Okay this chapter is really short but I couldn't think of anything else to
write. If anybody has ideas for this story I could use them, I think I'm
gonna bring it to a close soon.
Disclaimer- I own Alyssa. Also, I tried as hard as possible not to use the same words S.E. Hinton did.
Chapter 9
"Finally, it's June!" Taylor exclaimed as she pushed open the doors, out of school.
"Yup, only a few more weeks of the prison they call school," Steve agreed.
"Let's go to the DX to celebrate, I'm in the mood for a coke," Two- Bit said.
After "celebrating", Taylor headed over to her friend Alyssa's house to work on a school project.
"I hate the Civil War," Alyssa remarked as she glued a toy soldier to a piece of cardboard, "It's done and over, North won, South lost. Who cares?"
"I know, and why do we have to do an oral presentation about it?" Taylor agreed, "It's not like I'm gonna be a public speaker or anything."
"Well, it doesn't matter what we like, it matters what the teacher likes. He's the one who gives us the grade." Alyssa grumbled.
"At least it's better than taking tests," Taylor pointed out.
After 3 hours of complaining, Taylor said goodbye to Alyssa and headed home. She slung her bookbag over her shoulder and headed down the street, just as the streetlights came on. It was beginning to get chilly, but because it was June, Taylor didn't have a jacket. She walked quicker towards her house, which was a little ways away. As she passed an open field she saw some people running towards something that was on the ground. Taylor's stomach lurched as she realized that it was a person. She ran towards it with an ominous feeling that this was gonna be bad.
As she approached, she saw that the people running toward the limp person were Soda, Pony, and Steve. Soda reached the person just seconds before Taylor did. She crashed to her knees next to Soda. He turned the person over slowly and Taylor stomach lurched at the sight. It was Johnny. His face was cut and bruised and there was a bloody gash along his cheekbone. His t-shirt was stained with blood. Taylor jaw clenched and she feared he was dead. She heard someone fall to the ground near her and she looked over and saw Two-Bit, his usual bright eyes extremely grave. When she turned back, Darry and Dally had appeared. Soda gathered Johnny in his arms.
"Johnny?"
"Soda?" Johnny asked softly.
Taylor blew out a relieved breath. He was alive. His eyes fluttered open.
"Don't talk," Soda said, "You're gonna be fine."
But Johnny didn't listen, he tried to say what happened but he broke down and began crying.
"It's okay Johnny, they're gone now. It's okay." Soda kept saying.
Taylor felt like her heart was about to crack. She glanced around and saw that everyone felt the same. Darry's hands were in fists, Two-Bit seemed frozen, Steve was slowly shaking his head, Pony was beginning to shake, and Dally was cursing under his breath. Taylor's eyes rested on Dally for a moment, and she saw the pain in his eyes. She felt a softening toward him. There was no mistaking that look, Dally really cared for Johnny, and Taylor knew that seeing him like this had to be hard. He glanced at her for a moment and their eyes locked. In that moment they shared an agreement, they weren't quite friends but Johnny needed their help; the past could wait.
Johnny began to tell them between sobs what had happened. He explained how a blue Mustang pulled up and four Socs got out. They beat him up, and he got cut because one of them was wearing a lot of rings.
Pony had told her that Johnny would get beat up a lot by his father. Taylor had seen it too, some nights Johnny would come into the Curtis' his face bruised and swollen. Pony had told her how he never let it get to him, how it didn't turn him hard and angry like it did most people. She glanced at Pony and saw the sorrow in his eyes, he knew that same thing she did, this was the last straw for Johnny; he wouldn't be the same after this.
Johnny finished explaining what happened and it became silent for a while. The only sounds that were heard were the soft lull of the crickets and Johnny's quiet sobs. Taylor reached out and put her hand on his arm. It was a small comfort but she wanted him to know she was there for him.
Please give me ideas if you have any and as always, Please Review (it makes me happy). =)
Disclaimer- I own Alyssa. Also, I tried as hard as possible not to use the same words S.E. Hinton did.
Chapter 9
"Finally, it's June!" Taylor exclaimed as she pushed open the doors, out of school.
"Yup, only a few more weeks of the prison they call school," Steve agreed.
"Let's go to the DX to celebrate, I'm in the mood for a coke," Two- Bit said.
After "celebrating", Taylor headed over to her friend Alyssa's house to work on a school project.
"I hate the Civil War," Alyssa remarked as she glued a toy soldier to a piece of cardboard, "It's done and over, North won, South lost. Who cares?"
"I know, and why do we have to do an oral presentation about it?" Taylor agreed, "It's not like I'm gonna be a public speaker or anything."
"Well, it doesn't matter what we like, it matters what the teacher likes. He's the one who gives us the grade." Alyssa grumbled.
"At least it's better than taking tests," Taylor pointed out.
After 3 hours of complaining, Taylor said goodbye to Alyssa and headed home. She slung her bookbag over her shoulder and headed down the street, just as the streetlights came on. It was beginning to get chilly, but because it was June, Taylor didn't have a jacket. She walked quicker towards her house, which was a little ways away. As she passed an open field she saw some people running towards something that was on the ground. Taylor's stomach lurched as she realized that it was a person. She ran towards it with an ominous feeling that this was gonna be bad.
As she approached, she saw that the people running toward the limp person were Soda, Pony, and Steve. Soda reached the person just seconds before Taylor did. She crashed to her knees next to Soda. He turned the person over slowly and Taylor stomach lurched at the sight. It was Johnny. His face was cut and bruised and there was a bloody gash along his cheekbone. His t-shirt was stained with blood. Taylor jaw clenched and she feared he was dead. She heard someone fall to the ground near her and she looked over and saw Two-Bit, his usual bright eyes extremely grave. When she turned back, Darry and Dally had appeared. Soda gathered Johnny in his arms.
"Johnny?"
"Soda?" Johnny asked softly.
Taylor blew out a relieved breath. He was alive. His eyes fluttered open.
"Don't talk," Soda said, "You're gonna be fine."
But Johnny didn't listen, he tried to say what happened but he broke down and began crying.
"It's okay Johnny, they're gone now. It's okay." Soda kept saying.
Taylor felt like her heart was about to crack. She glanced around and saw that everyone felt the same. Darry's hands were in fists, Two-Bit seemed frozen, Steve was slowly shaking his head, Pony was beginning to shake, and Dally was cursing under his breath. Taylor's eyes rested on Dally for a moment, and she saw the pain in his eyes. She felt a softening toward him. There was no mistaking that look, Dally really cared for Johnny, and Taylor knew that seeing him like this had to be hard. He glanced at her for a moment and their eyes locked. In that moment they shared an agreement, they weren't quite friends but Johnny needed their help; the past could wait.
Johnny began to tell them between sobs what had happened. He explained how a blue Mustang pulled up and four Socs got out. They beat him up, and he got cut because one of them was wearing a lot of rings.
Pony had told her that Johnny would get beat up a lot by his father. Taylor had seen it too, some nights Johnny would come into the Curtis' his face bruised and swollen. Pony had told her how he never let it get to him, how it didn't turn him hard and angry like it did most people. She glanced at Pony and saw the sorrow in his eyes, he knew that same thing she did, this was the last straw for Johnny; he wouldn't be the same after this.
Johnny finished explaining what happened and it became silent for a while. The only sounds that were heard were the soft lull of the crickets and Johnny's quiet sobs. Taylor reached out and put her hand on his arm. It was a small comfort but she wanted him to know she was there for him.
Please give me ideas if you have any and as always, Please Review (it makes me happy). =)