stay gold (The Outsiders)

Chapter 2

"hay pony can you help me with this?" I hear Johnny ask pony from the kitchen table. It was early in the evening and it was about time for everyone to start heading the the cuirts house. Darry was working late so me and Ashlee decided to cook dinner while Johnny and Pony worked on homework. I looked over my shoulder from the stove to see the two working on math.

"I've had it with her!" Steve and Nat stormed into the kitchen and slumped into one of the chair at the kitchen table. I turned the stove off and looked at him and Nat. "guessing the double date was a drag? Where's soda?"

"walking miss. Priss home... Told ya I should have cracked her knees with the crowbar" Nat grumbled. It was very rare to see steve this mad or annoyed. "what happened? Did she say anything?"

"no, you and I both know she won't say anything when Soda is around" Steve said, I nodded knowing exactly what he ment. That girl acted one way in front of soda and different way in front of the rest of us. She was almost a Soc but she wasn't exactly poor enough to be a greaser. She was in the middle but she definitely thought she was better than the rest of us. She talked down to all of us when soda had his back turned and we took it for soda's sake. Especially me and Steve.

"I wish he'd just see what type of person she really is" Steve said playing with his switchblade. "but then again I don't want him to find out the hard way"

"and if we tell him he'll get mad and soda pissed off is scary" I said, Ashlee nod remembering the last time she went off on Sandy, soda got real mad and didn't talk to Ashlee for almost a week.

Soda was the happiest guy I knew he was care free and always had a smile. His ocean blue eyes could be shining brightly one second but blazing with fire and hate the next if you pushed the wrong button. Soda's temper was rare but it could almost get worse than Darry sometimes.

"did she do anything tonight? Be completely honest with me" I said looking at Nat and they sighed.

"I said I wished you and Ashlee would have tagged along, soda agreed and she went off on the both of us" Nat sighed.

"I'll talk to him when he gets home" I said putting plates on the table for dinner. Steve nodded knowing it would be better if I'd talked to Soda instead of him. Only because Soda knew better than to yell at me. The whole gang is extremely protective of me and the trio. They got more protective after I got jumped six months ago.

After dinner was done and over with everyone went home except me, Nat, and ashlee. Soda didn't show up the rest of the evening either and Derry was pissed. It was one o'clock when his work called in too, that definitely didn't help his temper.

Ashlee and nat were already passed out when I was half way through my book. I was on the verge of falling asleep myself when soda attempted to sneak in the house. I stayed quite due to the fact he didn't notice I was on the couch. When he gently closed the the door he almost jumped out of his skin when he saw me.

"Crist, you scared me Shelby" he said covering his chest with is hand. "why are you still up?" he whispered when he saw Nat and Ashlee asleep.

"why are you just now getting home? Darry is pissed and worried" I said snapping my book closed and looked up to Soda. His head was hung low and his eyes were puffy and full of remorse.

My heart clinched to see him this upset. I climbed off the couch and walked up to him. "what's wrong Soda?" I said rubbing his cheek.

"nothin'" he mumbled and tried to step away but I grabbed the sleeve of his flannel and pulled him with me to the kitchen so we wouldn't wake up the other two.

"what happened?" I asked.

"me and Sandy just got into a fight" I hated that girl even more now. I hated the girl that made him feel this way.
"what happened Soda?" I whispered.

He sighed and laced his fingers with mine. "it all started because Nay said they'd wished you and ashy would have came with us. Sandy got all defensive because Steve and I tried to envite you two... That led to her pulling the 'I'm cheating on her with you' card" he explained. I knew she would try that. She knew how close me and Soda are and she can't stand it.

"she started screaming at me and then she told me had to make a choice. Her or you" my heart dropped. I looked up at him with wide eyes. "soda.... What did you say?"

"I umm" he cleared his throat as his blue eyes glossed over with tears. I pulled my hand out of his grip. "oh my God.... You chose her didn't you?"

He quickly shook his head. "i-I couldn't but she kept pushing and pushing... She knows how important you are to me and she's feels left out"

I stepped back and scoffed. "your kidding right? She knows how close we are" he tried to say something but I cut him off. "you chose her didn't you? Yes or no"

He was silent for a while "yes, but that doesn't mean we have to stop seeing each other"

I rolled my eyes and started to head for the door. "that's what she wanted though.. She doesn't want me around you and obviously you don't realize or just don't care"

"asshole" Nat said crossing their arms. Ashlee looked behond pissed.

"we're leaving" I said.

"where you going?" he asked before I could even get a foot out the door. "we're going home"

"not this late at night" he said. "go lay down in my bed with pony and I'll sleep on the couch" he said with his eyes glued to the floor. I rolled my eyes and walked around him without another word.

He looked at the other two. "Darry's workin' tonight you guys can have his room"

"let's go" I said walking down the hall with the other two.

"can I crack his knees?" Nat asked in a hushed tone. I quickly shook my head not wanting to deal with anything involving Soda right now.

When I walked into pony and Soda's room Pony was fast asleep with his face to the wall. I sighed as I climbed into the empty spot. "Soda?" pony said in a tired voice.

"no it's me... He's sleeping on the couch" Pony rolled over to face me. "you okay?" I shook my head no and pulled the blanket to my shoulders. "I almost ended soda and Sandy's relationship"

Pony let out a sigh. "what happened?"

"she accused him of cheating and made him chose between the two of us" pony laied his head on my shoulder. "he chose you right? He better of, I don't like Sandy"

"he didn't necessarily come out and give me a straight answer but he chose her basically" Pony let out a frustrated groan and put his arm around me. "I can't believe he would do that though"

"he loves her Pony.. I'm happy that he's happy"

"but you love him, why don't you say something?" he asked. "because I want him to be happy" Pony sighed.

"you should do somethin' for yourself every once in a while" Pony said before drifting off back to sleep.