I didn't even get to Soda's door before I turned around and walked back into my room. I sat down on the bed and wondered if I really wanted to do this. Pain for punishment just sounded wrong. I was going to be responsible for taking away Soda's smile and if cried. I hate it when he cries. And Pony; Pony was completely different scenario. He was convinced for a while there that I hated him but I love him to death and back. I had also hit him before when I was angry. What if he ran away again? What if he hated me? I was at lost with what to do. I remembered the cop telling me to make sure they are never back on the bench again and pushed my second thoughts out of the way. I picked the belt up and walked into Soda's room.

"Sodapop, we have to talk." I kept my voice firm.

"I know." I watched his eyes grown wide as he focused on the belt in my hand and then looked up at me.

"Now, you listen to me Sodapop. We made an agreement that you would stay out of trouble. Lately you haven't been doing that and tonight do you realize you could have gone to jail for vandalism?

He nodded. "Darry I know it was wrong."

"Well that's good but you also lied to me tonight. You told me you were in bed. You weren't. You snuck out Sodapop. You lost my trust."

Soda looked like he was about to cry. He starred down at his feet. I reached over and lifted his head up and looked at him.

"You are Pony's greatest influence. Is this the example you want to set for him?"

"No." Soda answered in small voice.

"You can't keep acting like this. You will not turn into some hood. You are going to start listening to me. My rules aren't to be mean. They are meant for your safety and so you won't get hauled away. When I say stay away from Bucks, the Shepereard and stay out of trouble I mean it! If you don't like my rules then when you turn eighteen you can get out but I wouldn't suggest that. I won't let you end up in jail at any age. Do I make myself clear?" I asked letting go of his face.

Soda nodded. "You aren't really going to take the strap to me are you?"

"Yeah little buddy I am. I can't let this go on any longer." I said getting up and placing my foot on the railing of the bed. "Let's just make this easy."

"Darry; I'm seventeen. That's a little to old for a spanking don't you think?"

"Sodapop Patrick right now I really don't care if you seventeen, twenty seven or seven. You need to come over here because if you keep on fighting me it's going to get worse on your part not mine. So what's it going to be easy or worse? You're choice." I wasn't yelling but there was a lot of authority in my voice. He was a smart kid. He slowly got up and came toward me. When he was in my reached I grabbed him flipping him over my knee and keeping him there. By the time I reached five swats he started crying hard but I just kept going until I got to seventeen. I realsed him he was bawling now. I didn't even have time to put my foot on the ground before I felt him shaking from crying against me. I steadied myself and wrapped my arms around him. He was talking but it was muffled in my neck.

"What was that little buddy?" My voice was a lot softer now there was no need for a firm one.

"I want the trust back? His words were still muffled but I managed to get it. I pulled him tighter and rubbed his back.

"You want it? You have to earn it." I told him and I meant it.

"I will." He cried. "You can't hit Pony like that."

"I don't have plans on hitting him. I have plans on spanking him."

Soda sniffed and wiped his eyes. "You know what I mean. With the belt use your hand or something else not a belt. Please Darry!"

"We'll see."

He cried in my shoulder a few more minutes I didn't mind I just hugged him until he stopped.

"Alright. I want you to think about this okay?"

"Yeah, I will." He responded climbing into bed.

I was about to hit the light off when he called out. "Darry" I turned around.

"Yeah little buddy?"

"I don't have your trust but I still have you love right?"

I could have died right there. "Soda don't you ever question my love for you buddy." I sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I know it's just sometimes when you lose trust you lose love too or it changes." He was referring to Sandy. I knew he still loved her but he was right it had changed.

"Trust is a privledge you have to earn it. Love isn't you'll have that rather you want it or not." I told him.

Soda grinned.

"Get some sleep, you have work in a few hours."

I turned the lights out and walked down the hallway. I felt my stomach clench. This one wasn't going to be easy. I opened the door and found Pony by his open window smoking.

I stood before him and looked at him.

"I'm really sorry Darry."

"I know but that doesn't make much of a difference right now. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Soda. "You lied to me and you lost my trust. On top of that you've disobeyed me. I refuse to let the state have a reason to come in here and take you guys away. I make my rules not to be mean, but to keep you safe. If you don't like them at eighteen you can leave but it's a while before you are eighteen and even then I won't let you get thrown in jail. Now you need to stop acting like this. You're going to finish school and your going to start acting like my brother. The one I know not a hood. Do you understand that?"

"I understand." He replied.

"Alright then. Come here." I looked at him his green eyes met mine for a moment then quickly dropped to the floor as he walked over to me with no protest. I flipped him over and raised the belt stopping when I smacked him fourteen times. He wasn't crying not out loud at least. I let him straighten himself up and I put my foot down. I reached over to hug him but he pulled away.

"Pony." I began. He didn't answer just went to his bed and curled up.

"Hey baby." I sat beside and touched his shoulder but he shrugged me off.

"You can leave now. I get your message." His voice was starting to quiver.

"Alight just think about it okay?"

I closed the door and listened for a while. He started crying and I slowly began to wonder what message he got. I wanted to talk to him but there was no point not when he didn't want to talk to me. So I went into the kitchen to make coffee there was just no point in going to sleep for a few hours and waking up. It was a good thing Soda went in at nine today. He needed to sleep more than I did. I sat on the porch thinking about how the rest of the day was going to go then got ready for work.