June Rumble

[Tensleep]

Please see rules before posting.

Ok, running a little late on this one - blame sleep - so let's keep this one going until the 13th.

Rumble June 07:

Darry Said No

As the guardian Darry has to set the rules and keep his little brothers in line even if it means he doesn't always seem fair.

Write a piece about one time Darry put his foot down and the reaction to this. This can be written in any perspective and POV. Max 6 pages.

Basically, have fun. I know there are tons of ideas on this one!

Ends June 13th

Please copy, paste and post your entries under this tread so we can all enjoy them! I know there are some awesome imaginations on this forum. So get writing!

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[fosterchild]

I'm inspired! Something's coming soon!!!

[zevie]

?!

Tease.

[Keira]

Man, I hope people are writing and just taking their time to post I don't have much room to speak, but an interesting observation nonethless.

[Tensleep]

So I have to get this going again? I'd tut you all and add some 'fore-shames' if I weren't secretly preening about being first...Shouldn'a told you that...Meh.

So, on with the Shoe!

Lifelines
By Tensleep

“Hey Darry! Steve and me are getting going now!”

“Midnight and no later, Sodapop,” I called back from where I was bent over the newest stack of bills

“Yeah, sure.”

“You heard the boss. No smoking, drag racing, stealing, gang fighting…And don’t go having no fun, neither,” Steve chimed in

“Come on, Steve,” Soda chuckled “Bye Ponyboy!”

There was no reply and I sighed at the front door slammed close behind Soda and Steve. They were on their way out with the girls to some dance thing over at Jays. They’d told me about it a week ago and I’d agreed. That was half of the reason why I couldn’t concentrate on the bills. That was half the reason why the house was so quiet, too.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair feeling like an old man before my time. Managing the bills was like walking a tight wire high above the stands of people waiting to see if I would make it across or not. I shook my head, thinking I was borrowing Pony’s imagination tonight. No, the bills were tough but they weren’t as bad as they had been a few months ago when I was paying off the funeral and trying to work out the interesting budget our parents managed to somehow survive on. I had a better handle on it, but I still had a lot of practice to do before I got it perfect. One month we’d been twenty dollars short because the power bill was late the month before and we had penalties to catch up on. We were looking at a week of canned soup and preserves older than I was that were down in the cellar until Sodapop had stepped up and offered me his paycheck to help out. I’d talked him down to half and the bills had been more manageable since. It hurt my pride to take it, but what other choice did I have? I’ll admit it – I like to eat and I like having hot water and lights. If a couple extra dollars from Soda’s check helped keep all those things…well, I had gotten used to taking it from him. I made sure a couple bucks went away for Pony’s education even, hoping some day he wouldn’t have to worry about whether his family was going to eat or not.

He was a smart kid. He was going to university after high school and then he was going to do everything with his life that he wanted to, everything I wished I could do. That kid had no idea how lucky he was….

I shifted forward on my chair and thought over the fight we had tonight. He wanted to go to a party Tim Shepard was having. Now, don’t get me wrong, I had been to few of them myself in my time and there was an appeal to hanging out with people tougher than you were over a few beers. He just seemed to be forgetting that he was fourteen, it was a school night and if I caught him drinking again I was going to lock him in his bedroom for a month or until Curly made his way back into the reformatory again. It seemed like it only took Curly ten minutes to get Ponyboy to do something stupid. The last time they had been alone together Tim had ended up smacking their foreheads together for trying to burn holes through their fingers with cigarettes.

“It was just a game of chicken, Darry…”

Tell that to the blistering burn on his finger that needed to be swabbed out with iodine because he let it start getting infected.

Needless to say he hadn’t liked being told no tonight and I had been faced with a full out temper tantrum from my fourteen-year-old brother. What made it worse was Sodapop was going out and I had already told him it was fine. I’d been accused of playing favorites, of only keeping him around because Sodapop needed him and a couple other things that had felt like a kick to the gut.

