Ponyboy's POV

It was another old day for me, Ponyboy Curtis. I woke up like I normally did and ate a quick breakfast. I soon noticed Johnny was sitting on our couch with his eyes closed. I thought he was asleep until he started talking to himself. I overheard him say, "Please God, I don't think I can't take this anymore..." I walked over and sat down beside him. He turned to me and I saw he had been crying. "Come on Johnny, what's wrong?"

"My parents are always fighting, always fighting..."

"What are they going on about now?"

"About ME. They are fighting about what they should do with me."

"What do you mean?"

"They wanna send me to a military school or something..."

No they were not. They were not going to send my best friend away. Oh no they won't. Not without a fight, at least. He was about to break, and I knew it. Everyday his muscles got weaker, his voice was cracked, and his eyes, those eyes that make you want to hold him like a baby and tell him he will be okay, his eyes are more and more filled with the fear that was one day going to break him. Everyone knew it was slowly killing him, and I can't take it much longer. Dally knows he is gonna break the day Johnny does, and it's killing HIM, too. I feel like I'm losing them, and it has to stop.

That's when I got the idea. This amazing idea popped into my head and I'm surprised I didn't think of it before. I slept in the same room as Sodapop, leaving my old room free. Johnny could live here with us. That's when I jumped up, scaring Johnny half to death and startling Darry, who was now sitting in the recliner. "I've got it! Johnny you can stay here with us! My bedroom is free and with Darry and Soda working, we can afford one more mouth to feed."

Darry spoke first " I don't know Ponyboy, what with the people from the state already a little suspicious with me watching the two of you..."

"Darry, if we don't let him at least stay here, they're gonna send him away and I don't think I could get along without him."

"Well, maybe, but you both gotta be careful with the fuzz and stuff."

Johnny finally spoke up,"My mom would like to get rid of me anyways."

"Then we're in business!" I said enthusiastically. Me and Johnny grabbed our backpacks and headed out the door. I couldn't see his face behind his bangs, but I knew his grin was as wide as mine. And right then, it was pretty wide.

Johnny's POV

I was smiling so much after hearing that. I needed a break from my parents fighting, drinking, and abusing me. I knew Pony was worried for me. Not as worried as Dally. He may seem tough, but he has a soft side. He never showed it, except to me.

Once when I had been extremely scared after hearing my drunk mother say she was going to kill me. I ran to Buck's, where Dally usually stays, and didn't even bother knocking. I was crying so hard. I didn't know what Dally was going to do. He suprised me that night. He bent down to my level and gave me a hug. He said he would never let that happen to me. I never thought of him to be the kind to do something like that. Now I know a side of Dally no one else has seen.

We were approaching the school and Pony said he would see me at lunch and I nodded back. I saw a girl I had seen only once before approach me. She asked me where she could find a someone by the name of Johnny Cade. I pointed to myself, not knowing what to say. She grinned and her brown hair fell in front of her face. As she pushed it back she handed me a notebook with my name on it. I had forgotten it here yesterday. I saw she was holding a notebook with ~DJ~ on the front in bright blue. " Thanks, DJ." I managed to squeak out. She smiled and turned to walk away, leaving me staring after her.