Ch 37
Sage P.O.V.
I had made it to the lot when I saw Pony and Johnny. Who knew what the two of them did all day? I guess no one really cares if since they stay out of trouble. Pony waved me over when he saw me, and I reluctantly walked towards them. "Hey Sage. What are you up to?"
I leaned up against an old, rusted car and said, "Well, I was on my way to rearrange Sandy's face. But I had a little run in with some hoods and now I'm not sure if I'm in the mood for a fight."
They were both silent for a minute and I didn't miss Johnny's eyes going wide. "Why did you want to hurt Sandy? I thought you and Soda were okay?"
I looked over to Pony with a confused look. "Did you not hear what happened a few days ago?" They both shook their head. "Lord almighty. Do the two of you live under a rock?"
Pony looked down, but that got a ghost of a smile from Johnny. "Long story short, Angela and I were down by the river, Soc's came, and a fight broke out. I almost drowned in the river and when we called your brother for a ride back, that dumb broad answered and hung up on me. Wouldn't have been a big deal if I wasn't soaked to the bone and catching hyperthermia. Steve and Two came to pick us up luckily. That about sums it up."
They both looked at me with shocked expressions. Pony asked if that's were Darry went that night. I nodded my head. "Tim wasn't home, and Dal was still in the cooler, so it left Steve and Two-bit in charge. How well do you think that would've gone?"
They both smiled and I sighed, "Well boys, this has been fun but I'm going to head on over to the land of the middle class."
I went to walk away, but Pony's next sentence stopped me. "You're going to walk alone with this new war breaking out?"
I turned and looked at him, "What war? We are always fighting with each other. How is this any different?"
The two boys looked at each other and Pony said, "We heard that there is a list of people they want hurt badly. Dally is on there and I heard your name get brought up."
"Where the hell did you hear this?"
Pony looked down at his feet, "I overheard some Soc talking about it in my English class. Said they want to get back at us for their friends dying all those months back."
Jesus Christ. Because life couldn't be easy for more than two seconds. Johnny spoke up for the first time, "I-I think they want you in order to get back at Dally."
That makes what happened down at the river make more sense. "Does anyone else know?"
They both shook their heads. I was trying to keep my temper in check because I know they just didn't think it through. "Did you think maybe the gang should know?" They both found their shoes fascinating after I said that.
I ran a hand over my face and shook my head, "You are telling them what you told me tonight. Someone is going to get hurt if we are caught off guard." I paused and then asked if Tim was on that list.
Pony shook his head, "They would be asking to get killed if that happened."
"But would they target Angela instead?"
Johnny nodded his head. "They ain't stupid. They would either need a lot of guys to jump them or hurt both of you pretty bad."
I nodded my head. "Let's get back to the house. I don't want Darry getting on my case if you get hurt while I'm with you. I already have someone else's brother pissed at me. No need to add another."
We started heading back to the Curtis house and Pony asked who I made mad. "I pulled a blade on Tim earlier."
Johnny nearly tripped over his feet when I said that. "Are you crazy?"
I shrugged my shoulders, "Nothing happened. I honestly think he is more mad that it was his own blade. Is what it is."
Pony laughed in disbelief, "I don't even think Dally would do that."
We walked the rest of the way back with the two of them catching me up on what has been happening with them. While the two of them keep their head down, they seem to do a lot.
We made it to Pony's house and waited for the others to get off. Dally and Two-bit were still at the DX, so the phone call there had them all coming here after. I called Angela to get her brother over here. Not too sure where the two of us stand after the knife situation, so I figured it was best for her to relay the message.
I had been pacing around, messing with things in the kitchen, or doing anything to keep me moving. Pony got my attention from the couch, "Glory what has you all worked up? You're stressing me out."
I sighed, "There was a lot more to the story I told you earlier. Dallas and I got into it, I had been staying with Tim and after the altercation today, who knows how pissed off he is. And don't get me started on Sodapop."
