Warnings: Language
Word Count: 403
I grabbed Johnny's wrist tightly in my hand, basically dragging him back to the Curtis house and flinging him into Darry's room. Then, I locked him in. After Darry and Soda got Pony in the house, I commandeered Pony and threw him in he and Soda's room. And locked him in. What the hell just happened?
I plopped down on the couch, seething. "Dally, go watch Johnny. Make sure he stays hydrated and doesn't get into anything he shouldn't." I ordered. "Darry, go watch Ponyboy. Same thing. And most importantly, make sure they don't get to each other."
As Dally and Darry rushed off to the bedrooms, Soda sat down next to me. "Sheesh, she sure can get angry." Soda smiled gleefully, and I glared at him. "Okay, not a time for joking, I see."
"No, it ain't. Johnny and Ponyboy, the two bestest friends of the entire gang, just got into a fight!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands into the air. "And Pony hit you, Johnny nailed Dally, and now everything is just a huge mess!" I snatched the pack of cigarettes from the table and lit myself up. "Ponyboy drank, didn't he?"
"That would explain the lost bottle," Soda pointed out. "He purposely went against Darry's word."
"No shit," I said, blowing a smoke ring. The cigarette was calming me down a bit.
"Ponyboy's never had alcohol. Must have gotten to his brain," Soda said.
"Yeah, bet that's what made him go nuts," I concluded.
"That and something else," Soda began, lighting up a cigarette himself.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Yeah, Pone asked me not to tell you, but it kind of seems like the right time to, kid," Soda continued, blowing a ring.
"Spit it out, Soda!" I demanded.
"Ponyboy likes you," he said, cooly.
"What? Yeah, o' course he does, we're friends-"
"No, like, he like-likes you." Soda said. I sank deeper into the couch. Ponyboy liked me? "Personally, I thought he was pretty obvious-"
"Shut your trap, Soda," I snapped. "I need to think." I stood up and paced the room. Ponyboy liked me? But, it all made sense. Why he seemed so distant when Johnny and I were together. Why he seemed slightly jealous. Why he was so uncomfortable. Why he couldn't stop staring at us together. Like on Jay Mountain when Johnny and I held hands for the first time. He liked me. It clicked. How could I have been so oblivious?