Chapter Text
It was hot. School had been let out for the summer only thirty minutes before, many students scrambling for the exits as desperately as possible.
But not Ponyboy. He was just as excited for summer, just as happy that his freshman year was finally over, but he wanted to walk home. He wanted to really breathe the soft summer air before he came home to whatever nonsense was happening, which was why he was grateful that Darry was letting him walk alone nowadays. He loved the gang, but sometimes it was hard to be around them.
Especially after the events earlier in the school year.
It certainly hasn't been easy trying to move on. His heart ached at the knowledge that Johnny wasn't walking home with him.
Hell, he still didn't really have any friends after the fire. He had the gang, but they were more like brothers. Besides, he just wanted to be alone most days.
Of course, he wasn't that lucky.
He didn't want any friends after Johnny, didn't want to go out, do things, didn't want anything to do with anyone his age.
Curly Shepard apparently never figured that out. He'd been a thorn in Pony’s side ever since he came back from reform school a few months back, more annoying than ever.
“Pony! Wanna walk with me? We can stop by Dairy Queen and get some milkshakes!” Curly slapped Pony on the back, practically yelling in his ear. Pony shrugged. He didnt have the heart to tell Curly to fuck off today. It wasn't like Curly had any friends either.
Curly grabbed his hand and pulled him along, chattering nonstop the whole way to the Dairy Queen. Pony couldn't listen, wouldn't have been able to, even if he tried. Curly talked too fast, Pony’s brain couldn't comprehend a single thing.
Curly yanked him inside, ordering for the both of them, as if they were close enough for Curly to know what Pony liked. Pony couldn't help but hate Curly for trying to be his friend.
He was pretty sure Curly was only trying now because Johnny was gone anyway. Curly was stupid, but he wasn't stupid enough to think he'd ever be more important to Pony than Johnny. Curly probably thought that it wouldn't apply now that Johnny was gone, but he would be mistaken.
The waitress, pretty, with long dark hair, handed them their milkshakes. She smiled at Pony, grimaced when Curly tried to make conversation. She took the money and left. Pony didn't laugh, it would have been too mean, even considering the thoughts going around in his head.
Curly clearly didn't have his brother's luck with girls. He didn't seem to mind though, sipping his milkshake and talking Ponyboy’s ear off. Ponyboy was just grateful that Curly wasn't trying to rope him into something illegal. For now, Curly seemed content just acting like a normal fifteen year old.
Good, Ponyboy thought, he didn't want to get in trouble right at the beginning of summer break, and despite his current distaste for Curly’s company, he had a hard time saying no to him. Maybe the milkshake was sweetening him up a bit.
He made an attempt at listening to Curly.
“-and Tim said that Sylvia dumped him again, for that one guy, you know? The tall one, with black, or maybe it's just dark brown, hair? Tim’s real mad about it, ‘specially since Sylvia keeps ignoring him. He says her new guy ain't gonna last. I don't know why he's so hung up on it though cause last I checked he aint even care about Sylvie that much, he’s mostly got eyes for-”
It took Pony a second to realize that he didn’t zone out, and that it was actually Curly who stopped talking suddenly. Curly avoided eye contact and chewed on the straw of his milkshake.
“Tim’s got eyes for someone?” Pony asked. He didn't envy whatever girl Tim decided to go after. Tim was a rough guy, not too good looking, although still somehow a hit with the ladies in a casanova sort of way. It was something Pony couldn't even begin to understand.
Curly shrugged. Pony found the change in Curly’s demeanor a little amusing, but he wasn't going to press it. He didn’t want to risk angering him somehow. Curly had a bad habit of blowing up over small stuff, especially when he was embarrassed.
“You wanna do something? Celebrate our freedom?” Curly asked, a mischievous smile on his face. Pony shook his head. He wasn't going to be roped into something stupid. He wasn't a naive little kid, not anymore.
