Hey everybody! I'm really happy with the reviews I've been getting, they make my day! Kinda weird there's always no more then 3 reviews for a chapter, there's always exactly three....lol my new lucky number. Anyway this chapter kinda just fills the gap between 5 and 7...has a little bit of needed information. Also a lot of stuff is going on in my personal life right now, a lot of bad stuff. The good news is when I'm trying to not think about stuff I lose myself in writing and write... A LOT! But the bad news is that I get side tracked easy, like with remembering to actually post chapters and stuff, and if there's someone one willing to kinda e-mail me once in a while, and yell at me to update, it'll be a great help until everything works it's self out. Umm...I still owe only Lex, the only way you can take her is if u ask and I say yes. Other then that u take her and I'll sue you...lol, j/k. Well here's the next chapter I hope you like it. REVIEW!
"He just passed out....went white as a sheet and passed out!" Darry's voice was shaking drastically, and it was the first time in a long time I'd actually seen him scared. "maybe we should call a doctor...." Steve shot Pony a look, and rolled his eyes dramatically, "Right genius, like they're gonna do anything other then look at him, do nothing and charge us." Pony's ears redden, and I shoved Steve slightly, "Shut-up alright, it wasn't a bad idea. Ignore him Pony, but calling a doctor probably wouldn't do much good. It was a good idea though." Pony grinned a little, and Steve shot me a bored glare. "Maybe someone should go sit with him while we figure out what to do." Darry's voice was steady, but his hands fidgeted nervously. Six pairs of worried eyes turned towards me, I nodded slightly, and taking a deep breath started the walk back the hall. I looked over the pictures that hung on the nearly bare walls, there were only a few, butt each was hung with such a pride to it that you couldn't help but notice. The first one was for the three boys before I know them A small looking Pony, on a grinning Soda's (who's two front teeth were gone.) back, and a laughing younger version of Darry, no more then 9 or 10. That was so long ago, and since then so many things have changed since the day that picture was taken. The next was a picture of the whole Curtis family, Darry, Soda, Pony, Mr. Curtis and Mom. (Mrs. Curtis and I had been really, and she'd done so many things for Dally, keep him focus better then I couldn't, and Mom had just seemed to fit. She'd told me I was the daughter she never had, the day before she died. But i'll tell you more about that later on.), in which they were all smiling as if they were having the time of their lives. The last picture on the wall was my favorite, it had been taken last year on my 14th birthday. It was of the whole gang, and we were crowded on the front steps. Darry, Two Bit and Steve were crowed on the top step, then Soda, me and Pony on the next one, and in front of us sat Dal and Johnny. Two_Bit had his arms wrapped around my shoulders and I was grinning. I'd received a copy of that picture in a scrapbook they'd given me this year on my birthday. "Lexa...." a soft voice moaned, and I scolded myself for taking so long. I closed the distance between myself and Johnny in three long strides, before stopping at the door. I had to prepare myself, because if went in this room shaking the way I was now, one look at him would send my to tears. I took a deep breath, welcoming the air into my lungs, and closed my eyes counting to 10.
I opened my eyes, and someway or another managed to get my legs to move, though they were shaking like Jell-O. Johnny was laying on his side, facing the wall but from the way his shoulders were vibrating I could tell he was crying. I grabbed an old wooden chair from the side of the room, and pulled it next to the bed. "Johnnycake?" I touch his shoulder lightly, and he rolled over slowly to look at me. Good he look awful, and I know it must be nothing compared to the way he felt. Johnny was one of the best guys a girl could ask to have as a friend, and it hurt me to se him looking so small and scared. "Oh honey..." with my thumb I wiped away a tear that was making it's way down it battered face, and when I pulled my thumb back it was covered in red blood. I wiped it on my jeans, grimacing at the thought that it was Johnny's blood. "It hurts so bad Lex, everything hurts so bad. I guess a look pretty awful." He attempted to sit up, but made an awful face and laid back down. I touched his face gently, caressing the side that was least bruised. His other cheek had a long gash from his temple to his check bone, and was still bleeding lightly. "I think you look very handsome. I just don't get how someone could do this to anyone, especially someone as sweet as you Johnny." He managed a mangled grin, and just then the door opened and in came Sodapop with a bowl of water and a washcloth. ""Hey Johnny, thought it be a good idea to let this beautiful young lady clean ya up a little. You can stay in here tonight. Let me say that again, you ARE staying in here tonight. Let me know if you need anything." Soda handed me the water and washcloth, ruffled Johnny's hair a little and walked out closing the door behind him. I could read it on his face, he wouldn't be able to stay in the room with Johnny without breaking down. That's just the way Soda was, it was like he felt everyone's pain, and accepted it willingly. Johnny's eyes were closed, and I dipped the washcloth into the water, then slowly ran it across with bruised cheek.
