Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights go to S.E. Hinton.
A/N: So, I uploaded another chapter of my story. I'll probably be able to do one more on this story before starting another one. Tell me what you guys think. Reviews would be appreciated!
"Look!" Sodapop pointed out the window eagerly. "It's snowing!"
Mr. Curtis went to stand next to his son. "Well I'll be. Snow on Christmas. That's special." He patted Soda on the shoulder encouragingly. He knew what question his boys would be asking next.
"Can we go outside and play Daddy?" Ponyboy ran up to his dad and jumped around him excitedly.
"Yeah Dad, can we?" Darry asked. He was already pulling on his snow pants and winter coat.
"It's okay with me, but you'll have to ask your mother." Mr. Curtis responded.
The boys hurried into the kitchen where their mother was washing dishes from their big Christmas breakfast buffet.
"Hey Mommy," Soda started. Darry and Pony let Soda do all the talking because he was the most charming. "I was wondering if maybe we can go outside and play outside in the snow." He batted his big brown eyes up at her adorably.
Mrs. Curtis put the dish she was drying off on the drying rack and looked at her son. His huge eyes were pleading and he had the cutest smile on his face.
"Alright, but I'm dressing you up nice and warm." She threw her dishtowel to the side and headed to the hall closet.
"Darry, you're first," She ordered. Darry reluctantly walked over to her like he was going to his death sentence. He always thought of himself as a big boy who didn't need his Mom to help with anything.
Mrs. Curtis zipped Darry's jacket up to his neck and made sure he had a big warm scarf wrapped around him.
"Aw Mom, stop it. I don't need any of this junk!" He protested, pushing his mother's hand away. "I'll be warm enough."
"You'll thank me later," Mrs. Curtis said. "Sodapop you're next."
Soda trudged his feet across the carpet. His mom dressed him a wool sweater, a big winter jacket, a pair of sweatpants under snow pants, two scarfs, two hats, a pair of gloves, two pairs of thick winter socks and his winter boots.
"Mom, I can't see around this scarf!" Soda complained. He peeled back the fur from his scarf so he could see Ponyboy get dressed.
Poor little Pony was the most dressed out of all the boys. He had on a huge winter sweater, two coats, sweatpants under his snow pants, three scarfs, three hats, two pairs of gloves, four pairs of socks and his snow boots.
"Ok boys I think you're warm enough," Mrs. Curtis said, stepping back to observe her sons. "Go have fun." She gave them an encouraging pat on the back.
"We'll be at the lot Ma!" Sodapop yelled over his shoulder. He ran outside the house to find his two brothers halfway to the lot.
"Hey wait up guys!" Soda tried to run after his brothers, but he had restricted mobility due to all his coats and sweatpants. Darry kept walking, but Pony ran back to get Soda.
"Thanks Ponyboy," Soda said, taking his little brother's hand. "Let's get some of this warm stuff off ya." Pony had tripped and fell flat on his face three times while running back to Soda. It was hard for a little four year old to run, let alone wearing two huge winter coats.
Soda unzipped one of Pony's coats, removed two scarfs, two hats, and a pair of gloves. He threw them on his porch and hoped by the time his mother saw Pony's clothes he would be at the lot. He knew his mom wouldn't be happy if she saw that Soda had taken off Pony's clothes.
"Guys, come on!" Darry yelled. "I'm sure everybody's already there waitin' for us!" Darry hated to be late. It always made him feel embarrassed to know all his friends were waiting for him while he was stuck waiting for his two slowpoke kid brothers.
Pony and Soda took off at full speed down the snowy road to catch up with Darry. They knew that when Darry yelled at them, he meant it.
"Where have you guys been?" Two-Bit asked, once the three Curtis's arrived at the lot. "We were waiting for ten minutes for you guys!"
"Why don't ask these two clowns why we're late," Darry grumbled. He nodded his head in the direction of Soda and Pony.
"We're here now, so let's play something!" Soda exclaimed.
"Let's have a snowball fight!" Steve suggested.
"I wanna be captain!" Pony waved his hands in the air and jumped around in the snow.
"You're a bit little, Pone. Why don't we let Darry and Dallas be captain?" Soda gave his little brother a comforting pat on the head.
Darry and Dally stepped in front of everybody and scanned their friends to see who would be the best on their team. "I'm picking first," Dally ordered.
"No way," Darry crossed his arms protectively over his chest. "I'm picking first. I'm older." There was no way Darry was going to let a scrawny eight year old pick before him.
"Fine." Dally grinned sneakily. "My team's gonna beat your butt anyway."
Darry shrugged off Dally's threat and started picking. "I pick…." Darry rubbed his chin the same way his dad would when he was trying to think of something. "Two-Bit, get over here!"