He just didn’t understand. I wasn’t telling him no because I didn’t like him or didn’t want him to have friends. I was telling him no because I wanted him to do well in school and not make stupid decisions and even because I wanted better for him than to go and get drunk on a school night at a party that would be crashed by the cops at some point. Maybe I even told him no because I cared about him enough to. I hadn’t told him this because he was in no mood to listen to it. He’d just call me a liar and I didn’t think I could take that. There are days when I feel like I'm drowning. It’s like I’ve jumped into a pool; it’s too deep to touch the bottom and I’ve suddenly lost my balance and can’t remember how to swim. It frustrates me and scares me all at the same time.

How did Mom and Dad manage to keep track of all three of us? How did they keep Sodapop from getting in trouble with the fuzz? How did they tell Ponyboy no without being labeled an enemy? How did they keep the bills straight and remember where everyone had to be all the time? Did they have some manual or do you actually have to have kids to get all those secrets handed down to them? I just wished I had some idea what I was doing. I just wished they were here to do this. Ponyboy and Soda needed them a hell of a lot more than they needed me. I needed them a lot more than I was willing to admit.

I shook myself out of those thoughts – they never went anywhere productive. They were dead and gone and no amount of wishing was going to bring them back. I looked down at the bills and rubbed my eyes to get the sleepy feeling out of them. I was always tired these days, but there was so much to get done. As much as Soda tried to help, there was only so much he could do and he was still a kid. He needed to go out and laugh and hang out with Steve and have fun. I hoped he would never be put in my shoes. Sure, I wanted him to have a family some day, but on his own terms with someone he loved there to help carry the load. I wanted the same for Ponyboy – after he finished school and got a good job. Lord knows how far a baby can go towards complicating things…

It was much later when I finally finished up the bills, signed Pony’s report card and got the dishes dried. The house had been still and quiet since Soda and Steve left. It had been a calming thing but now it was beginning to feel oppressive and unnerving. I glanced at the clock – 10 –before heading down the hall to where there was still a light on under Pony and Soda’s door. It wasn’t surprising with how much Ponyboy liked to read.

I eased the door open and let a small smile escape my lips. Ponyboy was laying flat on the mattress arms and legs sprawled everywhere. It was how he always slept when Sodapop wasn’t in bed. What finished the picture was the lamp on beside the bed and the book open on his chest. I eased across the room, stepping over books, paper, clothes and towels before I made it to his side of the bed. That settled it; this weekend both he and Sodapop were house bound until this mess got cleaned up. It smelled wet in here, which was never a good sign. I shook my head. There wasn’t much I could make them do about it right now, especially with Soda not even home for another couple hours.

So I did what I came in to do. I picked the book off Pony’s chest and folded the corner of the page he was on before sitting it on the bedside table. He stirred then and blinked at me sleepily before closing his eyes again.

“’Time s’it?” he mumbled

“Ten. You should get ready for bed,” I suggested

He nodded and sat up to take off his jeans. He was swaying a little like people who aren’t awake often do. I helped him pull off his socks and shirt before throwing him a clean one from the closet. He pulled it on after struggling with it for a moment and flopped back on the bed like a boneless fish. I sighed and thought that I probably should have turned back the covers before he did that. I hauled him up a little and pulled the covers down enough to get him under them. He curled around his pillow and blinked at me again.

“Are you still mad at me?” he asked a little groggily and I blinked at him

Was I mad at him? Lord, I was anything but mad at him. I thought he would still be mad at me. I guess he had brooded himself out or he was just tired enough to not remember the hours of silence. I sighed, remembering how helpless I had felt when I was fighting with him – drowning again under my responsibility – and silently willed us to find some common ground. He’d thrown me a lifeline and now it was my turn to take it.

“I wasn’t mad at you,” I assured him, but he looked doubtful

I sighed a little and sat down on the bed beside him. He was squinting in the light so I reached over and flipped the lamp off.

