'That house isn't your home.' Ponyboy x Johnny

Chapter 3, The Cades

[The Cade Household]

"I swear to you, he ran off!" Mr. Cade said, with anger in his voice, as he walked back into the house.

"He  better be back by tomorrow, I invited over those Curtis', the misses wanted to become friends or something." Mrs. Cade replied. "So save some bear for her Mr." She continued, taking a long drag of her cigarette.  

"And why would i do that? Last time i checked, they had three boys, I doubt they drink around them." He said, sitting down in the arm chair, he had found it in a dump a year or so ago. "We can use that as an excuse! So we don't have to give them cigarettes or alcohol." He said, a large grin coming across both his and his wives faces.  

"This is why I married you." She smiled, while kissing his cheek, sometimes she had to convince herself she loved him, she had to convince herself to stay in a house with him, and that dreaded child neither of them wanted. 

[Johnny's pov]

Before long it was morning, both of his parents were passed out upstairs, giving Johnny the chance to sneak back in. He didn't plan on staying long, he just needed to grab another shirt and a bowl of cereal, and he'd be off. 

His plan was nearly complete, until he heard someone coming down the stairs. It was his mother, who was better than his father, but still had its level of danger. 

"Don't pull a runner like you did yesterday, we're having guests over today, go grab my make up from the bathroom and cover those bruises- and for Pete sake's get into nice clothes." 

His mother was never and never would be the motherly type of person, she was cold and mean. Though, she hardly ever placed a hand on Johnny, now, whether that was because he was good at dodging the hits, or whether his father hit him enough for the two of them, he didn't know.

"Who's coming over?" Johnny asked, keeping his gaze on the ground.

"The Curtis', they live down the street." She replied, her voice stern, which was enough for Johnny to know to leave. 

[The Curtis Household]

"Ponyboy! We're about to leave, hurry up." Soda called, Pony quickly rushed down the stairs, buttoning the top of his shirt in the process. 

"OK,OK, now can you tell me where we're going?" 

"To the Cade household, they moved in a week or so ago." His mother, Maryanne, replied. 

"The Cade?" Pony repeated, thinking back to last night.

'Johnny, Johnny Cade.'

Pony was snapped out of thought,

"Unfortunately your Father and Darrel are at work, so it will be just us three." His mother said with a smile, Pony didn't mind, he enjoyed it when it was just him, Soda and Mum. 

[The Cade's Household... again]

"Johnathon! Get those damn shoes out of the living room, Jesus Christ." 

"Yes Sir.." Johnny muttered, while walking into the living room and grabbing his old converse, and put them on. He had an odd feeling he was going to need to leave half way through, he didn't quite know why. 

"Johnathon. Be on your best behaviour, you hear me?" Mrs. Cade sighed, while walking down the stairs, she was dressed in her best dress, the one Johnny had picked out for her when he was younger. It was a baby blue dress, with pink and yellow flowers, it looked like it was made in the 50's, and to Johnny's surprise, she hasn't sold it. It would go for a lot of money, yet she kept it. 

"Yes mother.." He muttered. 

"And none of that funny stuff with her boys, remember when you claimed to love our last neighbours boy? None of that, you're not screwing this up again" His father said, while walking into the kitchen to hide all of the alcohol and cancer sticks. 

Johnny nodded his head, while walking back upstairs and into his room, in hopes of being able to hide. 

When he arrived in his room, he spotted the coat he had gotten the night before. That's where he recognised the name Curtis.

'Ponyboy Curtis.'