The Outsiders: And the girl from the future

Anaya Ferrari's uncle

PONYBOY'S P.O.V. 

It's been two weeks since Amber was admitted to the hospital. I have stayed at the hospital the whole time. I'm pretty sure all the nurses and doctors know me by name now and vice versa. The only time I left during this time was to testify in the trial of Kimberly, Candy, and Parker. Right now Kimberly and Candy have been sentenced to three years in prison and Parker in for one and a half. But if Amber dies, then they will all be in there for a lot longer. But if Amber dies, they will be lucky to be locked up in some jail. If Amber dies, I'm going to kill them.

Sitting in Amber's hospital room sounds boring, but I'm usually don't get too bored. I mean the girl I love is with me the whole time, how boring can it be? I talk to her, sometimes people come in and I leave so they can talk to her, sometimes they come and we talk with Amber there. Darry says its unhealthy being there as much as I am. But I made a promise, I said that I would not leave her side until she wakes up, and I intend to fulfill my promise.

I sat in her room watching her as I usually did. A nurse walked in. I recognized her as soon as I saw her. She was the nurse that came in on the first day we were here. She asked if me and Amber were together. "I haven't seen you in a while." I said to her as she walked over to the beeping machine and took notes on a clipboard.

"I don't usually work in this part of the hospital," She replied. "I work in the maternity ward most of the time."

I smiled thinking of all the little babies she gets to hold. I like babies, they're small and cute and warm. Sometimes I wished I had a younger brother so I could have had a baby brother. But Soda and Darry are my best friends and I wouldn't trade them for the world. 

"Have the doctors said anything about when she will wake up?" I asked her hopefully.

She shook her head and looked at me with sympathy. "I'm real sorry about your girl, she looks real nice."

I glanced at Amber and smiled. She did look like a nice person. "Ya know last week was her birthday." I whispered. The nurse didn't say anything, but she had stopped moving to look at Amber. "She turned fifteen. She hadn't even mentioned it but once when I first met her. I almost forgot ya know. No one even came that day, it was just me."

"Thats awful." She said bluntly. 

"Hell yeah it is. She just needs to wake up. I just need her to wake up." A single tear fell down my face and I wiped it quickly. I didn't want to cry, not now. I tried to change the subject. I stood and said. "My names Ponyboy Curtis. I don't believe I've introduced myself." I held out my hand to her and she shook it. 

"Hi, I'm Anaya Ferrari, but you can call me Anna." She said with a warm smile.

 I'd never really gotten a good look at her until now. She had long dirty blonde hair that was straight until the ends, where it flipped up with little curls.  She had green eyes and a face full of freckles, but she was pretty.  She didn't look old enough to be a doctor, and me not using my head as I do, confronted her about it. "You don't look old enough to be a doctor." I blurted before thinking. 

"Ohh yeah.... Well, I'm only seventeen, but my uncle is chief of the hospital. He said that I had so much potential to be a doctor, he had me quit high school and come here to work as an intern. He said that the only reason that I didn't have to finish high school was because he had a friend who worked in the admissions office at the med school I want to go to. So I'm technically working here as an intern, but people treat me like a doctor. I just have really lucky connections I guess.." 

It was very interesting. I bet Two-Bit would love her. But I wouldn't wish Two-Bit loving you on my worst enemy. "That's really cool." I said looking into her green eyes. It was weird, I usually hate people with green eyes, but I liked Anaya. She was cool.

Then another doctor walked in. "Mr. Curtis?" I turned my head to him and so did Anna. "The chief doctor wants to talk to you." 

"I nodded and started to walk towards the door.

"Oh he will come to your room Mr. Curtis." Said the doctor from the doorway. He walked away as I walked back to Amber's bedside.

"I guess I better go." Said Anna picking up her clipboard. When she picked it up she dropped everything on the floor. "I'm such a clutz!" She cursed at the sky. She picked up papers and I rushed to help picking up a book. It was a thick book with a pretty cover.

"Gone With The Wind." I read aloud. "I've always wanted to read this book, I've just never gotten a chance to." I told her.

"It's a long book," She replied. "But it' well worth the read. You can borrow it if you want." 

"Hey, thanks Anna!" I said handing her the rest of her papers and giving her a hug.

"You're welcome Ponyboy." She said wrapping her arms around me.

We broke the hug and she left to leave. She turned around for a second and waved goodbye to me, colliding with someone coming in. "Anaya!" He said in a happy, surprised voice.

"Hey uncle Jim.." She said giving him a side hug and then continuing her way out.

"She's a good kid." He said making his way farther into the room.

I stood from my chair and shook his hand firmly. I remained standing. "So what did you need to talk to me about, Doc?" I asked.

"Well," He started in a dramatically more serious voice. "I'm going to be forward with you Pony, Amber is just asleep for no reason, so a machine is keeping her brain alive and her heart pumping at a normal rate. If we stop that machine, she dies." 

My heart skipped a beat and everything seemed to go white for a few seconds. "w-what?"  I asked in a hush tone. 

"I'm obligated to tell you that everyday she is hooked up to that machine is costing you and your brothers money." He said sounding like he didn't even care about her life. I couldn't believe someone like Anaya and someone like him were related. Anaya was sweet and kind and caring, and he was all about money, and didn't seem to care about Amber at all.

"But she could still wake up!" I half yelled.

"Yes... that is a possibility... but everyday she doesn't, the chances get less likely."

"But there is still a chance?" I said tears filling my eyes without my control.

He didn't say anything and didn't move. He just looked at her. I didn't even want him looking at her. He didn't care about her. 

"Listen Mr. Curtis-"

"Don't call me that! My name is Ponyboy god damn it!" I interrupted.

The doctor took a deep breath. "Listen Ponyboy," He said calmly. "Your brother's extra insurance money runs out tomorrow, after that there is no way we can keep her on those machines any longer. Tomorrow, if she is not awake, we pull the plug."