Disclaimer: The Outsiders is owned by S.E. Hinton I own nothing.
…
(General POV)
Dear Johnny
Everything is going relatively fine here.
I'm sorry if I hadn't been responding to your letters as often as I use to
it's just that I've had a lot on my mind lately. I hope everything is going
okay for your at your new school. I just know you're doing great there.
Sincerely, Ponyboy
Calmly, Ponyboy set his pen down and looked over his letter. He was glad that he had finally put in the time to do this because it had been so long since he wrote a letter back to his friend (or at least it felt like so long).
Relatively fine, Ponyboy replayed these words in his mind bitterly. Fine was the last he would use for his situation.
Wild Dog was still out there waiting for Ponyboy to give him his drugs and Ponyboy still hasn't done anything about it yet.
There was sudden knock at his door.
"Ponyboy, you ready?"
The sound of his eldest brothers voice got the young greasers head reeling. He longed to just drop his tough guy act and just tell him and Sodapop what was happening, that his life was in danger and he needed help. He wished he was a little kid again so he could just run to his older brothers to solve his problems for him.
Darry opened the door and poked his head in the room.
"You hear me?" Darry questioned before he furrowed his brow.
The eldest Curtis brother, noticing the lost and helpless look on his little brother's face, was instantly attentive.
"What's with the long face?" Darry asked stepping into the room fully, "you look you just got mugged?"
Ponyboy bit his lip, a gesture that was supposedly done to stop himself from say anything which was not lost on Darry.
"Ponyboy," The young greaser couldn't help but wince at the familiar stern tone, "What is going on with you?"
For the life of him, Ponyboy didn't want to say anything but had absolutely could not just ignore his older brother.
"Well, um, you see…it's that murder that's been going around?" Ponyboy said as if it was question.
Maybe if Ponyboy had had some more confidence in his voice he might have been able to make that lie believable. That knifing murder had stuck yet again in Tulsa. It was reported in the news yesterday that he assaulted three families on the same block last week.
"Guys come on," They both heard Sodapop yell from the end of the hall, "we're going to be late if y'all don't hurry up."
Saved by the Soda, Ponyboy sighed to himself in relief. Quickly he tried to run past his brother but to no avail. You don't get past Darry that easily.
"We're going to talk about what's really bothering you when we get home," Darry told him sternly signifying that he had no choice.
Ponyboy could do nothing but gulp and nod in response. Darry left the room ahead of him leaving Ponyboy to himself again.
"Hopefully he'll forget," Ponyboy rationalized to himself as he put up all his writing equipment before rolling his eyes.
It's Darry, he never forgets anything.
…
"Are we there yet?"
"…"
"Are we there yet?"
"…"
"…are we?"
"Soda, I swear to god," Darry groaned gripping on the steering wheel of his car tightly.
"Don't swear to god it's rude," Sodapop replied with a grin.
Ponyboy sighed beside his brother in the backseat. Setting his book down on his lap, he took the time to enjoy the wonderful scenery. The three of them were heading to a creek not far from where they live to relax themselves.
Even though this year hasn't been particularly difficult for them, it has been a really hectic one. Things have been so busy for all them with dating, work/school, and other activities that the Curtis brothers haven't had any real time together except when it's time for meals and during the night. They needed this time alone to reconnect and stay in tune with what was happening in each other lives.
"It's been forever since we've been to 'The Creek?'" Sodapop stated with dramatic quotations as he drummed his hands on his legs.
"Yeah it is," Darry agreed with a nod, "like six or seven years."
"I don't even remember it," Ponyboy admitted seeing as he couldn't even recognize the places they were passing on the way.
Sodapop turned and gave him a shocked look.
"Why don't you…" Sodapop's eyes lit up, "oh that's right! The last time you came here you almost fell in the water. Dad was so scared that you almost drowned that he never took us back there again."
