Chapter 2:

Who's June?

(Soda's POV)

June was asleep on the couch and Pony was at a late track practice, that is held once a week. Darry was in the living room watching the news. It was an ordinary night besides the fact that the gang wasn't here. They were told not to stop unless there was an emergency but for Two-Bit running out of beer wasn't an emergency.

"Soda! Come here Please!" Darry yelled and I joined him in the living room.

"Yeah Dar?" I asked as I sat down on the floor.

"What do you know about June, Soda? Where is she from?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. She wouldn't tell me much. It was like she's afraid to go back. I think she ran away from home."

"What makes you say that Soda?" Darry asked.

"She wouldn't tell me where she's from or anything about her parents. I'm worried Dar. What did her parents do?" I asked.

"I have no idea Pepsi-Cola, but we wont know until June decides to open up to us." Darry said.

"Hey guys. Sorry that I'm late. My practice ran longer than coach expected. What's going on here?" Ponyboy asked as he walked through the door.

"It's ok okay Pony, I understand the long practice hours. This is June, she was jumped today by a group of Soc's. She was almost raped but the gang came in time. We are trying to figure out more about her." Darry explained.

"And she fell asleep on you?" Pony chuckled.

"No, she's been asleep since like 3:30 this afternoon." I watched Pony stare over at the clock. It was after eleven o'clock. "Don't worry Pone, she'll be alright. I cleaned and stitched her up."

"Why can't those damn Soc's ever leave us alone! What the hell did we do to them?" Pony yelled.

"Language Pony! Just leave it be for tonight." Darry said, I just wasn't talking a lot right now. I looked over and saw June trying to sit up.

"Uh-uh!" I said and gently putting her back down. "We don't want you to pop those stitches or open up any of your other cuts. Just lay down for a while." I said.

"Soda go and get some more ice." I went into the kitchen to get some more ice. Opening the freezer, I grabbed some ice and placed it into the towel. While I was wrapping it up, Pony came into the kitchen.

"Here Soda. I got it." Pony grabbed the ice from me and went back into the living room.

"Hey Pony! I'm going to bed. Don't stay up to late! I yelled and headed of towards my room. Maybe Ponyboy can get some information for me, but if he told me than wouldn't that be betraying his trust? I thought this over as I climbed into bed and fell asleep.

I woke up when Pony shook me awake.

"Soda wake up!" Pony said.

"Hmm? What's wrong Pony? Are you okay?" I asked and turned the lamp on.

"No Soda. I'm not." Pony's voice was shaking slightly.

"What is it Pone? You can tell me anything, you know that." I said sitting up. Pony sat down next to me.

"I know that and I need to tell you something."

"Go ahead, tell me what's wrong."

"You know June right?" I nodded. "Well she told me that she came from New Jersey. From a town called West Orange. This town is worse than our conflict with the Soc's times ten. She said half of the time she walks out side, a bottle is thrown at her. June has been shot at a few times." My eye's widened as Pony continued. "That's the worst of what she said. Her parents abused her Soda. Worse than Johnny's parents abuse him. June ran away, she hitch hiked here to Tulsa." Pony finished.

"Shit. I would of never guessed." I said.

"June said something else." There was more!"

"What is it Ponyboy?"

"She has a brother in Tulsa, June wants to find him." Pony said.

"Does she have his name?" We might know the kid.

"John and he's sixteen."

"You don't think?" I asked.

"Johnny? Yeah I was thinking that but he's an only child and always was." He looked at me. "Should I ask him."

"I'll talk to Darry about it tomorrow on the way to work and you should talk about it to Johnny tomorrow." I said and leaned my head back again.

"Okay, Night Soda." Pony said.

"Night Pony." I threw my arm around him and we both fell asleep.

"Sodapop come on it's time to get up! You don't want to be late for work again!" I scrambled out of bed, trying not to wake Pony. I ran towards the bathroom and jumped into the shower. When I was done in the shower I went to go and get changed.

"SODAPOP! HURRY UP!" Darry screamed. I got dressed and looked around for my shoes. I found one under my bed and the other by the coffee table. Quickly rushing to the bathroom to grease my hair and than me and Darry were out the door.

