Chapter 10: The Reputation
"Man. That's crazy."
"I can tell you're into it. You've been quiet for a while."
"You act like that's different."
"It is. You can never keep your mouth shut."
"Shut-up and continue."
…….
Johnny slowly opened his eyes and groaned. That beating was no joke. He suddenly sat up. Noticing that he was in an unfamiliar place. He looked around and did a double-take at what was on the nightstand next to the bed he was on. There was a blood-filled rag. That cop must have beaten him senseless.
Johnny slid out the bed and as he was doing that, the door across the room opened. Curly Shepard opened it.
"About time you woke up."
"Curly! What am I doing here?"
"Calm down. I heard whoever beat you yelling last night. Tim and I thought someone was trying to sneak attack us for our turf. But when we got out there, we found you out cold against a tree."
Johnny then remembered. His mind got cold. Franklin did this to him.
"Who beat you last night?"
"That pig. Franklin."
"Hm. That guy. He's a real…."
Johnny didn't really bother to listen to what dirty words Curly called the cop. He was getting angrier. That beating back there just gave him another nudge towards bitterness.
"Hey. Tim wants to see you."
"He does?" asked Johnny.
"Yeah. He heard about everything. Surviving a soc beating, cop beating, robbing, stealing and getting jailed. All this from a greaser who was quiet and everything. It was something that he needed to hear."
"Then let's go."
Curly led Johnny into the hallway and down the stairs. As they walked down, they saw Tim Shepard and a few members of his gang down there playing cards. Tim took a swig of his beer bottle and looked at the teenagers walking towards the table.
"That's him right there," he said.
The other members of the gang turned around and looked at the black-headed soc. Tim flipped his cards down, put his arm onto the table and said,
"Heard a lot about you. Trying to get tough?"
"Guess so," replied Johnny shrugging his shoulders.
"You looked mighty messed up last night. Blood was leaking out of your mouth and you had a nice bump on your forehead."
"You're lucky you didn't have a black eye," said one of the Shepard gang members. "Who beat you?"
"That cop. Franklin," answered Johnny.
"Aah. Franklin. Me and Dally have had our little experiences with him," said Tim. "Always giving us threats and throwing us in cells. He really hates greasers. Especially us."
"Well I'll be added to his list in a while," spoke out Johnny suddenly.
Tim smiled.
"I can see you've made an enemy too."
"Yeah. I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to go."
"Alright."
"Actually. Y'all got anything to drink?"
"Curly. Get him some booze."
Curly led Johnny to the kitchen.
"You plan on getting back at Franklin," asked Curly.
Johnny nodded his head.
"Might wanta wait for a while. He'll be expecting you."
"He will?"
"Yeah. Once, one of Tim's buddies tried to get at him for throwing me and Tim in the pen. The cop was expecting him and made him look worse than you last night."
Johnny was about to respond, but he heard the door open and a familiar voice said,
"How you doing Shepard." It was Dally.
"Nothing right now. What's up?"
"Have you seen Johnny. I know you've heard the rumors about him."
"I'm right here," said Johnny walking out in the open.
Dally nodded him over to the outside and Johnny followed. Dally grabbed Johnny and yanked him around the house.
"What are you doing here? We've been looking for you ever since last night."
"It's a long story. Tell you later."
Dally looked at Johnny for a moment. It annoyed him.
"What wrong?"
"You just seem different."
"It's nothing," responded Johnny and he walked off.