Chapter 1

The nurse came in. I tried to hold my sobs in as Johnny wouldn't move. Dally had left seconds ago or was it minutes? It could've been years for all I knew. All I knew was Johnny was dead. It seemed to me it couldn't be possible, that Johnny would move any second now and I would scold him for the sick joke he pulled on Dally and me.

However, this joke was too cruel to be real.

It was gone. I was gone. The hope that everything would turn out okay in the end was gone. Nothing would ever be okay again. The nurse kneeled down next to me with an understanding look on her face. She didn't understand. No one would ever understand. I didn't even comprehend what I was feeling. How could anyone else?

"He wanted me to give this to you." she spoke softly. I looked at Johnny, lying on the bed, still there, untouched. It has been minutes after his death and, yet, it looked like just mere seconds.

I looked at the nurse. Her features were as soft as her voice. Her blonde hair was wrapped in a bun. Her eyes were dark, as dark as Johnny's. I looked at the book in her hand. Gone With the Wild. I took the book from her wordlessly and she gave a slight nod and walked away. I needed to be alone and the nurse knew it. I skimmed through the book, remembering what Johnny and I had read and what we enjoyed, our last fond memories together. i nearly burst in tears as I remember what could never happen anymore but I stayed strong, like Darry stayed strong at Mom and Dad's funeral.

We ain't gonna cry no more, are we?

"Nope. We're all cried out now."

I tried harder not to. As I flipped through the pages, a note slipped out of it. Curiosity hid my pain for a split second. I picked up the note and realized it was a letter. I read it, almost eagerly.

Ponyboy, I asked the nurse to give you this book so you could finish it. The doctor came in a while ago but I knew anyway. I keep getting tireder and tireder. Listen, I don't mind dying now. It was worth it. It's worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for. Some of their parents came by to thank me and I know it was worth it. Tell Dally it was worth it. I'm just gonna miss you guys. I've been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you're gold when you're a kid, like green. When you're a kid everything's new, dawn. It's just when you get used to everything that it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be. I want you to tell Dally to look at one. He'll probably think you're crazy, but ask for me. I don't think he's ever really seen a sunset. And don't be so bugged over being a greaser. You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There's still lots of good in the world. Tell Dally. I don't think he knows. Your buddy, Johnny.

I came into slow realization in what I had to. I had to fulfill Johnny's last wish. I had to tell Dally, but first, I had to save him. I knew he was gonna do something he regretted. He was in pain and that was the only way he dealt with it. he got in trouble. I had a feeling he was gonna get in bigger trouble than he usually did and that was nearly impossible for him.

I ran out the hospital as fast as I could with the letter in my hand, determined to save Dally, determined to break his hard, cold shell.

A/N Hey guys, sorry for the short chapter. It's kinda like a preface. I wanna update like every two days. Maybe less or more. I hope you guys liked it. im working on Chapter 2. Review what you would like to see in the story. And review just for fun!