Never Let Me Go

Two nights ago, Ponyboy came home drunk. That night, Darry ignored it, and didn't lecture him, because he was too drunk to remember a word he said. Then, the next morning, he was so hung over, that Darry figured he wouldn't be paying any attention to what he was saying, but rather the pain. So he waited until today to yell at Pony.

"What were you thinking? Drinking is one of the stupidest things you've ever done! You already smoke at least a pack a day! What are you trying to do? Die before you turn twenty? You're only fifteen! You're not allowed to drink even! Do you want to be taken from us? If the cops had seen you, the state would have taken you from us for sure!" Darry hollered.

"Darry, I promise, I'm never going to drink again. From what I went through yesterday, I don't think I'll drink a drop of alcohol for the rest of my life."

"Well, you'd better not, or I will personally beat the tar out of you! I can't believe you're that dumb! Don't you know what drinking does to people!"

"Darry, I didn't know..."

"Well, that's pretty obvious!"

"Darry, please. I won't do it again!" Pony yelled.

And in an act of anger and fear, Darry hit Ponyboy. Almost two years before, he had done the same thing and they stood in silence again, like last time. Only this time it was for a different reason. It was because of who saw what was going on. It was the social worker.