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Life Choices	By : JessieMundaiFan Category: M through R > The Outsiders Views: 1891 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The Outsiders is owned by S.E. Hinton I own nothing. I make no profit on this fanfic

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Disclaimer: The Outsiders is owned by S.E. Hinton I own nothing.
…
(General POV)
Ponyboy woke up to the sun glaring down on his face.
Yawning happily, Pony sat up in bed stretching out his muscles. A grin made it onto his face as he recalled what happened in his sleep.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing happened to him in his sleep. Ponyboy didn't have a single nightmare all night. It wasn't just this night either, for the past two nights in a row Pony has been getting some nightmare free sleep.
It had been two days since that whole alleyway incident and Ponyboy hasn't seen hide 'nor hair of Dally. It's not that Ponyboy had been looking for him, but he did want an explanation as to what happened in the alley.
During those two days Steve had taught him some new moves as well. Ponyboy is now able to take hits better and deal with injuries somewhat. As much as Ponyboy hated to admit it, Steve was growing on him. Ponyboy wouldn't call him a friend per se but his advice, not just with fighting but on life as well, was really having a positive effect on him.
Hearing whimpers coming from beside him, Pony looked over to see Sodapop tossing his head back and forth from his side of the bed.
Suddenly Soda sat up violently startling Ponyboy. He seemed to be in some kind of daze.
"You okay Soda," Ponyboy asked him hesitantly.
"Huh," that seemed to snap him out of whatever he was in, "yeah, just a bad dream."
Sodapop turned to look at his younger brother in concern.
"How are you though, those nightmares messing with you again," he asked wrapping an arm around his little brother.
Pony snuggled into his brother shoulder. "Not really, I haven't had a nightmare in the last three days."
"Really," Soda said in shock.
Pony nodded and grinned up at his brother. "If this keeps I'll be able to move back into my old room huh?"
A smile made it onto Soda's face but it didn't look like a happy one.
"What's wrong," Ponyboy frown at him, "I thought you'd be happy to have me out of your hair."
"Of course I wouldn't," Soda instantly interjected, "I would never want to be rid of you Ponyboy. And I am happy for you but it's just that, well, let's do a wait and see on whole switching room's thing."
"But…"
"Now, now," Sodapop suddenly grinned starting to tickle his brother, "don't backtalk your big brother. I know best right?"
"Right," Ponyboy giggled trying to fight off his brother but to no avail.
"What was that," Soda taunted starting to tickle harder causing Ponyboy to fall down back on the bed.
"Alright, alright," he yelled in between his laughter tears coming out his eyes.
"Okay," Soda got up and went into the closet to get out his DX shirt.
"Why don't you go see what we got in the kitchen for breakfast while I get ready for work?"
Nodding, Ponyboy jumped of the bed and went to find something to eat in the kitchen.
After searching the fridge and the cupboards and finding absolutely nothing to eat, Ponyboy came to the conclusion that they desperately needed to go to the grocery store.
As if on cue, Darry just then walked into the kitchen.
"Ponyboy, why are the all cabinets and the refrigerator doors opened," he asked leaning on the door of the fridge eyeing his little brother curiously.
"I'm trying to find some food but we don't have any," Ponyboy gestured to all around the kitchen.
With narrowed eyes, Darry looked into the fridge and the cabinets and did indeed find nothing in them.
"Dammit," Darry mumbled to himself, "we should really stop letting Steve and Two-Bit eat here all the time."
Looking at his brother, he took in Ponyboy's pajamas.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for school," Darry asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work," Ponyboy replied back with his own raised eyebrow.
Darry had to restrain himself from retorting back. He loved his little brother dearly but he sure had a mouth on him.
"I have the day off," Darry answered calmly as to not invoke Ponyboy's attitude.
"Well I do to," Ponyboy told him, "my school is still being cleaned."
The day before yesterday, some crazy greasers decided to mess up the school Pony went to. They did everything from making the toilets overflow, throwing garbage in all the halls, to even breaking windows and wrecking classrooms. The school's students were called and informed that the school would be closed for a couple of days until they can get everything up and running again.
"Oh right," Darry could smack himself for forgetting that. He guessed it was too early in the morning for him to remembering things.
Whistling a tune, Sodapop came into the kitchen. Stopping in his tracks he noticed the emptiness of the kitchen.
"Hey," he protested loudly, "where's all the food."
"We're out," Darry said simply.
"Of everything," Soda replied in shock.
Darry nodded reluctantly.
"Pony and I are going to the store in a little bit," Darry told him as if it was fact.
"I didn't say I was going anywhere with you," Ponyboy piped in.
"You're not staying here by yourself," Darry said sternly, "go get dressed."
Mumbling incoherent words, Ponyboy stomped off to his room to put some clothes on.
Sodapop grinned at Darry as Ponyboy walked to their room. "Kids got a lot of fire doesn't he?"
All Darry did was grunt as Soda bust of laughing.
…
(The Grocery Store)
"What do we have left," Darry asked his brother as he put two boxes of cereal in there cart.
