Chapter 3: That Ain't Fair

The next morning, Two-Bit got a call at his house and Two-Bit went over to pick it up. He was at home getting ready since, well, since Darry didn't want him around at the house no mores.

Innocently, Two-Bit picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"I thought I told you to stay away. Did I not make myself clear?" Two-Bit flinched as he heard Darry growl into the phone and Two-Bit swallowed.

"Wh-what? What are you talking about Darry?" Two-Bit frowned, hoping Darry wouldn't go off into another rant again.

"I'm talking about you hanging around my kid-brother yesterday," Darry huffed into the phone with a growl. "I told you to stay away, Two-Bit." His voice was cold, like ice.

Two-Bit frowned deeply as he listened. "B-But Darry, h-how'd would you know if I was with him or not?"

"Because, it just so happens I hear Ponyboy telling one of your little nonsense stories you told him yesterday at the dinner table! That's how I know!" Darry shouted and Two-Bit flinched, eyes wide.

He was quiet a minute, looking down at his shoes. "I-I'm sorry, Darry." He said quietly, not knowing what else to say.

"Well you're going to be even more sorry if you don't quit hanging around him. If I hear that you're still hanging out with him even one more time, i'll bust your head in, Two-Bit!"

Two-Bit flinched, gulping a little. Was that a threat? But Darry wouldn't hurt him, would he?

He guessed Darry wasn't kidding about this and a knot started forming in his stomach out of tension.

Desperate to figure out how to change Darry's mind or find some way out of this, Two-Bit almost whimpered into the phone. "B-But Darry, this ain't fair! Ponyboy's my friend too."

"Not anymore he ain't. Now just stay away." Darry growled and hung up.

Two-Bit listened to the phone beeping on the other end, in shock. He slowly hung up, swallowing hard.

He couldn't believe it. He didn't even think Darry was going to know he was hanging around Pony yesterday.

But I guess he didn't consider the fact that Pony might talk about him like he had done last night.

And now, Darry was threatening him?

Two-Bit was beginning to wonder what he had really done wrong.

Was this really about the other night or did Darry really not want him around anymore?

Maybe Darry hates me, Two-Bit wondered, frowning deeply. But that shouldn't be any reason to keep him away from his brother, right?

If Pony wants to hang out with me, he should be able too.

Darry shouldn't be deciding who he hangs out with.

Besides, Darry didn't seem to have a problem with Pony hanging out with Mark Jennings and that hood was even worse than Two-Bit, on many levels.

Two-Bit didn't understand and deep down, he was hurt. He couldn't understand why Darry was doing this to him.

Two-Bit wondered if he should try being a better friend around Darry and Pony, but he didn't feel like that would work.

'Sides, he should just be able to be himself right?

Well not if Darry hates me for being myself, Two-Bit thought with a deep frown.

He couldn't stop wondering about what in the world he should do as he went off to school, a frown on his face.

When Steve saw him in the hallway, Two-Bit looked a little glum.

"Hey man, what's up?" Steve greeted, putting a hand down on his shoulder.

Two-Bit shrugged. "Hey. I dunno." He couldn't stop thinking about Ponyboy and he wondered when he'd even see his little buddy again.

"Hi Two-Bit." Two-Bit suddenly heard Pony and just about jumped out of his skin. He was behind Steve and Two hadn't even seen him.

He swallowed a little and didn't want to seem like he was crazy so he just offered a 'Hey Pony' and avoided looking at him, frowning.

Two-Bit still didn't know what he was going to do. After all, he didn't want Darry to bust his head in.

But he didn't want to stop hanging around his best friend either.

Besides, isn't that what Pony needed most right now? Friends? After all, losing Johnny had to have scarred him.

Hell, it scared all the Greasers.

"Hey man, how come you didn't come over last night? Soda and I had a hell of a time playing poker." Steve grinned at Two-Bit with a smirk.

Two-Bit swallowed a little, frowning. He wished he coulda came over to join them but he couldn't, thanks to Darrel Curtis.

"Uh, sorry Steve. Had other plans." He fibbed with a shrug, offering a fake smile.

