AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you to all supporting my story.

Chapter 9

Darry watched as tears slipped down Soda's face.

"I loved her Darry. I've never loved a girl like this before. What if Sandy is the only one I'll ever meet?" Soda pleaded.

Darry tried to hide his smirk and rested a heavy hand on Soda's shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll find another girl who's just right for you, Pepsi-Cola. I know it's always hard the first time," Darry comforted.

"You ever been in love Dar?"

Darry nodded, "Yeah Pepsi, I have. You remember my girl Diane; I must have been going with her when I was about your age."

Soda sniffed and nodded.

"She the one with the brown hair in a pretty bow, the gang kept teasing ya about?"

Darry nodded, "Yeah. Well when she had to move away I was devastated. My point Sodapop is that you will move on; it just takes time. I know that's no excuse for what Pony done but know it's not the end of the world."

Soda nodded and wiped his sleeve over his eyes.

"Why don't you stay out here and watch television while I go talk with Ponyboy?" Darry suggested.

Soda nodded.

"Make sure you tell him I'm still real mad at him; it was a dirty trick he did," Soda requested softly with harshness still present in his tone at talk of his younger brother.

"Don't you worry Sodapop; Ponyboy is in for some serious explaining and he is not gonna get off easy."

Darry took a deep breath and folded the letter up firmly under on arm, making his way as calmly as possible to Ponyboy's room; emotions inside ready to explode at any moment.

Darry swung open the bedroom door and found Pony with his knees scrunched to his chest, sobbing as he had been in the living room.

"Ponyboy Curtis I want a full explanation of this and I want it right now!" Darry yelled.

Pony glanced up at Darry who stood tall with his arms firmly folded over his chest.

"Do you realize how much you hurt Soda by doing something like this?" Darry yelled, waving the letter in the air.

"I didn't mean to hurt Soda. I just...I don't know why..."

"Oh you must know why Ponyboy; you don't always use your head but you know when to think! Let me just tell you what I thought when I read this: shocked first off, then my mind thought about Mum and Dad; what would they think of you having done this? My guess, Ponyboy is that they would have been as disappointed in you as I am!" Darry admonished.

Pony squeezed his knees tighter and let more tears fall. Darry was right; their parents would be disappointed and Pony hated the thought of disappointing their legacy.

"So Ponyboy I want to hear your explanation," Darry demanded and stared hard at his little brother.

Pony shrugged.

"I just...Soda was spending so much time with Sandy; I didn't want to lose him," Pony mumbled.

"Ponyboy: that is ridiculous. I thought we talked about you being jealous of Soda going out and if I remember clearly I warned you to stop with your childish behaviour over it; didn't I?"

Pony shrugged in agreement and Darry shook his head.

"Let us talk about how Sandy got this letter too, hmm? Something tells me she got this the same day you were at home when Soda and I were working and that would only mean you left the house and went across town; by your lonesome might I presume?" Darry raged.

Pony nodded and wiped his eyes on his knees. Darry slammed his hand against the wall.

"Ponyboy how many times do I have to tell you not to go across town by yourself, especially without me knowing about it; what if you got jumped, huh? Bet you didn't think of that, did you?"

Pony wanted to protest and tell Darry he had thought of that but figured, 'what's the point?' his voice would be too quiet for Darry to hear and who was he kidding; why would Darry even listen: his rules were broken and that was it.

Darry let out a loud huff not getting much response from his brother.

"Ponyboy I am sick of repeating myself with you; what's it gonna take huh?! Since you seem so keen on writing letters, you are going to write an apology letter to both Soda and Sandy and they had better be genuine. You can expect I will check them over before you give them. Along with that you are grounded for three weeks, in which you will do extra chores and there most certainly will not be any pleasurable activities!" Darry set the law.

"Yes Darry; I'm sorry," Pony croaked out, never feeling as terrible as he had at this moment in his entire life.

"Ponyboy: if you ever do something so sneaky and hurtful to someone in the family again, I promise you it will be the sorriest day of your life," Darry finished with a low warn; to Ponyboy this often was worse than being hollered at.

Pony took another look up at Darry's disappointed face.

"Have you finished your homework?" Darry asked gruffly after a few minutes of silence; except for Pony's continual sobbing.

"Not all of it," Pony responded quietly.

"Well you get and finish that and then I want a start on those letters. I expect to see that done by the end of tonight; is that clear?"

"Yes Darry," Pony said barely above a whisper.

Darry turned ready to walk out of the bedroom.

"Darry?"

Darry glared hard at his brother.

"My school books and homework is out in the kitchen."

"Very well, go and get it and come straight back to your room," Darry ordered.

Pony wasted no time in shuffling off the bed and hastily wiping his tears as he made his way into the kitchen grabbing his books and homework. Pony went back into his room and closed the door; dropping his work onto his desk and sliding into his chair.

A little while later Pony heard the door open in which Soda walked in and quickly made a grab for his favourite comic before making an attempt to rush out.

"Soda, wait please. I want to say I'm sorry," Pony called out.

Soda squinted with his eyes, and gave Pony a dirty stare.

"I ain't listening to you and I don't care. You can stuff your sorries! I hope Darry chewed you out good Ponyboy Curtis," Soda spat with such anger and hurt in each of his words.

Soda turned; not looking back at his brother and slammed the bedroom door. A new wave of tears overcome Pony and he flopped himself carelessly down upon his desk with his head hiding in the crook of his arms. Ponyboy let out loud heaving sobs. How could one action of jealousy cause such hot-footed repercussions?