Faith is Spelled R.I.S.K

Chapter 3

Running Against the Clock

Disclaimer: I only own Alyssa. No one else. All else are property of S.E Hinton.

When I woke up the next morning, Soda was no longer beside me. I knew he must have gone early to work again that morning. Only, I knew, it wasn't because he was excited to go to work.

I went out to get breakfast again. This time it was toast. I sat down, and pretty soon, Darry came out and sat down with me.

It was odd, because Darry hardly ever eats breakfast with us. He always rushes around in order to get himself, and Soda to work on time. Then, he fusses about me, to make sure I'm ready for school, and all my books and ready, and my lunch is made.

Since it's summer, he don't got to worry about me at the moment, so I figure he's taking it a bit easier.

"Pony, you don't happen to know where Soda is this morning? He was gone even before I got up." Darry said.

I slid down in my seat. The toast suddenly tasted dry in my mouth. I had no idea what I should say. I didn't want to lie to Darry, but I didn't want to betray Soda. So, I decided to compromise. I would tell Darry where he was, just not the reason he was there.

"I reckon he's down at the DX or something." I said, trying not to make eye contact.

Darry nodded. "I figured as much. I was planning on dropping in on him. I haven't been down there for a while, so I may as well. As long as you're sure he's down there."

Drop in on him? Oh no. My stomach did a flip-flop. If Soda was going to such lengths not to let Darry find out about Alyssa, then obviously there was a good reason.

I said the only thing I could think of that wouldn't make me look suspicious.

"What time are you planning on dropping by? Cause Soda usually takes a lunch break around 12:30." I said.

"I'll probably go down around noon. Then, I won't miss him, and I can eat my lunch down there. Thanks for the help, Ponyboy." Darry said, standing up from the table, and headed out the door to go to work.

I finished my breakfast, and started on the dishes. Once I got those done, I looked at the clock. It was 9:30. I still had plenty of time before lunch. I figured I'd have to go down and warn Soda that Darry was coming down, so he could avoid being caught in any compromising situations that I'm sure Darry wouldn't appreciate.

I watched TV for a while, and I guess I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, the clock on the wall said 10:45.

I called up T.B, because I knew, or at least, I hoped, he'd be up for going down with me.

He didn't answer right away, and I was about to hang up, when I heard a drowsy voice on the other end. I figured I must have woken him up. Oh well, he sleeps too much anyway.

Whatcha want?" I heard him say. I wondered if he always answered the phone like that. That might turn some people off.

I smiled. "Wondered if you wanted to go down to visit Soda with me? Sounds like you got nothing better to do."

I heard Two Bit groan. "Shoot kid. We was just there yesterday. What purpose could that possibly serve?" He asked.

"Because I gotta talk to him." I pleaded with him.

"You planning on scaring him again?" He said, and I heard him laughing.

"No, I just gotta talk to him." I said, getting slightly annoyed.

"Come on Pony, there's a Mickey marathon on today. You ain't gonna drag me away from it, is ya?" He said.

"T.B, there's Mickey marathon's on every Sunday. You miss it today, you can catch it next week. Come on, It's not like you couldn't use the exercise. Come on buddy. You know you want to." I said, sounding pretty pathetic.

"I'll come if you tell me what's so important that you absolutely have to tell him." Two Bit said.

There was hope. What harm could telling him do? He can't remember anything past breakfast.

"I gotta tell him that Darry's coming down to see him at noon. He doesn't want Darry to know about Alyssa, so I gotta warn him. There, are you happy? That's what's so darn important." I said.

I could hear T.B let out another sigh on the other end of the line. I wondered if he thought it was worth his time.

"T.B?" I asked, after not hearing anything.

"I don't know Pony." He said.

"Please, T.B! Please, please!" I begged. I think I sounded like I was turning into a girl, because my voice was growing higher pitched at every word.

I listened for Two Bit's response, and I figured he was seriously thinking about it, if that's even possible for him.

"Well?" I asked. Now I was getting impatient.

"Fine kid, fine. How much time do I have?" He said.

"We got about 35 minutes. Be ready, I'll come pick you up. I'll be there in five." I said.

"Whatever Pony." He said, and hung up the phone.

I really didn't figure he'd be ready in five minutes, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and gave him about ten. I used some of this time to clean up anything in the house that was messed up. I thought that if Darry did catch Soda and Alyssa, and he did get upset, he could at least come home to a clean house.

When I left, I walked slowly, taking in the warm summer air as I walked. I got to Two Bit's house, and knocked on the door. I had been a little more than ten minutes, so I figured that he should at least be half ready by now.

