Dream to Reality

The Next Day Part 2

Pony's POV

Then I discovered that I was supposed to appear at juvenile court for running away,and Johnny was too. For once,there weren't any charges against Dally,and I knew he'd be mad because the paper made him out a hero for saving Jasmine and didn't say much about his police record, which he was kind of proud of. He'd kill those reporters if he got hold of them. There was another column about just Darry and Soda and me:how Darry worked on two jobs at once and made good at both of them,and about his outstanding record at school;it mentioned Sodapop dropping out of school so we could stay together,and that I made the honor roll at school all the time and might be a future track star. (Oh,yeah,I forgot_I'm on the A-squad track team,the youngest one. I'm a good runner.) Then it said we shouldn't be separated after we had worked so hard to stay together. The meaning of that last line finally hit me. "You mean...."_I swallowed hard_"that they're thinking about putting me and Soda in a boy's home or something?" I asked. Steve was carefully combing back his hair in complicated swirls. "Something like that" said Steve. I sat down in a daze. We couldn't get hauled off now. Not after me and Darry had finally got through to each other,and now that the big rumble was coming up and we would settle this Soc-greaser thing once and for all. "No," I said out loud,and Two-Bit,who was scraping the egg off the clock,turned to stare at me. "No what?" Two-Bit asked. "No,they ain't going to put us in a boy's home" I said. "Don't worry about it," Steve said,cocksure that he and Sodapop could handle anything that came up. "They don't do things like that to heroes. Where're Soda and Superman?" Steve asked. That was as far as he got,because Darry, shaved and dressed,came in behind Steve and lifted him up off the floor,then dropped him. We all call Darry "superman" or "Muscles" at one time or another;but one time Steve made the mistake of referring to him as "all brawn and no brain," and Darry almost shattered Steve's jaw. Steve didn't call him that again,but Darry never forgave him;Darry had never really gotten over not going to college. That was the only time I've even seen Soda mad at Steve,although Soda attaches no importance to education. School bored him. No action. Soda running in. "Where's that blue shirt I washed yesterday?" Soda asked. He took a swig of chocolate milk out of container. "Hate to tell you,buddy",Steve said,still flat on the floor,"but you have to wear clothes to work. There's a law or something". "Oh,yeah," Soda said. "Where's those wheat jeans,too?" "I ironed. They're in my closet," Darry said. "Hurry up,you're gonna be late" said Darry. Soda ran back,muttering,"I'm hurrying,I'm hurrying". Steve followed him and in a second there was general racket of a pillow fight. I absent-mindedly watched Darry as he searched the icebox for chocolate cake. "Darry," I said suddenly,"did you know about the juvenile court?" Without turning to look at me he said evenly,"Yeah,the cops told me last night". I didn't want to worry him any more,but I said,"I had one of those dreams last night. The one I can't even remember". Darry spun around to face me,genuine fear on his face. "What?" He asked. I had a nightmare the night of Mom and Dad's funeral. I'd had nightmares and wild dreams every once in a while when I was little,but nothing like this one. I woke up screaming bloody murder. And I never could remember what it was that had scared me. It scared Sodapop and Darry almost as bad as it scared me;for night after night,for weeks on end,I would dream this dream and wake up in a cold sweat or screaming. And I never could remember exactly what happened in it. Soda began sleeping with me,and it stopped recurring so often,but it happened often enough for Darry to take me to a doctor. The doctor said I had too much imagination. He had a simple cure,too:Study harder,read more,draw more,and play football more. After a hard game of football and four or five hours of reading,I was exhausted,mentally and physically,to dream anything. But Darry never got over it,and every once in a while he would ask me if I ever dreamed any more. "Was it very bad?" Two-Bit questioned. He knew the whole story,and having never dreamed about anything but blondes,he was interested. "No," I lied. I had awakened in a cold sweat and shivering but Soda was dead to the world. I had just wiggled closer to him and stayed awake for a couple of hours,trembling under his arm. That dream always scared the heck out of me. Darry started to say something,but before could begin,Sodapop and Steve came in. "You know what?" Sodapop said to no one in particular. "When we stomp the Socies good,me and Stevie here are gonna throw a big party and everybody can get stoned. Then we'll chase the SOCs clear to Mexico". "Where you going to get the dough, little man"? Darry had found the cake and was handing out pieces. "I'll think of something",Sodapop assured him between bites. "You going to take Sandy to the party?" I asked,just to be saying something. Instant silence. I looked at Johnny and he had a confused look to. "What's the deal?" I asked. Sodapop was staring at his feet,but his ears were reddened. "No. She went to live with her grandmother in Florida" Soda said. "How come?" I asked. "Look",Steve said, surprising angry,"does he have to draw you a picture? It was either that or get married,and her parents almost hit the roof at the idea of her marrying a sixteen-year-old kid". "Seventeen",Soda said softly. "I'll be seventeen in a couple of weeks". "Oh" I said,embarrassed. Soda was no innocent;I had been in on bull sessions and his bragging was as loud as anyone's. But never about Sandy. Not ever about Sandy. I remembered how her blue eyes glowled when she looked at him,and I was sorry for her. There was a heavy silence.

Johnny's POV

I can't believe Pony and Soda might be put in a boy's home. I hope they don't. I don't know what I would. I would lose to close friends. Especially Ponyboy. He is my best friend. Guess me,Pony,Dally,and Jasmine are heros. I still can't believe she would risk her life to save me. I could have been the one in the hospital right now. If she didn't save me,the timer could have fell on my back or arm or something. I hope Dal and Jasmine is okay. To top that all off,SANDY is in FLORIDA with her GRANDMOTHER!! How could she do that to SODA!! Just because her parents didn't want her marrying him. She could have just decided to stay. I can't believe her.  So made at her for hurting Soda. I hope things start getting better soon.

Hey guys!! I hope you liked this chapter. I am so sorry if this chapter is to long. I like to update this book at least once a week. I have book at a different house and I don't want to bring the book to the house I am at during the week. And sorry if you don't like the chapters in mostly Pony or Jasmine's POV. Jasmine is in the hospital and the book is in Pony's POV so I thought til they get to the hospital it might be in mostly Pony's POV. And if you didn't know,I have been updating my book "Turned Around" so if you haven't read it you definitely should. It is about instead of greasers getting jumped a lot Socs would. I am really liking this book though. Anyways,have a good day. Stay Gold