“I got frustrated and I yelled and I shouldn’t have,” I explained

He looked far younger than he usually did and I think that made it easier to talk to him. I hoped with the street lamp behind me he wouldn’t be able to see me as well as I could see him. It would make me feel a lot better to have a bit of anonymity if he wanted to have this heart-to-heart.

“It was just a party, Darry.”

I wanted to shake my head. He used the same line with everything…

“And there’ll be others at better times when someone else can go with you,” I added

“I can look after myself. I’m not a little kid anymore.”

How was I going to explain to him that I wanted someone to go with him to look after everyone else? He was a smart kid, but he just didn’t use his head and there was Curly to contend with…

“No, you’re not. You were easier to keep an eye on when you were.”

He smirked slightly and yawned widely.

“Listen, this weekend we’ll do something, ok?” I asked and he nodded “Just you and me. Maybe Soda, if you’re feeling generous.”

He nodded again and it was obvious he was going to fall right back to sleep. I ruffled his hair and he grabbed my hand, shooting a small glare at me. He shouldn’t have bothered; I figured out too late that he had grease through his hair. I smiled at him anyways in that annoying older brother way and threw in a couple brushes of his ribs with my fingers before standing up. He rolled over in a huff and yawned again. I shook my head and left the room.

It was a few hours later when I woke up to the sound of the front door opening. I rubbed my eyes and looked over at the clock. It was half past one. I looked over at where Sodapop was quietly taking off his shoes and waited until he looked up and met my eyes. He grinned sheepishly and I raised an eyebrow.

“We lost track of time…”

“I’d say so,” I pointed out as I straightened up in the easy chair I had made my bed

“So, how’d your night go?” He asked, obviously changing the subject

I allowed myself a smirk and shook my head “Ponyboy finally threw me a lifeline.”

Soda gave me an odd look before running a hand through his hair.

“You should get some sleep, Darry. We’ll talk in the morning.”

I smiled at him and he half-heartedly returned it before sending me a suspicious glance and going down the hall towards his bedroom. I chuckled to myself, feeling lighter than I had in a while. It was nice to be able to breathe again, even if it was just until tomorrow when I had to give Soda a stern talking to about curfews. Before I could think too hard on what I wanted to say, I headed to bed. Right now all I wanted to deal with was another couple hours of sleep. After all, everyone always says its better to sleep on things than to lay awake later regretting them. I already had enough to regret and a lot more to work at. Ponyboy was teaching me that everytime he and I didn't see eye to eye. We may never get along like we used to, but a least I knew that he would toss me a line when I desperately needed it and that was all that mattered.

The End

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[Nittanylizard]

Lifelines: Aw, that was good! I love how you write Darry's thoughts. Great analogies, with the tightrope walking and drowning. Nice job showing his internal struggles and how they contrast with what Ponyboy sees in him in the book.

Oh, and I liked the hair grease thing, that was funny. The whole bit with him talking to Pony was good. What else to say? Great job! Now, maybe this will get my inspiration kickstarted .

Liz

[fosterchild]

OK here's my little contribution....hope you all enjoy it....

Kid Brother
by Fosterchild

Darry overheard Soda whispering to Steve from the kitchen about Buck’s latest illegal rodeo. He poked his head into the living room. “You know I hear you, right? Don’t even imagine yourself riding in that rodeo.”

Soda sighed. “Darry, please let me. I know you worry but I...”

“I don’t care. You’re not riding.”

Soda looked up at Darry with those big pleading eyes that usually got him whatever he wanted from people. “Come on. Please?”

Darry didn’t budge. “Look, I know how much you love the horses. I do. But I’m not gonna have you doing what you did to yourself last time or worse. My answer is final, Soda.”

Sodapop wanted in on that rodeo. He could feel the excitement bubbling in his chest. His nerves were raw with exhilaration just thinking about it. Riding was freedom to him; just you and your horse flying down a track or moseying along a trail together. You were one with the horse. There was a real connection. He trusted horses even more than most people.

