Must update-no talkie.
Thanks for the reviews; leave more please!
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"No attorneys to plead my case
No opiates to send me into outer space"
---Pink
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Sodapop's POV
"DX."
"Hey Soda," began a stressed Two-Bit. "I think you better get home. Now."
"Why? What happened?"
"Someone called the house 10 minutes ago. I think it's about Ponyboy. But they wouldn't tell me anything. I tried to get information out of them but they wanted to speak with his brothers." Two-Bit babbled disjointedly. "I already called Darry but he was out to lunch."
"Are they going to call back?" I asked already grabbing Steve's keys and my jacket.
"Yeah, I told them to call back in a half hour. So get your ass home." Two-bit hung up with a bang.
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"They call yet?" I asked barging into the house.
"No!" Two-Bit complained. He was perched on the edge of Darry's recliner. The TV was on mute. Mickey danced on the screen. "Christ, I've been driving myself crazy."
"What're you doing here anyways?"
"I was hungry," he mumbled, embarrassed.
"Doesn't your mother feed you?" I wondered. Then I remembered the reason I was home. My jaw was taught as I looked warily at Two-Bit. "Did it sound serious?"
The floor suddenly became more interesting; Two-Bit didn't meet my gaze. "Yeah. It did."
The phone went off and I swiped it up before it had finished the first ring. "Hello?"
A strange voice, far away and hesitant said, "Can I please speak to Darrel Curtis?"
"This is him," I lied.
"Hi, uh Darrel, this is Bryan Crocker, I'm a uh, friend of your brother's Sodapop's…"
Sick of formal introductions I uncharacteristically snapped, "What happened?"
"Things all went to shit," Bryan hollowly spoke into the phone. "He escaped from the gooks, we found him and he was fine…just a coupla broken ribs…"
This wasn't making me feel any better and I unsteadily sat down. Then, Bryan said bluntly. "Your brother was shot in the stomach last night."
The blood rushed from my face, dark spots in my vision. Two-Bit seemed to know what had happened…or at least the gist of it. He slouched in Darry's recliner, a hand over his eyes. Not wanting to know, but needing to know I asked weakly, "Is he going to die?"
The recliner squeaked and Two-Bit had left the house, the porch door banging shut behind him.
"The doc says he doesn't know. We have to wait and see. But it doesn't look good."
"Thanks a lot," I frowned, rubbing my temples. I bit my lip, trying to keep from losing it.
Bryan seemed to realize how insensitive he sounded because he hurriedly replied, "I just-I just don't want to give you false hope. Your brother-Soda- is really great. I really hope he pulls through this ok…"
His name is Ponyboy! I wanted to scream juvenilely at Bryan. You don't know anything about him so don't pretend like you do!
"He was asking for someone named Dally-"
"Dally?" I said jerking my head up. "Dally's dead." A long pause, Bryan cleared his throat. "Well. He was," he said indignantly.
I was angry and dying inside and I needed to get off this phone now. "You call me if anything happens. You got that?" I spoke furiously, willing the words to find Ponyboy and make him ok again. "Anything!"
"Don't worry. I'll let you know. I'm really sorry Darrel," he apologized softly. I nearly laughed. I was Darry; Pony was me; so I guess that made Darry Ponyboy. Maybe Two-Bit could be Steve and vice versa. Who the hell would notice?
I heard someone speaking to Bryan in the background. "I have to go. Take care." Bryan said hanging up.
I stared at the dead receiver in my hand. That was it. "God damn it!" I screamed, pounding the phone against the table. "Son of a bitch!" I whipped the phone cord from the wall and jerked it across the room. I wiped at my eyes hastily and tried to calm myself down.
Two-Bit came in from the porch, his eyes were wide, tinged pink. Silently we both looked at the mess I had made with the phone. Then, with an ashen face he told me, "Pony's a strong kid. He'll make it through." He half-coughed, half-laughed. "Shit. Look at me. He's who-knows-how-many-miles-away and I can't stop babysitting him."
Pony's strong, I thought. But I'm sure as hell not. How am I going to tell Darry?
Two-bit approached me apprehensively. "Are you alright Soda?" He grabbed my shoulder, shaking me. Turning toward him, I choked on a sob; I was embarrassed, but not enough to stop it from coming out. "Do you want me to tell Darry?" he asked me earnestly.
I shook my head. Desperately, I stared at him. "It should have been me over there."
Two-bit grimaced, swallowing thickly. "Don't even say that. That's not fair to any of us. Especially Pony." I smiled sadly, knowing then that Two-Bit loved Pony just as much as Darry and I did.
In a daze, I strolled over to the phone, punching Darry's work number. I held it up to Two-Bit, uncaringly. "I broke it."
He smiled, shrugging. "Then, we'll wait."
And that's what we did. Two-Bit and I sat on the couch and waited until Steve came bitching at me for taking his car keys, and Darry came home grumbling from a long day's work.
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Just to let you know…I am pondering doing a third chapter…dealing with PB home from the war. Basically leaving off right where this story will (only a few more chappies to go).
So…should I do it?
Also-sorry for any typos…random errors…it's late.
Kisses!
