How did Ponyboy react when the Socs threatened him? What change does this show about Ponyboy? Why were Two-Bit and Steve worried about this? Why did they stop worrying?

At lunch, Ponyboy drives to the grocery store with Two-Bit and Steve, and hangs out smoking a cigarette on the fender of Steve's car while the other two are inside. A car full of Socs pulls up, but Ponyboy doesn't feel scared - he doesn't feel anything at all, even when one of them accuses him of killing Bob Sheldon and threatens him. Pony has had enough of being intimidated. He breaks off the end of his bottle and says, "You get back into your car or you'll get split," scaring the Socs off.

Two-Bit has seen the whole thing, and asks Ponyboy if he really would have used the broken bottle as a weapon; Ponyboy says he would have. Two-Bit says, "Ponyboy, listen, don't get tough. You're not like the rest of us and don't try to be..." but then he grins because he notices that Ponyboy is picking up the pieces of broken bottle from the ground to avoid people getting flat tires.