SE Hinton owns.
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*
He picks the pen up.
He puts it down again.
Ponyboy's spent his morning making this exact same motion five times. He wants to write something; starting off small. A letter to Curly, maybe a letter to Sarah or Sam, but he just can't. The motion feels too big for him. Even the pen's intimidating with its slick sheen and heavy weight.
Sighing, Pony pushes the pen away from him. He stands up and grabs his tennis shoes.
*
He's done with his run and slipping his jacket on when Pony notices the man on the field. The both wave to each other and approach.
"How's the wrist?" the man asks, a baseball cap pulled down tight on his head, a tattered scarf wrapped around his neck.
"Better." Pony sticks his hands in his pockets to warm them. "Where've you been?"
"Around. Hiding from the hellish weather Tulsa's being heaped upon."
Ponyboy eyes the brewing sky above. It's a glassy gray and he knows Darry's readying himself to shovel the walk in the morning. The weather hasn't let up ever since Pony's been back home. If he read into signs, he would bet it meant something.
The man's words bring Pony back. "Nice to see you brought a jacket this time."
Sheepish, Pony nods. "Yeah, if I forget, my older brother sure doesn't."
"Good to hear."
Ponyboy watches the man for a moment and then curious about the stranger asks, "So, what was your fastest time?"
"Son?"
"You said you used to run, what was your record?"
The man barks out a laugh, turning to walk back the way he came. "Ah, hell, son, my old brain can't remember that far back. Just know I was fast. No one could catch me."
"So then, why'd you quit?"
The man raises a gruff eyebrow. "Who said I quit? Hurt my knee and that was it. Not much else to it." He rubs a hand down his graying beard, appraising Ponyboy. "Why? You thinking about quitting?"
"Already have." Pony meets the man's eyes, surprised he doesn't feel as ashamed as he thought he would.
"That," the man's index finger points to Ponyboy and then swivels to the now-empty track, "ain't quitting. It ain't no hobby. That's just getting started."
*
"How was the run?" Soda asks.
"It's was ok." Ponyboy shrugs, tugging off his track shirt and grabbing the first t-shirt he can find. He plops down on the bed, trying to hide a yawn. Feeling Soda's eyes on him, he suddenly flushes and folds his arms across his chest. The t-shirt's short sleeved.
Soda gives him a look. "You ain't gotta do that."
"Do you think they'll ever go away?" Pony unfurls his arms, holding them out to examine them.
Soda aches for the right answer but not sure there is one, tells the truth. "I don't know, Pone. Do you want them to?"
"Yeah." Pony grimaces. "They're pretty ugly. And besides, when I see them I just remember everything all over."
"Maybe one day that won't be such a bad thing."
Pony considers this. "Maybe."
*
There's a loud sound outside, like scraping a piece of metal against glass, when the front door bursts open and Two-Bit jumps inside, his clothes coated in snow. "Holy smokes on the cross!" He pulls off his floppy winter hat.
"Mornin Two-Bit," Pony greets, twisting around at the kitchen table, spoonful of oatmeal poised near his mouth.
"Mornin kid. Any breakfast left or did you eat it all?"
Pony takes a bite and points at the stove. He swallows and sizes his friend up. "Why're you here so early? I thought you didn't rise before noon."
Two-Bit scoffs. "It's slick as snot out. My truck nearly met a tree and like Santa found baby Jesus, I came back to the manger to dry off."
"There are so many things wrong with that sentence," Ponyboy says with a wince.
"What's wrong?" Darry asks, entering the kitchen.
"Two-Bit's mind," Pony tells Darry.
Darry grins. "Well, that's nothing new." He pats his pockets, searching for his keys. "Say kiddo, you seen the keys to the truck?"
"They're on the coffee table."
"Hot date with Alice?" Two-Bit asks, grabbing the pan of oatmeal.
Darry pours another cup of coffee and leans against the counter. "Um, I was heading to the bookstore to get what I need for my class next week." He glances at Pony carefully. "Do you want to go?"
There's a long beat as Two-Bit pretends to be interested in the tile and then Pony replies, "Sure, Dar."
