Pony's POV

As soon as I got home from school I started my homework. It was Thursday afternoon and I thought that if I could get enough work done tonight, then maybe I wouldn't have anything to do tomorrow and I could have a free weekend. There wasn't anything else to do tonight anyway. It had started raining sometime last night and hadn't let up since.

x + 2(x-5) 3 - x(x+1)

The problem wasn't that hard, but my mind wouldn't concentrate. I kept worrying about what Rachel had said about court. I knew she must have talked to Darry and Soda about taking me, but I wondered if she had actually mentioned court to them. I could ask. What if she really did try to take us to court? But what if she didn't? I didn't want to say anything to them if she was just playing me.

I heard Soda fling open the front door. "I wish we could get the day off when it rains too," he remarked to Darry.

"Did you get your paycheck today?" Darry asked. He always seemed so blunt and to-the-point.

"No, I'll get it tomorrow. Why?"

Darry let out a sigh. "We have so many bills. I don't understand how Dad made it."

"Getting that bad?" I knew Sodapop didn't really like thinking about bills and making things work.

"Yeah. I'm thinking about taking a second job."

"I might could get a few more hours." Soda must not have been any more fond of the idea than I was. Darry already worked too much.

"Guess we'll get something worked out."

"They can't afford to keep you anymore. Do you really think that Darry has the time and money to worry about going to court?"

Aunt Rachel's words flooded my mind again. What if she did take us to court. Then I would really be a bother to Darry. Maybe he would let me get a job. I could work after school, and the extra money would be nice. I decided I would ask him, but right now I wanted to finish this math.

I had just finished when Soda called out "Supper's ready."

He was setting the food on the table as Darry and I sat down. Garlic bread, salad, and…..spaghetti? At least, it sort of resembled spaghetti. But it was covered in a brown, goopy sauce.

"Um…Maybe I shouldn't ask but, what is THAT?" Darry asked hesitantly.

"For your information, that is spaghetti. Just not your run-of-the-mill spaghetti." Soda's chin jutted into the air. "It's high class."

"High class or not, it sure doesn't look very appetizing." I remarked.

Soda reached across the table and placed his hand over my eyes. "Don't look at it then, just enjoy."

I felt the prongs of a fork next to my mouth. "Sodapop Patrick…"

"Just TRY it."

I didn't really have a choice because when I opened my mouth to protest, the spaghetti was in. It actually wasn't that bad, if you happened to like sweet spaghetti.

He pulled his hand away from my eyes. "See? It wasn't that bad."

Darry looked at me amused. "What's it taste like Pony?"

"Chocolate."

"Chocolate?" Darry raised his eyebrows at Soda.

"What's wrong with chocolate?" Soda scowled. "It's not MY fault we're out of spaghetti sauce."

Darry took a small bite. "Well, nothing I guess. It's not bad, but what's wrong with butter and parmesan cheese?"

Soda's face lit up with pride. "You guys would die of boredom if I wasn't around."

That was probably true. Our lives would be pretty dull without Sodapop. I looked over at Darry. He was grinning too, so I figured now was as good a time as any to ask about getting a job.

I took a deep breath started before I lost my nerve. "Darry, can I get a job at the Tastee Freeze?"

"No." Just like that. He didn't pause, didn't think about it, didn't even look up at me. Well, I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Why not? It would just be after school and on weekends. And I promise not to let my grades slip."

"No."

"Why? Sodapop would let me, wouldn't you Soda?"

It looked like Soda was going to say something, but Darry answered for him. "Well I'm not Sodapop, and you're not getting a job. You need to concentrate on your school."

"I said I wouldn't let my grades slip. You're not being fair Darry." That wasn't really a smart thing for me to say. You should never accuse Darry of not being fair.

He locked eyes with me. "No. Period."

Johnny's POV

My parents had gotten in another big fight, cussing and screaming. When they started blaming me for everything they weren't happy about, I decided I better get out before they started pounding on me too. I found Katelyn and Ponyboy in the Lot. Neither of them were in a good mood either, so we just walked around aimlessly, not saying anything. The rain had finally stopped and a cool mist rose up from the concrete.

"Well, ain't you a cheerful bunch." Dallas and Two-Bit came up behind us.

Dally grabbed my cigarette and took a long puff. "Geez, you'd think your world was ending. What's wrong with you guys anyway?"

"We're fine Dal." Ok, so maybe it wasn't true, but so what. They didn't really want to hear all our gripes. What did they know anyway. Dally was too hard to understand problems and Two-Bit's solution always came from a bottle.

"They're a bunch of no good Greasers. That's what the problem is." Two-Bit sounded half-drunk.

"They sure ain't worth hanging out with right now. Let's go find some real action." Dally pulled on Two-Bit's arm.

As they headed off Two-Bit turned around and called "You need to get some money, become big time. Then you can go around jumping punks instead of being 'em. Give you some joy in life."

Katelyn stiffened and I could see her fists clinch by her side. "I ain't never becoming' a big time. There's no way! I'd rather die."

"You got that right." Pony bit out. "Stupid Soc. Think they own everything and everyone. Well they don't. I'm not going to let them walk over me. No way."

Glory. I wondered what brought that on, but I didn't ask. If they felt like telling me their problems, they would.