I looked up at Pony and could tell he was thinking things through. "You and Dally always work things out no matter what. Soda feels real bad about how things ended. You know he never really meant to hurt you." I rolled my eyes at that comment. Getting back with Sandy after everything that happened felt like a knife to back.
"And I don't know what to tell you about Tim. But he seems to care about you which is kind of weird to think about. He wouldn't help too many people, but you're one of them. It'll all work out." Bless this kids' soul. I don't know how he manages to keep such a kind heart with the life we all have.
The door opened and in walked Darry. He went to say something to Pony but stopped when he saw me. "You look better. What happened to your eye though?"
I looked down at the ground when I answered him. Something about the authority he has makes you always feel like a child. "Got jumped on the way to the DX. This was the worst of it though."
He gave me a short nod and turned his attention back to Pony. "Why do you look nervous?"
Pony gave me a pointed look. "Because someone won't sit down."
Darry gave us all a confused look and I explained, "Ponyboy here heard some interesting things at school about a war starting. Thought it would be best for everyone to hear it."
I could see him tense up at those words. "Ponyboy, you and Johnny do not walk anywhere alone together. Understood?" He nodded his head and Darry went to go change out of his work clothes.
It wasn't too long before the rest of the gang got there. I stood in a corner close to the door, away from the rest of them. It took a lot to stay in that house from that point on. Dallas kept giving me looks when he thought I couldn't see him. Soda had a hurt puppy dog thing going about him and refused to make eye contact with me. And when Tim walked in, he stood next to me by the door. I was on edge from that point on.
The mood in the room was tense. No one was cracking jokes, horsing around, or even talking. Darry figured he needed to lead this so-called meeting, and said, "Ponyboy here heard that the Soc's are out for blood again. I don't know details, but we all need to take this seriously."
Pony looked nervous with all this attention on him but managed to get out his explanation. "They mentioned a war starting and have a list of people they are targeting. Dally is on there and so is Angela." I saw Tim tense up at the name of his sister. "They think they can get back at you, Tim, if they go after your sister."
Darry asked why they were doing this. Pony hesitated before he blurted out, "Revenge for their friends that died."
All eyes turned to me.
I knew we got off too easy after the fact. Why it has taken them this long to act on it. I have no idea. Maybe they were hoping to catch us off guard if they played the long game. Possibly get lucky with people walking alone.
Darry got everyone's attention, "We need to be smart about this. No walking alone and always have a blade on you, assuming they are not going to play fair." We all nodded and took that as the meeting has ended.
Before I could do anything, Tim grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the house. I saw the worried look on the gangs faces before we made it outside, and briefly saw Dally get off the couch.
We stopped when we got off the porch and into the fenced yard. I looked up to see his stone-cold expression and knew I was about to get my ass handed to me. "I know how stupid you and Angela can get, so I want to make some things clear. You do not ever walk alone anywhere in this town. If you get into trouble, yell as loud as you can. Don't try and fight them all because we both know you won't be able to."
I went to protest, but the look he gave me made me shut my mouth. "The two of you caused this shit, now do us all a favor and stay the hell out of it." He let go of my arm and took a step back.
I am not sure why, but his words felt like I had been slapped in the face. Yeah, we killed those two Soc. But it wasn't like we did it for shits and giggles. They took something from us that we could never get back and it took me so long to bounce back from it.
Dally had made his way outside at some point but watched us from the porch. He knew there wasn't much he could do when it came to Tim Shepard. "And if you ever pull a blade on me again, it will be the last thing you do." I don't want to sound cocky and say his threat was empty, but we all knew he wouldn't hurt me anymore than he would his sister.
Dally had walked down towards us at this point and said we needed to head to Buck's for the night. I pulled out Tim's blade and held it out for him. He shook his head, "Keep it for now. Just do me a favor and don't lose the damn thing." I nodded my head and we headed in the direction of Buck's.
Tim would eventually walk home and leave Dally and I alone. Which meant we had to talk about everything that has been going. I don't know what was worse, being a target on the Soc hit list or having to keep my temper in check with my brother.