𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

twenty one.

MADELINE WINSTON

the bells above the doors in the DX clang together as pony and i enter. soda's head pops up from under the counter and his posture straightens at the sight of us.

"what're you two doing here?" he questions, eyebrows furrowing as we make our way down the front aisle.

"couldn't handle it anymore. it's torture." pony mumbles softly, heading toward the refrigerated section.

soda looks at me in hopes of a better explanation.

"we couldn't be there," i whisper. "at school. johnny's not there, dallas isn't here and everyone knows it too. they all know he robbed that store, they're all talking about it and where they think he could be."

soda frowns, his lips part to speak, but pony beats him to it, "when'd you get the orange sodas back in?"

"last night." soda responds. "you know darry will have a field day with this once he finds out you ditched."

pony sighs, "to hell what darry thinks, he'd understand if he had to go to school with everyone starin' at him."

"you can blame me." i shrug, placing my elbows on the counter.

"who's idea was it?"

"hers"

"mine." i say truthfully at the same time pony rats me out.

"he'll be just as riled up over it with you." soda laughs, giving pony his change back. "i'm sorry you gotta deal with him acting all responsible and in-charge."

"it's all right. it's nice he cares so much. with dallas, he wants to care, he tries to, but it's short lived. he gets busy with something else a day later and forgets."

pony cracks open the soda and it fizzes, the sugary, citrus flavor wafting out of the can.

"what do you guys know about windrixville?" i ask, fingers tapping against the top of the counter.

"lots of farm land, not too big." soda explains.

"strange people." pony adds.

"dally's fine." soda pushes the cash register closed with his hands.

"you think?" i ask, worry written all over my face.

"yes." he nods. "windrixville is probably scared of him."

•

dingo's diner, darry's attempt at making life better again is by treating us all to dinner. we sit together, packed in a booth with barely enough room left for steve once he arrives.

"can you pass the ketchup?" two-bit stretches his arm across the table. "pony?" he waves his hand in front of ponyboy's face seeing him frozen, eyes glued somewhere across the length of the restaurant.

we all turn, looking over our shoulders where pony is staring.

"aw, man, what the hell are they doing here?" two-bit complains at the sight of cherry and marcia.

darry takes it upon himself to grab the ketchup from pony, handing it across the table to two-bit, "here. pony," he takes ahold of his youngest brother's shoulder. "you don't have to talk to her if you don't want to."

"hey," cherry's soft voice invades our area as she comes down the row of booths, her quiet friend at her side.

"evenin', girls." darry gives them the proper acknowledgement and smile the four of us won't.

"madeline?" she voices my name, taking me by surprise. "do you mind if we talk somewhere?"

soda sits to the right of me as i'm sandwiched between him and two-bit. i feel the boys' eyes slowly land on me, awaiting my response.