Dallas Winston Has A Sister? (Outsiders Fanfic)

Boys Cry (And For Good Reason)

        I walked in the Curtis house on Saturday afternoon and immediately smelled a fresh chocolate cake.  I went into the kitchen to see a still-warm chocolate cake sitting on the counter, Ponyboy standing there with the oven door open and a hot pad wrapped around a pan clutched in his hand.  He turned towards me, opening his mouth to say something, but his foot got caught in a dishtowel that was on the floor.

        Immediately he went down, smacking me in side with the hot pan before it clattered to the floor.  He let out a cry of pain as he banged his shin on the open oven door, and I'm pretty sure he twisted his ankle.

        Trying to ignore the twinging pain in my side from getting burned, I bent down next to Ponyboy, kicking the oven door closed behind me.  He looked dazed and didn't answer when I asked, "Are you okay?"

        I helped Pony to his feet, but the minute he was standing he let out a cry of pain and his knees buckled, leaving him on the floor again.

        "My ankle," he said, his voice pained.

        "Which one?" I asked.  Maybe it was more than twisted, but I sure hoped it wasn't broken.

        "Right," he replied. "My right," he clarified.

        I pulled up the leg of his jeans and gently peeled off his sock.  There was an already purple bruise on his shin, he must have hit it hard if a bruise that big was already turning colors.  His ankle looked swollen and I asked, "Can you move it?"

        His foot twitched as he tried to rotate it, but then a grimace crossed his face before he bit his lip to keep from screaming.  Pony shook his head no, and I could tell how much it hurt from the look on his face, his eyes squinted shut and his mouth pressed into a thin line.

        My gut churned when I saw the pained expression on his face, but I just said reassuringly, "It'll be okay.  I'll go get Darry," before heading into the living room.

        "Darry?" I called, searching through the house before I found him in the backyard, tinkering with the busted lawnmower.

        "I think Ponyboy broke his ankle," I said, worry showing in my voice though I tried to keep my cool.  I don't know why I was freaking out all the sudden, it's not like anyone's ever died from a broken bone, but Pony's face flashed in my mind again, and my insides started knotting nervously.

        Darry rushed in the house worriedly, and I followed.  Ponyboy was still sitting on the floor, and tears were running down his face but he wiped them hurriedly away when he saw Darry and I.  Darry was talking to Pony in hushed tones as he carefully looked at Ponyboy's ankle, but then Pony screamed in pain, tears starting to run down his face again.

        "Sorry," Darry apologized.  "We need to take you to the hospital, I'm pretty sure it's busted.  How bad does it hurt?" Darry asked him, gingerly touching it again.

        "Really bad," he replied with a sniffle, trying to hold back his tears.

        "Hang on bud, you'll be okay," Darry tried to soothe Pony.

        I didn't really know what I could do to help him till Darry instructed, "Tara, go get some painkillers from the bathroom.  In the cabinet above the sink.  And then help me get him in the truck."

        "Got it," I said, rushing to the bathroom and trying not to worry too much, though the sound of Pony fighting back his tears made it hard to do that.  I don't think I had ever seen a guy cry before, but I know that most of them did at least once in their life.  Except for Dally.

        I grabbed the first bottle of painkillers I could find, and Darry made Pony take two of them before he carried him out to the truck.  I held the doors open, it's not like I could carry Pony, and then climbed in the passenger seat.  Darry was driving, and Pony was on the bench seat between us.

        Those must have been some pretty strong painkillers, already he was getting drowsy and falling asleep.  With his head on my shoulder.  It felt kind of weird, I don't like being touched by other people, but I suppose I could let it go this once.  I mean the kid had just broken his ankle and was obviously miserable enough as it is without me making him sit up straight.

        Ponyboy drifted off and we rode to the hospital in silence, me fiddling with the radio to take my mind off how worried I was and Darry's mouth set in a grim line as he focused on the road.

        I really hoped Ponyboy would be okay, but I don't really know why I cared so much.  Usually I would be concerned for my friend and then just let it go, but this time was entirely different.  And I wasn't sure I liked it.