Author Note:

OK I realize I screwed up, in the book Pony's 14 and Johnny's 16... so I'm just changing that right now. Johnny and Ponyboy and Melissa and Daisy are all 16. OK just wanted to let you guys know! Don't forget to review when your done reading! :)

- xxDevil-Childxx

I tried to act happy during the movie so I wouldn't ruin Melissa's time with Pony, but of course he had to ask...

"Hey Daisy, you know where Johnny ran off to?"

"Um, no he just left after we got the stuff... I think I made him mad..." I murmured as we walked along the sidewalk. I couldn't really see that well because of the darkness, and the moons light kept dodging through leaves on the trees we past.

"Oh, OK" He didn't sound too concerned so I tried to follow his lead.

"Um, Yup." Melissa and I were awkwardly standing outside her house, her mom still wasn't home.

"Do you want to just... come over to my place? I mean my brother is probably home, and the rest of the gang but-"

"We'd love too!" I looked at Melissa with wide eyes, pleading her not to go because we could run in to Johnny. I guess she didn't see me.

"Hey buddy, who's the chicks?" Ponyboy's brother said with a grin stretched across his face. I've seen Soda-Pop around town and at the DX when my dads car broke down. He was a looker, he had most girls at his feet, well greaser girls. We all knew he loved Sandy, though.

"Melissa and Daisy" He pointed us out and Soda stepped out of the doorway so we could come in, and of course there he was, sitting on the couch looking down at the floor.

Oh, shit, he looks so sad...

"There you are Johnny! We wondered where you'd run off too." Pony seemed so cheerful, like he didn't have a care in the world. I knew that wasn't the case though, he just didn't give any power to his cares. He seemed much happier that way.

"I just..." He caught sight of me and changed his sentence "My, uh, hand was bothering me so I went home for a second."

I saw a couple bruises on his face, almost invisible against his tan skin. I felt my stomach lurch, he went home, and came back with bruises.

Oh, lord, please let him have ran into a door when he left. I couldn't take it if I knew that his parents...

"Johnny can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, not really expecting him to say yes... luckily he did. I followed him outside and around the back of the house. I could send the tension in the air before I spoke. "I- I'm sorry I said what I said back at the movies... I didn't mean to make you mad or anything..."

"I know." He mumbled.

"I was just worried about you," I really didn't know where I was going with this but I said it anyway, "You went home for a second... but you came back with bruises you didn't have before... I was just wondering if- if you know your parents-"

"- I told you: you don't know me." His voice was harsh and I cringed internally.

"I want to, so bad, really I want to!" Despite my fear I took a step toward him. "You don't have to love me... If I could just get to know you, If you could just get to know me..."

"Yes, OK, yes it was my dad. I got the bruises from my dad. I got the scratch from my dad. Are you happy now?" I felt like the wind got knocked out of me when he finished. "And I know you like me... I know you love me. I just can't love you back, I can't."

"I- I..."

"Tell Pone I'm going to the lot." He said as he walked off into the darkness. I watched him until I couldn't see him anymore, then I walked back in the house. I tried to make my face stoic but I knew Melissa would see what was going on.

"Pony I think I'm gonna go home, K?" She kissed him on the cheek and got up to stand by me.

"Johnny said he'll be at the lot." I spoke emotionlessly and walked out, staying silent the entire way to the house. Melissa didn't press me to speak and I didn't want to until we got up to her room and shut the door. I went over and sat on her bed while she stared at me from the floor, her back against the door. "He thinks I don't know him."

"Well," She mover over to sit by me "he's right, you don't know him."

"Whats that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means! You don't know him at all! You just love the idea of him and you together. I'm sorry I sound like a bitch right now but you need some light brought to your eyes!"

I was stung by her honesty and stood up to shout back "Well you don't know Pony! You dated him on a whim! Just because he liked a stupid yellow shirt! You don't know each other!" With that I ran out of her house and back to mine I was surprised to find my mom sitting on the couch reading, it was almost midnight. I could feel the tears slip down my cheeks as she rushed over to embrace me. Maybe it was the look on my face, or maybe she knew what I was going through, but she went into comfort mode.

"Shh, baby its OK." She set me on the couch and rocked me like I was five years old again. I continued to cry. "Its OK, honey. Daisy its OK." My mom kept her arms around me until I stopped crying. "Do you want to tell me whats wrong?" She stroked the back of my head and I shook it 'no'. "OK. Go take a shower and I'll make you some cookies."

I didn't normally let people baby me. But I guess I could make an exception.

Author Note:

OK! Theres chapter 4, I hope you likey! Sorry about the age mix up, but in my world Pony and Johnny are the same age. Hehe I likie my world. LOL Thank you for the reviews so soon! I love you guys! Please keep reviewing, it makes me happy :D

- xxDevil-Childxx