Chapter 9 - "Do You Think This Is all a Joke?"
They had just left the DX and were walking down the street when they spotted someone coming walking towards them. Ponyboy stopped suddenly.
"Damn - it's Two-Bit and Dally! Quick - hide!" he said and jumped behind a building, followed by Johnny.
"Hey, wasn't that Pony and Johnny?" Two-Bit asked Dally.
Dally nodded and Two-Bit yelled: "Hey, kids! Come on out!"
Ponyboy and Johnny slunk back into the street, both looking awfully shamefaced.
"Where's your babysitter?" asked Dally.
"At the DX, Dal," Johnny said, looking down at his feet.
"You kids running away?" Two-Bit laughed and took a sip of his beer.
"It ain't funny, Two-Bit!" snarled Dally, looking daggers at him. Then he turned his attention to Ponyboy. "This your idea, you little punk?"
Of course it was. That kid was so dumb sometimes. Darry was right about him not using his head. How he did so well in school was beyond Dally. He guessed that was the difference between book-smart and street-smart.
Ponyboy gulped and looked away from Dally's piercing glare.
Johnny looked at Pony and made a decision.
"It... It was my idea," he said.
"Don't try to take the blame for him, Johnny," said Dally in a warning tone, making Johnny wish he could hide under a rock somewhere.
"It's just the kind of idea that stupid kid gets. Do you think this is all a joke?" he added, turning his attention back to Ponyboy.
"W-we just wanted a little air. We were on our way back right now..."
"You're a lousy liar, Pony! Where were you going?"
Pony hung his head. "Just to catch a movie."
"A movie? And how did you think your brother would react when he discovered you're gone?"
"We left a note..."
"A note? Try not to act like such a fucking child once in a while! Your brothers bend over backwards for you - and this is how you repay them?" Dally was getting himself worked up. "You know how worried they get! Do you care about that at all?" He gave Pony a push in the chest. "Do you?" Another push.
"Dal, come on, man," Two-Bit said and took a hold of Dallas' shoulder but Dallas shook it off.
Johnny didn't like that Dallas was getting so worked up and pushing Pony in the chest like that. Pony, who had a broken rib and who hadn't meant any harm.
"STOP IT!" Johnny yelled at Dally and stepped in front of Ponyboy.
Dally stared at Johnny, teeth clenched. For a short moment Pony thought he was going to hit him, but then he stepped back, throwing his hands in the air in a frustrated gesture.
"Fine! If you two want to get turned into mincemeat, then go ahead! I don't give a shit!"
Then he marched off, leaving Ponyboy and Johnny standing on the sidewalk with Two-Bit.
Johnny's head dropped as Dally walked off. All he had wanted was for him to stop pushing Pony.
Two-Bit sighed and yelled for Dally but when Dally flipped him the finger he decided to leave him alone.
He looked at the two boys. "He's just worried, that's all. C'mon... Let's go back."
"Hey, Two-Bit," said Ponyboy. "Do you think you could... not tell Soda? If he hasn't found out we're gone yet."
Two-Bit raised an eyebrow at him. "Sure, kid... Just don't run off again, will ya?"
When they reached the gas station Soda came rushing outside. From the look of worry and then relief there was no doubt he had discovered they had been gone.
"Soda," said Pony, sounding extremely guilty. "We just… we were just..." he looked at Two-Bit as if pleading with him to do something.
Two-Bit sent Pony a look. Not really sure what to do, but also feeling sorry for Pony, he sighed.
"Just found the kids wandering around. You were... taking a stroll?"
Johnny nodded. "Sorry…" He felt really bad for leaving Soda. He knew that he was very worried for both of them. "I... I needed some fresh air and asked Pony to join," he lied.
It was enough that Dally had yelled at Pony. He didn't need Soda to be mad at him as well (not that he would yell or push). And Johnny didn't even want to think about how Darry would react if he found out.
Soda didn't say anything, he just held up the note they had left on the gas tank. His facial expression had changed to one of disappointment.
Pony swallowed hard. How could he have been so selfish and run out on Soda like that? Soda, who he loved more than anyone, and who were always so good to him.
"I'm sorry," he nearly whispered. "I didn't think. And it was my idea. I just dragged Johnny along..."
"You could have asked me to come," said Soda, a hint of hurt in his voice. "You know I would've. Or Two-Bit. Or Steve."
"I know. I just... I'm really tired of being watched all the time."
Soda sighed. "You know we don't do it to bother you."
"I know." said Pony again. "Soda..."
"I ain't gonna tell Darry," said Soda. He nearly always knew what Pony was thinking. "Just... please don't do it again."
Johnny just stood there with his head down and his hands in his pockets, feeling the guilt build up inside. It was stupid trying to lie to Soda. He had just tried to help Pony but had only made it worse. Somehow he was sure this would ruin everything and that Soda wouldn't ever trust him again.
"You want me to take 'em home, Soda?" Two-Bit asked watching the two boys. One looking lousier than the other.
"Yeah, that's fine. Or wherever they wanna go."
