Sorry I didn't add the last chapter so fast, but my computer was suffering some issues, but a few good smacks and everything was alright. Just kidding :) But sorry my computer does act stupid once in a while. Well, here you go!

Chapter 8

Pony's POV

How could this be happening? What was I getting myself into? This was like some movie I'd seen before or something. I scooped Jamie off of the floor, and walked outside. I figured Shane was inside somewhere, so I hurried. I started to fast walk down the road. About five minutes later, I saw Johnny. He was coming from around the block and was running hard. He seen me and started walking. He caught up to me and turned around to walk with me. He gave me a familiar look. It was sad, depressed, lost, confused. Poor Johnnycake.

"So, uh, Shane did this huh?" poor, poor, Johnny. He knew what she was going through. That's probably why they got along so well.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna take her home, to my house. Well, until she wakes up anyways. She called me. Before I came here. She told me she didn't want him there, and I knew something was wrong, so I had to. I can't stand it when people are like this. And a girl, too." My voice was cracking. I don't know why. I didn't want to sound like some kind of baby. But sometimes I just can't help it. The tears just come, and nothing can stop them. One fell down my face, but I quickly wiped it away, almost dropping Jamie. She wasn't really that heavy, so I wasn't getting tired, really.

"Yeah, I'm used to it by my old man, but man, her parents don't even know about it. And yeah, no girl should be treated like that. It's just terrible. Horrible. Why can't people be just ordinary people? Why do people act like this? Huh? She didn't do nothing. We were talking about it the other night. It's just not fair. Nothing is fair" he was starting to get upset, too, so I stayed quiet. We were almost around her block when I heard a door open and slam shut. It was Shane. I felt my heart drop all the way to my stomach. He saw us down the road, and got in his car. He had a beer in hand, and by the way he wobbled and struggled opening the car door I could tell he was drunk. He drove down the road so fast, and I jumped off the street. He went to go hit us, and instead ran into a tree on the side of the road. I've never seen anything like it before. Only in my nightmare with Mom and Dad. The car crashed into the tree, and branches went through the windshield. I thought I was going to throw up, but I slung Jamie over my shoulder and started running. I had to run away. I couldn't handle this. I had to tell Darry. Or somebody. Someone outside their window would see Shane and call the fuzz.

"Johnny," he was keeping up with me, since I was going a little slower because I had Jamie over my shoulder. "What are we gonna do, man?" he got that look again, and I could see a hint of fear in his eyes.

"I don't know, man. Is he gonna live? It's all our faults. What should we do?"

"It's okay, Johnnycake. It's not our faults. Someone across the street is gonna call. It's okay. We had nothing to do with it. It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay. It's okay" I was just a little spooked, that's all. We finally got home, and Johnny opened the door for me. As usual, Darry was reading the paper on the chair, and Steve and Soda were playing poker in the kitchen. I walked in and laid Jamie on the couch. Darry stood up and walked over to me.

"What happened, little buddy?" Soda came into the room, and Steve just sat at the table, shuffling cards.

"I went to her house, and she was on the floor passed out, and then Shane came out of the house drunk and drove down the road and crashed into a tree and" I said in one big breath. "Is she going to be okay?" I cared about Jamie more than anything right now. I wanted to cry, but it wasn't a big deal. I was just kind of mixed up. Scared. I wish mom and dad were here. I went over and hugged Soda.

"Soda, I'm confused" I said quietly, so only he could hear.

"It's gonna be okay, Pone." He put his arm around me like he always does. That always makes me feel better.

"Where's this guy at?" Darry sounded worried. I don't know why.

"About 20 or 30 blocks from here." Johnny said.

"You guys were out walking that far?" Darry walked outside and got in the car. I just sat down on the chair, and looked at Johnny.

"what are we going to do about Jamie?" I asked, not even caring about Steve, who walked into the room. He was staring at me, and I didn't like it.

"I don't know. My dad is the same way with me, but I got somewhere to go, and she doesn't. I don't know." Johnny stared at her. So did I. Then, as if as soon as I looked at her, Jamie started to move around. She woke up, and looked around. She got a confused look on her face.

"Where am I?" she said forcefully.

"It's okay, Jamie. I carried you to my house. You've only been here about a half an hour." She was okay with that. She got a content look on her face. "yeah, well, Shane. He was drunk and crashed into a tree." I really didn't want to tell the story for a second time. I felt for some reason that it was our faults. Really, mine. I couldn't help but feel bad. She just stared with a blank expression. Soda and Steve went back into the kitchen, and I was happy for that. I didn't want them to hear.

"I know he was drunk. He's been drunk. He hit me real hard. I'm so sick of it. I just want him to go away, and leave me alone. I'm so, so sick of it." I felt so bad for her.

"Why don't you tell your parents?" that was nagging at me.

"Pony. My parents don't care about me. Some nights they don't even come home. I don't have any brothers or sisters, so I'm home alone with him sometimes." I started to feel bad. I could tell that was a sensitive spot. Her eyes were starting to water. I didn't want to see her cry again. Johnny was just sitting on the floor, lost in thought. I sat down next to Jamie and put my arm around her. Not around the shoulders, but in a hug-like way. The way Soda does to me.

"It's okay, Jamie. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you have to go through all this, and I'm sorry things are the way they are. You don't deserve any of this." I didn't know what advice to give to a girl, but I guess it was good enough, because she just rested her head on my shoulders for a long time. Darry walked in.

"Shane is in the hospital" he said, taking off his shoes.

Ok, so there you have it. A little corny? Sorry, I'm in that kind of mood. : ) I love sappy stories. I really hope you like it, and I'm probably going to add more later tonight. Review!!