For the sake of comedy, I decided to do this number. Basically, it's about why Ponyboy avoids bringing the gang (namely Soda, Steve and Two-Bit) to any social or public sort of events. If you have any ideas, please don't hesitate to throw 'em at me.
This is in third person's POV so, sorry if that bothers you!
Notes
1) Pony and Darry get along pretty well, like they do at the end of the book.
2) Dally and Johnny are alive and well.
3) I should just say that this doesn't really have a place in the book. You can pick a time.
4) Characters are most likely going to be OOC. I believe that the only accepting chance for OOC-ness is in a purposely-comedic fanfic. Apologies if this bothers you as well.
Chapter One- Track Meets
Friday morning- 7:18 AM- Curtis's household
It was a bright and sunny day, with a slight breeze. Basically, a perfect day for some running. And that was exactly what Ponyboy Curtis was planning to do today.
"Hey Darry!" The said person called, stepping into the kitchen of his home.
"Yeah?" Replied one, tall and dark-haired brother standing at the stove. He was cooking up some eggs for breakfast, in case you were curious.
"I have a track meet today. Are you going to come?" Pony asked, sitting at the table to await for his meal.
Placing plates on the table, Darry set down the spatula and turned off the stove. "Sorry little man, I won't be able to come."
"Oh." The youngest picked up his glass of chocolate milk, with a look of sadness crossing his face. "Work?"
"Yeah. But don't worry about it. Soda said he was off today so he'll probably swing by."
Pony looked up. To come think of it, Soda has never been to one of his track meets. Knowing Soda, he'd probably bring Steve. Then Two-Bit will want to go. And Dally will probably have nothing better to do at that time of day. Finally, Johnny will just go since everyone else in the gang, aside from Darry, is going.
Ponyboy started pondering. Is that really such a good idea? Then he snorted. Such a silly thought. What could they possibly do at a track meet?
Little did Pony know of the trouble that was yet to come.
Friday afternoon- 3:10 PM- Outside school gates
"Steve!" A slim and tall blonde-haired guy called out, waving his hands. The lean, dark-hair-in-complicated-swirls guy looked over once stepping out from the interior of the school building. Jogging over, he dropped his bag on the ground.
"What are you doing here, dropout?" Steve questioned, catching the other in a headlock.
Growling, Soda pushed his buddy to ground, getting into a wrestle match. "I'm here to see Pony run. He says he has one of those track feets or something."
Grunting, Steve rolled so he was on top. "First off, it called a 'track meet'. Second, why? You can see him run any time."
Sitting up, he pushed the dark-haired boy off. "Because this is a competition thing and it's really important to Ponyboy, so I thought I'd come and cheer him on like the good older brother I am."
Steve snorted. "Right." Standing up, he pulled up his buddy.
"Oh yeah, Two-Bit and Dally and Johnny are coming too!" Soda exclaimed, sounding very excited. "Two-bit said he was gonna bring something to help cheer Ponyboy on."
Steve stared at him, thinking of all the possibilities that the 'something' could be.
Few minutes pass...
"Hey." Was heard from behind with Soda and Steve spinning around to see who was the intruder.
"Oh, Dally, it's just you. And Johnnycakes too!" Soda remarked, sighing.
"Who did you think it was? A bunch of Socs comin' to get ya?" Dally replied coolly, lighting up and handing one to Johnny.
"Ha ha. Very funny." Steve said dryly, rolling his eyes.
"Don't get wise with me Randle." Dally retorted, bearing his canine-like teeth.
But before anyone could make a response, a shout was heard from the side. Everyone turned around, only to see Two-Bit running towards them.
By the time he made it over, he was panting. "Man, you guys coulda told me where y'uns were meetin' so I didn't hafta run all over."
"Are you all right, Two-Bit?" Johnny asked, patting his back.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just a little worn out." Two-Bit responded, standing up straight... with a slouch.
Dally chuckled. "From what I see, it seems that you only ran from the parking lot to here. What's that? A good 20 feet?"
"Aw, shut it. Ya know I ain't one for runnin' around like Pony."
Soda peered around Two-Bit. "Whatcha got there?"
The sideburns man cleared his throat, reached behind and pulled out several items. "Ta-da! I got 'em from the cheerleaders. Neat, huh?"
Everyone stared at the man, then at the items and back at the man again.
"YAY!" Soda cheered, taking two of them from Two-Bit. "Pony can't miss us if we got these... but... how do you use them?"
"They're pom-poms. The things the cheerleaders shake around?" Steve replied, glaring at Two-Bit. "And don't you mean, you stole them?"
"ARE YA NUTS!" Dally slapped Two-Bit upside the head, causing him to drop the remaining. "WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WAVE THESE THINGS AROUND!"
"But Soda's right," Johnny said, picking up two, "Pony wouldn't miss us if we wave these around a bit."
"JOHNNY! OF ALL PEOPLE!" Dally shouted, whirling on the poor, now-trembling tanned boy. "HAVE SOME SENSE!"
"Well, I thought it was a good idea." Two-Bit replied, picking up his own two.
"C'mon Steve!" Soda poked his buddy in the side. "Take two!"
