*Hey people! I know it's been FOREVER since I last updated this story! I'm sorry I will have two days involved in this one, because otherwise, both chapters would be extremely short now to answer my lovely reviews:
Cammy98-Relax, man. LOL, sorry I haven't updated. I am now, I hope you like it
soda22-I'm sorry, I can't do that. It's easier for me to do it this way, cos I have a very slow computer, and I just copy and paste all my reviews into a Word thingy, and then I reply to them when I begin the chap. The other way would take me…a long time. But thanks for the suggestion, and I'm glad you like the story!
JB ChicK-I'm glad you loved it! Thanks for reviewing!
theultimateoutsider-I'm glad you liked it. And I agree, all those questions can be asked today. I was thinking about that when I wrote it Thank you for reviewing!*
witchbaby300-I'm glad you liked it and you're anticipating! I hope you like this, thank you for reviewing!
Celestra-I agree, that week had to totally suck for Soda. Aw, your poor friend sometimes life is just like that. I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you like this! Thank you for reviewing!
ExtremeWriter-How I always enjoy reading your reviews! You seem to know my story better than I do :D I hope you dig this okay cos I wrote it kinda quick, and I didn't even really think about it…I wish I could have a review reply to get everything in your review, but I love how you analyze everything! Thanks for the review, hope you like this chap.
XxEyelinerHeartsxX-LOL. I hope you like this, thanks for the review!
Obsessedfan13-Thank you for the review! I don't want to give the end away…but I hope you like this chap!
TheNightimeSky-LOL. I love your reviews. Yes, I did want Dawn to have more of a character in this story, because right now, she's one of the main characters. And her dad…I didn't feel like mentioning him. Let's just say he's in jail and he will be for a long time. LOL. I think I had an idea of a place for him in this story, but then when I let Rebel Yell take a turn of its own, then…yeah. LOL
Dramaholic74-Just okay is better than bad for me! LOL. I'm sorry to keep ya waiting, tears me up too :D Hope you like this, thanks for the review!
daydreambeliever95-Okay, let me go into fangirl-mode for a sec. I LOVE your pen name. So much. I adore the Monkees. LOL. Anyway, I'm glad you like my story so much! I really appreciate it! Thanks for the review!
taylorjeanjn-Thanks for the review! And…I never really thought of that…dang! LOL.
Sorry for taking FOREVER to update, and I hope you guys like this! Here is the third chapter of By Your Side*
Two-Bit says it's been almost a week, I wrote in my diary. I wonder how much longer it will be.
Thursday
Doesn't count, far or near
I can hold you when you reach for me.
Your life is meaningless, your diary full of trash
It's so hard to get along with empty hands.
You're looking for the rainbow, but it died not long ago
It tried to shine just for you until the end.
Dawn and I were walking by the DX and Steve was outside working on a car. Now Steve and I have never been even close to "buddies"; in fact, it could sometimes be hard to be civil to him. But he'd never been really mean to me.
"Hey, Steve!" I called from across the street. He hadn't seen me yet, and I'm not really sure exactly WHO he thought that I was.
"Leave Soda alone, you crazy bitches! He's got enough to worry about!" he yelled.
Dawn and I looked at each other, confused. We came up to him and leaned against the car. "I only said hi, Steve." I told him.
He looked up and saw us, then scowled and disappeared under the hood. "Thought you was someone else."
"Who?" Dawn quipped.
"No one, forget about it." He shut her up.
But not for long. Dawn looked at him for a second. She can be a bit like Two-Bit sometimes, you know. "Well, aren't you gonna say hi back?" she asked him smartly.
I smirked and we heard him huff in annoyance. "Hi. Now wouldja leave me alone?" Dawn and I looked at each other, shrugged, and went inside. We didn't feel like torturing Steve.
We were the only ones in there, and Soda was at the counter with a piece of paper and a pen, writing something. When he looked up at us, there were two flames of sorrow burning back at us. But he tried to hide it by being apathetic. "Hey."