"Yes because somebody," Darry voice rose as he gave Soda a pointed look, "gave there little brother a fishing rod when father specifically told him not to."
"But he kept pouting for one," Sodapop claimed trying to defend himself, "and no one can resist the pout of doom."
Darry rolled his eyes but didn't exactly dispute what he said, much to Ponyboy's utter amusement.
In no less than ten minutes time the three of them had arrived at the old creek their father use to take them to. It was a nice a secluded spot where no was going to bother them and intrude upon them.
Once Darry finally parked, a relieved Sodapop happily got out of the car stretching himself. He looked around fondly at the familiar trees and wild life around him.
The eldest Curtis was having a similar feeling as he stepped out of the driver's seat. It brought back the memory of when he first came here with his dad. He was an impatient little boy with a whole lot of attitude luckily he had a great father who helped him gain the patience he had to today all through fishing.
Being the youngest Ponyboy naturally didn't have too many memories of this place but he was throughly enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. The more he thought about it, the more he could remember being so enthralled with this beautiful environment.
"Everything we need is in the trunk isn't it?" Darry asked moving to the back of his vehicle popping it open.
"Yes Darry," Sodapop replied rolling his eyes and folding his arms, "I took care of everything just like you told me this morning and again before we left."
Poking his head into the trunk Darry saw everything they needed neatly organized. The bait, lunch, fishing rods, everything was there.
"I'm impressed," Darry proclaimed taking everything out and setting on the ground, "you were actually orderly for once Soda."
"Thanks I…hey!"
"What kind of fish are we looking for?" Ponyboy asked curiously walking over to help his brother carry their stuff along with Soda.
"Spotted bass," Darry answered, "they usually tend to school around these parts and since the weather nice for them there should be plenty of them."
"Okay," Ponyboy responded quietly with his head down.
As they approached there fishing spot at the creek Ponyboy started to get a little nervous. He has absolutely no idea what he's doing when it comes to fishing and he would hate to make a complete idiot of himself.
"Hey now," Sodapop wrapped an arm around his little brothers shoulder, "I know that look on your face."
Ponyboy smiled at him nervously.
"Darry's going to teach you how to fish Ponyboy," Sodapop swore, "I would do it but it's all still coming back to me myself."
Ponyboy looked over at his eldest brother hesitantly. Sure, he was happy that Darry was going to be teaching him something like when they were younger, but there was a reason why Darry never taught him anything. One thing the oldest Curtis brother was known for hating was wasting time everything he did had a purpose to it. Top it off with he never seemed like teaching type no one ever went to him for any hands on guidance.
It was something Ponyboy admired and fear at his brother at the same time.
"Ponyboy."
The young greaser was snapped out of his own mind by said older brother who was raising an eyebrow at him. Judging by all their things being set down, Ponyboy saw that they must have arrived at their fishing spot atop a small bridge right above the water.
"You and your daydreams," You could hear Darry say with the briefest hint of amusement in his voice, "are you ready?"
"Ready?" Ponyboy blinked up at his older brother lost before his brain finally caught with him. Running over to one of their bags he grabbed a fishing rod.
"Yep!" The young greaser stated eagerly holding up the rod for emphasis. He missed the amused grin on Sodapop's face as he was already casting out his rod.
Darry grunted going up beside his brother taking a fishing rod as well along with the bait beside them.
"You know you have to use bait right?" Darry gestured to the can of worms they had as emphasis.
Ponyboy's excited face dropped as he looked down at the can of live worms with content.
"Why?" Ponyboy asked curiously looking up at his older brother.
"Because fish aren't stupid," Darry answered simply, "and most of the time they don't fall for the simple disguised hook. You have to affix some bait on hit."
"Affix?" Sodapop repeated under his breath rolling his eyes, "How long have you been waiting to use that word?"