Pony and Johnny followed Two-Bit home. None of them said anything on the whole way, and they didn't laugh at Two-Bit's jokes no matter how hard he tried. Ponyboy felt just horrible. The worst part was that Sodapop wasn't even mad. He would have preferred being yelled at and punished the way Darry would have. This only made him feel even guiltier.
o0o0o
When they got home Johnny just went out into the back yard and sat down. He felt a knot in the pit of his stomach and when he thought of him and Soda it just grew. He felt like he had let Soda get close and then just stepped on his feelings.
Johnny ran his fingers through his hair and then rested his face on his palms. Why did he have to mess things up like that? He should just have said, I don't think that's a good idea, Pony, and none of this would have happened. He was the older of the two, for Christ sake. He should have known better.
Two-Bit sat Pony down on the couch.
"How's your rib, kid?" he asked, actually sounding worried.
He had noticed the painful expression on Pony's face when Dally had pushed him and Dally, of all people, should know how much broken ribs hurt.
Pony shrugged. "Not great. But I guess I deserved it. I wish Soda had gotten mad at me..."
"Why?" Two-Bit never did get much about Pony and how he felt.
"Just... I wouldn't feel so guilty I guess. Johnny, too."
"Don't worry too much about it... okay?" Two-Bit said and gave Ponyboy an awkward pat on the shoulder.
Being all caring was really not his strong point. And being serious was even less.
"Hey - why don't we… ehm... wrestle? Oh... I guess not. Hmmm… watch a movie?" He suggested, actually making Pony crack a smile.
o0o0o
Johnny was still sitting in the back yard when Sodapop came home. After having talked to Two-Bit and Pony for a bit Soda went around to find him. Johnny gave a start when he spotted Soda. Damn, that kid was a nervous wreck.
"Hey," said Soda and sat down.
Johnny gulped and whispered, "Hey."
Soda waited a little while to see if Johnny was going to say anything else. When he didn't, Soda said, "I ain't mad at ya if that's what ya think." He knew it had been Pony's idea, because he was the one who was sick of being watched all the time. Johnny was probably grateful someone cared about what happened to him at all.
Johnny just kept his head down. He was glad that Soda wasn't mad but he still felt horribly guilty.
"I'm sorry, Soda." he whispered. Then he took in a deep breath, looking at Soda out of the corner of his eye. "Did... did you talk to Pony?"
"Yeah. We're fine. He's just a kid. He didn't mean anything by it."
Johnny nodded, relieved that Soda was taking it so well.
They sat there a little while, Johnny still looking down at the ground.
"Are you okay?" asked Soda after a while. "I mean, with you and me..."
"Yeah..." said Johnny in a soft voice. "I'm just a little confused... "
Johnny was pretty much starting to realize he had feelings for Sodapop. The kind of feelings boys were supposed to have for girls. But Soda was a boy and Johnny was scared of what people might think of them.
"What are you confused about? Is it because I'm a guy?"
Johnny nodded with a bit of hesitation.
"I dunno... I just... I'm scared of what everyone will say if they find out. "
He ran his fingers though his hair again. Actually he was terrified about it. He could feel himself tense up and he took a deep breath.
"And what'll Pony say?"
"I dunno," said Sodapop. "He'll probably think it's kinda weird at first. But you know Pony... he's a tolerant kind of guy. But we don't have to tell anyone else if you don't want to. It's nobody's business."
In fact Soda thought it was probably a good idea not to tell anybody. Johnny didn't need more attention drawn to himself. And Soda knew how most people viewed boys who liked other boys.
"I… I guess you're right..." Johnny said.
A few clouds had drawn in and the sky was getting darker. As Johnny looked up a few drops of rain hit his face. It was cold but also refreshing in a way.
Soda smiled and gave Johnny's knee a little squeeze.
"So you're sure you wanna keep doing this? You don't have to just because I do. If you'd rather have a nice girl I'll understand."
Johnny looked down at the hand on his knee and shook his head. "I..." he started and placed his hand gently on Soda's. "I don't want anyone else…"
He felt his face start to burn red again, realizing how true it was. He had never been interested in any girl and after what had happened with Soda, Johnny couldn't imagine wanting anyone else that close to him.
Soda's heart did a flip and his smile widened. Johnny's answer definitely sounded genuine.
"What do ya say we go inside before we get completely soaked?"
o0o0o
Darry sat in the kitchen reading the newspaper.
There was a small article about the upcoming trial where a few teachers and students had commented on the events. Most of them said that it was probably Ponyboy and Johnny who had started the whole thing. Well, the teachers said it was probably Johnny because most of them knew Ponyboy as a good kid. But no one seemed to think Andy Smith was at fault.
Darry signed. It was nothing new that people blamed everything on the poor kids. The scum.
He looked up at the clock and saw it was getting late. It was about time for the boys to get to bed so he got up and walked into the living room.
"Alright, be-"
Darry looked at the floor where both Pony and Johnny had fallen asleep while watching TV. He couldn't help but smile and walked over to knock on the door to the bathroom, where Soda was taking a shower.
"When you're done in there, Soda, would ya mind helping me with the bags on the floor?"
Link to the illustration for this chapter on my profile (or check Zayhad's account on deviantart).