He'd never be a kid again after what happened. Maybe that was why it was difficult to be around Curly. Despite Curly being the older of the two, and a total hood, he still seemed childish somehow.
He was definitely stupid. Maybe that was it.
Curly pouted when Pony declined.
“You never hang out with me. We won't get in trouble! Promise!” Curly seemed earnest enough. Pony thought about it for a moment longer. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad?
Curly obviously sensed the hesitation and gave Pony a toothy smile and batted his eyelashes, as if to try and seem harmless. Pony sighed.
“The second you try and drag me into something, I'm going home.” Pony warned. Curly shrugged and threw his empty cup away. Pony did the same and followed him out.
—
Turns out, there wasn't a lot to do. No movies were playing today, and they couldn't stop at the pool because neither of them brought suits. Obviously Pony wasn't going to help Curly with anything illegal, which greatly reduced their options. Curly was grumbling when they finally settled for walking in the park.
Curly was talking again. Pony tuned him out in favor of enjoying the summer breeze.
He watched birds fly around, chirping, little kids playing with each other, people driving around celebrating the end of school, for at least the next three months. One car in particular, a light blue one that he didn't recognize, pulled up.
It wasn't a nice one, it couldn't be a soc, but he was still wary. Curly, however, was not. His face held a deep annoyance. Pony figured he recognized it.
“Fucking Sylvia… she's been bothering me ever since she dumped Tim.” he said quietly into Pony’s ear. Pony relaxed. He didn't know Sylvia all too well, but he knew she dated Dally. Maybe she'd be good company.
Sylvia slid out of her car, graceful as a greaser girl could be. She was flawless; red lips, light blue eyeshadow, and a smile that immediately made Pony blush. Curly had no such reaction, his nose scrunched as he glared at her. Sylvia patted his head and turned to Pony.
“Well aren't you two cute? Wandering around with no big brothers anywhere around. Y’all gettin’ into trouble?” She teased. Curly bristled. Pony shrugged, too bashful to look her in the eyes. Sylvia clearly enjoyed it.
Maybe this was why Steve had warned him and Johnny about girls like her. God, that seemed like it was years ago.
“Y’all want a ride home? Ain't much to do right now.” Pony smiled at her. Maybe it was time to go home. He was kind of miserable with Curly. He almost let Sylvia pull him into the car when he felt Curly pull him back.
“We don't need a ride from a hooker like you. We got legs.” Curly spat. Sylvia wasn't even phased. She raised an eyebrow.
“Aw. I see Timmers got to you first? I don't bite, baby. Quit whining and get in.'' She hooked an arm around Curly’s waist and shoved him in the backseat. She let Pony into the passenger seat, holding the door open for him like he was some sort of lady.
He sat down, ignoring Curly’s withering glare from behind. Whatever. He could deal with Curly being a little annoyed. He was nervous being around Sylvia, but he figured she wouldn't try to get in his pants if Curly was there. She didn’t seem the type to try and egg him on to do anything that would get him into trouble either. Besides, she was pretty. Pony liked pretty girls.
He didn't think there would be any problem.
She smelled nice, Pony couldn't help but take note of it as she talked. It was a soothing mix of citrus and… something else. Something familiar. It was faint, but definitely there. Curly seemed to smell it too, wrinkling his nose.
“Jesus Syl, you smell like a bar. You just been getting trashed all day?” Curly asked, lip sneering. Pony's eyes widened. She was drunk. Of course. He was surprised he didn't recognize the smell.
He was a little nervous, more than he'd already been at least. Darry was always saying not to get in the car with a drunk driver, but… Pony didn't want to piss her off. Besides, neither he or Curly knew how to drive yet, and he doubted she would just abandon her car to sleep off her buzz.
It would be fine.
Sylvia honked at people as they passed, giggling and talking about anything under the sun. Pony wondered why Curly didn’t like her. They seemed so similar. Sylvia looked at Pony, red lips forming a smile.
