I will never stop obsessing over Johnny Cade or Ralph Macchio. ... kee!! Yes! Loser me! Anyhoo ... Hope you like this chapter!! Future chapters are ... maybe better? I can't remember. Anyways ...


Chapter Fourteen

I opened my eyes slowly, confused with what I heard:

"What time is it?"

"I dunno. I went to sleep too. You better get home alright? We're gonna stay all night out here. Who'll care anyway?"

My vision cleared and I saw Pony crouched low and Johnny lying back down.

"Alright. If y'all get cold c'mon to my house," Pony said as he slowly backed up.

"Yeah, alright."

Pony stood up. "What is Darry gonna say?"

"Wha's goin' on?" I asked quietly as Pony disappeared.

"We fell asleep and lost track of time. Darry's gonna be furious!"

"Mm …" I mumbled, rubbing my arms for warmth. "Hope he don't get in too much trouble."

"Yeah," Johnny slurred and fell asleep.

Growing colder, I shivered insanely. I found it hard to go back to sleep but ten minutes later I had finally drifted off. Just to be awoken not long after by someone tripping over my leg and falling on Johnny. My heart skipped a beat as I scrambled to my feet.

"Wha-?" Johnny exclaimed tensely.

"C'mon! We're running away!" Pony's voice stated, troubled.

Then we were running as fast as we could as far as we could. I felt frozen and hungry and sick, and running did not help much. I almost puked when we'd eventually stopped.

"Take it easy, Pony. It'll be alright, man. Just cool it, man," Johnny was telling him softly.

"Got a cigarette, Johnny? I'm scared to death!"

"Well, don't be, man, you're scarin' me! What happened?"

It all had happened too fast and I was getting mixed up. Besides, I was still half-asleep. I didn't really understand what was going on. I didn't know where we were, why we ran, anything!

"Darry hit me!"

That I understood! I looked at him, startled. I never thought Darry would do a thing like that.

"I swear we used to get along just find until mom and dad died! Now he can't stand me!" Pony couldn't stand still.

"I think I like it better when the ol' man's hittin' me! At least then I know he knows who I am …" It affected Johnny greatly how his parents couldn't care less about him. He desperately wanted them to love him. That's where he and I differed: I couldn't have cared less about my parents loving me. "I walk in that house and nobody says anything. I walk out and nobody says anything. I stay away all night and nobody notices." He sighed and nudged a rock with his foot.

"Naw, Johnny. That's not true … C'mon. Let's go to the park and back. Maybe I'll be cooled off enough to go home," Pony suggested.

"Yeah, alright."

Still partially confused, I followed them quietly, trying to make sense of everything. Pony was rubbing his hands up and down his arms continuously, and Johnny was staring at the ground as we walked, his hands deep in his jeans jacket pockets like usual, and hunched over. My teeth chattered noisily as I trembled fiercely from head to foot.

I had always envied Ponyboy immensely for the way he and his brothers got along and how they had so many amazing memories of their parents while I was stuck with a sick feeling whenever I thought of what mine did to me and my siblings. But just tonight I was slowly realising no family was perfect. Some might hide all the mess-ups and imperfections away from sight and appear to be completely perfect, but they aren't. Sometimes people lose control of themselves, sometimes people grew sick of others, and more. The Curtis brothers were entirely human and I should have known that some day everyone else (especially me) would come to see that.

Soon we'd reached the deserted park. I guess I felt safe in that park. I didn't really know why though since it was completely open and anyone could appear at any time. I hugged myself tightly shivering harshly.

"Aren't you guys about to freeze to death?" Johnny asked, flipping up his jacket collar.

"You ain't a-whoofin'," replied Pony.

My only answer was the chatter of my teeth.

I quietly followed them across the grass to the monkey bars. With difficulty, I climbed onto them and groaned, rubbing my hands together. Then I noticed the Mustang turn and start coming towards us.

"Uh oh! Look what's coming. This is our territory!" Pony snapped.

Confused, we all watched as it parked in front of us.

"Bet they're looking for us. Wanna split?" asked Johnny softly.

"Stay cool," murmured Pony just as the four socs stumbled out of the car.

"Well, well, well! Whaddya guys know?" slurred Bob. He couldn't stand straight and he held some booze.

"They're drunk!" Pony exclaimed.

Now fully awake with fear, I glanced at Johnny and saw him looking terrified and anxious.

"It's that guy with the rings!"

I drew in a quivering breath and turned my gaze back to them.

"Aren't these the greasers who uh … tried to pick up on our women?"

Though I was scared out of my mind, I couldn't help but think: I never tried to pick their women up!

"Hey, you're outta your territory now! Y-You guys better watch it!" Johnny tried to threaten.

"No, pal! You better watch it!" Randy said sharply.

Johnny shifted his eyes, then for some reason Pony and he slid from the bars. I jumped down behind them. I hated alcohol with a passion! Drunk people terrified me and these socs were probably as drunk as they could possibly get before passing out.

"Y'guys know what greasers are?" asked Bob as he wobbled on his feet. "White trash with long greasy hair!" He then dumped some of his booze on Pony.

That was one of the lowest things a soc could tell a greaser! I could tell Pony and Johnny wanted some serious revenge while I wanted so desperately to just run away!

"Y-You know what a soc is?" Pony retorted nervously.

"What?!" Bob snapped menacingly.

"White trash with Mustangs and madras!" He faltered for a second then spat at them.

The socs eyes rounded.

"GET THEM!!" Bob roared and all four socs bolted at us.

My heart fell to my stomach and without even thinking, I found myself racing after Johnny and Ponyboy. The next thing I knew one of the socs had flattened me to the ground. I grabbed my head and the soc got off me. I curled up in a tight ball as he kicked me, laughing hysterically. Tears squeezing out of the corners of my tightly clenched shut eyes, he threatened me incomprehensibly and, laughing, turned and left. Too scared to move, I opened my eyes and saw all four socs huddled by the fountain, yelling. There was splashing and as I glanced around the park and saw Johnny on the ground I realised Pony was the one in the fountain.

"Somebody got a drink for this greaser huh?" Bob asked his socs. You could hear the huge grin on his face through his voice. "Gimme that! Drink this, pal!"

I uncurled and tried to push myself to sit up straight but my arms felt so weak with horror. What do I do?! I screamed in my head. What do I do?! What's happening?! My vision blurred with tears and my head boomed.

Then suddenly I watched as the blur of Johnny got up shakily, his arm behind his back. Pony's shouts abruptly stopped and my breath left my lungs. Why isn't he-? What's going on? Puzzled, I got to my feet too and followed Johnny slowly. I saw his arm go up gradually, quivering, and as I realised what he was about to do, I cried out and covered my face.


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I'm gonna go eat kraft dinner! YUM!!! And obsess over: The Beatles, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Relient K!! YAYY!!