AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Many thanks to those that reviewed the last chapter: mycookiegirl, Kristiray, kaygreaser, CriminalOutsider'sGirl14, GreaserG1rl201, StayGold3, Lovetoread75, and Ponygirlrunner25, also thank you to those that have favourited and followed this story. Your support is very much appreciated.

Enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 5

Darry was in the kitchen cleaning up the last of the dinner dishes when Soda came running and somewhat, sliding, into the kitchen in his socks.

"Hey Dar: Steve and Two-Bit are going to the drag races on Saturday, is it okay if I go too?"

"Yeah alright little buddy, but you know the rule: no joining in the races and if the cops come you get out of there."

Soda smiled, "Yep, will do Dar; you don't need to worry about me."

Darry humph'd and rolled his eyes.

"With attitude like that Sodapop, I do need to worry about you."

Soda raced out of the kitchen into the lounge room where his little brother and best friends were flopped on the couch and floor; play wrestling and watching television.

"So, superman letting ya come to the big race?" Steve sneered.

"Yep," Soda cheered.

Pony's head flicked up to attention and his eyes glistened with anticipation. Soda always took him to the car races.

"What day are we going?" Pony asked.

Steve gave Soda a quick glance, being well aware that Soda had other plans this time.

"Who said you were invited kid?" Steve snapped, unable to resist rubbing it in Pony's face.

"Steve..." Soda warned in a hushed tone, wanting his explanation to be more subtle, unsure how he was going to tell his brother.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Pony said a little too loudly.

"Someone needs to shut your mouth kid and if I could be bothered I'd bop you one," Steve answered, pounding his fist.

"Steve, don't. Pony, look...it's..." Soda started.

Pony furrowed his eyebrows, staring towards his older brother in confusion as he took in the awkward silence in the room.

Soda sat beside his brother on the couch and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder, hoping it would soften the blow of admitting the truth.

"Pony look: you know I love taking ya out with me and we hang out real good, but these drag races, well, it's just gonna be me and the guys hanging out with our girls; ya dig?"

Pony's face saddened; shrugging himself away from Soda's hold.

"You won't enjoy yourself and 'sides I wanted to ask Sandy to go with me; she's never seen the drag races and I said they were real tuff. Ya understand don't ya, Ponyboy?" Soda implied.

Pony squinted his eyes, feeling as though he'd suffered the most rejected blow.

Pony shifted himself away from Soda, developing a scowl on his face as the emotions of hurt and anger raised inside him.

Standing up Ponyboy shouted, taking the remaining group by surprise.

"Yeah sure I understand, Sodapop!"

"What do you mean by that, Ponyboy?" Soda questioned, also standing up to match his brother; however towering over the younger teen slightly.

"Exactly how I meant it," Pony spat back, turning his back on his brother.

Steve snickers, "Sheesh kid; stop being shut a brat. Just 'cause Soda ain't taking ya to the races don't mean ya need to be such a baby!"

"Shut up Steve; this ain't your business!"

"Ponyboy, I thought you'd understand," Soda said gently.

"I'll just hang with Two-Bit, Dal and Johnny then," Pony stated.

Two-Bit shrugged. "Sorry kid, I'm out. I just got a new girl and she's something and I want to get to know her a little better," Two-Bit snickered.

"You say that about all your girls man and wasn't it just last week you had someone else?" Steve questioned with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Hey: it wasn't last week it was two weeks ago," Two-Bit confirmed.

"Good luck with hanging with Dal, kid; he got himself locked in the cooler for few days after breaking into a convenience store."

Pony huffed; it was like everything was against him and he was losing his friends and family. Pony finally gave up being surrounded by his brother and two friends and stormed off to the bedroom; hastily passing Darry who was exiting the kitchen.

"Ponyboy?" Darry questioned in confusion, turning towards his other younger brother.

"Soda what happened? Did you and Pony have another disagreement?" Darry queried, raising one eyebrow.

Soda shrugged, "He got upset when I told him I wasn't taking him to the drag races; that I was inviting Sandy instead."

"Kid's just sookin'," Steve added in.

Darry shook his head, wondering if Pony's odd behaviour was something more sinister.

By the time Saturday had come around, Pony had remained quiet, barely talking to Soda at all and giving his older brother a disappointed frown when he was about to leave.

