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

Chapter 20, Walking Alone

Happy Easter!! I was already half finished this chapter while Easter got closer and closer, so I decided to just pretend like Easter isn't a thing.

"No you it was you who was meant to bring him home!" Mrs. Cade yelled.

"How was I meant to! I was already in my fourth bear by one o'clock-" Mr. Cade was cut off by the door opening.

"Oh.. hi." Johnny smiled awkwardly, he wasn't expecting them to still be home, usually Saturdays are the days when his mother leaves to go on a 'smoke break' and doesn't come home till two in the morning, and his father is already passed out after a week of work. But who knows, maybe in this new town, they'll finally turn the house into a home, end their old ways. Johnny also thought the same when they moved to New York, and the opposite was the case.

"Oh you made it back? Not saying with your boy-toy?" Mrs. Cade laughed, while taking a drag of the blunt cancer-stick she had in-between her fingers.

"Haha, no, he must now better this time around! What was the kids name? Matt? Wow you and him were close, luckily I snapped ya out of it." Mr. Cade replied, while not breaking eye contact for even a split second. Johnny was half confused by how his father phrased it, only remembering their neighbours son Matt, who came home from college during the summer, Johnny knew it was absolutely wrong to be the replacement of Matt's ex, while he was there, and how it was ridiculous that he was convinced they were meant to be. But that's a story for another time.

"Right, while I'm heading out, the guys I work with invited me out for a drink." Mr. Cade  sighed, while he kissed his wife's cheek and went to the door.

"Uh-hu, and are these guys paying?" Mrs. Cade asked, suddenly she was more interested on the topic.

"We're going to split it.. but yes, I was planning on faking an emergency and leaving before the bill came.."

"Alright hunny, how 'bout I come along?" She smiled.

"Absolutely- if you can get Mr. Wood's wallet."

"Deal!"

And with that, Johnny watched his parents leave the house, hand in hand. At least they seemed happy, he'd tell himself. At least they seemed happy..

Johnny used this time to get changed, also taking a route through his wardrobe, making a note of the cloths he had that weren't his. Once that was done, he decided to grab a snack, as he didn't want to seem like a burden to the Curtis' or anything like that.

He grabbed one of the less-bruised apples from the old worn-out fruit basket his father found in the backyard when they first moved in.

He then exited the house, not taking a second look behind him, he hated looking at the house, it was just a habit-sort of thing he picked up on, it reminded him that it really was where he lived, as odd as it sounds. He liked to pretend like it was his friends house, and he was simply just leaving after meeting up. He closed the door, which had no lock, Johnny just prays that in the unlikely event when someone actually thinks that there's something in the house with remote value, his room gets spared.

As he walked down the street, he realised he had no where to go to. Sure, he could go down to the Curtis', though they were celebrating Ponys win, so there would probably be family, and besides, the 'gang' would be there, and they were just as close as family. Johnny didn't know anyone that well, besides Pony, but even then Johnny felt ad if he didn't know him. They just kind of became friends before either of them knew each other that well, it felt rushed almost.

Jonny kept walking. Clutching his old jean-jackets, he had two jean-jackets, one was a hand-me-down, the other, the one he was wearing, was what he bought when he was twelve. He saved up all the money he could get, from pet-sitting, cutting the grass on lawns, and even the occasional baby-sitting job. He bought it three sizes too big, thinking he'd get a growth spurt, news flash: he didn't. So, it was still slightly (definitely) too big. But apparently the new trends are bigger jackets, so he didn't get any second looks like he did in New-York... yeah Johnny, the jacket is definitely what caused all the looks.. anyway!

Johnny walked along the old, run down streets, looking into the occasional window, one of the things he enjoyed most was people watching. It was odd, and probably a crime, but he enjoyed looking at the window-sills of houses, you can really tell what kids 'get the toys' and what kids don't, he liked seeing the happy family's sitting in the living rooms, acting as if their living situation wasn't as horrible as it was.

Jonny liked waking alone, he liked having time to think to himself. He felt as if all his worries were gone. The worries of wanting to be more than friends with a particular Curtis, the worries of wanting to impress his parents, the worries of wanting to learn Italian to prove himself to his family. Almost all his worries were about family in one way or another, yet the ones he cared about know were the worries about Ponyboy.

His biggest worry was to do with Pony, yet Pony was the one who made (almost) all his worries disappear.. ironic!

Notes,

Please ignore any spelling or grammar mistakes!

Wow the chapter was finally posted!! I know it was 'definitely' worth the wait. I'd like to point out that the  lovely dovely stuff will begin soon, this chapter was originally titled 'Kiss' but I wanted to focus more on Johnnys life, particularly his home life, as this is titled 'that house isn't your home', but bear with me! I can assure you that by the end of this, Pony and Johnny will be happy together, no matter how far away that is. The ending will be happy, I want you all to know that! Does this count as spoiling? Maybe, do I care? Nope :)

Hope you all have a good day!! And to those of you who celebrate Easter, happy Easter!

(And thank you for all the comments, it makes my day when someone finds one of my dumb jokes funny :] )