I listened from my bed to Darry and Soda running around the kitchen. Part of me wanted to roll over and ignore it, the other part of me knew I needed to get up. I had to go to work, and I had to talk to my little brother. I pushed myself up and brushed the hair out of my face. I remember always wanting to keep my hair short. I hadn't gotten my hair cut since before the war. I ran my hand over the scruff that was on my face. Then traced my body down to where I was stand. I closed me eyes. I could here the bullets, I could still see those eyes. I opened my eyes to see my face in the mirror. I breathed out hard. It was time to talk to Soda.

He was sitting at the table eating breakfast in his boxers. His wrist had a nasty bruise on it.

Sunny looked washed up. It was kind of scary. It was weird, his guitars were in my room still. Every morning we would wake up to him singing. He was always singing, but not anymore. I looked over at Darry, who just kept pouring the coffee. I kept eating.

"Morning" He said walking over to Darry to get his coffee. "You realize you, me and Pony are all a bunch of caffeine addicts."

"Something has to keep us going. He took all our energy." Darry grinned at me.

Sunny smiled. He walked dragged himself over to me. "Hey, baby," He took my wrist in his hand. "Listen, I'm sorry about last night. It wasn't your fault." He kissed my wrist, kind of like how Dad would kiss our heads when we fell." Sunny didn't remind me of Dad anymore.

"It's okay." I muttered.

I had to go the rest of the day trying to cover the bruise. The last thing I wanted was social services on our tails. I was wishing I had a watch because it seemed like I had been waiting for Sunny to pick me up for forever. I was going to be late for work. I saw my English teacher Mr. Smith walking up the side walk. I signed. He saw the bruise on my wrist earlier.

"Hi Sodapop, it's a little late for you to be here isn't it?" He asked.

"My brother Sunny, is supposed to pick me up. He's always held up in meetings at work."

"That's right your brother is the famous Mr. Curtis. Think he'd mind if I talked to him for a second."

"No, I guess not. I mean he's really busy, trying to get back to things. He just got back from war."

Sunny's car pulled up. He saw Mr. Smith talking to me and stepped out. "Hi, buddy. Sorry, I got held up at work." He took off his aviators. "Hello sir. Sunny Curtis." He extended his hand to Mr. Smith.

"Jacob Smith, I'm Soda's English teacher."

"Nice to meet you." Sunny said. "Is there a problem with Soda's work?"

"No, Soda's catching up wonderfully. I was wondering if I could talk to you. I was hoping you could maybe talk to my class. About the writing process and if it is okay with you the war."

Sunny's facial expression left his face. "I'm busy sir; as you can see. I hardly made time to pick him up I'm sorry sir."

I could tell he was pist off. "Sunny, my throat hurts." It wasn't a complete lie but I'd do anything to get out of there.

He reached over and put a hand on my forehead. "Alright, I better get him home. Nice meeting you." He shook hands with my teacher. "Let's go, bud."

We got into the car. "Your teacher is fucking moron." I watched him light up a cigarette from a new pack.

I shrugged. "He's a nice enough guy."

"He's a fucking moron." Sunny said.

I looked down at my hands. "Okay."

"We haven't been out together in a week, not since our parents." My fiancée smiled from across the table.

"I know, I got caught up with things." I said

"I heard about your book signing the other day. You just left in the middle of it?" She looked me in the face.

"I had a flash back. What was I supposed to do? Stay there?"

Grace brushed her hand up and down my arm. "How are things with Soda?"

"I think he hates me a little more every day. Pony runs when I walk in a room."

"Sunny, he does not."

"I wouldn't blame him if he does. My hand print was in his wrist. There are some days where I just can't look at Pony." There was one thing I absolutely loved about Grace. She never urged me to go on, or talk. She just let me get out my bits and pieces when I wanted top. "Think we could just elope today? I wouldn't have to face yours or my family again."

"My family doesn't hate you. They actually like you. They said you weren't fake. It's your family I worry about."

I grabbed her hand. "What are you talking about? Pony likes you." I interlocked our fingers.

"It's Darry, we don't get along, and in fact we got into a fight; when you were gone."

I opened the refrigerator and stuck my head inside. "The bastard who needs a roof on his house in 100 degree weather needs to die." I cooled my face down, then grabbed a Pepsi that was cold.

I leaned my head back. I love the peace and quite. It was so rare to actually get it here. I put the Pepsi bottle to my mouth and chugged.

"Darry!" Soda's frantic screaming interrupted my peace.

"In here."

Soda looped in the kitchen. He still had a grin on his face, but now with a worried expression. "Pony needs fixing up. I picked him up in the lot."

I felt my stomach drop. "What happed?"

"Football, with some kids. He skinned his knees pretty bad."

I smiled as my stomach went were it was supposed to. Soda would always worry when Pony had a little blood. Pony entered the kitchen. "I fell a little bit."

"I see that. Sit down before you track blood all over the house." I went to go grab the Peroxide and the Band-Aids. I wish I was fourteen again. I was so bruised, and scraped up from foot ball games and running everywhere. I missed that. I liked that everything was so relaxed now that he was off of school. "This is going to sting, kiddo." I knelt down beside his chair and pressed the cotton ball of Peroxide on one knee while he did the other."

"DARREL!" Sunny wasn't even in the door yet. He was screaming outside. I heard a car door slam hard.

Pony's eyes went big. They met mine. "It sounds like you're in trouble."

I stood up and rubbed Pony's head. I heard the front door slam shut. I turned to look at my older brother. "What the hell is wrong with you? You don't need to scream like that."

"You don't not need to be rude to my girl friend! You can't get along with anyone can you?" He screamed. "You don't have to guts to tell me about it! You kicked my girlfriend out!"

"I didn't kick her out. I put her in my place. That's your fiancée, not my guardian or theirs!" I screamed. "She waltzed in here and tried to tell me how to raise them!" I jerked my finger toward the boys.

"I'm their guardian too! She's good for them! You don't just kick someone out of the family."

His face was blood red. He was screaming so loud that it was echoing. I had never in my life heard anyone scream like that.

"Sunny, if you want to talk about this we can but you need to chill out." I said.

"Don't' order me around. We are going to talk about this now!"

"I don't know how bad Grace made it out to be. She thinks she knows everything! She doesn't, and you can't believe you weren't here!"

"SHUT UP!" Sunny screamed.

"Let go!" Soda's voice was frantic.

All the sudden, I felt the air stop following. Sunny was screaming at me so loud, I couldn't make out the words. I felt my back connect with the wall. He still had his hand wrapped around my throat. I closed my eyes. My throat hurt so badly. I struggled to get from his grip. I even tried kicking him. I wasn't strong enough. My muscles failed me.