A/N: Thank you guys SO much for the reviews! I'm so glad you all like my story so far. I'm going on vacation next week, so unfortunately I won't be able to update until I get back. I promise I will update as soon as I can. Here's Part II. I hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you think. Love, Ellivia22)

Disclaimer: The Outsiders doesn't belong to me, unfortunately. I also don't own the paragraph from Great Expectations. That belongs to Charles Dickens

I Need You

Part II

Darry

Beads of sweat poured down my face. It was a really hot and humid day, which was rare for October in Tulsa. Either that or I had been moving so much that I was putting in a hell of a workout. The harder I worked, the easier it was for me to forget my troubles at home.

Where in the heck have you been?! Do you know what time it is?!

I grunted as I hoisted another bundle of ruffin on my shoulder. The muscles in my shoulders and back quivered, but I ignored it the best I could. I knew better than to carry more than one bundle of ruffin' at a time, but I was past the point of caring.

The sun was starting to make its descent. It must be close to 6 PM. Quitting time. I didn't let that deter me. I was going to complete this side of the roof, even if I had to work by moonlight. Still managing three points of contact I made my way up the ladder.

I didn't mean to! I didn't think! Can't you think of anything?!

I let out a breath of relief once I reached the top. Slowly I put the two piles of ruffin on the unfinished roof. The muscles in my back and shoulders spasmed. I grimaced. I pulled another muscle again. I couldn't let that stop me. I had to keep going. I pulled out my hammer and got to work.

Ponyboy! I-I didn't mean to!

"Yo Curtis!" I looked down from my position on the roof to see my boss, Mr. Lash standing beside the ladder I just climbed up. "It's quittin' time!" I hesitated for a second, then after wiping the sweat off my brow I put my hammer back in my tool belt and climbed back down the ladder.

My thirty-five-year-old boss clapped me on the back, irritating my pulled muscles. His short blonde hair was also drenched in sweat and his baby face flushed like mine. "Great work today, Darrel. Thanks to your hard work we'll have this house finished in no time."

I smiled for the first time all day. "Thank you, sir." I wiped my brow again. "What do you want me to work on next?"

Mr. Lash gave me a strange look. I normally didn't offer to stay late since I had a household to run. A household that I didn't belong in anymore. "I want you to go home and rest up. Tomorrow's gonna be another busy day." My eyes lowered to the ground as I felt the strong pain in my chest all over again. After everything that happened last night, home was the last place I wanted to be. My boss grabbed my shoulder gently. I looked into his concerned green eyes. "Hey, what's wrong? Is somethin' going on at home? Are your brothers okay?"

D-don't touch me!

I forced a grin on my face. It was difficult to do. I felt as though I was pulling a muscle just by attempting to smile. "Yeah. Everythin's fine. See you tomorrow."

A minute later I joined my best friend Austin at the company truck to drop off my tools. He was a year older than me, but we had been friends since I started working at Lash Roofing and Contracting. Austin wasn't into gang life, so we only hung out at work. Despite all that, he was still a good buddy. Being the oldest of four siblings he understood the struggles of younger siblings and was always there when I needed to vent.

"Rough night?" Austin asked as I put my tools in the toolbox. Just like the rest of us, his short sandy hair was drenched in sweat.

"How could you tell," I asked in a low voice, not looking at him.

"You walked to work, barely ate any lunch, and hadn't said a word to anyone all day. Not to mention there are dark circles under your eyes and you look pale. What happened?"

I sighed. He knew me too well. "Ponyboy and I got into a fight last night. A really bad one," I answered shortly, hoping he'd take the hint and drop the subject.

"About the usual?"

I looked away. I didn't want to talk about it. The guilt was so strong it was squeezing my insides. I changed the subject. "Do you know of anyone who needs a hand? I have time in the evenings to help out."

Austin looked at me as if I was sprouting two heads. "Another job? You do too much already workin' two jobs and running a household. If you keep pushin' yourself, you're gonna have a heart attack before you reach thirty."

I looked at him almost desperately. "Please, man, I really need this. My family needs this."

My buddy hesitated for a second. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled something out of his wallet. Then he handed it to me. It was a business card. "My uncle just opened a bar in Tulsa. You ain't 21 yet, but he might have an opening for you. Give him a call."

"Thanks man."

"No problem. Just don't kill yourself. I'm sure whatever happened with Ponyboy will work out. You two always do. "

I hate him and wish I never had to see him again.

Not this time I thought to myself miserably. I really messed up.

"Want a ride?" Austin asked once all the tools were put away.

I considered his offer. The fatigue from the long workday was starting to set in. My eyes felt heavy, and my arms and legs felt like they were weighed down by heavy dumbbells. I could fall asleep immediately if I gave myself the chance. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I had enough energy to walk home.

BEEP BEEP!

