In Love With My Best Friend (The Outsiders Johnny Love Story)

Running Into Socs

Nikki's POV:

"Nikki, Pony, come on. Get up. Breakfast is ready." I hear Darry say. I open my eyes and see him standing next to the bed. "Morning Nikki. Can ya help me wake Pony and Soda?" Darry asks me. "Sure thing Darry." I say. "Thanks kid" he replies. "No problem" I say back, and he goes to finish getting ready for work and stuff. "Hey Pony, wake up. Darry says breakfast is ready." I say, shaking him a bit. He gets up and I go to wake Soda up. "Soda, Darry says breakfast is ready. Get up." I say. He gets up and I go to change. I put on a black tank top, jean short-shorts, a leather jacket, and I put my hair in a braid. I put on my black combat boots and walk out to the living room. "Get yourself something to eat Nikki." Darry says as I sit on the couch next to Soda. "Oh, I'm not hungry." I lie. Truth is, I haven't been eating much lately. I guess my parents and the Socs are getting to me. "I haven't seen you eat a meal at school in I don't know how long. And I know you didn't eat anything yesterday. Please eat something Nick." Pony says to me. "I'm really not hungry Pony." I lie again. "Nikki, I feel like you aren't telling the truth." Soda says. "Not telling the truth about what?" Steve asks as he, Dally, Two-Bit, and Johnny walk in. "About not being hungry." Darry says. "Are ya hungry Nick?" Two asks me, and I shake my head no. "There's your answer. Now leave the kid alone." Two says, getting cake and a beer and sitting down to watch Mickey Mouse on tv. "Nick, can I talk to you?" Johnny asks. I nod, and we walk outside. "I know why you aren't eating Nick." Johnny says when we walk outside, and my eyes go wide. "Please don't tell the gang Johnny. I don't want them to know I'm starvin' myself." I say. "You're what!?" I hear from behind me, and I turn and see Dally standing behind us. My eyes go wide. "I...um...uh..." I stutter, not being able to form a sentence. "Why would you do a stupid thing like that Nikki?" Dally asks me. "My parents and the Socs." I say with a sigh.

"Don't let them get to you. And I can tell you that you aren't fat. Not even close to it. So eat something before you pass out." Dally says to me, and I agree to eat. We walk back inside and I grab some food and a drink and sit in between Dally and Johnny. "You got her to eat?" Pony asks the boys, starring wide eyed at us three. "Sure did" Dally replies. I eat as we watch Mickey Mouse. After I finish, I take my plate to the kitchen and do the dishes. "Thanks for the help kid. I'll see ya after work." Darry says, ruffling my hair. "See ya Darry" I reply as he walks out the door. "We gotta get to work too. See y'all later." Soda says as he and Steve head out too. We all say bye and I walk in the living room. "Wanna go for a walk Johnny?" I ask. "Sure" he replies. "Be careful out there. Watch for Socs." Two-bit warns us. We say okay and head out. We walk and make small talk for a while, then decide to head back. On the way back, we run into some Socs. They pull up in a blue mustang. "Well now, what do we have here? A couple of Greaser kids walking around." the leader, it seems, says. "Leave us alone. We ain't caused you no trouble." I say, glaring at them. "Now ya see doll, we can't do that. Grab 'em." the same Soc says, and two of his friends grab us. We tried running, but it didn't work. The leader started beatin' us something awful. He had on a bunch of rings too, and it really hurt. They eventually left us bleedin' real bad. Johnny lost his jacket when we tried running. I'm laying on my back, groaning. "Nikki, you okay?" Johnny asks with a groan. "Not really" I reply. After a minute or two, Soda, Steve, and Pony rush over to us. Soda reaches us first, and grabs Johnny and starts shakin' him. Steve reaches us second, and falls down next to Soda. Pony just stares. Almost as if they sensed it, the rest show up. Darry comes skidding to a halt next to us. Two shows up, then Dally. Dally bends down and pulls me on his lap, but I shriek in pain. "Johnny? Hey, Johnnycake, you okay?" Soda asks Johnny. "S-soda?" Johnny asks. "Yeah, it's me. It's Sodapop. Don't talk, you'll be fine." Soda says. Johnny ignores him and starts explaining what happened. That's when I pass out.

