Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders. I do not own the song "Wake me up When September Ends." I am not making any profit whatsoever for this. Thanks!
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Ponyboy stared at the ceiling of his bedroom and bit his lip. It had been only a little while ago that Johnny and Dally had died. He bit his lip, and blinked back tears. He missed them so much. It was weird, he liked everyone in the gang, but Johnny had always been his friend, his best friend. It was like a part of him was missing, like something came loose from him and a chunk of him was gone. Now, when he was sick of being alone, but didn't want to talk, he had no one to turn to, no one to sit with, no one like him.
Like my fathers come to pass
Seven years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
He closed his eyes tight, unwilling to look around him, unwilling to see his surrondings. Things were a bit rough with him and Darry, but they were better. He wished Johnny could be there to see it. Johnny helped him through things he'd never thought he would be able to. He wished now, that he was getting along a little better, that he would be able to help Johnny, help him through something, repay the favor.
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
Soda laughed out loud in a crowded room of people. He wasn't sure why he laughed, wasn't sure of what was going on, but he laughed to cover up his sadness, to cover up his weakness. He had been through a lot, but didn't complain, not once. He lost Sandy, cried every night she was gone, but hadn't shed a tear in front of everybody. Then he lost Dally and Johnny, two people no one gave a damn about except the gang. The gang cared about them. Johnny was a lost puppy they were trying to restore, and Dally. . .Dally was a rough hood, that they were trying to get to see the good in life.
As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends
He thumped Steve on the back. He realized they were in the DX station. Suddenly, it wasn't as crowded as he thought. But he looked outside and saw someone sitting on the street corner. He recognized her from somewhere. . .then it hit him. It was Sylvia. He held up a finger to Steve and went outside, sat down next to her.
"You okay?" He asked, lighting up a smoke and pressing it to his lips. It wasn't often that he smoked, but he felt like one at the moment.
She looked up at him, Soda noticed the sparkling tears in her eyes.
"I just–just miss him so much. I loved him, though I never knew if he loved me back. Always leavin' me to get caught up in jail, not even botherin' to say goodbye." She said.
Soda smiled at her lightly and held her head up.
"He loved you," he said, then looked up to the sky, "he always will." He went back inside, not looking back at the shocked expression on her face.
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Steve looked out at Soda, but not really paying attention. He saw Soda and Sylvia, and thought about Dally. Glory, he wondered if she missed him. Most likely, she always liked Dal, even if she did cheat on him.
"Mind ringin' us up now?" An angry mid-aged man asked.
Steve nodded. "Right away Sir." He said and took his cash, handing him back his merchandise.
Ring out the bells again
Like we did when spring began
Wake me up when September ends
Two-Bit chugged down another cold beer. He was sitting on his couch across from a pretty blonde girl. The girl was into him, but for some reason, he just wasn't in the mood. The girl rolled her eyes at the sight of him drinking down the beers one after another and stood up. She hit him in the stomach with her purse and slammed the door behind her. Two-Bit just shrugged. Something was missing from his life, and even though he hid behind his jokes and wisecracks, it really hurt. He looked down at the beer and burst out laughing. This was the beer he and Dally tried to get Johnny to drink one cold night. They were trying to convince him that it was good for him. Johnny wouldn't even sip it. He laughed so hard, little tears started forming in his eyes. He sat there, smiling, remembering.
Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
Darry wiped sweat off of his forehead with his sleeve, but it was no use, it kept pouring down him, like an ocean wave. He looked off of the roof and into the clouds. It was raining hard, but he was still sweating. It had been a long day and he was dead-beat tired. His arms ached and his legs groaned, but he kept going. His foot slipped and he fell, almost off of the roof, but as if someone caught him, he was able to lift himself back up. The clouds cleared and the sun came out, and as if something, a power, force willed it, a chilling wind cooled him. He looked back up at the sun and grinned.
"Thanks Dal, and you too Johnny. Thanks a lot."
As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends
Even though they were in different places, even though they were just thinking and not discussing it out loud, the greaser gang was remembering. Some of them were upset, some happy, but they were thinking, knowing that Johnny and Dally were watching them and waiting for them. They were all privately celebrating the times that they had with each other. Privately remembering, privately wondering, privately smiling.
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends
Ponyboy, still lying on his bed, still never wanting to wake up, was remembering.
Soda, still smiling, still wanting to go home and laugh through his tears, was remembering.
Steve, still wishing it was a dream, still wanting to go down the street and see Dally harassing some girl and Johnny worshiping his ground, was remembering.
Two-Bit, still drinking, still staying cool and calm but at the same time losing control, was remembering.
Darry, still working to support his brothers, still thankful, was remembering.
Like my father's come to pass
Twenty years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
The gang, all in different places, not knowing each others thoughts, not knowing each others feelings, they were all remembering. Remembering how Dally could be such a mean guy, but real decent when he felt like it. Remembering how Johnny was a quiet, outspoken kid, unbelievably aged for his time, but could be tough, smart and sharp when he needed to. They remembered, and those memories, though they couldn't know it now, those memories would last forever.
Wake me up when September ends
When they had someone to tell, when they had someone to explain to, they would say,
Wake me up when September ends
"I remember Johnny Cade. A quiet, soft, timid kid who died gallantly." and,
Wake me up when September ends
"I remember Dallas Winston. . .a mean guy. . .boy was he great!"
Dedicated to Samantha.
My first oneshot in a while! Yay! Hope you liked it!