Ponyboy pulled out their grocery list. "We have our bread, dairy, meat, drinks, vegetables, cans/boxes, and condiments. All we have left is our snacks and fruits."
Ponyboy just hoped that huge bag of chips he was eyeing when they first walked into the store was still where he saw it.
"No more snacks," Darry declared, "we're just getting fruit and heading home."
Without waiting for a response he rolled the cart into the fruit section.
"What," Pony cried out, "but all I want is some chips."
"You too much junk food," Darry told him, "and I rarely see you eating any fruits or vegetables."
Ponyboy gave him a weird look. "What are you talking about? I eat fruits and vegetables all the time. Just because you don't see me do it doesn't mean I don't do it."
They were at the fruit aisle and Darry was picking out a few things.
Darry snorted at him. "If that's true then how come I never see you eat your vegetables at dinner?"
"Because you always make things I hate eating like broccoli and spinach," Ponyboy had to shudder just from saying them. "I like string beans, I like corn, I like cabbage, but you never make them."
"How was I supposed to know you liked those things if you never told me beforehand," Darry asked rationally.
"It's not like you would have listened anyway," Ponyboy whispered.
"What," Darry asked loudly not hearing him.
Flinching, Ponyboy was about to drop the subject, as he usually does when they get on this subject. He never thinks he can win these fights so he doesn't even try. He just doesn't feel like his opinion will matter. Fortunately, a thought stuck him just in the nick of time.
(Flashback)
"See that's your problem, you're to quiet," Steve said with a glare.
Ponyboy looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Steve sighed in frustration. "You never stand up for yourself. If you want something to change in your life you have to make that change all by yourself. You're not going to get anything done in life if you just let things go all the time."
"How do you know this," Ponyboy asked him with narrowed eyes.
"Experience kid," Steve replied dryly, "experience."
(End Flashback)
That conversation kept floating in the young greasers mind.
And, for what seemed to be developing into a pattern, Ponyboy decided to listen to Steve.
"I didn't think you would listen to me," Ponyboy reiterated louder, "you never seem to want to talk me."
Darry froze at those words. A combination of hurt and shock reached his face as he took in his brother's hopeless expression.
"Let's…pay for this stuff and get out of here," Darry told him quietly rushing to the check-out counter.
Not knowing if what he said did anything, Ponyboy sighed to himself and followed behind his brother.
…
The ride back to the Curtis' house was silent and tense. Neither brother had said a word to each other since they left the store. As they pulled up to their house neither made a move to get out of their car. Both just sat in their seats deep in thought.
"When did I give you the impression that you couldn't talk to me," Darry asked confounded.
Ponyboy shrugged and looked away awkwardly. "I don't know, ever since I could remember. You always use to turn me away every time I asked you something."
"No I didn't," Darry protested.
"Yes you did," Ponyboy insisted, "I use to ask you questions all the time when we were younger and what did you do? You would yell at me or tell me to get lost or something."
"That's because you use to ask me crazy questions," Darry pointed out, "it was always 'Darry why do people die? Darry how big is the universe? Darry how to trees grow so big?'"
Darry looked at him with tired eyes. "I don't understand why you always came to me about all that kind of stuff. You never asked mom or dad those kinds of things."
"I thought you knew," Ponyboy argued.
"Why," Darry asked him with an edge to his voice, "why would you think I would know all that stuff."
"Because I worshipped you as a genius okay," Ponyboy snapped angrily, "Growing up I thought you were the smartest person in the world."
Darry looked at him wide eyed.
Ponyboy sniffled and look down at his feet. "When we were younger, you were the only person I knew that studied for school and got awards for being smart. I asked you those questions because I honestly thought that you knew everything, I didn't know any better."
"Ponyboy…"
"And then and then you," Ponyboy's eyes started to water as a memory came floating back to his mind.
(Flashback)
"Darry, Darry, Darry," Young eight years old Ponyboy kept calling out.
His said fourteen years old brother was hunched over his desk in his room trying to catch on up his reading for school. He was behind everyone in the class and it irritated him to know end.
"Leave me alone Pony," Darry grumbled trying to concentrate on his work, "I'm busy right now."
"But Darry," Ponyboy whined, "you still didn't tell me why time works the way it does. Why does it stop at the twelve and start back up at the one?"
"I don't know stop asking me," Darry growled.
This exchange had been going on for about ten minutes and it was really grating on Darry's nerves. Usually yelling at Ponyboy drives him away but it wasn't working this time.
Ponyboy puffed up his cheeks in annoyance. "But you have to know."
Grunting in frustration, Darry decided to just ignore him.
"Darry, Darry, Darry, Darry."
His patience was diminishing with every passing second.
"Darry, Darry, Darry, Darry."
He couldn't take it anymore.
"Darry, Darry, Darry, Darry."
He snapped.
Twisting around, Darry looked at his little brother with the single most scariest look Ponyboy had ever seen in his young life.
"Shut the fuck up," Darry roared throwing his book at him.
