goldengreaser: thanks for your review :)
I'm glad to hear that my english isn't that bad yet
and I'm also glad that you like it
krista: also to you a thanks for your review :)
well, I'm afraid I can't tell you where this is going, sorry :(
even if I won't give so much away, I can tell that Ponyboy's going to meet someone...
but you'll know more about it in the next chapters ;)
2. No comfort is suitable!
In the meantime Ponyboy went to the lot where he hoped to find Johnny.
And as expected there was a boy who lit a cigarette at the moment.
And so this boy didn't notice as well that Pony got closer to him.
"Hey Johnny." Pony greeted his best buddy.
Johnny winced frightened and looked up with fearful eyes.
When he recognized his friend his expression relaxed a little again.
"Hey Ponyboy." he greeted back and offered him a cigarette instantly.
Pony nodded thanking and took one. After he lit it he sat down next to Johnny into the grass.
The both sat there silently side by side some time.
Johnny slowly was worried about his buddy, because Pony was too silent.
Ponyboy normally wasn't that talkative, and besides the thing with his parents had to be added, but Johnny didn't know his buddy that silent.
So he asked carefully, "Hey Pon. Everythin' ok? You're so quiet..."
Pony slowly nodded.
Johnny thought forced about how he should begin best, "Um, ain't there always dinner at that time at ya home?"
"Uh-huh." was the answer.
"And... then why ain't ya... I mean..."
"Ain't hungry." Pony answered him, before Johnny could finish his sentence.
"Do Soda and Darry know that you're here?" Johnny kept on asking.
Pony sat up, looked at Johnny and said quite unfriendly, "Listen, Johnny, I just ain't in the mood to talk and even less to answer such stupid questions.
And if ya wanna get rid of me by all means, then just say it, ok?"
Johnny looked at his friend hurt and said sadly, "Oh, I didn't know..."
"Aw, Johnny, I'm sorry. Honestly! I... I wouldn't..." Pony replied and tears ran over his face.
He covered his face with his hands and sobbed.
The hurt look of Johnny turned immediately into sympathy at this sight and he moved to Pony and hugged him.
"Hey Pon, it's all right!" he comforted him.
Johnny didn't know that it was the same kind of comfort that Ponyboy even received from Soda before.
But also there this comfort hasn't found the healing effect.
Johnny didn't dare to ask why Pony was crying. He even could think about it.
And when Ponyboy whispered under sobs "Oh Johnny, I miss 'em, I miss 'em so much..." Johnny's guess was just confirmed.
But Johnny knew that he couldn't tell his buddy encouraging or comforting words, which could ease his pain of the loss.
It was cruel for a just 12 year old to lose both parents at the same time.
They never ever would see their youngest son grow up.
Ponyboy had lost his parents in a very important phase of his life and this was for a boy in his age very charging. But not only for Pony, also for Darry and Soda was this fate cruel and hard.
But it seemed that the both could cope with it better than Pony. Maybe their ages were a reason of it.
Johnny thought about his parents.
He couldn't imagine if they were suddenly gone.
Even if these didn't love him and only gave him blows and insults, he never wanted their deaths.
He loved his parents, although they didn't return his love; but this love and the affection and acceptance was all what Johnny wished from his parents.
But he never received it!
So he regretted that the Curtis parents had to die that early and left their kids alone.
The parents loved their kids the same way the kids loved their parents and this was the reason why their deaths depressed Ponyboy so much.
Suddenly Pony straightened up and ran his hand over the eyes.
Johnny looked at him and said uncertainly, "Hey."
Pony gave him a weak smile and said quietly, "Thanks, Johnny..."
"No problem." Johnny replied.
"I don't wanna get on ya nerves but what are ya gonna do now?" he asked.
Pony shrugged and meant, "Don't know. Wanna roam through the neighborhood? I don't wanna go back now yet..."
"Ok, don't mind." Johnny said.
And so the both set off into the town.
On the way there a car drove past them and the Socs, which sat in it, shouted to them "Greaser! Greaser!" and kept on driving again.
Johnny rolled his eyes and murmured, "Couldn't they just leave us alone, huh? They certainly think they're very important..."
When he didn't get an answer from Ponyboy he looked at him.
Pony only stared on the ground at his shoes most of the time.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he probably didn't hear this shouts at all; maybe not even noticed.
Johnny sighed.
Would Pony ever be so cheerful and light-hearted again, as in former times? Johnny thought.
But how should that work? He lost his parents after all and they couldn't be replaced...
And you can't get over such a thing all of a sudden that easy, Johnny was sure with that.
