'm not going to let some slut pin her baby on me!"
"Pony!" He grabbed me by the chin and leaned in close. He had gotten across the room real fast. Voice low and threatening he said, "Don't ever let me hear you call a girl that again." He shook me slightly. Boy, he sure had my attention. "Learn some respect." He released me and I backed up a little.
"Well," I gulped and started, "I'm sorry, Darry, but it's the truth. I wouldn't say it if it weren't." I couldn't stop shaking. I needed a cigarette. Things were way out of hand.
"I don't care," he said. "If she's the mother of your child, you will at least treat HER with respect. You hear me?"
I honestly didn't get how he comes off believing a stranger over his own brother. I thought he had more faith in me to tell him the truth. I thought he trusted me enough to not lie when it really mattered. If he didn't, that was his fault, but I wasn't going to put up with it anymore.
"Get out."
"Answer me!"
"Get. Out," I bit each word menacingly. I didn't want anything to do with him right then. Not until he was got his facts and thoughts straight.
"You've got to go out there and talk to her, kid. She's been waiting since about three o'clock." He pointed in the direction of the living room. "You are /b going to wimp out on this. You will suck it up like any self- respecting man would."
My jaw just about dropped. I had to suck it up? "Any self-respecting man? Then you should believe your family over some random chick you don't know, Darry." I tried to stand up for myself one last time. I knew that either way I was going to have to talk to her, but I had to get my say in first. "Then I'll talk to her."
"You'll talk to her now, Ponyboy." He was serious. He wasn't willing to let anymore 'fooling' around happen.
I shook my head again and brushed past him. If I was going to talk to her, it wasn't going to be because he threw me out there and made me. I was going to do it on my own accord because she needed to hear what I had to say. She was wrong and I was going to let her know it. I was sorry she found herself in such a situation, but I wasn't going to let blame me for it. This wasn't going to be the end of our friendship, if I could help it, but I wasn't going to be a pushover. Not now. Not when it actually truly mattered.
Soda wasn't in the living room when I got there. He had left long before. I could hear him making noises in the kitchen and I was glad. I'm fairly sure he didn't know what was going on, but he was smart enough to know when to leave things alone. Although, it might've been easier for me if he had stuck around. Maybe not, but I was willing to see. However, I didn't know how well Libby would react to that. For that reason I was glad he had skipped out on this.
She hadn't moved since I got home. I didn't know it was physically possible, but she did it. She continued to stare at her fluorescent pink toenails and twisted her fingers together nervously. I couldn't blame her. I hoped she knew what I was going to say. As I sat on the couch her little manual movements stopped and she slowly looked at me.
She looked horrible. There were dark circles under her eyes and she wasn't wearing any make-up. It isn't that a girl doesn't look all right without applying make-up, but something about the lack of it made her look sick. I had to remind myself that she probably was considering the circumstances. Whoever said that pregnant women were beautiful had obviously never seen Libby Crystal. And that was saying a lot. She wasn't a looker but no one ever turned her down. That was probably the cause of her downfall.
"It's a load to take on, huh?" she asked and moved her gaze to the window, trying to avoid eye contact.
"Um... Libb... You realize that it's impossible for the baby to be mine?"
Just as quickly as she looked away she snapped her head back around. "Oh, Pony. Please don't... this is already hard enough," she begged me to agree. "You're the only person I can count on right now." I don't know how she could think that. I knew her but not well enough to let her become my dependant. "My mother already threw me out of the house. Don't worry, I'm living at Jimmy's now, but it just ain't the same," her voice started to die out more towards the end.
She really believed it was mine.
Jimmy was her brother. He was a tough hood that once belonged to the Brumly Boys. A couple of years ago he realized that he was too good for them and he broke off, starting his own gang. Rave. I'd say he was about twenty-five years old now, but I couldn't tell you for sure. I hardly ever say him enough to get a good look at him. Even though I knew his sister, I stayed clear from him and his gang. They were big into dope and I hadn't ever heard of a fight they were that didn't involve heaters or knives. Even when they agreed to just fists, they broke the rules. They were a mean group of guys. That scared me even more than Darry and his threats at this point.
