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I woke up feeling hot all over and my stomach flipping in circles. I was sick. Clear as day. Rushing to the bathroom to get a look in the mirror a wave of dizziness hits me. Nonono. Out of all days. I had a track meet later and the team was counting on me. Not to mention how worked up Darry and Soda would get. Them being mothering hens would skip work and we can’t afford that. I need to get to school. The mirror tells me I’m pale but I think I could get away with saying I haven’t been sleeping or some other lame excuse. I mean nightmares do keep me up anyway they would buy it. I take a nice hot shower and grease my hair. Just act normal. My head started to ach a bit which makes my thoughts a bit clouded but I have to ignore that. Ignore Ignore Ignore. That’s a good plan right? After changing I find Darry and Soda eating breakfest. Two bit telling them some wild story about who knows what. Steve was on the couch watching tv along with Johnny. Johnny hears me come in and his eyes widen a bit.
“You good Ponyboy? You ain’t lookin so good.”
Shoot, maybe I downplayed myself to much when looking in the mirror.
“Yea, Pony your looking pale.” Soda chimes in shoving some colored eggs in his mouth. Darry with his concerned filled eyes comes over and feels my forehead.
“Bit hot. Wanna stay home Ponyboy? I can always take off from work.”
“Nah I’m good just let me grab some aspirin. I’m not even sick promise.” Of course even if I am sick I can’t have Darry skipping work.
“Fine. Two-bit and Johnny look after him alright?”
“Hey what about me you don’t trust me with the kid?”
“Oh, shut up Steve. Come on little ones time for y’all to grab some smarts.” Two-bit says getting his two-bits in as usual. Shoving down 3 aspirins and quick bite of eggs we all run out the door. On the drive there Two-bit is talking about how he robbed some spot. While Johnny and I are quickly checking each other answers for the math hw. I’m not really in it cuz my headache got worse. It might even be a migraine now.
“Ponyboy you there?”
“Hm?”
“You zoned out.”
“Oh, my bad Johnny what problem were we on?”
“Forgot it I’m tired anyway.”
“Um okay.” I need to pull it together and quick. I already see the worried looks from the front and Johnny too. We pull up to school and we all hop off.
“ Steve and Two-bit are actually heading to school today. Wow.” I joke hoping to seem normal.
“I’ll have you know that I have a reputation to uphold and plan to make some very intricate paper airplanes.” Two-bit says pulling out some paper I didn’t even know he had. Steve just rolls his eyes. “Yea yea like I care what you think now go on if I see you for one more second I might finally have to punch you.”
“Love you too Steve.”
“Get!” Steve says a bit of annoyance shining through. I head to algebra and manage to get some notes down. I can’t say the same for biology and english. I couldn’t put two thoughts together if I tried. By lunch the eggs from the morning were threating to make a reappearance so there was no way I could eat more.
“Golly Ponyboy! You die before you got here?” Two-bit shouts.
“What no.” My words slurring. My head hurts so bad words aren’t coming very easy.
“Seriously Ponyboy maybe you should go home you look awful.” Johnny added.
“I’m fine.” I say as I proceed to break out into a coughing fit. I’ve been coughing for a while but this was worse. Coughing slowly turns into gagging. Knowing what was going to happen I run to the bathroom dropping to my knees while I empty my stomach which wasn’t even full in the first place. I hear them running after me but seeing as I’m busy I just ignore them.
I get out and am welcomed to more waves of dizziness and the gang interrogating me.
They drag me to the truck practically throwing me in there. To tired to even argue I pretty much pass out.
I remember being carried by someone which is embarrassing. Hopefully that was apart of a dream or something. I was asleep and was woken up by a coughing fit. I attempt to get up and am pulled back to bed by Soda.
“Soda what you doing here? Thought you were at work.”
“ I was but then I heard my kid brother was throwing up in the bathroom.” He teased but then turn serious. Soda rarely got serious. “Why didn’t you tell me Pony? I could have stayed you know.”
