AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Thank you to all who are continuing to support this story. I appreciate it a lot.
Chapter 13
"You just can't help yourself can you Ponyboy?!" Soda yelled.
"Why are you so bent on ruining my relationship with Sandy?!"
Soda had shot off the bed and stopped comforting his brother as soon as Pony had explained how he'd seen Sandy with the guy at the Dairy Queen.
"I'm not Soda; it's the truth! It's what I saw!" Pony defended, trying his hardest not to cry.
"How can it be? Sandy doesn't go for guys like that!" Soda yelled.
Darry had heard the sudden yells coming from his brother's room and shot up from his seat, racing down to see what the commotion was about.
Darry burst into the room with a yell, "What on earth is going on here?!"
Darry noticed Soda standing red faced and angry and Pony sitting on the bed in tears.
"You both have five seconds to tell me what's going on and one of you had better tell me," Darry warned.
Soda glared at Darry.
"Ponyboy's making up lies about Sandy again! He says she's cheatin' on me!" Soda snapped.
Darry turned towards Pony with a furious look.
"Ponyboy is this true?!" he demanded.
"No I saw it. I ain't lying, Sodapop. Honest Darry," Pony pleaded with each of his brothers.
"Have you ever heard of the boy who cried wolf? I'm gonna call you little brother the liar!" Soda spat venomously.
Pony let out a heavy sob, feeling hurt by Soda's harsh words.
Darry shook his head and crossed his arms strongly over his chest.
"I thought we had gotten past all this Ponyboy Michael? This is your last warning to cut this meddling business out or you and I are going to have a long discussion and I don't just mean a verbal one young man!" Darry warned.
Pony was too upset to answer his enraged brother. He was hurting inside that neither of them believed him. Pony sprung up from the bed and pushed past both his brothers, running fast from the door.
"Ponyboy Curtis you get back here. This discussion is not over!" Darry bellowed.
Pony didn't look back and let his emotions guide his feet as he dashed out the screen door and out the front gate.
"Ponyboy!" Darry yelled again, but Pony was too far away to respond.
Soda stood beside Darry in the doorway watching Pony running fast down the street.
"Forget the lying wolf!" Soda yelled out, hoping to make his brother hear.
Pony didn't know where he was going but he just continued to pound the pavement, running into the darkness. Pony eventually stopped when he'd pushed all his muscles into overdrive. He was puffing hard and his chest rose heavily with each breath.
Pony looked around him into the dark street; all he could see were dim street lights and spilt rubbish from pushed over trash cans.
Pony reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a few quarters; just enough for a phone call.
Pony slowed down to a walk and coming to the realization where he was he walked towards the nearest phone box.
Pony rubbed his exposed arms feeling the coolness of the night time air.
After slipping the quarter into the telephone slot, Pony dialed Johnny's number; waiting anxiously for an answer.
"Hello?" came a gruff female voice on the other end of the line.
"Ah, Mrs. Cade, can I speak to Johnny please; is he there?" Pony quavered out as his body shivered; partially from the cool air and partially from his sobs.
"Eh 'ang on! Jonathan, get your lazy behind down here; ya got a phone call!" Johnny's mother yelled.
Pony pulled the phone away from his ear at the shouting and winced hoping he hadn't gotten his best buddy in trouble.
"Make it quick; don't you go hogging up our landline," Johnny's mother barked.
Johnny took the phone from his mother and pressed it against his ear.
"Yar?"
"Hey Johnny; it's Ponyboy," Pony whispered.
"Ponyboy, what's up man?" Johnny heard Pony let out a sniffle.
"Listen Johnny: I've really made a mess of things at home. Soda and Darry are right mad at me. I told the truth about Sandy and they blew up at me; hollering and stuff. Do you think maybe I could hang out at yours or something?"
Pony didn't hear a reply and instantly dreaded the worst: his buddy didn't want to know him either, but in fact Johnny had placed his attention on his parents.
Johnny's Mum was slumped on the couch with a glass of wine and his Dad watching the television with his fourth beer.
"Johnny: you there?" Pony asked.
"Yeah Ponyboy, sure, but my house ain't the best you know. How's about I meet you down at the lot in ten minutes?" Johnny suggested.
A ding sounded on the telephone to tell Pony he was running out of money.
"Yeah Johnny, I'm almost out of money, so I'll meet you there."
"Sure Ponyboy. And Ponyboy: be careful," the older greaser advised.
"Thanks Johnny; you're a pal."
Pony heard the empty dial tone of an engaged phone as Johnny hung up. Taking one more look at his parents, knowing full well they wouldn't care if he'd left, Johnny went up to his room and got dressed in his tough jeans with the tear on the side from rumbles, his beat up sneakers and his scruffy jean jacket. Johnny grabbed what was left of his cigarettes and made his way towards the lot.
Pony was already waiting at the lot when Johnny arrived; slightly puffed from doing a heavy jog.
"Hey Johnny, thanks for coming," Pony mumbled.
Johnny gave a shrug and sat beside his buddy on the dirt ground.
"So what happened?" Johnny asked and tossed a matched onto a pile of papers to light a fire.
Pony stared at the crackling fire with a sad look.
"Well I told Soda about what we saw and alls he did was yell at me and call me a liar and Darry didn't believe me either and was yelling. Soda said they'd be better off without a liar living with them."
Johnny noticed tear tracks running down Pony's cheeks in the dim light.
"I'm sure they don't mean nothing by it; they're just shocked is all," Johnny comforted.
"You don't know that," Pony defended, tossing a twig angrily onto the fire before resting against his friend.
"So what ya gonna do?" Johnny asked.
Pony shrugged, "Hang out here. I thought of maybe asking Dal if he'll help me get some money."
Johnny's eyes went wide and he sat up.
"Ponyboy you ain't thinking of living on the streets; that ain't no good for you," Johnny stated.
Pony scowled at his friend.
"I can't go home Johnnycakes, you heard: Soda and Darry don't want me!" Pony spat.
"Shoot Ponyboy, it's my parents that don't want me. Your brothers, they're just mad; they care about you like I never seen anyone care about another," Johnny admitted.
Pony sighed; Johnny was right, Pony was lucky to have his brothers, when all the older greaser had were parents who didn't even notice him unless it was to hit him.
"Hey you want a cancer stick? I only brought along what I had left," Johnny offered.
Pony nodded and took a cigarette from Johnny.
The two rested back against the ground and gazed up at the stars.