The Aftermath

Chapter One

"Dallas Winston dies young and violent? Who would've guessed." Randy said dully while flipping through the News paper and eating the fries he shared with the younger boy.

"Why you gotta say it like that, man?" Pony replied back even though Randy hadn't been looking for a reply. He wrapped his arms around his torso from the cold, it was getting to be December but Ponyboy for some odd and foolish reason still refused to wear anything remotely warm. He was smoking a cigarette and barely touched the fries.

"Shoot, I didn't mean it like that. It's just," he tried look for the right words. "It's just the paper makes it out like it was some big shock that it happened. I mean, you knew him best you had to guess it would happen sooner or later, right kid?" Randy wasn't the best with words or making people feel all that great but he tried and that was the important thing. He was trying get better at talking friendly to people.

Ponyboy shrugged and took another drag on his cigarette before rubbing his arms. "Johnny knew him best really. I think my ma and maybe Two-bit or Darry knew him better than me too. But yeah, it wasn't a shock but it sure as hell wasn't a great surprise for it to be sooner rather than much later."

Ponyboy was a lot better with words and taking to people, that was easily agreed on in his gang. He could go places with the way he said things but lately he talked more greasy. He had a more tough accent and his vocabulary was getting more lousy even when he talked to adults. It was like he stopped trying but sometimes it was hard tell.

"Yeah, yeah I guess so." Randy put the paper down having read enough crap about how them hood boys were causing too much trouble even though it was the social boys starting things. Boys like the ones he would sometimes be forced to hang out with. Boys that he use to call his friends. Boys like Bob before the night of his death. Boys that took things too far and could easily get away with it.

Randy ate another fry and looked back at Ponyboy who was shaking with cold, his hand trembled when he would take a drag from his cigarette. "You're going get sick" Randy said in a blunt matter-a-fact tone that Ponyboy was all too use to hearing from Darry.

"From what? The cold or smoking?" He said not caring for the answer. Pony knew it would be one or the other or more likely both.

Randy started take off his own jacket while saying, "you're a real smart kid but you act real dumb too, y'know that?"

"You sound like my brother" Pony shot back flatly too tired to sound annoyed. When he was about to try make a smoke ring Randy placed his Lettermen jacket on Pony's shoulders. He froze for a moment before finishing blowing out the smoke from his mouth.

"Yeah, well, he isn't here so someone is going have keep you from freezing to death and stop smoking on an empty stomach!" Randy said louder than he meant to and took the cancer stick from Ponyboy's hand. "You haven't even so much as looked at those fries." He let out a deep sigh and Pony sat still, almost unmoving if he hadn't been shaking from the cold. His teeth close to chattering. "Ponyboy, I know you miss them and feel bad about it but this isn't going help anyone."

"You're right, but" Pony's voice broke. "It's the only thing I can think of doing. I feel real lousy all the time and shit at home ain't getting any better. I don't know... what else can I do?" He sounded as if he was in a blind panic and he felt dumb. He shouldn't be acting so childish but here he was. 'Bout ready to start balling his eyes out at any wrong word. He was shaking more now and both boys were thankful no one was around.

They were near the park and nobody felt comfortable being around it. Even more so when they got rid of the fountain Pony nearly drowned in but for some weird reason Ponyboy gravitated towards it.

"It's okay, kid." Was all Randy could think of saying and ruffed his hair the same way his dad use to do when he was little and lost a baseball game. "Lets get you home." Pony nodded and stood up. Randy threw the now cold fries into the trash and walked to his car, Pony getting in on the passenger side. Still shaken up. Still wearing his jacket. Still not letting himself not get close to crying.

"I'm letting your brothers know you didn't eat so they can make you. If I see you smoke more than a pack a week than I'm going get them on your ass about that too." Randy said while pulling out of his parking spot and riding towards Ponyboy's house. The boy in question slid down in his seat unhappy with how babying his friend was treating him.

"Listen, Ponyboy," Randy added noting how Pony looked a little more unkept than the last time he saw him. "This isn't too hurt you or treat you like a kid. We're friends now and I worry about you. I want to able know you're doing okay and that you're alright."

"Whatever you say, man."