Hey guys! So this is a brand new idea that I just came up with. Read it and give me what you think in a review! Thank you so much :)

Forgetting a Star

Pony really had been doing better. He still hadn't forgotten Johnny and Dallas; no one would. But the whole accident had been six months ago, and Pony was looking more like a real high-schooler every day. He had written his English theme and passed the class with a fine enough grade.

Him and I have been getting along pretty well, I'm pleased to say. We still fight every now and again, but I've cooled down a lot, and he is growing up more every day. But last night, we had our first major fight in five months.

I really don't know what was the matter with me. I guess I was really tired, because my day at work had been long and stressful. And a stressful day at work doesn't mix well with a little brother walking in the door with blood gushing out of his obviously broken nose. Pony has been going out a lot more with some kids from school. Kids that are older than him and have cars. I don't like it one bit. And last night proved why.

"What happened?" I cried, getting up from off the couch. Soda followed at my heels. Pony's eyes were big and scared.

"Car accident." he whispered. Something in my stomach dropped. What a bad choice of words. He should have been a little more discreet. I grabbed him by the shoulders, not gently.

"What do you mean a car accident?" I growled, shaking him. His eyes flickered to Soda for support. I grabbed his chin so he would be looking at me.

"The – the guys I was with were drunk – " he started. Soda gave a little groan, and something snapped inside me. My fingers clenched menacingly around his shoulders. I saw him wince.

"They – they slammed into a pole. I wasn't wearing my seat belt, so I slammed into the seat in front of me. But it wasn't my fault, and I'm not too badly hurt. So – so the cops drove me home."

At the word cops I threw him from me. He was driving with drunks! An image of Ponyboy, splattered across the road in a pool of blood flashed in my mind, making me sick. Unfortunately, that sick feeling came out in the wrong way.

Pony stumbled from me throwing him so hard. Soda caught him and looked at me warningly. But I ignored his glance.

"What is the matter with you? Don't you ever think of anyone but yourself? The cops were there! They could take you and Soda away! Does that even register with you? Soda's got a job, and he'd lose it if he was put in a boy's home!" I yelled. Color flushed in Pony's cheeks.

"Oh, poor Soda! I'm the one that was just in a car accident! But you don't care," he scoffed. "Why would you care?"

"At least Soda has enough sense not to go driving around with drunks!"

Pony laughed. "Bullshit! Soda probably was the drunk! He isn't perfect, and neither am I!"

And for the second time in the past year, I hit Ponyboy, right across the face. But this time, I didn't stop immediately after and gaze at my hand in horror. I grabbed him by the upper arms and yanked him over to me.

"You watch your mouth. Don't you ever curse at me." I said. The angry streak was over, and the hot, horrible feeling was beginning in my stomach. Right then, I hated myself and my quick temper more than anything in the entire world. Pony's eyes were huge and slowly filling with tears. Soda was at my side in a flash, prying my fingers from his arms.

"Let him go, Darry," said Soda. He did not sound happy with me. "Let him go, now."

I let go and turned away. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Soda gingerly touching Pony's broken nose, and the cheek that I had slapped. Pony flinched in pain. I felt like bawling. But of course, instead of crying, my fear of having my kid brother slaughtered in an accident came out in anger.

"Just go to bed, Pony," I said in a quiet, uncaring voice. "Right now, to bed. You're grounded."

Pony pulled away from Soda, tears still in his eyes. He marched off into his room without a word to either of us. As soon as his door slammed, Soda started on me.

"Why would you do that? Do you really think that is what he needed after a night like that? He probably had to wait out there in the cold for hours being tested if he was drunk, and cleared to go home. His nose probably really hurts, and you giving him a bitching slap will just make it worse!"

I whirled around to face him. Shock, but not fear crossed his face. I couldn't scare Soda like I scared Pony.

"What?" Soda whispered. "Gonna hit me too for cursing, Darry? Do it, I don't care. But you do, I know you do. You care so much that you can't even handle it. That's why you yell at Pony. Because you care. Get over it Darry. If you're gonna love him, show it. Don't be all conflicted." And he marched away from me too, into Pony's room. I stood there in the living room, shell-shocked.

I dragged myself over to the sofa and plopped down onto it. I felt prickling heat around my neck and ears. I sat there on the couch, and heard Soda and Pony speaking softly in their room. Soda came out once and got a wet towel for Pony's bleeding face. But he didn't speak to me, and he never came out again. A few times it sounded like Pony was crying. I couldn't muster the energy to get up off of the couch and go into my own bed. So I laid down right there, still in my work clothes, and fell into a fitful sleep. The clock said 11:45. Thank God tomorrow was Sunday.

When I woke up, everything still felt really hazy and strange. Light was streaming in through the window. I wondered if the day before had really happened, and if I had really slapped Pony again. The house seemed extremely quiet. It almost felt eerie too. Like someone had been there without my knowledge. I got up from the couch, and proceeded over to Pony and Soda's room. The door was open halfway. It had been shut completely last night.

I slipped through the door and found Soda sleeping in his bed. He looked peaceful. The room was extremely messy, which I found strange because Pony usually kept it very clean. Except for when he was sick.

I sat on the edge of the bed. The clock said 11:45. That was funny. It was the exact time I had fallen asleep. I was amazed that both me and Soda had slept for a full twelve hours. I guess we really needed it.

"Hey Soda," I said quietly, shaking his shoulder. I hated to wake him up, but I needed to know where Pony was. "Wake up buddy."

Soda's eyes flickered open. He stretched and looked up at me blearily.

"Hey Darry," he said. "You need something?" His voice was kind, and genuine. I was a little taken aback that he didn't sound hostile.

"Yeah, do you know where Pony is by any chance?" I said, my throat becoming tight. "I – I need to talk to him."

Soda sat up and looked at me a little funny. "Pony? What Pony?"

"Ponyboy." I said. He still looked like he didn't understand.

"That's a funny name Darry. Who's Ponyboy?"

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