Chapter 1

Ponyboy's POV

The next day, Sodapop told me something that I never wanted to hear. He looked me in the eyes when he said it. "I don't think we should share a room anymore. I think you should go back to your own room."

I gasped and just stared at him. "But Soda I-" I tried to protest, but he cut me off.

"I think it's time Pony. You should grow up and be in your own room. Plus, what would my friends think if they found out I share my room with my little brother?"

Wow that hurt. I shrugged. "Does it matter what they think?"

He glared at me and said "No. It doesn't. The truth is… I want my own room. I want you out." And with that, he walked away and went out the front door. I watched him walk away with watery eyes. I looked at my room. It was dark and cold in my opinion. It was lonely. I grabbed some of my stuff out of what was now 'Soda's' room and put it in mine. There was already a bed and blanket in there. I haven't been in there for a while.

After a few minutes of being alone in my room, I decided that I needed some fresh air. It was a Saturday and so I asked Darry if I could go out.

He said I could as long as I was back by suppertime.

I went out the front door and just started walking around. I found myself wandering towards the DX and decided to go and check it out. I found Soda and Steve there, with Soda's 'friends'. It looked like they were drinking again, and that's when I decided to step in. They drank before, but I wanted that to stop today. Soda was better than this. I knew he was.

"Soda, what are you doing?!" I yelled and went over by him. Soda looked furious, even more furious than Steve.

"Pony what are you doing here?" Steve asked, his breath smelling like alcohol.

"Soda, tell your brother to go away." One of his friends told him. Soda grabbed me harshly by the arm and dragged me aside. I had to admit that I was a bit scared. He was drunk. Soda never hurt me before, but he wasn't Soda right now. Right now he was drunk and mean, and I was scared of him. But I didn't show it.

"What are you doing here?!" He whispered to me menacingly. "Can't you see I'm having fun with my friends? Can you stop coming over here and ruining it?!" His breath also smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Soda why are you drinking?" I asked calmly, standing my ground and not backing down.

He glared again. "I'm warning you now Ponyboy. Stay out of it. And if you tell Darry, you'll be sorry." He growled to me. He started to turn around but I grabbed his arm and yanked him back. "Soda stop!" I yelled, but I regret it. He whipped around and punched me right in the face. My nose started to bleed, and it was bad. I put my hands over it and tried to stop the bleeding. "Soda!" Steve yelled and ran towards me. "Why did you do that?!" Soda just shrugged and his friends laughed and high-fived him.

Steve reached his hand forward to look at my nose, but I quickly shot up and took off running. "Pony!" Steve yelled and tried chasing me. He was stumbling because he was drunk. He didn't catch me though. I just ran. I slowed down a bit when I didn't hear his footsteps behind me any more.

I'm not sure how this happened, but I found Two-bit just walking the streets, and ran to him. He saw me and gasped. "Pony, what happened?!"

"I'll tell you later. Can you help me clean it up?"

Two-bit nodded and took me to his house. The house was empty so he took me to the bathroom.

"Pony what happened to your face?!" He started examining my nose and cleaning up the blood. My eyes got watery as I said, "Soda."

Two-bit gasped. "Why did he punch you?"

"I caught him drinking at the DX with Steve and some friends"

"Are you going to tell Darry?"

I shook my head.

"Why not Pony? Darry needs to know."
"I know, but I'm going to give Soda a second chance. He deserves a second chance."
Two-bit looked at me unconvinced. "If you don't tell on him, he may just get worse."

I knew Two-bit was right, but I wanted to give Soda a second chance. "Two-bit, can you help me cover for Soda? Can you come home with me and tell Darry that the socs did it?"

Two-bit took a deep breath. "I guess Pony, if you really want me to." I smiled a bit, and thought for a second. I thought to myself, 'If I don't have Soda, I have Two-bit.'

Two-bit walked me home after my nose stopped bleeding. Soda was there, along with Darry. Two-bit looked Soda in the eye, and sort of glared. Darry didn't catch that though.

Darry saw my face and stood up, going over to me and Two-bit. "What happened to you this time?!" Darry asked me.

"I'm fine Darry. It was just a couple of socs."

Darry looked to Two-bit and asked if that was correct. Two-bit glared at Soda as he said, "Yeah. He got hit by a socs. Pony and I ganged up on him and her an away."

Darry nodded. Soda just continued to stare, showing no remorse, no sadness, no anger, nothing. His face was expressionless.

I looked at Soda one last time that night, before going to my room, and that's all it was. It wasn't our room. It was only mine.

I collapsed on the bed and silently cried into my pillow. I hoped that Soda would stop hanging around with his friends. They did him no good. I didn't want Soda to turn into one of them.

I soon fell asleep, but woke up due to a nightmare.