Steve looked his dark gold-haired friend, then at the pom-poms. He didn't really want to be caught dead waving these dreaded things around... yet he didn't want to upset his seemingly excited buddy. "I'll take one." And so, he picked one up.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?" Dally shouted, glaring at all of them. "Well, there's no way you guys are going to make me carry these damn things."
Ten minutes pass...
"C'mon guys, hurry! It starts in like, two minutes!" Soda called to those lagging behind.
"How would you know? You don't even carry a watch!" Steve shouted back, trying to keep up.
"I do! And it starts in..." Two -bit paused to read his wristwatch, "... one minute!"
"What if we miss Pony? He might get upset." Johnny asked, moving a little faster now that the track was in view.
"Nah, Pony said he's in one of the later groups." Soda replied, jumping over the fence with the other following.
Dally, of course, was grumbling and cursing the whole time, with the pom-poms taped to his hands, thanks to a certain shop-lifter who just so happen to have some in his pockets. He couldn't even bend his fingers, let alone try to tear the damned things off. "Watch yourself Matthews. You're gonna get it before ya know it."
"Right! Like, when you can get those off?" Two-Bit started laughing, nearly making himself along with Johnny, whom he was helping up, fall over the fence.
"Hah, look at that. I don't think I'll be able to make it over, seeing I can't even bend my fingers. Have fun." Dally replied, turning around to walk away.
Three minutes later...
"Yay! Just in time!" Soda cheered, bouncing in his seat. "Anybody see Pony yet?"
"No." Was Steve's only response. I mean, it's not like he was even going to bother looking for the tag-a-long.
"There he is." Johnny pointed, down at the bottom, where a group of runners were lined up in waiting.
"Quick! Everyone get in position. I think he's going next!" Two-Bit shouted, shifting so he was able to keep himself and Dally prepared.
Dally, of course, was cursing and grumbling the whole time.
Down at the bottom, within the group of runners lined up in waiting...
Pony was re-tying his shoes, making sure that they stayed that way. He was also wondering if anybody in the gang has came or not. Taking a quick glance around, he couldn't see very much, considering the rather larger-than-normal crowd today.
"Probably because of the decent weather." Pony mumbled to himself, standing back up.
"What did you say, grease?" Another boy, standing less than a foot away from him. "Thinking of getting cocky on the track again?" He snarled, glaring at the younger one.
Pony glared back, but opting not to respond, for his turn was next.
"Curtis!" The coach called, and so, he walked to his position.
Back up in the bleachers...
"LOOK! IT'S PONY!" Soda shouted, standing up and pointing, startling the others. "PONY! UP HERE!" He started waving his arms along with the pom-poms like mad.
"Soda! Control yourself! He can't focus if you're scream-" He paused mid-sentence, pondering on what he was about to say. Then he stood up and joined in with Soda.
"YEAH!" Two-Bit jumped up as well, dragging Dally and Johnny with him, screaming and waving the pom-poms around. "PONYBOY! WOO!"
Everyone else in the stadium paused in their doings and watched as the 'greasers' cheered loudly.
Back down on the track...
Poor Pony was praying that maybe a Soc will trample him to death or something so he wouldn't have to go through this humiliation any further.
Back up on the bleachers...
Johnny was also cheering, not wanting to let his friend down, but a little more quietly. Suddenly, he felt his right foot slip and found himself falling forward.
Dally, trying to get out of Two-bit's grasp, saw this movement and leaned forward to catch the boy.
Two-Bit, who was still holding onto Dally, unintentionally leaning over, causing him to loose his footing and fall forward also.
Steve, just noticing all of this, reached over and tried to pull the sideburns man back up, but found that there was too much weight and he too, moved forward. But not without swinging an arm back to grab hold of something.
Soda was oblivious to all of this, cheering like crazy for his brother, until he felt someone grab him by the arm and yank him forward.
Back down at the track...
Now everyone, including the runners, paused to watch the large group of boys tumble their way down to the bottom of the bleachers. They could hear the screams and shouts and cursing along the way.
Pony couldn't take it anymore. He gathered his stuff and left.
At the bottom of the bleachers...
"GET OFFA ME NOW!" One of them shouted from the bottom of the pile.
Soda, struggling to steady himself, saw his brother walking away. "PONY! WAIT UP!" Thus, he jumped up (with some grunts from below) and chased after him.
Steve, seeing this, followed his buddy.
Two-Bit, not wanting to be left behind, got up, pulling Johnny with him, and forced the two of them to run after the others.
Poor Dally was left to lie in the dirt, staring the sky with pom-poms still taped to his hands and cursing everyone he knew... didn't knew... and especially Two-Bit.
Later that evening...
"So how was the meet?" Darry asked, placing a plate in front of the reddish-brown haired sibling.
Pony glared at Soda. "I don't want to talk about it."
Darry looked over at Soda, waiting for an explanation.
Soda looked at the both of them, confused. "What? What did I do?"
Well... yes, this is odd. But I was in an odd mood. So I wrote an odd fic. Make sense, right? Hopefully you guys won't find this offensive or anything. I really have nothing against Darry (for him not being present much) or Dally (for him getting the burnt of everything). It was just something to do while I was bored.