“You know, you really do look like Sodapop. I'm surprised you ain’t got a girl yet.” She cooed. Pony looked down at his lap, ears growing hot. This wasn't the first time a girl had said that. Curly made a gagging noise in the back.
“He dont want you. Get someone your own age, cradle-snatcher.” He taunted. Pony heard him kick the back of Sylvia's seat. She turned around completely to yell at him. Pony froze. It was like Sylvia had no care in the world. There weren't any other cars in the street right now, but it was nerve wracking knowing that Sylvia wasn't even trying to look in front of her.
Again, he was too nervous to say anything to her. Sylvia went back to watching the road after she smacked Curly around a bit. Pony tried to relax, hoping Sylvia would drop him off home soon.
He wasn't known for his good luck.
Sylvia straightened up, narrowing her eyes at something in the distance. Her lips curled into a snarl as she gripped her steering wheel.
“That bastard is cheating on me!” She growled. Pony and Curly took a look at the sight. There was a man with some girl. Neither of them particularly remarkable. They were sitting in their car right next to the fire station, the man's arm around the girl's shoulders. Pony watched the girl laugh at something and kiss the man.
Sylvia was fuming. Pony clutched the door nervously.
“Guess you'll have to take Tim back, huh?” Curly smirked at her. Sylvia didn't even look at him, or show any sign she even heard him. She had a determined, albeit crazy, look in her eyes as she pressed on the gas.
Curly was thrown back into his seat as the car went faster and faster, yelping in shock. Pony was petrified.
Was she going to run them into that car? She wouldn't actually do it, right? Oh god, he thought, would he and Curly get in trouble for this too?
Would he and Curly even be okay? All previous distaste for Curly flew out the window, Pony was scared for both of them.
He wanted to go home more than anything else right now, shutting his eyes tight as the car kept speeding up. He couldn't move, he heard Curly yelling at Sylvia, telling her to slow down, stop being crazy, but it didn't work.
Luckily, they didn't hit the car. Not yet.
They hit a bicycle, and an empty one, thank god. The bike was flung straight through the windshield. Pony covered his face with his hands as broken glass rained down on them all. He kept his eyes closed, the broken glass cut across his face, tiny stinging slices all over. He could feel the moment that Sylvia let go of the steering wheel.
She must have covered her face too. Pony would have laughed at the lack of self preservation she had if he wasn't terrified.
Then there was a hard jolt, a loud scraping, crunching sound. More broken glass. They must have hit something else. Pony felt weightless for a moment, finally opening his eyes slightly to see that nothing looked right. The world was spinning.
The car was spinning. They were flipping.
Sylvia was flopping around like a rag doll, screaming, flailing, dark streaks running down her face, so she must have been crying as well.
Curly was screaming too, but his screams were different. Not of fear.
Pony could see, even through the motion of the car still flipping, that Curly’s jeans were stained dark red. Blood. That was why Curly was screaming. Pony closed his eyes, his stomach couldn't handle it. He opened them again, crying desperately for anyone.
They were all getting tossed around. Pony didn't count how many times the car flipped. It wasn't important. What was important was the other car, Sylvia's original target.
They were still headed straight for it.
Pony prayed a last prayer. He wasn't that religious anymore, but he had a feeling he was going to see his parents soon.
—
His brain felt numb. Everything felt numb when compared to the sharp pain in his neck. He opened his eyes as saw a man halfway in his fireman uniform pulling him out of the car. Pony could feel that there was something around his neck.
Something in his throat too. The fireman held a breathing mask to Pony's face as he carried him to an ambulance.
Pony couldn’t move his neck all too well, but his eyes flicked back behind them.
The car was completely totaled, bent and dented all over. There was broken glass on the ground all around it, one of the doors was completely off. Sylvia would be upset, Pony figured. More firemen were pulling someone out of the car.
It seemed like someone had already been pulled out, even. He watched the men pull a white sheet over the figure.
Ponyboy closed his eyes.