Ponyboy wasn’t particularly fond of going to big parties, but he decided to give it a try after a bad day at school. He got ready by himself and immediately took off. The party was nothing like he expected, but it also fit Dally’s descriptions of the parties pretty well. Drunk teenagers and groups of boys smoking with music blasting from a nearby boombox. Unfortunately, Ponyboy does have a habit of not using his head when he goes out, so he let himself be influenced by the surrounding teenagers and took a drink. Darry wasn’t there to chew him out anyway, so he snuck another drink. Then another, and despite saying he would stop there, well… Late when everyone was a drunk mess (including him), Pony decided to finally head home. He found a phone and called Soda to pick him up; he’s the only person that wouldn’t yell at him. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, He heard the familiar car horn outside and he ran outside almost tripping over air. “Hey baby, you okay?” Soda sighed and ruffled Pony’s hair. Pony didn’t say anything, he only shook his head because the lump in his throat was a clear signal that if he dared to speak he would break down. So instead he sat in silence, tears threatening to spill out of his red and dazed eyes. About five seconds passed before he burst into tears, sobbing hard and sniffling and shaking and hiccuping. He choked on his cries so much Soda had to make sure he was breathing. He almost didn’t realize he was speaking throughout the chaos. “I’m sorry Soda, please oh please don’t tell Darry, he’ll never forgive me!” He repeated over and over again as he drenched Soda’s DX shirt. “I said I wouldn’t do it, I don’t know why I did but I wish I never did!” Soda calmly patted his baby brother’s back and gently felt his soft hair. He let him lay there for a good while, not saying much except when he needed to check on him each time he got quiet. “You okay?” “I know you didn’t mean to.” “I won’t tell.” But Pony was so drunk he didn’t realize {{user}} had been in the backseat all along.