"Sodapop!" I screamed stepping outside. I could already feel the fall air setting in. To be honest while everyone loved summer. I damn near hated it. It was just two weeks ago that I had nearly passed out from the heat. I scanned the area for my younger brother. I shook my head with annoyance. I'm going to skin that kid the second he gets home. I collapsed down on the couch. I was glad that school had already started it took my mind off of the horrors of what was going on and kept the house a lot cleaner. Right now the only thing I wanted to do was to go to bed. I couldn't do that because Soda was incapable of telling time. I turned some late night talk show on and stretched out on the couch.

"Shhh" I wonder if Soda realized his hushed voice was loud. There was a burst of laughter and in came the two that had been attached by the hip. Steve came crashing down on Soda. They both started cracking up.

"Where the hell have you been?" I asked in a serious tone. I wanted to yell more than anything but I couldn't because that'd wake Pony up and that was the last thing I needed.

Soda brushed himself off. "A party down at the stables. I told you that."

"And I told you curfew was at twelve. Soda, I worked two jobs today and have to again tomorrow."

It didn't even look as if he was paying any attention to me. It wasn't very often that Soda got out of control. I glared down at him. "Go to bed."

"I ain't tired." He muttered picking at the mud on his boots.

Soda wasn't a little kid. I wasn't about to treat him like one either. "Have it your way. Keep that mud off of the carpet. Alright."

"Alright. Sorry, I kept you up." He looked up apologetically.

I woke up the next morning and got Pony up. He rolled over. "Darry, Soda didn't come home last night." He looked up with fear that Soda might actually be missing.

"He came home. He must have slept in the living room." I left Pony to get dressed.

"Steve what's in your ear?" Two-Bit asked from the other room. That's strange I didn't even realize he was there. I turned the stove down and walked into the living room. "You don't mean to tell me you're one of them cross dressing people? Because if so my Mom could probably lend you a thing or two."

"Fuck off." Steve muttered.

Steve had a silver loop coming from each of his ear lobes. You had to be fucking kidding me. "That real?" I asked

Steve nodded. "So is this." He lifted up his shirt sleeve to show a some brightly colored Native American looking eagle.

"Pretty tuff huh?" Soda questioned.

Soda looked up from around his place on the floor. I shook my head. I knew exactly what he was thinking. "Don't get any ideas." Ya here me?" I pointed my finger at him.

"Awe relax, see Darry. Soda has no need to be a pirate. He's the cowboy." Two-Bit slapped Soda on the back. "I hope you can ride girls like you can horses."

"What's he talking about?" I asked Soda.

Soda shrugged sinking deeper into the couch. He was shooting Two-Bit a reprimanding look.

"Sodapop!" I raised my voice.

"It was only once. See every one knew I used to ride and well they just kept nagging me so I did." Soda looked up with those eyes. I hated how he had me wrapped around his finger. "I couldn't let everyone down. Besides I won some money!" He pulled out a wad of cash.

It was cases like this where I hated to put my foot down but this wasn't my rules this was Dad's rules. I with held most of my parent's rules. It worked for me and I knew it'd work for them. I shook my head angrily at him. "What time do you get off?"

"Three." He answered.

I nodded. "You need to get straight back here and in your room and no TV for a week."

I turned around and heard laughter. I'm sure he gave my some type of gesture but I didn't really care. I picked up my tool belt and left.

I was happy that the air was decently cool. It was a nice break from the skin boiling hot weather. "You hear the boss is lying off people." Jake hammered down part of his bundling. "Olsen and Martin just got the boot."

Olsen and Martin were old, bossy and senile. It wasn't a big surprise that they would be fired. "Curtis."

I looked up at my foreman. "Yes, Sir?"

"The boss needs to see you, now." He spit off the side of the roof and grinned at me. I was really starting to hate him.

"Sure thing" I drove the nail hard into the roofing before climbing down the latter. I entered the trailer which was the make shift office today.

"Yes sir?" I wiped my hands nervously on the side of my pants. I couldn't loose this job. The bills from Pony's stay in the hospital were pilling up. Not to mention Soda had to get stitches last week from a run in with some socs.

The boss grinned at my nervousness. I guess he had the senses of a blood hound that was hot on a trail. "Take a seat son." He gestured to chair in front of his desk.

God, I needed this job. I took a sharp intake a breath. What now, I could get that bar tending job. It worked nights but it'd be my only option.

"Son, you're one of my best workers. I know you've had a lot of trouble these past nine months so I understand if you can't. This job offer if good money but there is no telling if it rains or something when it will get done. It's an estimated ten to twelve days. Dallas."

"I thought I was going to get fired." I breathed a sign of relief.

My boss laughed. He stroked his silver beard. "You have three days to give me your answer."

I had to take the job. I just needed to clear it with the state. See if Pony and Soda could possibly stay with the Mathews. The state was hard to deal with of course Mrs. Mathews said yes right away but the state was tricky. I had to make it look as if I had everything together and this job was just icing on the cake. So pretty much I need to prove I needed it but not look too needy.

