Disclaimer: Get it into your head: I do not own anything you recognize.

Open Your Eyes, the World is Calling

Run

"Hey Ponyboy," I said and slipped into the seat next to him. He was the only one at the Curtis house, an unusual occurrence and he was reading as usual so he simply grunted at me in response.

"What are you reading?" He put his book down and sighed and I knew I had succeeded in annoying him out of his reading funk.

"It's called To Kill a Mockingbird, ever read it?"

"No," I said as tears stung my eyes again, "I've heard of it though. It was Caradog's favourite book. You know you kinda remind me of him? But you're real dreamy when Caradog always got right to the fact of the matter." Ponyboy was looking at me apologetically and I nodded.

"You miss him?"

"Everyday," I replied, and gave him a small smile.

"I don't know what I'd do without Sodapop or even Darry or any of the gang for that matter. We all have a role and—"

"You all fit together," I finished for him. It was true. Everyone in that group had a reason to be there. Johnny was the pet, the one who kept Dallas human. Without Johnny I wouldn't ever have Dally.

Ponyboy was the smart one. He was the kid who was gonna make it somewhere and he was the kid that the rest of the gang was going to be proud to say they knew when they were younger when he was some famous doctor or something.

Darry was easy—the dad. He was the leader and took care of everyone, making sure they had a place to sleep and were hidden from the cops.

Sodapop was everyone's best friend and the one who you talked to when you had a problem. He just was. Steve was his real best friend, of course, but Soda helped out everyone and anyone.

Dallas, my Dally, was the bad boy, the drama. He was the one who provided the stories that you tell to your grandkids, once they got old enough, about their Uncle Dally. He was the person you talked about in uncomfortable silences and the one who kept you on your toes and made all the interesting things.

Steve was the one who equalized everything. He was a pretty good guy, actually. He had a lot of guts and was never scared of anything.

Two-Bit was last, but not least. He was the entertainment. I'm certain they'd all have gone insane without him and he made them all remember that there's still fun to be had. There's always fun with Two-Bit.

"I know what you mean. Caradog and my other brother, Carson, they kind of filled up the empty spaces. I never told y'all about Carson, now did I?" Ponyboy shook his head and I sighed. Talking about Carson was hard.

"Well," I smiled slowly, "We used to be really close. He was a real cute kid, all blonde hair and blue eyes, but then he became a teenager. You know, at first I didn't know what was happening to him and we never yelled and fought like we did in that last year. He got into drugs and drinkin' and that. He was violent too and pretty mean. I don't think he even realized it though. He acted like he was fuckin' God's gift to Earth. Had that cockiness 'bout him and if you knew him you would understand why. He always got his way and could talk himself outta anything. Anyways, he killed my best and pretty much only friend and my parents."

"What a pleasant story," Ponyboy said numbly. I laughed at the look on his face and patted his shoulder.

"I'ma tell you what I always told my best friend: Life is hard and getting over things, well that's what makes us human." I smiled and faintly remembered Carson but he was like a ghost to me now. I realized I had everything I wanted, something I'd barely known back in my old town.

"Ghosts," Ponyboy muttered.

"Ghosts," I repeated, "They don't have to be dead." I looked at the kid. He was gonna break a hundred hearts and he probably wouldn't even know it. I grinned, a real, nice, big grin, and ruffled his short-ish brown hair.

Steve, Sodapop, and Dallas came in then. I grinned at them and walked over giving Dally a nice kiss on the lips and hugged him right 'round the waist and exclaimed, "Up for a game of poker?"

Ah, how I loved those words.

When I came in I heard my aunt crying in great, dramatic sobs. I heard her saying something too…It was about me, but why? She was talking about how all my no-good friends were hoods and she wanted to send me to a girls' home! No, no, no, I can't go to a girls' home, I can't.

I went up the stairs as quietly as possible and gathered a few of my things. Pulling together all the necessities, plus $400 cash I went back downstairs and crept softly out of the house.

I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to leave but I'd heard about those girls' homes. I couldn't go to one. I wouldn't survive.

I ran softly, sub-consciously going to Two-Bit's, thinking he's the one with a car. Don't tell anyone, don't tell anyone, don't tell anyone. I knocked on the door and nearly cried out to God that he was home and sober.

Had I overreacted? I wasn't sure but in the end I knew I was gonna hafta leave. Those girls' homes…they're scary. I'd be killed, for sure. I wasn't even sure I was going to be sent to one, but I couldn't take the chance.

"Two-Bit," I said, grabbing him by the shoulders, more to steady myself than anything else, "I need you to take me to the train station. Don't ask questions, don't try and find me. Please, I need you to do this for me." The look on his face was surprisingly serious and I hugged him real hard. Two-Bit had been a good friend.

We were driving in silence, my bag bouncing idly against my leg. I was looking out the window, looking at Tulsa for the last time. The drive-in, the lot, everything in happiness and loneliness at the same time. I imagined Dallas sleeping at the Curtises or his own house, I imagined Steve and Soda having a game of cards, Ponyboy reading and laughing with Johnny. I imagined Darry smiling one of those knowing smiles from the kitchen and smiled. Goodbye, I thought, I love you all.

When we got there Two-Bit gave me a rough hug and whispered in my ear, "It's a sin we're losing a beautiful girl like ya. We'll all miss ya. Don't you be going forgetting us now. Dally'll miss ya but I'll tell him you love him, alright." I just nodded and tried not to cry.

I bought a random ticket. Any ticket woulda been fine but when I got it I realized it was to Pittsburgh. I smiled. I was going home. Maybe if I was feeling nice I'd go and visit Carson.

"Home," I whispered and almost started to cry as I got on the train, Dallas's smiling face on my eyelids and Two-Bit's car driving away in the distance. Of course Pittsburgh wasn't home anymore. Tulsa was the place I'd fondly remember my first real kiss, my first proper boyfriend who wasn't just trying to get in my pants.

Goodbye home. Goodbye Soda and Steve, Darry, Ponyboy, Johnny, Two-Bit. Goodbye Dallas, I love you. Goodbye. How I hate that word.

A/N-Alrighty there you go. Have a happy new year! And review!