Two-Bit kicked the dirt absent mindlessly as he walked along the road. He watched it fly up and dirty his pants but continued to do it anyways.

"Were ya'll wanna go?" Steve piped up happily.

"I dunno." Soda replied who wasn't his usual self that day. Two-Bit, Steve, and Soda had just left the Dingo and went out hoping to find some action that quiet Saturday afternoon. "We could go see one of those strip flicks." Steve suggested.

"Those don't start till late night." Two-Bit told him. "You can't get into those without an ID that says you're twenty-one. Ya'll don't have one and I left my phony one at home."

"I had a fake one." Steve said flicking the ashes off his cigarette. "I lost it though."

Soda remained silent. "What's up with you, buddy?" Steve asked.

"Nothin," Soda said. "Just thinking that's all."

"Bout what?" Two-Bit asked.

"I got lots of stuff on my mind." Soda replied.

"Got a light Steve?" Two-Bit asked. Steve reached into his pocket and threw a lighter to Two-Bit. "Well what do you wanna do?"

"I dunno." Soda said. "We could go play golf." Two-Bit joked blowing smoke out of his mouth in such a way that it formed a circle. "C'mon you two. I'm getting tired of just walking along like this." They turned the corner and headed toward 5th Street near the local high school.

"Hey look ahead. They got school on Saturday's now." Steve asked looking at a small crowd of people on the football field surround a couple other guys.

"Hey you know, that looks an awful lot like Pony down there." Two-Bit said but Soda was already aware of it and had hopped the fence and started running over. Steve and Two-Bit followed quickly hopping the fence themselves. Sure enough Pony and Curly Shepard were surrounded by four Socs who soon heard the other boys. Soda was right in front of them in second pushing Pony aside, Two-Bit and Steve backing him up. "What's the problem?" Soda asked angrily. "It aint your problem." A Social stepped forward and glared at Soda. "Well how about if I make it my problem." Soda said. Two- Bit ripped out his switch blade. But one of the Socs pulled a weapon out to. Quickly Steve kicked it out of his hand and the battle began. Steve quickly grabbed up the switch blade before the socials could. Two-Bit was on top of one soon and Steve and Soda had two down in a matter of minutes. Pony and Curly took the other. Both Two-Bit and Steve didn't end up needing to use the switchblades so Two-Bit stuffed his back in his pocket and Steve did the same with his new one. Pony wasn't fighting to well due to the fact that he'd been beaten up pretty badly the night before. Soda hollered for Pony to get on home but he didn't want to. The five boys clobbered the four other boys. "C'mon, lets go home." Soda said dragging Pony to his feat. His nose was bleeding again and he didn't walk well. Soda had to half carry him home.

Pony, Soda, Two-bit, and Steve entered the Curtis house. They had already gone to get Two-Bit's car and driven Curly home.

"It's a good thing Darry aint home." Soda said. "He'd be going nuts right about now. Pony what were you doing walking by your lonesome again?" Soda was a bit frustrated that Pony kept doing this.

"Darry dropped me off at the library on his way to work." Pony said. "He said that Two-Bit was gonna pick me up at four. Nobody came so I figured I might as well start home at five." Soda looked at Two-Bit who appeared to be very sorry.

"I did promise Darry I'd pick him up. I completely forgot."

"If he throws you through the wall don't be surprised." Soda said. "Go lie down, Pony." Soda said.

Ponyboy did gladly. Soda hadn't gotten roughed up to much in the fight. He just had a few bruises. So did Two-Bit. Steve had a bloody nose and a lot of bruises. "Darry's gonna hit the ceiling when he sees this." Soda said.

"Well that sure ruined our day." Steve grumbled looking at Two-Bit angrily.

"Hey, I forgot." Two-Bit yelled. "I said I was sorry."

"Well sorry don't fix it." Steve yelled back. "Soda's headache was increasing now. "What do you want me to do?" Two-Bit kicked the wall. "You want me to get on my hands and knees?"

Soda got up and left his two friends fighting and went into Ponyboy's and his room. He was surprised to find Pony crying. He sat down next to him. "Hey, it's ok." Soda soothed. "Darry's gonna yell again." Pony cried.

"Yah he's gonna yell. It aint gonna be at you though. It's gonna be at Two- Bit."

Pony shook his head. "He's gonna yell at me. He's gonna tell me I should've waited even when it was five." Soda sighed and didn't say anything because Pony probably was right. Even if they didn't tell Darry, he'd notice that something happened when he walked in and saw them all like that. Pony wiped his bloody nose of on his t-shirt. Soda stood up and got a wet towel from the bathroom and gave it his little brother. Pony cleaned his face off and quit crying. "Two days in a row." Pony said. "Why won't they ever leave us alone, Soda?"

Soda new Pony meant the Socs. "I dunno," Soda said. "I wish they would though."

"After everything that's happened," Pony sniffled. "You'd think they'd leave us alone by now."

"I know." Soda nodded.

Two-Bit and Steve's yelling had become louder. Soda got up. He had to stop them before it got out of hand. "Be quiet, both of you." Soda scolded. "The last thing we need to do right now is fight amongst ourselves." Steve sighed and soon became ashamed of himself. "You're right, Soda. It won't help."

"Hey what do you think the Socs wanted with Pony and Curly anyways?" Two- Bit asked. Soda shrugged. "I dunno. They probably just wanted to cause more trouble. I'll ask Pony later. That is if Darry doesn't ask him first."

***

Darry came in at eight to find his brothers and two friends in front of the TV. They had all done their best to clean up and look like nothing had happened. They hoped no question would be asked. Even a question about Steve or Two-Bit might give it away. "Hey Darry." Soda greeted.

"How was work?" Pony asked. They made sure not to look at him but the Curtis living room is right were you enter the front door and it wasn't hard for Darry to notice his brothers face. Soda felt Darry's hand gently lift up his chin. He studded Soda's cheek worriedly were there was a big mark on the left side all the way down to his chin across that side of his face.

"What happened?" Darry asked.

"I'm ok, I got in fight." Soda said.

"With who?" Darry wanted to know more.

"Just tell him," Soda thought. "He's gonna find out anyways so you might as well tell him now." "With who?" Darry persisted when Soda didn't answer.

"Socials." Pony jumped in and found himself telling Darry the whole story.

Pony sat looking at Darry anticipating a lecture. "Why were you walking home? I told you to wait for Two-Bit to pick you up."

"I forgot," Two-Bit admitted.

"Oh, well that's just fine." Darry yelled. "The one thing I was trying to prevent by asking you to pick him up happens. I wouldn't have even considered leaving Pony out in town while I was at work if someone wasn't gonna pick him up. Pony, you should've stayed at the library and waited."

"But, I waited till five." Pony said.

"You could've called me at work from a pay phone and I would've come over and gotten you right away." Darry said. "You still don't think. Even after all that's happened you still don't think before doing stuff." Soda looked at Pony as if to tell him it was ok. "What were you doing with Curly?"

"I saw him while I was on my way home. We were gonna go and…" Pony stopped, remembering that he was grounded and he wasn't supposed to be going anywhere.

Darry got the picture but he had a more important question to ask Pony. "What did the Socs want?" He spoke gently because he could see that he'd given Pony just about as much yelling as he could take right then and he didn't want to make his little brother cry, which appeared to be what he was doing when the tears welled up in Pony's eyes. Pony seemed frightened when asked that question about the Socs. Everyone could sense it. Even the way he breathed told them something was wrong. Soda got up of the couch and sat down beside Pony on the floor, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Ponyboy?" Darry asked again trying not to get upset. "What did the Socs want?"