Chapter Three
Soda POV
I'd finally gotten back to the DX.
"Hey, how was Pony's appointment?"
"Don't know. Two-bit took him."
I nodded and started working. About thirty minutes later, we heard the bell chime on the door and turned to greet our customer.
"What do you... Oh! Hey, Pony!"
"Hey, Sodapop."
"Two-bit, you were suppose to take him back to school. Darry's gonna..."
"Kid's got a fever. Doc said to sit it out a couple days."
I walked over to him and felt his head. He swatted my hand away. Steve snorted.
"Brat."
Pony scowled and sat down on a stool. Steve handed him a Pepsi.
"Where's mine?"
"Buy your own, Two-bit."
I rolled my eyes and got him one.
"Any after this, you buy it."
"Aye aye, captain!"
He saluted me. I rolled my eyes again.
"What else did Dr. Hendrix say?"
Both of them looked so uncomfortable, you could cut their tension with a knife. Me and Steve looked at each other.
"All the tests on my head came back fine."
"Good, kiddo."
After a few minutes, they decided to head back to the house.
"They didn't tell us everything."
"They will. Or, at least Two-bit will."
Later, after my shift, me and Steve headed to the house.
"Darry's truck's in the driveway, Soda."
We walked up the steps and saw Two-bit sitting on the porch. He walked in with us.
"Hey, what are you doing home from work? Where's Ponyboy?"
"Sleeping."
He didn't say anything else.
"Everything okay?"
He handed me a sheet of paper. I read it and felt my blood boil. I handed it to Steve who read it.
"He wants Pony to go to counseling and take some medication. He called me at work."
"And?"
"He's gonna do it."
I glared.
"Really? I tried to tell you this last week and you wouldn't listen but now because a doctor says it you wanna believe it?"
"Does it matter as long as I believe it now?"
His tone was harsh. I glared.
"Yeah, it does matter! What if he hadn't needed the checkup for his concussion?! What then?! I don't know what your problem is lately, but you've been colder than ever!"
"Don't talk to me that way, Sodapop! You're walking on dangerous grounds!"
"Are you serious right now? I'mwalking on dangerous grounds? I tried to tell you! You're not being a big brother, you're being an ass!"
"Listen here! I make the decisions. I'm your guardian! I'm his guardian! You both listen to me, not the other way around!"
I was about to lose it, but Steve stepped in between us. We were in each other's faces. Steve hissed at us.
"Calm down, you'll wake the kid up!"
"Too late..."
Ponyboy was standing at the end of the hall, eyes tired.
"Soda, do we have any aspirin?"
I looked at Darry and then pushed passed him to the bathroom. I came out with a couple of them and he dry swallowed them.
"How do you do that?"
He shrugged.
"Don't know. My head hurts..."
"Come on, go lay down. We'll be quiet. We promise."
"Did you know?"
"Did I know what, Pony?"
He looked at everyone else, grabbed my arm, and pulled me into his room. He'd started sleeping in it again the last couple of months.
"Did you know how I felt?"
I looked down.
"I knew you were... Depressed. You just... You wouldn't talk to me, so I didn't know how to deal with it. Steve and Two-bit knew, too."
He nodded slowly.
"Did Darry?"
My silence was his answer. He nodded and sat on the bed. I don't think Darry realizes that he relies on both of us, not just me. He wants both of his brothers to understand, but Darry won't even try.
Darry POV
He stayed in there with Pony for and hour before finally coming out.
"He's finally out like a light."
Two-bit cleared his throat.
"Uh, I won't be here the next couple days. Karen's getting her first... Her first treatment and I wanna be there."
We all nodded. After a little while, they left. Leaving me and Soda. We ate dinner in silence. When he left to go to bed, I finally spoke up.
"Soda."
He stopped in the hallway, but didn't turn around.
"What?"
"We'll do whatever we can to help him. Okay?"
He sighed.
"Sure, Dar."
later that night, I was pulled out of my sleep by screaming. I bolted out of my room drowsily going to Ponyboy's room, with Soda on my heels.
"Wake up, Pony!"
He kept thrashing around. Soda put a gentle hand on his arm.
"Wake up, honey."
He sat up with a jolt, gasping for air. After a minute, he laid back down. Soda put a hand on his head.
"Oh, kiddo. You're burning up."
I felt his head, and he was.
"It's okay, I've got you."
"Can I stay with you?"
"Sure, Ponyboy. My door's always open."
They got up from the bed. Pony stopped at the door.
"Sorry..."
I put my hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay. Get some sleep."
He nodded and followed Soda. I would never tell them, but it hurts me that Pony trusts him so much. Even before our parents died, they just always had this connection. I could never compare to Soda. Maybe that's why I didn't try so hard...