I looked up to see Sodapop sitting in our Ford pickup truck, still dressed in his blue DX uniform. After everything that had happened last night, I was surprised that he was there waiting for me. At the same time, I was so glad to see him. "Thanks, but it looks like my ride is here. See ya tomorrow."

"Later. Don't worry. Everythin' will work out."

I didn't answer. I wanted to believe him, but I had a sinking feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as I slid into the passenger side of the truck. I noticed that Steve wasn't there. Sodapop must've dropped him off before coming to get me.

"No problem. Why did you leave without us this morning anyway?" Sodapop asked, keeping his eyes on the road. He was speeding fast like he always did, but for once I was too distracted to tell him to slow down.

"I figured you were still mad at me for what happened last night. Besides I needed the exercise."

"I ain't mad anymore. I know you didn't mean to hurt him."

I felt relieved by his words. Some of the weight lifted off my chest. "Thanks, little buddy."

We sat in silence for several minutes as Sodapop made the short drive home. My thoughts immediately turned to Ponyboy. Just thinking about my baby brother made the intense guilt consume me all over again. I couldn't help myself. "How's Ponyboy?" I asked. "Is he all right?"

"He's still pretty upset," Sodapop said shortly.

I lowered my head in shame. The self-hatred I felt inside was strong. I hated myself so much.

Sodapop sighed. "Look, Darry, I know that last night was an accident and you didn't mean to hit him. And I know how much you care, but you gotta stop bein' so hard on him. He fell asleep. He didn't mean to come home so late."

"I know." I sighed again; my gaze focused out the window. "I know I shouldn't of lost my temper. I was just so scared that somethin' had happened to him that I reacted before I thought." I swallowed hard. "I wish he knew how much I loved him."

"Give him some time. He'll forgive you when he's ready."

I don't need him. I just need you.

Sodapop parked the truck in front of the house. He got out quickly. I stayed in the passenger seat for a few minutes as I mentally prepared myself. What was I going to find when I entered the house? Was Ponyboy in the living room watching TV or playing cards with Johnny and Two-Bit? Or was he working on homework and studying like I hoped? I planned to not stay around long enough to find out. Ponyboy's happiness was all that mattered, even if it made me feel utterly miserable on the inside.

When I entered the house the living room was empty. The house was quiet. Almost too quiet. Sodapop must've gone to change clothes. I pulled out the business card Austin gave me, then grabbed the black corded phone beside Dad's worn armchair. The person on the other end picked up after two rings.

"Hello, Mr. Heyward?" I asked, reading the name on the card. "My name is Darrel Curtis. I'm calling about a potential job opportunity…"

Ponyboy

Chapter 59

For eleven years I had not seen Joe nor Biddy with my bodily eyes-though they had both been often before my fancy in the East-. When, upon an evening in December, an hour or two after dark, I laid my hand softly on the latch of the old kitchen door. I touched it so softly that I was not heard, and looked in unseen. There, smoking his pipe in the old place by the kitchen firelight, as hale and as strong as ever, though a little gray, sat Joe; and there, fenced into the corner with Joe's leg, and sitting on my own little stool looking at the fire, was-I again!

Great Expectations

Charles Dickens

I continued with the last chapter of Great Expectations. The sooner I finished reading the book, the sooner I could get started on the essay that was due on Wednesday. Yet, as my eyes continued to scan the page, the words seemed to blur together. I could feel my mind wandering.

Spending the day with Johnny and Two-Bit was exactly what I needed to forget about last night's events. We played football in the park, visited Sodapop at the DX station, and played a couple of hands of poker. After all that, I felt much more relaxed and not nearly as fearful as before. I was nowhere close to forgiving Darry anytime soon though.

For the past hour and a half, I had been struggling to get my homework done. The sooner I got it done, the less likely Darry would come in and holler at me about it. I hadn't seen him since he and Sodapop came home. Sodapop came in to change clothes from work and to see how I was doing, then went back into the living room for a while. The delicious smell of chicken wafted into the room, making my stomach rumble and my mouth water. Darry must be making dinner. As much as I didn't want to interact with him, I had to admit I was starving. I'd just have to do my best to ignore him when he started hollering at me again.

*Knock Knock*

I looked up from my book to see Sodapop sticking his head in. "Dinner's ready, kiddo."

I shut my book and followed my brother down the hall. I mentally prepared myself for what Darry was going to lecture me about tonight. Was it going to be about my grades? Curfew? You never knew with him. I wished for the millionth time that he would just leave me alone.

We entered the kitchen just as Darry was placing two plates on the table. Along with the chicken I had been smelling for the past thirty minutes, he made green beans and a slice of buttered bread. My favorite. I noticed that my oldest brother wasn't dressed in his work clothes, nor was he wearing a T-shirt and jeans like usual. Instead, he was wearing a dark red button-down shirt and nice khaki pants. His dark hair had fresh grease in it. I hadn't seen him this dressed up since Mom and Dad's funeral. I wondered what he was up to, but I didn't care enough to ask.