Darry didn’t know it but Soda had been out to Buck’s little makeshift ranch with Dally for the past couple months riding and racing Dal for fun. His favorite to ride was a gorgeous sorrel Quarter Horse named Stargazer. He was strong, fast and feisty. Soda fell in love as soon as he laid eyes on him and he was pretty sure Stargazer felt the same about him.

Before his parents died his father had forbidden him to ride after he fell and tore ligaments in his leg. He figured Darry wouldn’t be so harsh. Darry had played football and that was just as dangerous if not more so than riding horses.

Soda woke up at 5:00 Saturday morning and pulled on his jeans, t-shirt and boots, grabbed his cowboy hat off the top of his dresser and quietly walked out the front door. He told Dally the night before to wait for him at Buck’s. He figured by the time Darry figured out where he was he would already have raced and it would be too late to do anything about it. He had to ride. Darry’d just have to understand.

Darry awoke at 9:00, got out of bed and started the usual routine of making breakfast.

Ponyboy shuffled into the kitchen moments later still rubbing sleep out of his eyes. “Where’s Soda?”

“He’s not still in bed?” Darry asked.

Pony shook his head.

Darry began fuming. He wanted to give Soda the benefit of the doubt and believe his brother wouldn’t blatantly disobey him but he knew in his gut where he went. He looked up at the clock. The rodeo had started at 9. Darry would give him till 10. Then he would ground him till he was 21.

It wasn’t that Darry didn’t get it. He did. And normally he didn’t treat Soda like a kid. He treated him almost like an equal since he worked full time and contributed to the household. He just knew that their dad didn’t want Soda to be on a horse anymore and he wanted to honor his dad’s memory by enforcing that one thing.

The second hand hit 10 and Darry called to Ponyboy and grabbed his keys. “Come on. We’re going to the rodeo.”

Just as they were getting into the pickup Dally came around the corner in Buck’s T-Bird and stopped in front of the house. He got out and walked over to the truck. “Dar, Soda’s in the hospital;” he said, not meeting Darry’s gaze. He knew how Darry felt about Soda racing and didn’t enjoy being the bearer of bad news now.

“What happened?” Darry asked angrily.

Dally was biting his lip. “He, uh…he fell off a horse. Messed his face up a little. And uh…”

Darry growled; “And what, Dallas?”

“His leg’s banged up, too.” Dally stepped back out of arms reach of Darry. He didn’t want to get slugged.

Darry took a deep, controlled breath. Inside he was ready to explode but knew it wouldn’t do any good. The damage was done. “Ok let’s get to the hospital then. “

Dally led Darry and Pony back to the trauma room where the orderly took Soda when he was brought in. A nurse was next to Soda’s bed asking him questions. She looked up as the three walked in.

“I hope someone here is his guardian;” she said, eyebrows raised.

Soda groaned knowing he was in deep trouble now that Darry was there. He was glad, too, though because it was rough answering all those questions the nurse was shooting at him being in the pain he was in.

Darry wouldn’t make eye contact with Soda right away. He just told the nurse he was his legal guardian, signed some papers and was told the doctor would be in for Soda shortly.

“Leave us alone for a few, guys;” Darry told Dally and Ponyboy.
When they were alone Darry sat down in the plastic chair next to the bed. He finally looked at Soda. His top lip was swollen and bleeding from a big gash in it and his left cheek was showing the start of a big bruise. His left arm and both hands were scraped up and bloody. The left side of his jeans had already been cut up to his thigh by the nurse, Darry suspected. It looked like they cleaned the wounds on his leg but they were still oozing blood from his calf to the middle of his thigh. His boots were off already and his leg was elevated on two pillows.

“Soda….”

“Darry, I know. I was wrong.”

Darry’s face contorted slightly as he tried to control the volume of his voice. “Wrong is an understatement! I hope it was worth it, kid, cuz you’re not going near another horse til you’re 18!”

Soda played with the tattered edge of his cut pant leg. “I didn’t mean to go behind your back. I just missed it, Dar. I figured you’d understand. You love football.”

“I do love football but I gave it up except to play with you guys once in awhile. We have to take care of Pony. We can’t be goofin’ off like kids!” Darry exclaimed.

