Starboy - DarLas -The Outsiders

Chapter 14

Me and Darry were playing another game of Bullshit when the gang rushed in. They were all crowding around Ponyboy, who had a hand cupped over his eye. Johnny guided him to the couch and helped him sit down.

Darry jumped up right away to go help Ponyboy. I gave Steve a cold stare, and he did the same. He sure had a lot of nerve, showing his face after all he did. We eventually moved on and turned our attention to Ponyboy.

"What happened?!" Darry exclaimed, "Are you alright?" 

Soda went to retrieve raw meat from the icebox. He searched for a bit and then turned his attention to the sink, where a steak was defrosted. The gang crowded around Darry and Ponyboy while Soda brought over the raw steak and handed it to Ponyboy. Ponyboy took it and put it over his eye, then looked up at Darry.

"Curly punched me!" He cried, his soft green eyes lit up with anger. "Me and him started yelling at each other, and he punched me right in the eye!"

"What did you do to make him so angry?" Darry asked.

"Nothing!" Pony said, in an overly shocked tone.

"We all know that isn't true," Steve butted in, and shoved Ponyboy's head a little. Ponyboy gave Steve a dirty look and Steve smirked. 

"Well what happened?" I asked. Everyone looked between me and Darry uncomfortably and the room went quiet. I already knew what happened. Soda stepped forward, a serious expression on his face.

"Darry," Soda said and Darry followed him down the hall, leaving me with the rest of the gang.

Why had Curly hit Pony? Weren't they buddies? A bunch of questions swarmed in my head. I wanted answers. I knew exactly where to look. I was probably going to get myself killed. But I wanted answers. I knew what that fight was all about. 

Whether Tim hated me or not, he was my buddy, and he knew me. He would know which questions I wanted answered. 

I knocked harshly on the old front door to Tim's place. No answer. I knocked again, but much harder, causing my knuckles to ache. Still no answer. I knocked a third time, even harder than I had the other two. I was banging on the door, making it shake. I wasn't going to wait around. I knew he was home.

"Tim I swear to God!-" I shouted angrily. I was about to kick the door down when it opened.

"Jesus Christ, Dal!" Tim dodged my foot and laughed a little. He studied my tense demeanor and hesitated, looking down at the ground. Then he looked me in the face. "If you're about to complain about my bastard of a little brother clocking Pony across the face, I gave Curly a good talking to. Don't worry," he said coolly. He poked his head out the door and looked up and down the street, to make sure no one was watching. I couldn't blame him. He grabbed my arm and pulled me inside. "C'mon, before someone sees."

I stumbled a little and followed him inside, closing the door. The inside of Tim's house was a garage sale; they're parents are barely home and Tim ain't much of a neat freak. Made me realize how lucky I am to have a buddy who keeps order in his place. I sat down on the couch, and Tim got two beers out of the fridge. He offered me one, and I declined.

"No, thanks, man. Darry wants me to quit drinking and smoking," I said. It was true. Tim smirked and put one back. He opened the other and sat down on the couch next to me. 

"You've gone soft," He said, and gave me an amused look. I glared at him.

"Yeah I have. Soft as a rock," I retorted. Tim rolled his eyes.

"Liar," he stated nonchalantly. "You're sweet on Darry, and the whole town knows it."

I looked away and kept quiet, staring daggers at the dirty wall to my right. Tim knew exactly how I operated, and he knew how to get to me. I wouldn't tell a lie unless I had to. The only thing I could do was be nasty.