Bruised and Broken

Run Boy Run

~PONYBOY POV~
"Pony! Ponyboy!"

Someone was shaking me. I pushed them away but a new set of hands started shaking me.

"Come on, Pone! Wake up!" A new voice shouted.

I blinked and saw Julie and Johnny over me. I sat up as the Cade's stood up.

"What time is it?" I asked groggy.

"About 2." Johnny told me.

I paled as I jumped up.

"Darry's kill me!" I started back home before I turned to the Cade siblings. "You wanna come?"

"Nah," Johnny said, hugging Julie closer. "We're gonna stay here tonight."

I nodded as I rushed to my house. Boy was I in for it. Finally, I reached the house and saw the light on. Any thought of sneaking in left as I took a shuddering breath.

As soon as I opened the door, Darry jumped up as Soda woke up.

"Where the hell have you been?" Darry growled. "Do you know what time it is? Well it's 2 in the morning, kid."

"Hey Pony, where you been?" Soda asked me softly.

"Fell asleep at the lot." I responded walking over to the bathroom.

"You what?" Darry demanded.

"I was talking with Johnny and Julie and I fell asleep at the lot. Look I didn't mean to."

"Yeah? Hey!" Darry smacked the door open as I tried to close it. "I can't even call the cops because you two would be thrown into a boys home so fast it would make your head spin."

"Look," I started, the white hot anger coming back. "I said I didn't mean to."

"I didn't mean to, I forgot," Darry mocked. "That's all I ever hear from you!"

"Darry—" Soda started.

Darry whipped towards him and pointed a finger in his face.

"You shut up! I'm sick and tired of you sticking up
for him!"

The white hot anger grew bigger. No one should yell at Soda. Not even Darry.

"Don't you yell at him!" I shouted.

Darry whirled around and smacked me so hard I fell back, knocking stuff over. We all froze. No one in our family has ever hit me. Ever.

Suddenly, I wasn't frozen anymore. I took of running out the door, Darry yelling behind me.