The cheering quieted down and Dad spoke up again "well I know what Pony will be doing over the break. What will the rest of you boys be up to the next few weeks without school keeping you occupied?"

"I'll be doing the same thing I always do" Dally started with a sly smile. He dropped out of school the day he turned 16 about 2 months ago. Not that he was going much before he was 16, but the school will stop hunting you down and trying to force you to go after you're 16. I knew there was a lot of secret talk about Soda doing the same thing, but Mom would never have it. She was upset enough when Dally dropped out. There wasn't anything she could really do about it, but they had a long talk about it. In the end I guess Dally won the argument. He always said Mom understood the score so I guess he got her to see his way.

Mom let out a sigh at that. "Dallas, Hun, please stay out of trouble over the break. Can you do that for me please?" Dally looked right at her and I thought he would give her attitude like he did with all of us, but instead he just replied with a "sure thing Mrs. C. I'll do my best" but we all knew he wasn't being serious.

Soda decided to jump in and diffuse the tension. "well I'm getting a new girlfriend over the break."

"Oh yeah? Who is going to get the privilege of dating the dashing Sodapop Curtis this month?" Two-Bit called out with a mouth full of pasta.

"You mock, but this time is the real deal. I have found the one. That new girl, Sandy, is going to be the love of my life." Steve started chocking on his drink at that. Once he caught his breath he let out a laugh and said "well this break just got a whole lot more interesting. No way you get Sandy in just the two weeks of break."

"You wanna bet on that Stevie?" Soda replied.

"Oh you might be good, but there is no way you are that good. You're on. By New Years you have to be in a relationship with Sandy."

"Deal. Get ready to pay up."

"Hey I want in on this action!" Two-Bit jumped in. All the guys started placing bets on if Soda and Sandy would actually be dating by New Years and then dinner was over.

Soda and Darry started cleaning up since I had set the table and the guys broke out a game of poker which Dad even joined in on. Mom was reading a book in the other room while we were all laughing and yelling over the game. After a few hours, the game ended when it was found out that half the players, namely Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit, the usual culprits, were all cheating.

We filed into the living room to maybe watch something on TV or start another wrestling match, but with the noise being brought into the room that Mom was trying to read in, the party seemed to get shut down real quick. She decided that even though it was a Friday and the first night of break, that it was still time for everyone to go home and that it was time for bed.

The guys all headed out and Mom immediately turned on me. "Alright Ponyboy. Time for bed."

"What? It's Friday night and it's the start of break! It's only 10:30 why do I have to go to bed?" I whined at her.

"Because you have a full day of studying tomorrow and you were up early today for school. So go on. Get ready for bed please before I ask you again."

Both Soda and Darry shot me a sympathetic look. It wasn't ever fair. They always got to stay up as late as they wanted and go out late on the weekends, but I was still forced to have a bedtime. I knew it would be a losing battle tonight if I tried to argue and she was right. I did have a lot of studying to do tomorrow if I wanted to go to high school next year. I sighed and stood up to go change and get ready for bed, but I still managed to mumble under my breath that this wasn't fair.

"What was that?" Mom called out as a walked away. "Nothing!" I replied and hurried out of the room.

I got ready for bed and was waiting in my room for Mom or Dad to come in and say goodnight when Soda popped his head in and then ran and jumped on my bed.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked him while giggling.

"Just wanted to come bother you before you fell asleep." He flashed his grin at me and let out a laugh. I laughed with him. Back in the day Soda and I actually shared a room. See our house only had three bedrooms so at least two of us has pretty much always had to share a room. I slept in Mom and Dads room until I was almost 8 though. I used to have bad dreams and liked sleeping with my parents. Soda and Darry teased that I slept with them to make sure they couldn't have any more kids and I would get to stay the youngest forever. This obviously wasn't true. I knew that Mom really wanted a daughter, Dad too, but when I came around really early the doctors told her she shouldn't have any more babies. It would be too dangerous, not just for the baby, but for Mom as well. She decided then that she loved being a boy Mom and has since adopted the whole gang of boys. She says boys make her life all the more interesting.

But when I finally was too old to sleep with Mom and Dad I moved into Sodas room. That didn't last very long though. Soda liked to talk and play and not go to bed and I would always stay up late because of him. I've never been able to say no to Soda. Even though I knew we'd get in trouble for staying up late, he always talked me into it with ease. Mom and Dad realized very quickly that this was a problem. Darry and Soda ended up switching rooms and I shared with Darry for awhile after that. A few years actually. Even though we had almost a 7 year age span, it sorta worked us sharing a room. Darry was quiet and clean and mostly ignored me and I slept through his coming and goings. I've always been a pretty deep sleeper.

