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Addiction
12. Animal on the Loose It's a little too late Toby Keith - Its a Little Too Late
I'm a little too gone,
A little too tired of this hangin' on
Waving to his track mates, Ponyboy picked up his bags and left school grounds, completely exhausted and just wanting to get home.
Cross-Country was not his favorite event.
Add in rain, which there was, he was miserable.
He picked up a stick that was laying on the sidewalk and tossed it across the street, he had to pick up a little speed after it swerved and hit a parked car.
When he turned a corner that pointed him towards his block, the next thing he knew, he felt an arm wrap around his waist. He tried to scream but a large calloused hand covered his mouth and his body pulling him back into an alley between two buildings.
The hand left his mouth and he tried to call out, all of his air was knocked out of his when his back was slammed in the brick wall.
"Avoidin' me, huh?"
Finally Ponyboy could see who it was- Curly Shepard.
How long had it been since he had last seen the curly haired hood? Nearly a week. Had hadn't been able to leave the house since the talk between him and his brothers.
Eyes wide, Pony shook his head. "No..No!" He stumbled over his words, trying to explain but before he could get any words out of his mouth again, a fist slammed into his jaw and then into his stomach.
Once.
Twice.
Blow after blow.
He kicked out, knowing he had hit his target when he heard a grunt, Curly didn't let go.
A second later the hands around his throat tightened.
Darry straightened and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm. With a sigh, he shut the door to the portable storage unit that held many bundles of roofing materials, tools and various other equipment they would need for the next day.
Finally, he could now go home.
"Curtis."
Darry glanced over his shoulder, thinking it was a co-worker, and had to look again to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Behind him stood someone he hadn't seen in months – not since the last rumble between the Greasers and Socs.
"Shepard."
Tim Shepard.
The hood stood there a few feet away with his hands jammed into his black leather coat, managing to look pissed while he also carried his I-don't-give-a-damn attitude.
"Busy?" Tim glanced around in away that Darry only knew meant trouble. Something he didn't want but before he could say a thing, Tim spoke again. "Need to talk to ya, 'bout our brothers."
That got his attention. "What 'bout them?" He asked, sounding uninterested as he turned to walk to his truck. Tim, always a leader, actually followed him. "Trouble?"
Shrugging, the gang leader leaned against the old Ford. "I don't know much on that brother of yours," he started, "but I know mine."
Tim took a pack out of his pocket and, after offering Darry one – who decline, he lit up one of his Kools and took a deep drag before continuing, "Curly ain't good news, and you know this man." Another pause for another drag. "No clue why ya'll lettin' the kid hang around him, and it ain't none of my business."
"You know somethin' I don't Shepard." Darry crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his eyes at the hood.
"I know a lot, and that ain't your business." Tim narrowed his eyes in return, "We've known each other for a long while and I have respect for you and yours. I'd take this advice if I was you-" Another slow and long drag, "Keep 'im away from Curly. Things ain't right between them."
He nodded towards Darry before he turned and began to walk away, "He's actin' like a caged animal right now." Then he disappeared around the corner of the building.
Darry stood there for another moment before climbing. Even though the advice was unnecessary, for Ponyboy was currently grounded from seeing the younger Shepard, something was still bugging Darry.
Tim Shepard, of all people, was warning him – in a way that wasn't a threat. That just didn't settle right.
The gang leader knew something that he didn't.
Things ain't right between them...
Darry drove home then, the speedometer raising higher and higher as the seconds passed.
Keep 'im away from Curly... ...actin' like a caged animal... ...I know mine.
Short as hell - not much longer to this fic