Megh: You wanna say the disclaimer, Ponyboy?
Pony: Not really but I will...haha I said that in the movie. Good times, good times...
Megh: Just say it already!
Pony: Sheesh, can't a guy just reminisce every now and then?
Megh: --glares--
Pony: She does not own The Outsiders.
Soda's POV --Day One--
"Darry, why do we gotta go?" Pony said, for the third time in a row and for the third time in a row Darry answered him.
"You know what happened, you guys were at the club, remember?" Darry was practically begging Pony to remember but for reasons we didn't know, he just couldn't. And it made things all the more worse.
"No, I don't remember it. I swear I don't remember it." Pony whimpered. He was staring out the window, but he wasn't really looking at the window. It's like sometimes I try to stare at one spot, it's easy to do on a wall or something, but when you're in a car the things around you get too distracting, add rain streaming down the windows and it's hopeless. But apparently not for Ponyboy because he was staring, his eyes glazed over.
"Buddy, I don't want you to go, you know that right? It was because you were at the club when it happened, Soda and Steve and Two-Bit, they were there, don't you remember?" Darry sounded like he might cry, normally that would scare Pony, it was scaring me. But Pony didn't seem like he was all with us right now.
"I don't think he can hear you," I told Darry quietly. It was the first time I had spoken since we woke up this morning.
"Pony, you have to remember, you need to," he paused before adding, "Sodapop remembers." When he said that I winced unintentionally. I couldn't forget.
"I'm sorry little buddy, I didn't mean it," Darry apologised.
"No it's ok, I just-I just wish I could be like Pony and just forget." I said. I held my breath, I'm afraid these tears I've been holding back all day will fall. They probably will when we leave Darry. I shook myself mentally. Don't think about that, it'll make things worse, it'll make you cry. Don't think about anything.
I must've done just that becuase sooner than I thought possible we were sitting in the parking lot at the airport.
"Come on Soda," Darry said gently. I wanted to sit there, not move. Act like a little kid who didn't get his way. This isn't fair.
Then as if reading my mind Darry said, "I know it's not fair, but things don't seem to go very fair for us do they, this whole mess? not fair at all." He sounded sorry, really truly sorry. I know I was sorry, too.
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"Flight 125 to Providence Rhode Island, boarding, take off in fifteen minutes," came the false cheerful voice, it made me sick how bright and shiny it sounded. I forced myself not to make eye contact with Darry. Maybe he hadn't heard the announcement and we'd miss our flight all together. After about two minutes I figured he hadn't heard, and almost grinned, Pony and me weren't leaving. We'd stay here in Tulsa and we'd- "125, that's you guys,"
I looked up at him, silently pleading with him not to make us go. We could run, to Texas maybe. It's a big state; no one would find us.
"You know I hate to do this, but Pony will never go if you don't." Darry said and he stood up, waiting for me to do the same. I did after a few moments and since Pony had been leaning on me he stood up with me. Unwillingly my feet led me towards the gate, but before my foot would go over the metal line that separated the stable airport floor and the makeshift hall leading to the plane, I stopped. I turned suddenly, the lady taking boarding passes took a step back and flung myself into Darry's arms.
"I'm gonna miss you," I whispered into his shoulder. I was well aware that a sixteen year old crying into his brother's shoulder wasn't very tough at all but I didn't care. I didn't care at all lately. Other kids get to hug their parent's everyday, so why shouldn't I be able to hug my brother if he's just as good.
"I know Little Buddy, I'll miss you too." He replied, his voice shaking something awful. I could feel Pony lean his head against mine and Darry's arms like a little puppy. He had been acting more and more like a little puppy lately it seemed, ever since that day at the club.
"Boys, I'm sorry, but they'll be taking off any minute now and you really should get to your seats." Said the boarding pass lady kindly and I turned, wiping my eyes.
"Now Soda, you watch out for your brother and the both of you stay outta trouble, you hear me? Things will work out okay soon enough." Darry said. Pony and I nodded and we both gave him a quick hug back and then we set off down the hall. I felt like it'd collapse any minute, when I looked out the window it didn't look very steady. Before I could think too hard about it though, we were in the plane.
"Soda, why we here? Why we leaving, we didn't do nothing." Pony said panicky-like. I put my arm around his shoulder comfortingly.
"We went over this in the car buddy, the state-"
"No, Soda, why we here?" Pony half shouted. He tried to wriggle out of my grip but I held him down.
"Passengers, if you would please buckle your seat belts we can take off any minute now." The pilots voice came over the intercom.
"Come on Pony, buckle up your seat belt, alright?" I said patiently. He shook his head, tears falling down his face.
"Soda, I don't want to go, I don't want to go!" He gave up trying to push away my arm and fell down into the seat, buckling it up still whispering to him self, "I don't want to go,"
I didn't know what to do. What do you do when everyday your brother becomes more and more like the kicked puppy your buddy had become, except you couldn't see the kicks, you had to figure it all out for yourself? I guess that's why it's a good thing I could remember the night this all started. The night where all we had in mind was a show, some colors, and a good time…