A/N: Hello everybody! Here is the next chapter! Enjoy!
Soda's POV:
"Soda?" Darry calls from the kitchen, where he is just about finished making dinner.
"Yeah, Dar?"
"Is Elena home yet? She was over at some friend of hers studying," he says, stepping out into the living room.
"I don't think so...but let me ask Ponyboy. She might be out on the porch with him."
Darry nods, as I stand up. Opening the front door, I see Pony siting on the front steps, a book open in his lap. He doesn't come out here that often, only after Darry's been hollerin' at him, or when he needs time to think. Today, it happens to be that Darry was yelling at him, even though I don't remember why. Anyway, Ponyboy is the only one out here, so I guess Elena hasn't come home yet. 
Settling myself down on the steps beside Ponyboy, I ask, "Hey Pony, whatcha doin'?"
He holds up his book and gives me that 'really' look. "Really, Soda?" Pony laughs, "I get that you're a dropout, but you should know what reading is."
I send a glare his way and look at my feet. I didn't want to drop out, I tried my best in school, honestly I did, but I was just too dumb. The only two classes I was passing were auto mechanics and gym.
"I'm sorry, Soda. You know I didn't mean that," Pony says softly, resting a hand on my shoulder.
"I know." I reply, glancing at him quickly, but then staring back at my shoes. And I do know that he didn't mean to offend me, but I just wish that he would understand. Ponyboy brings home these great grades, he's just really smart. I wish I could explain this all to him, about how hard I tried, but he just wouldn't get it. He hates the fact that I dropped out, and that's that.
I can sense Pony's eyes on me, so I wipe my face of any emotion. He doesn't need to know what I'm feeling, he already deals with enough, thinking that Darry doesn't love him. Of course he's wrong though, Darry does love him. Doesn't he understand that that is why Darry is always hollering at him? I guess not, no matter how many times I tell him. They still fight, and to be completely honest, it tears me apart. I can't take sides in their arguments. Sure, usually I take up for Pony, but that's only because he wouldn't feel loved if I didn't. If I took Darry's side, he would think that I didn't love him either, and I can't have that. He's my kid brother, I can't have him thinking that. I would never tell either of them any of this though, they both have enough to worry about. They don't need to worry about my problems.
Not being able to stand Pony's eyes on me any longer, I decide to break the silence. "Hey Pone...I know that I'm all good looking and everything, but would you please stop starin'..." I laugh.
Pony's eyes go wide, and he turns his head to look the other direction. This just causes me to laugh even harder. "I...I....um....I was just..." Pony stutters.
"I-I know," I choke out between fits of laughter, but then finally calm down. "Hey, don't worry about me. Ya' dig, kid brother?"
"Alright, big brother. I dig." He says, with a slight chuckle at the end.
I ruffle his hair. "You seen Elena, Darry's worryin' bout her. Says she should be home by now."
Pony shakes his head. "Nah, man. I haven't seen her since school ended. Tell Darry not to worry though, she said she'd be home by dinner, it's a long walk back from her friends house probably." He shrugs.
"Alright, I'll tell him. Wait, why would you think it would be a long walk home?" I ask, curiously.
"Oh, because I know her friend. We have a few classes together, and she's Elena's lab partner in biology." Ponyboy says, matter o'factly.
"Oh really? What's her name?"
"Samantha Valance."
I furrow my brows, where have I heard that name before. She sounds familiar...the confusion must have registered on my face, because Pony speaks up again.
"Thinking that she sounds familiar, Soda?" Pony asks, smirking.
"Yeah..." I nod.
"Ya' remember that Socy cheerleader, Cherry? The redhead. Samantha is her kid sister."
"Oh..." That makes sense, but then I realize something else. "Wait, our sister is hanging around with some stuck of Soc girl?!"
"Oh no, Soda. Samantha's a real nice girl, nothing like most Soc girls I've met." Pony says quickly.
I roll my eyes at Ponyboy. "And how exactly would you know this, Ponyboy?"
"She sat with us at lunch today," Pony shrugs. "Like I said, she is real nice. Quiet though, likes to keep to herself. But she's not stuck up, and she is pretty clearly against Socs trying to beat up us greasers."
"Why do you say that?" Now I'm curious about this girl...and what goes on at school...but that's for another time.
"Oh...well at lunch today a couple of Soc's tried to beat Johnny up...again-"
The poor kid can't catch a break, now can he? "What do you mean tried?" I interupt, eyeing him. Did Johnny somehow stand up to the Socs, did a teacher interfere? Somehow I see both options unlikely...
"Elena punched the guy in the face. Then they ran." Ponyboy laughs.
"El-Elena....did what?" I can't quite process this information. Pony smirks at my confusion.
"She punched him Soda, the guy that got between her and Johnny. They were making fun of him and punching him and stuff, so she punched the Soc. Then the two of em' ran off." He starts laughing uncontrollably.
"I can't believe she did that..." I trail off. Pony just laughs harder. "Oh my lord, Pony, why are ya' laughin' so damn hard?"
"Cuz' it was damn funny! A girl punched this burly Soc, and the two of em' got scared of er' and ran!" Pony howls.
I scowl at him.
"C-come on Soda, it's f-funny!"
Okay, it is a little funny. I crack a grin and chuckle as well. "Are you gunna finish this story anytime soon, Christmas is coming..." I joke.
"Right...where was I? Oh right. So yeah after the guys ran off, Samantha came up to us and asked Johnny if he was alright. She looked disgusted at the two Socs who beat-well tried-to beat him up." Ponyboy finishes.
"Right..." I say, still a little bit doubtful.
"Come on, Soda. You'd like her if you met her. Two-bit sure did," he smirks.
I raise my eyebrows at Pony, wanting him to continue.
"Well they were joking around a lot when she joined us for lunch. Well, Two-bit was joking with her at least. Like I said, she's quiet. But she was giggling a lot, blushing a little bit too. I think she has the hots for Two-bit." Pony finishes once again, giving me that knowing smirk he gave me this morning.
"Oh, so you're playing matchmaker now are you?" I tease. "First Elena and Johnny, now Samantha and Two-bit? Who's next?"
"Aww, come on Sodapop, cut it out. We both know that I was right about Johnny and Elena." Ponyboy says.
"No, we don't know that for sure, Pone." I shake my head.
Ponyboy rolls his eyes and glances down the road at the sound of approaching footsteps. Maybe it's Elena coming home.
Ponyboy does a double-take. "Oh, but now we do," he snickers.
"What?" I ask, confused.
Ponyboy nods his head towards to figures walking down the street. Confused, I stand up at peer down the sidewalk.
I can't believe my eyes.
Elena and Johnny are walking slowly down the street, holding hands. I want to say that I saw it coming, but I wasn't the one who did. It was Ponyboy who saw it coming and made me think about it as well. As I tear my eyes away from the two walking down the street, I know exactly what Pony will say.
"I told you so," Ponyboy snickers.
A/N: As always, of course I am going to ask, what'd you guys think? Sorry if this gets annoying (XD) but I actually want to know. Please leave some comments. Also, I have been updating quite frequently but now the updates might start getting further apart, especially when school starts again. I will update at least once a week, but there might be more updates if I get time. My schedule is kind of crazy right now, sometimes I have a week where I have absolutely nothing, then two weeks where I'm busy everyday. But at least one update a week I promise. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave some feedback. - Ella :)