Darry was trying to throw it at the door way, where Ponyboy was standing, in order to scare him into leaving him alone. Unfortunately, he missed.
The book flung towards Ponyboy hitting him straight in his left eye. The force of the blow caused him to fall straight on his behind. Ponyboy blinked in shock of the blow before crying his little eyes out.
"Oh God," Darry rushed to help Ponyboy. He held out a hand to help him up.
Still in hysterics Ponyboy smacked the hand away running away to his room.
That was the last time Ponyboy ever asked Darry something.
(End Flashback)
Ponyboy ceased sniffling as he felt two strong arms wrap around him.
"I'm sorry Ponyboy," Darry said meaningfully, "I was just frustrated that day and did something stupid. I never wanted to make me you feel like you could never come to me for anything. I love you little brother."
"If that's true, then how come every time I do something wrong your first reaction is to lecture me," Ponyboy protested.
Darry sighed. "Sometimes you scare me Ponyboy. There are just so many things in this world than can hurt you, in several ways, and you don't even know half of them. When I see you being careless about your own safety my first reaction is to get angry. More often than not I'm madder at the situation you were in than you though."
"What about grades," Ponyboy shot back at him.
Darry grinned at him. "Because I see you as a genius," Ponyboy blushed at that, "I set high expectation for you with your grades. I know that you're a smart kid and deserve better than to get C's or even B's on your report cards."
"I'm not a genius in any way," Ponyboy retorted, "I may get good grades but I work hard to get every one of them. It hurts when you demean a B or a C that I struggled to get. And it's not like I mean to be careless about something's it just sort of happens."
Darry gave his brother a small smile. "Alright Ponyboy let's make a deal. I promise to be more lenient and understanding if you promise to talk to me more when you need help."
Ponyboy eyed his brother with suspicion. He's never heard Darry compromise with anyone in his life. However, seeing no hints of a lie in his eyes, Pony decided that Darry was being sincere.
Ponyboy took his brother hand in his shaking it firmly.
"Deal," Ponyboy said with a smile.
Darry smiled back and ruffled his little brother hair, much to his little brother's chagrin.
"Come on let's get these groceries in the house," Darry open his door and popped open the truck.
Ponyboy nodded following him.
While sorting out the groceries they suddenly heard a whimpering coming from beside them. Looking over to their right, they saw a small Dalmatian puppy sniffing in their general direction. Instantly, Ponyboy felt drawn to its adorable black spotted eyes.
"A puppy," he said in awe.
"Don't get to close you don't know what he might have," Darry said cautiously.
"Relax Darry he's probably just hungry," Ponyboy reassured him taking in the puppy's thin frame. Judging by how skinny he looked, he probably hasn't eaten in days.
Pulling out and apple from a bag he presented it to the dog.
"Here you go boy," Ponyboy leaned down slowly.
"Can a dog even eat apples," Darry asked hesitantly.
"They can it's just the seeds that you can't let them have," Ponyboy answered not taking his eyes off the dog.
Slowly the dog made its way over to Ponyboy. Hesitantly it sniffed the apple before taking a small bit of it. Apparently it liked it as he started to take bigger bits of the fruit.
Watching the dog eat put a small on Ponyboy's face. After still looking hungry after eating the first one Ponyboy gave him a second one.
"You're really hungry aren't you boy," Ponyboy pointed out as the puppy finished the second apple, "don't worry little doggie. I read about dogs all the time and know a good diet for you. Trust me we got plenty of food that's good for growing puppies."
The puppy licked Ponyboy's fingers affectionately.
"Ponyboy don't even think about it," Darry warned him.
"Darry we can't just leave a starving puppy in are yard," Ponyboy protested.
Darry sighed. "You know good and well that…"
"I know that we can't afford to keep a dog," Ponyboy quickly interjected, "but we can at least give him a place to stay until I can find an owner for him. I know a lot of people that want a dog."
Darry thought about this for a brief moment. Looking down at the dog's vulnerable face for a couple seconds he finally relented.
"Three days," Darry said sternly, "I'll give you three days to find him a home if you don't find him one he's gone."
Ponyboy nodded happily and carefully picked up the puppy cradling it like a baby.
"So Tosh, what do you say to staying with us for a bit," Ponyboy asked to the puppy sweetly.
All he got was a small bark as an answer.
"Tosh," Darry raised an eyebrow at the name.
"Because he likes Macintosh apples," Ponyboy gestured to what was left of the apples he fed his new little friend.
Darry just rolled his eyes amusedly and started to take some bags into the house.
"Don't worry Tosh I'll find you a home," Ponyboy whispered to the puppy staring up at him with his big eyes.
…
It had been a couple hours since they brought Tosh into the house and fed him some food.
Darry had gone off to meet some friends while Tosh was asleep in the bed they made for him. Ponyboy was pretty much alone in the house and was enjoying the silence.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
Sighing, Ponyboy put down the book he was reading and went to the door. He opened it to reveal a familiar blond hood.
"Dally?"
…
- 14
- 15
- 16
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Life Choices