Chapter 5:

(Two-Bit's POV)

I ran back to the Curtis house with the money in my hands. I had some money in my pockets but that's not the reason I'm going. I'm going to the Curtis house because I was Johnny with the DDG. They really did have 'im. I jumped their fence, ran up to the porch and opened the door. I guess they had gone to bed. "Wake up!" I yelled. Darry came out of this room and Soda and Ponyboy were behind 'im.

"Damn Two-Bit," Darry said.

"What is it?" Soda asked.

"I saw Johnny with the DDG," I said as I sat on their couch.

"Is he safe?" Ponyboy asked me.

"He looked safe," I said. "And he didn't look like he was in trouble."

"They must have threatened 'im." We all turned to the door and saw Dal standin' there. "That's the only way he could be so calm. He can't show he was kidnapped."

"That's true," Darry said. "Ponyboy, I don't think you should come tomorrow."

"Please Darry; Johnny's my best friend. He needs me," Ponyboy said.

"Let 'em Darry," I said. "We need every person in this gang."

"One problem: none of us are suppose to hit broads." Steve entered the house.

"But they kidnapped Johnny!" Ponyboy said.

"Even so, we should tell the police," Steve said. "As much as I like to fight, I can't hit a girl."

"As 'ere," Dal said as he lit a weed. We all lit a weed and began to smoke. "What we need is a plan to get Johnny back without hittin' a girl."

"How we suppose to do that?" I asked.

"One person can go behind 'em and grab Johnny while the rest make 'em look forward," Dal said. "And if that doesn't work, we'll have it hit 'em. Plus if we call the police, they won't believe us and this is our problem. Once we have Johnny, we'll come back 'ere."

"That sounds like a good plan but do you really think they'll let us get far with Johnny?" Darry asked.

"If we split up, they won't be able to catch us," Dal said. "How many of them are there?"

"I don't know but they have Double Bladed Rose," I said. "I counted seven when I saw them. There might be more."

"We'll find out tomorrow," Darry said. "Let's get some rest. We'll count the money in the morning." We all put out our weeds and Soda and Ponyboy headed to their room. "You are staying the night?" Darry asked us.

"Yea," I said.

"Yea," Steve said.

"Yea," Dal said. He threw us blankets and pillows and went into his room. We laid down but I don't think any of us could get to sleep peacefully. It's different without Johnny here. He so quiet you would never know he's in the room until he said something. I shut my eyes and eventually fell asleep.

(Rose's POV)

I woke up and looked around. I saw Krista and Abby weren't in the sleepin' bags so they must be up. I got out of my bed and looked out the window. It was bright outside. I wonder what time it is. I walked over to my closet. What was I going to wear today? Oh; I had a great combination: bikini top, low rider bellbottom jeans and lace-up boots. I think I'll wear that. I pulled that out of my closet and went over to my bed. I put the lace-up boots on first, and then I put the pants and then the bikini top on last. I looked at myself in the mirror. The stitches make me look tough. I liked how I looked so I opened my door quietly and walked out into the kitchen. I saw everyone was in the kitchen except Johnny, Abby, and Krista. He must be tired from last time. I'll wake 'im up before we leave. Abby and Krista must have gone home to change.

"Mornin' Rose," Will said.

"Mornin' Will," I said as I sat next to her. "Mornin' Paula, Lynn, and Anna."

"Mornin'," they all said back. Anna was wearing a shirt with three buttons in the middle, jeans and tennis shoes. Right now, she was wearing an apron over her clothes. Paula wore what she had on last night. Lynn wore a one should top and low rider jeans with sandals. Will had on a decollete with no sleeves but it had a draw string and it tied around her neck. Then she wore low rider hot pants. I guess Lynn and Will went home to change too.

"Abby and Krista should be back by now," Will said. "They left around the same time we did."

"Hope they didn't get jumped," Paula said.

"They didn't; they may not look like fighters but they are," I said. "They can take care of themselves." We heard the door opened and closed. "Speak of the devils," I said. They entered the kitchen and placed a container on the counter. Abby wore a halter top with drawstring necktie and a mini short. Krista wore a ruffled slip dress and high heels.

