𝐢 𝐝𝐨 ; s.c.

𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚣

"you don't get it, pony. most nights, i'm too tired to sleep."

he stared blankly at her. "that's even stupider."

"ever heard of a metaphor, smarty? it's like, you can be too tired to do somethin', like how you can be too tired to stay up, it's the same thing. too tired to put in the effort."

"so, too tired to make yourself less tired... too tired to... put in the effort? yeah, i guess that makes sense," pony concluded.

too tired to fight the metaphorical disease that consumes me.

"i'm too tired to be here right now," he mentioned, throwing his cigarette butt on the concrete.

"and i'm too tired to deal with your attitude," she retorted. "lighten up a little, pone."

pursing his lips together, he sighed. "why couldn't ya have asked your brother to come along with you?"

"cause," ellie said, kicking a pebble out of the way. she watched as it tumbled off the sidewalk and into the street, waiting to be run over. "two-bit's annoying. you are too, but, i dunno." she shrugged. "he don't listen to me as much, but you do. you understand things."

"okay..." ponyboy said, dragging out the word, "why could you take melissa or somethin' then? you guys are always ramblin' bout how you're basically the same person."

ellie turned to face him, her eyebrows raised. "are you kiddin' me? she lives all the way on the other side of town, i'm not fixin' to get jumped. if you find that thrilling, well, you do you, i guess, but that ain't none of me."

this particular statement rubbed ponyboy the wrong way. he'd seen what socs have done—or tried to do to the gang, and he didn't want to be next. he avoided them at all costs, because who knows what kind of trouble they'd be looking to stir up?

"that's not funny."

"sorry."

"i'm serious, elle. i'm not darry or dally, or steve or two or any of them. i'm not tough like the rest of the gang, and i don't think i could hold my own. if i got jumped and beat real bad... golly, i don't think i'd ever be able to live it down."

ellie gave him a side glance. "so that's what you're worried about? your reputation?"

ponyboy gave her a half-hearted shrug. "not sayin' getting beat up is any fun, either. but you know the guys, they'd never shut up about it. especially steve. i swear, that blockhead has it out for me."

"i'll never understand your hatred towards him. he digs okay. he's not even that mean."

he let out a snort, "yeah, to you, maybe. he hates when i hang out with him and soda, thinks i'm not tuff enough to be seen around them or somethin'. the only times he'll lay off of me is if soda or darry tells him to."

"i don't understand. it's not like we aren't in the same boat here; we're both someone's younger sibling, as you put it, a 'tag-along.' so i don't see why you're complainin'."

"you seriously don't get it, echo? notice how steve is never pickin' on you, or excludin' you, or any of that. just think about it. yeah, he'll be a jerk, but it's cause he's steve. he don't give you nasty glares just for existing."

"maybe you should talk to him about it. i never see you havin' a conversation with him that doesn't escalate into a argument."

ponyboy sighed frustratedly. "never mind. just drop it, ellie." he picked up his pace, walking ahead of her slightly, all the while keeping his eyes glued to the ground.

ellie rushed to catch up with him, and touched his shoulder gently. "pony, i'm sorry."

he shrugged her hand off of him, whipping around to face her. "just stop it, echo. you don't even know what you're 'sorry' for. you're always goin' around apologizing, but it don't change anything."