Disclaimer: I do not own any outsiders characters!
A Johnny Cade Fan-Fic. I DO NOT OWN any characters. S.E. Hinton owns all Characters and events related to the book.
Johnny Cade winced as he heard the screaming of profanities and crashing coming from his living room. He sat on his bed, wishing he could have something better. Ever since he had been jumped a couple months ago it seemed to gotten worse. His parents neglected him with such hate, such pity he looked down at the ground, his dark puppy dog eyes wanting anything but their abuse and neglect. He just wanted their love but they never gave it to them.
Johnny jumped as someone pounded on his door.
"Get out here, son!" his dad said, his words bitter.
Please don't hurt me. Johnny thought fearfully as he trembled, opening the doorknob. His dad sneered at him, his breath reeking of booze and beer. Johnny nearly gagged but kept his gaze locked on the ground.
His collar was roughly grabbed and he met his dad's face.
"You look at me when I'm talking to you." He said in a biting voice. Johnny nodded and swallowed hard. Johnny's dad let go and shoved him toward the living room where his mother was. She looked drunk and angry.
"There you are, you no good, worthless-"she continued her rant, muttering under her breath. Johnny prepared for his beating but didn't show how scared he really was.
Slap! Johnny's face whipped to the side, in pain. He bit his lip so he wouldn't cry out and whimper. He had taken worse from the socs; he had gotten a scar. His parents didn't do that to him. The socs did it…the socs.
"YOU ARE WORTHLESS! YOU HEAR ME?" his dad had taken off his bed and started to lash him. Johnny didn't cry out. He was strong, but the pain was unbearable. He wanted to cry, let his emotions out, but he refused to.
After a moment of beatings and profanities and harsh words from his parents, Johnny finally managed to make it out of the house. He picked himself up and walked to the lot, fists jammed tightly in his pockets. Stray tears prickled at his eyes and he wiped them away quickly. He couldn't cry. He was a greaser and greasers just didn't cry.
"Hey Johnnycakes," he jumped but relaxed seeing Ponyboy walk up to him and take a seat beside him.
"Hey Pony," he said and looked down at the ground. Pony looked at Johnny.
"Johnny you okay?" Pony asked worried for his friend. Johnny shrugged.
"Yeah…I'm fine." He mumbled unsure. Pony shook his head.
"No you're not. It was your parents again, wasn't it?" Johnny sighed but slowly nodded.
"Yeah, I don't want to talk about it." Pony understood but said:
"Why don't you stay the night tonight? Darry won't mind and beside, he won't yell at me if I'm late." Johnny shook his head.
"No I don't want to be a bother." Pony put his hand on Johnny's shoulder.
"You aint a bother Johnnycakes. C'mon and stay at our house." Johnny sighed and gave in. He reluctantly followed his friend to his house and walked on in. Darry's expression softened when Pony walked in.
"Hey Johnny!" Soda greeted him happily from the chair he was sitting in, watching Television. Johnny half smiled and laid down on the couch. He really needed the rest and sighed, closing his eyes.
Ponyboy had gone to do his homework in his room and Soda was talking to Darry in the kitchen. He suddenly didn't realize how late it had gotten.
"Shoot," he muttered, getting up and going for the door when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was Darry's.
"Going home, Johnny?" he asked. Johnny quickly nodded.
"You can stay here if you want to." Johnny sheepishly shrugged.
"I don't want to be a bother." He said and Darry shook his head.
"Johnny you aint ever a bother, don't you worry about it. Why don't you stay the night? Don't worry about it." Johnny sighed, giving in. Besides, it was better than staying the night out in the cold lot anyway. As Ponyboy and Sodapop had gone to bed, Johnny turned to Darry, hesitating on asking him a question.
Johnny had never asked Darrel Curtis about or usually for anything but this thought seemed to be on his mind.
"Darry? Could the world do better without me?" Darry's eyes darkened as did his expression.
"Johnny Cade don't you even think about killing yourself. You have friends and family here that need you. That care for you. There's always a purpose for everyone to live and so there's a purpose that you are here on this earth, Johnny." Johnny stared at him, as if the thought hadn't processed in his mind yet.
"And if you ever so as to think about killing yourself again, I'll knock your head off and teach you a lesson you won't forget. Everyone in the gang needs you, Johnny. Don't forget it." He said and added a small smile afterwards. Johnny smiled sheepishly and nodded.
"Thanks Darry." He said before lying back down on the couch and falling asleep, hoping there was a purpose for him in this world.