Pony's POV
I allowed Darry to hold me. I allowed someone to touch me, but it couldn't last. They can't be close to me. They'll only get hurt, too.
It was my fault, all my fault. How could I let this happen? I should have taken the bullet for Dallas. But he took one for me. I didn't deserve someone like that. Why did I get something I didn't deserve?
Soda kept looking over at me. I knew he was worried about me. I wish he'd stop. No one needed to worry about me. No one. I should be alone. But I'm not, and that's what the problem is.
They don't deserve to suffer through this. I should suffer alone. It's not their fault. I did it. I'm the one to blame. Dallas just got shot for me. I should be the one back there, bleeding and wounded. But I'm not.
I'll have to distance myself from them. They can't get close to me. I can't get close to them. This'll be the last time I'll let someone hold me, hug me, comfort me. I need to do this by myself, because if I don't, someone else will get hurt.
Darry's POV
I held Pony's trembling body. He was scared, just like before. How do I keep letting this happen to him? He doesn't deserve this!
"Pony . . . you okay?" I said after he stopped shaking. It seemed like he was making himself stop, not stopping because he was better.
"I'm fine." He said. I was surprised he said that much. He'd grown so quiet lately.
"I can't take this. Where is he?" Two-Bit grumbled.
"The doctor said he's fine. Stop worrying." I said.
"Yeah, well, it'd still help if we could go see him."
"Did anyone call Steve?" I asked, looked to Soda.
"I called. He said he'd take care of the DX and close early. I should be helping him right now, but I figured I'd better stay with Pony."
I knew he worried about Pony, and with good reason. The fact that Pony could have been shot, killed even, today scared me to death. I squeezed Pony tighter for a second as I reassured myself he was really there.
Pony pushed himself away from me and got into his own chair. He scooted toward the middle, where he wasn't touching me or Soda. Had we done something wrong?
"Pony, what's going on?" Soda asked, noticing it too.
"Nothing." He said.
Soda looked up at me and I shrugged. I didn't know either.
Dallas' POV
Damn, my side hurt. Those stinkin' pain killers weren't doing a thing.
"Hey, you. When can I see my friends?" I asked one of the nurses.
"No manners in you are there? The doctor said you can see them in a minute. He has to go talk to them first."
"Make him hurry up!" I yelled as she walked away.
That doctor had better hurry it up. I need out of this place. I hate these damn hospitals.
I groaned as another pain shot through my side. I wondered what happened to that Soc?
"Nurse!" I called when one passed by.
"May I help you?" She said.
"Can you tell me what happened to the other guy? The other one who got shot?"
A pained expression flashed across her face.
"I'm sorry. He died." She said and walked away.
Died? I'm a murderer! I've always bragged about the gangs in New York and everything, but I never killed no body before. Jeesh! What about the cops? I'll be in prison for life!
"Calm yourself, Winston." I said to myself. But I was flipping out!
"Hey, Dally!" Two-Bit yelled as he ran into my room.
I laughed, already forgetting about my fears.
"Hey, man. How you doing?" I said.
"I'm doin' all right, man. Jeez, you scared us half to death. Thought you got killed or somethin'!"
"Ha. That's a laugh. The great Dallas Winston dying before he turns twenty? No way."
Johnny walked in behind Two-Bit, smiling meekly. Johnny has always been my favorite of the gang. He's like a little lost puppy, and I've kind of taken him under my wing. Where did that come from?
"Hey, Johnnycake." I said.
"Hey, Dal." He replied, still quiet as ever.
Darry and Soda walked in next. For once, Darry smiled and Soda wore that same reckless grin.
"What's up, man? How you feeling?" Soda said, jumping on my bed.
"I've been better, that's for sure."
"I can imagine." Darry said with a chuckle.
I looked around. We were missing two, but I was only thinking of one in particular.
"Where's Pony?" I asked.
Soda and Darry looked around. Soda spotted him first.
"He's in the hallway. Pony!" Soda called.
Ponyboy stuck his head in the doorway, looking very much like the scared kid he'd turned into. I felt bad for him. He'd been through too much since his parents died. And that was the worst of it.
"How are you, Pony?" I said.
He shrugged his left shoulder up.
"That good, huh?" I said, laughing.
Ponyboy smiled timidly.
Darry was watching him with a worried look. He reached out to touch him, and Pony backed away.
"What's wrong?" Darry asked, confused at his resilience.
"Nothing." He said and ran out the door.
"That was weird." I said.
Darry made eye-contact with me and I knew he wanted to talk about something.
"Hey, guys. Can you leave me and Darry alone for a minute?"
"Sure, Dal." Soda said, running out the door. He was probably going to check on Pony.
"See you, man. Get better, all right?" Two-Bit said as he went through the door.
"Bye." Johnny said.
When they were all out, Darry turned to me, sitting down in the chair next to my bed.
"The Soc died." I said.
Darry looked surprised.
"He did?"
"Yeah."
"That's great. This'll make life even worse than before." Darry said, angry.
"I know."
"I wanted to talk to you about a rumble. I know you; you won't want us to fight without you there. So, when do you think you'll be able to fight again? We want you at your best, but we need a rumble, and soon. We can't keep letting these Socs walk all over us. And you know they'll be mad about the Soc getting killed. I know enough about the legal system to know you won't go to jail. The Soc shot first, didn't he?"
"Yes."
"See? But, again, we'll need to be fast before any of the police get into this. When is the soonest you can be ready? I need to know so I can talk to Tim and the Brumly boys."
"Give me until Friday, okay?" That was only three days away.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. We'll have the rumble that night."
"Okay. Get feeling better, Dallas. You hear?" He got that stern tone of voice.
"You ain't my big brother, Darry."
"I know." He said.
"Take care of the kid, will you? I'm worried about him."
"Me, too." Darry said, waving as he walked out of the room.
A rumble, huh? I wonder if this'll solve our problems.
Soda's POV
"Pony?" I called, wondering where he was. I found him outside the waiting room by the bathrooms.
"Pony, what's the matter?" I said, sitting down next to him.
"No." He said.
"No what?" I asked, confused.
"I'm not telling you, okay!" He barked.
I looked at him and saw his eyes were red. He'd been crying again. He seemed to be doing a lot of that these days.
"Tell me." I insisted.
He was quiet for a minute.
"It's my fault."
"What are you talking about? It's not your fault. It's the stupid Socs fault. You didn't do anything. You didn't…"
"I shot Bob!" He yelled.