"It's for the picnic," Krista said. "What's for breakfast?"

"Didn't you two eat on the way back?" Anna asked.

"Nope," Abby said. "We wanted to have Anna's great cooking for breakfast."

"Shut up and sit down," Will said. "The kid's still sleepin'."

"Johnnycakes isn't up yet?" Lynn asked. I looked at Abby and Krista. They were wearin' matchin' grins. When those two grin, you know somethin' bad is going to happen.

"Don't you dare wake 'im up," I said.

"Why not?" they complained.

"He had a rough night last night," I said as I lit a weed.

"Come on Rose; we won't be that loud," they said.

"You're already are loud," Will said. I put my weed out. I didn't want to smoke anymore right now. I looked up and saw Abby and Krista gone. I jumped out of my seat and walked to the guestroom. I opened the door silently and looked in. Johnny was sleeping and I didn't see Abby or Krista. Then I felt someone pushed me and I landed on the bed. I looked over and saw them in the doorway.

"Raise and shine Johnnycakes!" they yelled as they jumped into his bed. Johnny was up in a second. He had is eyes opened wide. "Good morning Johnnycakes!"

"Get your asses out of here," I said as I grabbed them both by the arms and pulled them out of the room. Then I turned to Johnny and said. "Sorry about that," I said. "These two idiots couldn't resist." Then I left the room and closed the door. Then I chased them into the livin' room and tackled one of them.

"Rose you're heavy," I found it was Abby who said that. "Get off me." Krista got me off Abby and helped Abby up. "Dang, I could have died." She sounded angry.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked.

"Rose, your language," Anna said. Paula, Lynn and Will came into the room.

"What's wrong Abby?" I asked.

"Can't Krista and I have some fun around here?" Abby asked. What is wrong with her? She never gets this mad easily.

"Yes but wakin' up Johnny after a long night isn't nice," I said.

"You do realize once he's ready, he's going back to his gang and then we'll never see 'im again," Abby said. "We're tryin' to have some fun while we still can."

"We all know he'll go back to his gang once he's ready but you don't have to kill 'im in his sleep," I said.

"It was just a little fun," Abby said. "You need to learn to have some Crystal. Just because Charles left you don't mean you can stop havin fun."

"I've been havin' fun without 'im," I said. "Like last night."

"When you got a bullet in your side?" Abby said. "That's real fun Rose."

"You know what, you're the ones that changed Abby," I said.

"No Crystal, you have changed more than me," she said. I got up, walked over to the door and opened it. I walked out then closed it behind me. What's wrong with Abby? She's normally so happy but now she's angry. I sat on the railin' for the steps and slid down it. I better avoid Abby for now. I guess I could go find a place for the picnic. That should be good. Maybe Abby will calm down by then. I heard someone call my name so I turned around. It was Johnny. He walked down to me and handed me my jacket. I thanked 'im and put it on. I felt to see if I had my blade and I did have my blades. I have like six blades, one in each of my jackets. Well I have only five jackets so one jacket has an extra blade. How we got all these blades, I don't know. If Paula or Anna ever needed one, they knew where they were.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Abby's really sorry she said that," he said.

"It's alright," I said. "Tell them I'm goin' to find a place for us in the park."

"Can I come with you?" I looked at 'im. He really wanted to come with me. "If you don't want me to, I understand."

"You can come; tell Anna for me though please. I think I'll avoid Abby until the picnic," I said. "I don't want Anna thinkin' I ran away again."

"Alright," he said. "Wait here please."

"Alright," I said. He ran back up to the apartment. Normally, if it was Will walkin' with me, I would run and see how long it took her to catch up with me. It never took her a long time. I never figured out how she knew where I was. Johnny came out and Will was behind 'im.

"I ain't lettin' you two get attacked again," she said.

