Nightmares

I Don't Want To Tell Darry

I heard someone open the door and shut it quietly. I head footsteps come near me and someone shake my arm. "Pony, it's time to get up."

Their voice was soft and gentle. It was Sodapop. I opened my eyes and looked at the clock. It was seven o'clock. I groaned and grabbed his pillow and put it over my face. "It's to early," I said into the pillow. "Go away and let me sleep a little longer."

I heard him laugh. "Sorry little buddy, but you gotta get up."

I pulled the pillow down so he could see my face. "No," I said and threw the pillow at him, hitting him in the face.

"Oh so you wanna play that way, huh?"

"No, I wanna go to sleep." Soda might have thought I was playing, but I wasn't. I really wanted to sleep. It took me a while to go back to sleep and now I'm tired.

"Too bad!" He yelled and hit me in the face with his pillow. He ran to the other side of the bed. He sat down and started tickling me. I laughed. "S-s-Soda, stop i-it."

"You promise you'll get up." He stopped tickling me and waited for an answer.

"Yeah, yeah," I said with a yawn.

"Good. Breakfast is in here, but it might not be for long so hurry up."

I got up out of bed and stretched. I went to my closet and grabbed out a red t-shirt and a pair of jeans out of one of my dresser drawers. I took off my shirt that I wore to bed and put on my clothes.

I walked out of my room and went into the bathroom. I shut the door behind me and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess and I had bags under my eyes. I sighed and combed my hair. I grabbed the hair oil and put some in my hair.

I was finally satisfied and walked out. I walked into the living room seeing all the guys there. Two-Bit was sitting in the floor with a beer watching Mickey. Dally and Johnny were sitting on the couch. Steve was eating chocolate cake and talking to Soda.

I walked into the kitchen and seen Darry doing the dishes. "Did Soda cook?"

"Yeah. Hey, I got to get too work. Can you do the rest of these." Darry wiped his hands on a towel.

"Yeah, I will."

"Soda come on! We're gonna be late!" Darry yelled when he walked out of the kitchen.

Soda came out of the bedroom adjusting his DX cap. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

They walked out the door, and I heard the car start and drive away. I sat down on at the table and began eating breakfast. Two-Bit came into the kitchen and got some cake out of the icebox. "Hey Pony, Darry told us we had to babysit you today."

"I don't need babysitting."

"Well we're still gonna watch ya." Two-Bit went to take a bite of his cake when I smacked the back of his head causing him to get cake on his face.

I chuckled. "You got some cake on your face."

He wiped some of it off with his finger and walked over to me. "Yeah, and so do you." He wiped some on my cheek.

I got up and got a napkin. I wiped it off my face and handed one to him. I sat back down and continued eating my breakfast. I picked up a piece of bacon and yawned.

"You tired, Ponyboy?" Two asks. I only nodded and took a bite of bacon. He didn't say anything, he just walked back into the living room with his cake.

I finished my breakfast and took my plate over to the sink and washed it along with the rest of the dishes. Once I finished I walked into the living room.

"Hey Ponyboy," Johnny greeted me as I sat down next to him. I gave him a small smile in response.

Johnny stood up from the couch. "Pone, you wanna go outside for a smoke?"

"Ugh, but I just sat down," I complained.

"I know, but I want to talk to you."

"Fine."

I got up and walked outside with Johnny. He handed me a cigarette and I'm glad he did, I am really tired and worried. I don't know what my brothers are gonna say when I tell them. I don't want them to be mad that I haven't told them yet.

We sat down in some of the chairs that were on the porch. "So what do you want to talk about?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Did you ever go back to sleep last night?"

"Yeah, it took me a few hours, but I did." I was telling the truth this time. I was done lying... hopefully. I didn't like lying to my brothers, but I don't want to worry them. Their probably gonna have more stuff to worry about after I tell them. Like if the nightmares don't get any better. If they occur more. What they are about. What can make them go away?

I don't want them worrying so much. They already have so much to worry about. Well, Darry does. He has more worries than he should. But Soda doesn't. I mean he has his own worries but they aren't as bad as Darry's.

"What if I just tell Soda?"

"What?"

"What if I just tell Soda?" I asked again. "Darry has more things to worry about and I don't want to add on to that list."

"Wait, so you don't want him worrying about you? Pony, out of all the things he worries about you are what he worries about the most."

"I know, but I don't want him worrying about me more than he has to."

"Ya know, if you tell Soda, he's gonna tell Darry."

"Not if I tell him not to."

"Ponyboy! I know Soda will tell Darry! Soda cares about you and wants what's best for, and just telling one of your brothers isn't what's best."

"Yeah, alright, I guess so," I mumbled.

"Please." Johnny put a hand on my shoulder. "Please tell both of them. I understand if you don't want me to be there, but please tell them both."

"I will. But I need you there. What if I don't want to tell them and say something like 'Never mind, it's nothing important.' and walk out. That seems like something I would do. Or what if I start crying and don't want to talk. I need you there to at least tell them if I can't." That's why I wanted Johnny there. If I didn't want to talk or say anything, Johnny would. I've already told him about everything, so hopefully he can help me out if I decide to be stubborn.

"Alright I'll be there."

I smiled. "Thanks Johnny. This means a lot to me."

"No problem. Now let's go back inside before Two-Bit and Dally get worried or something"