Chapter 3: No worries, he's just drunk

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own "The Outsiders" or any of the Curtis' Gang. Sigh. The real owner of "The Outsiders" is my favorite author, the fabulous S.E. Hinton. I also do not make a profit from the stories that I write here on this site.

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Ponyboy's POV

Turns out I didn't have anything to worry about after all because Darry came in staggering, rip-roaring drunk at three a.m. I pretended to be asleep as he searched the house for more beer.

The shuffling didn't stop for another twenty minutes and after that I'd figured Darry had passed out or gone to bed. It was three thirty and I couldn't fall asleep. When the clock read four thirty I figured that I might as well get up and watch the sunset. I hadn't watched a sunrise or a sunset since...well, since Soda went to Vietnam; since the letter came in the mail.

Flashback:

Soda studied the thick envelop with shaking hands. It was the letter he had dreaded, but everyone knew it was coming. He wasn't dumb; he knew what was in that letter before opening it.

"Soda?" Darry asked; his voice laced with concern. Soda handed over the draft letter as Darry read it. Darry's eyes immediately went wide and he hugged Soda.

Ponyboy studied the thick envelope the letter came in. It was addressed to a Mr. Sodapop Curtis. "Mr. Curtis" didn't fit Sodapop, he was happy and boisterous, not professional and stiff like the name sounded.

Ponyboy felt tears well up in his eyes.

"Soda, don't go," Pony begged. Soda hugged both of his brothers and that was how the rest of the night was spent.

End Flashback

I was able to slip out of my room and get ready without waking Darry. Once I got outside the first few amber rays peeked out from behind the horizon, lighting everything up, then came the pinks, blues, and golden-yellow rays that lit up everything in sight until the sun, like a radiating, bright, fireball, lit up the whole sky and the whole Earth.

I took a deep breath and just watched the sun before reluctantly going inside. I quickly got ready and amazingly Darry never came out of his room. I peeked in to make sure he was alive and I saw the rise and fall of his big chest, so I figured he was alright; just passed out drunk.

Within a few minutes after I finished getting ready I heard Steve and Two-Bit pull up. Before they could come inside I hurried outside to meet them.

"In a hurry?" Two-Bit questioned with a smile.

"I have to finish a test in Science," I lied.

"What happened to your face?" Steve asked. I gingerly touched the bruise on the side of my face, trying to think of an excuse.

"Uh... I, uh, fell," I lied pathetically, but somehow Steve seemed to believe me and if he didn't believe me he sure didn't show it.

Steve's POV

He fell? I knew he was lying, but why? Was it the Socs? Who else would slap him? Sure, Super-dope hit him once, but he would never hurt the kid again. He probably got hurt by a Soc and didn't want to admit it, I concluded. Maybe I should ask him about it later.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is short, not my best chapter. As usual, suggestions are appreciated.

Aufenthalt Gold,

~Alee