Alright, alright, hold the rotten fruit! I'm not going to say sorry, cuz that's not good enough.This is just a warning, the chapters may take longer than this to udate because of school, for that, I'm sorry. This chapter is dedicated to WonderGirl Marie! And for cherrybombxox, I had to check and make sure, but it turns out that Two-Bit(like 22)is older than Darry(20), thanks for looking out for me though! And thank you for all of your reviews!

I do not own The Outsiders, nor do I own Mr. Wikstead, he's my english teacher, though I don't know how to spell his name...I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do this, so if anyone finds it offencive, I'll change the name.

This chapter contains violence and some coarse language. Viewer disgretion (sp?) is advised. Heh, only alittle.

Enjoy!

"Come on, Pony," Soda's voice lulled over in the boy's dreams. "If you don't get up, we can't get supper."

Soda nudged his brother again.

"Five more minutes, Soda," Ponyboy mumbled, rolling over. "Please?"

Sodapop sighed and seemed like he was getting impatient, knowing his brother would not want to see him get mad. He was really hungry! "No, Pony. Up!" He yanked the blanket off of his brother, who imediately compacted into a ball.

"No fair!" Pony complained. He dragged himself out of the bed and looked at Soda while rubbing his eye.

"Let's go," Soda said, ruffling Pony's already messy hair. He tucked Darry's letter in his pocket and headed for the door. He stopped when he did not hear Pony's footsteps. "Aren't you comin'?"

Pony was looking down at his feet. "Do you think he'll get us back?" he asked sadly, like he knew the answer already.

Soda walked over to his brother. "Shoot, he'll do whatever he can. You know that. He loves us and wants us back."

"I really don't like it here, Soda. I want to go home with Darry, sleep on our own bed at night, I'm tired and I-I just want to go home." Pony was well aware of how sissy that sounded, but at the moment Hathaway could have been standing there and he would have admitted it. He attempted to hold back tears, but failed miserably.

"Baby," Soda hushed, embracing his brother, "we'll get out of here and things will be fine."

Pony opened his mouth to say something but a knock on the door stopped him.

"Yeah?" he called out.

"Ponyboy?" an older voice said through the door. "The headmaster would like to speak to you."

Pony looked up at Soda, who shrugged. Ponyboy walked over to the door and opened it. "Mr. Wikstead, hi. I'll be right there."

The "well-rounded" teacher looked around the room. "Who is that?"

"I'm Sodapop," the Curtis boy introduced himself. "I'm Ponyboy's brother."

Mr. Wikstead frowned at this bit of information. "I don't care who you are, if you were not assigned this room, you are not allowed in here."

"He's my brother! He hasn't been sleeping well and we hardly get to see each other-"

"I refuse to hear it! This is against school rules and I will not tolerate it. You are also coming to see the headmaster." He beckoned for both boys out of the room.

The two followed in silent protest, both desprately wishing for the man to drop dead.

"What made you think you could just waltz into another dorm?" Wikstead asked Soda accusingly.

"Please, erm, sir," Soda attempted, though he shuddered at having manners for the ignorant man. "Our brother is going to talk to the board about me being in Ponyboy's room."

"Here we are," Wikstead announced. "In," he ordered.

The Curtis' were pushed in and the door clicked shut. The room they were now standing in was bright and filled with books.

"Mr. Martin?" Wikstead asked eagerly. "There are two boys here. One that you asked to see and the other one broke some rules."

The big brown chair sitting behind a mahogany desk turned around to reveal a man with gray hair. His narrow face was strict and his eyes were cold. "Names," the man stated more than asked.

"Sodapop and Ponyboy Curtis," the middle Curtis answered. "We're new," he added quickly.

Mr. Martin's expression never changed. "If you are new, then the rules are still fresh in your head. What is the problem, Les?"

"The older boy, sir, he was in another dorm room with the younger. That's not allowed, it had just begun two years ago," Wikstead added, he was obviously trying hard to contain himself. He must have some kind of facination with punishing students.

"I know the rules, Les. Do not ramble on after you have finished my question," Mr. Martin growled.

"Sorry, sir," Wikstead mumbled and looked down. "What shall his punishment be?"

Soda and Pony swallowed. This man did not seem like the type to shrug things off.

Mr. Martin leaned back in his chair, he debated for several minutes. "The older boy will be on dish duty for an entire week." He looked at Soda. "You start tomorrow, boy."

Wikstead gaped. "That's it? Sir, out of respect, you've given worse punishments for lesser things. -"

"Silence," Mr. Martin warned, earning what he had asked for. "My desicion is final. I would like to talk to this boy now." He indicated to Pony.

Wikstead nodded his head and took Soda by the arm, leading him out the door.

"Sit down," Mr. Martin ordered. Ponyboy obliged instantly. "I've seen you're work, son, and you've gotten mostly A's at your old school, but my concern now that you're here is your grades have gone down. Do you think that just because you're here you can slack?" His voice was raised slightly, but his face appeared calm.

