Darry’s POV of the fight with Ponyboy Where is that darn boy? I looked at the clock on the wall once again. 1:47...AM. This wasn’t like him. Sure, Ponyboy had come home a few minutes late before his curfew a couple times, but that was nothin’. This? I was an hour away from callin the fuzz. I was angry, really angry, but fear was starting to take its place. Maybe he was with a girl. Maybe he was hanging with Johnny. But a little part of me wasn’t sure. A little part of me was thinkin..what if he had been jumped? I pushed it away, though, and looked over the newspaper without actually reading anything. An ad for babysitting wasn’t gonna keep my attention. Sodapop was softly snoring on the couch, so I didn’t know why I was trying to keep my composure. I didn't know why I was holding back the stress, the fear, the tiredness. I rubbed my eyes wearly. Just then the front door opened, and my heart leaped. Relief? Anger? Both, I decided. Ponyboy slowly walked in the door, his face pinched up in fear and gnawing on his finger nail. For some reason, this fueled my anger. I leaped up from the armchair.
"Where the heck have you been? Do you know what time it is?" I yelled. Ponyboy shook, but I couldn’t lower my voice, could’t think reasonably. He slowly shook his head no.

"Well, it's two in the morning, kiddo. Another hour and I would have had the police out after you. Where were you, Ponyboy?" The anger was only rising. "Where in the almighty universe were you?"

"I... I went to sleep in the lot..." He spoke timidly. Went to sleep in the lot?! That's what I had spent my time worrying about. That Is why I had stayed up so late? Because He had fallen asleep like the careless boy he was? My anger was boiling so high, I was afraid it might spill, drowning us all in the simmering heat. I shouted again, but I don’t even know what I said, I was so mad. Behind me, Sodapop spoke.

"Hey, Ponyboy," he said sleepily, "where ya been?"

"I didn't mean to." Ponnboy pleaded with tears in his eyes. "I was talking to Johnny and we both dropped off..."

I had been so relieved he was okay, but now I was just angry. I was angry he had made me worry in the first place, that he had made me wait up for him when I had to work in the morning. For him. For him and Sodapop.

"I reckon it never occurred to you that your brothers might be worrying their heads off and afraid to call the police because something like that could get you two thrown in a boys' home so quick it'd make your head spin. And you were asleep in the lot? Ponyboy, what on earth is the matter with you? Can't you use your head? You haven't even got a coat on." I spit through clenched teeth.

"I said I didn't mean to..." Ponyboy’s face shifted from fear to frustration..and anger? He had the gull to be angry? He had to stop. He needed to stop pouring gasoline over my raging hot fire.

"I didn't mean to!" I shouted "I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?"

"Darry..." Sodapop began, but I turned on him so fast I could have gotten whiplash. If I had a dollar for every time Sodapop stood up for Ponyboy, we’d all be living like the Socs. I wouldn't have to worry about paying the bills, or Ponyboy’s school tuition.
"You keep your trap shut! I'm sick and tired of hearin' you stick up for him." I roared.

I never yelled at Sodapop. Never even nagged at him, even a little, but now he was helping Ponyboy drench me in gas. Sodapop looked groggy and scocked. From behind me, Ponyboy shouted, "You don't yell at him!" More gas. I wheeled around and slapped him across the face before I could even think. Ponyboy was knocked against the door. The tears were back in his eyes, but instead of anger, he looked shocked. It was quiet. My palm was stinging, and a huge red mark sitting smack dab in the middle. Just like that, my anger was gone. Like a fire extinguisher. "Ponyboy..." I croaked. I didn’t recognize my voice. I didn't recognize me. Ponyboy turned and ran out the door like a bullet.

"Pony, I didn't mean to!" I yelled to his disappearing figure, and it was true. I didn't really mean to. I stared at his shadow until he was nothing but darkness, and then I went inside. Sodapop was staring at me with wide eyes. He was shocked, and maybe even angry. But there was something else in his eyes, something that made me shut mine, because I knew it mirrored my own. Sodapop was lookin at me like he didn’t recognize me, either.
***This is an alternative perspective on the book "The Outsiders". My teacher assigned this and this is what I wrote. I was pretty proud of it so I wanted to share it. The scene is when Ponyboy came home late (lol duh)