Thank yah for the reviews! ^_^

I know this doesn't really go with the original story by S E Hinton, so I'm just telling you now, that Soda is still in school; he's in the same grade as Johnnycakes. Darry is in college. And where they go to school, freshmen are usually 14, sophomores 15, and so on. This isn't what it's like in all schools, so just fyi.

Oh and Ponyboy gets along real great with Darry because his parents didn't die.

Sorry for the long AN. I'll make this chapter long because of the super long wait. Sorry 'bout that.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

Johnny quickly hit the button. It was time for school.

He sat up and stretched. Maybe today will be a good day, he thought. He tried his hardest to think positive.

Then he remembered Ponyboy, and how Pony thought he was cute.

He blushed to himself.

He got out of bed, searching for some clothes. He settled for jeans and a t-shirt, and an old jean jacket.

Johnny got ready quickly in the bathroom. His bus would be here soon.

He rushed down the stairs and headed for the door, trying to escape his aunt. She was nice and all, but he really couldn't stand her cheeriness this early in the morning.

"Johnny! Did you eat breakfast?" his aunt called from the kitchen. She must have heard him coming down the stairs.

He groaned internally. "I'm not hungry," he said, opening the door. She came towards him with a box of cereal in her hands.

"I don't have time; I'll be late! I'll see you later," he said, and closed the door before she could reply.

He walked down the stairs leading to the sidewalk.

"Johnny!" he heard. He turned his head to the source, and saw a boy running towards him.

Ponyboy.

Suddenly Johnny's heart was pounding, but he didn't know why. He got nervous as the boy approached him.

"Hey, Johnny," Ponyboy greeted. He had a book in his hands, and his backpack was full. He must be a straight-A student, Johnny observed.

"Hi, Ponyboy," he replied.

They started walking to the bus stop. It was a nice day; it was a little windy, but the sun was out. It balanced out.

"So, how old are you anyway?" Ponyboy asked, breaking the silence.

"Sixteen," he answered truthfully. He winced as this reminded him of how he failed a year; most boys in his grade were fifteen.

"Oh," Pony replied, "did you get held back a grade?"

Johnny blushed and nodded. "How about you?" he asked, trying to get the attention off of himself. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen," Ponyboy replied. Fourteen? This kid doesn't act fourteen. He acts fifteen or sixteen. He doesn't look fourteen, either.

"Did you skip a grade?" Johnny asked curiously.

Now it was Ponyboy's turn to blush. "Yes." He looked down as he walked.

"Hey now, you don't have to be embarrassed. It's a good thing to be smart. I'm dumb, I only wish I was smart," Johnny told him. He had no idea why he felt like making Ponyboy feel better, he just did.

Pony gave him a half smile. He's kinda cute, Johnny thought before he could stop himself. I mean, if I was a girl, it would be cute, he amended. That was…weird.

Pony's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"So, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

They were at the bus stop, and Johnny was wondering when the bus would come. Not that he didn't like talking to Ponyboy, he just didn't want to miss the bus.

Johnny sighed.

"Nah, how 'bout you?"

Pony noticed that Johnny rarely smiled. It made him want to see his smile. He bet Johnny would look really cute if he smiled.

"Yeah. I have two older brothers. Darry and Sodapop." Sodapop? Johnny didn't say anything about it, though. He figured Ponyboy's parents must have been nuts when they named their kids. They had unique names, though.

The bus still wasn't here, and Johnny felt he had to make conversation.

"What are they like?" he asked.

"Well, Sodapop is sixteen, same as you. He's in our grade, too. He's a little like you, actually; he thinks he's dumb when he's not. He says the only class he can pass is gym. He's good with girls, and he loves cars."

Johnny was listening carefully. "And Darry?"

Pony grinned. "Darry's great, too. He's twenty, and off to college," he said. "In high school, he was a star football player, and he still is. He plays college football. Sometimes he comes down to visit us. He's a great older brother."

Johnny nodded. "Cool, sounds like they're great brothers."

Ponyboy agreed.

Finally the bus came rolling to their stop. They were the only ones at this stop, which Johnny noticed was odd. He ignored it and got on the bus. Pony sat next to him again.

Johnny stared out the window silently for about half way there, until suddenly Ponyboy's hand brushed against his, which was on the seat between them.

Johnny looked at Ponyboy.

"Sorry," Pony apologized sheepishly.

"It's okay," Johnny replied, trying not to blush.

One of Ponyboy's friends sat in an empty seat in front of them. He had rusty colored hair, Johnny observed, and grey eyes. He turned around to face them, grinning.

"Hey Two-Bit," Ponyboy said. Two-Bit...they all have such weird names, Johnny thought.

"Who's your little boyfriend over there?" Two-Bit asked. Johnny said nothing.

"That's Johnny, and he's not my boyfriend," Ponyboy huffed.

"Relax, kid, I'm just joking around," Two-Bit told him, and turned back around.

Soon they had arrived at the school. All of the kids got off the bus, and headed inside. Ponyboy was walking beside him, chattering on about something, but Johnny wasn't paying enough attention to notice.

They went to the classroom, and Ponyboy sat right next to him, still talking away about something.

This is going to be a long day, Johnny thought.

See? Nice and long. Review! :D