Chapter Three:

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to S.E. Hinton, and the song "I'm Just a Kid" is by Simple Plan.

Ponyboy stepped outside. He took a deep breath and coughed at the exhaust of a passing car.

So much for fresh air, Ponyboy thought sarcastically. He started down the cracked sidewalk and towards the park.

It was a bright fall morning, and the changing colors of the leaves on all the trees reminded Ponyboy of a poem he had read by Robert Frost. If only he could remember which one it was…

He passed the vacant lot and sidestepped a broken bottle. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of black hair and a jean jacket.

He whipped around and saw someone sleeping in a corner of the lot. "Johnny?" Ponyboy said, surprised.

Johnny stirred at the sound of his name. He warily opened his eyes. "Ponyboy? You don't look so good," Johnny said sleepily.

Ponyboy opened his mouth to respond, but sneezed instead. "Bless you," Johnny said in his usual soft-spoken manner. He stood up.

"Glory, Johnny, you're a fine one to tell me I don't look good!" Johnny had a split lip, a cut across his forehead and a large bruise across his face. He looked embarrassed.

"My parents," he mumbled. "Last night. So I came out here to sleep." Ponyboy's eyes grew wide.

"Your dad cut you?" he asked, horrified. He wiped his running nose on his sleeve. He knew it was gross, but he didn't have any Kleenex. His nose was already getting sore and red from the constant running.

"No," Johnny said, looking down. "A couple of Socs came by and started beating on me. I slashed them with my switch, and they cut me and ran."

"Bloody cowards," Ponyboy said vehemently. Johnny grinned at his indignant insult.

"Yeah, well, they didn't get me that badly," he said, without too much conviction. "Why do they think it's so much fun to go after greasers?" He burst out suddenly. "Why us? Don't we have enough to deal with already?"

Ponyboy responded gloomily, "Well, that's how it goes. Greasers get all the rough breaks."

"It ain't fair. All my life, people beat up on me and call me stupid," he said bitterly. "I know I'm not stupid, I just…never mind. No one understands."

"I understand-" Ponyboy started, but Johnny cut him off.

"No! No, you don't! I…No one can understand. I don't want them to know…to go through what I'm going through…I'm alone."

Ponyboy stared. This was the most Johnny had said at one time. It was probably more than he had said in a year. "Sorry, Johnny. I didn't know," he said quietly.

He wanted to say more, but he coughed and sneezed instead. "I'm just all alone," Johnny said again, ignoring Ponyboy. He began to sing just as the music started.

"I woke up it was 7
I waited 'til 11
to figure out that no one would call
I think I got a lot of friends
but I don't hear from them
what's another night all alone
when you're spending every day on your own
and here it goes

I'm just a kid
and life is a nightmare
I'm just a kid
I know that it's not fair
nobody cares 'cause I'm alone
and the world is
having more fun then me
tonight

and maybe when the night is dead
I'll crawl into my bed
I'm staring at these four walls again
I'll try to think about the last time
I had a good time
everyone's got somewhere to go
and they're gonna leave me here on my own
and here it goes

I'm just a kid
and life is a nightmare
I'm just a kid
I know that it's not fair
nobody cares
'cause I'm alone and the world is
having more fun than me

what the hell is wrong with me
don't fit in with anybody
how did this happen to me?
wide awake I'm bored and
I can't fall asleep
and every night is the worst night ever

I'm just a kid
I'm just a kid
I'm just a kid (I'm just a kid)
Yeah, I'm just a kid (I'm just a kid x2)
I'm just a kid (I'm just a kid x2)

I'm just a kid
and life is a nightmare
I'm just a kid
I know that its not fair
nobody cares
'cause I'm alone and the world is
nobody wants to be alone in the world

I'm just a kid
and all life is a nightmare
I'm just a kid
I know that its not fair
nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is
nobody wants to be alone in the world
nobody cares 'cause I'm alone
and the world is
having more fun than me

tonight
I'm all alone
tonight
nobody cares
tonight
'cause I'm just a kid tonight!"

Johnny finished and dug around in his pockets, retrieving a cigarette. "Got a light, Pony?" He noticed Ponyboy staring at him like he was a maniac. "What?"

Pony shook his head to clear it. "Uh, no. Not at all…just my cold, I guess." He blinked several times. Why were people singing? And why were they acting like nothing was happening after they finished singing?

He handed Johnny his cigarette lighter. "Can I have one?" he asked. Johnny handed him wordlessly. Ponyboy relaxed as he inhaled. Then he started coughing as he sneezed while inhaling.

He quickly put out his cigarette with his shoe. "I don't think I can smoke sick," Ponyboy said between hacks.

"Sorry, Pony." Johnny knew Ponyboy was an avid smoker. Then a thought occurred, and he grinned in spite of himself. "But I haven't seen you choke over a cancer stick since your first one!"

Ponyboy glared at him, but grinned too. "So, I guess you're not in school because you're sick," said Johnny, falling into step with Ponyboy.

Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "Brilliant, Einstein. The landmark discovery of the century," he remarked sarcastically.

Johnny gave him a playful shove, and Ponyboy shoved right back. They shoved each other to the park, laughing.

When they reached the old fountain, Johnny quickly stopped laughing and let out a frightened, strangled squeak. Ponyboy looked to where Johnny was staring.

His eyes grew wide. A groan escaped him. "Oh, no!"

What happened? Haha, I know, you don't. The faster you review, the faster the next chapter comes up.