He moaned lightly and I hesitated waiting for him to say something. But he didn't he just lay there with his eyes closed, face pinch in pain. We sat silently for a few minutes, the once white washcloth soak in red. I'd gotten most of the blood off, when he spoke. "They got me down so fast,...I tried to run, but they were quicker...I didn't think they'd ever stop. I was so scared Alexa, cuz they kept saying stuff while the were beating on me. They threaten me with everything they could think of. He said they were gonna find you, and really have some fun....." My face twisted in confusion, and I asked quietly. "Who, Johnny?" He gulp, and rubbed his side then answered weakly, "Baker...." My fist clenched, and I swore. Anger filled my mind taking over every emotion, ever sense I had. I hated Jeff more in that one minute that I had ever hated anyone in my life. Then a new thought came into my mind, tearing away all the others. I bit my lip, tears piercing my eyes, and I looked away from Johnny.
I felt a trembling hand on my bare arm, and looked back into Johnny's big black eyes. I smiled at him lightly, "I'm gonna go see if Soda or Pony have some clothes you could borrow, and I'll wash those. I'll be right back, honey." I leaned down, kissing his forehead gently, and walked out of the room. I didn't stop in the living room where everyone was pacing nervously. "Soda, you or Pony got something Johnny can wear? And one of ya'll go sit with him, I need some air." I tossed the words over my shoulder as I opened the door and stepped into the cool dusk air. I shut the door softly behind me, and sat on the top step . I drew my knees to my chest, lowered my head into my arms, and let the tears come. I know why Jeff had beaten up Johnny, and the realization tore at my heart. I closed my eyes, and whispered softly into the night air, "It was because....."
"He just passed out....went white as a sheet and passed out!" Darry's voice was shaking drastically, and it was the first time in a long time I'd actually seen him scared. "maybe we should call a doctor...." Steve shot Pony a look, and rolled his eyes dramatically, "Right genius, like they're gonna do anything other then look at him, do nothing and charge us." Pony's ears redden, and I shoved Steve slightly, "Shut-up alright, it wasn't a bad idea. Ignore him Pony, but calling a doctor probably wouldn't do much good. It was a good idea though." Pony grinned a little, and Steve shot me a bored glare. "Maybe someone should go sit with him while we figure out what to do." Darry's voice was steady, but his hands fidgeted nervously. Six pairs of worried eyes turned towards me, I nodded slightly, and taking a deep breath started the walk back the hall. I looked over the pictures that hung on the nearly bare walls, there were only a few, butt each was hung with such a pride to it that you couldn't help but notice. The first one was for the three boys before I know them A small looking Pony, on a grinning Soda's (who's two front teeth were gone.) back, and a laughing younger version of Darry, no more then 9 or 10. That was so long ago, and since then so many things have changed since the day that picture was taken. The next was a picture of the whole Curtis family, Darry, Soda, Pony, Mr. Curtis and Mom. (Mrs. Curtis and I had been really, and she'd done so many things for Dally, keep him focus better then I couldn't, and Mom had just seemed to fit. She'd told me I was the daughter she never had, the day before she died. But i'll tell you more about that later on.), in which they were all smiling as if they were having the time of their lives. The last picture on the wall was my favorite, it had been taken last year on my 14th birthday. It was of the whole gang, and we were crowded on the front steps. Darry, Two Bit and Steve were crowed on the top step, then Soda, me and Pony on the next one, and in front of us sat Dal and Johnny. Two_Bit had his arms wrapped around my shoulders and I was grinning. I'd received a copy of that picture in a scrapbook they'd given me this year on my birthday. "Lexa...." a soft voice moaned, and I scolded myself for taking so long. I closed the distance between myself and Johnny in three long strides, before stopping at the door. I had to prepare myself, because if went in this room shaking the way I was now, one look at him would send my to tears. I took a deep breath, welcoming the air into my lungs, and closed my eyes counting to 10.
