Liz
I glance up from the book I'm reading as Darry opens the door, "Oh good you're home." He greets pushing the door closed behind him, he pauses a second and looks around, "Is Pony home yet?"
"He's doing homework in his room." I reply, "Did you finally decide about loosening the rules?" I question, it had been about three weeks maybe longer since Pony and I had set down with Darry about potentially cutting him some slack about dating and a few other things. Surprisingly Darry hadn't automatically said no, which is what both Pony and I were expecting and he asked for time to consider everything. Much to Pony's credit as impatient as he was to get an answer he hadn't bothered him about it, and had only periodically asked me if I knew anything.
"I had a lot to think about." Darry tells me, "But yes." He adds, he heads down the hallway calling through Pony's closed bedroom door, "Meet us in the living room in five minutes." He says before continuing to our bedroom. I turn as the front door opens again and Soda strolls through, throwing himself in a chair.
"Long day?" I question, he sort of shrugs before starting to text someone on his phone. A minute or two later Pony joins us taking the seat next to me, Darry following less than a minute later. Darry sits in the recliner,
"So first off, thank you for being patient and not annoying the shit out of me." He starts, "After a lot of thought, I think Liz is right and you've proven yourself so yes you can start dating again." He pauses, "But there is a stipulation." Pony mumbles something under his breath that sounds a lot like, "of course there is",
"Which is what?" He asks.
"I don't want you dating Payton." Darry says, before Pony can say a word Darry continues, "There have been a few things that have recently been brought to my attention about her and I think it's in your best interest to not continue anything with her."
"What?" Pony asks, he's clearly confused,
"You can date, but you can't date her." Darry confirms, "I don't think you really know her as well as you might think you do." He adds.
"If I may," I cut in, "Who brought these things to your attention?" Whether he means to or not Darry's eyes inadvertently go to Soda, who is sitting there with a smug look on his face, and neither Pony or I miss it.
"You did this?" Pony asks standing up so fast the entire couch moves,
"We just want what's best for you." Soda replies.
"You've literally never even spoken to her, what in the hell do you think you know that I wouldn't?" Pony questions, I can tell he's trying to stay calm and I am pretty sure it's taking everything in him not to kill Soda at this point.
"It doesn't matter." Darry says standing up putting himself in between the two of them, clearly he was thinking the same thing as I was. "I made my decision, you can date, your new curfew is 10pm on school nights and midnight on weekends but you are not to date Payton."
"It's for the best." Soda adds, the smug expression never leaving his face. "You'll realize that."
"I think the best would be for me to rearrange your teeth." Pony says before stalking down the hall and slamming his door. I stand up,
"I can't believe the two of you." I start, I really try not to take sides but this time I have zero choice.
"Liz you don't understand." Darry cuts in, "She really is no good for him."
"When have you spent time with her? Or talked to her? Or seen the two of them together?" I question, "And what exactly did you hear about her?"
"It doesn't matter." Darry replies,
"Like hell it doesn't." I tell him, "And where did you get all of this information?" I ask Soda, as soon as it's out of my mouth, the picture becomes crystal clear. Kate. Soda had brought her over and it was very clear the reason that Kate is popular is because everyone is afraid of her, she has to have complete control. It's very, very clear that she has Soda wrapped around her finger, she says jump and he asks how high. He's been entirely different since he started dating her, always on edge and completely wrapped up in her. The entire thing makes me uneasy and this whole thing has just cemented my feelings on her. "Kate told you all of these things about Payton didn't she? I ask already knowing the answer,
"She just doesn't want Pony to get hurt." Soda replies, "She's very concerned, she's worried." He adds, as if he's trying to convince me of how amazing Kate is for being worried. "This is what Payton does, she finds the new guy and leads him on and then drops him, it's a game for her." He continues, I've spent plenty of time with Payton and this sounds nothing like her, but if I think about it, it sounds just like something Kate would do. "She convinces these guys that she's in love with them, sleeps with them and then throws them to the curb."
"I take it Kate didn't tell you how she's been trying to get me to ask her out since the first day of school?" Pony says as he comes back into the living room, I have no idea how much he's heard but it's obvious he just struck a nerve with Soda. "I didn't think so." He adds.
"No. She told me how you've been throwing yourself at her." Soda snaps back.
"Enough." Darry barks, "You back in your room." He says to Pony pointing down the hall, "Until you calm down and get a grip you stay in there."
"Wait, how is any of this my fault?" Pony asks, "I'm the one who is getting screwed over as usual, because of him and I'm the one who needs to get a grip?" He shakes his head, "Unreal." He adds, he turns and few seconds later he slams his door so hard the wall shakes.
"He'll get over it." Soda says, going back to his phone. I grab my own phone and shoot Steve a quick text, who immediately replies back, "No problem. I'm home." Steve had unexpectedly and suddenly moved about almost two weeks ago. Literally we had no idea, he packed everything while no one was home and came back that night to drop his keys off. Earlier that week him and Soda had gotten into it about Soda making him look bad at work, and while Steve wouldn't outright say that was the reason we all knew it was. A buddy of his from night school had recently got engaged and offered to sublet his apartment to Steve cheap. Ignoring both of them, I go down the hall and tap lightly on Pony's door,
"Go away." He answers, I push the door open and stick my head in,
"It's me." I say closing the door behind me, "Go ahead and pack for the week. I'm going to take you to Steve's apartment." The look that crosses his face almost breaks my heart,
"You're kicking me out?" He questions,
"Oh my God no honey." I say quickly. "I just think for your emotional and mental well-being you shouldn't be here. Remember Kelly said if possible to take yourself out of the situation." I sit on the edge of his bed,
"I just don't get it." Pony says as he starts loading up his school uniforms and other clothes. "How am I going to tell Payton?" He stops and looks at me, "She's going to think that I believe that shit about her." I shake my head,
"Just be honest, you know that it's not true and I know it's not true." I tell him, "Clearly Kate has something against her and you being together. And your brother is too obsessed with her to know his ass from his head." Soda believing that shit doesn't really surprise me, he's always been quick to throw himself into relationships, and believe anything that was told to him, but Darry buying into it and making rules based on it upsets me. Especially since not once did he think about asking me or running it by me. "You finish getting your stuff together and once you're ready we'll go." I go back to the living room to wait, Darry tries a few times to talk to me, but after I ignore him he gets the hint. Maybe ten minutes later Pony comes in juggling his backpack, and two other bags,
"I'm ready." He announces,
"Where are you going?" Darry questions,
"I'm taking him to Steve's for a while." I answer for him, I stand up throwing on a jacket and getting my keys. "I'll be back later." Darry stares at me with this shocked expression on his face, Soda looks up from his phone,
"You really should thank Kate for being brave enough to tell me this, I'm sure it took a lot for her to do it." Soda says, I roll my eyes heading for the door,
"If I never talk to you again it'll be too soon." Pony tells him as he follows me out the door, Soda tries to say something back but I pull the door shut drowning him out.