Two-Bit skipped merrily over to Darry's side. It was no secret that Darry was the most athletic out of all the boys here.
"I'm pickin' Johnny!" Dally announced. Johnny smiled shyly and stood next to Dally. He was ecstatic that his hero picked him first for the team. Johnny had never been picked first for anything.
Darry went on to pick Steve and Dally chose Soda. Steve and Soda were both disappointed they wouldn't get to be on the same team, but they would have to settle for what teams they got.
"What about me?" A small voice asked. Everyone forgot about Ponyboy, who wasn't chosen for a team.
"You can be on our team Pony." Soda grabbed his little brother's hand and led him over to where his team was standing.
"Good," Steve snorted. "We didn't want you on our team anyway."
Sodapop shot him such a look Steve shut his mouth immediately. Steve knew not to mess with Pony when Soda was around.
"Let's get started!" Two-Bit whined. Darry took the cue and led his team over to where they would be hiding. Steve, Two-Bit and Darry crouched in the bushes next to the big tree that's used to mark the end zone when they play football.
"So here's the plan," Darry whispered. He used his finger to trace a game plan in the snow. "Two-Bit, you stay here and make a bunch of snowballs for me and Steve to throw. They're hiding underneath the slide, so it might be hard to catch them, but Steve and I can do it." Steve nodded in agreement with Darry's plan.
"So, all I have to do is sit here and make snowballs?" Two-Bit asked.
"Ya can't mess up that job, Two-Bit." Steve chuckled.
"Hey," Two-Bit crossed his arms in fake pout. "For your information Stevie, I'm very skilled at throwing snowballs."
Steve scoffed. "I'd like to see you try." Their argument was interrupted by Dally hurling a snowball right at Darry's face. It smacked against his foreheadwith a loud thud.
"Oh, that looked like it hurt!" Two-Bit chuckled. He gaped at Darry's face and laughed like he was watching an episode of Mickey.
"Hurry you idiot!" Steve shrieked. "Start makin' snowballs! They're attacking!"
The three boys huddled under the bush, trying their best to make their snowballs while being pelted by big wads of cold snow.
Darry finally managed to make three decent snowballs and took the opportunity to hurl them at Soda and Dally. The one snowball thumped Soda right in the eye and he had to retreat back to the slide for recovery.
"They're making snowballs over there," Soda reported to Pony and Johnny, who were huddled under the slide, making snowballs as fast as there tiny hands would allow them.
Dally hustled back to his base and filled his arms with as many snowballs as he could hold. He ran behind to Two-Bit and shoved a few snowballs down his pants.
"Cold, cold, cold, cold!" Two-Bit ran around in circles, trying to fling the mushy snow from out of his pants.
Dally, Soda, Pony, and Johnny laughed like maniacs. "Good goin' Dal." Soda was laughing so hard he had tears streaming down his face. "How did ya manage to pull that off?"
"I think we all know Two-Bit doesn't pay attention to anything but Mickey," Dally explained.
The boys continued to run around smacking each other with balls of snow until they were so tired they couldn't even walk anymore.
"Let's go to my house," Soda wheezed. "I'm awful tired." His friends and brothers nodded in agreement.
"Would it be ok if I came to?" Johnny whispered. His mom and dad had kicked him out of the house so they could go get drunk at some sleazy bar.
"Of course you can, Johnnycake." Soda slung an arm around his friend's shoulders. "No one should be alone on Christmas."
Johnny smiled and walked next to Ponyboy. The Curtis's were always so kind to him. He wouldn't know what to do without them. He would have nowhere to go.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Hey Mommy, we're home! We brought some company home with us." Soda announced. He removed all his wet snow gear and dumped it in a soggy pile near the door.
"Sodapop Patrick Curtis," Mrs. Curtis poked her head out from the kitchen. "Pick up your snow clothes right now and put them in the laundry room. That goes for the rest of you boys."
The seven boys trudged to the laundry room and discarded all their damp snow stuff. When they arrived back into the living room, they found a heavenly surprise waiting for them. Mrs. Curtis had baked a huge tray of Christmas cookies and made a cup of hot chocolate for each of them. "What's Christmas without cookies?" She said.
The boys took sat down eagerly and loaded their plates with every cookie they could get their hands on. "Mmmmm!" The boys chorused.
"This is the best cookie I've ever had Mrs. C." Two-Bit said around a mouthful of cookies.
"I'm glad you're enjoying them boys." She sat next to Ponyboy and admired her boys scarf down their cookies. She loved the satisfying feeling she felt in her chest knowing that she made her family's Christmas better. Even if was just supplying hungry boys with Christmas cookies, she made their day better. That's what Christmas is all about.