At lunch, Ponyboy asked Two-Bit if he wanted to hang out after school and Two-Bit's heart started racing.

It was hard enough for him to have the courage to have lunch with them and now Pony wanted to hang out after school.

Two-Bit desperately wanted to say yes. But what if Darry finds out? But didn't Pony mean more to him than having Darry beat his skull in?

Frowning, Two-Bit swallowed hard. "Sorry Pony, I can't. Maybe some other time okay?"

He watched Pony's expression to see how he would react.

"That's okay, Two. Maybe Mark will come with me instead." He shrugged, not seeming too hurt by Two-Bit's decline.

Two-Bit's heart sank a little but he told himself that he was the one who had rejected Pony's offer. He suddenly felt really guilty.

He shouldn't let Darry come in between his friendship with Pony. But yet, Two-Bit didn't know what else to do.

Darry had already kicked him out of the house, threatened him and told him to stay away.

Two-Bit wondered if this conflict was going to get any worse and he prayed it wouldn't. He was already having a difficult time dealing with the situation as it was.

After school, he visited Soda at the DX, sighing, frowning, not sure what to do. He really wanted to be with his best friend but what could he do?

"Hey Two-Bit. What's wrong?" Soda noticed Two-Bit's solemn behavior, raising a brow.

Two-Bit looked up, blinking. "Oh, um, nothing." He frowned, knowing he couldn't tell Soda. He didn't think Soda knew about what Darry had said but either way, he didn't think Soda should know.

"Come on, something's obviously wrong. Tell me." Soda offered, frowning softly.

"It's nothing, okay? Don't worry." Two-Bit swallowed and turned away, looking out through the glass windows.

Suddenly he saw Ponyboy was walking up with Mark and his eyes went wide, his stomach tightening.

Two's palms started sweating and he gulped, hurriedly turning away. As much as he hated it, he didn't want to get in trouble with Darry again

"Come on, you can tell me anything, we're-" Soda was saying and Two-Bit hurriedly bolted out the door.

"Sorry Soda, I gotta go!" He huffed and sprinted away from the DX, frowning deeply, guilt riding up his chest.

Two-Bit hated this. Weren't they all supposed to be friends and get along?

They were a gang weren't they? Two-Bit shouldn't have to be going through this kind of conflict.

He ran a hand through his red hair shakily, swallowing hard. He just hoped things would get better by tomorrow.

Well they didn't.

The next morning there was a knock at the door and Two-Bit hurried downstairs, putting his jacket on. "I got it, sis!" He called, opening the door, wondering who it could be.

"Hello?"

A fist struck Two-Bit hard in the face and he yelped, falling to the floor.

He looked up with frightened eyes to see an angry Darrel Curtis in the doorway and he almost gasped.

"Heard you were around my kid-brother again." He growled with a glare and Two-Bit cowered on the floor, gaping, suddenly scared.

"D-Darry, I-I-"

"Don't even start," Darry snapped, glaring. "I told you you'd get it if I caught you around him again and this is what you get."

Two-Bit tensed and tried to scramble away but Darry grabbed him off the floor, punching him hard.

Two-Bit yelped in pain and pushed weakly at Darry, eyes glossy and Darry punched him harder this time, letting Two-Bit drop to the ground.

"That was your last warning, Two-Bit. Stay away from Ponyboy or there's more coming." Darry growled and punched his hand with a fist, slamming the door, leaving Two-Bit shaking on the floor, his eyes wide.

Darry had just punched him, he had hurt him. He couldn't believe it.

He rubbed his sore cheek as he slowly got off the ground, still in shock, gulping hard.

So it was official. He couldn't be around Ponyboy anymore unless he wanted his skull beaten in daily by Superman.

Two-Bit wiped at his eyes a little with a fist. His life had just gotten a little more difficult and he knew it was only going to get much worse from here on out.

A/N: Well, that was Chapter 3. Thanks to everyone who's left reviews, they really help me out and make my day. I do just wanna address this before we move any further so it doesn't quite become an issue: I know Darry's out of character and he would not ever actually do this to Two-Bit, but what are you going to do, it's a story. :P Please review your thoughts and Stay Gold :)