Chapter One

Pony POV

It was my own fault that I was in this situation, really. I couldn't blame anyone else, except maybe the government, but I can't even do that. I made some stupid decisions.

I never thought my life could get worse after everything that had happened. Losing your parents and two friends in a year will make you think that things could only get better, and they were for a while...

Until Sodapop turned 18... That's when my life went to hell. Soda got drafted in less than two months. Steve got his notice two months later. Soda'd been gone for six months and MIA for three. We had just got word that Steve was coming home because he was injured. He didn't know about Sodapop yet.

I lost it. I couldn't help it, I just lost it. I rebelled against Darry. And Darry didn't care anymore. That was why I was here for the third time in two weeks, except Darry told them to keep me and that he'd be back in three days. Soda's what held us together, and Darry said he was dead. He had no faith and no more patience.

I know, it's my fault, too. I'd done stupid things with Curly, but I had to get all of these emotions out of my system.

"Curtis."

I smirked while leaning against the wall of my cell.

"How're you, Mac?"

He smiled. Mac was a greasy cop. He'd been friends with my dad. His face got serious.

"Ponyboy, this is the last warning I can give you. Next one's gonna go on record, and I'm sure the state would love for you to have a record."

He sighed.

"I gotta keep you here until Darry comes, but I'm serious. Lay off the trouble making. You ain't a trouble kid, stop showing out. You got that?"

"Yes sir, I got it..."

He nodded and walked away. I had been lucky that Mac was always here when I got hauled in, or else I'd probably been in a boys home. But, with Darry's new attitude, I was starting to wonder if it'd be better.

Steve POV

This bus ride was doing nothing for my bum leg. I'd walk with a limp for the rest of my life, but all I heard at the hospital was lucky. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Yeah, I was so damn lucky that the bullet missed the Femoral Artery in my thigh...

When we finally pulled up to the stop, I limped as fast as I could off of that damn bus. I scanned the small crowd of people until I saw two figures leaning up against a familiar truck. I walked over as fast as I could.

"Hey, guys."

They both turned and greeted me the way they would. Darry patted me hard on the back while Two-bit picked me up and spun me around. I had to , I got serious.

"Darry, Soda's letters stopped coming. Is he...?"

Darry's face hardened and Two-bit spoke.

"He's MIA."

I nodded, at least there was a chance he could be alive. On the way to the house, we talked but I could tell there was tension.

"So, where's the kid?"

"In the cooler."

I gawked at Two-bit.

"You're shittin' me!"

"We ain't. It's his third time. Kid's a bigger pain in my ass than he was before."

I raised my eyebrow at Two-bit, but his jaw just tightened and he looked away. That didn't sound like something that'd come out of Darry's mouth. More like from my mouth. When we got to the house, I was even more surprised to see a girl there waiting for us. Darry put his arm around her.

"Steve, this is my girlfriend, Laura. Laura, this is Steve."

She smiled and hugged me. We all went in the house and Laura had cooked a big meal, but I noticed Two-bit had been really quiet. Later, I caught him on the porch smoking alone.

"What's going on, man?"

"What're you talking about?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Gee, I don't know. Darry's bad mouthing the kid, the kid's in the cooler, and you've said two words since we got here. Something's up."

I didn't like this. Two-bit was never serious, and Darry was never one to anyone in the cooler before. Especially the kid.

"Me and Darry don't really get along good right now."

"Why not?"

He ashed his cigarette.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Pony POV

"Keep it up, kid. You're only in here for one more night."

"Thanks for the reminder, Mac."

I slumped back against the stupid bunk bed I'd been trying to sleep on.

"You have pretty bad nightmares."

"Yeah, I know."

I had dozed off when Mac woke me up again.

"You've got a visitor."

I heard someone shuffling down the hall.

"Hey, Two-bit. I was wondering when..."

The greeting died on my lips when I looked up to that damn smirk.

"You little shit."