"Look," I was surprisingly calm, "I'm sorry this is happening. Trust me, I am. But think about it... when would this have happened?" I paused and waited for her to answer. She didn't so I started back up. "See? It didn't.... Hey, I'm willing to help you figure out whose it is, if you want, but..."
She stood up quickly and glared at me, screaming, "Stop! What's wrong with you?!" She was suddenly close to tears.
"What?" I was stunned.
"Damn it, Pony! They can trace it back to an exact date! Don't you know that? They can trace it!" She was losing it. I had never seen anyone so calm and collected most of the time, suddenly just lose it.
"Good!" I said. I knew I was going to say something she didn't want to hear, but I what else was I supposed to do? "That'll make it easier to know who it was. I know you, Libby, and I know you don't go sleep around. I know that. So, this should be really –"
"STOP!" she screamed again. By this time Darry came out to see what was going on. It wasn't often that his little brother was in the same room with a hysterical girl, supposedly pregnant with his child. "Oh my God... She was right.... Oh my God... I thought you'd be better than this, Pony!" Her chin started to tremble. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move. I was in too much shock. "JUST ACCEPT IT!"
~*~
A/n: Muahahahahaha! Hehe. Thanks for reading. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. And confusion should be normal at this point, don't you worry :D
On to the Review Response!
Alsan: Lol, nice. A lot of people are hating this girl. Good, huh? I'm doing my job. It might take awhile for people to catch on to Pony's innocence, but it's there. Don't worry.
griffins95: Wow. Never read one before? Nice! I wasn't exactly going for majorly original, but this is better than I could ever imagine, lol. Here's chapter three for you!
Sulfer101: Oh don't you dare worry. She is a bitch and she doesn't have a good reason... except...well, you'll see... And as for Darry and Soda...you'll have to read to see that one as well.
chloe99: Yeah, stupid lying girl just about describes it. It really takes a messed up person to do something like she is doing... but it happens. It really does.
DaNNi BaBezZz: Hehe, thanks! Is it Pony's? You'll have to wait and see, but I think you can take a nice guess at the answer to that one.
Oblivious Misconception: You know, I appreciate that comment about determining paternity. I knew that and so do some others, but for those who won't believe me because I'm the author, they'll believe it better coming from someone else. I've seen other stories like this for Soda and Darry too, but I thought this would be an interesting new concept.
Bandit-Gurl42: Hey, man, any way I can help, as long as it doesn't go out of it's way to make fun of my story I'm just fine with it. Thanks for the heads up and your comments.
CiCi: Yay! I love your review! It made me sooo happy. It would be really cliché to be anyone else, wouldn't it? I never even thought of it being someone else, except Soda, to tell you the truth. But I'm quite happy I chose to do Pony instead. Thanks for your comments, they made my day honestly, because it's so TRUE. People think of Pony as this innocent little boy who can do no wrong. In this case he might or might not have, but the fact remains that he is human as you said.
shyXshortieXbabe: Lol, your reviews always make me laugh. I love them. They're so blond and bubbly (that's a good thing). Thanks!
Ale Was Here: Aww, thanks for reading! I love your sn. Haha. It's perfect. I'm updating as often as I can.
CrazeLilDreamer: Hey Rocky! How are ya doin' girl? I'm so glad you like this. You're opinion means quite a bit to me because you've actually read some of my others. Thanks for reading and I hope this chapter fulfills your...addiction? Hehe. Thanks.
Outiderslover-0408: You know what? My personal email address is outsiderslover@hotmail.com. How ironic is this? Lol. I saw your name and just about died of shock. It was great. Here's more for you!
Tensleep: Tens! My girl! How ya doin, Sweatheart? I'm so happy you like this. I've told you how much your opinion means to me personally. Gosh, I love you. Lol. Yeah, Jhon told me about that. I don't remember how we even got close to the topic, but he told me all about that and how much he hated it. I'm glad he quit too. It doesn't serve me well to have a husband who smokes. It's a good think he quit before I met him, lol. Jk. Yeah, about Soda having his own car – it just needed to happen, lol. I mean, he's how old for goodness sakes? And lucky you knows how nice it is to have a car of your own. A car isn't all that he has all to himself, but that little bit of info will have to be held off for another chapter or so. If you wanna know what I'm talking about you just ask me and I'll tell you, but I want to keep other people in suspense, hehe. Mean, huh?
