The Outsiders: Dally's little sister

Sodapop's secret

SOPHIE'S P.O.V.

I walked down the street alone. It was dark out and a thick layer of mist and fog hung in the air. I tried to look around but it was too hard to see. I walked forward unknowing of what laid ahead. I bumped into something causing me to stop. It was the fence in front of the Curtis house. Thank god, somewhere familiar. I opened the gate and ran into the house. When I got in, everything seemed different. It seemed newer. The couch was more vibrant and the carpet unstained. I heard muffled noises coming from upstairs. I walked up to find all the doors closed. I followed the noise all the way to my room and slowly opened the door. Everything was in its place except there was someone next to the bed. They were kneeling down with their head in their hands. I walked closer. It was Sodapop. He was crying on the bed. I reached my hand out to touch him on the shoulder, but before my hand could reach him and comfort him, I sprung awake.

I sat up in a cold sweat and could feel tears running down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away not knowing why I felt so sad all of a sudden, or why I was crying in my sleep. Suddenly the door swung open. "Sophie?" Someone said sounding alarmed. "Sophie are you okay?" The voice asked.

"Who's there?" I rubbed my eyes.

"It's me, Ponyboy." He switched on the light and walked towards my bed looking tired.

"What time is it?" I mumbled.

"Bout' four in the morning." He stretched his arms and yawned.

"What are you doing awake?" I asked realizing somehow I got from the loveseat into the bed in the room. I had probably walked while I was half asleep.

"You woke me up with all your crying and groaning." He looked concerned and sat down at the foot of the bed. "You havin' a bad dream?" He asked

"I guess." I held my head up with one hand. "Pony?"

"Yeah?" He looked at me with his breathtaking hazel eyes.

"What happened here that has Soda all shaken up with this room? How come it looked like no one been in here for ages? How come Soda doesn't wanna talk about it?" I questioned probably overwhelming Ponyboy.

"Well," He started bringing both feet up on the bed and sitting criss-cross. "Bout' two years ago, when Soda was fourteen and I was twelve, Soda saved this girl from her parents who were beating her in their house. He heard the yelling and ran in and saved her like some sorta superhero." He sounded like he idolized Sodapop for this one action. "Short story, she was bout Soda's age and she came to live with us." Pony rolled his eyes. "She and Soda hit it off and he really liked her." Then he widened his eyes. "Like a lot." He emphasized. "Then one day when she was walking home from the DX after visiting Soda, she got jumped by some greaser gang and they cut her up somethin' awful." Pony sounded choked up which was a very immediate change from his playful attitude before. "Steve found er' and brought her back here. Only me and Darry were home when he brought her here. We brought her up to this room which used to be hers and by the time Soda got here, it was too late. She was already dead." Pony looked sadly down at his lap.

"That's awful," I whispered.

"Yeah, 'specially for Soda. He liked that broad a lot. He hasn't been the same since it happened." 

"What was her name?" I looked up at him.

"Daisy." He said glancing up at my eyes for a second. 

"So that's why he doesn't like this room?" I asked.

"He doesn't like this house, but hell, he knows we ain't got the kinda money to pick up and move." Pony chuckled slightly, but he still sounded sad. "I better get back to bed." He glanced at the door. "You alright?" He asked again.