“BUT I AM A KID!” Soda yelled, not caring who heard him.

It was like a slap in the face for Darry. How could he really have thought of Soda as his equal? How could he have thought of his brother who was 4 years younger than him as anything BUT a kid?

“You are a kid, Soda. And you’re gonna be grounded like a kid, too.”

“Ok;” Soda said quietly and looked up into Darry’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Dar.”

“It’s alright, kiddo. We all make mistakes.” Darry said, knowing that he was telling himself that just as much as he was Soda.

[fosterchild]

Tens, I just read your story. I didn't read it when you posted it because I was trying to keep my thoughts on my own.

I enjoyed you writing from Darry's perspective. I think you really nailed how he must have felt being responsible for everything and everyone. I think it's funny what you said about Soda being just a kid when that's what I was writing about in mine, too!

Good stuff!

[Tensleep]

Kid Brother - I thought this was an excellent take on the rumble! Defiance coming from Sodapop, Sodapop getting hurt and not being perfect...I foresee many fangirls in tears...

I thought that you made the important points really stand out. Soda is just a kid, Darry makes mistakes and Ponyboy isn't always the only one who needs parenting. Excellent. I also liked how Darry reacted to Soda's declaration of being a kid. I could see him forgetting Soda was so young because he needed so much help. He needed Soda to be the other parent sometimes and that unfairness really came out.

As for not reading when I posted, that's not a bad plan. It keeps your mind and fingers from wandering too far. In fact, I often do the same thing. Hope to see more from you next month!

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[zevie]