"Better eat up," Darry said, placing two glasses of chocolate milk in front of the plates. He didn't look at us, his eyes focused instead on the meal in front of us. I noticed that his tone wasn't as hard and determined as normal. In fact, there was no emotion at all.

Sodapop and I sat down. To my utmost surprise, Darry didn't join us. Instead, he grabbed his brown jacket from the chair and put it on. "I'm going out. Be back later."

Going out? I thought to myself in bewilderment. Darry had been so busy working and taking care of things around here that he never had the time or energy to go anywhere. I couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. I heard the front door shut.

I glanced at Sodapop. He looked extremely worried. His blue eyes were also focused on the front door. "C'mon," he said after a moment. "Let's eat."

As we ate dinner I chatted with Soda and told him about my day. Sodapop listened, throwing in a couple of playful jabs here and there. I marveled at how peaceful it was not having Darry around to holler at me. It was just me and Sodapop-just the way I wanted. If only this could last forever.

Breakfast the next morning was unusually quiet. In fact, it was so silent that it was slightly unnerving. Both of my brothers had been silent the whole meal, which was unusual for Sodapop. He was always pumped and ready to start the day. His eyes focused on the eggs and toast in front of him, his eyebrows furrowed. I wondered if he was worried about work or something. I'd have to ask him later.

The one who was acting the strangest was Darry. Not only had he not lectured me about anything, but he hadn't said a word to me. He wouldn't even look at me. No matter how bad our fights would get, Darry had never gone this long without speaking to me. I noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes-as if he hadn't slept all night. I wondered what time he got home last night. He wasn't back by the time Sodapop and I went to bed.

"I have an announcement to make," Darry said, placing his utensils on his empty plate and pushing it aside. His tone was the same monotone as last night. My eyes focused on my breakfast as I prepared myself for his usual morning lecture about paying attention in class. "I just got a third job. I'm gonna start working nights."

I couldn't help myself. I stared at him in shock and confusion. A third job? I thought to myself in bewilderment. Why on earth would Darry get a third job? He worked too hard as it was. Were we really that far behind on bills?

"You what?!" Sodapop exclaimed in shock.

"I'll still be able to take you and pick you up from work and I'll be home long enough to make dinner."

"But you work too hard as it is," Sodapop protested as if he had read my thoughts. "You're gonna end up killin' yourself!"

"This ain't up for discussion," Darry said. There was an edge to his tone. He stood up, grabbed our plates, and put them in the sink. "C'mon Soda, we're gonna be late."

Sodapop continued to stare at Darry as he followed our oldest brother out of the kitchen. "Bye Pony. Have a good day."

"Later."

Darry's announcement slowly started to sink in. Sodapop may be concerned about our older brother's well-being, but I couldn't help but feel like him getting a third job was a blessing. If Darry was gone all the time, he wouldn't be around to holler at me anymore. It would seem that him hitting me was turning out to be a good thing.

As I waited for Two-Bit to show up to give me a ride to school my stomach suddenly felt uneasy. It just occurred to me that Darry didn't wish me to have a good day too-something he always did. But why did that bother me?

Sodapop

"A third job?!" I said as I slid into the passenger side of the truck. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Darry kept his eyes forward as he started the truck. "Relax, it's only part-time. I'm just makin' sure we have enough money to put Ponyboy through school."

His tone wavered slightly as he mentioned our younger brother's name. It sounded pained with a tinge of guilt. "That ain't the reason you're doin' this, and you know it!" I argued. "You're punishing yourself for what you did to him!"

Darry remained quiet for a moment. "I thought about what you said yesterday, and I realized that you were right. I've been trying so hard to make sure that Ponyboy will have a promising future that I've been too hard on him. The best way to make it up to him is by backing off for a little while."

"Yeah well, killin' yourself ain't the way to do it! You need to talk to him!"

"I will," Darry promised. "When he's ready to listen."

I sat back, feeling completely frustrated. Just like any other time Darry and Ponyboy got in a fight, I felt like I was being pulled in two different directions. Darry was definitely in the wrong for hitting Ponyboy. On the other hand, Ponyboy didn't always use his head. He should've known better to stay out so late. Sometimes I wished I could lock those two in a closet and make them understand each other. But there was nothing I could do but be the supportive brother that I always had been.

"It'll be okay, Soda. I promise." He pulled up in front of the DX gas station. "Have a good day. I'll be back to pick you up."

I didn't bother answering him. I shut the door and headed into the gas station to clock in. Things had just gone from bad to worse. At this rate, Darry's guilt was going to destroy him if Ponyboy didn't forgive him soon. There had to be a way I could fix all this before my family fell apart. If I only knew how.

To be continued...