“It wasn’t a big deal Soda. I was fine still am if you would let me get up…”
“Nope the doctor came over and to sum it up you need rest.”
“The doctor? Soda! That costs money I’m not worth—“
“I’m stopping you right there before you say something dumb. If you are sick we take care of ya you dig?”
“I dig.” I grumbled.
“Great now sleep you still don’t look good.”
Too tired to argue I feel sleep claim me.
It’s the next day when my eyes finally open and even then I wish I was still sleeping.
“Morning Pony how you feeling.”
“Fine.” I coughed. Of course he knew that was a lie. I still felt horrible but now my chest hurt too. Not to mention breathing was somehow hard. I can’t tell Soda that. They would call the doctor again.
“Mhm sure.” Soda hummed. He gets up yelling to Darry about where the thermometer is. Causing Darry to rush in worried as ever.
“Hey Ponyboy let us check your temperature alright?”
“I really don’t need it I’m fine Darry.”
“Open up.” He says ignoring my protesting.
“101. No school today. Soda go get ready for work I’ll stay home.”
“What no Darry its not even a real fever.”
“ You always are in denial when your sick now get up breakfast is ready.”
I picked at my plate concerning everyone but I couldn’t help it. Everything hurt and I might actually die if I had to swallow something. After everyone left I just slowly decayed on the couch. I didn’t feel like doing anything. Even breathing hurt. I guess I was concerning Darry to much because he said he’s calling the doctor. Honestly at this point I was just hoping I could get better. The doctor came and did some stuff like checking my temperature, lungs stuff like that. He then left to go tell Darry something. It seemed bad because for once Darry looked panicked. After the doctor left I questioned him but he just kept telling me to stop worrying. Which was kind of pointless since I felt like I was dying. The next couple of days was just me slowly getting worse and worse. My fever was now at 103 and I was coughing up blood. I hid that from them because I’m pretty sure they would have a panic attack.
That was till Johnny came over to check on me and saw.
“Ponyboy your coughing up blood! That’s real bad hold up let me get Darry—“
“Not Johnny don’t.” I rasped, “ It will go away.”
“What Ponyboy did being sick mess with your head? Your coughing up blood! Blood!”
“Johnny—“ I get caught off by some coughs which turn into gasping.
I don’t remember what happens next because my vision gets dotty as air doesn’t come in.
I wake up the hospital with some oxygen mask on my face. Next to me was Soda asleep and Darry already asking me if I was okay.
“I’m fine Darry. “
“You keep saying that and now your here.” He says in a strained voice.
“I’m sorry Darry I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s fine little buddy just go to sleep.”
He calls Soda little buddy not me. How bad off was I? Turns out pretty bad. I got phenomena.
I’m stuck in the hospital for a couple days. Darry and Soda stuck next to me at all times. The gang comes to visit me. Even Dally. Honestly after a few weeks I’m feeling right as rain. Or maybe that just me finally being able to breathe.
Two-bit brings chocolate. Steve is here probably just to please Soda but he puts on a pretty good act of caring. Johnny and I read books. Dally looks like wants to punch something but he doesn’t know what. The hospital may be boring but its nice to have the gang.
My main worry is the cost. Why did I have to get sick. Darry gonna kill me. Maybe finally send me to the boy’s home. I have to get out of here soon. We can’t afford this.
“Hey Darry?”
“Yea Pony?”
“Can I go home?”
“I don’t know Pony. I really don’t know.”
I was answered a couple days later. My fever gone. I felt good. After a little check in I finally heard the words.
“Today the day Ponyboy! Time to be discharged!”
You better bet we all ran out of that hospital. While techinally I couldn’t run but I left and that’s all that matters.
I was able to get to school and stop freaking out the gang. Sure they are being a bit overprotective right now. Sure its a bit annoying. But at least they can be. I don’t know I feel sappy after figuring out how bad off I was. Darry said for a second they thought I wouldn’t make it. That’s to scary to think about that though so I don’t.
I got the gang and the gang has me and that all that matters.