The Outsiders {Spanking}

Masks

A/N: Thanks for reading another chapter! Please comment and tell me what you think about it! <3

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Ponyboy's POV

Have you ever hyped something up so much in your mind, that when it happens it almost feels like a disappointment? Like you run the perfect scenario in your over and over again but it never turns out how you imagined.

Well that's exactly what this felt like, sitting next to Darry, who was fully awake and conscious. Though his recovery didn't seem real. He was still in the damn hospital bed, still tired and drowsy and I still had to go home to the Butler's afterwards.

I'm not sure why, but I assumed once Darry woke up everything would go back to normal. Though this was anything from normal.

He woke up yesterday, but today was his first day he was fully awake and able to have real conversations. No one talked to him like we used to, no smart remarks or sass. No one would even touch him because we were all afraid he would break.

Everyone was silent as we just stared at Darry. I was sitting next to him in one of the chairs, gripping his hand gently. Soda was leaning against the far wall with Steve next to him, and Johnny Dally and Two-Bit sat In the remaining chairs against the wall. "So, what was it like?" I said, breaking the silence.

"Getting shot or being in a coma?" Darry asked me.

"Geez Ponyboy you don't just ask people that!" Two-Bit scolded though I could tell he wanted to know just as much as I did.

"It's alright." Darry let out a weak laugh. "Getting shot kinda felt like getting hit in the chest with a baseball, and then a weird tingling and hot feeling, until I blacked out."

"It was pretty scary to see you fall like that." I muttered.

"Yeah I'm sure. I'm so sorry you had to see that." He glanced around the room, giving everyone a pitiful look. "That's why we don't mess with guns right?"

I nodded, remembering that this whole thing was kinda all my fault. Soda scoffed from his corner. We all looked at him but he kept his eyes on the ground.

"Anyways," Darry said suddenly. "Being in a coma felt like a deep sleep and a foggy dream. I feel like I remember some things, but I can't think of what they are. All I know is I feel like shit."

"Well you look great." Two-Bit joked.

"Y'all sure don't." Darry noted. "What happened?"

I'm sure he was referring to the bruises and gashes that covered our faces. No one spoke. Soda and Dally glanced at each other, until finally Dally began talking. "We had a little fight with the soc, just trying to get even." As he talked his voice became more and more quiet. He knew Darry wasn't going to like hearing that.

"I'm sorry, what?" If he could yell he would have. "Dallas, what made you think that was a good idea?"

"It wasn't his idea." Soda finally spoke up. There was something off about him. There was tension that lingered around him and filled every one of his words.

Darry looked at him, then and Dally and for some reason me. "What?" He gasped.

"I've been stepping in for you. Making the calls and shit." Soda shrugged. He didn't seem the least bit concerned that Darry was beginning to look pissed. I honestly didn't think anyone could start a fight this soon, but I guess I was wrong.

Darry shot Dally a glare, who just shrugged. "It was his idea." Dally defended emotionlessly. "He wanted to." He told it simply, like an undeniable fact.