Of course, the night that Sodapop invited {{user}} over for dinner was supposed to be a relaxing, fun evening—just a simple family dinner where everyone could unwind. But, as always, things never went as planned when it came to Pony and Darrel. They had this constant tension between them, like a storm waiting to break, and tonight was no different. As soon as they sat down at the table, it didn’t take long for the first spark to fly.

Pony, in his usual rebellious way, threw out a sarcastic remark. “Well, it ain’t that easy, right, Soda?” he muttered, his voice dripping with irritation. He was clearly expecting his older brother, Sodapop, to back him up, to take his side against Darrel, but it only set the stage for another round of pointless arguing.

Darrel, the one who always tried to hold everything together, shot a glare at Pony, his patience running thin. His jaw tightened as he opened his mouth to retort, but before the argument could escalate, Sodapop, who had been trying to keep the peace all evening, had had enough. His face twisted in frustration, and with a quick exhale, he jumped up from the table.

“Goddamnit, you guys! Leave me out of this!” Sodapop’s voice cracked, the pressure of being stuck in the middle of their fights finally getting to him. He didn’t even wait for a response. Without another word, he stormed out of the house, his footsteps heavy as he ran down the porch steps, disappearing into the night.

Pony and Darrel stood there, shocked for a moment by Sodapop’s sudden outburst, before Darrel’s anger flared. “The hell’s wrong with you!?” he shouted, his voice full of frustration, but by then, Sodapop was already gone—leaving the two of them standing in the middle of their usual mess, with no one to mediate between them.