AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Apologies for the delay in updates. Thank you all for your support in reading, following and favouriting. Also to those who reviewed: StayGold3, kaygreaser, mycookiegirl, Lovetoread75, GreaserG1rl201, Unknown Identity 90, Bob, I love the outsiders, Danielle and everyone else from previous chapters.

In response to guest 'Dozer' no I am not British but British-English is my written language, and in response to 'PartyShoes16' I get the characterization isn't spot on and the reason behind using some US and British vocabulary about the car talk is because I am not familiar with US cars/vocabulary so that was due to research.

Please enjoy. :)

Chapter 10

Pony dried his eyes but still sat miserably at his desk finishing off his homework. He shut his books and proceeded to pull out a piece of paper, wondering how writing a letter was going to change anything between him and Soda.

Pony decided to make a start on Soda's apology letter first but after much thought and timeless gazing at a blank sheet of paper, Pony came to the realization it was harder than he thought.

Pony heard heavy footsteps outside the bedroom door and within a few seconds saw the door burst open to reveal his oldest brother.

"Ponyboy, dinner is ready!" Darry notified gruffly; his hand still firm around the door handle.

Pony dropped his pen down and stood up from the desk. He had been starving but after the afternoon's fiasco he had begun to lose his appetite.

Pony was about to exit the room when Darry raised a hand up to stop him.

"You will eat dinner then come straight back to your room. I do not want to hear one word out of you at the dinner table and that includes any apology attempts to Sodapop; he is too upset and I do not want eruptions over dinner," Darry ordered.

Pony silently nodded, willing himself not to cry again.

"How far along are you with your letters?"

Pony glanced up at his towering brother's intimidating eyes.

"I was just about to when..."

Darry instantly cut Pony off.

"Have you even finished your homework?" Darry demanded with slight annoyance.

Pony turned his face down.

"Yes, honest Darry," Pony mumble.

"Well remember I want those letters done tonight or you will find yourself with serious consequences," Darry warned.

"Now out and into the kitchen Ponyboy," Darry ordered, pointing out of the bedroom.

Pony shuffled his way past his brother not saying a word, though wondering how he was ever going to get himself out of this mess of his brothers hating him.

Soda was already seated at the table and only glared at Ponyboy for a brief second before turning away and deliberately giving Pony the cold shoulder.

Soda and Darry ate their dinner hungrily, with Soda not skipping out on showing his frustrations by continuously scrapping and digging his knife and fork across his plate.

Pony pushed his squashed down meatloaf all over his plate before forcing down small bites every so often; food really didn't taste good if you weren't enjoying it with company.

Darry eyed his kid brother's reluctance to eat.

"Ponyboy stop messin' with your dinner and eat," he ordered firmly.

Pony stopped playing with his food, taking in slow mouthfuls.

When Darry was satisfied that Pony had eaten enough he ordered the young teenage back to his room. Pony returned to his room without question and sat back down at his desk, again staring at the blank piece of paper.

I have to get something written, otherwise Darry will really be mad, Pony thought. After much time chewing on the base of his pen, Pony finally put pen to paper and by the time nine-thirty had come he had managed to finish both apology letters however Pony wondered on whether he should chance going out of his room to show Darry or wait until his brother came to him; either way he did not want more trouble.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Pony took the initiative and went out into the living room with the letters. Soda was watching a sports show on the television while Darry occasionally took his eyes away from his paperwork to glance at the television as he sat in his recliner.

Darry immediately sat to attention when he noticed Pony walk into the room.

"Ponyboy what are you doing out of your room?" the older man questioned sternly.

"I...I came to show you the letters; I finished both of them," Pony said timidly, waving the letters in the air.

"Very well, bring them here for me to look over," Darry ordered, moving his paperwork out of the way.

Pony cautiously approached his brother, allowing Darry to swipe the letters out of his hand.

Pony took a glance at Soda who was relaxed comfortably on the couch, feet on the coffee table and arms crossed. Soda however did not even acknowledge that Pony was in the room; eyes staring profusely at the television screen.

Pony turned his eyes down to look at the floor, shifting his feet as he waited for Darry to finish scrupulously reading both letters; making Pony's nerves prickle inside him and feel as though he was being picked apart piece by piece.

Darry finally gave a firm nod and handed the letters back.

"They're acceptable. You can take Sandy's over to her place tomorrow before I start work, that way I can drop you off and back home, but you can give Soda his now," Darry instructed, to which Soda pricked his ears up and gave his brother a look.

"I don't want nothin' from him," Soda spat.

"Sodapop, don't make this worse than it is. Pony has something to give you, now quit watching television for a moment."