Skye Renegarde: Thanks, Skye! Do you mind if I call you Skye? I absolutely love that name...for obvious reasons, but it's been my favorite name for a long time. Well, anyway, I'm really thrilled that you like the plot. Thanks for reading!
Rock:just like you..only better.: Well, excuse me Miss I-Need-A-Longer- Chapter. You're not that great yourself! So you have no space to talk! Jk. Lol. Don't you just love how I'm forcing you to read this online and not listen to it over the phone? You're probably silently thanking me for that. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter because honestly, you are foremost my number concern regarding what you think about this. Yours and Tens's reviews mean the world to me. Check you later!
Dedication: Never done this before for Outsiders section, but this goes to Alli for putting up with having me for a best friend and everything I've helped to put her through this week. I can only say that I've never been more sorry in my life and I'm lucky to have you forgiving me, even though you know it's not my fault.
Enjoy!
Chapter Two
There are times when you don't know what sort of information is headed your way. You aren't sure if you should be scared or worried or even excited for what you're about to be told. The messenger sends you looks and words of confusion, and those don't help out any either. Thoughts race through your mind at torpedo speed and then at times like this, come to a screeching halt once the bomb is dropped.
My blood turned icy in my veins and my stomach dropped to my knees. I couldn't begin to describe any of my previous panicky thoughts; I don't remember them now. But what I can tell you is that what Darry told me in the tension-filled kitchen wasn't one of them.
"Darry... that's impossible. –"
"Oh, don't go there, Ponyboy!" He forced back a chuckle. "Don't even start on the denial. I heard her side of the story and the details match up."
"How?! Darry, I ain't never even SLEPT with her. It's impossible!" It was the truth. The most I had ever done with her was dance. Maybe I kissed her once, I'm not sure, but I do know that we never went to bed together. The only time that would've ever happened, the only chance it would've come about, was the night of the dance, and believe me it didn't happen. After she disappeared and wandered back rip-roaring drunk awhile later – there was no way. She practically passed out on the ride back to her place and her father was certainly angry enough to not let me past the front door. I wouldn't have done it anyway. She was no more than a friend. Although now I was beginning to question that little aspect...
Darry went silent for a minute. He wouldn't look at me, he didn't move a muscle. I was afraid that was because he was so mad. He was tensed up and the definition of his muscles shown through his shirt clearly. The air was taut with confusion and anger and he was waiting for me to continue. But I couldn't. I had nothing else to say except that. Maybe he thought I was lying, but there wasn't anything I could do except tell him the truth. What more was there to do?
I didn't get it. It didn't make sense. What would provoke anyone to do something like that? There wasn't any way she believed it was true. She wasn't stupid. None of it matched up... Was she so desperate to pin the blame anyone that she was willing to go for the easiest scapegoat? Or did she think that I would go along with it because I was a 'nice guy'? Maybe she wanted someone to take the responsibility that her parents would accept? I'm sorry, but they ain't gonna be accepting nobody. Even I, who had never really seen this first hand until now, knew that... But, did I come across as someone like that? If so, was that good or bad?
"How about we move this somewhere else?" Darry suggested. I was surprised to hear his voice so calm and collected. I didn't expect it last long, though.
"Whatever," I said. "But I'm telling you, I didn't sleep with her." I had to repeat myself. It was the only way I could ever get anything across. People never took me seriously if I didn't. They didn't always when I did, but it was worth a shot.
At least he was being courteous enough to the others by not wanting anyone else embarrassed by our discussion. But either way, I sure hopped Libby knew what she was doing was wrong, how wrong she was, and exactly how wrong she was for doing it in the first place.
Darry closed the door behind him once we got to my bedroom and stood with his back against it. He looked so bemused at the situation, it scared me. The thought kept hitting me that he didn't believe a word I had said and he wasn't going to give in easily. He never did. But how couldn't he? I was the least likely person, I admit it, to end up in a mess like this. You would think he knew me better, but he didn't. He knew me enough to what to expect out of me but he never seemed to know what to think about the unexpected.