Well when Steve's mom left and then when we met Johnny and he joined the gang, they both started sleeping over at our house more. The gang was always welcome to sleep on the couch, but with Soda having his own room, they would come over, sneak into his room, and cause mayhem in there late at night. But it was when Soda was in high school that the worst argument and punishment I have ever seen happened. Soda tried to sneak a girl into his room and Mom lost it. It was the first time I have ever seen Dad truly serious and upset by something. He usually is very easy tempered and a troublemaker himself like Soda, but that night was bad. After that it was decided that Soda wasn't responsible enough to have his own room so the rooms were switched up once again. This time Soda and Darry were sharing so Darry could keep on eye on Soda as the responsible big brother that he was and I got a room all to myself which was good since I had an earlier bedtime than my brothers.

All that has happened with Soda and Darry sharing a room though is that they cover for each other and sneak out or in past curfew most nights. The plan of keeping the boys in check didn't really work out, but I don't think Mom and Dad know that Soda and Darry do that. I've been sworn to secrecy, not that I would tell even if I wasn't. I'm no snitch. I just wish they would take me sometimes when they went out, but they rarely ever do.

Soda was now flopped over my bed staring at the ceiling and then to my surprise Darry walked into the room as well. Darry didn't often come talk with me since we weren't that close and didn't have a whole lot in common. I mean I'm in middle school and he should be in college. What do you talk about when your lives are that different from each other? But here he was. He came and sat in my desk chair since Soda was basically taking up the whole bed.

"So you really are going to skip a grade and be in the same school as me next year?" Soda asked.

"That's the hope!" I said with a grin looking at him.

Then Soda sat up and looked at Darry. "Look, Pony. There's some things we should talk about if you are really going to do this." Darry said very seriously.

"Like what?" Why were they being so serious about this like it was a bad thing. Didn't they cheer about this at the dinner table? Didn't they want this too? Wasn't Soda excited to be in school with me?

"Well things are different in high school Pony." Soda replied. "There are bigger and meaner kids and not everyone is friends. There are different groups and you have to be aware of what's happening around you."

I knew all of this. I knew all about Socs and Greasers. Sure middle school wasn't as divided and elementary school really wasn't at all, but I hung out with the gang. I heard the stories. I knew what was happening. "I know all of that. But I'm not worried. Besides you'll be there Soda."

Soda gave me a grin and then started ruffling my hair "you bet I'll be there kiddo."

"Soda won't be able to protect you all the time though Pony. Maybe over the break, but for sure over the summer we can teach you some fighting moves and prepare you for the fall." Darry suggested.

I wasn't opposed to this idea. I wanted to learn to fight. Maybe if I got real good at it Darry and Soda would actually let me come to some of the rumbles that happened around here or let me at least go out with them more. "Ok yeah I like that idea!" I replied and couldn't hide the excitement in my voice.

Soda was beaming now "well that's settled. We will start training you right away! You'll be a fighting champ in no time!"

Right then Dad walked into the room. "Whose going to be a fighting champ?"

"Ponyboy! We are going to teach him everything we know" Soda said with happy confidence.

"Well with you two as teachers I believe that he will be. First things first though we need to fatten this boy up a bit. Gain some muscle." he leaned in and started tickling me. I starting laughing and screeching at him to stop, but all that happened was Darry and Soda joined in. There was no way I was going to win in a battle against all three of them. After a few minutes of me feeling like I was going to die from laughing so hard and my brothers and Dad laughing along with me, Dad finally called out "ok I think he's had enough. You two head on out. You both should get ready for bed as well."

Both my brothers stood up and headed to the door and called out a "Night Pon" and "Goodnight Ponyboy" as they left.

Dad moved over to the edge of the bed and fixed the blankets on top of me since all the tickling and squirming messed them up. "So. 8th grade. You sure this is something you want to do kiddo?"

I looked at my Dad. Why was everyone so against this all of a sudden. They knew I did well in school and kept up. They also knew I didn't really have friends in my classes anyways. I don't see why this was becoming such a big deal all of a sudden. "Yeah Dad. Like I keep saying I'm sure. I want to do this."

"Ok. Ok." he said and then pushed the hair out of my face. "If you are sure about this then you have my full support. But if the work starts to get too hard or if you don't pass the test, know that I'm proud of you either way and know you are the smartest kid in this family. Don't tell your brothers I said that though." he said with a smile and a wink.

I just laughed at him. "Goodnight kiddo. I sure do love you"

"Night Dad" and with that he walked out the room turning off the lights and shutting the door.