Time flies: It's Only The Beginning (Ponyboy Curtis Love Story)

Chapter 15

We were all real glad Dally was looking alright, besides that burnt arm lying by his side.  Two-bit tossed a small gift shop toy at dally for a 'get well' present.

"How's the kid?" He asked as he sat up.

"Well, he ain't doing so good.... Got burned pretty bad." Two-bit said, sadly.

I wouldn't have been so out with it like Two-bit was, I would've explained it slower. Maybe not even at all. There were so many things I would've changed in those days when Johnny and Dally were still alive, when they were happy and running around having a good time. But, I can't really change anything because i couldn't. It was as if it was meant to happen. Ponyboy said that the gang all knew Dallas was going to die one time soon, Johnny too, but that didn't change how I felt. At all.

Ponyboy P.O.V

We left because Dally had been in a dangerous mood and we knew not to mess with him. A.J looked as if she was going to bawl hard in a few so I took her hand and squeezed it gently. She looked up at me with those amazing bright green eyes and  grinned but I knew it was a fake one because her heart wasn't in it enough. in fact, she was out of it. We got to the park and Cherry was coming out of her red Corvette and had come up to us, smiling in spite of herself. 

"What's up with the big times?" Two-bit asked doggedly.

"They play by your rules," She said. "No weapons."

"Thanks, Cherry." Two-bit replied and started to stalk off.

I started to turn too but Cherry asked me to stay a minute so we could talk. I told A.J to go with Two-bit and she looked at Cherry in a way that I can tell she was real upset. She went off anyway.

A.J's P.O.V

I jammed my fist into my pockets and stalked off, my head filled with annoyance. Can't believe it. I thought, turning back around to glared at Cherry Valence the redhead. When I got to the Curtis house, I slowly opened the door and saw the rest of the gang there, Darry, Sodapop, Two-bit and Steve. They all smiled at me and I returned it happily.  At least they were around. I sat on the couch right next to Sodapop and he was grinning wildly and quickly, something dawned on me. 

The Rumble was today and I completely forgot. Two-bit was drinking extra beer and getting boozed up, Steve and Soda were walking to the dining-room table, about to arm-wrestling  and Darry was lifting weight or something.

"Ya'll think I could go, too?" I asked.

The boys stopped short and turned to me, a strange look on their faces. Was it something I had said? I puzzled. Then, Two-bit laughed and so did Steve until Sodapop put up a hand for them to stop laughing at him. Darry shook his head.

"You can't," Soda said. "We were thinking of letting you stay at the hospital with Dally." he explained and Darry nodded.

"Sorry, A.J." Steve said apologetically.

I understood why I couldn't go, kind of. At that moment, the excitement turned back to normal so I sat back comfortably into the couch and yawned as Ponyboy opened to door and walked into the room but no one seemed to notice him. I stood and went into the kitchen, hoping there was some Pepsi in the icebox and Pony followed me.

"Whatta want?" I asked as I opened the icebox door.

Ponyboy took aback and stared at me. I was kinda mad at him for telling me to leave and to be honest, I didn't trust Cherry a whole lot and maybe it was because I was jealousy or maybe 'cause I never will. She was Bob's girlfriend, 'course I can't trust her. 

"I'm sorry." Ponyboy said.

I turned to see tears slowly coming down his face and I couldn't take it. I knew how much Pony realized I hated Cherry and I guess he was really sorry, too. I sighed and put down the Ppesi can I took out of the icebox on the counter and wrapped my arms around Pony, hugging him gently.

"I ain't mean it, Ponyboy... I love you." I whispered into his ear.

I heard him laugh quietly and said,

" Love you too."