I opened my eyes, and someway or another managed to get my legs to move, though they were shaking like Jell-O. Johnny was laying on his side, facing the wall but from the way his shoulders were vibrating I could tell he was crying. I grabbed an old wooden chair from the side of the room, and pulled it next to the bed. "Johnnycake?" I touch his shoulder lightly, and he rolled over slowly to look at me. Good he look awful, and I know it must be nothing compared to the way he felt. Johnny was one of the best guys a girl could ask to have as a friend, and it hurt me to se him looking so small and scared. "Oh honey..." with my thumb I wiped away a tear that was making it's way down it battered face, and when I pulled my thumb back it was covered in red blood. I wiped it on my jeans, grimacing at the thought that it was Johnny's blood. "It hurts so bad Lex, everything hurts so bad. I guess a look pretty awful." He attempted to sit up, but made an awful face and laid back down. I touched his face gently, caressing the side that was least bruised. His other cheek had a long gash from his temple to his check bone, and was still bleeding lightly. "I think you look very handsome. I just don't get how someone could do this to anyone, especially someone as sweet as you Johnny." He managed a mangled grin, and just then the door opened and in came Sodapop with a bowl of water and a washcloth. ""Hey Johnny, thought it be a good idea to let this beautiful young lady clean ya up a little. You can stay in here tonight. Let me say that again, you ARE staying in here tonight. Let me know if you need anything." Soda handed me the water and washcloth, ruffled Johnny's hair a little and walked out closing the door behind him. I could read it on his face, he wouldn't be able to stay in the room with Johnny without breaking down. That's just the way Soda was, it was like he felt everyone's pain, and accepted it willingly. Johnny's eyes were closed, and I dipped the washcloth into the water, then slowly ran it across with bruised cheek.
He moaned lightly and I hesitated waiting for him to say something. But he didn't he just lay there with his eyes closed, face pinch in pain. We sat silently for a few minutes, the once white washcloth soak in red. I'd gotten most of the blood off, when he spoke. "They got me down so fast,...I tried to run, but they were quicker...I didn't think they'd ever stop. I was so scared Alexa, cuz they kept saying stuff while the were beating on me. They threaten me with everything they could think of. He said they were gonna find you, and really have some fun....." My face twisted in confusion, and I asked quietly. "Who, Johnny?" He gulp, and rubbed his side then answered weakly, "Baker...." My fist clenched, and I swore. Anger filled my mind taking over every emotion, ever sense I had. I hated Jeff more in that one minute that I had ever hated anyone in my life. Then a new thought came into my mind, tearing away all the others. I bit my lip, tears piercing my eyes, and I looked away from Johnny.
I felt a trembling hand on my bare arm, and looked back into Johnny's big black eyes. I smiled at him lightly, "I'm gonna go see if Soda or Pony have some clothes you could borrow, and I'll wash those. I'll be right back, honey." I leaned down, kissing his forehead gently, and walked out of the room. I didn't stop in the living room where everyone was pacing nervously. "Soda, you or Pony got something Johnny can wear? And one of ya'll go sit with him, I need some air." I tossed the words over my shoulder as I opened the door and stepped into the cool dusk air. I shut the door softly behind me, and sat on the top step . I drew my knees to my chest, lowered my head into my arms, and let the tears come. I know why Jeff had beaten up Johnny, and the realization tore at my heart. I closed my eyes, and whispered softly into the night air, "It was because....."