Disclaimer: I do not own S.E. Hinton's amazing fantastic wonderful book The Outsiders. I'm just in love with Johnny Cade and I pretend that he's my character so that I can feel proud when he does something awesome, like in this fan fiction…
What would happen…
If Two-Bit had to carry a reluctant Johnny all the way back to Ponyboy's house?
Chapter 1
"Come on Johnny, let's get out of here." Two-Bit mutters, grabbing my arm and pulling me upright. I'm dizzy from being punched in the head a couple too many times and immediately fall down again. I here Soda popping off a real obscene remark at one of the Socs and Steve following it up with a very anticlimactic, "Yeah!". The earth feels soft. I wish I could stay here lying on the ground forever and ever. I'm going to puke I think. My head really hurts. Suddenly I'm aware of shooting up from my former fetal position. At first, I think I'm flying, but after my head clears a little, I open my eyes and Two-Bit has me slung over his shoulder and we're running.
"Glory, Two-Bit!" I shout after a few seconds. "Put me down, would you?"
"Sorry kid. Those scrawny legs aren't gonna carry you fast." he says, referring to my slight figure. I'm only angry because he's telling the truth. I might as well give myself in to the Socs chasing us, rather than try to outrun them. Even so, I'm offended and try to curse him out. It sounds like gibberish, but Two-Bit gets the point and laughs.
Ponyboy is way ahead of me and Two-Bit's tag-team. That's no shock, the guy's a natural born runner. I raise my head and suppress a yelp. Three Socs are only ten feet away.
"They're behind us, man!" I yell at Two-Bit. He's heard me, but he gets this determined look on his face. I wonder what's going on inside his head. Probably something like fight or run. Or he could be thinking about Mickey Mouse. I hope he keeps running with me over his shoulder, I'm not sure that I can walk right now.
"You greasers are mighty fast!" the Soc stresses the word greaser more than he needs to. I raise my fist and realize that my arm is practically completely black and blue. What just happened? I think, trying to keep my head cool. I start shouting at the Socs. Anything that pops into my mind shoots out of my mouth. I don't think I said one swear, I just screamed random childish insults at them because they didn't have any right to hurt me and my friends. Two-Bit is pretty banged up, but he is stronger than I am, and I'm just about sure I look like I got dragged behind a car for a few miles.
Two-Bit almost chokes laughing when I scream, "STUPIDIDIOTS!!!" at the Socs. One of the Socs starts chuckling and then he can't stop laughing at my insults that he has to stop for a minute because he's doubling over.
"Wow kid, you've got a rough mouth on you." Two-Bit cries sarcastically.
"Shut up, Two-Bit." I say.
"I could drop you at any moment, Johnnycake." he lets me go for a second and I scream hysterically. Before I can reach the ground, I feel his arm and I'm back over his shoulder. I'm quiet except for heavy breathing, because I just realized that he really could drop me, even accidentally, and I could snap my neck. Before I can stop myself, I'm clinging to his shoulder and screaming every time we go over a rock or something.
"Heck, Johnny." he says like he's irritated. "Just stop screaming. I ain't gonna drop you."
I stop screaming, but every few seconds, I make a squeaking sound because I can't help it.
Two-Bit must be getting tired. Running through the streets of our town with a sixteen-year-old kid on his back. I know I would be exhausted. But he won't show it because he's Two-Bit Mathews and Two-Bit Mathews doesn't get tired simply carrying Johnny Cade.
The sun is just setting and I wonder if we're going to be running in the dark. I'm not scared of the dark, but Socs chasing you in the dark is not something I would suggest you try any time soon.
One of the Socs calls me a name and I assure you that it isn't "stupididiot." I gasp a bit only because of the rudeness of it.
Two-Bit rounds a corner and I can only slightly make out the rest of the gang because I'm pretty sure that I'm slowing Two-Bit down. Even so, Socs don't spend their time running away from guys so they aren't nearly as fast as us. And those pants that they wear must slow them down. They look so tight, like they may have been bought quite a couple of years ago. Us greasers wear real big clothing either cause we cant afford fitting clothes or because it just looks cool to us.
"Careful Two-Bit!" my voice is high-pitched and funny sounding as his feet scuff a piece of ground and I feel a small shift.
"Would you rather walk?" he asks.
