Hey Guys, here is Chapter 8. Hope you like it. I had fun with the fight scene, even though it was only a small one. Please tell me what you think.
Wrapping his arms tight around his body, Ponyboy started to rock. He was still sitting there when Darry came to the door. He's seen his little brother like this before. The way his shoulders sagged, the rapid, monotonous rocking of his body. He did this when he was hurt, upset or scared. All Darry needed to know was that Pony was hurting and he was through the door like a bullet.
"Pony?"
He sprang to his feet. Darry saw alarm on his face and even as he reached for the boy, he scooted out of his reach.
"Darry, I didn't hear you come in. I was-I should" his mind searched for excuses. Ponyboy was pale with worry, as he stared at his oldest sibling, then he moved.
"I'll start cleaning my room right now." He rushed around the room, and his movements were jerky, almost forced.
"Leave it." Darry struggled to keep his voice calm and even. He turned Pony to face him. The little boy was shaking hard, trying to pull away.
"Not this time, Little One, not this time." Darry murmured. The instant he drew Pony into his arms, the dam broke and he wept against his shoulder while Darry rubbed his back.
"Tell me what's wrong so I can help."
Outside Soda was talking to Steve.
"Steve, this is getting out of hand. Pony is really scared of you. You know I can't let this go on."
"Look Soda, why does he always have to be around? Why can't the kid make friends of his own?"
"We're all supposed to be friends here."
"I'm tired of Ponyboy." Steve said.
"That's too bad. Sometimes you can be a real ass." Soda said. "Leave him alone or else."
"Or else what?"
"You'll have to deal with me."
"If you think you can take me, let's do it." Steve told him.
"Fine, let's do it." Soda jumped up.
"Come on guys, don't do this." Two-Bit said.
"Dally, stop them." Johnny pleaded.
"No, they need to get this out of their system." Dally told them.
Steve lunged at Soda, but he turned and swung upwards with a fist to send Steve flying back. Blood spilled from each of them. The air was thick with the sound of skin against skin. Sodapop was mad, and his fists were fast, hard, and accurate. Two-Bit knew Soda didn't feel any of the blows he took. He was to busy concentrating on beating his best friend. Finally Dally stepped in.
"That's enough." He tried to pull Soda away and almost took a hit to the face for his trouble.
"Enough! Stop it!" But it took Dally, Johnny, and Two-Bit to drag them apart. Both boy's knuckles were bruised and bleeding.
Steve slowly went into the cabin, gathered some stuff up and walked away. Two-Bit ran to talk to him, but soon came back.
"He said he's be back in a day or so. He needed to be alone."
"Come on Buddy, let's get you cleaned up." Johnny told Soda after watching Steve leave.
After a while Pony started talking. It wasn't the whole story, but Darry got the gist of it when he stammered the words out. Bitter fury curled inside him as he soothed Pony.
"Darry, Steve is right. I could get a job to help out more than I do."
"Ponyboy, I'm really proud of you."
Those were the last words he expected to hear.
"Why?" He asked.
"For offering to help more, but the answer is still no. Look baby, your job is going to school and being a kid. My job is to take care of you and Sodapop, worry about everything else and love you. Pony, you're going to be somebody important and we all know it. You've still got time to enjoy your childhood. Don't grow up to fast, I'm not ready to let you go yet."
"Okay." Pony hugged him.
"Pony, about Steve."
"Yeah?"
"I don't think he's trying to hurt you. He's just jealous of you and Sodapop."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. You've always had Mom, Dad, Soda, and me to help you, love you, talk to, whatever you needed. On the other hand, Steve has only had Soda and he's scared he'll lose him and be alone. I know he acts tough, but somewhere deep inside he's like all of us, afraid to end up alone and unloved."
"I don't want that Darry, maybe we can help Steve see that he has all of us and not just Sodapop." Pony said.
"Maybe. Pony, I can't let Steve keep coming around if he tries to hurt you." Darry told him.
"I'll be all right. Soda can't lose Steve. It would kill him."
"Everyone will be all right. I'll make sure of it." He replied.
"Darry, Darry!" Soda screamed from the other room.
"Come on, let's go see what he wants."
The two went into the living room.
"What Soda?" He said.
"What happened to your face?" Pony asked.
"Got into a fight. Stevie took off."
"Let's go find him." Darry said. "Let's split up. Dally, you go with Johnny and Pony. Two-Bit, and Soda come with me."
"No Darry, I need to talk to him alone, so I'll go by my self." Soda informed his big brother.
"We'll meet back here in 30 minutes. If we don't find him, we have two choices, call the park ranger or wait to see if he comes back tomorrow."
They got ready to go.
"Soda, I don't like you going off alone, but I guess if you have to be careful." Darry told him as the groups left. However, there was no sign of Steve.
"He'll be back tomorrow. Soda, it's getting dark, we can't keep searching for him." Darry said when they returned and Soda suggested they go back out.
"It's starting to rain really hard." Two-Bit told them.
The six greasers spent the rest of the evening in the cabin. Soda was quiet and restless, but when Pony went to bed, he did to.
"Soda, I'm sorry you and Steve fought. He'll be okay, won't he?" Pony asked.
"He'll be fine. It's not your fault we fought, and we'll find him tomorrow."
After Pony went to sleep, Soda got up to sit in the living room and stare at the rain pouring down.
"Sodapop, Steve is a big boy. He can take care of himself." Darry told the teen.
"It's raining. He'll be cold and wet. He'll get sick."
"Steve took the small tent, I doubt he's wet and if he's cold, it's his fault. I'm going to bed. You should to."
"I will in a little while."
"Night."
"Night Dare."
Two hours later, Pony woke with a jerk. The darkness was all around him. He got up and went looking for Soda and Darry. He found Soda and Two-Bit talking in the kitchen so he went to Darry's room. There was enough moonlight for him to see his brother was asleep. He tiptoed over to the bed and laid down. Curling up, he tried to sleep. All at once arms pulled him close until he was held tight.
"Get some rest Pony. I love you."
"I love you to."
They both went back to sleep.
It was 10:00 A.M. and the gang was sitting in the cabin. It was still raining and Soda had been arguing with Darry for the past hour to go look for Steve.
"Darry, Steve could be hurt. I have to find him."
"No! Soda, he'll come back. You are not going out in this looking for him."
Sodapop jumped up.
"Yes I am." He got his jacket and ran out the door.
"Let him go Darry. He needs to do this." Pony told him.
It stopped raining and Soda had a very good idea where Steve would be, so that's where he headed. It took almost two hours, but once at the top of the steep hill, he could see the small tent that Steve was using.
"What are you doing here?" Steve asked.
"Looking for you. Can we talk?"
"Sure. Pull up a log." He invited.
"You know you're the best friend I've ever had, don't you?"
"Yeah, but what are you getting at, Soda?"
"I don't want to lose my best friend. Remember from the cradle to the grave? That's what we promised."
"I remember. You won't lose me."
"Steve, don't make me choose between you or my little brother."
"I'm not trying to do that."
"That's what it feels like sometimes. No matter how much it will hurt me, if I have to choose, it will be Ponyboy."
"All right Sodapop, I get the message."
"I really hope so because if it keeps up, you won't be welcome at the house anymore."
"It's over now." Steve told his buddy quietly.
"Good I'm glad. Are you ready to go back?"
"I guess." He stood up.
"Let's take your tent down and go."