Two Down

A/N: Hey y'all. It's strange that it feels natural to write that. Anyway, here it is, scrambled and frantic and barfed out between rehearsals. I went another way with this challenge, so I may have broken some rules. Darry still makes rules, but... Meh. Criticism readily accepted and very much desired for this particular one, as I'm not quite happy with it, especially the end. Will comment on others later, but they were good! Also...still can't swear.

~~~~

He stumbled out of the pick-up, dropped his keys and left them there and staggered up the front porch to the door. He barely made it to the couch before falling dead asleep.

"Darry!"

His eyes snapped open at the sound of the screen door slamming. He could have sworn he'd just fallen asleep, but it'd been two when he'd gotten home and school didn't let out until a quarter to three.

He closed his eyes again and tried to sleep, but the banging in the kitchen kept bringing him joltingly back to life.

"Hey, Darry, how was work?"

F*** off... he thought groggily pushing himself up, but he managed not to say it out loud. "Heya kiddo, work was work. How was school?" he asked instead.

Soda grinned knowingly and handed him a cup of coffee. "Last days are always great."

Darry took a large gulp of the coffee. "Ahh, thank you God," he groaned, and downed the rest quickly.

"You're welcome," Soda said merrily.

Darry set his cup down and yawned.

"You look like you need another." Soda grabbed the mug and trotted to the kitchen.

"Where's Pony," Darry called, stretching.

"Dunno. Probably with Johnny, celebrating the end of school."

"As long as he ain't celebrating with Two-Bit."

Soda laughed shortly. The was a quick pause, and then: "His report card's on the mail table."

Darry reached over and grabbed the mail. Bill, bill, bill... he crammed them in the side of the couch. Go to hell, he though viciously at them. A second warning, a third warning...

"You see the mail? Awful lot of bills," Soda said, jogging back with the coffee. He slipped, and the coffee sloshed in the cup, a couple drops hitting the ground. "Whoops. Didn't know you waxed the floor."

Darry swallowed down the burst of anger he felt. It's just coffee for Christ's sake, he told himself. He was just tired. "Didn't wax. If you'd bother to put on some shoes, instead of walking around in those damn socks..."

Soda handed him the coffee and grinned. He pulled off a sock, the bottom black with dirt. "I'm just doing my part of the cleaning up." His eyes flicked towards the pile of mail sticking up from behind the cushions. "They don't go away just cause you hide 'em, Dar."

"It's my filing system," Darry said wearily. He wished Soda would miss something, let something slide once in awhile...

He shook himself out of the funk he felt coming on and pulled Pony's report card out of the pile. Six As and a B in gym.

"He's a f***ing genius."

"Yeah," Darry said, smiling. "Hey, wait, don't swear."

Soda raised and eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Maybe they oughtta put him up another grade? Give him a challenge."

"Better he stays where he is and keeps getting marks like these. You know what kind of scholarship he could swing if he pulls all As through high school?"

"And he wants to go for track!" Soda said enthusiastically. "If he does good there, I bet they'd give him money for that, too."

Darry leaned back against the couch. "Yeah..."

Soda swiped Darry's cup and took a swallow. "Looks like he might not get to go at all, unless we get those bills in order."

"Unless, I get those bills in order," Darry said flatly. He stared at the ceiling. He couldn't see him, but he knew his brother was biting his lip and a tiny wrinkle had appeared in his forehead.

"Doncha wanna see my report card?"

Darry looked at Soda quickly. "I don't know. Do I want to?"

Soda handed him the envelope wordlessly. His jaw was clenched and his eyes stared determinedly into Darry's.

Darry shrugged off the challenge. He knew Soda didn't have Pony's grades and likely never would have them. He wasn't going to start a fight over something he couldn't change. He spent too much of his time arguing with Ponyboy over nothing for him to want to argue with Soda over the same.

He snapped open the envelope and scanned the contents quickly. A in auto-mechanics, no surprises there, a B in gym...

"Soda, you've failed almost every class this year!"

Soda took another swallow of coffee and made a face. "Yeah, well. I ain't Ponyboy."

Darry groaned and leaned back. Soda failing meant no more than twenty hours a week at the DX all summer, which meant he'd have to start looking for that second job. He took another swallow of coffee and grimaced. If he worked any more hours than he was now, he'd need the coffee in an IV. "When does summer school start?"

"I ain't going."

Darry looked at at him wearily. Soda's eyes burned darkly, and he had his chin thrust out dangerously... Ponyboy could be naive and uncooperative at times, but Soda was more stubborn than a mule when he thought he was right. Darry smelled an argument. He dropped his head into his hands. He didn't need another fight, and from the look in Soda's eyes, he wouldn't win the summer school debate. "Soda, you keep this up, and you're gonna end up like Two-Bit. Just turned eighteen and I doubt he's gonna be a senior next year. What'll that be - the third year he's a junior?"

