Chapter 9: I'm comin' home

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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Sodapop's POV

I stared out the window of the airplane; I couldn't believe that I was so close to Darry and Ponyboy again, so close to seeing my family. I couldn't wait!

The flight from the sweltering hot jungles of Vietnam to the sweltering concrete jungle of Oklahoma was about twenty hours. I struggled to sit still, I was just so antsy. Darry and Ponyboy are going to be mighty glad to see me, I thought.

My leg bounced up and down and the guy with bushy eyebrows next to me glared. I smiled innocently.

Only nineteen more hours to go...

Ponyboy's POV

I pulled my dark green math workbook out of my backpack and started to work on problems 5-17. I remember Soda sitting here doing his homework, he always got so frustrated, but mom had the patience of a Saint.

Darry walked into the house loudly, but I tried to keep my homework hidden.

"Let me check it over," he commended. I handed him the worksheet and he glared at me.

"Numbers 7, 12, and 16 are wrong. Can't you get anything right? You're so dumb," he told me.

He sat in his chair and opened a bottle of whiskey. On the table lay bills that seemed to have his attention.

"These bills are because of you," he told me. "You're so lazy and worthless!"

He threw the bottle of whiskey at me and it shattered against my face. I felt glass everywhere and I felt the warm, sickening feel of blood dripping down my face. Darry was on top of me, beating the crap out of me.

"Honey, I'm-Darry!"

No, it couldn't be; that voice I had wished to hear for so long. Suddenly, Darry's weight was off of me and Soda was attacking Darry. I struggled to my feet.

"Soda! Stop!" I screamed.

Soda turned to me and whispered in my ear.

"Grab everything you need, we're leaving."

I nodded and did as I was told. I grabbed my clothes, toothbrush, money, and of course, hair grease.

I got into the car and waited.

"Soda, what's going on?" He didn't answer me.

"How are you alive?" His head snapped towards me.

"What?" He asked.

"We got a letter saying you died," I told him. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. Memories of that awful might flooded through me. I couldn't believe Soda was here, I could touch him and talk to him. It didn't feel real.

Soda groaned. "I am so sorry, Ponyboy. I cannot believe you had to do that, I'm so sorry," he apologized.

"It's not your fault," I told him fiercely, in which he smiled in response.

"I love you, Ponyboy. We're gonna figure out what to do, but I'm not leaving you with Darry," he told me.

"I love you too, Soda. Whatever happens, we can get through it." As long as you're alive, I added silently.

Aufenthaltd Gold,

~Alee