Kid Cousin - Ponyboy Curtis X !Winston Reader

The Funeral

Tw: mention of abuse

The morning of the Funeral was sad for everyone. My Dad lent Dally a suit and we all walked to the church from the Curtis house.

It seemed like the whole world was silent as a black-clad group of mostly teenagers walked dearily through the streets of Tulsa.

The church was small but it felt as cold as ice. Johnny's coffin was closed and at the front of the church. Soda and Darry stayed at the door to lead people in but the rest of us sat down in the first and second row.

A small amount of guests filed in. Including some familiar faces including the Shepherds. I may have smirked a little when I saw that Angela's nose was still bruised.

The last people to come into the church was Johnny's parents. This was the first time that I've met them and hopefully the last.

Mr. Cade is a tall enough man that walks around stiff shouldered like he's in a tight space. His eyes were cold and his face was unshaven. His hair was balding and he stared at us judgementally. I couldn't help from imagining the horrible things he did to the most loyal soul on the planet.

Mrs. Cade was a small timid woman who's makeup failed to hide the bruises given to her by the man walking beside her. She was the one that most resembled Johnny with her dark hair and big brown eyes that looked lost. One glance at her and you could see the guilt spread across her face. She felt guilty for being a bad mother and for staying with Johnny's father even though she knew how cruel he was.

They sat down in the row opposite us and it took both my Dad and I to physically restrain Dally from doing something irrational.

Then, the priest started the mass.

Ponyboy was the one called up to say a few words. Instead, he read out a poem that he wrote for Johnny:

Can I just begin by saying what he did for me wasn't a sacrifice or a sin.
It was an act of true friendship, the strongest of it's kind.
And Not a day goes by that he's not on my mind.

Johnny was a friend and never a foe.
So it's hard to explain why he had to go.
No one expects die at sixteen years old.
So we should take his advice, we all should Stay Gold.

By the time he finished talking I swear that I saw a tear in Steve's eye.

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The gang and a few others went to the Curtis house after the funeral.

Ponyboy and I sat on the stairs, he had his head resting on my shoulder. "Your poem was great, love," I said.

"You think so?" He asked. I hadn't seen him in a week so I was making the most of every second before another week of being grounded.

"Yeah, you got a real talent," One sentence answers was the most I could muster up. The realness of the day was heavy.

"I just can't believe he's gone, y/n. First my parents, then Johnny. I can't imagine what it would've been like if you hadn't found Dally that night," he went on.

"Don't be making this worse on yourself, babe. I did find Dal and that's all that matters," I said. I stroked his bleached hair. I liked it blond.

Ponyboy took his head off my shoulder and looked into my eyes . "At least I have you," he said and pulled me in for a kiss.

"I'll always be here. You can count on that ," I said when we broke apart. "I'll go get us some chocolate cake," I said and got up.