Soda picked up the report card. "I ain't gonna end up like Two-Bit. He keeps on going back for kicks. Darry, I been thinking-"

"Soda, no," Darry said flatly.

"I'm sixteen, and I'm failing everything," Soda protested. "I ain't going to college; there just ain't no point, Darry."

"The point is to learn something."

"How much learning you think I did to pull those Ds?" Soda argued. "Not enough to make it worth it. I'm dropping out. It ain't worth the effort, Darry, and it sure ain't worth my time."

Darry shook his head. "Your time? You mean the time you spend cruising with Steve, or making out with Sandy? Soda, this is your life-"

"No, Darry, I mean the time I spend on the clock at the DX," Soda said sharply.

Darry stood up quickly. "Forget it, Soda. You're not dropping out."

Soda followed him into the kitchen. "If I drop out, I can work forty hours a week. I'll make double what I do now. We can use the money-"

"I got it covered," Darry said harshly.

"By the couch cushions," Soda retorted.

Darry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He dropped his cup down on the counter next to the overflowing sink. "Ain't it your turn to do the dishes?"

"Don't change the subject!"

Darry flipped the faucet on. "Soda, there ain't nothing left to discuss. Look, I know we're in a rough spot, but we'll pull through. You keep working the DX part-time, I'll look for another job-"

"You can't work another job," Soda said exasperatedly. "You're dead on your feet from this one already." He reached over and flipped off the water. "I'm dropping out. We need the money."

"You are not, Sodapop," Darry said, and flipped the water back on.

Soda was quiet for a minute. Darry scrapped the flimsy sponge over a breakfast plate. He could almost feel his brother's next words before he said them.

"I already did."

Darry gripped the sponge in his fist and scrubbed harder. Damn eggs, he thought. So hard to clean off...

"Did you hear me? I'm not going back Darry. I talked to the guidance counsellor and the principal already. This is done." Soda leaned over and turned the faucet off again.

Darry put down the sponge and closed his eyes. "Call them tomorrow and change it."

"No."

His chest tightened and he took a deep breath. Don't get mad, don't get mad...

"Soda..."

"Darry, I hate it there," Soda exploded. "I ain't no good at school, like you or Pony. I'm just not okay? Quit trying to make out like I'm the same as both a you. Pony's your star student, not me."

Darry glanced at him, startled. "Soda," he said weakly. "You're smart about other things. You don't gotta be jealous..."

Soda reddened. "I ain't. I know I'm good at cars, and with people and I'm good at my job, Darry."

Darry shook his head. "No, no, Soda..."

"I know it ain't the best, but it ain't the worst either," Soda continued, doggedly. "It's not like a high school diploma will get me a different job if I ain't smart enough to do it."

"You are smart, Sodapop," Darry yelled, slamming the plate into the sink. "You're just not smart enough to see how much you need that diploma." He turned around. "It'll get you places you can't go on your own."

Soda was sitting still and tense at the kitchen table. He stared determinedly at the table for a second then met Darry's eyes.

"Where'd it get you?" he said quietly.

It was almost hard to breathe naturally. Darry sat down heavily in the opposite chair and gripped the table hard. He took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. " We couldn't have stayed together if I didn't get that job right away. I didn't have a choice, Soda. You will. When you graduate, we'll have enough money that you can get some training and get a good job somewhere, something that'll support you and your family if you got one. When you graduate-"

"If I stay until I graduate, I'll be doing it from a different home, Darry. We're broke."

Darry closed his eyes and leaned against the table. He worked his ass off everyday to bring home enough money so that they could live in that house and eat the food they did and stick together. He worked himself until he could barely piss in a straight line he was so damn tired. He'd given up college, he'd given up everything except that damn job in that damn company and it just...wasn't enough.

"You can't do it, Dar. You don't have to." Soda leaned forward, his elbows propped up against the table. "Let me help, okay?"

"i don't...want you to," Darry said haltingly. He couldn't do this to Soda. He was just a kid, a stupid sixteen-year-old kid with a job at a gas station. "You're not supposed to do this, either." He shook his head slowly. "I can't... You're not dropping out Soda, that's final."

For a split second, he thought he saw Soda smile. Then the frown was back in place, and his face set determinedly. He took a deep breath and stood up slowly.

"Darry, you might be in charge around here on paper. You might get to decide how we spend out money and who does the dishes and how late Pony can stay out on weekends, but this is my choice and there ain't nothin' you can do about it."

Darry stood up too, slamming his chair back so hard a leg snapped. "You ain't gonna throw your life away, Soda," he said, his voice rising. "You're goin' to graduate, you're going to be someone, do something, go somewhere, you've got a future..." He swallowed hard. "I'm putting my foot down, Soda."

