Disclaimer: I own nothing. I wrote this oneshot myself, but The Outsiders and the characters do not belong to me, they belong to S E Hinton.
The letter sat folded in my hand. The ink was splattered and smudged in places. That wasn't from the rain, though to the gang I wouldn't admit it. No, they were tears of mine that fell as I sat here penning one last letter to Johnny Cade, my best buddy. He's gone, and it's taken me quite awhile to believe I'd never see his tan face again except for in my mind. I still don't want to believe it, but I got to live on.
I sat there, tears still slowly and silently streaming down my cheeks, dripping off of my chin. The wind was howling and the rain was falling fast. I was freezing, I realized that later on, but sitting there next to Johnny's grave, I felt him there, and I was warmed.
His grave wasn't near any of his family, but I didn't expect that. Other than the gang, Johnny Cade had no family. No real family anyway. His dad used to belt him all the time, his mother just ignored his presence, except for when complaining about how much trouble Johnny was. No, we were his family. What we had was thicker than blood. That's the truth.
Hesitating, I opened the letter to read my words again. Reading what I'd written, in a what seemed a vain hope that Johnny would somehow see it, brought even more tears to my eyes.
Dear Johnny,
How you doing Johnny? Bet heaven's real nice. The gang misses you, we all do. It's just not the same. The hearing happened, came and went. All charges dropped. They wouldn't put a hero in the reformatory or in a boy's home. A hero, that's what they call me now, a hero. Johnny, you were the real hero, gallant as could be. You were always right you know. You telling me to tell Dally to watch a sunset, you were right, and I found out too late. He's gone Johnnycake, he's gone. Dallas Winston died under the street lamp, shot down by the fuzz. He needs you Johnny, you kept him from breaking. Maybe the sunset would've kept him even farther away from those bullets. He was gallant too, you were right about that. Those Southerners got nothing on him. Him anal you, gallant and gold as any. You were gold Johnny Cade, and I'm betting you still are. I won't ever forget you, don't you forget us. Goodbye Johnny, goodbye.
Ponyboy Curtis
Sobbing loudly now, I refolded the letter and put a rock on top of it, holding it to the ground above Johnny. I hoped he knew how we all were getting on without him, that it wasn't working too well. Maybe he already knew. If he did, he wasn't letting on.
I got up carefully, regaining my composure. Breathing deeply, I turned again to the tombstone. I didn't understand how the date of birth could really be so close to the date of death. I opened and closed my mouth, as if I was going to start talking to the stone. But what do you say to the grave of your best friend?
"Sixteen years ain't long enough Johnny; you were right about that too. We all stayed gold buddy, just for you. Stay gold for us now."
Tears came rapidly as I turned around, my words lost in the wind.