In Hot Water
Chapter Ten: "Eyes on the Prize"
Thursday June 2nd, 1966
As the days passed, Ponyboy found himself fidgeting more everyday. He knew the day was coming closer, and now his mind just wouldn't forget about it. Tomorrow was the day after all, and he found out a few days ago that he wasn't only waiting for Shane to come after him again, but for that man to be released from prison. It was strange that both things were happening the same day but Pony didn't think too much about it. It was just a weird coincidence.
He stared long and hard at the crumpled and wrinkled paper in his hands. He held and read it so many times that it wasn't looking so new anymore. What once was eleven days now quickly turned into a one. Maybe if he told Darry and Soda about this, it would make it all better. But telling them would've made them worry more, and Pony didn't want to be responsible for any more gray hairs on Darry's head. Maybe he could just tell Sodapop. Maybe if Soda knew he'd take his mind off of Steve.
Pony sighed. Soda has been acting the same way all week. He doesn't look at Steve anymore, he doesn't make eye contact, he avoids him as much as possible. It's been a couple of months since Pony felt what it was like to have a best friend, and seeing the way both Steve and his brother are acting-it might have been a while, but Pony knew that was nothing what it felt like. Soda was upset, or angry, or something, and Steve either knew, didn't know, or pretended not to. Darry and Two-Bit have been aware of the situation as well but tried their best to ignore the problem. There was more important things to deal with than a little argument in a friendship. Soda would eventually cool off and Steve would welcome him back with opened arms.
Thinking about the way Soda and Steve had been acting just sent shivers down Pony's spine. It was definitely random for Soda to get mad all of the sudden, especially without not telling anyone. It was unusual, rare, in fact, Ponyboy couldn't even think of a time Soda was mad for this long. Ever! Whatever it was, it had to be for a good reason, because Pony hated seeing their relationship that way. He might not have been too fond of Steve, but when it came to Soda, Pony had no choice but to care. Soda was his brother, and if he was furious at Steve, than Pony was too, but Pony also knew that Steve was the only one who could bring his big brother back to life.
It was horrible thinking about all of this for Ponyboy. The fourteen year old knew what was going to happen the next day. He knew that today was probably the last he'll ever see of his brothers, of his friends, of a life, but he spent it thinking and worrying. His last memory of Sodapop would probably be this new version of him he's been seeing ever since the day after he told Soda about Shannon/Sharon. Pony wasn't there when Soda found out about Sandy, but he knew his brother was a mess. His heart was totally broken. It was him and Sandy in the same week. Now it was him and Shannon. Why couldn't their lives just be simple for once? Why couldn't they get at least a simple break? Was it too much to asked?
oOoOo
"So kid, what do you want to do today?"
Pony slightly laughed and rolled his eyes. "You ask that question every day Two-Bit, what do you want to do?"
Two-Bit shrugged, jumping onto the couch that slightly sprung him up when he first landed. "Well I don't want to do anything 'productive' today. I can't stand to look at another card, and you're the only person in the world who finds reading fun. So let's play football!"
Pony sighed. He raised his left hand, pointing out the cast on his wrist that disabled him from moving it. It was frustrating having that thing on his hand. How was he suppose to catch a football? How was he suppose to enjoy summer, or well this day? It was annoying and even though Two-Bit wasn't the one wearing it, he found it annoying too.
With a sigh, Two-Bit sat quiet for a second. Being stuck at the Curtis house twenty-four seven almost was getting boring. After that long silent moment, the Mickey Mouse lover jumped to his feet.
"Soccer. Let's play soccer!" Two-Bit jumped off the couch and grabbed Pony's good arm, tugging him out of the house as he ran. Never had Two-Bit felt so good to enter the backyard. He let go of Ponyboy and ran into the shed, getting out an old soccer ball. They didn't usually play soccer. They only play football, that was it. Two-Bit even forgot the soccer was even a sport. It was good to be outside again.
"Oh and remember Ponyboy." Two-Bit rolled the ball with his feet to the center of the yard. "No hand balls."
"Very funny Two-Bit."
oOoOo
Sharon sighed, taking in the surroundings carefully. She's been in this house for over a week. She and Shane haven't stepped a foot outside in two weeks, but tomorrow that would change. Tomorrow they were leaving. Somewhere out of Tulsa, but that's as much as Sharon knew, but Shane knew of course, but he never tells her anything.
Sharon just wanted this whole thing to be over with. She hated what she was doing but she learned her lesson not to ever mention how horrible this was to Shane again. The bruises were still on her neck and every day when she looked in the mirror they reminded her of that night. Shane never used to be this way. After Bob died something deep down in him changed, but Sharon hardly remembered who that guy was anymore. It was like Shane died the day Bob did.
"You ready?" Shane came in, it might have been one o'clock in the afternoon, but a bottle of beer was placed in his grip. Probably was his third one.
Sharon looked up at her cousin, little confused. "What for?"
"We're leavin' this dump. Get your head out of the clouds Sharon and start paying attention."
