Forever (Ponyboy Curtis FF)

Chapter 16: Rumble

The next two days, our gang spent the time practicing. We were gonna cream those Socs good. We got Tim Shepard's gang and the Brumly Boys on our side too. As I expected, no other girls wanted to participate. In our practicing, I was able to take down everyone in the gang, except Darry. I was faster than he was, but he was a whole lot stronger. No one was sure if Dally was gonna show up. We all knew he loved rumbles, but no one knew where he was.

"Alright everyone, go home and sleep, eat, do whatever you need to get ready. Meet back here at 5:45," Darry said once we were finished. Everyone departed and I went inside to get ready. I put my hair up and changed into a pair of athletic pants and a tighter running shirt. I wrapped my hands in the special tape so they wouldn't bruise so much. I walked back downstairs and pulled some food out of the fridge and started eating. Darry walked out of his room in a tight black shirt and jeans, showing off his roofer's muscles. Soda came downstairs wearing his same clothes and Pony had changed into a green cutoff shirt and jeans. Steve showed up around 5:30 and him and Soda played cards and arm wrestled until Two Bit and Johnny showed up. Right as we were leaving, Dally came racing towards us.

"Wait for me! A rumble isn't a rumble without Dallas Winston!" he called. When he saw me, he looked almost sorry. He walked up by Darry and we were on our way.

"You nervous?" Pony asked, nudging my shoulder.

"A little, but more excited," I said, with a little smile.

We walked to the lot and met up with Shepard's gang and the Brumly boys, who were all just as pumped as we were. Socs started arriving, there were about 5 cars full, so it was pretty even. I noticed there was only one other girl on their side. Cherry. I just laughed, knowing I could beat her easily then take on some actual competition.

"Ready to kick ass?!" I yelled, and shouts from our side rang out loud. Before moving to the front of the group, Pony turned me around and kissed me.

"Good luck," he whispered and took his spot. I moved so I was face to face with Cherry.

"Wanna throw the first punch again?" I asked, stretching. She looked at the tape on my hands and knew I was serious and let out a squeak.

"I'll take that as a no then," I said and slammed my fist into her temple. She fell to the ground, passed out cold. Everyone around me started fighting. I grinned and moved on to the next guy. He made to punch me, but I ducked and head butted him, leaving him curled in a ball. I looked around and saw Darry holding his own against two Socs, Soda shoving a Soc's face into the mud, Johnny and Two Bit beating on a group, Steve kicking a guy in the balls, and Dally slugging one across the face. I worried, looking around for Pony. I saw him getting ganged up on by three Socs, I ran over to him and kicked a guy in the back. He turned around and I punched him in the nose, probably breaking it. I yanked Pony up off the ground, but when he yelped, I let him back down. One of the guys swung at me and hit my arm, and I swung back, catching the side of his head. He backed off, but the other guy was around Darry's size, maybe bigger even. I ducked his first blow, but his second hit me square in the jaw. I fell down, and landed right next to Pony, who was getting repeatedly kicked and punched.

"You fuckers leave my boyfriend ALONE! YA HEAR?!" I screamed, ignoring the pounding in my head and jaw. They surprisingly backed off, that's when I noticed all of the Socs were leaving. We won!

"Yes! We did it guys!!" I yelled, jumping up. I heard Pony groan and I saw blood mixing with the soft ground.

"Soda! Start the car! Pony's hurt!" I said, and Darry came over and picked him up. The blood was coming out of a wound in his stomach.

"Darry, lookit this, it looks like someone stabbed him," I said quietly as we got in the car.

"Leave it to the Socs to cheat," he muttered, setting Pony next to me in the backseat. I grabbed his cold hand and squeezed it, and he squeezed back.

"C'mon, Pony. Stay with me," I said, and his eyelids fluttered.

"Ash...I love you," he whispered hoarsely, and he passed out.

"No! No no no no! STEP ON IT SODA, WE CAN'T LOSE HIM!" I cried, hoping Pony would be okay. Soda stepped down on the gas and we barreled towards the hospital. Darry carried Pony in, while Soda and I hurried behind them. Nurses and doctors immediately put him on a gurney and wheeled him away. I lost it, I broke down, sinking to the floor and sobbing. Darry picked me up and sat me on a chair.

"It'll be okay Ashley," he said, rubbing my shoulder. I nodded, tears still dripping down my face. All of my memory's with Pony were cycling through my head. I couldn't lose him, he'd been my best friend since we were 6 and my boyfriend for only a couple months, but I was madly in love with him. I was finally starting to collect myself when a doctor came out in scrubs, asking for the Curtis family. I gulped and shakily stood up and walked with Darry and Soda over to him. The doctor took a deep breath and I prepared myself for the worst.