Dallas and I grew close over the next few months. With that, I grew close to the entire gang. With the exception of Dally and Soda, I was closed to Ponyboy. He was like a little brother to me. The gang always made jokes about how protective I was of him and Johnny. I helped Ponyboy on his homework a lot. Not because I was smarter than him, I was just better at math than he was. He was an English person, I wasn't. I was a math person. In English there's different levels and answers and ways of thinking. Not in math, in math there's only one answer. One right answer, and no ways around the question. I liked things to be blunt like that.
"Ella can you help me in the kitchen please?" Darry asked politely as he made dinner. I got up from the table where I was tutoring Ponyboy.
"Of course." I replied and began mixing the chocolate cake mix. I always added more sugar than Darry did. That's why the boys liked my cake more, it was sweeter and moist.
"Can I ask you something?" I stopped mixing and looked at Darry. I needed to know how Soda felt about me. These last few months had been incredible, but I was nearly 19. I wanted to know where it was going.
"Yeah sure." He said giving me his full attention. I'm sure he could tell it was serious. Darry was good that way.
"Does Sodapop want to get married? More specifically, to me? He always seemed excited to marry Sandy, does he seem like he sees a future with me?" I questioned concerned. I wanted to know the relationship Soda and I had was going somewhere. I wanted to marry Soda, and I didn't think he wanted to marry me.
"Darry, I'm meeting Johnny and Dallas to go to the drive in tonight. That okay?" Ponyboy interrupted.
"Sure. It ain't a school night." Darry replied carelessly and without much thought. He was more invested in our conversation.
"Look Ella, I think Sodas in love with you. I don't know what kind a future he sees though. But the guy loves you an awful lot." I wasn't sure how to respond to that. It didn't exactly answer my questions.
"I want to get married, and have kids Darrel. I want to have a house with a big yard and I want my kids to go to school, and go to college. I'm not sure if Soda wants that." I looked down at the cake mix. I was scared. I didn't want to be the girl who's life didn't fit with who she loved. But I was afraid I was that girl.
"I know one thing Sodapop wants." Darry stated.
"What?"
"You." I smiled at his reply. Maybe that was enough. Maybe the picture I had of my future was nothing more than an American dream. Maybe Soda was my future.
After I finished helping Darrel cook I went to take a shower. I got dressed and looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly 12:00 and Sodapop had come home, but Ponyboy hadn't.
"Pony not here yet?" I questioned looking at the boys. It was just Darry and Soda.
"No, he better be getting here soon if he wants to keep his freedom." Darry responded in a stern tone.
"I'm going to go to Bucks, maybe Dally's knows where he is." I walked to the door but Darry grabbed my arm.
"You don't need to be walking by yourself this late Ella."
"I have a switch blade. And I'm fast. Bucks is only two streets away." I protested but his look never softened. He turned around and grabbed the keys and handed them to me.
"Drive safely, don't give anyone a ride unless it's someone from the gang, you hear?" He spoke in the same stern tone as before. Darrel was very protective of me, he was protective of all of us.
"Promise." I smiled and he gave me a soft smile back.
I drove to Bucks and there was a party going on. Like usually. I walked in and saw girls dancing wildly with their boyfriends. I laughed thinking of Soda and I months back. I walked upstairs where Dally stayed. I knocked softly and Dally came to the door without a shirt on.
"What's wrong Ella?" He questioned concerned.
"Have you seen Ponyboy and Johnny?" I asked walking in.
"Not since the movie man. They ain't home yet?" He questioned.
"No. Why didn't you walk them home Dally?" I was slightly upset with his carelessness.
"I tried to hit on that soc Cherry Valance and she threw a drink in my face. Then Johnny decided to stand up to me and pissed me off so I left." He responded causing me to roll my eyes.
"Just tell me if you see them." I said leaving. I got back in the car and drove home. I saw someone running down the street when I turned down our road. It looked like Ponyboy.
I stopped the car and ran in the house and saw Darry standing there in shock and Soda looking like he was about to cry. I stood there in as much shock as they were. I didn't know what happened, but I knew it was bad. I looked at Darry's hand and could see it blistering red. I put the pieces together and knew Darry had hit him. I turned around quickly. This time not getting in the car. I ran where Ponyboy had.
"Ella!" I heard someone yell behind me. I'm not sure if it was Soda or Darry. All I knew was I had to get him. I had to find Pony.
"Ponyboy! Johnny!" I screamed while standing in the empty lot. I walked around town calling them without any care in the world that the Socs could kill me.
"The park." I whispered to myself. Why hadn't I tried that sooner? I ran as fast as my Chuck Taylors could all the way to the park. I saw nothing. And then I saw someone asleep beside the fountain. I walked up and then froze. I saw the blood pouring from his body.
"No no no." I mumbled and ran to Bob. "Bob? Bob!" I yelled through tears. I took my flannel off and wrapped it around him. Trying to stop the blood from pouring. He still had a pulse. He wasn't dead.
"Help!" I screamed terrified. "Someone help me please!" I kept screaming until and older man approached me. "Please call 911!" I yelled and he took off toward the car he had came from.
"Bob stay with me." I instructed. "Come on. Bob!" I yelled while tears fell from my eyes to his chest. "Bob!" I screamed as his pulse came to a stop.
