Tough Love, Johnny Cade (Jally)

Four: Table Paurkour, by Johnny Cade!

Dally was screaming.

He shoved a table over and fell to the floor. He sat there, slumped in a moment of silence, his lengthy hair hanging in his face like a veil. Then he screamed again, bringing his whole body down, curling himself around where he clutched his wrist with one hand.

As far as I could tell, he wasn't hurt physically, but boy, he sure was hurt. I'd never seen him like that before, and for some reason, I had a feeling I was never meant to. Dally uncurled slowly, and it reminded me of a butterfly coming out of a cocoon, opening its wings. Dally looked at his hands. Then he shot his head back at me, looking directly at me.

About then, I woke up from my nightmare. I sat up quickly, covered in a cold sweat. I was on the Curtis boys' couch, right where I should have been. But Dally was still in the tan chair a few feet away. I should have been comforted at him being there but I wasn't. It wasn't right where he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be off somewhere, drunk as a dog, picking on some pretty girl at 2AM. But he was sleeping in that chair a few feet away.

I pulled my feet up onto the couch, adjusting into a comfortable sitting position. Dally had told me he had a weird dream about me. Something had been wrong with him all week since he told me that. I'd dreamed about him too now, and it scared me to think about what a coincidence it was.

I didn't sleep the rest of that night. I tried, but I had a million things on my mind. I lay there thinking for hours before Sodapop walked in. It was still dim outside, and the blinds were glowing at the edges with a slight blue light from the up-coming dawn.

"Hey Johnnycake." He whispered. He'd seen me look up at him, even in the dark. I suppose it's because my eyes are so dark, they stand out.

"Hey." I whispered back. My lips were stuck together at first and my throat was dry when I spoke. I was a bit curled up on the couch, so Soda sat at my feet. I sat up with him. Soda looked me over. He glanced up at Dally.

"Something's going on with Dally, ain't it?" It wasn't really a question. Soda could tell. He could always tell. I nodded softly.

"He seems worried about you." Soda continued. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a side hug. "But I'm not. We wouldn't let nothing happen to you."

Soda hugs are the best. He pulled away and looked down at his pajamas.
"I'm going to take a shower before anyone else gets up." He rubbed my back and stood. "We're all celebrating here today, so no doubt Two'll be here in an hour."

Soda disappeared into the hall. I looked over at Dally, still sound asleep. He had a plaid blanket tossed over him, and my head jumped back to Soda's flannel. I thought about going back and getting it. I knew my dad would be home all day, and after barely escaping my mother yesterday, I knew there was a belt set aside for me. If I was going to go, now would be the time.

I left a note on the couch saying I was running a quick errand and would be back. I quietly left the house through the back door. My jacket was still on the clothes line, and I took it off, slipping my arms into it. I took off for home. When I got there, I crept around the side of the house, towards my bedroom. I'd snuck into and out of my room by my window before. It was an easy way to avoid conflict.

I made it to my window. I had moved a table under it so I'd have something to climb in with, with the house being elevated. It was just another price of garbage sitting in our yard anyways. I shook the table, making sure it felt secure. Then I climbed on it, preying open the screen-less window.

Everything was going smooth until I lifted my leg and slipped it in through the opening. The table suddenly let out a loud crack and collapsed. I nearly fell out of the window, but caught myself. Now, I was dangling on the side of the house with one leg though the window, my arms clutching to the windowsill.

I tried my best to quietly struggle through the window. I'd already caused enough ruckus between the table collapsing and me slipping. Just as I placed both my feet on the floor, I was grabbed by the collar of my jacket.

"Little bastard!" A sickening voice hissed. I was thrown onto the floor. I rolled over onto my back, looking up horrified at my old man, hardly more than a shadow in front of the window.

"So you're a thief now, huh?"

I wasn't able to say anything. I glanced over at my bed. The flannel was gone.

"Looking for your boyfriends shirt?" He towered over me. "Fag!"

*** *** *** ***

"Johnny?!" Darry saw me first. He was sitting on the couch reading the paper. The house smelled like eggs.

Soda was suddenly at my side. "Golly, Johnny, what happened?"

"I went back for your shirt. I didn't get it." I said dryly. Soda shook his head, smiling sadly at me.

"I don't care about that, I just wanna make sure you're alright."

Soda looked over my bruised face. I pulled away lightly. "I'm okay." I said. That's when Two-Bit and Dally walked in.

"Johnny, you're back!" Two said in a silly voice. Then he frowned at me. "Oh shit."

Dally looked at me then looked away. He scowled at nothing before turning and leaving the room. I was about to go after him, but Two was on me.

"You're safe here, Johnny." Two said, pulling me into a hug. I pulled away, looking up at him.

"I know." I said. "Can we just... not?"

Everyone left me alone after that. I think Soda explained the situation to Steve and Pony, because Steve didn't say anything, and Pony spoke to me like normal. Except he kept looking at me with pity through the entirety of breakfast, just like everyone else. Why today? I remember thinking. Why would this happen today?!

I managed to eat halfway through a boiled egg and a bite of cake before I got up and left the room. Everyone watched me leave. I made it into the hallway before Pony was catching my arm.

"Hey, Johnny..." he gently turned me around. I didn't look at him, but my face was growing hot and my eyes began to water. Pony sighed, pulling me by the arm to his bedroom. Once we were inside, he closed the door. He looked at me for a moment, and we were silent. Then I let out a small sob, bringing my jacket to my face and hiding it.

"Jesus, Johnny!" Pony exclaimed quietly. He pulled me into a hug. "He really got to you this time, huh?"

"No!" I pushed away from Pony. "No, it ain't that, I'm just so sick of this. Everyone always pays so much attention to me when this happens. And normally it's nice, but today's Two-Bit's birthday, and I came here and made it all about me!"

"Everyone's worried about you, Two knows that, he won't be upset."

I wiped my face and looked up at Pony. "I just wanted today to be normal is all."

I walked out. Like it wasn't normal.