Scars | Johnny Cade Fanfic

39 - Favors

Triggers: LOTS of swearing

This chapter is short on purpose. The next one is super long so I'll probably post the next one in a couple days... anyway love you guys! (ALSO HAPPY EASTER!!!)

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Johnny's POV

Saturday Morning, May 14; 9:29 a.m

The two days passed by real fast. Too fast.

I spent the whole day yesterday with Tru, talking to her and begging her to get up. To give me a sign that she was listening and that she understood why we were doing what we were doing. Telling her I'm sorry that it had to happen to her, and what I would do to take her place. Nothing.

The gang tried to keep each other up, but not much of it helped. Things were different now, and I had to accept it. The small chance that she doesn't wake up... Well, she would want me to be happy.

Besides me, everyone was struggling with their own thoughts and emotions. I don't think the gang really knew how bad off she was.

I was lucky. In the beginning, I was alone. I found no support, and every day I would visit the hospital and talk to Trumen about what was on my mind and how I could help myself. I had already gone through the emotions and grief, and now all there was to do was hope.

Earlier this morning we all met up at the Curtis house, ready to drive over to the hospital and say our last good-byes. It was hard, you know. Seeing everyone in the state they were in. Dallas was there. He wasn't sad like the others.

"Are we ready to head out?" Darry asked everyone in a gentle tone, running his hand back through his hair. Steve and Sodapop gave each other some reassuring looks before they nodded their heads to the twenty year old. The others didn't say anything, but agreed in silence we were ready.

"Wait." Dallas said, glancing frantically. "I- uh... just wait. Johnny, can I talk to you?"

I heard a small sigh from Ponyboy before I agreed. I gazed up at Darry, who nodded in approval. "Take as long as you need." He said just under a whisper.

I slowly, but surely, followed Dallas in the kitchen, shifting awkwardly in the atmosphere. There I leaned beside the counters waiting for what the seventeen year old had to say. "What is it, Dal'." I asked, more of a statement than a question.

"Uh..." He opened his mouth for a minute, then closed it again. The teenager looked around the kitchen room again before studying me again. The conversation felt so surreal. Our last real conversation was... well, when I yelled at him. It was weird. I didn't seem to have the same anger in me from months before, and wondered where it had gone.

"I just wanted to, uh. Check on you." He said it so bluntly, I didn't know if he was serious or not.

"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Wanna make sure you're okay." He continued. "I know this must be the hardest on you. I just wanted to check on you, man."

"I'm fine." I said awkwardly, waiting a second before I turned around to leave the kitchen. He seemed off. I don't know if it was just because I hadn't hung out with him in a while, but I'd never heard him consider how I felt. Even though I found it strange, I shrugged it off. I shouldn't have shrugged it off.

"I'm sorry." Dallas called out, eager to stop me from going. "I'm sorry- I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Gloria, for fucks sake." He looked down and licked his lips. "She wasn't supposed to die." I stood there looking at him in amazement. Had he gone mad?