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Warning: Language (Cursing)

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Chapter 15

It was a little awkward for Ponyboy at first while walking into the fifth-circle of Hell that adults called: High School. After being gone so long and suddenly making an appearence, everyone looked at him like he ran over a basket of puppies.

"Why are people staring at me?" Ponyboy quietly asked Two-Bit when he came to his locker.

Two-Bit shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe you finally hit puberty and you're starting to look sexy?"

Ponyboy punched Two-bit in the shoulder as he started to walk to his first period. He stopped walking then turned around seeing that Two-bit stopped walking too. Two-bit looked surprised, turning to look at whatever Ponyboy was looking at, but the truth was, Ponyboy was looking at him.

"Don't you have a class to be at?"

"Sure, right after I see that you're all snuggled and nestled into your first period desk, then I shall leave." Two-bit smiled. Ponyboy growled. He could handle himself.

"Two-bit, thanks, but no thanks. Go away."

"Just as soon as you put that there pencil on your desk and pop-a-squat in your chair, little-Pones."

Ponyboy tossed his bag clear across the room, landing on his desk. Of course that made everyone duck and some girls scream. Two-bit was surprised but when Ponyboy turned slowly back at him, he smiled, giving a goofy-giggle then proceded to walk to his own class.

Ponyboy crouched in his desk, staring out the window. He ignored the stares and gossiping, he just wanted to go home. Laying his head down he didn't see some Socs in the back pointing at him, cracking their fists and planning to get him after school.

Two-bit munched on his home made PB&J sandwhich his mom made him for lunch while staring at Ponyboy, he was in a plant pot, trying to sluth. He saw this in a movie once with Ponyboy and Johnny. Ponyboy, however didn't think Two-bit was blending in at all.

"Two-bit, what are you doing?" Ponyboy turned around to see Two-bit in the pot, maybe two-bit could have gotton away with his "job" if he wasn't right behind Pony's chair.

Ponyboy sighed. "Get out of that and sit down."

Two-bit was glad to do so, that pot was hurting his back.

Ponyboy ignored Two-bit, going back to his book.

"So, um. Where's your lunch?" Two-bit asked.

"Funny thing about Soda's lunches." Ponyboy held up the sack and Two-bit looked inside seeing a note, pulling it out he couldn't help but laugh.

I owe you one lunch, -Steve.

"The asshole must have grabbed it when I wasn't looking in Social Studies. He sits behind me." Pony muttered.

Two-bit nodded. "Well, how about we go out to eat, Pony? My treat." Two-bit had a few bucks on him and only a peanut-butter and jelly sandwhich wasn't satasfying. And he wasn't that desprate to try the lunch of gravy and a sasusage. Two-bit could make endless jokes about that one, but it looked like Ponyboy wasn't up for his humor today.

"Com'on Pones, a burger and fries do sound good." Two-bit nudged Ponyboy, making him smile.

"Well, alright. Just as long as we're back in time for Math. Darry will kill me if he finds out that I skipped or showed up late to any class, especially the one I have a C- in." Ponyboy replied, picking up his bag.

The Socs from Ponyboy's class all smirked, seeing that they now had an oppertunity for revenge.

"Hey guys." One Soc spoke. "Who's up for a burger?"

Soda sighed sadly, it was just him in the shop until someone came in a six when he'd go home tonight. He wished Steve was here, Steve would make his fifty-minute lunch break less boring.

While eating his food Soda couldn't help but think and wonder about how Ponyboy was doing. He wasn't sure if the kid was ready to go to school, but Darry was right, Ponyboy had missed too much already.

Soda snapped open a Pepsi and tipped the bottle, nearly choking when the phone rang. Coughing he raced to the phone just in time.

"Hello? DX Auto-body and Gasoline shop, how may I help you?" Soda asked. "Steve? Wait. Hold on, slow down, what happened to Ponyboy?!"

Earlier

Ponyboy had to hand it to Two-bit, french friens did cure sadness. Sure it put on a few pounds if you didn't excersize immedatly afterwards, but Ponyboy could care less, Darry was saying something about being under weight.

Two-bit wasn't eating much, he gazed at Ponyboy.

"You know, your brothers told me what happened."

A lot happened.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

Two-bit lowered his voice, "You cuttin' yourself."

Ponyboy stoped eating and looked at the arm he once cut what felt like forever ago. He couldn't se his arm but threw the jacket he knew the pink and red scars would be visable if he wore a t-shirt. People would stare and know he's a freak.

Ponyboy lowered his head in shame and Two-bit slowly rolled up his sleve on his slft arm of his jacket.

Ponyboy's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I used to do it when I was your age, before I was a nutsy-joker," Two-bit smiled sadly. "I know you feel suffocated with me watchin' ya and Darry and Soda hovering over you. But that's because we care Ponyboy. You need to think in consideration that maybe Dar, Soda, Steve, Johnny even Dally and myself have all had our taste of sadness."

Ponyboy's mouth opened slightly.

