A scream ripped from the boy's throat and he sat up shivering; his green eyes scanning the room what was never once there. He closed his eyes and let out a quivering sigh. Ponyboy had now adapted to a strange sleeping pattern; he would only sleep for around 2 hours a night, and then walked around the house at the strange, late hours of the night; muttering to himself nonsense. He lifted himself out of the bed; his body shivering as the cold air hit his warm body. He cracked the door open and strained his eyes to see against the harsh light that flooded into his room and illuminated it. The youngest Curtis found his older brother sitting on the sofa, reading a book Ponyboy had never seen before. He glanced back into his room and looked at the small alarm clock that rested on his bedside; the clock's neon green numbers read out 3: 45 A.M.
He slowly opened the door, walked towards his brother, and set a hand on his shoulder, causing the older man to jump slightly. If it had been any other time, Ponyboy would have laughed at scaring his brother, but at this time, he could understand why Darry was so nervous.
"Hey, Ponyboy…" Darry said in a hushed tone their friends were now sleeping in the moon clinch.
Ponyboy looked around the room at all of his slumbering friends. Dallas was near the door and next to Johnny, who had his head resting on the blonde-haired person's shoulder. Ponyboy knew Johnny would be scolded for that later Two-bit was on the floor, curled into a slight ball and his hand balled into a fist around the beer can. Steve was on the sofa farthest from everyone. He had been wanted to be left alone and drew away from the gang. Ponyboy did not like the boy too much, but at that moment, he looked at Steve without any bias opinion. The boy that Ponyboy had hated and held so much hatred in him looked lost and younger as he slept. Pony's attention was now brought back to the book resting in Darry's hands.
"What's that?" Pony asked taking the book from Darry.
"Just something from school that Soda did when he was in 2nd grade," Darry gave a low laugh, "Couldn't believe mum kept it after all this time."
A soft groan came from the side of the sofa and Steve glared up at them, his dark brown curly hair was disheveled.
"Steve…" Darry whispered going to sit by the younger male.
Steve merely shook his head and laid on his back staring at the ceiling. Ponyboy looked up at Darry Worried for a man he had once held such a hatred for.
Steve finally spoke up, using his voice after it seemed like years since they had heard it, "I'm okay, kid. I always know when you're worried about something; you and your horse-of-a-brother have a specialty for going dead quite when you're worried."
Ponyboy laughed a laugh that he had not given since his brother's disappearance.