"Got to go Dar; Steve's out the front waiting. Gonna go pick up the girls," Soda smirked, grabbing his shirt in a rush and straightening himself up to look presentable for Sandy.

"Just remember what I said Sodapop, I don't want no trouble and I want you home no later than midnight," Darry said firmly.

"No problem Darry. See ya Ponyboy," Soda smiled towards his younger brother, however Pony just stared; his arms firmly crossed across his chest.

When Soda had left, Pony was itching to relieve his frustrations and wanted to go out. He turned to his older brother.

"Darry can I got down to the lot and hang out with Johnny?"

Darry shook his head, adamant that he did not want his little brother getting into danger wandering the streets of Tulsa alone at night.

"No Ponyboy, you got no-one to go with you and it's too dark and you know I don't like you walking round town on a Saturday night."

"But Dar, I can look after myself and the lot is real close; I'll go straight there," Pony pleaded.

Darry raised his eyebrow at his younger brother's back talk.

"I said no Ponyboy and that's final. You keep it up and you'll be arguing your way to an early bedtime."

Pony quietly huffed and not saying another word picked up his book he'd left on the coffee table; resting himself down on a vacant armchair.

As Pony read over the words on the pages nothing sunk in; him being unable to get his mind off Soda and Sandy. It wasn't until he read over a sentence in his book that sprung a marvelous idea in his head on how he could get Sandy away from Soda.

Darry's eyes flicked to the clock and saw it read quarter past twelve.

"You best get to bed Ponyboy," the oldest Curtis ordered gruffly, "It's getting too late for you to be up little man."

Pony rolled his eyes and huffed, not making any attempt to move from his spot.

"If it's so late why aren't you raging about Soda? You always yell at me for being past my curfew," Pony accused.

Darry gave Pony a stern look. "Firstly: tone down the attitude kiddo and secondly, Soda's older than you and can handle himself, so I don't need to worry as much," Darry answered.

"I ain't no baby, I can handle myself!" Pony argued.

"Ponyboy I am not going through this with you now," Darry sighed.

"It's just you don't let me," Pony grumbled, barely audible.

"What was that little man?" Darry questioned with a stern eyebrow raise.

"Nothing Darry," Pony replied solemnly.

"It had better be nothing," Darry warned.

Pony hung his shoulders and grabbed his cigarettes from the table and got up from the armchair, making his way over towards the front door.

"And where do you think you're going?" Darry instigated.

Pony huffed and turned to face his brother, wondering why Darry always had to police everything he did but when Soda was out late, it was like it didn't matter.

"I'm just going for a smoke," Pony answered his brother, though unable to hide the venomous tone in his voice.

Darry raised his eyebrow in warning towards his little brother, not wanting to go into more conflict at this late at night.

"Just one Ponyboy then straight to bed," Darry ordered firmly.

Pony turned and swung open the fly-screen door; not caring if it slammed shut harder than he intended. He heard Darry groan from inside at his careless action but the youngest greaser didn't care; he had other things on his mind: like making his master plan work.

Pony sucked in the fresh air of the dark night, lighting up his cigarette. Hovering over the porch with his well lit cigarette, Pony saw Steve's car make its way to a stop outside their house. Inside the car, Steve, Evie, Soda, and Sandy were laughing and cheering.

Pony couldn't hear what they were saying but shortly saw Soda step out of the car.

"Thanks for dropping Sandy off. I'll see you at work on Monday."

"Ain't no problem, Soda; Sandy's house is close to Evie's anyway," Steve replied; smiling at Sandy through his rear-view mirror, as Evie was beside him in the front.

Steve was full of eagerness as Evie had invited him over to her house whilst her parents were out, making it an opportunity for the young couple to take their relationship to the next level.

"You sure you don't want to come stay at Evie's with us? I'm sure Sandy would be up for that; right Sandy?" Steve smirked.

"Nah; Darry would be mad if I did; besides I'm working tomorrow, even if you get the day off."

Pony watched Soda leaning into the car talking then as he finally moved back Sandy partially stepped out of the car.

Pony let out a groan and frowned, when he saw Soda wrap his arms around Sandy; the two sharing a quick kiss. Pony became transfixed with hatred, on the sight in front of him until he was brought back to reality when he felt the middle of his fingers heat from where the cigarette had mildly burned, since dissipating almost to the end.