"Whatcha doin'?" I asked conversationally. It had been more than three days since IT happened, I was guessing he was tired of people going, "How do you feel?" or "How're you holding up?" Trust me. That can get a little annoying after a while.
Soda chewed on the pen cap. "Dally knows where Pony is. I'm writin' him a letter." He studied it for a second. "I think I spelled some stuff wrong, hope he doesn't notice…" He sighed. "I sure do miss him."
"We all do, Soda," I replied, but just as I had finished saying that, a group of four giggling Soc girls came bouncing in. They glared at Dawn and I for a second. They couldn't have been more than freshman.
A short blonde(obviously the bravest of the bunch)stepped up. "Soda…will you go to Rusty's with me sometime?" She asked. Dawn was stifling laughter at that; a greaser at a Soc hangout? But I wanted to scream at this chick. I wanted to say do you not notice he's lost his kid brother and the love of his life in less than a week? Leave him alone! This girl didn't seem to notice, or really care.
He shook his head. "No. 'M sorry." She and her friends left, realizing their ploy failed. He turned to me. "Don't know how everybody knows about it…s'pose y'all have heard about it, too?"
"Yeah. We're real sorry, Soda," I told him. I felt so bad for him. He didn't deserve any of what was happening to him.
He avoided our eyes. "It's…it's okay. I'm fine."
But of course, the three of us all knew that he was lying.
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The day was dark and gray. It had rained the entire day, from when I got up til it got dark. It was so depressing. I wish there was a rainbow that would come out, shine over everyone, Johnny and Ponyboy would come back…and everyone would be happy.
That kind of thing only happens in those fairy-tale books. And that would never happen, anyway. The day that Cherry Valence would go out with Dallas Winston. And we all know how likely that is.
I avoided the puddles as I walked to my house. I saw Darry pull into the Curtis driveway. I wanted to yell hi, but…I don't know what stopped me.
I blame change. The bad kind.
Friday
I STILL don't understand. Why was this happening to THEM, of all people?
If the world makes you confused, and your senses, you seem to lose
If the storm doesn't wanna diffuse, and you just don't know what to do
Dear Diary,
Two-Bit says it's been a week. He was there(not when Johnny killed Bob, of course)but at the drive-in that night, a few hours earlier. Maybe if Pony and Johnny hadn't beena lone, it wouldn't have been this bad.
I was so confused. About the world, I mean.
What happened to the old me, anyway? Happy, sunshiney Carrie Anne? Guess she's trapped in 1965...not real sure what I'll do about that…
"There was a church fire in Windrixville late this afternoon," the news said. "Five children were trapped inside, when three brave young men, Johnny Cade, Ponyboy Curtis, and Dallas Winston-"
My eyes got bigger and bigger each minute. I screamed. "…they don't know the conditions of Cade or Winston, but Curtis seems to be fine…" I stared at the TV. Before I had only paid attention that they were talking about Ponyboy and Johnny and it wasn't about Bob. I suddenly comprehended what they were saying. Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dallas saved kids from a burning church! They were heroes!
But then it hit me; Johnny and Dallas were in the hospital…
The phone rang, and I picked it up on the first ring. Dawn didn't even give me time to say hello. "OhmygoshCarrieAnneJohnnynPonyare-"
"ON TV!" I cut her sort of gibberish off that I could understand…vaguely.
"I know! They're in the hospital, we HAVE to go see them!" Dawn finished.
"I don't think we'll be able to, Dawn. Not tonight, anyway. It's late, and Charlene's asleep," I told her, hoping that I didn't wake her up with all my screaming and carrying on. But this…this was big. I was going to see Johnny again! Maybe this was going to start to get better!
"Oh yeah…and I bet a lot of cops and reporters are gonna come by, too. They'll all be famous!" Dawn sighed. "I can't WAIT to see Pony again…" I smiled, remembering the year before. "Can you believe it? Dallas Winston did a good thing for once!"
I chuckled. " I know. Wonder how he got pulled into that."
I was actually happy for the first time since I came back.