Soda huffed but obeyed his older brother's wishes and stared at Ponyboy reluctantly. Pony hesitated, feeling intimidated by his brother's harsh stare.

"Well I'm waiting," Soda snapped.

"Soda, let Pony do what he has to," Darry warned, watching his brother's closely being ready to mediate any fights that arose.

Pony swallowed the huge lump in his throat and handed the letter he'd written for Soda.

"Soda, I'm sorry," Pony whispered. Soda snatched the letter and began reading.

Dear Sodapop,

I don't know how to start this but all I know is that I am truly sorry for what I did. I never meant to hurt you; I was just hurt that Sandy was taking you away from spending time with me.

You're the best big brother and I'm lucky to have you. You always understand me and have always done right by me and all I did was hurt you. Will you forgive me, because I miss you so much?

Soda I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.

Love your little brother,

Ponyboy Curtis

Soda finished reading and glanced up at Pony and in a matter of seconds angrily scrunched up Pony's apology letter, not having one ounce of care over his brother's words and threw the scrunched up letter at Pony's chest.

Pony caught the ball of paper before it dropped to the ground; feeling the burn of Soda's anger in his hands. Soda hastily turned away ready to storm off when Darry stopped him with a shout.

"Sodapop!"

"What? Why should I forgive him Darry; look what he done!" Soda snapped and stormed out of the living room to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Pony's eyes immediately filled with tears.

"I said I was sorry and wrote the letter just like you said Darry. Why won't he listen or forgive me?" Pony sobbed and turned to face his oldest brother.

Darry sighed and stood up from his recliner, feeling sorry for his kid brother, even believing himself that Soda had been a bit harsh towards Pony.

Darry softened his gaze then Pony felt something that he didn't feel often; Darry took his strong muscular arms around the smaller teen and held him in a tight hug as Pony continued to sob.

Pony let his head rest against Darry's chest, gaining as much comfort as humanly possible.

"I'm sorry Soda was so harsh and wasn't ready to forgive you. I wish I could make him forgive you but that's up to him baby, but Ponyboy I hope you learn that your actions have consequences," Darry said in his most comforting tone.

Pony nodded his head and stared up at his big brother with teary eyes.

"I want to take it all back Darry; I just want to," Pony sobbed.

Darry rubbed Pony's back and pulled the sad teen away from him. Pony roughly wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve and walked towards the coffee table to where he grabbed his packet of cigarettes and headed towards the front door.

"Where are you going Ponyboy?"

"I'm just going for one smoke," Pony sniffled.

"Well don't you go too far, it's almost bedtime," Darry said sternly.

Before Pony it to the front door, Soda came storming out of the bedroom.

"I'm staying at Steve's tonight; I can't stand being in the same house as him!" Soda spat, allowing all his built up anger and hurt to cloud his judgment.

Pony became more saddened by his brother's words, softening his eyes and slumping his shoulders.

"Sodapop you cannot just decide this for yourself," Darry stated in a stern manner.

"Well I did. I already called him and he's on his way to pick me up," Soda argued.

Pony couldn't stand anymore and pushed through the front door with a bang.

Heeding a heavy heart, Pony took in the dark surrounds of the front garden, mixed with the dim street lights, as he took a drag of his cigarette. Pony could hear Soda and Darry arguing inside about Soda's choice to stay at Steve's.

Pony drowned out the arguing, becoming lost in his own thoughts, until the screen door banged open. Pony stared at Soda as he stormed out from the door.

"Move Ponyboy; you're in my way!" Soda yelled.

Pony stood in silence; he wasn't even blocking the stairway, he was just near them.

"I'm not in the way," Pony defended pitifully.

Soda stared down at Pony fiercely, "You're always in my way; now move!" Soda snapped.

Pony was taken aback by Soda's harsh words and immensely hurt. Pony shifted backwards away from the stairs, allowing Soda to storm passed without saying a word. Pony watched as Soda jumped into Steve's car and drove away.

Pony by now had ever-flowing tears running down his face. He stubbed out his cigarette, tossing it into the ashtray and stormed back inside. Darry was dumbfounded when Pony stormed straight towards his bedroom.

"Ponyboy," Darry called.

Pony turned and Darry could see the fresh tears on Pony's face. Pony wasted no time in turning away and heading back towards his bedroom.

"Ponyboy wait; I want to talk to you!" Darry requested.

Darry sighed at his brother's lack of response and with not having to wait up for anyone, Darry flicked off the lights and headed to his own room; longing for a good night's rest after the events of the day.

Darry was certain he could hear muffled cries coming from Ponyboy's room but as Darry went to go in, he noticed the light switched off; confirming that his brother did not want to talk and so the oldest Curtis made a mental note to deal with it all in the morning.