Of course, when he opened the door, I couldn't have been more wrong. He was wearing the same shirt he had worn yesterday, and his hair was all messed up, although it was greased. I sighed.

"T.B, didn't you get ready at all?" I said, trying to convey to him my deepest disgust that he had taken so long.

"This is all I need, Ponyboy." He said, stepping out of the house.

I sighed again. "Alright, alright." I said. "Lets go then."

We walked through town and stopped at a corner store so we could pick up some smokes. Darry don't approve of me smoking so much, but he doesn't have to know. I bed he wishes I was like Soda, who only smokes when he wants to look tough, or when something's really bothering him.

When we stepped back outside, we saw Tim Shepard and his outfit standing next to their cars. Tim was leaning on his with a grim expression on his face.

"Hey Pony, T.B!" He called, and waved us over with his arm.

We went over to the car, and Two Bit stuck out his hand.

"How's it going Shepard?" He asked.

"Not bad, not great. You guys hear about Curly?" He asked.

"No." We both answered. I had no idea what was coming. I figured he probably landed himself in jail again. He was almost as bad as Dally when it came to jail. He was one of my good friends, though, so I was curious as to what he was up to.

"He's dead." Were the only words that came out of Tim's mouth.

It took both of us a little time to process the reality of what he had just said. When it finally sunk in, I could feel tears forming in my eyes, and tried desperately to hold them back. Two Bit sensed this, and put his hand on my shoulder to steady me.

I croaked out the only word I could. "How?" I asked.

Tim gave me a really grim look. "He got in a fight with some Soc. He was picking on him, and just fooling around. Didn't know that the Soc was drunk, started beating the crap out of him. Went a little too far. Curly fell backwards and hit his head on a rock. The Soc was too drunk to realize what had happened, so he just left him there. Once the police arrived and got him to the hospital, it was too late. He sustained brain damage and they couldn't save him. Once the Soc came around, and heard what had happened, he apologized for it. Said it was an accident. Got sent to jail for a while. But, it would've been longer if he hadn't confessed."

I could see that Two Bit was getting a bit mad. He never did like Soc's very much, and this made it a lot worse.

"You mean the fuzz believed that it was an accident!" Two Bit screamed. "That wasn't no accident, it couldn't have been! That loser pushed him against a rock, that ain't no accident!" He said.

Tim put his hand up to calm T.B down.

"I know, that's what I thought too, but some other people testified as well, and they're people I know and trust. They said, they thought it was an accident. The Soc may have pushed him, but Curly was antagonizing him. I went to see the Soc in jail. Surprised they let me in. What really got me, is that the guy apologized to me." Tim said

"I…I'm really sorry." I said, which was really the only thing I could think of at the moment to say that was supportive and wouldn't cause me to break down right there and then.

Tim did something unexpected then. He leaned over and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Me too kid, me too." He said.

At that moment, I happened to glance down at my watch. Holy crap! It was 11:55! I ad five minutes to get down to the DX and warn Soda to stop with the mouth to mouth before Darry showed up!

"Oh man, T.B, we gotta go! We got five minutes to get down there before Darry! Sorry Tim! See you later!"

I grabbed Two Bit by the arm, and ran as fast as I could with him, even though he complained every step of the way.

We ran for what seemed like a mile, but it was really only a few blocks. Every time I heard a vehicle, I always thought it was Darry's pickup coming behind us, but it never was.

I think we reached the DX in record time, but when I looked at my watch again, it said 11:58. I had two minutes.

I saw Steve in his same spot.

"Soda?" I called at him, running past.

He pointed to the interior of the station.

"Same place no doubt." He said, going back to work.

Two Bit laughed, but I didn't have time to. I left Two Bit with Steve and ran inside, and back to the storeroom. Every minute thinking that Darry could be right behind me.

I ran to the door, and as soon as I reached it, I realized that I should've told Steve not to tell Darry where we were, but I didn't have time to think about it now. It was 11:59, and for all I knew Darry was right behind me at that very moment.

I pushed the heavy door open again, and as soon as I stepped inside, I saw Soda and Alyssa in the exact same position that they had been in yesterday.

I was about ready to yell for them to stop, but before I could get it out, an all too familiar voice did it for me.

"Would someone please like to explain what in the world is going on here?"

Soda jumped again, and him and Alyssa turned around to look.

I saw Soda's face go completely white, and when I turned around, I knew why.

Standing right behind me, red faced, was Darry.

I'm going to start updating this story more. Just so you all know, this story goes hand in hand with my other one, "Inside the Outsiders". Go read that one too, and you'll understand the whole Soda/Alyssa situation. Please R&R!

Jess