"NO!" I shriek. Slowing down would mean fighting and right now I'm not in the mood.
"Fine. Cool it. You're gonna be okay, Johnny." he shakes his head.
I study the other Socs carefully. One is tall with a burly build. He has curly black hair and it's combed back neatly. His eyes are black like mine, but his are small and squinty. I think I'd rather have that. A while ago, when I went to the first day of middle school, two guys, who were probably Socs, cornered me in the hallway and called me a "bug-eyed freak" if I recall correctly. The boy is wearing a sweater and I wish that I had my jacket with me. I'm wearing a black T-shirt and my arms are freezing.
"You cold?" Two-Bit asks, somehow infallibly reading my mind.
"Y-yeah." I murmur. I hope he doesn't slow down, I think again. I wonder why he asked me because there's obviously nothing he can do about my temperature.
"Well, stop shaking so hard. You're making it hard to run. It's hard enough to have to carry a kid on my shoulder without you freaking out and shaking." he says.
I hadn't noticed I was shaking until I look at my hand and see that it is quivering. I must be trembling like a scared three-year-old, I think trying to compose myself but only succeeding in sending a chill down my spine.
The next Soc has flaming red hair. He is really short. He doesn't even really look like a Soc, but I figure he was, considering he was the one who cussed me out. He is wearing a dirty black leather jacket that has the initials J.M. on it. I focus really hard and see that his face is covered in bright orange freckles.
The final Soc is tall with neatly combed dirty blonde hair that only falls to the back of his neck, where it kicks out. He is wearing a purple school shirt and, oh, big surprise, the pants. Before I can catch anything else, Two-Bit trips over his foot and I start screaming bloody murder. Two-Bit regains his footing and clamps his left hand over my mouth.
"Quiet! Someone is gonna call the cops on us and try to arrest me for kidnappin' you or something. Shut up, okay, just shut up!" Two-Bit is tired and I can tell that he wants to lose the Socs. I do too. I look back and see them. Both are still running, but they are laughing and I know immediately that my scream hasn't gone unheard.
Suddenly I see Ponyboy's house in the distance. It is only a few yards away. And right before we reach Pony's yard, I feel gravity twist and I plummet to the ground.
Let me give you some advice: when three Socs lift you from the ground, and you're fed up with being "lifted", do not haul off and punch one of them in the nose. This may be surprising to you, but they don't like that.
"Looks like we're gonna have to teach this greaser how to talk and act nice, Bill." the boy who I punched, the one with the red hair says with a grin on his face. The other two are holding me in place.
"You Socs let go of him." Two-Bit warns, climbing to his feet.
"Okay guys, can't we settle this without fightin'" I ask.
"Oh, you're a scream, greaser." the Soc behind me comments. Before I can even process that he's being sarcastic, the fight starts. The red-hair guy, J.M. kicks Two-Bit backwards, and caught off guard, he falls backward. The two-Socs behind me pick me up by my elbows and I start kicking crazily and calling for Ponyboy, Soda, Darry or anyone. J.M. is fighting it out with Two-Bit. I just hope that Two-Bit realizes that two big Socs against one small greaser is going to end badly on my part.
Everything is happening too fast and I can't connect who's hitting me with what arm and then my surroundings start spinning wildly. I haven't felt this angry before. It's late. I'm tired of not feeling the ground beneath my feet. I'm out of breath. I just want to take a break. I just want a break.
"Put me down!" I yell as loudly as possible. The Socs seem a bit stunned, like they weren't told that I was going to not be okay with getting jumped. Even J.M. who is exchanging punches with Two-Bit kind of takes a look at me. But, it felt good to yell so loud. "Put me down! Put me down! Put me DOWN!!!" I shriek and kick in anger. When they drop me, I land on my feet instead of my head. I feel powerful. "You guys better get out of here!" I say, just so they get the point.
Suddenly, two black things emerges from behind the two Socs who are pretty mad that I'm a defiant kid. I see a flash and then Dallas Winston and Ponyboy are tackling the Socs and screaming insults. I realize just how tired I am. Really tired, like I think the ground would feel real nice right now. Weighing my options, I don't choose waiting for Dally and Ponyboy to finish the fight. Instead, I let my eyes spin and close and collapse into unconsciousness.