"You need to learn to get up little buddy. I'm getting tired of waiting. So which means, stop staying up late on work nights." Darry said firmly.

"Darry, Ponyboy woke me up."

"Was it another nightmare?" He asked and I shook my head.

"June, opened up to him. She lived in West Orange, New Jersey." I said

"I've heard of that place. It can be pretty rough." Darry explained.

"Pony said that, she was always getting shit thrown in her face and a few times she was almost shot. Ponyboy also said that she was abused, worse than Johnnycakes. The last thing he told me was that she has a sixteen year old brother named John that lives here." I finished. "Do you think it could be Johnny?"

"Yeah, it's possible. Anyway have a good day Soda and I'll see you at home." I got out of the truck and headed inside the DX.

(Ponyboy's POV)

I woke up the next morning and I was home alone, my guess was that Darry and Soda left already. After I was up and ready I went to go and eat breakfast. I didn't feel like eating so I just grabbed an apple and walked out the door. Than there was a yell coming from the direction of the lot. Dropping my apple (such a waste of food) and I sprinted towards the lot. When I reached the lot I was shocked with what I saw. Johnny was getting beaten by his old man! In public?

"Johnny! Run!" I yelled and his old man threw a bottle at my head, I didn't feel the glass smash on my face.

Ponyboy do! I still didn't leave but came closer to them. I took out my blade (Soda and Darry didn't know) and I got in between Johnny and his dad.

"Move boy! Mind you own business, you scum!" Mr. Cade yelled at me. "I'm warning you boy, MOVE!"

"Ponyboy! You better listen to him!" Johnny said. "You'll get hurt if you don't!" I wanted to turn towards Johnny but if I disconnected my gaze with Mr. Cade, I'd be in for it!

"Leave Johnny alone! He's never done I thing to you!" I yelled at him. Something connected with my face and I realized I slapped me. Turning on my heal I grabbed Johnny's arm and we ran to my house.

"Y-You okay Johnnycakes?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What did you do that for? You could've been hurt worse than you already were!" I gave him a confused expression. "Your face is bleeding Pony!" I touched my face and saw that my hand came back red.

"Darry's going to kill me! I'm not suppose to be fighting! It could get us in trouble with the state!

"Now calm down Ponyboy, lets get that cleaned out." Johnny said as we walked inside.

"Okay. What did he do to you Johnny?" I asked as Johnny wiped my face.

"I was in the lot last night, when I woke up I was just lying there and he came looking for me. That's where he found me. Started hitting and kitting me a few times." Johnny explained.

"Are you hurt?" I asked. Johnny began to put take and gauze on my faces considering we didn't have enough band-aids to cover it.

"I'm a little sore but I'll be fine."

"Take Darry's chair, because June's still on the couch. Thanks Johnny." I said

"No problem ma, thanks for helping me out."

"Anytime Johnny." We went into the living room and Johnny sat in the chair and I stretched out on the floor.

"Pony?" A voice said from behind me and I saw that June was awake.

"Do you need anything June?" I asked.

"Can I have something to eat please?"

"Sure, any preferences?" She shook her head and I went into the kitchen. Opening up the breadbox I decided to make her a turkey and mayo sandwich, with orange slices. I finished making her food and I put it on a tray. When I got back June was carefully propped up on the arm of the couch.

"Here you go." I placed the try on her lap.

"Thanks." June started eating and I just sat there and watched her eat. When she was finished I took her tray and put it on the table.

"How are you June?" I asked.

"A little sore and it's hard to move but that's about it." She said.

"Is there anything else you need?"

"Do you have any aspirin?" I nodded and got up to get the bottle out of the cabinet. Opening the bottle, I took out two aspirins and gave them to her. She swallowed them with the water and handed the empty glass to me.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Hey June, what else do you know about your brother?" I asked.

"That he lives on this side of Tulsa and we look alike." She said.

"Johnny, come here." He got up. "You two have meet right?" They nodded. "Well he lives in this neighborhood, he's sixteen and his name is John but we call him Johnny." They sat next to each other.

"W-We do look alike. My folks didn't have another kid thought. I-I'm an only child." Johnny said confused.

