Author's Note: Woah! It's been a long while, hasn't it? I'm really and truly sorry. X.x; Summer's here and –blabs on with excuses that you don't care about- So anyways. Here we go.

Disclaimer: No. I don't own anything. The only thing I own is….Your mom.

After I was thrown out of the library I didn't really have any place to go, so I figured I might as well go home. It was a relatively peaceful walk; no one seemed to be out on the streets. It was kind of eerie. Like in one of those horror movies where you think everything's peaceful, but everyone's just dead and you're the last one on earth, or something.

When I got home the first thing I did was take a whole bunch of aspirin. My head was pounding something awful. I felt a little dizzy, too, but I didn't think too much of it. I threw my backpack into my room and then sat on the couch. I closed my eyes for a few moments, to clear my head. Once the pounding turned into a dull throbbing, I opened my eyes, and then let out a yelp.

There was Two-Bit, grinning down at me about three inches away from my face. He started laughing and I shook my head. "Golly you scared me," I said.

"I noticed," he said, still smirking.

I reached over and shoved him lightly. He smiled and hopped over the couch to sit down next to me. He ruffled up my hair.

I sighed, "Is it antagonize Ponyboy day today?"

"No, but that's a good idea. I'll call the calendar people to set it up."

"The calendar people?"

"Yeah. The ones who make up the holidays and stuff and stick 'em on the calendars."

I laughed, but didn't correct him. It would take too much effort to. I'd just let him pretend he knew what he was saying. That was the best plan.

"So what are you doing today?" Two-Bit asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Nothing," I said, "What about you?"

"I dunno. I'm just real bored. Wanna hunt some action or something." Two-Bit sighed.

I shrugged, "It's a school night."

"No kiddin'. Darry's awful strict with you and school. Seems like even more than usual these days, don't it?"

I didn't say anything. This was a dumb topic. Who cared about how strict Darry was? If I wanted to go out, then I would. What would he do? He wasn't even home yet.

"What'd you have in mind to do?" I asked.

Two-Bit shrugged, "Oh hell, I don't know. Let's just walk somewhere."

I shook my head, but got up and followed him to the door. We started walking around and once we got halfway to nowhere, started walking back. But it wasn't boring. I had a good time. You can't really be around Two-Bit and not have a good time. Kind of like Soda. He just makes you laugh.

When we got home I could smell the food as soon as I stepped into the door. Chicken and cake and carrots. The things that used to make my stomach sink with hunger now made it churn with sickness, almost like I was about to vomit. My previous headache came back and I stepped into the bathroom to take some more aspirin.

Soda came up behind me and picked me up, swinging me around. "PONYBOY!" He yelled.

"Oof!" I cried out as he then dropped me back on my feet, "Thanks for that, Soda."

He laughed and went back into the kitchen.

Darry suddenly seemed to appear out of nowhere, and I felt like the room was closing in on me. I put my hand out and touched the wall, like I was checking to make sure it wasn't going to move anymore.

"You okay?" Darry asked.

"Yeah," I said, grinning, "Small headache, but I think I'll live."

Darry grinned back at me, "Alright."

I waved, "I have a lot of homework so I'm gonna get started on that," I lied.

Darry nodded, "Sure thing."

I went into my room and brought out my math work. I did have a little homework, but I couldn't concentrate. So I ended up scribbling little designs in the margins instead. Sure, that'd definitely get me an A. Especially the doodle of a horse. Right.

Time flies by when you're having fun. I liked drawing, so even when I was just doodling in the margins of my would-be math assignment I was pretty amused. Soon Soda came in and plopped down next to me in bed.

"Done with your homework?" He asked, trying to peer over my shoulder.

I shoved it hastily back into my backpack, "Yeah. Going to bed?"

"Yeah. You should, too," he said, climbing under the covers.

I nodded and did as instructed. I flipped off the lamp and the roomed sunk into darkness.

Soda rolled over to face me, "I feel like I don't see you as often. It's a weird feeling."

I grinned, "I see you every day Soda!"

"Yeah, but not a lot. You're always in here drawing or doing something."

"Hmm. I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Night Soda."

"G'night kiddo."

I won't go into details about my school day the next day, because it was just a boring school day. What happened was afterwards. During track tryouts.

It wasn't so much the tryouts that were interesting as it was how I did. I was horrible. I was slow and pokey and finished last when we raced. Not to mention my head was hurting and my body was aching and smarting and I felt like I was going to die. Coach was going to make us do three more laps and I started to walk away.

"Curtis! Where do you think you're going?" He said, taking a few long strides over to me.

"I'm out Coach," I said, "There's no way I can do another lap."

He lowered his voice, "You okay? I mean, you just-"

"Just did real bad. I know. I'm sorry. I just…I just can't do it." I almost felt like crying. I couldn't do track. It was like saying I couldn't ever walk again.

Just like Johnny. If he'd survived.

A shot of pain ran down my entire body and I closed my eyes, "But I need to sit down."

That's the last thing I remember before waking up in the school nurses' office.