My hands were shaking now and the little hairs on my arms were sticking up on end. I pulled a cigarette out of shirt pocket. I needed it so bad.
"Not here, Ponyboy. Not in the house."
I slowly put it down. If I couldn't have it I had to go about some other way of calming myself down. The only other thing that would do that was the obvious. I had to convince him. "Darry, I –"
"I can't /I this is happening," he cut me off. "You know, if you were maybe a little older, it wouldn't be so bad. But no, you had to go and throw your life away for... Damn it, Pony, do you realize what you've gotten yourself into?"
I scoffed. "You can't be serious." I shook my head. "It's not mine! I /b did anything with her!"
"So she's just lying? She came over here with some intricate story about it all and she made up? She's going to flat out lie to your face in hope that you'll believe her?" He wasn't yelling now. If anything he was trying to 'point out the obvious' and make me feel like an idiot. "I reckon you were drunk or something, right?"
"Darry!" It was my turn to yell. He couldn't honestly believe any of it. "Are you kidding me?!" I started to laugh. "You're crazy. I ain't never done nothing with her! Why is that so hard to believe?" This was way past ridiculous. It was insanity and I wouldn't stand for it. Nothing was right about this in the least. "Oh my God..." My whole body started to shake and a buried my face in my hands.
"What?"
I shook my head. He clearly wasn't worth my time or effort. Being typical Darry in an untypical situation was really bad. Especially now. I needed Soda, but how do you tell that to the person now faced with this situation along side you? He wasn't in a mood to be pushed aside. "This isn't happening..."
"Well, it is and now you've gotta figure out what you're going to do about it because I sure as hell ain't gonna take care of this. You're stupidity, your responsibility. This isn't something I can bail you out of this time."
"Oh my God," I laughed again. I should be yelling, something kept telling me, but I couldn't. It was all so out of line.... I couldn't do anything but laugh. It was just like him to do this too. He was always quick to jump to conclusions, especially when the opposing force approached him first. In this case, this force was the largest lie I had ever encountered. And to think there wasn't nothing I could do that would change his mind right now. "Get a DNA test... It's not mine. I'm telling you. Get us a test."
"You can't do that until the baby is born," he said. "And what happens if it comes out positive?"
"It won't."
He went silent again. I couldn't tell where this conversation was going anymore. Darry was too wrapped up in the false idea that this kid was mine to see the other possibility. This wasn't happening...
"She's thinking of an abortion," he said at last.
"What? Why?" The baby might not be mind, but that was a serious decision to make on such short notice. Those things should be thought out more than she was giving it time to be done.
"Why else do people have abortions? She's too young. It's too much responsibility for the both of you –"
"IT'S NOT MINE!" I jumped up from the bed. "My God! Why is that so hard to accept?! I never fuckin' slept with her!"
"Watch your mouth, Ponyboy," he lectured. I wasn't finished though.
"No! Darry, I have every right! She's coming all over here trying to give e somethin' that ain't mine and I don't want a part in! I mean, damn, if she's so confused on who the father is, I don't want nothing to do with it! I'm not going to let some slut pin her baby on me!"
"Pony!" He grabbed me by the chin and leaned in close. He had gotten across the room real fast. Voice low and threatening he said, "Don't ever let me hear you call a girl that again." He shook me slightly. Boy, he sure had my attention. "Learn some respect." He released me and I backed up a little.
"Well," I gulped and started, "I'm sorry, Darry, but it's the truth. I wouldn't say it if it weren't." I couldn't stop shaking. I needed a cigarette. Things were way out of hand.
"I don't care," he said. "If she's the mother of your child, you will at least treat HER with respect. You hear me?"
I honestly didn't get how he comes off believing a stranger over his own brother. I thought he had more faith in me to tell him the truth. I thought he trusted me enough to not lie when it really mattered. If he didn't, that was his fault, but I wasn't going to put up with it anymore.
"Get out."
"Answer me!"
"Get. Out," I bit each word menacingly. I didn't want anything to do with him right then. Not until he was got his facts and thoughts straight.
"You've got to go out there and talk to her, kid. She's been waiting since about three o'clock." He pointed in the direction of the living room. "You are /b going to wimp out on this. You will suck it up like any self- respecting man would."
