……………………………Ponyboy's P.O.V.

When I woke up I didn't remember what happened. I just knew that my nose fucking hurt. And I knew it was a school day but it felt later than it should. And I knew Johnny was next to me without even opening my eyes.

"Johnny?"

"Yeah?" His thick sleepy voice. It didn't surprise me he wasn't at school. But why wasn't I?

"Why does my nose hurt?" I opened my eyes. It was late morning.

"Steve punched you. Remember?"

And I did remember. Steve coming in here to pound the shit out of both of us but he only got around to my nose before Dally stopped him.

"Johnny?"

"Yeah?"

"Why ain't we in school?"

"Well, I hate school. But Darry said you didn't have to go cause your nose is busted,"

"Okay, then. I'm going back to sleep,"

I could tell by the silence that no one was here except me and Johnny. It was nice sometimes to be in bed when you're supposed to be in school.

The sun streamed in through the window. My nose hurt, and it was like a band of pain under my eyes and I wanted to grab some aspirin but it seemed like too much work. I snuggled up to Johnny. He felt so warm. I felt his hand on the back of my neck.

…………………………..Johnny's P.O.V.

I woke up early, man. It was still dark out. Ponyboy was still sleeping pretty good. His arm was slung over me.

I got up and went into the kitchen. It was starting to get light out. I was smoking when Darry came into the kitchen.

"Hey, Johnny," he said, not surprised I was there cause I was there all the time.

I nodded at him and took a good drag of the weed. I kinda felt guilty like I didn't want Darry to know that I was sleeping in Pony's room. Shame, y'know? I sighed.

"What's up?" Darry asked, looking at me funny. I ducked my head.

"Nothin'," He shrugged, went back to making coffee and breakfast.

"Hey, Johnnycakes," Soda said, rubbing sleep outa his eyes, smiling.

"Hey, man," I said softly and lit another cigarette. It was light out and pretty soon one of them would wake Pony up for school.

"You want breakfast?" Darry said, settin' the plates out. I shook my head no. I watched him go down the hall to Pony's room.

"Johnny!" I sighed again and got up. Darry stood outside Pony's room.

"Yeah?"

"What the hell happened?"

I was right about the black eyes. His nose was broken, alright. Dried blood underneath it and all. And I felt guilty looking at him, like I done it. But I guess in a way I did.

"Uh, Steve punched him,"

"Why?"

My eyes got wide. I hated lots of questions.

"Drunk, I s'pose," I looked at my sneakers, wouldn't look at Darry. I could still feel him lookin' at me. He's mad, but at Steve, Ponyboy, or me, I can't tell.

"Well, I ain't gonna wake him. Johnny, me and Soda gotta get to work. You think you could maybe stay here with him?" Darry asked this like it was putting me out, like a real kind of favor.

"Yeah, course I will, yeah," I said. And after they left I went back to Pony's room, and he was still sleeping. I crawled into bed with him.