Welcome back to Pony and Bri's world! R&R please! The next chapter will start all the fun! XD Enjoy!

Ponyboy's POV

It was Friday afternoon and I had just got home. It was 3:30. School let out at 3:00, but I usually walked slowly so I could talk with Johnny or someone. No one was home, as usual, when I arrived so I made myself some chocolate milk before heading to my room to do some homework.

I had English homework, not the best, but I got to read To Kill a Mockingbird. But, unfortunately, I couldn't concentrate. For some reason I just kept thinking about the next upcoming event that had the whole school in a frenzy: The Christmas Ball.

Obviously, it wasn't really a ball, but with the way people were talking about it, it sure seemed like it. Of course, we had little dances along in the year; we usually went to hang out to pass the night away. But the Christmas Ball was supposed to be the biggest one of the year. People from every committee in the school were working on it, and supposedly, next to the senior proms, it was the best event that WRHS ever did.

But for some reason, I was really stuck on this dance. Usually, I didn't care much about this type of thing, but now I did. I didn't know if I wanted a date or not. It's just…I guess everyone was right; I did need to grow up.

Last year we took a course on Sex Ed. and the teacher said it was mostly on puberty in which we start to intimately like girls/guys. Oh my God. Why am I telling you this…?

But I didn't know why all of a sudden I wanted to go to this dance. It had been a year since Mom and Dad died so I guess this could be a chance to truly get out and have fun. I still had no idea why I was acting like this lately, and frankly it was starting to scare me a little.

I suddenly heard the door slam and loud talking so I knew Soda was home and he had brought Steve with him.

I sighed and put my book down before walking out of my room and into the kitchen.

Soda was pouring himself some chocolate milk and Steve was fuming to him about something that happened at school.

"Hey Ponyboy," Soda said to me.

"H-Hey," I said quietly.

"What's wrong with you?" Steve asked in a tone I know he didn't mean to use.

I shot him a 'back-off' look but glanced down at my feet.

"I-I don't know," I said. That was the truth.

"Do you feel sick?" Soda asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"No."

"Is there something wrong at school?"

"No."

"Is it that stupid dance that's coming up?" Steve asked immediately.

I stared at him. How he could've known that was beyond me. Boy, he was good.

I just looked down a little, blushing slightly.

Soda looked confused then suddenly his face lit up. "O-Ohhh," he began, "yeah, I heard some people talking about that. The Christmas ball or whatever."

I nodded, still not saying anything.

Steve picked up an apple from the bowl on the counter. "Is this because you have a girl in mind?" He eyed me slyly.

"N-No," I stuttered. I knew I looked like I was lying.

"Who's the girl?" Soda and Steve asked in unanimity.

"There is no girl," I said frankly.

"Yeah right!" Soda said laughing. "Why else would you really want to go to a dance?"

"I-I don't know…" I said, confused myself. I felt like…something was missing in my life. I knew it wasn't the dance. But it was something like it… If that made any sense. Honestly, I didn't know myself.

"This isn't like you, Ponyboy." Sodapop stated the obvious.

"I know," I said matter-of-factly. "I don't know…Maybe I'm sick!"

"Maybe," Steve mumbled. Soda nodded.

I nodded, turned away and went back to my room before lying on my back in bed.

I've never felt like this, or spent so much thought on one social event. It was just starting to get weird. I tried so hard to figure out why I was thinking like this, that my head started to pound.

What was I doing? I had to be sick…

I convinced myself I was sick and I actually started to feel it. I stared up at the ceiling, feeling ready to puke, so I just closed my eyes.

"Ponyboy, what is wrong?" I whispered to myself.

Before I could answer myself I fell asleep.

I had no idea how many hours I was asleep but I heard Soda bring Darry into the room.

I kept my eyes closed when Darry came over to feel my head. "What do you think is wrong with him?" he asked.

"Adolescence."

Okay, so that wasn't the best chapter I have ever written. But it's something. It'll tie into the story later. R&R PLEASE! By the way, how old are you guys? Just wondering.