This is Chapter four of Loving The Change. Thank you so much for the reviews. Sorry if the story's moving kind of fast but it's my story, deal with it. Anyway on with the disclaimer.
Two-Bit: Talk about long winded intros
Skeledog lover: Shut up. You're not even doing the disclaimer.
Two-Bit: Of course not. Superman's doing the disclaimer.
Darry: –busy reading newspaper–
Skeledog lover: –sigh– Go ahead . . .
Two-Bit: You don't own me!! Or those other people. – motions to Steve, Johnny, Ponyboy, Darry, Dally, Sodapop and every other Outsiders related things and/or people– So ha!
Jenna: You still own me.
John: Ditto.
Jenna: And, let's not forget Adrian and Trina.
Skeledog lover: Whatever. . . On with the story!!
Anyone POV
They were finally official. Johnny was really changed by having her around. It's a change his friends think was for the better. He was suddenly a little more daring and a little more willing to put his two-bit's worth in.
What surprised the gang was that Johnny was wiser than any of them. Who would have known little soft spoken Johnny would know so much? It had always been their job to show him . . . but then again, he's always been there. Always been a witness to things most greasers never want to see.
The guys were having a date night, usual thing, on a Friday. Soda and Steve went with Evie and one of her friends that Soda was being set up with. He had never had trouble finding his own date but after the whole thing with Sandy he didn't seem interested. In all truth he was but after a few months he lost a bit of his usual charm.
Two-Bit had a new blonde of the week named Cassandra and, of course, Johnny was taking Jenna. Even Ponyboy had his girl, Trina, sitting on his lap. They were a pretty cute couple, both loved to read and write. Surprise, surprise, they met in English class. Those two were made for each other.
They were all over at one of Buck Merrill's parties. Soda was talking with his date, and Trina and Pony were talking on the porch, and Two-Bit had already led Cassandra upstairs. Johnny and Jenna were sitting on one of the seats, making out.
At some point Dallas came over to them and he and Johnny talked for a bit but that was it. Later that night the only people left who were sober were Johnny, Pony, and their dates. They decided to walk the girls home then head back. Johnny was surprised to see that Trina was middle class because she sure didn't act it. After they dropped her off they headed to Jenna's house. They were about a block away when they heard the unmistakable sound of John and their father fighting. It had gotten more brutal over the months and Jenna had spent more nights at the Curtis'.
As they got closer to the house Jen quickened her pace and went inside with Johnny coming in behind her. The house was sort of like Johnny's on the inside; there was garbage and beer bottles all along the ground and the paint on the walls was chipping. The couch was a little torn and stuffing was coming out.
"Good, the girl's home. You should do something about this pig stigh, Jennifer."
"Why don't you get off your lazy ass and do it yourself?" She snapped back.
John looked at her. His look said very simply 'get out of here before you get hurt.' But that was the thing about Jenna, she didn't back down, not ever. She stayed standing where she was and John looked at Johnny, who was standing right behind her, and gave him a desperate look.
"Jonathan." Jenna's father said. "Look at me when I talk to you, boy."
"Last time I checked you were talking to me." Jen piped up.
John would have killed her right then but she was his little sister, it was his job to protect her. He gave a signal to Johnny who immediately pulled Jenna by her arm out of the house.
They walked back to the Curtis' in silence. When they got there, Jenna started crying. Johnny was busy comforting her until she fell asleep in his arms. He laid her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket then made his way to his own house.
Johnny POV
I walked through the door to my house as quietly as possible. I was hoping that the old man would be passed out and I could just get to my room. No such luck. I headed towards the stairs when I heard him.
"Get down here, boy." I stayed still and hoped he wouldn't hear me. "Jonathan, you come when I speak to you."
I slowly made my way into the living room where my dad was standing, ready to beat the shit out of me for something.
"Why were you late, Jonathan?" He barked.
"I-I-I wasn't late."
"What! Don't waist my time, boy. I know you were."
"Since when do you care anyway? Since when do you care if I ever come home?" I said angrily.
He slapped me across the face, hard and I fell back a bit. I got back up just in time for him to take a swing at me and get me back on the ground. He kicked and punched and swore and I just lay there, trying to protect myself. Then it all stopped. It stopped for a minute and I thought he was done. I have got to stop with that wishful thinking. He came back with a plank of wood and whipped it across my back. I held back from screaming. He picked up a beer bottle and slashed it across my arms. That time I screamed. He kicked me in the chest a few more times and the last time I heard a sickening crunch. I felt pain go through me like you wouldn't believe. He passed out on the couch. After a few minutes I got up, wincing in agony at the pain as I limped out of the house, clutching my side. I noticed that my arms were bleeding a lot. I started over to the Curtis' house. On the way I stopped and threw up in the street. I felt dizzy and weak but I kept going to the Curtis'. When I got there, I opened the door and passed out right there.