"Alright," I said. "Let's go." We walked down the alley and then down sidewalks. We came to the park. I found an excellent spot under a big tree. We decided we should have the picnic there. I ran over to the spot, removed my boots and laid back on the grass. Today was perfect to have a picnic! It was nice out, sunny and not rainin'. Will and Johnny came over to me. Will climbed the tree and Johnny sat next to me. I looked up at Will and saw she was smokin' again. I didn't have my pack of cigarettes. I leave them at home on accident. I hope Paula sees them on the table and remembers to bring 'em. I closed my eyes and I heard my stomach growl because it was hungry. I opened my eyes and saw Will was laughin' her head off. "Shut up," I told her. "I didn't eat anything this mornin'."

"You ran out while Anna was makin' somethin'," Will said as she jumped down form the tree. "You want me to go and get you some candy?"

"Yes please," I said.

"Johnnycakes, do you want anythin'?" Will asked.

"No thanks," he answered.

"I'll get ya somethin' anyways. You haven't eatin' either," Will said. "I'll be back so don't go anywhere Rose. Stay right here."

"Alright; thanks Will. I'll pay ya back later," I said.

"Don't need to; it's my treat," she said as she jumped down from the tree and walked away. My stomach growled again and I laughed. "I should have eatin' more than rice last night huh Johnnycakes?" I asked 'im. He nod his head. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'," he said. I looked around and saw a mustang comin' into greaser territory.

"Johnny, get in the tree," I said as I got up. "Here, I'll help you." He got up and I put my hands together. "Put your foot on my hands and the clime up." He did as he was told. Once I saw he was in the tree, I climbed up the tree myself. I sat on a branch near Johnny. I looked where I saw the mustang and I saw it was gone. "I think we better stay up here until Will gets back," I said. "Damn; I left my boots down there. Oh well."

"Rose," Johnny said. "What were you and Abby fightin' about?"

"Nothin'," I lied. "Just forget it."

"I heard somethin' about me," he said.

"She was sayin' it was fun to wake you like the way she did today," I lied again. I'm a really good lair.

"Oh," he said.

"Don't worry; once her and Krista poured water on me while I was sleepin'," I said before I laughed. "Anna made them clean up the mess and I had to sleep in the guest room on the floor. We didn't have the bed in at the time."

"You went to sleep in wet clothes?" he asked.

"Yea and I got sick the next day," I said. "Anna was pissed that day. She had to stay home from work and watch me. She said I should have changed my shirt. I was too tired to change it that night and I told her that."

"Oh," he said. I saw Will comin' so I jumped down. Johnny jumped down too. I laid back down on the grass. Will cam over and threw me a bag of candy. She handed Johnny his bag even though he didn't want any. Will told him to at least eat a little.

"So why were you two in the tree?" Will asked as she climbed the tree.

"Socs," I answered.

"Yea; I saw some. They wanted to start some trouble where I was," Will said as she opened her bag. "I was leavin' when they started somethin'."

"When is Anna and then comin'?" I asked as I opened the bag and ate some of the candy. My candy was gummy worms. Will got Johnny M&Ms, and Will got gummy bears.

"Around noon," Will said. "After we eat, what should we do to pass time?"

"Cause trouble," I answered. "Like always."

"Not today girl," Will said.

"Why?"

"I don't feel like it."

"Why is everyone moody today?"

"It's time girl."

"Oh." I knew what she was talkin' about. This happens once a month. Will doesn't feel like bein' evil. "When it start?"

"This mornin'; should we really be talkin' about this in front of Johnnycakes?"

"So you call 'im that too?"

"Yea."

"Does anyone know what time it is now?"

"I think it's 11:30 so don't you eat all those or you'll ruin your lunch."

"Alright," I said as I stopped eatin' the candy.

(Dally's POV)

"Are we ready?" I asked.

"I guess so," Darry asked. "This is all the money we could get."

"They better take it and give us back Johnny," Steve said. "Or I might have to hit a broad."

"Let's hit them as a last result," Soda said.

"Alright," I said. "We ready greasers!"

"Yea," we all shouted.