Though some would tell you otherwise, Jane Sharp was a very observant person. She watched 13 year old Soda and Steve flirt with Evie and Sandy and she watched how 12 year old Johnny noticed, then completely ignored Mary Grant's batting eyelashes and hummed thoughtfully. Two years later, she noticed 12 year old Pony's blush as the gang watched wrestling on the Curtis' tiny TV, looked at him calculatingly, hummed, and took another sip of iced tea. A few months after that, she saw Pony's eyes flick hungrily from Joanne Woodward to Paul Newman as she and Pony enjoyed A New Kind of Love in the movie theater and smiled a secret smile. After another three years, she watched a guilty 17 year old Johnny staring intently at 15 year old Ponyboy as he practiced for track, laughed under her breath, and considered one suspicion confirmed. A year later, she watched Johnny and Ponyboy's hands brush as they both reach for the salt, grinned as Ponyboy, 16 but still eternally awkward, turned fire-engine red, and wondered when they would figure it out.
It was a good thing Jane was so observant, since she would have been a lot more shocked than she was when she strolled past the lot that night. Even so, she still did a double take when she saw 19 year old Johnny kneeling between 17 year old Pony's legs, kissing the daylights outta him, barely 5 feet away from her. She stared for a second, then cleared her throat. The boys broke apart, then stared at her with frantic eyes.
"I-i-it ain't what it looks like!" Johnny said desperately. Pony nodded frantically. Jane smiled softly, sad that they were afraid of her, but understanding why. She plopped down next to them and lit a cigarette. She took a long drag.
"I had my first kiss when I was fifteen years old," she said wistfully, staring off into the stars. Pony and Johnny looked at each confusedly. She turned her head to look at them, eyes gentle. "Her name was Norma." The boys' jaws dropped. "The world is changing, but y'all still need to be careful. There are still people who would hurt you. No more suckin' face in public, understand?"
"Yes Ma'am," they chorused. She smiled.
"Jane," Pony said hesitantly, "Norma was a girl, right? You're like us?" Jane pulled them into her side.
"Yeah, honey."
"Is that why you weren't surprised?" Johnny piped up. Jane snorted.
"Nope, Johnnycakes! I've been waiting for you two to pull your heads out of your rear ends for years!"
"Do you think the gang would hate us?" asked Pony with undisguised hope. Jane shook her head.
"Nah, I know for a fact there ain't nothing that could make Darry or Soda hate ya, Pone, and I doubt anyone in the gang could so much as get mad at Johnny, much less hate him. They'll be surprised though that's for sure." All three laughed, the remaining tension dissipating as they imagined the looks on the gang's faces.
A/N: If you liked it, please leave a review! If you don't, please tell me why and give me your constructive criticism! I am looking to take requests, whether they feature Jane or not, so either PM me or put them in your review! This work should be two or more chapters. :)