Ponyboys POV I felt like crap. But I knew I needed to fight. For Kerri and for Dally. Well at least for Dally's peace of mind.
I began to walk home with Two-Bit and Johnny by my side. But I then saw Cherry, and knew she had somethin' to say.
"Hey Ponyboy, Johnny, Two-Bit." She said with glee.
"What's up with the big times?" Two-Bit asked, getting straight to the point.
"No weapons. They play your way, it's a fair deal." She answered. Fair deal my ass.
"Are you sure about that?" Johnny said bluntly. I could tell he wasn't having anything she said.
"Well Randy told me, he knows for sure." She fired back. Johnny just chuckled and walked away shaking his head.
"Good deal. Thanks Cherry." Two-But replied.
"How do you know thats not a lie too?!" Johnny yelled from who knows where. That's when I knew it wasn't a good idea to have stopped here, and we both began to walk back to Johnny.
"Ponyboy wait a minute." Cherry demanded.
"How's Kerri doin'" She asked with an obviously fake smile. We all know she can't stand Kerri. Probably out of envy. But I wanted to know where this was headed, so I just played along.
"Not so good," I replied. "Would you come up and see him?"
She scoffed. I was right. But I still wanted an answer. "Well?"
"No I couldn't." She said bluntly.
"And why not?" I asked crossing my arms.
"I couldn't. She helped kill Bob." Multiple things were racing through my mind. But the major thing was, "No she didn't. She wasn't even capable of doing it."
"But she didn't know his other side," she continued. "He could be real sweet. He wasn't just any boy. Bob has something that made him different. Made people follow him. Maybe a little better than the crowd. You know what I mean?" At this point I've heard enough.
"Yeah well that's okay, cause I don't want you to see her anyway. She didn't help kill Bob! We don't need your damn charity."
"Ponyboy!" She yelled. "I wasn't tryin' to give you charity. I was only tryin' to hell."
"Ponyboy! Come on!" Johnny yelled. Two-Bit did the same soon after.
"I liked you from the start. The way we talked. Wouldn't you try and help me if you knew you could?" She asked with a. Pouty lip. I scoffed. But I knew what she was lookin for.
"Can you see the sunset form the south side real good?" I asked.
"Yeah real good."
"Well you can see it from the north side too."
And with that, I walked away. Back to My house, with Johnny and Two-Bit by my side.
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I took about four aspirins, and I actually started to feel better. Up until Steve and Soda started making a ruckus.
"We're gonna beat them Socs heads in! When I get into a fight, I like to stomp! Especially when they hurt someone like Kerri!" Steve yipped, with a red face. I could tell he just beat Soda in arm wrestling.
"How come you don't like fights Darry?" I asked.
"He likes to show off his muscles." Soda answered
"Hey. I'm gonna show them on you, if you get any mouthier. Hey Pony I don't know if y'oughta be in this Rumble." Darry said.
"Why? We're fightin for Kerri." Johnny shot up.
"Yeah. I have to fight for her. And Dallas. Well, Dallases peace of mind." I said firmly.
"Yeah come on Darry. We're all tensed up before a Rumble." Steve jumped up. "Especially this one." Continued Two-Bit.
"Yeah I'll take a little one." I reassured Darry.
"Alright, But you be careful. Okay?"
"I will."
And with that, we all ran out of the house like a pack of wild animals. Whooping and Hollering all down the street. Even Johnny. He looked more ready than any of us. I thought he hated fighting.
"Johnnycake, why the sudden change? Why do you all of a sudden want to fight?" I asked, still keeping up with the gang.
"I'm doing it for Kerri. She saved me. I have to do this for her." He answered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
And before I could say Rumble, we were at the lot, face to face with Socs.
"The odds are as even as we can get. You threw stay close to me." Darry demanded to Johnny, Soda, and I.
"I'm going rouge then." Johnny said under his breath.
It stayed quite for a moment, before I heard a familiar voice that belonged to Dallas yell, "You know, a Rumble ain't a Rumble without me!"
And with that, I was socked square in the face. Johnny took on the guy that hurt Kerri. Darry 2, Steve I don't even know how man, and the rest of the gang, the rest of the Socs. I was being thrown into the mud. As I heard the Socs retreat. Man was this a quick Rumble. So I got to my feet, and saw Johnny and the rest of the gang jumping for joy.
That was cut short when Dally pulled Johnny and I into his car, and sped to the hospital. He said something about Kerri getting worse, I don't know, it was all really a blur.
As soon as we got there we rushed to Kerri's room. She looked bad, real bad. She wasn't on her stomach anymore, but this time, she looked to be in more pain than I've ever seen before.
"Hey-Hey Kerri, Kerri baby, we beat the Socs man." Dally's said with pride, as he crouched down to her level.
"It's useless." Kerri groaned. Followed by a gasp of pain.
"Huh?" Dallas mumbled softly, as he put his hand against her face lightly.
"Fighting ain't no good." She mumbled.
"You know, their still writing about you in the paper. About you being a hero. We're all proud of you baby. It's gonna be alright. I love you Kerri. So much." Dallas said calmly to her. I swear I saw a tear roll down his face, but he quickly wiped it away.
Then one rolled down Kerri's cheek. Dally quickly wipes it away with his thumb and said, "don't cry Kerri. It's gonna be okay."
"I love you Dally," She gasped. "Pony, Johnny... Stay gold you two... stay gold."
Her head rested on the pillow, and her face was relived if all pain. She looked peaceful. But Dally didn't.
"Kerri come on don't die."
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Dally began to cry. I've never seen Dallas Winston cry. But we all knew Dally loved his sister more than anything in the world. But Johnny ran out, and Dally asked to be alone with her.
