Five for Fighting
Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing
T.W.E.N.T.Y
I was real nervous when Friday night came around, Cherry had kept us for hours after school perfecting our routines, finally sending us home at 6 for dinner and demanding our return exactly at 7:30.
"Eat up Amber, you're going to need your energy for tonight." Soda said pushing a bowl full of mashed potatoes in my direction.
My stomach churned and I shook my head pushing around the cut up pieces of chicken on my plate.
"Shoot, I'll eat them if the kid won't," Two-Bit said reaching across the table nearly knocking over my glass of milk.
"Don't be nervous Amber, I've seen you do the routines tons of times, you've got them down," Pony said reassuringly.
I wasn't nervous about the routines though, or even the crowd, I was used to all of that from cheering in Arizona.
I was nervous about who was in the crowd, and on the field behind me.
I didn't want to mess up in front of Dallas, if he really did show up, and I didn't want to have my back turned with Jake standing behind me, I didn't trust him.
"Yeah and we'll all be there kid, cheering you on." Two-Bit said, mashed potatoes nearly falling out of his mouth.
I couldn't help but laugh and stabbed a piece of chicken with my fork.
"Good girl," Soda with a grin as I chewed and swallowed, finishing with a bright smile.
Two hours later the same smile spread across my flushed face as I finished a series of back handsprings and came to a stop as the crowd started cheering loudly.
Cherry and I exchanged smiles as the rest of our squad enthusiastically jumped up and down doing kicks and yelling words of encouragement as our team headed for the end zone.
I could see Jake, tall and built setting up for a throw and I wished things could have been different.
The problem between the two of us was well known by the entire student population and the scornful looks I received after Dallas beat the living hell out of Jake were enough to kill.
But already I was learning that life wasn't all about popularity, some things were more important.
Scanning the crowd that consisted mostly of Socs I saw Cherry's parents, decked out in our school colors holding a camera.
Looking to the bottom of the bleachers I could see the greasers, hanging out and smoking, drinking out of containers concealed by wrinkled brown paper bags.
Two-Bit and a few others were under the stands trying to see up girls' skirts and I couldn't help but shake my head in amusement.
True to their word the entire gang had shown up, even Darry skived off work early and was standing with Steve, Soda, Johnny and Dallas.
Johnny's eyes hadn't left me the whole game, I could feel his gaze and I burned crimson under it.
Dallas on the other hand looked everywhere but at me, except just now after those back handsprings.
He caught my eye and I could see a flicker of pride in his.
Ponyboy was in the locker room getting ready for his halftime race, it would be right after our big routine that would take place in the middle of the field as opposed to the sideline.
Fred was there and I smiled and waved at him before Cherry clapped her hands to get our attention and led us in another cheer.
Fred had asked me out a couple of times, risking the wrath of my brothers.
We'd gone for a couple of cokes but I wouldn't let him kiss me, not when I had Dallas on my mind all the time.
He took it as playing hard to get.
I took it as playing fair.
Halftime came and we performed our routine nearly flawless. I couldn't stop smiling, I love cheering that much.
I really do love being the center of attention too, when it's doing something I'm good at.
I waved to Ponyboy as he came out onto the track and my squad and I ran off and back onto the sidelines.
I stood with Darry and Soda and we watched in pride as Pony ran his race against his teammates, he really was a good runner.
I couldn't help but think what kind of athlete he'd be without all the cigarettes.
Maybe I would take up with Darry in trying to make him quit.
We lost the game by a field goal, but none of us cared.
We rode home laughing and before long our house was filled with the gang, celebrating my return to cheerleading, Pony's second place win and life in general, life was good and none of us had much to complain about.
As the noise level reached an all time high and our stereo threatened to blow out Johnny beckoned me over to him.
"Could we talk, Amber?" He asked quietly.
I could barely hear him.
We went outside onto the porch, nobody even missed us amongst the crowd of boys and noise and smoke inside.
"What's up Johnny?" I asked sitting on the old porch swing next to him rocking back and forth slowly, accepting the cigarette he offered.
"You were really great out there tonight," he said taking a long drag, "really beautiful."
He said it really soft and timid-like and I couldn't help but notice how good-looking he was in the moonlight.
I blushed, "thanks Johnny"
"Listen, Amber can I ask you a favor, that you need to keep from Pony even?"
"Gosh, it must be serious," I said, my green eyes meeting his deep brown ones.
He took another drag and slowly released the smoke as if trying to come up with the right words for what he was going to ask.
I sat in silence, rocking back and forth, not wanting to rush him.
Flicking the ashes of my cigarette I watched them float away in the breeze until Johnny started to talk again.
"When I first ended up in this chair I was happy just to be alive, it wasn't until that hospital room that I realized how much I hadn't seen, how much I hadn't done, I was grateful just to be alive, it was a real different feeling than the one I'd had just a few days before."
I was caught off guard by this confession, I didn't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that.
A soft "oh" escaped from my lips, but I don't think he heard me.
Now that he had found his words he was charging on letting them flow freely.
"There's so much to live for Amber, I would have died for those kids because they have more to live for than me, but given the second chance, well I want to make the best of it."
I nodded, but he continued like he hadn't seen me.
"That's why I'm going back to school, who knows maybe one day I'll get into college and get a real job and be successful and maybe…maybe one day I'll even have a family, a real family who I can love."
He cast me a shy glance before continuing, "And I want to go places, see the world outside of Oklahoma, away from greasers and socs. Ponyboy used to rattle on about the country, about places where people were just people. I want to find that Amber, I want to find a place where we all fit in because we are who we are and that's enough."
"You want me to drive you somewhere Johnny, I don't have my license yet but in a few years…"
He smiled and shook his head, "No, Amber I want you to help me with something bigger than that."
I looked at him curiously.
"I want you to help me learn to walk again."