A simple phone call would have been easy; it should have been easy. Soda and Pony seemed to be wrestling all around. I could exactly tell them to knock it off. No matter how many gestures and stern looks I couldn't get their attention. I hung up the phone with the state.

"Ow." Pony was completely submerged under Soda.

"Holler uncle." Soda demanded.

"Soda, you're hurting him."

Soda released him. "Sorry Pony." Pony shrugged it off.

"Look guys I need to call the doctors, and then we'll go for pizza alright? Soda aren't you supposed to be in your room?" I called over my shoulder as I dialed a number for the doctors. He ignored me; instead he sat on the couch with a bag of chips. The little brat.

I scheduled the check up. I was going to have to get one for them before I left. The state wanted their records. I was going to have to take Pony out of school a little early but I guess we were going to have to deal with it. "Alright guys. Let's go."

We piled into the car. Soda wanted to drive some how I got stuck in the middle. I rubbed my temples. "Sodapop! The speed limit it 35 not 55."

"It more fun if we go fast. Right Pony?"

Pony nodded. I rolled my eyes. "Slow down, or pull over!"

"Okay." He muttered. He slowed down.

I liked the little pizza place. It kind of had one of those families like atmospheres but at the same time a lot of kids hung out here. Plus, it was a break from the Dingo.

"Hi Soda." A little blonde waitress approached our table.

Soda grinned, he sat up straight. "Hey Cindy."

"That was some really nice riding you did the other night. Everyone's talking about tonight?"

Soda paled. "Cindy, do you guys have root beer here?" He asked quickly changing the subject.

"Yeah, I'll go get you one." She turned around and took off and then ran back to our table. "Can I get anyone else one?"

"She's dumb." Pony said once she walked away from the table.

"Ponyboy!" I started laughing. I had to agree she was. I just wouldn't have been so blunt about it in public.

"Alright guys, listen to me for a minute." I said once we had our pizza. "I have to go away for a while. I'm going to Dallas to put a roof on some company. You guys are going to stay with the Mathews for a while."

"I don't need a baby sitter." Soda said, picking the mushrooms off his pizza.

I rolled my eyes. "Why do I doubt that? The state thinks you need one. I need you guys to please be good for her. Promise me you will."

Soda shrugged. "Sure."

"How long?" Pony asked.

"Ten to twelve days."

"We need to go to the doctors tomorrow too. At two."

Soda's (P.O.V)

"Soda, I don't like Darry leaving." Pony admitted.

I had been starring at the clock for the past thirty minutes. I turned over to face him. "Awe, Pone don't worry about it. It just for a little while besides we'll throw a big party!"

He shuffled a stiff laugh. "We have to stay at the Mathews."

"She works more than Darry, besides she doesn't have to know about it."

Pony just shrugged. "Hey, Pony I gotta leave again. You going to be alright?" I asked.

He nodded. "Don't let Darry catch you."

"Thanks for not telling." I threw the covers over and put on a pair of jeans. I grabbed hold of the window and slid out the window. I had to creep around the side of the house where Darry's window was. I hadn't been caught the last two times. I ran down the street to find Steve's car.

"Hey, what took so long?" He asked.

"I was talking to Pony."I answered.

"Isn't it past the kid's bed time?"

We pulled onto Peterman's cove. It was a place where we met the socs to drag race. The roads near there were country roads and there was barely any police. Steve and I stepped out of the car the Brumlys were already there along with Buck. There was something different too, junk ie cars.

I bit my lip down this wasn't going to be good. I stepped out of the car and pulled my sweatshirt tight around me.

"Change of plans grease." Nick grinned. "Unless you're chicken."

"He's no chicken shit back." Buck said. He was accompanied by his usual bottle of Jack Daniels.

I lit up a cigarette. "What do you have mind?"

"Gut race. We start at the south end and we end there." He pointed to the drop off the road."

"You have a deal." I flicked my ashes at him.

Steve grabbed my collar and pulled me close to him. "Make sure after you get out, you make the run for it to my car. I don't want to deal with the fuzz tonight."

I grinned. "Don't worry about it."

We got into the old junkers. I felt my heart beat faster. This is what I lived for, the rush of things. One of Nicks friends stood before are cars with a yellow flag he spun it three times around his head. Then his arm went down the flag following. I stepped hard on the gas. There was one thing I did know. I wanted Nick to wallow in his own pity. I was a head of his for a minute but then he moved a head of me. I caught up with his. It was always cowardly to be behind in a gut race. The ledge was coming close. My air was pushed in the back of my throat. That's when I saw Nick bail. One, Two, Three I counted out loud. The opened my door and tucked under. I hit the pavement hard. I felt something cut into my cheek but I had won! I rolled over and watched the car go over the ledge. That's when I remembered what Steve said. I got up. Nick had made his way into his friend's car. I ran into Steve's car.

"Soda, you nailed him! He fucking kicked dirt in his face!" He was screaming.

I leaned back into my seat and laughed. Now came the second part, Buck's and awards.