*
While Darry's searching for his business textbook at the community college bookstore he can't help but keep an eye on Ponyboy. His brother's milling around rows and rows of textbooks trying not to look too uncomfortable but Darry catches a glimpse of the scared kid who came home at Christmas and he hopes it wasn't a mistake to ask him along.
Two-Bit pops into Darry's line of vision. "Is this it?" He shoves a book in Darry's face titled: "The Joys of Human Sexual Anatomy."
Annoyed, Darry grabs the book before anyone can see the two people on the front embracing. "No, Two-Bit, how many times have I told you I'm taking business classes."
"Not sex?"
"No," Darry hisses. "Not sex."
"Well that's just boring. Does Alice know about this?" Two-Bit's eyes flick to Ponyboy and he turns a serious face toward Darry. "Think he needs some cheering up?"
*
Pony wants to touch but he doesn't. The books with their titles are enticing; calling him back to his own college courses at OSU. They weren't so bad, Pony thinks. Everything was ok before he went wrong.
But Pony knows he's itching to go back and that's what scares him. He keeps thinking it will be the same, end the same.
He just has to remind himself that he's home and he doesn't have to go anywhere.
Spotting what he's searching for, Pony reaches out.
*
Darry's frown is permanently ingrained onto his forehead. He's been standing in the same aisle for 15 god-awful minutes trying to find the book or someone to help him when there's movement at his side.
"I think I found it," Pony says in a soft voice, handing Darry a thick textbook.
Darry gives the cover a quick tap. "That's it. Thanks, Pone." He squeezes his brother's arm. "You go round up Two-Bit and I'll check out."
Pony rolls his eyes. "It's like herding a cat."
At the register, Darry makes conversation with the checkout girl, giving her way-too-much cash for a measly textbook. She smiles, bagging the book and as she gives it to him, Darry gets a thought.
"Hey," he says. "Do you by chance have an application for enrollment?"
"We sure do." Giving him a sweet smile, the girl pulls a thin packet from underneath the checkout counter. "Here you are, sir."
Darry thanks her and as he takes the thin application Darry wonders what in the hell he's doing.
*
He fills out Ponyboy's name and that's it.
Then he buries the application in his sock drawer. He tells Alice and Soda; Alice thinks it's a step in the right direction, Soda thinks it's too soon and the only person who can tell Darry what he really thinks has no idea.
Darry doesn't know what he'll do with it. He just knows he won't push; he's already done enough of that. He'll wait until Ponyboy wants it. His brother can start off small with community college or he can work at the library the rest of his life. Darry doesn't care anymore. He's just glad Ponyboy's still around.
Darry Curtis never thought his youngest brother would reduce him to hiding a college application in his sock drawer.
*
Soda starts to notice a change in his youngest brother. It's slight but it's there. So slight it's doubtful Ponyboy really notices but Soda and Darry sure do.
His sprained wrist isn't keeping Ponyboy from the track and every night when Ponyboy breezes through the front door, flushed from his latest run and grinning that crooked smile of his, Soda knows he's finding his groove.
And it's late on a Friday night when Soda's really caught off guard. He's coming in from the garage, ready for a beer and a shower when he finds his brother.
Ponyboy's reading. Not just aimlessly flipping through the pages of a book but actually sitting on the couch, intent on the words.
"What're you doing, kiddo?" Soda asks.
Ponyboy glances up. "Nothin." He shuts the book, showing Soda the cover. "Found this old book of Darry's. It's kind of boring really."
"Sounds like Darry five years ago."
Pony grins. "What? The old part or the boring part?"
Soda chuckles. "We're going to hell."
"Only if Darry hears us."
Soda points at him. "Right you are." He leaves Pony to get a beer from the fridge and when he returns Pony has his nose stuck in the book again.
"I thought you said it was boring?" Soda cracks the beer open.
Pony gives him a befuddled look. "That doesn't mean I ain't gonna finish it." At this, Soda just wants to laugh until he cries.
*
Pardon typos.
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Last chapter is in progress…perhaps to be posted today…?