So this is my idea for a Johnny story. Just to remind people who have never read anything by me

Dominoes- story about Darry and how he deals with a tragic event in the gang

Tuff 'Nuff- story about Dally and how he loses his memory and gains his innocence

All These Deeds I've Done- story about Sodapop and what happens after he returns 10 year later to find the gang in shambles

I don't own the Outsiders! Enjoy!

I read somewhere about an experiment with puppies. The first group of puppies was always treated kindly, the second always treated badly, and the third treated completely unpredictably.

Interestingly enough, the third group of puppies was the most loyal to the researchers.

I suppose everyone is in the third group of puppies. You don't really know what is gonna trigger someone's anger or make them laugh. You can only guess.

I think I used to be in the second group. I could expect my parents to be jerks, for my teachers to be oblivious and frustrated, and for kids to be cruel.

But the day I met the Curtis', that was the day I joined the rest of the world in the third group. I still couldn't count on them 100 percent, but it was a hell of a lot better than my previous situation.

I met the Curtis parents in school. Ponyboy was in my second grade class (back when they didn't have honors or standard classes) and one day they offered me a ride home from school because some kids had been beating on me.

I think that at first they forced Pony to be friends with me, but I'm sure that after a while he actually began to like me. I hope, anyways.

I had been returning home a lot lately. I guess after I got the news, I sort of felt closer to my family. Evidently, the feeling was not mutual. My dad was still a jerk, my mom was still faking obliviousness.

But tonight I was staying at the Curtis. Pony had invited me, noticing the amount of bruises I had developed.

I was sort of excited. Very, to tell the truth. The gang hadn't just 'stayed in' for a long time, but Pony had casually planned it because I was being antisocial-or at least more than usual.

I arrived at their door and carefully swung open the scream calling a soft greeting that would be hard to hear unless you were actually in the living room.

Two-Bit jumped up, rambunctious as usual, and pulled me into a hug. "Johnny dearest," He said in an imitation of an old english woman. "How just simple delightful it is to see you this fine evening." He bowed low and kissed my hand with a loud smacking sound.

I laughed breathily, not an actual laugh. Very few people could make me laugh. In fact, only Dally and Two-Bit had ever made me laugh for real. Two-Bit tried for an entire afternoon, the longest time he's ever spent doing anything, and had the rest of the gang in stitched before he accidentally fell over the couch. I had laughed, then clapped my hand over my mouth, sorry that I had laughed at his pain. Two-Bit hadn't minded though. In fact, it was his greatest achievement.

Dally had made me laugh on time when he had been dared to wear a tutuand roller skates for a day. He didn't even last five minutes, and he swore he would kill me if I told anyone what he had done, but I think he was kidding. Dally would never hurt me.

Everyone except for Dally was seated in the living room, enjoying the luxury of take out. Dally liked to make a dramatic entrance.

"Hey Johnnycakes!" Pony cried in delight. Ever since we had been holed up in that church together, we had been closer than ever before. "Glad you could make it bud!"

I smiled breezily but didn't say anything. I sank into the shadow of the couch and watched the gang.

I liked doing this. They were the most interesting assortment of people ever. You had Darry, the tough older brother of everyone who alway looked out for me, Soda, the middle brother who was loved to death by everyone in the gang. Nobody could hold a grudge against Soda.

Steve, whose practical jokes and overprotectiveness perfectly balanced out his personality. Two-Bit, who was probably the most well meaning person I knew, Pony, the one who was gonna make it, and Dally, in simple terms, my idol.

People don't really understand my hero worship for Dallas. I guess I just wish I could be a strong as him. Then maybe people wouldn't walk all over me.

"Johnny?" I realized that Pony had said my name a couple times.

"Wha-yeah?"

"You ok?" Was I ok. I laughed humorlessly and the gang gave me strange looks. You can't tell them. A nagging voice said. I ignored it. I didn't want them to know. They couldn't help, and they couldn't make me feel better, so it was pointless.

"Sure." I said. I had always been bad at lying, so I often told half truths, or kept silent. 'Sure' wasn't really a yes. It was just dismissing the question.

"You positive?" Now here I was stuck. So I just kept silent and looked down at my hands. "Your parents again?"

This was a safe question. I could lie to this. I just nodded, and the conversation went on.

With any luck, the gang would never know what the real problem was...but I have never been a real lucky person.

Steve gave me a crooked smile, which I struggled to return. I have a secret. I thought. A very, very big secret.

A life changing secret.

My only hope is that it will only change my life, and leave those around me alone.