The Outsiders - Three Brothers

Pranks

They all slept until after nine in the morning, tired from the day before and because they'd stayed up late. Ponyboy and Soda we're gonna take the bus home at three and get back around supper time.

"Alright, let's get up. Can't sleep the day away." Darry said, giving both boys pats to their backs as he sat up in between them in bed.

Darry had Soda move to let him get out of bed, and then went to the bathroom, expecting them to get up. "Five more minutes," Sodapop grumbled after Darry had gone into the bathroom.

"I'm okay with that," Ponyboy replied as he pulled the covers back over them.

They were both back asleep when Darry came out of the bathroom. "Boys," he said this firmly. When they didn't stir, he walked over and yanked the covers off them. Now they woke up and started to complain about being woken back up. "Out of bed, let's go."

"Just a little longer," Ponyboy said as he grabbed his pillow and placed it over his head.

"Now you two." When they didn't make any moves at getting up, he landed two smacks to each of their exposed bottoms.

That got them up, they both jumped up with loud yelps. "Okay okay!" Soda hurried out of bed.

"We're up!" Ponyboy also sprung out of bed.

"Thank you. Get dressed so we can get breakfast."

"What are we gonna do today?" Sodapop asked as he grabbed his change of clothes.

"You two can go to the pool again or play outside. I'm going to the gym after breakfast for about an hour and then I'll just go wherever you two are and relax until it's time for lunch and then I'll drive you to the bus station when it's time."

"You still coming home Saturday?" Ponyboy asked.

"So far yeah, everything is going according to schedule."

"I hope you don't have to stay longer. My birthday is Wednesday."

"It is? I completely forgot about it." Darry said with a smile.

"I'm serious." Ponyboy said. "I don't want you gone on my birthday."

"I won't be. Don't worry. You still want to go to that steakhouse for your birthday?"

"Wasn't that your idea?" Ponyboy asked with a grin as they all went down for breakfast. "Yeah. That'll be good. As long as I get cake too."

"You have cake almost everyday."

"But birthday cake is different," Soda defended Ponyboy's request.

"Yes. There will be a birthday cake too. As much as you two eat it, I'm surprised your teeth aren't rotted."

They went and ate breakfast and Darry ordered for them this time. After they ate, Darry went to the gym and Sodapop and Ponyboy followed him there. They worked out on some of the machines beside Darry, but got bored of it and started goofing around on them.

Darry slowed down his treadmill when he saw his younger brothers playing on the machines. "These aren't toys you two."

They both stopped at the obvious warning, "sorry." They said together.

"Why don't you go find something to occupy yourselves until I'm finished? I'll meet you outside in about forty minutes okay?"

"Okay."

So the two left and went outside, rough-housing with one another. "Break," Ponyboy said after he'd been in a death grip for five minutes. They collapsed onto the Grass now, out of breath and laughing. "What should we do now?"