Outside the door

"He should have given you more than dishes," Wikstead ranted on.

Soda rolled his eyes. "He didn't, so get over it."

The teacher stopped dead in his tracks. "Why you ungrateful little piece of shit!" he whispered fiercely. "You'll be lucky to ever get past here. It's a wonder your parents kept you for so long, maybe they were just stupid. It must run in the family. Great!" he said sarcastically. "A family of morons!"

Sodapop clenched his fists. If he said anything to retaliate, he would get into more dish time...

"You're about as worthless as they come. I'm going to make sure that while you stay here, you and your pathetic brother-"

Soda went to leave until he heard the last comment, every thought of getting in trouble exited his body. The Curtis boy's arm swung and his fist connected to the older man's jaw. Wikstead stood laid there stunned, his left hand was now cradling the wounded spot.

"You little fuck,"he cursed.

Before anymore blows could be established, Mr. Martin and a slightly pale Ponyboy came out of the office.

"What in GOD's nmae is going on?" Mr. Martin demanded.

Wikstead stood up quickly and started to explain. "Sir, this boy began throwing vile words at me, I tried to coax with him, but then he hit me. You cannot let him get away with this, sir!"

Sodapop opened his mouth to object but Mr. Martin beat him. "Les, I will deal with him as I do with every student. Must I keep reminding you that I'm the one in charge?" He looked at Soda. "Now, boy, explain yourself."

"Sir," soda averted his eyes. "We just stepped outside the dorr, Mr. Wikstead, erm, called my family idiots and threatened me, so I punched him. I know it wasn't a good thing, but I didn't think."

"You are correct, it was not intelligent," Mr. Martin thought out loud. A grin spead over Wikstead's face, who was behind the headmaster, and he was in complete bliss. "However, since Mr. Wikstead claimed to have threaten you, your punishment will be a month's dishes and the next visit you get from your guardian, you will miss."

"WHAT!" both Curtis boys yelled. they gaped at the headmaster, who stood there.

"My desicion is final,' Mr. Martin declared, then walked off.

"That will teach you," Wikstead said, glaring at the pair.

Soda made a small charge at him, but the fat man ran the other way.

"What I wouldn't like to do to him..." Soda growled as he and Pony headed for supper.

"What are uou gunna do when Darry comes to see us?"

Sodapop sighed. "Dishes," he said, trying to be funny, it did not work.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Soda and Pony reached the line up to steaming plates of Sloppy Joes. When they had recieved their's, both Curtis's went to an empty table. As if on cue, Harris walked over.

"Hey, guys," he greeted with a wave. "Someone wants to talk to yahs on the phone." He struggled for a second. "Someone named...Three-Bit?" he guessed.

"Two-Bit," Pony corrected. "We're coming." He and Soda stood up and headed toward the phone.

"Wonder what he wants," the older of the two thought out loud.

Ponyboy shrugged.

"Hey, Two-Bit," the younger Curtis answered the phone.

"Hey, Greaser," Two-Bit greeted happily. "What's the news all the way down there?"

Ponyboy smirked alittle at the greeting. "Nothin'. So, why're you calling us?"

Two-Bit sounded to be offended, but Pony knew better. "Why shouldn't I call? Unless you've got a better group of friends, is that it? You're DITCHING ME?" By now, Two-Bit was just about yelling.

"Two-Bit, try to be serious," Pony said, shaking his head and trying not to laugh. "What's us?"

"Well, Darry just got a call. I'm guessing you already know this, but Soda punched a teacher. Way to keep up the greaser name, Soda!" Two-Bit yelled, earning a grin from Soda. "So anyways, this guy called and said that Darry isn't allowed to see Soda until his next little visit."

Pony thought for a minute. "Then why didn't Darry call?"

Pony could hear Two-Bit's grin. "He's a bit busy breakin' stuff at the moment. Anger Management classes ain't going to well right about now, heh. I think he's going to murder Soda."

"Oh," Pony answered.

"Alright, I'll cut to the chase now, before your idiotic brother hurts himself or me, he'll be there around 3:00 this Sunday. I got to go, talk to you later, Pony."

Pony hung up the phone. He turned around and looked at Soda. "It's a good thing, you ain't seein' Darry this Sunday..."

Soda smiled dryly. "I know it's early and all, and we just kinda woke up, but I'm really tired, so I'm going to hit the hay."

"Same here."

The pair of them walked off in the direction of the dorm rooms. Before parting, each said goodnight and went off in their own path. Sodapop went to his dorm and re-read Darry's note, again and again, until he fell asleep. Ponyboy, however, went to his dorm and, without the knowledge of his roommates or his brother, cried into his pillow, like he did every night since he had gotten there, until the sun broke into the window.

To be honest, I didn't know how to end it, so don't sue me! I'll try to get the next chapter posted in like two weeks!

Bittersweet