10. Seize the day!
Pony's POV
I was about to say something when I heard some voices.
This almost sounded like the gang, didn't it?
I looked at Claudia apologetically and rose up to see if I was right with my guess.
I walked towards the voices and short time later I saw Soda, Darry, Steve and Two-Bit coming towards me.
What are they doing here?
"Hey, guys, what are y'all doin' here?" I asked, more annoyed than surprised, since they disturbed my privacy with their appearance in a way.
There it occurred to me that also something could have happened and they're in search of me for that reason.
But that wasn't the case to judge by their faces and I calmed down a bit about it, because we've already received fuss and bad news more than enough lately.
"Hey, Pony. You're here, too? What a coincidence!" Soda already shouted to me and I could see his impish grin in spite of some distance.
As if they wouldn't know very well that I'm here!
"Yeah, of course I'm here, too! But what are y'all doin' here now?" I asked and went into his joke.
"We thought that we're comin' to visit ya, um ya two, and have a look after things at ya!" Two-Bit answered and cocked an eyebrow. He was grinning now, too.
I only shook my head.
"Don't tell the kid such nonsense! The only one, who would look after things, was you, Two-Bit!" Darry set right and gave Two-Bit a friendly slap on the back of his head.
"We others were only comin' here to play a bit football. And there we thought if ya and Claudia wanna maybe play with us, too." Darry was turning to me.
There Claudia, who I've already nearly forgotten, came to my mind again.
"Well, as y'all are here now, I also can introduce ya to Claudia!" I said sighing and looked at that to Two-Bit and Soda, who both had to grin again.
"Ok. Well, Claudia, these are my both brothers Darry and Soda and these are my friends Two-Bit and Steve. Guys, this is..." I began, while turning around.
But I stopped in the middle of my sentence, because I was staring now at an abandoned lot.
The log Claudia was sitting on just a little while ago was empty.
And there wasn't also any other scrap from her.
She probably would have gone when I turned towards the others and talked with them.
"She... she was here just barely..." I stated sadly.
I stared at the empty spot, disappointed and confused.
I hoped she wasn't mad at me, because the gang appeared.
She certainly was thinking now that I invited the gang over here so that they finally could get to know her once.
She certainly would regard me as a traitor and couldn't forgive me that easy now.
But before my imagination formed further scenarios, Soda put an arm around my shoulders and whispered to me, so that only I could hear him, "Don't reproach yourself. It ain't ya fault that she's gone. We shouldn't have appeared here all of a sudden. Maybe this has frightened and distracted her. I'm sorry! But I'm sure that she doesn't let ya down completely. She certainly comes back soon again. You're surely gonna see her again. Come on, let's play football now!"
I sighed and then nodded.
I was glad that I still have Soda.
He really understands me!
So we got the ball and played a bit football.
Darry and I were one team and Steve and Soda the other.
Two-Bit did the referee.
After the game we all went home exhausted, but contented and happy though.