Begin [Ponyboy Curtis]

Like Family

POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of injures, guilt, selfharm/suicide & throwing up

Playlist: I Killed Arbor Day For You - Pancci's Pizza

Darry gladly offered up his couch for my aunt to take a nap, "20 hours is half a workweek. Take a rest. Dorthy is in good hands," He promised. We locked up the house and went to The Lot to hangout.

Ponyboy, Johnny, and I all sat under the tree and picked at the grass. I found myself taking mental pictures of my surroundings. Oh, how I'd grown to love Tulsa.

"I can't believe you're leaving," Johnny mumbled.

"I know," I leaned back against the trunk of the tree and sighed into the air, "maybe I'll come back over summer break."

"And stay where?" Johnny tossed a twig hard into the ground.

"I'll save up some money and rent a shack," I joked, but in all honesty, it didn't sound too bad, "you and Dally can come stay with me. Maybe then you'll shower regularly."

He laughed with a sarcastic undertone.

"Uh! Fore!" Sodapop yelled from across the lot. The three of us ducked down while a dirty soccer ball hit the tree. It made a sharp wack sound and landed a couple feet in front of us.

"You trying to play dodgeball, Curtis?" I teased and picked up the ball. Soda and Steve came jogging over.

"Maybe later," Soda chuckled, "you guys want to join us in a game of kickball? It'll probably be the last time we got all 8 of us here."

I looked up at the group and smiled softly. It would probably be the last time for a while that I'd feel anything but alone and angry, "sure, just promise you won't go easy on me." I tossed the ball back to Sodapop.

Johnny, Ponyboy, and I met with the other guys in the middle of the lot and made a team with Darry. Soda, Two-bit, Steve, and Dally made up the other.

Kickball was my cup of tea. I played soccer as a child and I've always been really good with my feet. It's probably how I got so good at taking falls and hits.

We played until the sun sat just above the horizon and my aunt stood outside of our makeshift field. We walked over to her, a group of stinky, panting, teenagers. She crossed her arms and offered Darry a small smile, "thanks for letting me sleep. I hadn't even thought about hotels or anything like that. I just threw some clothes in a bag and drove up here."

"I understand," Darry put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath in, "I'd drop everything for my family. I'm just glad Dorthy has someone there for her."

I held a fistful of my hair against the back of my head, letting the evening breeze cool off my neck, "you didn't have to drive through the night. I'm alright."

"You've always been a strong one," she smiled at me softly, "I just couldn't stand the idea of you in that house or with strangers but... obviously, you're not."

"Oh!" I looked around at the group, "I forgot to introduce you," I pointed each of the guys out to her and rattled off their names. "You already know Darry, and this is Two-bit, Johnny, Dally, Sodapop, Steve," lastly I held Pony's arms, "and Ponyboy. Darry, Soda, and Pony and all brothers."

"Why don't you come back for dinner," Darry offered, "I know you've got a busy couple of weeks ahead of you," he put his hand on my aunt's shoulder and started explaining how it was for him and Soda trying to prepare for their parents funeral. We walked back to the Curtis house in a scattered group.

Most of us went to the backyard to smoke once we got to the house. It was Darry and Two-bit's turn to cook. My aunt eventually followed us out too, "Darrel wouldn't let me help."