𝔰𝖚𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖋 '67

𝕲𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 37

11:30 pm
1 hour before the rumble...

"Thanks for tonight." Randy says, "Yeah I had a great time. Sad I ain't gonna be seeing you around much longer, but this was a great way to say our final
goodbyes." I smiled. I asked Randy to drop me off at the Curtis's house since I was coming here anyways later on. I hopped out of Randy's car and waved.

Randy drove away and as I was about to run up to the house, I see Sodapop standing through the doorway, "What are you doing with Randy?" he asks giving me a strange look. I shrugged, "Oh ya know, we just spent the day together. It's not really a big deal."

"Not a big deal? He tried killing my brother and Johnny." Sodapop yells as he points forward, "Soda, Pony and Randy already have made their amends with each other. Plus, Randy isn't even gonna show his face tonight so it doesn't really matter." Soda rested his hands on his hips, "Well it matters to me!"

"WHY?! I mean come on, I understand why you have been so off edge with everything going on but now I can't even recognize who you are anymore!" I cried out. He took a step back and dropped his head down, he took a moment to himself to really sink all of it in. "I-I'm sorry, Soda." I said shaking my head with guilt, "I didn't mean to come off like that."

"No it's fine, in fact, I'm actually sorry. I mean you're right, I haven't been myself. Everything has just taken a toll on me and that's not me, I'm not like that." He says. I huffed out a breath, "Hey, it's all going to be okay. We have a big night ahead of us and we don't want anything to get in the way of that, alright?"

Sodapop grinned. We walked inside and he took a seat. I saw Steve sitting in front of Soda, "Woah, I did not expect you to be here." I said to Steve. He took a swig of his beer and stood up, "Oh yeah, well during the last minute I decided to be apart of this. They need me out there and I knew that I wasn't gonna give up this chance to kick another socs ass." Steve laughs.

Two-bit swung an arm around me, "Or a whole group of socs. Damn I could already smell the victory, man!" He jumps. I laughed, "Yeah you guys are gonna do so great tonight." I said. "Hey Pony, I don't know if you ought to be in this rumble." Darry said.

I turned my head around, I can see the expression on Pony's face change, "How come? I've always come through before, ain't I?" He asks. I sat myself next to Steve, "Stay outta it." he whispers, trying to brush things off. I rested my hand on my chin, "Yeah," I hear Darry say, "but you know, you was in shape before. You ain't looking so good. You're tensed up all the time."

"Aw come on Darry. Let him fight, man." Soda said as he handed us out cards, "Everyone's tensed up before a rumble." Darry nods along with him. Darry seemed more nervous than the rest of us were about tonight, a lot of things could turn around. "It's a fair fight, Dar. He ain't gonna get too hurt, right?" Two-bit chimes in.

"Come on, I'll grab hold of the little one." Ponyboy mutters. Darry sighs, "Well, we will need every man we can get, but I don't know." He says. "Look if it was knives and chains or something, it'd be different." Ponyboy responded, "I'll be okay."

"Alright but you be careful. Okay?" Darry pleads.

I smile spread on my face, as much as I was worried about Pony going to this rumble, it was his fight too. "It's your go." Soda says. I quickly glanced up, snapping outta my thoughts. I see Evie making her way from out of the kitchen, "Hey, look who's here!" she brightly says as she makes her way to us. "Oh hey, I brought Evie. I was thinkin' while we were at the rumble you guys could spend some time together. You know, so you ain't so alone." Steve says.

"Oh thanks, cuz. That was real sweet of ya!" Soda chuckles to himself and laid down his cards, "Gin!" he said. "Aw shit. Come on, Soda!" Steve whines, "Hey, what could I say? I'm the king at Gin." He jokingly shrugs. I playfully smack my cards on the table, "Guess so." I laugh.