My jaw just about dropped. I had to suck it up? "Any self-respecting man? Then you should believe your family over some random chick you don't know, Darry." I tried to stand up for myself one last time. I knew that either way I was going to have to talk to her, but I had to get my say in first. "Then I'll talk to her."
"You'll talk to her now, Ponyboy." He was serious. He wasn't willing to let anymore 'fooling' around happen.
I shook my head again and brushed past him. If I was going to talk to her, it wasn't going to be because he threw me out there and made me. I was going to do it on my own accord because she needed to hear what I had to say. She was wrong and I was going to let her know it. I was sorry she found herself in such a situation, but I wasn't going to let blame me for it. This wasn't going to be the end of our friendship, if I could help it, but I wasn't going to be a pushover. Not now. Not when it actually truly mattered.
Soda wasn't in the living room when I got there. He had left long before. I could hear him making noises in the kitchen and I was glad. I'm fairly sure he didn't know what was going on, but he was smart enough to know when to leave things alone. Although, it might've been easier for me if he had stuck around. Maybe not, but I was willing to see. However, I didn't know how well Libby would react to that. For that reason I was glad he had skipped out on this.
She hadn't moved since I got home. I didn't know it was physically possible, but she did it. She continued to stare at her fluorescent pink toenails and twisted her fingers together nervously. I couldn't blame her. I hoped she knew what I was going to say. As I sat on the couch her little manual movements stopped and she slowly looked at me.
She looked horrible. There were dark circles under her eyes and she wasn't wearing any make-up. It isn't that a girl doesn't look all right without applying make-up, but something about the lack of it made her look sick. I had to remind myself that she probably was considering the circumstances. Whoever said that pregnant women were beautiful had obviously never seen Libby Crystal. And that was saying a lot. She wasn't a looker but no one ever turned her down. That was probably the cause of her downfall.
"It's a load to take on, huh?" she asked and moved her gaze to the window, trying to avoid eye contact.
"Um... Libb... You realize that it's impossible for the baby to be mine?"
Just as quickly as she looked away she snapped her head back around. "Oh, Pony. Please don't... this is already hard enough," she begged me to agree. "You're the only person I can count on right now." I don't know how she could think that. I knew her but not well enough to let her become my dependant. "My mother already threw me out of the house. Don't worry, I'm living at Jimmy's now, but it just ain't the same," her voice started to die out more towards the end.
She really believed it was mine.
Jimmy was her brother. He was a tough hood that once belonged to the Brumly Boys. A couple of years ago he realized that he was too good for them and he broke off, starting his own gang. Rave. I'd say he was about twenty-five years old now, but I couldn't tell you for sure. I hardly ever say him enough to get a good look at him. Even though I knew his sister, I stayed clear from him and his gang. They were big into dope and I hadn't ever heard of a fight they were that didn't involve heaters or knives. Even when they agreed to just fists, they broke the rules. They were a mean group of guys. That scared me even more than Darry and his threats at this point.
"Look," I was surprisingly calm, "I'm sorry this is happening. Trust me, I am. But think about it... when would this have happened?" I paused and waited for her to answer. She didn't so I started back up. "See? It didn't.... Hey, I'm willing to help you figure out whose it is, if you want, but..."
She stood up quickly and glared at me, screaming, "Stop! What's wrong with you?!" She was suddenly close to tears.
"What?" I was stunned.
"Damn it, Pony! They can trace it back to an exact date! Don't you know that? They can trace it!" She was losing it. I had never seen anyone so calm and collected most of the time, suddenly just lose it.
"Good!" I said. I knew I was going to say something she didn't want to hear, but I what else was I supposed to do? "That'll make it easier to know who it was. I know you, Libby, and I know you don't go sleep around. I know that. So, this should be really –"
"STOP!" she screamed again. By this time Darry came out to see what was going on. It wasn't often that his little brother was in the same room with a hysterical girl, supposedly pregnant with his child. "Oh my God... She was right.... Oh my God... I thought you'd be better than this, Pony!" Her chin started to tremble. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move. I was in too much shock. "JUST ACCEPT IT!"
~*~
A/n: Muahahahahaha! Hehe. Thanks for reading. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. And confusion should be normal at this point, don't you worry :D