My Worst Summer ||Ponyboy Curtis||

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Ponyboy's POV:

"Ponyboy!" My older brother Darry yells at me from across the kitchen table.

"I can't believe you got in trouble on the last day of school! You were doing so well," He says. I just sigh, not even caring anymore.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, young man?" He asks. I shrug.

"Ponyboy Michael Curtis, do not ignore me," He says.

"Why?" I ask him.

"What is up with you? First you pull the fire alarm and now you completely ignore me?" Darry asks me. I roll my eyes, earning a death glare. Really, though. If looks could kill, I would be dead by now.

"Just tell me what my punishment is, Dar," I tell him, completely and utterly annoyed with him. He's quiet for a minute, like he was thinking things over. Then, he speaks again.

"We're sending you to summer camp for the next three months. It's a sleep away, so you'll only see us on visiting days. And you can't argue because we already signed you up. Now go start packing," He says, way more harshly than I expected.

Summer camp? I can't even have sleepovers away from home! I could never handle them because of my nightmares. How's it going to be when I have to spend three months away from him and Soda? This is worse than any other punishment he coulda dreamed up.

"W-what?" I stutter, scared and confused. Does he really hate me THAT much?

"You heard me. Sleep away camp, starting tomorrow. Go start packing. Now," Darry responds, his voice hard and angry, yet somehow emotionless.

"I hate you!" I yell, standing up.

"Ponyboy, wait," Soda calls, but I'm already running away, into my room.

"This is going to be THE WORST SUMMER EVER!" I yell, slamming my bedroom door as I walk in. Grabbing a suitcase, I sit down and stare at it.

"I can't believe this..." I whisper to myself, putting my head in my hands. If Johnny were still here, he wouldn't have let me do it. Johnny wouldn't have let me be so stupid.

I feel something dripping down my cheeks, and that's when I realize that I'm crying. Thinking 'bout Johnny always does that to me. God, he was the best friend I've ever had. I can't believe I let him slip away so fast.... If only I had stopped him from running into that stupid church he would still be here. If somehow the kids would have been saved without us, I would have been so happy. But you know what would have made me happiest? If Johnny was the one who ran out first, and I was the one who broke my back... Why couldn't it have been me, for cryin' out loud? Then Johnny wouldn't have had to die. Then I could have died, and maybe for the first time in my life, I would have been happy. Then I wouldn't have had to go to this stupid summer camp.

••••

"Hey, Pony? Wake up kid," Soda whispers, shaking me.

I would say something, but I can feel my voice wobbling as soon as I open my mouth. I took a long, deep breath, trying to keep from crying again.

"It's ok," He whispers, pulling me into his arms.

I had just had another nightmare, but this time it wasn't about my parents. This time it was about camp. Nobody liked me, everyone made fun of me, and I made no friends for the three months. But the worst part was, on the last day of camp, Darry never came to pick me up. All of the other kids got picked up, except me, and the counselors all left without me. I was left there forever, and nobody even cared. And knowing Darry, that might actually happen...

Breaking into my thoughts is Soda saying, "Pony, maybe you should start packing." I look at the suitcase. It's on the floor, Soda must have moved it, because I fell asleep with it on my lap. I take a few pairs of shorts and a couple T-shirts and shove them in it, along with underwear and socks.

"All done," I say, zipping it up and throwing it back on the floor. Soda cocks an eyebrow.

"There months, little buddy. That's not enough stuff for three months. And don't you want some books or a journal or something?" He asks. I just shake my head, unable to answer.

I haven't read anything since Gone With the Wind, with Johnny. I guess when he left, I lost my inspiration to read. I just don't enjoy it anymore...

A/N: Happy summer! Although I am just publishing this now, I actually started writing it on April 10th. I really hope you like it, because I've been working hard on it since then, so let me know! :-)