"I-I'm adopted Johnny. They abused me too. Then they told me that my parents lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma with another son name John Cade."

"My lasts names 'Cade'. So I have a little sister? Man." Johnny said. "So this means I'm not an only child?" I nodded.

"No Johnny your not an only child. I guess we have a new member to the gang, huh?" I joked.

"Yeah It does." Johnny smiled. "I can't believe it, I have a little sister! This is great!" They hugged one another.

"Yeah, I was told about you by my parents and that your parents gave me up because I was a mistake." She looked down.

"I don't think you were an accident June." I broke in. "You seem very nice and I like you."

"Pony's right June. Well I'll take care of you and so will the gang. Trust me."

"And my brothers seem to like you." She laid back down, after a minuet she fell asleep.

"Pony you knew?"

"Not that you were her sister no. From what she described had a hunch that you were who she was talking about."

"Ponyboy Michael Curtis!" Darry yelled as he was standing in the doorway. "What happened to your face? Didn't I tell you not to get into a fight?" Thankfully the aspirin knocked June out.

"Darry wait! It wasn't Pony's fault! It was mine! My dad was beating me in the lot and Pony got me out of there, but my dad smashed a beer bottle at his face! Please Darry don't get mad!" Johnny spoke out and shocked Darry, Johnny just spoke out against someone!

"Okay, Pony but you know fighting's wrong."

"I know Darry, but I would've done it if Johnny wasn't in trouble. Plus I had to find Johnny to ask him about him being June's sister." I said.

"And?" Darry asked.

"They're related." Just than Soda walked in.

"What happened to your face Pony?" He rushed over and grabbed me.

"Sodapop! I'm fine! Just got cut up is all." I pushed him off.

"Sorry. So Johnny and June are related after all?" Johnny nodded. "We're all happy for you Johnny!"

It's a little strange don't you think?" Johnny asked.

"I guess so Johnny, but I thought you were happy?" Soda asked.

"It's not that Soda! It's the fact why my parents gave her up. How could they do that?" Johnny was getting pretty loud. "What's wrong with them? First they have a second child and send her away from me to an abusive family in an even more dangerous city and they still abuse me!" Johnny's face was bright red from the anger.

"Johnny you have to relax okay?" Soda came over and rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry guys." Johnny apologized.

"Don't be, are you staying for dinner?" Darry asked.

"Sure."

"You can stay the night too, if you need to."

"Thanks Darry." Johnny said.

"Your welcome Johnny, your always welcome here." Johnny relaxed and smiled. The look on Johnny's face told me that he was still in pain.

"Johnny?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure your okay? You look like your in pain." I said.

"I'll be fine, I'm just worried is all." Johnny said.

"Than at least take some aspirin. Help with the pain." I said grabbing the bottle. Taking out two pills and getting him a glass of water.

"Really Pone, I'm fine." Johnny protested.

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you to take them." I put the pills in his one hand and the water in the other. He took then pills, than set the glass on the table. "Get some sleep Johnny." With that Johnny leaned back in the chair and closed his eye's as I joined Darry in the kitchen.

"Hey Ponyboy? I'm sorry about earlier. It's just that we can't afford to get into trouble with the fuzz you dig?" Darry said.

"Yeah I dig, Darry. Johnny's dad in public? I didn't know what else to do besides drag him away." I said,

"I understand that now, Johnny was really lucky that you came along when you did. You did a good think today kiddo." Darry smiled at me.

"What did the kid do this time?" Steve said as he sat down.

"Always at dinner time you guys come over…"Darry said. "Pony helped Johnny when his dad was beating him in the lot."

"Good going kid. See you busted your face up, I guess it was an improvement." I lunged at Steve but Soda grabbed me from behind to stop me.

"Why don't you piss someone else off Stevie!" I yelled.

"Because I don't feel like it baby!" Steve spat back.

"Enough Randle or your leaving!" Darry said. "Pony you need to calm down too. Soda let him go." Soda put me down and I stormed out of the house.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Sorry I would have updated sooner but hurricane Irene knocked my power out for two days! Which was torture! I'll probably update new chapters a lot, so….yeah. Read and Review. Next chapter may be up tomorrow or later tonight.