"We just.. . . Don't want anyone else hurting."

Before Ponyboy could say anything three Socs stepped behind him.

"Aw, well ain't this sweet?" One smirked.

Ponyboy froze and Two-bit bit into his burger. "What's up, ape-face?"

"You've got a lot of nerve talkin' trash like you ain't no different from that paper-bag blowin' in the wind, Clown!"

Two-bit only smiled, Ponyboy dared not to turn around.

"Well now. . . I'd rather be a paper bag than a little bitch." Two-bit's tone was darker and more deadly and Ponyboy didn't like where this was going hearing the clicks of switchblades.

"Oh, you better not say what I think you just did, Grease-ball!"

One grabbed Ponyboy by his blonde-auburn locks and held the kife to his throat. Ponyboy's eyes widened and Two-bit hopped over the table, tackling the guy. Two-bit began beating in his face while another soc attacked Ponyboy, punching his chest.

Two-bit grabbed ahold of one Soc, pulling him down to the floor while he topped him, punching him in the throat.

Ponyboy called for help. "Two-bit!"

"No one cares Greaser!" The Soc who was punching him, taunted.

Ponyboy fealt weak this Soc was pretty much as tall as Darry and probably three times his weight, how the hell could he fight him off? Ponyboy knew The Soc was right, no one did care about him. The scars on his arms proved it.

"that's because we care Ponyboy."

Ponyboy looked over at Two-bit. Laughing as he pulverized two Socs at the same time.

"We just.. . . Don't want anyone else hurting."

Somewhere deep inside the youngest greaser he flung his fist and slugged the Soc in the nose, wincing as he heard a crunch.

"AW! YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"

Steve pulled up to The Dingo, his heart longing for the arterie-clogging tripple-burger with a Coke.

"Man, I'm starvin'-" Steve mumbled walking into the Dingo, his eyes widened seeing Two-bit socking two Socs in the throat while Ponyboy stared in awe at the tallest Soc, holding his bleeding nose. He quickly ran over to the diner table, breaking a glass bottle alarming the five teenagers.

"Ya'll better cut it out!" Steve screamed.

Not that Steve scared the Socs or anything, but he did look intimidating, not to mention more Greasers from Pony's school were right behind him so they'd be out-numbered.

"Alright." The biggest Soc glared at Ponyboy as he left the Dingo.

Ponyboy coughed while Two-bit patted his back. "You okay, Ponyboy?"

Ponyboy nodded slowly, he looked frightened but he wasn't.

"You ain't too hurt, are ya?" Two-bit asked.

Ponyboy could still feel the cool blade against his throat, he was frightened to swallow, fearing he'd be cut. Two-bit looked over at Steve and Steve sighed.

"Thanks Steve." Two-bit smiled.

Ponyboy looked up at Steve and surprisingly, Steve Randle smirked at Ponyboy Curtis. But it wasn't rude or mean like he usually did. This time it was sincere.

"No problem. Com'on. This was enough for today, I'm sure the kid wants to go home." Steve said, darting to the phone-booth.

Two-bit looked at Ponyboy, sadly.

"Some body gaurd I am." He muttered.

"Two-bit. . . I'm not afraid!" Ponyboy smiled.

Two-bit looked confused as Ponyboy smiled happily. "I'm not afraid!"

I'm not afraid. . . anymore.

Soda was speeding as quickly as the car would allow him, how he wasn't caught baffled him but he wasn't focused. Turning sharply at a 108 degree and perfect paralle parking outside the house he hopped over the fence and darted threw the front door.

"Ponyboy?!" He nearly screamed seeing Ponyboy wrapped in bandages around his chest, Steve was taping up.

"What in the hell hapened to you?!"

Ponyboy only smiled in responce. "I'm not afraid anymore, Soda."

Soda let out a tiny gasp as Steve rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, he's been saying that ever since this afternoon I have no idea what he means by that-"

A frightened Ponyboy shivering under his arms from a nightmare. A crying Ponyboy, claiming he's worthless and stupid, that he doesn't deserve to live. A deranged Ponyboy slitting his wrists in the darkest corner of the room sobbing hysterically. A very, very, upset Ponyboy.

It all vanished.

Now. A smiling, happy Ponyboy, his baby returned.

Soda smiled boldly as he cheered,leaping to hug his baby brother, earning a grin from Two-bit, a "Hey! I'm not finished" from steve and a "Not so hard, Soda!" from a still smiling Ponyboy.

Later on that night Dallas came over with a carton of ciggarettes he "bought" and a nightly game of poker between Soda, Ponyboy, Johnny, Two-bit, Dallas and Steve began. Darry came home and was forced to join or Soda threatened blue mash-potatos for dinner tonight.

The night had been kind to the greasers, but to someone wincing in his bathroom looking at his still-busted ribs and bones he looked into the mirror, bright blue eyes and black hair.

"Ponyboy. . ." He growled. "I'll make you mine."

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-Kylelover101