Surprisingly enough, Darry ignored his brother non whispering whisper in order to demonstrate how to put bait on a hook. Darry was secretly pleased to see that he had his youngest brother in rapt attention trying to copying his every movement. Given the young greasers age and intelligence it was rare that you got to see him generally surprised with something him and someone in the gang were doing, this also coming from the fact that Ponyboy stopped coming to him to learn things a long time ago.
It made him feel like Ponyboy's big brother again.
Once Darry confirmed that Ponyboy's fishing rod was set he moved them to the edge of the bridge beside a melancholy Sodapop.
"Patience Soda," Darry told him sternly already knowing what was wrong with him, "you're not going to catch anything in the first five minutes of fishing."
Sodapop grunted in response waving him off.
"So I just throw it in?" Ponyboy asked his brother bringing attention back to the clueless greaser moving around his fishing rod.
Before Ponyboy could actually cast the reel in Darry quickly put a hand on his shoulder.
"Not powerful enough," Darry advised seeing how little effort Ponyboy was going to put into the throw, "you have to draw it behind your back and snap it."
"Like a whip," Sodapop added helpfully.
Taking in this information Ponyboy set his line behind his back, with Darry backing up slightly to give him some room, and putting some force into it he thrust it forward. It looked like it would have work, if only Ponyboy didn't almost throwing the rod into the water to much to the amazement of the young greaser.
Sodapop snickered as Darry jumped and grabbed the rod before it fell into the water.
"Oops," Ponyboy chuckled nervously scratching his hand behind his head, "I don't know how I did that."
"Its fine," Darry replied calmly, "it takes a little bit of practice to do. The first time Soda cast out he hooked the lunch box from behind him throwing our lunch and the rod into the water at the same time."
Now it was Ponyboy turned to laugh as Sodapop huffed in annoyance at his younger self's crazy antics.
After a couple more times Ponyboy was finally able to get the casting right and put his reel into the water. The young greaser looked on impressed as Darry casually cast himself out and got it right perfectly the first time.
"I did that," Sodapop said with a pout.
For the next thirty minutes, since none of the three got any fish, they just started hanging casually on the rail of the bridge sipping Pepsi's.
"I told you Darry," Sodapop said after taking a big gulp of his drink, "I have to meet this Danny person, how else are you going to get my approval?"
Darry snorted into his can of soda.
"I don't need your approval Soda," Darry told him.
"What?" Sodapop shrieked, "you always say you need to approve who I'm going with I was younger."
"Keyword there was 'younger'," Darry pointed out, "and that was only because you had terrible taste in women."
"I did not," Sodapop huffed keeping a sharp eye on his reel after he saw it twitch slightly.
"Remember when you dated that girl one girl and she stole our television," Ponyboy piped in making Soda look nervous.
"Well I…"
"And that girl that stole our radio," Darry added mockingly, "but then how could you because she came before that girl that tried to steal mom's jewelry box. Then there was that other girl that tried t-"
"Okay, I get it," Sodapop interjected loudly much to his brother's amusement, "I use to suck at picking girlfriends, but I'm not like that anymore."
"But really Darry," Sodapop said clearing his throat, "you shouldn't be afraid to bring good old Danny over. We're family we should accept the people we're dating."
Ponyboy cleared his throat giving his brother a sharp look.
"Except when there the spawn of Satan," Sodapop added not even turning in his young brothers direction, "hint, hint Ponyboy."
"You're being overdramatic, Curly is not that bad of a guy," Ponyboy stated into his can of Pepsi.
His response was met with dry looks.
"He's not," Ponyboy argued setting his can down on the bridge rail, "just because he rob stores, steal cars, get in fights with people where ever he may go (regardless of age or gender), acts rude and uncaring from time to time doesn't mean that mean that he's necessarily that bad of a guy. Right?
This time all the young greaser was given was raised eyebrows. Thankfully, Ponyboy was saved from responding by his fishing rod reacting wildly.
"I-I have s-something," Ponyboy stuttered in a panic as he hurriedly grabbed his fishing rod.
