Chapter 2

From the time that he heard the words "murder of your parents," Johnny face had gone blank; as well as his mind. The fact that his parents had just been murdered came out of no where. Plus they said that Dally murdered them. Something wasn't right. Something just wasn't right.

He knew that Dally had been upset about the way his parents treated Johnny. Everyone in the gang knew that. But they couldn't do a thing about it. Not even Darry. They lived in the Northside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Adults only saw them as hoodlums, so if they one of them came with a story of abuse, no one would believe them.

Greasers were pretty much left on to fend on their own. Like Dally and Tim Shepard. Johnny almost believed once that they didn't even live with their parents. Tim seemed to be the one taking care of his younger brother and sister while Dallas just lived wherever he could for the night. There were a few exceptions like Two-Bit's mother who continued to let him live in her house even though he was about a year or two behind from graduating. And the Curtis brothers' parents, who died in an accident last year, were pretty much doing a good job of taking care of their children. Steve's dad was just in between, with how he would yell at him one night and then pay him so he'll come back home.

As Johnny rode in the passenger side of the car, he took a glance in the rear view mirror and noticed the second police car behind them. That was the one that was carrying Dally. Did he really do it? He was so calm about the situation. Johnny never knew Dallas to kill someone. Maybe beat someone so bad that they wished he had killed them, but never a murder.

As he was pondering this, the car pulled up to the police station in Tulsa. This scenery was all too familiar to Dallas. The officer told Johnny to follow him into the building and Johnny did so. While walking, he noticed the other officer pulling Dally out of his car; still handcuffed.

When all four were inside, they led both Johnny and Dallas into separate rooms. Before he entered their different chambers, they looked each other in the eye and then moved on. Johnny was sat down in a chair. The room was dark with only one ceiling light to illuminate the area. He knew what was going to happen. Johnny was going to have questions asked to him.

Johnny's stomach tightened and he began to sweat. The cop hadn't even asked him a single question and Johnny was already nervous. You would have thought that it was him that committed homicide to his parents.

The cop took a seat opposite to him and looked Johnny in the eye. This made him even more nervous.

"So you know about what happened last night?"

Johnny barely nodded his head. This was all too much for him. His parents had just been murdered and now he's being interviewed by this cop who had a look that was all too intimidating.

"So what can you tell us? When was the last time you saw your parents."

Johnny was quiet. He couldn't speak, let alone get the answer in his head.

"Well!" yelled the cop, becoming anxious.

He jumped and a question popped into his head. After about a second, he stuttered it out.

"I-I saw my mom last night when I got home."

"Got home from where?"

"Th-the movies."

"Did your mother say anything to you?"

"No. She-she only does when she's mad."

The cop looked at Johnny for a moment, as if he had heard this story before. Not even cops would believe a greaser.

"When was the last time you saw the murder?"

"Who?"

The cop dropped his hands as if Johnny gave him a stupid answer.

"The guy in the other room!"

The guy yelled so loud that Johnny got too uncomfortable. He didn't like this guy, not at all. He was too nervous to answer questions. It was too soon. Couldn't he do this another time? Any other time?

Suddenly the door opened and the cop turned around. There was the chief asking to see Johnny about something. The cop turned around to Johnny and whispered,

"I'm not finished with you yet."

Johnny got up and nearly ran out of that room. And he could even sense the cop's eyes trailing him as he exited the room. When he reached the police station a wave a relief shot down from his head to his toes. Right there at the entrance were the Curtis brothers: Darry, Sodapop and Ponyboy.

These were three out of five of the human beings he had ever been most comfortable with. Darry was at the front desk signing a few papers while Soda and Pony were in a seat up front. The chief led him towards the youngest Curtis brothers and that's when Johnny noticed another individual at near them. It was middle aged lady dressed in blue dress with bifocals and a bun hairdo.

By the time he and the chief reached the three Darry had already finished signing and was making his way back to the front. That's when the chief spoke,

"Normally you would have been sent to foster care. But I've just been informed that the home is currently full and cannot take anymore children. So for the time being, you will be under custody of Darrel Curtis. Until Mrs. Thomas can find you a suitable foster home."

Suitable foster home? There wasn't any other place he had stayed that was better than the Curtis household. Johnny couldn't name a single area. That house was heaven compared to his parent's household. That wasn't his home. He looked at the Curtis brothers. Soda and Pony had a certain expression on their face. As if they took the adjective, 'suitable', to heart. He glanced at Darry. He kept his straight face, but Johnny Darry well enough that he was even disgusted by what the cop said. Darry put his arm around Johnny and then said,

"C'mon Johnny. Let's go."

With that, the four of them walked out of the station.