You Don't Stop Living Because You Lose Somebody

7. So Far Away

I yawn as I clock out of the diner, Sandy following behind me. Its now one- forty five in the morning and my feet hurt. Sandy was behind me rubbing her eyes. Walking to the front door together, I open the door, flicking the switches beside it down, making it go dark letting out another huge yawn. Sandy makes her way out, holding her keys in her hand, waiting for me to lock the door. Closing the door, i pull it shut completely using the copy of the key I had to lock the door.

"You need a ride home?" Sandy asks me, I turn seeing a familiar t-bird parked in the lot, and smoke drifting out the window.

"No thanks, I think I got one." I smile. After saying our goodbyes I walk over to Bucks t-bird, where Dally sat waiting for me.

"Didn't know you were gonna be pickin' me up." I say smiling as I got into the car groaning.

"Yeah well you ain't goin' to be walking these streets alone this late man, god knows what the soc's would do. I've been waiting for you to finish up in there for a bit now." He says taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Can I get one?" I ask him, he goes inside his jacket pulling his pack out, handing it to me. "I am so tired my feet hurt and so does my back." I tell him lighting my cigarette, as he started the engine pulling out of The Dingo.

"Where's your boss, I thought he wasn't allowed to go home till y'all went home." He says watching the cars around him.

"Yea right. George only cares about what he's interested in. Why would he like to stay when he could be at home sleeping. We had to stay and clean and count drawers. God I just want to go to sleep. How was the movies?" I vent as I started taking drags off the cigarette.

"Dumb broads. I left. And before you start yellin' at me man for leavin' them boys behind, I left them with Two-Bit." I nod letting him know I wasn't mad. "Got in a fight with Tim, Think he crack couple of my ribs man." I let out another yawn as he makes a left turn onto the next street.

"You guys have such a strange relationship you know?" He lets out a small laugh turning onto my street, where I see the porch lights on at my house. Pulling up to my house, I grab my bag off the floor boards slipping it on my shoulder. "Okay Buddy, I'll see you tomorrow i guess. That's if I don't end up sleeping the day away. Night Dally." I groan getting out of the car.

"Night Ella." I smile walking up to my porch I see Darry sitting in his arm chair, and soda on the couch. Opening the door their heads snap towards me.

"Hey Guys what y'all doing up, it's real late." I say groaning as I slipped my shows off my swollen feet.

"Pony never came home from the movies, we're waiting up for him." Soda says.

"Jesus Christ ring Two-bit. I walk to my room dropping my bag and taking off my jacket. Walking out I see Darry hanging up the phone, then the front door opening to reveal Pony. Relieve filled the room.

"Where in the hell have you been? Do you know what time it is? Well it's two o'clock in the mornin' kiddo." Darry says standing up, Ponyboy shrugs.

"I was talking to Johnny and fell asleep in the lot." I roll my eyes and walk her to him.

"Never again. Now that I know you're safe I'm going to bed. I am exhausted." I squeeze his shoulder, before turning my heel and making my way to my bedroom. I stripped myself from my work uniform and slipped on a short sleeved Mickey Mouse shirt I stole from Two-Bit before he had the chance to cut the sleeves off. Not bothering to put on leggings I fall on my bed, immediately falling asleep.

Someone jumping on my bed awoke me, opening my eyes I turn my head to see Two-bit in his usual jeans and Mickey Mouse cut off tee. I smile a bit resting my head on his chest, then close my eyes again.

"What time is it?" I say raspy, not bothering to open my eyes and look at the clock on my bedside table.

" 'Bout eight." I groan. "Yeah I heard you got in late, but Darry don't want you to be sleepin' all day." I open my eyes to see him looking down at me, I smile at him and he plants a kiss on my nose. "Where's Ponyboy?"

"What do you mean 'wheres ponyboy'? He should be here, he didn't get home till darry hung up the phone with you." I say scrunching my eyebrows, sitting up on my elbow.

"I figured he'd still be sleeping, but he's no where to be seen." I scrunch my eyebrows together again sitting all the way up and climbing out of bed, walking towards the bedroom door.

"Hey before you go out there can you put on some pants?" i look down remembering i didnt bother last night, seeing that the shirt went down to mid thighs i walked over to my dresser, pulling out sleeping leggings and putting them on. "Thanks." He says standing up from my bed.

I opened my door and walked down the hallway, past Pony's and Soda's bedoom, seeing that the bed was empty. Going into the living room I see Soda and Steve on the couch watching television, Soda with bags under his eyes. Walking into the kitchen, i see Darry leaning against the kitchen counter, drinking a cup of coffee with the newspaper in his hand.

"Hey Darry where's Pony?" I ask crossing my arms and raising my eyebrow. Darry sets the coffee cup on the counter turning towards me. Tension filled the house as it got silent, I lean against the counter waiting for a response.

"Well after you went to bed, we kind of uh had an argument. You must of been real tired, you didn't even wake up." I raise my eyebrows at him telling him to get a move on. "The argument got out of hands and I accidentally hit him last night."

"What?" I said in disbelief, anger filling my body. "You hit Ponyboy? Are you kidding me?"

"I didn't mean to okay?" He shouts at me, taking me aback. "I feel bad about it okay? He ended running out last night. We didn't chase after him figuring he needed to blow off steam. He and Johnny ended up getting in trouble with the police with the murder of a Soc."

"So what is he in the cooler?" I asked confused.

"No. Nobody knows where he's at. Johnny even is missing." I turn my heel walking into my bedroom, slipping on my converse and leather jacket, when Two-Bit walked in.

"Where we goin'?" he asked leaning against my door frame, digging his hands in his pockets.

"Bucks." I replied, grabbing my wallet out of my bag that laid on the floor.

"Why?" he asked as him and I walked out into the living room, and out the front door to his car.

"Because if you got into a murder wrap, who in our gang would a fourteen year old boy go to?" I say opening the car door.

"Dally." He says finally understanding the thoughts running through my head as he opened his door.