The blonde shook her head. "I-I thought we weren't leaving until tomorrow."
"I changed my mind, let's go."
Sharon already regretted what she was about to do, but she did it anyway. She couldn't stand Shane anymore. He was getting on her nerves, well actually was already on her nerves. The teenage girl stood up off the couch. Straightening her posture, she still wasn't as tall as Shane but she ignored that. Sharon didn't really care.
"No. I'm not going."
"Hell yeah you are. I'm not going to leave you to have you rat me out to the cops. Not going to happen Sharon. You're coming with me if you like it or not." Shane took another gulp out of the bottle ass Sharon shook her head, despite being scared, Sharon couldn't help but talk.
"I think I know why you're doing this Shane. You're upset about Bob, but that isn't the whole story."
"Shut up Sharon!" he snapped, busting the half full bottle against the wall, shattering the glass and emptying its contents.
"It isn't just to get revenge for Bob. In fact, I don't even think you really liked him, did you? He was popular, smart, everybody wanted to be his friend, you used to be best friends with him when you were younger, but that changed because he changed. You are angry with Bob, you wanted to kill him yourself but Ponyboy's friend beat you to it, huh?"
Out of rage, Shane grabbed Sharon by the shoulders, shoving her against the way he spilled beer on. "Can't you ever shut up for once in your life?" he said through clench teeth, he got as he got angrier, his grip got stronger. Sharon tried not to wince, but she let out a scream instead. Shane pulled her off the all just to slam her against it again, and she let out another shriek.
"I said shut the fuck up!"
Shane did this move repeatedly, until Sharon's head hit the wall on his hardest shove .Her eyes closed, and the eighteen year old loosened his grip, realizing what he had done. He didn't think to check a pulse, or see if she was breathing, he just immediately placed her on the floor slowly, and gently before grabbing his packed bag and running out the door.
He didn't know how he should feel. His mind told him to blame the alcohol and Sharon, but his heart told him he should blame himself. He couldn't believe what he had actually done. Last time he got so angry he took out his best friend and didn't feel one thing of guilt, this time it was his cousin, and now he wasn't sure what to do other than move on with the plan.
It might have been almost two o'clock in the afternoon, but Shane didn't really care how much light there was. He needed to get his head off of Sharon and back into the game. Eyes on the prize is what they say, and the prize just happened to be Ponyboy Curtis.
oOoOo
Two-Bit kicked the ball way past the two trashcans the two boys had substituted as a goal, the ball flew way out of sight into the distance.
"Was that really necessary?" Ponyboy asked and Two-Bit nodded with a huge smile on his face.
"Of course it was! I was losing and I need to score."
"Well you can go get it then."
Two-Bit sighed, before climbing the fence into the neighbor's yard, and climbing their fence into another neighbor's yard. He grabbed the beat up ball and hoped the fences but found a scene he was not expecting to find. Ponyboy was not in the yard.
The eighteen, almost nineteen year old raced into the house, tossing the black and white ball onto the floor.
"Ponyboy!" he yelled, there was no answer and Two-Bit panicked. He opened every door and searched every room in the house, only to come up clean. Ponyboy wasn't in the house.
Oh God, oh God. What am I going to do now?
oOoOo
Body Found at Man's House
By Linda James
TULSA-John Hodgins was released from prison earlier today to arrive to his home to find an unpleasant surprise. A young female was found dead in his home. Police say it was homicide and believe this girl is seventeen year old Sharon Whitfield, who is a suspect in the kidnapping of Ponyboy Curtis, who again went missing around two o'clock in the afternoon yesterday, which is about the time police have estimated Sharon Whitfield's time of death. Shane Whitfield, the other suspect involved in Curtis's kidnapping is still to be found.
Hodgins was released from prison after being arrested for driving under the influence and killing a couple in a car accident, those killed in the accident happened to be the parents of the missing fourteen year old boy and he was also the cellmate of Shane Whitfield before he escaped. Police are still investigating, hoping the murder had nothing to do with the car accident the happened over a year ago.
So I know it's been like a week an half... last Saturday I pretty much didn't sit down all day, and every day since this past week has been the same, so forgive me for not finding the time to write this chapter. Also to clear confusion, the news paper artical was written the third, not the second which is when the rest of the chapter takes place. And this chapter wasn't proof read, so sorry for typos or words that don't make sense what-so-ever.
Come on guys, two reviews? I know you can do better than that, in fact I bet you can do better than that! Come on, where's the encourgement from my lovely readers? Thanks to those two who did review. You two are awesome!
Also I think I'm going to end htis story a lot quicker than I planed to. I could end this a million ways really, I have a bunch of alternate endings in my head, and the one I am considering sadly doesn't envolve the reason why Soda got mad at Steve, but I could make an unnessecary little section in the story to explain that. If I do this alternate ending, this will probably end in like two chapters and the character John Hodgins doesn't really come in. I'm just afraid that the fact that I probably will be pretty busy until summer vacation starts is going to affect my writting. If that's okay with you guys, I hope you understand.
-Michelle Loves Chocolate 99