CHAPTER 7
"C'mon Soda...I don't wanna be late!" I called. After bein' cooped up for almost a week, I just couldn't wait any longer to get outta the house.
"Glory, Pone, I'm comin'! I'm comin'! Game's not goin' anywhere!" He answered, grinning.
I had to grin back. Soda's grins are infectious.
"Soda...you make sure you have Pony home right after the game. He's still on restriction." Darry said, then turned to me. "Got that, Pone?"
"Yeah. I got it."I grumbled. And better than that, I had my plan all worked out for how I'd meet Curly at the lot. Now, if Soda would just hurry a bit...
"All right, Pone, you ready?" Soda questioned, his shoes in his hand.
"Been ready all day." I answered sarcastically as we bounded out the front door.
I couldn't keep my mind on the football game at all. Soda loved it though - well, he loved all the attention he was getting from the many girls who had flocked around him. I don't know what it is about Soda. He coulda had any one of them girls...hell, he coulda had 'em all at once if he wanted to, but even after 2 years, he still wasn't over Sandy. Anyways, the game was nearly over, it was almost 11:00pm and if I wanted to make it to the lot to meet Curly at 11:30 I had to put my plan into action.
"Soda? Hey, Soda?" I interrupted a ridiculous conversation he was havin' with the girls.
He looked at me, grinning, "Yeah, kiddo?"
"Soda...I'm starting to get a headache and I'm really kinda tired." I lied. "I'm gonna head to the truck and lay down 'til you're ready to leave, K?"
Glory, I hoped he'd buy it.
Suddenly he looked real worried. He felt my head. "Well, you don't feel hot or anything, Pone. But we can leave now if ya wanna."
NO! NO! NO! It's not suppose to go like this!
"No, Soda, it's ok, really. You can finish watchin' the game. 'Sides, I wanna know who wins." I smiled. "I'll just go rest in the truck and when the game's over, we'll go." PLEASE LET HIM TAKE THE BAIT! "And, quit worryin'. I ain't sick or nothin'...my head just hurts a bit."
"Prolly cause you been stuck in the house all week with no excitement. You're just not used to all this noise anymore." He smiled.
"Prolly." I agreed.
"All right, Pone. I'll catch ya at the truck when the game's over."
As soon as Soda was outta my sight, I ran. I didn't quit runnin' til I made it to the lot with 5 minutes to spare.
Curly arrived right on schedule...
"Pone! Hey man!", he called as he staggered over to me. Leave it to Curly to get drunk before we even got to the party. I swear, he was beginnin' to remind me more of Two-But every day. "So, how'd ya manage to get set free, huh?"
"I told you I'd be here, and I am." I answered coolly. "That's all you need to know." I said, pushing him along. "Now, c'mon! Let's get to Buck's."
But...we never made it to Buck's.
We were walking from the lot, heading down a back alley - I didn't want to take any main roads because I didn't want to take the chance of Darry or Soda comin' to look for me and I knew the game musta ended and Soda was probably aware I'd ditched him - jokin' around, cussin' a bit and havin' a few beers, when a car slowly turned into the alley.
We didn't think nothin' of it at first. If you wanna know the truth, Curly was drunk and I was definately buzzed. But when that car got close enough for us to realize it was a Mustang, we both sobered up real quick.
Not quick enough though.
Them socs had cornered us in the alley, and with nowhere to go, five socs climed outta the car, looking for a fight. I briefly recalled Johnny's voice. 'Mustangs...they're tuff' and shook my head quickly to clear my mind before I hooked my thumbs in my jeans and slouched - my typical 'tough pose'.
"Hey greasers" one of them socs snarled, "goin' somewhere?"
And the next thing I knew, we were surrounded.
"These greasers sure look like they need to learn a lesson. Whadda ya think, Dave?"
I think we're just the ones to teach 'em that lesson. Get 'em!"
And just as Curly and I had accepted the idea that we were outnumbered and were about to be jumped, a strong voice came from behind the socs, near the entrance of the alley...
"And we're just the ones to teach you filthy socs that lesson."
I swear, I'd never been so happy to hear Darry's voice.
Darry, Soda, Two-Bit and Steve came barrelling down the alley, ready to pounce, but them socs, at the sound of Darry's voice, had jumped back in their Mustang and were takin' off...their tires screeching.
"You two ok?", Darry asked, breathing hard and looking real worried.
"Fine." Curly answered. "Thanks for coming to our rescue, Darry. Man, if you guys hadn't come along..."
But I wasn't listening to Curly because suddenly it hit me. Darry was there.
I glanced at him - but put my head down and started chewin' on my nails when I saw the expression on his face - the same expression he'd had when he caught me at Buck's party only five days before.
"C'mon...let's get you two home where you belong."
I thought I'd die when he grabbed me by the arm again.
Soda didn't say a word to me as we were walkin' outta the alley. He wouldn't even look at me. Glory, I felt so bad for ditchin' him at the game. He musta been outta his mind when he realized what I'd done. I could only imagine how he explained it all to Darry.
"Soda? Sodapop...?", I began. "Soda, I'm so sorry. Ya see, there was this girl, and I was supposed to meet her at Buck's at midnight...and..."
But, he cut me off.
"No, Ponyboy, you ain't sorry. But I sure as hell hope you will be!" I flinched at his words. He turned to Darry. "Mind if I take the truck? Me, Steve and Two-Bit are gonna give Curly a ride home then head over to the Dingo for a bit."
"Sure, Pepsi-Cola." Darry said, using dad's nickname for him and tossing him the keys.
"Me and Pony can walk home from here," Darry turned to glare at me "and when we get home I plan on havin' a little discussion with him with the back of Mom's hairbrush." I squirmed.
Curly looked at me, his eyes wide, stunned by Darry's words. I looked away, embarassed, and started chewing on my nails again. God, I hated Darry right then. Why'd he hafta go and say that in front of all my friends?!
"Be back soon, little buddy" he told Soda.
They took off, leaving me alone with Darry.
"C'mon!" he growled.
I didn't have a choice...