Soda pulled away and looked up to see Pony flicking his hand as he stood on the porch. Pony caught Soda's eye and the action lead the youngest brother to angrily huff and hastily stub out the remains of his cigarette; tossing it into the grass, without a care that he'd likely get in trouble from Darry in the morning for not putting his cigarette in the bin. Darry did not like cigarette left-over dropped around the house or in the garden in case the state came by and found out he let Pony smoke.

Pony stormed inside, not even acknowledging Darry and stormed straight into the bedroom he shared with his brother. Pony angrily stripped off his clothes and got into his sleepwear then climbed quickly into bed.

Soda soon entered the Curtis house and Darry stood up immediately, approaching his brother.

"Sodapop do you know what time it is?" Darry questioned, raising his voice only slightly.

"Sorry Darry," Soda replied, sheepishly.

"Soda it's after twelve-thirty and I told you to be home by twelve," Darry lectured.

Inside the bedroom Pony lay listening to his brothers. At least Soda's getting told off like I would have; Darry must be mad after-all.

"I didn't mean to be out later, Dar. It's just we were all having such a good time at the races that we lost track of what time it was," Soda explained.

Darry shook his head and relaxed his crossed arms; he could never stay mad at Soda.

"Just don't let it happen again Sodapop. When I say a time to be home, you're to be home, understood little brother? I don't want you getting into trouble or hurt," Darry affirmed.

Pony's eyes widened as he lay quietly listening to what was being said between his brothers.

"No yelling? Not even a punishment? I'd have been grounded for sure and Darry wouldn't have stopped hollering," Pony grumbled out aloud.

"You best get to bed, little buddy and I'm glad you had a fun night," Darry ended.

"Thanks Dar; Sandy had a great time too," Soda responded, giving his older brother a slap on the arm and a cheerful smile.

Pony let out a groan, 'Sandy' it was always about Sandy. Pony heard footsteps come down the hall and quickly flicked off the light, not wanting to appear awake when his brother came into the room for he was still too mad at him.

Pony kept his gaze away from the door as he heard the familiar creaking. Shuffling through the dark Soda slipped on his sleepwear and hopped into the bed beside his disgruntled brother.

"Hey kiddo," Soda whispered in Pony's ear.

Pony kept quiet hoping that if he ignored his brother Soda would leave him alone. Soda gently placed his hand on Pony's shoulder.

"Pony, I know you ain't asleep; I saw you out on the porch not fifteen minutes ago; you can't go to sleep that quick," Soda stated.

Pony frowned, "Leave me alone Soda."

Pony made a move to shrug Soda's hand off.

"Come on Pone, you ain't still sore that you couldn't come to the races?"

"It doesn't matter," Pony grumbled.

"Pony talk to me; you know you can always talk to me; we talk real good," Soda offered.

Pony turned to face Soda. "Why would you want to talk to me when you're so happy with Sandy," Pony spat.

"Ponyboy it ain't like that and you know that. Sandy's my girl, but you're my little brother," Soda defended, trying to be the bigger man and encourage his younger brother to understand, despite his tiredness and frustrations over Pony's behaviour.

Not getting any response, Soda went on to explain his reasoning so the conversation could be over and they could get some sleep.

"Ponyboy you and I always go the races together, I just wanted to take Sandy this one time."

"Sure," Pony mumbled in a curtly manner.

"Ponyboy, look: I'm sorry if I upset you, savvy? We can go next time; promise."

Pony turned his head to look over his shoulder to stare at his brother again.

"No you won't Soda; you'll just take Sandy again. Promises are made to be broken!" Pony spat in a low whisper and flopped his head back against the pillow.

"Fine, that's the way you feel; I'm not talking about this anymore with you tonight, Ponyboy; you're being selfish!" Soda finally snapped.

Soda felt like he was going around in circles with his brother tonight and couldn't stop the pending hurt of being torn between his family and the girl he loved. Soda didn't know why Pony was behaving so difficult with Sandy; he thought she was nice.

Soda turned away from his brother so they were back to back in the bed and rested his head on his pillow.

Pony fought against his anger that was building inside him. How could Soda say he was selfish? Soda was the one wasting time with some bimbo greaser girl. Did he not care about him anymore? Pony thought.

Pony gave a final huff, knowing it was time to put his plan into action before he lost his brother forever. Pony closed his eyes with hope that tomorrow would be a new day.