Sodapop POV
I was in the living room with the rest of the guys and after a few cups of coffee we were sobered up some. We were just about to start a game of poker when the door swung open. Johnny was standing there, looking deathly pale and covered in blood. He collapsed in the doorway. Needless to say we were all fully sobered now.
I brought him inside and woke Jenna up so we could put him on the couch. She looked devastated to see him like that, I think she almost cried.
I laid him down and took off his shirt. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. His chest was bruised up a lot and it looked like it was troubling him to breathe. He probably had some broken ribs. His face was bruised up some too and the cuts on his arms were bleeding heavily. We had to get him to a hospital or he would bleed to death.
That moment I heard a groan and his eyes opened slowly. The only thing in his deep black eyes right then was pain. Then he looked around and saw Jenna. He looked at her for a second then smiled and closed his eyes. He must have been wiped out and him bleeding out probably didn't help.
Jenna went from alarmed to downright hysterical by the time we got to the hospital. We were sitting in the waiting room and she was chewing her gum nervously. She must have really liked him. Eventually Ponyboy got her to calm down a little and she stopped pacing but was still chewing hard on her gum. John met us at the hospital after he came to our house and couldn't find anyone but Darry. Jen's gum chewing was getting me nervous and I asked Pony for a smoke.
"You're worried, huh?" He said while lighting up for me.
I breathed out the smoke and sighed. "Well, yeah. He hasn't been in the hospital since . . ."
I stopped there, noticing the look on Pony's face and the way his cigarette drooped in his hand. I didn't want to be responsible for my brother's emotional breakdown. I put out my cigarette and slung my arm over his shoulder. "He'll be okay." I assured him. "He'll be okay. . ." After another hour I got up and went to the front desk.
"We want to know about how Johnny Cade is doing."
"We?" The nurse asked.
I motioned a hand towards the guys and Jen. The nurse started looking through some papers on her desk.
"I'm sorry but we can only tell family about Jonathan's condition."
I winced when she said Jonathan because I remembered him saying that only his dad called him that.
"We are his family."
"I'm sorry but—"
"You're sorry? No you're not. You're not sorry some kid grease is in the hospital. Stop acting like you give a damn. We are as much family as he's got because his parents care just about as much as you do." I yelled. I noticed everybody looking at me but I didn't care.
She looked back down at the papers and looked at me. "If you wish to go see him, Mr. Cade is in room 423."
I went back over to the guys and they followed me to the room. We went inside quietly and saw that Johnny was still unconscious. Jenna and Ponyboy sat down next to the bed and the rest of us watched silently. John was standing over Jen with his hands on her shoulders while she cried. Dallas was cussing just loudly enough for us to hear and Two-Bit had his teeth clenched along with Steve. Ponyboy was pale and I just stood there, frozen. This kid had been in the hospital enough times as it is . . . Suddenly Johnny opened his eyes. He looked over at Jen who had yet to notice.
"You know, I must be pretty important if you're crying over this." He said in a low voice. She looked at him and wiped off her eyes on her sleeve. Johnny looked at Ponyboy. "Man, ten months in this place and I'm back in this bed. I swear they should start reserving me a room." He laughed weakly. He closed his eyes another minute. When he opened them Jenna was still watching him.
"What do you mean they should reserve you a room? Do you get in the hospital often?" She asked.
"No, not often at all. I haven't been here in three months."
"W-what happened last time?" She asked. John hit her arm softly as if to say that's a rude question.
"No, it's alright John. I'll tell her. Well, Ponyboy, if you're up for it . . ." He trailed off.
Ponyboy nodded his head and looked at Jenna starting the story right at the beginning, when they went to the Nightly Double. He went on to tell about how he met those Soc girls and when they were bringing them to Two-Bit's house. He talked about how they went to the vacant lot but left out why he ran away from home. Then how the Socs cornered them at the park by the fountain.
A look of realization came across Jen's face at that part and she looked at Johnny. He nodded weakly and Pony continued.