Time Skip

I woke up with a cold rag on my head. I open my eyes and see Dally and Pony next to me, sitting on the floor. They have me on the couch. "D-dal? Pony? W-what happened?" I ask. "You and Johnny got beat up by some Socs, and you passed out." Dally explains. "Where's Johnny? Is he okay?" I ask worried. "Yea, he's fine. You got the worst. All Johnny'll have left is a scar. You'll have a couple. I think they broke your ribs too." Pony explains. I try and sit up, but a pain shoots through my chest, and I shriek and fall back down. Soda, Steve, Darry, Two-bit, and even Johnny run in when they hear me. "Nikki, you're awake!" Johnny says, coming over and hugging me. "I'm so sorry you got hurt while you were with me." he apologizes when he pulls back from the hug. "It's fine Johnny. It wasn't your fault. I'm just glad you're okay." I say. "I just feel awful that I couldn't protect you. You're hurt cause I'm couldn't do nothing." Johnny says frowning. "Johnny Cade, you listen to me. This ain't your fault. It coulda easily happened if I was with any of the guys. Stop blaming yourself for it, ya hear me?" I say, and the whole gang looks at me in shock. I think that's the biggest outburst I've ever had. "Yea, I hear ya." Johnny says. "Good, now can someone help me up? I need to find a friend of mine." I say. Steve helps me up. "Let me give ya a ride kid." Two says to me. "Nah, I gotta do this on my own. I'll be back by dark though. And if I'm not its cause I'm at my friends house." I say, shrugging my jacket on. "Be careful kid. If you see any more Socs look for a busted bottle or run, got it?" Two says. "Got it Two" I say, and head out the door. Before I go to my friends house I head to Buck's. "Whadda ya want kid?" he asks when he answers the door. "I need a switch blade." I say. He leads me in without a word and hands me a shiny blue handled switch. "Thanks Buck. I'll catch ya later." I say, and head out to the Soc side of town.

I walk for a bit till I reach my friend Cherry's house. I knock on the door and her mom answers. "Hello Nikki, did you need something?" Mrs.Valance asks as she opens the door. "Hello Mrs.Valance, is Cherry here?" I ask her. "Yes, she's up in her room. Sherri, Nikki is here!" she calls, using Cherry's real name. Everyone calls her Cherry cause of her hair. She comes down and smiles at me. "Hey Nikki" she says. "Hey Cherry. I need to talk to ya." I say, and we go to her room. "What's up?" she asks. I'm almost never this serious looking. "Bob beat up me and my friend today." I say, and she looks shocked. "Was he drunk?" she asked. "Yea, it seemed like it. Poor Johnny was beatin' himself up about me getting hurt while I was with him today." I say. "Look, I'll talk to Bob. You know he woulda never done that to you if he weren't drunk." Cherry says. "Yea, I know. Look, I better get back before the guys start freaking out. I'll see ya around." I say. "See ya Nikki." she replies, and I head home. On the way there, a different Mustang pulls up next to me. "Well now, look boys, a pretty little Greaser girl all by herself at night. Lets give her a lesson on why that ain't smart." one says, and I take off running. I see the house, and the Socs are still after me. "DALLY! TWO-BIT! JOHNNY!" I hollar out the first few guys I can think of. They all run out the house and see the Socs chasing me. Dally, Two-Bit, and Johnny run off the porch with the others following. There still a ways away, so I skid to a stop. "Look here, there's nine of us, and 5 of you! You best get going before we beat the tar outta you!" I say to them. "Oh yea, and how are you gonna stop us?" one asks, and I pull out the switch. "With this. And don't think I won't use it on ya neither. Ain't like it'll be the first time I woulda had to use one." I say, smirking at the fear in their eyes. "A-alright Grease. You're free to go this time." the same boy who spoke in the car says, and they take off running, just as the guys get to me. "Nikki! Are you okay!? They didn't hurt ya, did they?" Johnny asks worriedly, pulling me into a hug. "I'm fine Johnnycake." I say, returning the hug. "What you did out there Nikki, that was awesome. Where'd you get the blade?" Soda says/asks when we get back inside. "Buck. I went by his place before I headed to my friends house." I say with a shrug. "Well its getting late. Y'all better get to sleep." Darry says. "Hey Dar, can I crash here tonight?" Johnny asks. "Sure Johnnycake. You can share the couch with Soda." Darry says. "Um, Soda can have the bed. I wanna stay out here with Johnny tonight." I mutter. "Okay, g'night guys." Darry says. The others head home, and Soda and Pony get in bed. I change into the tank top and shorts I sleep in and get on the couch with Johnny. "Johnny I say. "Yea Nikki?" Johnny asks. "Thank you" I say. "For what?" he asks confused. "For not leaving me with those Socs earlier. And for being worried about me." I say. "You're welcome Nikki." he replies. "Goodnight Johnnycake." I say. "Goodnight Nikki." Johnny says, wrapping his arm around me, and we fall asleep.