Stay Gold (The Outsiders FanFiction)

Chapter 7: The Runaways

"Munch...Munch...Munch! Wake up already!" Ponyboy shook me awake, surprisingly the train didn't. "We got to get off now."

Ponyboy dragged me off of the train and into a meadow.

"Last time I was here...well...two people I loved-"

"Ponyboy. You don't have to talk about it." I said while rubbing his shoulder.

"Let's go get some lunch, and I know your name is Munch, but I don't have a lot of money to spend on food."

"Okay. I'm not really that hungry anyways. Where are we going?"

"Let's go to Dairy Queen. Is that alright?" Ponyboy squinted in the bright sunlight.

"Yeah." I said contemplating on whether I should ask this question or not. "Ponyboy, how long are we going to be here?"

"I don't know, Munch, how ever long you need." He smiled. "Why do you got a hot date?" He said teasingly.

"I wish, but no."

He paused before he spoke. "Consider this a date then." Ponyboy was always flirtatious with me.

"Pony, aren't you going with that girl you met at the park?"

"No." He started to duck his head and scratch the back of his neck, that means he is about to admit something embarrassing. "It was a just an older girl that's in the same math class as me. She was umm...tutoring me." He cheeks flushed red.

"Why didn't you say you needed some help? I'm good at math, Pony, and I'm in the same class as you."

"Don't you see, Munch? I'm embarrassed about it. Darry would kill me if he found out my grades aren't as good as he wants them to be."

"This will be our secret then. Back to the date thing. So, is this like an actual date or...?" I smiled teasingly. He smiled back and bumped shoulders with me. We bumped shoulders back and forth playfully until he met his lips with mine. We let go.

"Ponyboy. What does this mean-" He interrupted me by grabbing my waist and pulling me close. His lips landed on mine. He cupped my face with his hands, then his hands held mine.

Nothing is more romantic than kissing in a golden meadow. I thought to myself. Now words flew around my mind, describing us. Inseparable. Perfect. Love.

When we let go of each other we started to head for Dairy Queen. We didn't talk, just walked in silence. His arm wrapped around my small waist. I felt safe with Ponyboy.

We entered Dairy Queen and I stared at the menu for a short while.

"Can I help you?" The cashier asked.

"Yeah, we want two plain burgers, and don't forget about the fries." Ponyboy said.

I turned around to head to the bathroom. It was empty, so I went in. I stared in the mirror for a while. My thoughts weren't collected, they were scattered all over my brain. Quickly, I decided to head back to Ponyboy. Just thinking about him made the butterfly in my stomach flutter with excitement. I exited the bathroom to see no sight of Ponyboy at the counter. He wasn't in any of the booths or tables; I started to panick. Looking over my shoulder, knocking sounds came from the other side of the glass window, from the outside.

"Ponyboy!" I said trying to hold in my tears. I ran out the door and into his arms.

"Did you think I left you?" Ponyboy said with his cute smirk across his face.

We released from our tight hug and started to walk on the cracked sidewalk. He handed me a burger.

"Maybe I wanted ketchup on my burger, Ponyboy." I said teasingly.

"You don't like ketchup, Munch."

"I love how you know so much about me."

"I love you, too, Munch." We both stopped and stared at each other. It was quiet for a long time. "I didn't mean to scare-"

"I love you, too, Ponyboy Curtis." He smiled and pecked me on the cheek.

"Come on, Munch. We got to get going."

"Where is this 'special' place that you want to show me?" I said while staring at him.

"You'll see."

Again, we walked in silence. Soon we got closer and closer to this ash pile. Stories started to float around my head. This place is where Ponyboy and Johnny helped those kids in the fire. My thought to be dad didn't want to help, he just drug Ponyboy out of the church and was too late to save Johnny. Scattering, my thoughts lingered around my head.

"We're here, Munch."

I look up to experience a small pond and a large pile of burnt wood, ashes, and memories.

"Ponyboy, can we...um...turn back. I just can't look at this and think that if this church hadn't burnt, if this fire hadn't started, then I would have known my daddy, I mean my...well...almost dad." My eyes just stared at my feet. "I just can't bare the thought that one old, abandoned church changed the fate between him and I."

"It wasn't the church that did all of that." He looked at me like I killed his puppy. "We can turn back. I know it's hard for you." His fingers intertwined with mine. We walked from the church back into town.

Through many conversations, we finally decided to get a motel room and stay through the night, then go back home tomorrow morning.

~

Ponyboy got us a room at this pay-by-the-hour, run down motel. After we busted through the door, a single queen sized bed awaits us. Ponyboy was polite and let me shower first. He had gotten me some clothes at an old thrift store in downtown Windrixville. Ponyboy showered and climbed in the covers on the other side of our shared bed.

I faced the wall, so he thought I was asleep. He shut off the lights, leaned towards me, and kissed my forehead good night. His hand rested on my shoulder while he pecked me on the head. I heard his whisper I love you. Before he could lift his hand and roll over to his side, I put my hand on his, stopping him.

"I love you, too, Ponyboy."

Right then I turned my head to meet his kiss. We locked lips and then advanced into holding each other while our lips never let go. His hands ran down my hips, peeling off every inch of clothing I had on. Before long, Ponyboy and I were expressing our love for each other, and it never felt more right.