Then about Johnny killing that Soc that was drowning Ponyboy. Then about meeting Dally at Buck Merrill's and getting directions to Windrixville. He talked about how they spent five days there and about dying his hair.(The tips of his hair were still that color because he wouldn't cut his hair again.) She laughed at that part. Then he stopped after telling about my letter to him and getting back to the church. That's where Johnny stepped in (so to speak).
"When we got back to the church after telling Dally we were heading back to Tulsa the church was on fire. We got out of the car before Dally could stop us and heard that some of the kids were trapped inside. You could hear them screaming . . ." He spaced out for a second as if seeing it all again. Then he blinked a few times and continued. "Anyway, me and Pony went inside to get those kids out and after they got out I told Ponyboy to get out first. After he got out a piece of timber crashed on top of me. Th-there was f-f-fire everywhere. I th-th-thought I was going to d-d-d . . ."
He started stuttering as if he was really living through it again. Seeing the fire. I couldn't even imagine the hell he had to go through. Thankfully Jenna told him to stop before he started hyperventilating. He snapped back to reality and smiled gratefully. John was speechless. Finally he said something.
"I heard about that case. So, you're the Curtis' that nearly got separated?" Me and Ponyboy nodded. "And, you're that kid that killed someone?" He asked Johnny. Johnny looked down at the tile floor. "It's alright Johnny. I read that article and I had the feeling you had a good reason. I was right." He said, ruffling Pony's hair. He immediately fixed it. "And, you're a hero. Guess that's what got you off right?"
"They thought that being trapped in the hospital was enough punishment." Johnny said, looking up again.
John nodded. "I couldn't imagine having to do that."
"Pray to god you never have to." Johnny whispered, more to himself than John.
It was early morning by then, nearly five in the morning. It's a good thing it was Saturday, I didn't have work. We all said good bye to Johnny and left him to get some rest.
Jennifer POV
I can't believe Johnny had to go through all of that. Now I feel sort of stupid about complaining about my dad beating me. I never ended up in the hospital because of him. And now Johnny was in the hospital because of his. I went by to see him every day and every other day Ponyboy was there too.
Finally, after two weeks, they let him go. He seemed sort of spaced out and I asked him what was wrong.
"You probably think totally differently of me now, right?"
"What are you talking about?" I was a little confused and we stopped walking.
"I killed a kid. He couldn't have been over seventeen or eighteen and I killed him."
"He would have killed you if you didn't. And, not only you but Ponyboy too. You did it for self defense, everyone knows that. I know that. Don't worry about it."
I kissed him on the lips. He seemed satisfied and we continued the walk to the Curtis' house. When we went inside we sat down and I sat next to him. I didn't want to hurt him by sitting in his lap. He then proceeded to put his arm around me.
While we were sitting, just watching tv, Two-Bit came in and sat on Johnny's other side and lightly poked him in his chest. Johnny made a noise in his throat.
"Nice to have you back Johnnycake." Two-Bit said, not noticing that Johnny had winced.
"Needless to say those ribs aren't fully healed." Johnny said a little over a whisper.
Two-Bit blinked. "Sorry, man, just glad to have you back."
"No problem."
Again, we stayed sitting for a while until Two-Bit suggest we go to the Nightly Double. We stopped along the way since it was still light out and went into one of those little convenience stores. I was extremely good at shop lifting, almost as good as Two-Bit. I walked out of there with four packs of gum and two packs of cigarettes for the boys.
When we got to the Nightly double we snuck in through the gaping hole in the fence. You would think after all the times we got in without paying that the owner would have fixed it.
Anyway, we saw Tim and Curly Shepard there and Johnny and Two-Bit went over to them. I was about to follow when someone grabbed me and held me against the waist. They pulled me close to them.
"Why don't we head over to my place and have some fun?" The person whispered in my ear.
I laughed and pulled away from the person. "Shit, Dallas, you had me scared to death." I said.
He gave me that dangerous grin and asked. "So, how's the kid?" He always called Johnny kid and I'm not sure he'll ever change.
"Just fine. A little sore but fine."
He nodded knowingly. "Cracked ribs are a bitch."
We went over to the guys and I sat down next to Johnny. He was in a conversation with Two-Bit. I was trying to follow but frankly I think Johnny was the only person who spoke his language. Finally they quit the conversation and Dallas turned his attention to Johnny.
"So, how you feeling, kid?" He asked Johnny. Didn't I just tell him two minutes before that he was doing better?
"Just fine, Dally." Johnny said, quietly. He always seemed shier around Dallas. I could never understand why. "Dray's coming home." He added as an afterthought.
"Is she now? How come?"
