in love with home • johnny cade

8

Johnny

After a bit of time, I figured out Y/N's house wasn't far from mine, considering we all lived in the same neighborhood.

We were all hanging out at Pony's like always, and it felt like Y/N made a place for herself with us. Like she was part of the gang. She sits down next to me on the couch, letting out a huff.

"Anyone wanna sneak into the drive-in later? Sound of Music is on tonight."
Dally asks, walking into the living room from the kitchen.

"I'm going later, but I'm not sneaking in."
Y/N replies, her hand raised.

"Is your mom comin' with you?"
He adds.

"My parents are always working. I'm going alone."
She drops her hand beside her.

"How 'bout I sneak and you pay? We'll meet same way. Johnnycakes can come too."
Dally gestures to me.

"Why me?"

"I thought you two were goin' out or somethin'."

"We are not dating."
Her voice was cold and stern.

"God, really? After the thing with you two being chased, I'd assume otherwise."
Dally brings up, and I give him a deathstare.

"What thing?"
Y/N looks at him, then me.

"You two were bunched together hidin' from them Socs... he had his hand clasped over your mouth and you guys were close or-"

"You told him?"
She stares at me in disbelief.

"Look, they wouldn't stop pesterin' me until I said something."

"Let 'em pester you then! God, that's so embarrassing..."
She hides her face in her hands, shaking her head like she didn't want to relive it again. I hear Dally laugh before I watch him disappear back into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry. I should've kept my mouth shut."
I say, still looking at her attempt to hide.
She takes her hands off her face, flipping her hair and pushing it out of the way.

"It's... it's fine. It happened. Can't change the past."
She follows up with a nod, slowly peering away from my gaze.

"Um... I'd like to go to the drive in. But you don't have to pay for me! I can just sneak in-"

"You can come with me. But I mean, it's up to you how you wanna get in. I'll bring some extra change."
She says.

"And you don't have to pay for anything if you don't have any money, or if you don't want to."
She adds, giving me a reassuring look.

"That ain't fair."

"I know things aren't well. I don't want you stealing from your parents."
I scoff at her irony.

"So I can sneak in but I can't steal?"
I watch her roll her eyes like usual whenever someone says something stupid or something she can't argue about.

"You've got me in a box here."
She jokes.

Y/N stays over with us for a bit longer before going back home. I watch her walk down the dusty road back to her house, which you could see from the porch.

She always wore shorts. She always wore short-sleeved clothing or tank tops with a pair of slippers. She wore her scar with pride, like it was always there.

She kept to herself, but not around me.
She was outspoken, but reserved.
She could kill someone if she wanted.
She ain't a greaser, but hangs with them.
She don't dress like one, and she sure don't act like one.
But she was still part of the gang. At least, I thought she was part of the gang. I don't know what the others think.