Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing and favoriting/following. To the guest reviewer: I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Johnny is my favorite too along with Ponyboy and Dallas.
A few weeks passed by, on Saturday night the guys went to the Dingo. The place was foggy from people smoking, and loud clanking of the utensils filled the room. They ordered food. The music was playing loudly over all the noise at the diner.
"Oh, this is my favorite song," Laura spoke up.
"You like Bob Dylan then?" Dally asked, taking a bite of his burger.
"I do," she replied, putting her burger down on her plate and starting to sing along.
"He's all right, I guess," Dally said, a thoughtful expression on his face "but sometimes the way he sings you can't get the words. It's all jumbled up."
"You just got to listen more carefully," Laura laughed in response.
"Anyway I prefer Elvis," he said, dipping his fries in ketchup.
"Elvis's tuff," Two-Bit piped in and then burped loudly.
"For Christ's sake, Two-Bit," Darry scolded, "Watch your manners."
"Excuse me," Two-Bit said slightly embarrassed.
"I like Elvis too," Soda agreed, "what about you Dar?"
"I guess they both are ok," Darry replied and Pony nodded, "Yeah, I think so too."
Johnny didn't say anything and he was kind of looking away. Laura noticed that, but didn't say anything. Over the past few weeks she started developing feelings for Johnny. She liked his quiet, soft demeanor and for some reason she felt a strong bond with him. He never told her about his parents or that he'd considered suicide in the past, but she somehow felt that he'd been through a lot. At first she was confused about her feelings, but then she had to admit that she liked him. She didn't think he would like her back though. And now he was so quiet, but she didn't dare ask why. Instead she continued her conversation with the other guys.
"So what other bands do you guys like?" she asked them.
"I like The Rolling Stones and Simon and Garfunkel " Pony replied, looking dreamily, "they are tuff."
"I think Johnny Cash is a great guitar player and his songs are really good too" Darry said. Everybody started listing their favorite bands except for Johnny, who was still sitting quietly. He hardly said anything and his food was still on his plate and he was looking away.
"What about TV shows?" Two-Bit said putting his empty cup aside. "Mine's…" he didn't get to finish and was interrupted by Steve - "oh it isn't Mickey Mouse is it?" Steve covered his mouth with his hands, "oh no, I gave away your secret."
"Mickey Mouse is the greatest show in the world," Two-Bit said in a very serious tone of voice.
"Yeah, for someone with an IQ of a three year old," Steve snorted.
"Hey watch it," Two- Bit glared at Steve.
"Or what?" Steve snarled.
"C'mon you and me right here, right now," Two-Bit propped his arm on the table. He rolled up the sleeve so everyone could see his muscles. Then him and Steve started arm wrestling. Everybody was watching in anticipation. Steve won. "Whatever," Two-Bit said rolling his sleeve down, disappointment in his voice, "I'll get you next time, and for your information Mickey Mouse is a really good show."
"Aren't' you a little too old for that?" Laura asked, and he stared at her as if the thought had never occurred to him. "You are never too old for Mickey Mouse," he said with finality. "That's not just me talking," he added, "that's just a fact for ya all."
"That's Two-Bit for you," Soda chuckled.
"Don't mind him," Darry smiled, turning to Laura.
They kept talking, but Laura glanced at Johnny, who was still sitting quietly almost all his food still on the plate. She couldn't ignore it anymore "Johnny is something wrong?" she asked, baffled.
Johnny panicked. He hated to be the center of attention. He cleared his throat and said "Wrong? No… n-not at all why?" He seemed to stumble over his words.
"You are awfully quiet and you didn't eat your food." Laura said. Johnny's face started to turn red.
"Yeah Johnny," Dally spoke up, taking the last sip of his coke and lighting his cigarette "I know you are always pretty quiet but today even more than usual and you are not eating, what's going on man?" Now Johnny's face was really red.
"Whatever it is, this will cheer you up," Soda yelled grabbing a french fry from his plate and throwing it at Johnny. "Food fight," he laughed.
"Oh c'mon Soda," Johnny said in a scratchy voice "what are you five?" But he smiled a little.
"Don't c'mon me," Soda yelled throwing a few more fries at Johnny. One got stuck to the collar of his shirt and one landed on his plate.
"You want me to take care of him for you?" Pony smiled and started throwing his fries at Soda, who was now throwing fries at both Johnny and Ponyboy.
"Get him Johnny," Pony yelled when he realized he didn't have any more fries on his plate. Finally Johnny smiled widely and started throwing his fries at Soda.
"Two- Bit, Steve," Soda yelled, "help." He didn't have to ask twice. Both Two- Bit and Steve started throwing fries at Johnny and Pony, laughing uncontrollably.
Darry rolled his eyes – "sometimes I think they belong in kindergarten," he said to no one in particular.
"Oh, loosen up," Laura chuckled and threw two french fries at him. He smirked and threw a whole bunch at her. Soda continued firing fries at Johnny, then Dally took a drag on his cigarette and got up from his seat. He took his plate and walked over to Soda's seat. He came up to Soda and emptied his plate right onto Soda's head. Soda burst into laughter.
Laura laughed and started throwing her fries at Johnny. He laughed also, and started to throw them back at her. "That's cheating," he managed while still laughing.
Everybody stopped, but Johnny and Laura were still throwing fries at each other. Laura was giggling, and Johnny finally looked relaxed and not self-conscious. Two- Bit looked at the two and raised his eyebrows.