"Something about missing the gang and getting bored with those bunch of Socy people in California. Says Tyler needs a lifestyle change."
"Who wouldn't? Soc bastards." Dallas said, checking his pockets. He said coolly to Johnny, "Got a cancer stick?"
"No, Dal, sorry."
"I got some." I said, taking out one of the packs I got from the convenience store. I gave him one pack and gave the other to Johnny. "I don't really smoke but I figured you'd need one sooner or later."
"Thanks." Johnny said, lighting up a cigarette as well. I took out a piece of gum and started chewing. It was easier for me to relax when I had something to do. I wasn't even paying much attention to the movie. I was just letting my mind wander while staring at the ring Johnny gave me. I liked the way the light shined on it. It was so beautiful. Before I knew it the show was over and Johnny was trying to get me to snap out of it.
"Jenna . . . Jen, come on, movie's over. Look, if you don't like the ring I can get you a different one." I looked at him like he was out of his mind. He smiled. "I figured that would work."
I laughed a little and we walked out of there, hand in hand.
When we got back to the Curtis', Sodapop and John were there, playing poker. We all ended up staying at Pony, Soda, and Darry's house that night; after that last stunt there was no way we were letting Johnny go back to his house, and John told me— and showed me, telling from his bruised cheek— that it wasn't a good night to be at our house.
What I realized right then was that we didn't call our house home anymore, it was just our house . . . ever since mom died. Now, with our dad hitting us and stuff, all we could call it was our house.
I wondered, before going to bed, if Johnny had the same problem. We were both sharing the couch and I asked him, before he fell asleep.
"Johnny?"
"Mmhmm?" He mumbled sleepily.
"Have you ever called your house a home?"
"What?"
"I mean, has it ever felt like home or was it just a house that you had to grow up in?"
"I used to call it home when I was three or something . . . now, I call here home . . ."
"You do?" I looked around the small house. It wasn't the greatest looking on the block but on the inside it had a comforting feel to it. I guess it could be considered home.
"Yeah. I've called this home. This is where I met my brothers, all six of them." He smiled at me. "And where I met my girlfriend."
"Wasn't that at the park?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I didn't know you at the park, not until we got you here. Now I know you, and I'm glad I do."
My stomach did a flip. That's never happened before . . . could I really love him? . . . yes. Of course I do. I could tell him, but what if he doesn't love me back? . . . he doesn't really have to love me for me to love him. If he doesn't I'll give him time to figure out how he feels.
"I love you." I said.
He smiled widely. "I love you, too."
We kissed shortly then fell asleep. I could hear his heart through his shirt; soft but steady. It was nice . . .
The week went by like it usually does . . . sleep, school, seeing Johnny, going to the Curtis'. Normal. Anyway, on Saturday when I went to Ponyboy's house there was no one there, not at first anyways. I sat on the couch, trying to figure out where everyone was. Sodapop, Steve, Darry, and John had work. Two-Bit had issues to work out (picking out a new girlfriend of the week), Ponyboy and Johnny were probably at a movie. I sat back and started watching tv and waiting for them to come home, when a girl walked through the door.
She looked vaguely familiar. She had long black hair that went to the middle of her back. Her eyes were a deep black and she had tanned skin. She was wearing a black t-shirt with black jeans and a blue jeans jacket. She looked around then sat on the couch.
"I'm looking for my brother. You haven't seen him, have you?"
"Haven't seen much of anyone yet."
She nodded. "I'm gonna have some chocolate cake, you want any?"
She seemed nice enough. "Sure, thanks."
She went into the kitchen and came back out with two plates of cake. I wondered how she knew they had chocolate cake in the icebox.
"Um, how do you know the Curtis'?" I asked.
She looked up from the cake. "Gosh, they were like brothers to me, them and their friends. My closest friends till I moved away."
I nodded. "They are nice."
"I know for a fact Sodapop made this cake. So much sugar in it, just like I showed him."
Okay, that settled it, she definitely wasn't making this up. How could you possibly guess a name like Sodapop? We talked for a little bit, until the boys came home.
They all froze in the doorway, looking at the girl. Johnny looked especially surprised. I realized that I never asked her name.
"Hey, um, what's your name?" I asked in a shier tone than usual.
"Adrian." Johnny said from the door. "Her name's Adrian."
She smiled at him. "Long time, no see little bro."
Okay, that's it for now. I need some time to update my other story so I might not update this for a bit. Okay, well, please R&R. Flames are for Campfires . . .
