aching and shaking. (The Outsiders story)

chapter five

"soda when'd you start shaving?" ponyboy yelled from the bathroom as me, soda, and steve were playing poker.  i guess everyone was anxious for the rumble, and i wouldn't blame them. obviously i wasn't fighting, darry wouldn't let me.

"i was fifteen" soda said, trying to talk over steve's loud mouth.

"when did..." pony stuttered, "when did darry?" he said while rubbing his face.

"he was thirteen" soda replied as steve threw cards at him, and i could tell steve was probably more antsy than anyone in this house. he loved to fight. "why, you trying to grow a beard before the rumble?" soda continued as i laughed a little bit.

"oh you're funny" pony said sarcastically and he walked out of the bathroom.

pony kept mumbling about something that i couldn't hear because steve and soda we're screwing around with each other, which quickly resulting in an arm wrestle "let's go..." soda gritted through his teeth, ready to start with steve.

"cmon.." steve growled back. "cmon soda, cmon soda..." steve kept egging him on as soda. then steve kept going on about how much he hated the socs, so eventually his anger gave in and he won the arm wrestle.

"how come you like fights darry?" pony turned to darry as he was still getting dressed.

"he likes to show off his muscles" soda teased as he showed off his beautiful smile. everyone else had a little crack of laugher, but darry didn't look too pleased.

"hey i'm going to show them off on you little buddy with you getting mouthier" darry shot back as he finally pulled his tight black shirt over his head. "hey pony," darry said more calmly. "i don't know if you ought to be in this rumble..."

"how come?" ponys voice raised a little bit. "i've always fought before!"

"yeah, but you was in shape before and uh," darry paused as he straightened pony's hood. "you ain't looking so good" darry then continued to tuck in his shirt in his pants.

"cmon darry," soda began. "let him fight man... everyone's tensed up before a rumble." he paused for a little bit. "skinny ain't skinny and he ain't going to get hurt" soda patted ponys chest as he also patted darry's back.

"i'll grab 'hold of a little one," pony said as he was sweating like crazy.

"you get what you're willing to get but... i don't know" darry replied hesitantly.

"look if it was knifes and chains or something i'd be different" pony said reassuringly as he swayed softly back and fourth. "i'll be okay" he said after a little pause.

"alright.." darry said giving in. "but you be careful okay?"

"i will be..." pony said relived. "how come you don't worry about him so much?" pony looked over at soda as darry rolled up his sleeves.

"man that's one kid brother i ain't gotta to worry about" darry said cockily as he walked over to soda. "this kid can use his head!" darry grabbed soda in a chokehold and started to mess up his hair.

"what are you doing?" soda yelled angrily as darry ran out of the house, all of us following and steve hollering.

all of the boys started doing their little flips off of the porch and over the fences, having the most relaxed time of the night. screaming and yelling, obviously they've had to be having fun. steve stood on top of a car and did a little backflip that he didn't land, but everyone was still cheering. we all started to push each other and laughed at ton. i jumped onto sodas back as he carried me across the street, trying to fight off steve and two-bit. he set me down as soon as darry started saying something.