Running Towards Home

CHAPTER 8

PONY'S POV:

I wake up in the middle of the night, thirsty. I head to the kitchen, trying to be quiet so as not to wake up Sam. I look over, and notice she is shivering. I go and grab a blanket. I lay it over her, and she smiles a bit. I brush some hair out of her face. The moonlight on her face is beautiful. I grab my cup of water and head back to my room, where I fall asleep and dream of Sam.

SAM'S POV:

I woke up when I heard Pony coming out for water, but I didn't move. Suddenly, I felt a blanket on top of me, and felt Pony's hand brush hair away from my face. I want him to stay there, but he goes back to his room with his water. I feel sleep take me, and I dream about Ponyboy.

I wake up in the morning to the whisper yelling of some of the gang. I hear Soda say "Shhh Darry! She's still asleep!" "Then stop talking so loud!" Darry says. "Both of you, lower your voices!" Pony says. I chuckle and sit up. "You are all too loud," I say. Pony comes over. "Sorry, Sam." I smile at him, remembering last night. "No worries you guys."

I get up, grab my toiletries, and pass Soda moving around in the kitchen. He yells a "good morning!" at me as I head to the bathroom. I get in and brush my hair out. I then tie it back in a ponytail as I always do. I didn't wash my makeup off last night, but luckily it didn't smudge. I wash it off and apply some more mascara and my red lipstick. I have always loved the bright red shades. I then change my clothes, putting on an old band shirt I have from a local band in Kansas, the Wasps. I put on a new pair of ripped black jeans, and walk out of the bathroom.

I enter the kitchen again and the house is chaos. Two-Bit is here, drinking beer at eight in the morning and he is play fighting with Pony, Steve is eating chocolate cake for some reason, Darry is trying to calm everyone down, Johnny is sitting at the table, and Soda is serving what appear to be green eggs and purple pancakes.

I walk over to the table and sit down next to Johnny. He shoots me a small smile, and then looks away. The rest of the gang starts to settle around the table. I get a small serving of the odd colored food, not wanting to be rude, but before I can blink it's all gone. The boys are scarfing down food like it's the last meal they will ever eat. I eat my food, take my plate to the kitchen, and start helping with the cleanup.

"You don't have to do that," Darry says. I just smile at him. "You're letting me stay at your house for who knows how long. This is the least I can do." Darry smiles back, and his eyes soften a bit. "We're happy to have you here." Those words seem so small, but they mean so much. No one has ever told me they were happy I was there.

"Anyone want to play football at the park?" I hear Steve shout. "Sure, why not." I say, and we all start to file outside. We race each other there, and of course Pony won, being on the track team and all. We passed the ball back and forth for hours, time flying by. I was really enjoying myself. I haven't felt like I belonged before. It's a nice feeling.