Changes

Chapter Twenty Eight

*some content strictly belongs to the author of The Outsiders, S.E Hinton and the scripters of the moive!*

I woke up and Ponyboy was gone. I stretched then got up outta bed. I found him in the kitchen making eggs. "Mornin'." He smiled. "Mornin', where's Soda and Darry?" I asked. "Soda's in the shower and Darry's getting dressed." He replied. I nodded and sat at the table.

"Anybody home?" Two-bit's voice called through the screen door. "In here! Don't slam the door!" Ponyboy called. Of course the door got slammed then all of a sudden, Two-bit and Steve came running into the kitchen and yelled "PONYBOY CURTIS!" And attacked him. "Now look what you did, There went out breakfast. Can't you two wait till I set the eggs down before you go shovin' me all over the country?" Ponyboy said to them while picking up the eggs off the floor. "Look at the blonde monkey!" Two-bit teased Ponyboy. "I wouldn't of believed if I didn't see that in the paper today, now tell me Ponyboy, what's it like being a hero, huh? Steve looked at Pony. "A what?" Ponyboy threw his towel at the stove. "A hero, you know, like a big shot even." Steve smiled. Ponyboy looked at the front of the newspaper and I stood up and looked at it with him. The front cover said "JUVENILE DELINQUENTS TURN HEROS" with three different pictures, one of Pony, Johnny and Dally. "What I like is the "turn" bit, y'all were heros from the beginning. You didn't just "turn" all of a sudden." Two-bit said. "Ain't that the truth." I smiled and he patted my back. But Ponyboy wasn't even paying attention. He was reading the article. "They're chargin' Johnny with Man-Slaughter?" Ponyboy looked at me. "Well, I-if he recovers." He slapped the newspaper and looked at Steve. "Also says how you saved them kids, Ponyboy, how'd they'd burned to death if I wasn't for you." Steve patted his back. "Dally's gonna be surprised to see this." I looked at Two-bit. "It's all about us, Darry me and Soda, now they're thinkin' of puttin' me and Soda in a boys home! No way!" Pony walked into the bathroom, slamming the newspaper down on the table. "They ain't puttin' me in a boys home." He said. "Ah, hell Ponyboy, they don't do that to heroes." Steve said reassuringly. "Hey where is ah, Soda and superdope anyhow?" As soon as Steve said that, Sodapop stepped out of the shower.

Steve mumbled something under his breath, making me laugh. Then Darry came up behind Steve and lifted him off the ground. "Super what?" Darry said and Steve just gulped and took a bite of cake. Soda came into the room. "Darry, have you seen my DX shirt somewhere?" He asked, wrapping a towel around his waist. I was seeing Sodapop in a different way now. He was mighty fine. "You gotta wear pants too buddy, I think there's a law or something bout that." Steve said jokingly and shoved cake in Soda's face. "How bout my jeans?" Soda asked while pushing Steve's hand away. "I ironed, they're in my closet." Darry said and Soda went running, glancing at me then blushing when he remembered the state he was in. I laughed and Two-bit smirked at me. "But hurry up, we're gonna be late!" Darry called.

Ponyboy and Darry started talking and I looked at Two-bit. "What're ya thinkin' bout this rumble tonight?" I asked. "Shoot Jana! We gonna beat them Socs heads in!" He giggled and took a drink of beer. "Hey I tell ya what, after we stomp the Socs real good, me and Steve are gonna throw a party and everybody's gonna get ripped!" Sodapop said and Steve started yelling and it was funny. "Hey, Where you gonna get the dough, little man?" Darry smirked. "I'll think of somethin'." Soda laughed.

Soda sat down on the couch. "Hey Two-bit, Mickey's on TV." He said and Two-bit came strolling in with a beer in hand. "Pony, ya know, I'd hate ya leave ya here by yourself, maybe I outta take the day off." Darry said. "Nah, I'll be okay, I stayed by myself plenty of times, besides we can't afford it." Pony sighed. "Yea, but I really oughta stay." Darry looked at him. "Don't worry bout it Darry I'll babysit em'." Two-bit said and then Pony and him were on the ground wrestling. "Hey why don't you get a job, up ever think of gettin' a job there Two-bit, HEY SODA COME ON WE GOTTA GET TO WORK!" Steve said all in one sentence. Two had Ponyboy in a headlock. "I gotta quit smokin' or I won't make track next year." Pony said outta breath. "Two-bit! Lay off!" Darry said strictly and he let go of Ponyboy. "Yea Two-bit, lay off." Pony said and got up. "You ain't lookin' so good." Darry said. "Lazy bum! Two said and sat back in the chair. "Pony, you smoke more than a pack today, and I'll skin you, ya understand?" Darry pointed. "Yea... If you carry more than one bundle of roofin' today, me and Soda here will skin you, ya understand?" Pony smirked. Soda was in the living room rushing around. He wasn't wearing shoes. "Shoes." Me and Steve said together. He rushed out of the room and grabbed some. Darry opened the door. "Hey. Say hi to Johnny." He said and walked out. Soda came running in. "See ya later Pony, bye two-bit and Jana." He said quickly and they rushed out the door.

Ponyboy walked into the kitchen and me and Two-bit followed. "Come on, we gotta clean up the house. The cops and reporter's are gonna come by and decide it's time for the people form the state to come up and check on us." He said. "Here take this." He handed me a dirty plate. "Shot this house ain't messy, ya outta see my house!" Two-bit said. "I have! And if you had the sense of a billy goat you'd start cleaning your house instead of bummin' round' ours." Ponyboy said and I started laughing. "Two-bit, I've been in your house once, I agree with Ponyboy." I laughed. "Shoot kid, if I ever did that my mom would die of shock." Two said and grabbed the whole chocolate cake while I went to get dressed.

Darry was nice enough to stop by the house last night so I could grab some stuff to change into today. I had a pair of blue jeans and a green and blue print flannel. I came back out of the bedroom where I had changed and Ponyboy was sitting at the table eating eggs that he must've remade. "There's eggs for ya in the frying pan." He looked up and I smiled. "Thanks kid." I said and got my food. "So, do ya think you and Soda'll have to go to a home?" I said as I sat down. "I don't think so... Darry's got us under control, as long as we prove that to the cops, we'll be fine." He smiled. "You guys are great! I've never met anyone as great as y'all." I said. "What ya mean that?" He cocked an eyebrow. I shrugged. "Y'all are like my family I never had... Johnny is like my brother! I tell that kid everything and I can't imagine losing him! Ponyboy! I'm scared... We can't lose Johnny!" I felt tears come into my eyes and I blinked hard to rid them. "I know Jana. None of us want him to go." Ponyboy signed and stood up. "But it's Johnny, he'll get through it." He hugged me reassuringly. "Thanks Pony, I dunno what I'd do without ya kid." I said and he smiled big then did up the dishes and we headed into town.