Tough Love, Johnny Cade (Jally)

Six: Home Away from Home

I woke up after eleven the next morning. When I did, Pony was sitting at his desk, sketching a picture.

"Ponyboy?" I said groggily, sitting up. I had a headache, probably from crying.

"Morning, Johnny." Pony smiled briefly at me, focused on his drawing. "You can find something to eat if you want, but be careful, the guys are hung over. Especially Steve. Lord, he got sick on the carpet this morning and it smelled like cottage cheese!"

"Ew." I said. Steve was notorious for smelling strange sometimes.

I got up and wondered into the kitchen. I figured eating might help my headache, even though I wasn't hungry. Breakfast had long since past, so I figured I'd make a boloney sandwich, seeing as it was more filling than just plain old toast. I made the sandwich and got a glass of water to wash it down.

I sat at the table and took a bite of my sandwich. Just then, somebody walked into the room. I looked up. It was Dally, his hair a mess and his eye sockets dark. I quickly looked back at my sandwich. I heard him sigh as I took another bite. He made his away around the table, and sat down next to me.

"Hey, Johnny." He said, clearly tired.

"Hey." I tried to say, but between the lump in my throat and the food in my mouth, it sounded more like a hmm. Dally watched me continue eating my sandwich for a long moment, and I self consciously wiped my mouth.

"Listen, man..." Dally started. He sighed heavily. "I know I yelled at you last night. Or I think so. But anyway, whatever I said, I was just drunk. Sorry if I... hurt your feelings, or whatever."

It wasn't the best apology, but it seemed sincere enough coming from Dally. And frankly, it was reliving to hear. But I still was a bit bothered.

"It's fine." I said. I put down my sandwich, now half gone. Then I suddenly had the urge to say something. "Hey, why are you avoiding me anyway?"

I finally looked at Dally. His eyebrows were lifted. He was surprised I asked, but I knew he could tell what I meant.

"I'm not avoiding you." He said, almost stubbornly. "Nothing's changed man, in fact, we should go do something later. Darry will let me take the car, he knows I won't drink if I'm taking you."

That was Dally's way of apologizing for avoiding me, but declaring himself too proud to actually admit it fully. It was an admirable trait of his.

"Yeah, sure." I said, picking up my sandwich. I took a bite- a happy bite, though I'm sure it looked like a very ordinary bite.

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

Dally and I sat in the movie theater that night. Only, I guess we'd ended up in the wrong movie, because instead of the murder mystery Dally promised, it was some low-budget romance movie. I could tell something was off when the title showed on the screen after the beginning credits, because Dally almost started choking on his Pepsi.

Dally and I sat awkwardly for the first thirty minutes. By then, it was at the third kissing scene and Dally grabbed my arm.

"I've had enough, let's get out of here." He whispered. We eagerly left into the lobby. It was completely empty, since all the movies were at about halfway.

"I shouldn't have drunken all that Pepsi so fast." Dally laughed. "I've never had to piss so bad."

Reluctantly, I started for the washroom and Dally followed behind. Dally breathed a sigh of relief as we entered into the washroom, which was also empty. I stood aside and let Dally do his business at the trough. When he finished and washed his hands, he leaned against the wall next to me and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He handed me one, and I was quick to light it off his.

"Man, that was a total bust." He said disappointed, referring to the movie. "Sorry man. The guy at the concessions probably got kicks out of directing us to the wrong movie."

I laughed a little. "It's okay, we can come again sometime." Truth be told, I was just glad he was being normal again. I'd thought some about it, and I realized that what Dally thought about me really mattered. I mean, we weren't close like me and Pony, but I figured I really wanted us to be. That's why I cared so much. I liked Dally and wanted to be closer friends.

"There you go again." Dally said with a groan. "Get your head out of the clouds man, that's boring."

I looked at Dally. He was only kidding with me, but I wondered self-consciously if that might actually affect him wanting to be around me.

"Alright, let's get you back to the Curtis'." Dally said. He started for the exit.

"Wait a minute!" I grabbed Dally's arm. I didn't want to go yet.

"Huh?" Dally said, and my face got hot. I pulled away, suddenly realizing how eager I had come off.

"Let's not go yet." I said, nervously looking at the trash can. "I mean, we don't have to say here, but I don't want to go home yet."

Dally frowned with confusion. "I said the Curtis', Johnny, I wasn't-" Dally cut himself off. I knew he could tell what I had meant by it. The Curtis' house was my home. It was the only place I had to go home to.

Dally smiled. It wasn't a gentle smile or anything. It was his kick-ass adventure smile. Something about it still touched my heart like it was the sweetest smile though.

"Look, we'll try this again another night." Dally said. "Sorry it was a bust."

"It's alright." I said. "We may as well go on back to the Curtis'."

"Yeah, let's get you home." Dally said, almost as if to test the word out.

Home.