𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒 & 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐖𝐒 | ponyboy curtis

8

»[this chapter includes mentions of suicide. just a heads up.]

AS I SAT DOWN and leaned against a tree, I stared out into the sky, admiring the beautiful gold and orange colors that it displayed.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the cold country air. Hearing footsteps approaching me, I turned my head to be met with the figure of Ponyboy. He offered me a small smile and I returned it, bringing my attention back to the sky as he sat next to me.

"I wish the sky could stay like this forever," I stated. "I get why you like sunsets so much."

"Yeah, sunsets are beautiful," Pony agreed, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets.

"Rainbows are too," I added, smiling at the sky. "Wish there was a rainbow."

"Yeah, sunsets and rainbows."

We sat in silence for a bit before I decided to brake it.

"You know, my name was gonna be 'Rainbow'," I informed.

"Really?" Pony questioned, turning to look at me.

I nodded with a smile and continued, "And Chris' name was gonna be 'Storm'. And since he was the oldest, I would've been the 'rainbow' after the 'storm'."

Pony let out a breathy laugh. "Why'd your parents change their minds?"

"My mom, uh... she passed away while giving birth to me," I revealed somberly. "And my dad left a few days after I was born."

"Why'd he leave?" Pony questioned. "Actually, if it's too personal you ain't gotta tell me."

"I've known you for most of my life, you deserve to know." I let out a sigh. "Let's just say... he thought it was my fault."

Ponyboy widened his eyes a bit, furrowing his eyebrows in sympathy. "How come you guys never told the gang?"

"It just... didn't feel important, I guess." I shrugged as I fiddled with my fingers. "I never knew my parents and didn't wanna make a big deal about it."

A look of realization crossed over his face as he bit the inside of his cheek. "That's why you lived with your uncle."

I nodded. "He's the one that took care of us, the one that raised us even though he didn't have to. And when that police officer had told us he was dead, it was like I lost a part of myself."

I could feel myself tearing up as I continued. "And then my brother died, and I just couldn't do it anymore. I thought I had no one left."

Wiping away one of the tears that slid down my cheek, Pony scooted closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him.

"I thought about killing myself." I sighed, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "Was close to doing it once. But then I thought about my brother, and how he would want me to be happy. How he would want me to live my life even if he wasn't there."

Pony pulled me closer to him and rested his head on top of mine. "I'm here for you, Dre. I'll always be here for you. Even if you ain't want me to be there for you."

I smiled softly as he intertwined our hands.

"I get what you're going through, and if you ever think about anything like that again, talk to me, or talk to Johnny, talk to Dally, or hell, even talk to Two-Bit," Ponyboy stated, his green-gray eyes staring deeply into mine. "Talk to someone, because we all care about you too goddamn much to see you hurting. Especially me."

I stared at him for a few seconds before engulfing him in a hug. He stuffed his head in the crook of my neck, wrapping his arms around my torso.

"I'm here for you too, Pony," I mumbled. "And thank you so much for wanting to be there for me even with what you're going through."