I don't know what woke me up, probably just it being so cold. I was shivering, and I realized that Pony was still next to me. I blinked, wondering what time it was. It didn't matter for me. My parents didn't care if I stayed out all night, and they probably wouldn't even notice. But Darry would be pissed at Ponyboy for being out so late. He'd be all worried and wanting to call the cops but he wouldn't cause Pony and Soda might get sent away.
"Ponyboy, wake up," I said, shaking him. He didn't wake up too easily, but he did wake up, looking at me like he didn't know who I was or where he was.
"What time is it?" he said.
"I don't know, I fell asleep, too, listening to you rattle on and on like that. You better get home, alright? I'm gonna stay all night out here, who'll care anyway?" I said to him, curling up and shrinking down into my jean jacket. God, I was cold.
"Yeah, alright. If you get cold come on over to our house," he said, taking off. I wanted to go with him but I didn't cause I knew Darry was gonna yell at him, and who knew? He might get whipped over this. I didn't want to be there for that. It was bad enough at my house.
It was too cold out here, I couldn't sleep. My teeth wouldn't stop chattering. So I got up and headed to my house, hoping my parents were just passed out in there. Maybe they were. It was late enough. I cracked the door open and crept inside, but I wasn't lucky.
"Johnny?" It was my old man, and I just shrunk against the wall and waited to be hit. I should have just slept outside, maybe I would have froze to death. My old man did what he usually did, which was grab my arm so I couldn't get away, and I felt the punches like I had so many times before. After awhile I just kind of went somewhere else in my head, I separated my mind from my body. That's what saved me when those socs were beating me half to death that time in the lot. I just separated myself from it. Then it was over, my old man stumbled away, and I staggered to my feet, feeling drunk, too. I felt that dull ache from being hit so many times, that funny feeling after a beating that makes me feel so tired, almost drugged.
I went to my room and passed out asleep on my bed, and at least I was warm.
"Johnny?" It was hours later, it was daylight now, and I knew my parents were passed out somewhere. Someone was gently shaking me. I opened my eyes and saw Two-bit, his face serious for once.
"What?" I sat up, feeling alarmed. Why was he here, waking me up? What was it?
"Listen, something terrible happened," He looked shocked, his eyes dull. I narrowed my eyes at him, not wanting to know what terrible thing happened now.
"What happened?" I said, digging around for a cigarette, listening for my parents to come bursting in here, but they wouldn't.
"Ponyboy, the socs…uh, last night…" I just looked at him, waiting for him to string together enough words for me to know what he was talking about.
"The socs drowned Ponyboy last night, they killed him," My mouth dropped open and I just stared at him. Killed him? It was having a hard time making sense to me. Socs beat people up, they jumped us greasers for kicks, I knew that better than anyone. But actually killing someone? Killing Ponyboy? It wouldn't make sense.
"Huh?" I said, and he didn't repeat it, but I saw on his face that it was true.
We all went to Pony's house. Soda was a wreck, I mean, they both were, both Soda and Darry, but Soda was unable to contain it and he just kept sobbing. Darry had that blank look on his face, the exact same as when his parents were killed in that car wreck.