Ponyboy Curtis

08.

"Hey Darry, I'm sorry for storming out yesterday. You're right, it's your family business, but I still think you should give Pony a chance. He wants to do this for Johnny, and he's tough." I say.

"It's okay, Grace. I'm sorry for what I said, you are family to us. That was Curtis' business though. I'm sorry for making you upset." Darry says looking down at the cup he has in his hand.

I smile and nod my head then sit by Ponyboy. Pony lays his arm around me. "So, you two a thing?" Sodapop asks.

We nod our head and smile. I look at him and he kisses me. I then jump up hearing the door slam. "What was that?" I ask.

"Uh... that was S-Steve." Soda says.

"Why didn't you tell me he was here?!" I ask running outside.

"Steve! Steve! Stop and listen to me!" I yell as Steve speed walks down the street.

I run after him and finally catch up to him. I stop in front of him. "Steve! I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, but I love Ponyboy!" I exclaim.

"Get out of the way Grace!" he says.

"Don't do anything reckless! Calm down please, come back with me!" I say.

He pushes me out of the way and knocks me on the ground. "I-I didn't mean to Grace. I-I'm sorry!" he says trying to help me up.

I back away from him, tears fill my eyes. I get up and run away going back to the Curtis house. Steve runs behind me. We both burst through the door. "Grace I'm sorry!" Steve yells.

"No! No! Get away from me! I hate you!" I yell.

I run to the other side of the room backing away from him into a wall. I've never cried in front of the gang until now. Ponyboy runs to me. "What happened!" Ponyboy asks.

"He... h-he..." I stutter. I could see that Steve didn't want me to tell them.

"What'd he do!?" Ponyboy asks holding my arms.

I walk to Steve. "If you don't want them to know, fine, but live with the fact that I hate you and will be afraid of you for the rest of my life." I say walking out of the house.

Ponyboy walks up to Steve and pins him to the wall. "What'd you do to her?! Why is she afraid of you?! What the hell did you do?!" Ponyboy yells in his face.

Darry and Soda pull him off of Steve. Ponyboy walks outside and sits by me on the step of the porch. "Grace... what'd he do?" Ponyboy asks grabbing my hand.

I tense up at the touch of him grabbing my hand and slightly pull it away. Pony noticed it and was getting really worried. "Y-You know, as many fights I've been in, I-I've never been this scared of getting hit again." I say tears fill my eyes again quickly.

"He hit you?!" Ponyboy asks.

I stay quiet, I didn't know what to say. I slightly nodded my head and felt Ponyboy's hand leave mine as he stormed back into the house. I go in after him worried. When I walk in I see Ponyboy on top of Steve hitting him over and over. "Ponyboy stop!" I pleaded.

He didn't stop. I panicked. Darry and Soda were just standing there in shock. Steve managed to roll Ponyboy over and begin hitting him. That was my last straw. I knocked Steve off of him and got on top of him. I pulled my switchblade out and put it to his neck. Darry and Soda quickly pulled me off after that. "What is all of this about?" Darry asked still holding me.

I immediately burst into tears. Darry held me in his arms. I completely broke down in his arms. "Steve hit her." Ponyboy said.

"What?" Soda asked.

"I-I didn't mean to. S-She got in front of me and I told her to m-move and s-s-sh-she wouldn't, it made me m-mo-more mad so I shoved her, and she fell to the ground." Steve said looking at his hands.

"You... touched... Grace?" Two-bit said coming out of the kitchen with a beer bottle he just finished.

Steve looked up at him. Two-bit had this murderous look on his face. He quickly hit the empty bottle on the table, making it sharp and pointy. He ran to Steve tackling on the ground. Everything was happening so fast. I didn't want Steve to be hurt, I was just upset. They wouldn't stop. Darry told him to stop, Soda tried to pull him off, Pony stayed silent, he wanted it to happen. I didn't want it to though. So, I screamed. "Ahhhhhh!!" a high pitched screech came from my voice.

Everyone stopped and looked at me. I walked over to Steve and helped him up. "I don't want Steve hurt!" I said looking at Pony and Two-bit.

They both rolled their eyes and looked away from me. "Steve is already hurt enough. He knows what he did was wrong. I didn't mean to make a big deal. I know you think I'm an even worse influence Darry, but I didn't mean for all this to happen. I was just upset, and in the moment." I said.

"What? I don't think you're a bad influence, everyone makes wrong decisions, and I know you felt you needed to do all the shit you did because your brother was Dally. It was hard for you, I understand. I would never think that of you." He said hugging me.