"Wow, you must have something big," Sodapop whistled noticing how insanely frantic the rod was about on and about.
Darry, noticing that Ponyboy stilled looked a little panicky and was starting to lose his grip grabbed onto rod to his young brother.
"Don't drag the reel Ponyboy," Darry lectured seeing that the young greaser didn't have a clue how to do this, "you have to reel him in slowly, tire the fish out."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ponyboy grunted struggling to hold onto the fishing rod and reel in the fish at the same time (Darry was on the other side of him so he couldn't do it himself).
Sodapop, seeing that they need some extra help, moved and added his expertise and started to reel in the fish for his brother.
The brothers looked down on wonderment as the fish moved in the water majestically swishing the water around itself. Finally, with one big pull, Sodapop was able to reel the fish in for all of them revealing their catch.
"Oh," Sodapop was gushing over their fish, it was a very large Spotted Bass.
Ponyboy looked to be in awe himself. This was the first time he ever caught a fish, actually this was actually the first time had been this close to a live fish before.
"It looks like its 6 lb.'s," Darry stated scanning said Spotted Bass.
"Is that small?" Ponyboy asked concerned that his big catch might not as big as he thought it was.
"No, Ponyboy," Darry chuckled, "that means he's very big for a Spotted Bass."
The young grease smiled happily.
Sodapop and Ponyboy were so excited about this catch that they practically demanded to stay at the creek the rest of the day. Darry was surprisingly calm about this as he agreed without compliant (although secretly it was because he wanted to stay out there a little longer as well).
And so the Curtis brothers did not return home until very late at night with a several fish with them in hand.
"That was fun," Sodapop yawned stretching his tired body as they entered the house, "but I have to get to bed."
"Night Soda," Ponyboy said yawning a little himself.
"Night Pony, Darry," Sodapop replied walking straight to his room without delay.
Ponyboy was about to walk to his own room but seeing Darry with the container of fish made him think that his brother needed help.
"You want me to put them away?" Ponyboy offered.
Darry furrowed his brow before shaking his head moving toward the refrigerator.
"No, but we do have to have a talk," Darry told him sternly.
Ponyboy groaned hoping that his older brother would have forgotten foolishly.
"Darry, I'm okay," Ponyboy lied shifting his eyes, "there's nothing wrong."
Darry just have him a blank stare before putting the fish up.
"You and Soda are terrible liars," Darry responded with a shake of his head, "If you won't talk to me who are you going to talk to?"
"We'll I-"
"Ponyboy," The urgency in his older brother's voice silenced him, "I know that you're getting older and I'm trying to stop being so…intrusive in your life."
"But," Darry said walking over and placing a hand on his brother shoulder giving him a somewhat pleading look, "I don't want you going through things all by yourself you hear me? If you get in trouble I want you to tell somebody, get some help because you're not in invincible and you're sure as hell not immortal."
Ponyboy nodded somewhat understanding where his brother was coming from. Even though he was coming into his own person, he still shouldn't be afraid to ask for help every once and a while. Ponyboy got that, a little.
"I know Darry," Ponyboy replied quietly, "thanks."
Darry just ruffled his brother's hair briefly before going off to his room to get some well-deserved sleep leaving Ponyboy alone.
For about five minutes Ponyboy stood in the middle his living room, just thinking, thinking of what he had to do and why he had to do it. He had to stop Wild Dog from doing something stupid and insane before someone got hurt, like him or his brothers.
Letting out a small breath, Ponyboy moved over to the phone and started to dial a number. You could hear it ring twice before it was picked up.
"Hey it's me Ponyboy."
"…"
"Yeah, I know. Listen, I need a favor."
"…"
"Can you come back? I really need you."
"…"
"You're the best," Ponyboy smiled happily.
Hopefully this can solve the Wild Dog problem, Ponyboy thought to himself hopefully.
…