"Darry," Soda said, agitated. "You can't. I know you think you have to bring us up good, but..." He spread his hands widely. "I'm brought up already. Mom and Dad finished me good, and don't you think that seeing them go didn't age me just as much as you." His voice was rising, too. "They raised me up to stick up for my brothers and damn it, you ain't gonna take that away from me."

Soda gripped the chair back in a white-knuckled grip. His eyes were heavy with the responsibility Darry recognized. He wished he couldn't see it.

"They raised me up to do the right thing, and from where I'm standing, the right thing is gettin' that job full-time and helping out my brothers and helpin' put Pony through school cause he belongs in there like I never did. No!" He was shouting now, shaking. "I'm doing this Darry!"

Both his hands were fisted at his side, and for all his shaking, the firm set of his jaw meant business.

"And I... I'm putting my foot down now." His voice cracked.

Darry stood still for two seconds, and then swore, slamming across the room. He grabbed Soda in a violent grasp and hugged him crushingly. "You idiot," he sighed. "You f***ing sentimetal...throwin' your life...I can take care of us."

Soda hugged him back fiercely. "I don't need another parent, Darry. I just need my brothers."

The End

[fosterchild]

I absolutley LOVE all our perspectives on Soda in this rumble so far....zevie and I writing ours with Soda as the focus and Tens kind of secondary but with great perspective on him as well....we done good!

[zevie]

Kid Brother: The name says it all. I like that take on Soda, it seems very true to his character, that Peter Pan type, lol. I thought it was interesting how easily he accepted being grounded. To me, it seems that he's not really a kid from that reaction. It seems like he's grown out of it enough to appreciate how good life is as a kid, and he's so desperate to grasp hold of that moment that he accepts the loss of freedom for that protection and kind of immunity. I don't know if that was what you were going for, but it's what I got from it, and I liked it.

I love the Dallas moment, natch. I like that he's a little apprehensive of Darry - Dallas isn't wary of many people, and it gives a good image of how angry Darry is from his frustration with his responsibility, that even Dally backs off.

Lifelines: I love all the little anecdotes that you include in Darry's inner monologue. Like the preserves, lol, and liking hot water and lights. Everyone (or, almost everyone) has a sense of humour, and I love it when it comes out from people who aren't normally the jokesters. Makes for more well-rounded characters - and Darry cracks a few jokes in the novel anyway, when he's not stressed from Pony or work.

I love the little parallel between Darry and Tim. I love the image of Tim as a parent to his siblings, similar to Darry. Not as overbearing as Darry comes off, I think, and not as obvious with it, but inwardly just as devoted to protecting them.

A happy ending! I love those, and you do them well. It's not like all the problems are magically gone, it's just this small, sentimental victory between the two of them.

I really liked these two fics! This month was hectic, but I'm glad a couple of them got up. Lol, how many of you guys are doing SF anyway?!

[fosterchild]

Thanks, Tens and zevie, for your comments!

I'm most likely going to do the SF. I'm a crazy lyric nut and constantly songs remind me of people, things, movies, situations....so it's just a matter of exactly which I want to use. I have to say I like the couple of "Before He Cheats" fics on ff.net. That song SO makes me think of Dally either as the cheater or the cheatee. I won't be using that, of course. Just an example. Luckily, we have the whole summer to do it!

I love the challenges....writing in general is fun for me and this capacity (fanfics) really makes you think because you're using characters that are developed already to some point. Whoever thought it up is a frikkin genius!

[Tensleep]

Shit fuck ass bitch whore....looks like I fixed it. Thought I fixed it last month. Ugg...might be a monthly thing, like the site's own personal PMS...joy...Note to self, check up on that...But it would be my luck...

Anyways, I did come on to review!

Two Down - Zevie I liked a lot of things in this one. The whole couch and bills thread was awesome. I like how Darry is physically avoiding them. It seems so Darry. I liked the argument you gave Sodapop, too. The whole "Where'd it get you?" line was perfect. As well, I loved how different Darry's internal monologue was so different than anything he actually said. Great take!

I really like how it was a Darry said no fic, but in the end it was Sodapop putting his foot down. Nice touch I wasn't expecting when I was reading it. And this is what it's all about, trying something new and keeping me entertained! But seriously, I like how you handled this one. Always feel free to form your ideas in a way no one's going to expect. As for the end, I suggest you leave it. It fit the story, it rounded up everything nicely and it was in character. Feel free to swear freely. Just remind me to check up on it next month, eh? Hope to see more next month!

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[Tensleep]

Oh, just figured out what the SF is, pathetically enough. Not too sure if I will contribute. A song has to hit me and I've already been struck once upon a time. I hope to see everyone else contributing, though. Don't let me stop you, have fun and the like.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens