Whumptober Day 9: Obsession / Broken Window
When a new student transferred to Ponyboy's class, he hadn't even batted an eye in their direction. He was only another Soc in his eyes, so when that Soc began hanging around him, he was rightfully confused.
The boy, Trevor, seemed to have taken a genuine interest in Ponyboy. He asked him question after question, wanting to know more about his life. Ponyboy, hesitant at first, slowly warmed up and answered his question earnestly. He spoke of everything between running track to living with his brothers. It was strange: a Soc and a greaser, but nobody bothered to say anything.
However, after some time, Ponyboy realized that something was up with Trevor. With each question he asked, it was like he was analyzing every little detail of Ponyboy's life. His questions gradually grew more and more personal until Pony slowly started to avoid him.
But it was too late to shut him out: Trevor wasn't going to give up that easily.
Ponyboy didn't know whether his teacher or some higher power was against him, but when randomly choosing groups for an English project, he was paired with Trevor. He'd have taken any other Soc since at least they'd just spit on him and walk away. He preferred that to Trevor's nosiness.
Trevor's home was nice, as expected for a Soc, Ponyboy decided as he entered the gorgeous house on the west side. It was decorated with luxuries Ponyboy didn't even know existed, and it felt more like a furniture store's display than a home.
They worked on the project in Trevor's kitchen since his parents weren't home. Pony was free to help himself to whatever snacks were in the cupboards, but he already felt weird enough about being in the house, eating their food was even worse.
After an hour or so of working in surprisingly peaceful silence, Ponyboy excused himself to go use the washroom. Trevor pointed him in the direction and Pony hurried off, but while walking, he passed a room with the door slightly ajar. As curiosity overtook him, he couldn't help but peek inside the room.
It appeared to be a teenage boy's bedroom: Trevor's. He was about to continue walking when a photo caught his eye. Creeping inside the room, Ponyboy approached his desk and felt his heart sink to his stomach at the sight before him.
Hung on the wall were handfuls of Polaroid pictures taken of Ponyboy without his knowledge. Some were of him at the DX with the gang, while others were of him in his bedroom, taken from outside of his damn window.
Nauseous, he backed away from the desk. His foot stepped on a creaky floorboard, but he didn't care. He needed to get the fuck out of that house. Ponyboy rushed out of the bedroom and toward the front door when Trevor grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Woah, hey, Pony," Trevor gave him a smile that felt anything but genuine. "Where are you going? We ain't done our project."
"I have to go, sorry," Ponyboy replied lamely, shrugging his arm away from Trevor, and hurrying out the front door despite Trevor's shouting for him to come back.
When Ponyboy got home, he was devastated to discover that neither of his brothers were there. He made sure to lock the door and close the blinds, hoping that someone would show up soon, and that he wouldn't be alone for long.
Fortunately, his wish came true. Unfortunately, the person who showed up was the last person he wanted to see. Trevor knocked on the front door first, calling out gently to start but grew more and more frustrated as time went on. "Ponyboy! Open the door!"
When his calls didn't work, he had to resort to a more elevated form of contacting Pony. Ponyboy was cowering in his room when he heard the living room window shatter to pieces. Glancing out his door, Pony spotted a rock in the middle of a pile of glass shards. He ran out, grabbing the largest shard in one hand and the rock in the other. He looked out the window and spotted Trevor on his porch, only a few feet away.
"Leave me alone, dammit!" Ponyboy hollered, trying not to let his voice shake.
"Pony, don't be like this," Trevor started, attempting to reason with him. "I know you're scared, but you don't have to be!"
Ponyboy huffed, rolling his eyes. "You have photos of me in your room-- I think I have the right to be."
"Now, it isn't that serious--"
"Shut up!" Ponyboy, sick of the Soc and his relentlessness, threw the rock at him and watched as he struck him right in the head. Trevor stumbled backward, cursing and holding his bloody forehead.
"Fuck, Ponyboy!" He stepped forward, prepared to jump through the window when headlights shone directly on his figure. Trevor froze while Ponyboy gasped with relief at the sight of Darry's truck pulling over at the curb.
Soda hopped out of the passenger seat, watching as a shadow darted from their porch and into their neighbour's yard. Darry got out while Soda shot him a confused look. "I think someone was tryin' to break in or something."
"What?" Darry questioned, walking toward the house a little faster.
Soda scurried after him before faltering at the sight of the shattered window. "Darry, the window!"
Darry glanced at it, clenched his hands into fists, then tried opening the door, only to find it locked. "Fuck! Pony? Ponyboy, are you in there?"
Running to the window, Soda glanced inside, but found it empty. He took a quick glance at Darry before jumping in through the window, and rushing into Ponyboy's room, but there was no sight of him.
"Darry?" Soda shouted as he ran back over to the front door and unlocked it for his older brother. "Darry, did Pony say if he was gonna be out tonight or not?"
"Not that I know of," Darry said, walking inside and assessing the damage. "Why, is he not here?"
"No, there's no sign of him," Soda murmured, a note of panic in his voice. Glancing down at the shards, he spots something strange. He crouched down and picked up one of the glass pieces, noticing small specks of blood on it, as though someone clutched it in their hands tightly.
"Soda," Darry breathed at the sight of the bloody glass. "Call the cops."
"Do it. Tell them our brother's missing."
